Fourcast_Sept2025

Fourcast the

Cash course

Texas Senate Bill 2 changes educational landscape

By Aria Knepler-Pearl Staff Writer

Texas Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) makes Texas the largest state to implement Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), colloquially known as “private school vouchers.” The bill earmarks $10,000 per child for qualifying families to use for school tuition, educational expenses or costs associated with homeschooling.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law May 3, 2025, fulfilling his 2022 re-election campaign promise of establishing a universal ESA program in Texas. The law went into effect Sept. 1. Dr. Laura Leathers, Eugene McDermott Head of School, reflects on the recent bill.

“How do you balance a public education system with the ability of parents to make choices that are in the best interest for their children?” Leathers said.

Under SB 2, passed by the 89th Texas Legislature, families of four with incomes below $162,000 will be given priority to receive ESA funds. For context, the Census Bureau reported in 2019 that the median income for a family of four in Texas is $84,724. Families with children who have disabilities will also be given priority and are eligible to receive up to $30,000 depending on their needs.

“I think that the great thing about Dallas is that there are so many school choices for families,” Leathers said, highlighting options like charter, independent, single sex, coed, religious and public schools. “And for some families, this [bill] could help them access additional school options for their children.”

The bill allocates $1 billion in ESA funding for the 2026-2027 school year, a funding limit that means approximately 75,000 to 100,000 students of around 5.5 million Texas school-aged children may receive “vouchers” in the coming school year.

Supporters of the school choice movement laud SB 2 as a groundbreaking program that may make private education more accessible for low-income families. A press release from the office of Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton (R), who authored SB 2, said that every child in Texas deserves educational opportunities to help them succeed and that SB 2 would further that goal. Sen. Creighton did not respond to a request for a statement.

Before SB 2 was passed, Texas House Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D) authored what she described as “fiscally conservative” amendments to SB 2 aimed at creating “strong guardrails” for the bill. Plesa represents District 70, which includes parts of Collin County.

“I filed an amendment on the House floor to make sure that there was an income cap to who can get these vouchers,” Plesa said. “I wanted to make sure that those individuals that really needed it had it first. Unfortunately, that amendment died on party lines.”

Plesa said that SB 2 poses risks to rural communities, whose public schools may disproportionately bear the brunt of decreased funding. Rural areas often lack private schools, so students living in these communities may not be able to benefit from ESAs.

Critics also argue that the existence of ESAs, which use taxpayer dollars to fund students’ tuition and supplementary educational needs at private and parochial schools, raises questions surrounding the legality of a program blurring the line between church and state.

Those opposed to ESAs in Texas point to states with similar programs like Florida, Arizona and Iowa, whose funds have gone overwhelmingly to families with children who already attend private schools, though the data is difficult to track.

“We don't want to see the same mistakes that we've seen in other states,” Plesa said. “I want to create reasonable parameters and reasonable accountability measures.”

Supporters hope that beyond providing families with the means to afford a private school education, the ESAs will stimulate competition between public and private schools, thus incentivizing improvement in public schools.

numbers at public schools lessen their funding but do not lessen many of their main expenses. “I worry about the future of public education as a result of this.” Leathers said that since about 82 percent of Texas natives stay in the state, one of the highest retention rates in the country, improving Texas educational systems is advantageous to everyone.

Like Leathers, Plesa stresses the interconnected nature of education.

“Whether we go to a public school or a private school or a charter school, all those education systems are really intertwined,” Plesa said.

“We’re really lucky to not be in that position,” Stoltz said, noting that Hockaday’s application numbers rise every year.

Another advantage that eases pressure to participate in the ESA program is Hockaday’s ability to provide need-based tuition assistance for all qualified students, according to Katie Leto, Chief Financial Officer.

“We're thankful that we have such an amazing program and a financial aid office that allows us to ensure that our families that qualify can get the help that they need,” Leto said.

Leathers said the school leadership team has not made any decisions regarding participation in the ESA program yet.

Sara Stoltz, Director of Communications, agrees.

“Historically, Hockaday has not accepted state funds or federal funds,” Leathers said. “So participating in the Education Savings Account Act would be a departure from our previous practices.”

One instance of Hockaday declining government funds, Leto said, was those offered through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offered forgivable loans to private schools to help cover payroll costs.

“We made the decision that at that time, it was not worth the risk of unknowing,” Leto said.

Regarding SB 2, Leto said that the leadership team is focused on ensuring alignment with the school’s mission for generations to come. She finds it difficult to evaluate what the ESA program may mean for Hockaday, citing the “unpredictability” and “unknown” of potential requirements, which have not been finalized by the state, for schools that accept funds.

“Both public and private educational systems need vitalization,” Plesa said, but she, along with others, is unsure if SB 2 will provide the solution that the school systems need.

Critics worry that ESAs will divert money away from resourcestrapped public schools and into private schools, which are not held to the same legal requirements as public schools and whose practices sometimes lack transparency.

“I have concerns about how reallocating public funds to private schools will hurt the public school systems,” Leathers said, adding that even small decreases in student

“Everybody benefits when you have really good, strong public schools,” Stoltz said. “You want your next generation to be well educated regardless of where they go to school.”

Stoltz highlights the diversity of backgrounds among Hockaday students, many of whom previously attended public and private schools across the DFW area. She said Hockaday’s robust admissions pool provides the school with the privilege of choosing whether or not to participate in the ESA program. However, smaller private schools may opt into the program as a method of recruiting more students.

Leathers echoes this concern, explaining that she would be wary of new requirements that may take time away from the existing academic curriculum at Hockaday.

“Does accepting federal funds or state funds hamper our ability to function as an independent school?”

Leathers said. “I think that’s the big question.”

Regardless of changes in policy, the top priority of the leadership team at Hockaday remains the same.

“Our job is to protect our ability to educate our students in accordance with our mission,” Leathers said.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF JOYCE JIN

A tech-less Texas

Daisies keep access while legislature bans phones in public schools

By Sophie Cho & Sara Vijay News Editor & Staff Writer

While the Texas phone ban (HB 1481) does not have a direct impact on private schools, it is bringing the issue of technology use to the forefront of discussions in all types of schools, including Hockaday. Upper School students have a wide variety of opinions on the subject.

Junior Thandi Chisango, who loves to “doomscroll,” a term used to describe the act of spending excessive time on social media, believes that students should be able to keep their phones during school.

“I don’t think they should have banned phones in public schools because if an emergency happens to someone’s parent or family member, they’re not going to know,” Chisango said.

Also, as an athlete trying to be recruited by colleges, Chisango feels an obligation to answer recruiters’ calls even during the school day.

“If you are getting recruited during class and a college calls, you can’t pick up, and it looks like you are ignoring them,” Chisango said.

Junior Tech Board representative Anusha Chowdhary says that while at public schools, the ban may be more

effective, phone apps are very much integrated into a Hockaday student’s daily life.

“I have a whole Hockaday folder on my phone, which just goes to show that we can’t be banning phones,” Chowdhary said. "Mobile Serve and Volt for the fitness center aren’t on your computer.”

Chowdhary said that allowing phones at school encourages students to develop time management skills and self-discipline.

“It's not like [tech board] want to make students put their phones away, because obviously in the real world, you're not just going to have to put your phone away,” Chowdhary said. “I think that's important to realize and work around.”

However, freshman Ariel Adashek does not have a phone and is forced to interact face-to-face during school hours, which she believes is positive.

“I feel like not having a phone allows me to have a deeper and concentrated focus,” Adashek said.

Bye-bye Big Bird

PBS Kids funding is officially cut

By Anya Aggarwal & Savannah Simon Managing Editor & Staff Writer

If you grew up watching shows like “Wild Kratts,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” or “Sesame Street,” you have the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to thank.

But, on May 1, presidential Executive Order 14290 blocked the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) from funding the National Public Radio (NPR) and PBS, stating, “neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.”

With this order, long-running television shows like “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “Reading Rainbow” will no longer receive Ready to Learn grants that have allowed free educational content to reach American households.

Dr. Stephen Balog, AP Physics and Astronomy teacher who is a father of four, predicts that funding cuts will undoubtedly take a toll on education.

“With children's programming, that’s going to have the biggest impact because not every kid can afford books,” Balog said. “So, sometimes the TV is the next best thing.”

Funding cuts affect families who rely on PBS for educational programming as part of their afterschool routines or who have limited access to after-school activities.

Upper School Mathematics teacher Karla Bosco said PBS Kids has provided invaluable support to her four children over the years.

“My kids’ letter recognition and phonics skills have immensely improved, which are strengths they may not have gained so easily without PBS,” Bosco said. “PBS serves as one of the only avenues for some children to receive education when they're not at school. If that’s taken away, we’re going to lose something very valuable.”

Bosco adds that watching PBS shows with her children has helped her develop skills as a parent to support her children's education.

Without a phone, Adashek is able to focus on schoolwork because she has no distractions around her. Adashek also expressed concern about her peers and their relationships with their phones.

“Sometimes my friends have a screen time of more than I sleep,” Adashek said. “That’s a little scary to me.”

However, Adashek agrees with Chisango on the safety concerns that a phone ban could cause.

Assistant Head of Upper School Lisa Fisher believes that Hockaday’s phone policy allows freedom for responsible technology usage while keeping the school environment safe and enjoyable.

“We actually have plenty of policies that should be enough to not ban cell phones but really encourage people to have more face-to-face conversations while they're at school, be safe walking in the hallways and be engaged with the community, which is really what the point is,” Fisher said.

She said one of the main focuses this year is to more effectively enforce the current technology policies.

“I think we can just enforce the policies we do have,” Fisher said. “I think that's better than banning phones because it teaches our students how to use the phone appropriately, in a healthy way,”

Fisher has compiled a handout of key phone-use-related policies in the Student Handbook, which can be picked up at her office or read in the weekly email.

However, she has faith in Hockaday students using their technology responsibly.

“I have heard from so many students who are being proactive about cell phone usage,” Fisher said. “I know that some of my advisees have tried different apps that help you limit your screen time, so I do think students are very aware, and I think highly of our Hockaday students. I think that they will be able to manage this very well.”

“I actually love watching PBS with my kids because I learn strategies I can use with them that directly benefit their growth and development,” Bosco said. “I’ve seen so much improvement even in their emotional regulation.”

When she’s not available to watch with her children, Bosco said she can trust PBS programming without worrying if her children will be exposed to content she hasn’t consented to.

“I know from personal experience that the content is appropriate for the age group, and that’s why I chose it,” Bosco said. “It’s developmentally appropriate and it’s parentally approved. That’s the exact reason why I don’t allow my kids to use sites like YouTube or even YouTube Kids, because I just can’t trust that those programs have their best interest at heart.”

These funding cuts also stretch beyond shows targeted for children and will affect PBS channels with adult demographics.

CBS News National Climate Correspondent and Reporter David Merrill Schechter has worked in broadcasting for over 30 years and has seen the field face challenges when political priorities shift.

“Support for public broadcasting has ebbed and flowed frequently during changes of administration,” Schechter said. “Networks in trouble, like PBS, might seek private funding from the donations of organizations.”

PBS Distribution also has an international arm that broadcasts content from both America and other countries.

“We’re going to see other countries like Mexico, Canada, England and Australia step up and fill in that void [in educational programming] because the need isn’t just for American programming,” Balog said. “It’s worldwide, and America may just be left behind.”

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CAROLYN MITCHELL

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF SAVANNAH SIMON AND BROOKLYN FRIESEN

Club crosses continents

Global Girls Connect spreads mission worldwide

By Sarah Moskowitz Copy Editor

As juniors Maya Menon and Avika Guttigoli cross the Nile River by boat, they begin to see the young women they mentored through the Global Girls Connect club come into view, singing and dancing to welcome them to the Jinja District of Uganda.

Alongside nine other students from the Dallas area, juniors Maya Menon and Avika Guttigoli traveled with their families to Africa this past summer. During their four days in Uganda, they organized a business panel, held fun day for the primary school next to the African Women’s Workforce Initiative (AWWI) and led a session on reproductive health and menstrual education.

“My parents are doctors and there was interest in having a medical camp, and we collaborated with doctors and a hospital nearby at the AWWI campus so people in the villages could get medical care because they hadn’t had treatment their entire lives,” Guttigoli said.

Menon serves as the president and co-founder of Global Girls Connect, a club she created to train young Ugandan women in hospitality and information technology with AWWI's support.

“I met with Maya on Zoom over the summer with her and the founder of the organization, and she talked me through the experience and what it meant for her,” Day said. “Maya cared so much, which is why she was able to pull it off and stuck with it.”

When they first started the club, Menon and Guttigoli worked to find a system that would maximize their impact on the students in Uganda.

“We had lots of discussion about how they could best support the school in general, and we decided that one-on-one relationships are very profound,” Menon said.

As the leaders of a 20-person club, Menon and Guttigoli worked hard to establish and figure out the structure of meetings.

“This year, we are working on reinforcing the relationships we had and making it more group focused," Guttigoli said.

Throughout the school year, Global Girls Connect meets twice as an entire club: once at the beginning of the year and once at the end of the year. They also have consistent mentorship sessions each month, split up over five days.

“We do age-based selection because we wanted the girls closer to

their age, so it is truly peer mentorship,” Menon said. “After doing a form to see if people had interests in common, we wrote notes to our buddies.”

Reflecting on the the relationships she has built, Guttigoli recalls the first session with her buddy.

“In my very first meeting with my buddy, we talked about common interests, and she said she liked to sing,” Guttigoli said.

Menon believes in-person time with buddies creates long-lasting memories.

This summer, meeting their buddies face-to-face helped Menon and Guttigoli see the impact of their club on these young women. From getting a walk-through of the facilities and seeing everything their buddies have learned to working with them to plan a fun day for the younger students, the trip helped them form deeper connections.

“At least 10 of the girls had saved a little of their stipend to send gifts for their buddies,” Menon said. “Coming back and having a say in the itinerary made it a lot more impactful, and I loved seeing it with Avika and people who weren’t as familiar with it. The community is so special.”

“Connecting online is a fun opportunity, but something about being face-to-face and seeing where they go to school and live was much more impactful,” Menon said. “It is so cool to form closer connections by going there, and I can follow up with my buddy while I’m in Dallas.”

Thinking back on the trip and the lessons it brought her, Guttigoli feels grateful for the full-circle experience of getting to know her buddy better face-to-face.

“It was rewarding to see how much they care for our service, and experiencing is so much different than hearing about it,” Guttigoli said. “The trip opened my eyes to what is going on in the rest of the world.”

Dolls make a difference Flanagan brings the American Girl doll experience to kids in need

By Siena Ebert & Bella Portera Arts & Life Editor & Staff Writer

From the moment a little girl spots the bright red box and iconic American Girl logo, it feels like magic. For many, these dolls aren’t just toys. They carry stories, memories and a sense of belonging that lasts far beyond childhood. They’re tied to afternoons spent dressing up dolls with friends, trips to the American Girl store or quiet moments of imagination at home.

That spark of joy is exactly what sophomore Annette Flanagan hopes to share with others through her nonprofit, Dolls for Good.

Last year, I was moving out of my house, and I had a trunk of all my American Girl dolls and clothes,” Flanagan said. “My mom wanted to throw them away, but I thought it would be fun to give other girls the chance to have the American Girl doll experience, because that was one of my fondest memories.”

That moment of deciding to share her dolls wasn’t just about clearing out old belongings. For Flanagan, American Girl dolls represent more than just toys; they are tied to some of her most cherished memories, especially the ones she shared with her grandmother.

“When I was little, my grandma would take my cousin and me to the American Girl doll store and we’d pick out clothes for our matching Mini Me dolls,” Flanagan said. “Especially if people are going through a hard time, American Girl dolls are something to lighten their day.”

With this passion, Flanagan officially kickstarted her nonprofit by legally registering Dolls for Good as a nonprofit and partnering with Hockaday Social Impact staff to bring her vision to life. Now, she is focused on planning for the year and recreating the American Girl doll experience by donating previously loved American Girl dolls to children in underserved communities.

community through doll drives and encouraging donations.

“I want to have a couple of days where everyone at Hockaday can bring their doll clothes and donate

“It’s important for kids to have toys in their life and something that they can connect with,” Flanagan said. “Having a toy that maybe looks like you or that you are inspired by is also essential. American Girl has so many dolls with different cultures and inspiring stories behind them.”

Sophomore Arden Buckner, Vice President of Dolls for Good, is eager to support Flanagan and her mission. Like Flanagan, she has treasured memories tied to her childhood American Girl dolls.

“We plan to decorate boxes similar to American Girl dolls’,” Flanagan said. “We will package the doll and its accessories in the box so we can bring them over to the organizations we’re working with, like Family Gateway.”

To make the project a success, Flanagan hopes to involve the Hockaday and broader Dallas

money,” Flanagan said. “We will bring everything over to the organization we are working with, and the kids can pick out the doll and clothes they want. Then, at the end of the drive, we will have a celebratory tea party with all the kids and their dolls.”

At its heart, Dolls for Good emphasizes how something as simple as a toy can influence the way children see themselves and the world around them. Flanagan believes every child deserves a toy that can bring comfort, connection and a sense of representation.

“I would keep my dolls at my grandma’s house, and my sister and I would have lunches with our cousins at the American Girl doll store cafe with them,” Buckner said.

As vice president, Buckner will help with organization, communication and social media outreach. Passionate about her role, Buckner is empowered by the Dolls for Good mission.

“To me, Dolls for Good means passing on dolls that hold a lot of memories to other kids so they can create the same memories with them," Buckner said.

The Dolls for Good team at club fair

PHOTO COURTESY OF AVIKA GUTTIGOLI

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIENA EBERT AND BELLA PORTERA

Menon and Guttigoli dance with students.

Brains and bots

Teachers and students explore AI’s role in education

By Audrey Liu & Haniya Khowaja Multimedia Editor & Staff Writer

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be one of the most debated topics in education, raising questions about whether it enhances or undermines the way students learn. AI is permanently transforming education, and schools like Hockaday are trying to address its role in the classroom.

“If we are preparing girls for the future, they have got to learn how to use AI,” Upper School Technology Integration Specialist Candace Townsley said. “They can’t be afraid of it. They’ve got to understand prompt engineering, bias and privacy concerns and how AI learns from imperfect data. People say, ‘Oh, it’s going to take away my job.’ But really, people who know how to use AI are going to take your job if you don’t jump on the train.”

Despite the growing interest in AI, many worry about its risks. Senior Anjali Konda, Technology Board chair, is concerned that AI could weaken students’ abilities to think critically and independently.

“I think my biggest worry about AI would be students getting dumber,” Konda said. “If we learn to use it as a crutch, we could lose our ability to research or think critically. The idea that we wouldn’t be able to navigate from credible website to credible website and would instead rely on a chatbot is dangerous.”

However, both students and teachers believe avoiding AI entirely is not an option.

“I don’t want Hockaday students to be behind our peers because we don’t know how to use AI,” Konda said. “It’s super valuable as a labor-saving mechanism, especially for work that needs to be done a lot of times. But it shouldn’t be our first impulse to ask ChatGPT.”

Townsley also pointed out that universities are already integrating AI into academics.

“Most universities are already integrating AI,” she said. “If we don’t teach you how to use AI here, we’re doing you a disservice.”

To balance opportunity and caution, the school piloted two AI

platforms and chose to implement Magic School, designed specifically for classrooms. The program allows teachers to incorporate AI in controlled ways while monitoring student use.

“I think that’s a good compromise,” Townsley said. “It allows students to use AI, but it’s also allowing teachers to monitor its use in a protected space.”

Teachers in all divisions experimented with the program last year, exploring both its benefits and challenges. Upper School English teacher Parker Stoker used Magic School as a chatbot from the perspective of a character from the Greek epic "The Odyssey."

“I think some of [the students] found it very stimulating to their imagination, to get to chat with the character and sort of test their ideas against this simulation of the character,” Stoker said. “I think they found that accessibility really valuable.”

“

Despite the students’ positive responses, Stoker found it less helpful for certain teacher tasks.

“I tried it a few other ways, like to generate a template for a quiz,” Stoker said. “I found it less helpful because I ended up spending about as much time working on a prompt to get what I wanted as it would have taken me to just do it myself.”

Last year, Upper School Spanish teacher Samantha Krasne used Raina, a Magic School chatbot that provided students with study help through interactive activities. Now, she creates chatbots for students to complete specific tasks that help them learn grammar or vocabulary.

“I think it benefits the students with helping them learn how to learn,” Krasne said. “We talked about different ways that they can use Raina to help them study more actively, rather than passively.”

” Our purpose right now is to learn.

Anjali Konda '26

He added that the overall experience of Magic School in the classroom was positive, thanks to the interactive elements that the program adds to the curriculum.

However, Krasne said the evolving nature of AI can be an obstacle at times.

“Like any new platform, it's evolving very quickly,” Krasne said. “They keep coming up with something new. It's a little challenging to keep up with all that, especially at the beginning of the school year.”

Konda hopes the school will continue to teach students how to use AI safely instead of simply banning it.

“Right now, we’re just hearing, ‘Don’t use it at all,’” she said. “I’m hoping Magic School is used as a

window to open up how to use it, as opposed to just being a limited oneoff example.”

Townsley agreed that Hockaday’s role is to prepare students for the future, while giving teachers the freedom to decide how AI fits into their classrooms.

“I don’t think Hockaday will ever tell a teacher, ‘You have to use AI,’” she said. “But I think there are enough AI users here that students will get to use it before they graduate.”

Townsley advises students and teachers to be cautious and not provide personal information to an AI tool or service.

“Play with it,” Townsley said. “And remember this is not a query on Google, it's a chat bot, and you can interact with it as if you’re chatting with a person.”

For Konda, the key is balance. She believes AI can be a helpful tool for brainstorming or saving time on tedious work, like formatting bibliographies, but it should not replace the learning process itself.

“Efficiency for us isn’t as important as having gone through the motions of doing something,” Konda said. “Our purpose right now is to learn.”

Student uses Magic School AI in class.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF MAGIC SCHOOL AI

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANIYA KHOWAJA

Peek through the lens Photographer develops community business

By Brooklyn Friesen Staff Writer

With a long line snaking out of the LLARC library, Hockaday students stand fixing their hair, waiting for their school yearbook picture to be taken by Scott Peek, the photographer who captures every school event, yearbook picture and senior portrait.

Originally, being a photographer was not Peek’s dream. In college, Peek obtained an electrical engineering degree which allowed him to pursue corporate sales jobs within technology companies. He ended his first career as an executive coach.

“I got my first camera as a present for high school graduation,” Peek said. “Unlike today, everything on the film camera was a manual setting. There was no internet to help you learn how to use it. I had to figure it out on my own with some books and hands-on experience. It became a real hobby of mine for many, many years.”

Photography was originally just a hobby for him. It later evolved into much more after Peek’s friends encouraged him to start his own business after he lost his last corporate job in 2008.

“I did not think it would be a full-time job,” Peek said. “I thought

it would be extra income on the weekends; but after looking for a job for over a year in 2009, I had to make the decision to try and make it a fulltime business as the sole income for my family.”

knowing your camera settings inside and out and trusting my gut to capture the right image.”

Now, Peek works with both The Hockaday School and the St. Mark’s School of Texas. In addition to school photography, Peek’s business also photographs a large number of family portraits, executive headshots and corporate and non-profit events.

Hockaday Junior Cate Baker interned at Scott Peek Photography over the summer to learn about businesses and how photography works.

to photography than just taking pictures.”

Senior Ava Ortega had her senior portraits taken by Scott Peek Photography and was excited to take them and see the results.

“I thought it was fun,” Ortega said. “I got to feel like I had my own personal paparazzi.”

Seniors get to take their drape photos, along with taking pictures with different outfits and poses.

“I’m not much of a poser,” Ortega said. “He was really helpful with giving me a wide variety of poses that I could do for my photos.”

developed a process that worked best for him and his customers.

“Part of the process of making mistakes,” Peek said, “especially on the photography side of things, is being too quick or being too perfect in a photo shoot. You should know what the picture will look like before you press the shutter, which means

“He’s really good at what he does, so it’s fun to watch him sell products and take pictures,” Baker said. “He was really inviting and made it a large learning experience for me.”

Baker learned everything that Peek does leading up to photoshoots and how his business runs behind the camera.

“I learned that it’s very relational,” Baker said. “There’s a lot more

Hooked on Healthy Addicts Mims turns her passion for baking into a business

By Lucy Pigott Staff Writer

Aquinnetta Mims, Administrative Assistant to Head of Upper School, is a self-professed sweets fanatic. Yet, after seeing many of her family members struggle with health issues, she has been influenced to prioritize healthy eating. So, she founded the snack brand, HealthyAddicts, which removes the guilt but leaves the goods.

“

“Every time I bake, I pray,” Mims said. “It’s my way of putting love into each treat, so when people enjoy

Fear can be scary, but at the same time, it can be your strength. Aquinnetta Mims

”

balance their passions with their studies.

“You have countless resources at your fingertips,” Mims said.

“Use them. Knowledge will keep your business afloat, and the connections you make will help it grow.”

Senior portraits take around two weeks to process until they are able to be picked up. The senior portraits are used in the yearbooks and senior announcements, making seniors’ reactions to seeing them always exciting.

“It was definitely a really different experience, but it was really nice that he put in so much time and care into looking at all the details,” Ortega said.

“I asked myself, ‘What desserts do I love that I can make and others would enjoy?’” Mims said. “That question sparked the idea.”

Mims started her business prior to the coronavirus outbreak, and it took off during the pandemic. Family members initially helped her with orders, though after the pandemic, she now handles orders on her own.

Even as her orders came in greater quantities, she continued to make each dessert with her faith, love and passion.

them, they can feel that love.”

As her business grew, Mims found that a positive mindset is her best ally when faced with challenges.

“This is a business I love, and if I want it to succeed, I have to put in the blood, sweat and tears,” she said. “I had to shift my mindset and commit fully to making it happen.”

Mims also utilized every resource and opportunity she had. Whether she was using a lunch break to take customer orders to the post office or simply mapping out her time in advance, every moment mattered.

She said that school is the best resource for students who want to

Despite the hard work required to start a business, Mims has no regrets.

“The reason I think it's important

to pursue your passions is because you don't want to go through life wishing that you would have done

that,” Mims said. “Life gets tough, and yes, different things take place in your life, career, transitions and families and things like that.

But if you really have a true passion, that passion is going to always stay there. And so why not pursue it?”

Mims hasn’t stopped with HealthyAddicts. She also founded Women Are Elevating, an organization that helps guide individuals as they begin their entrepreneurial journey.

“For anybody out there that wants to get into entrepreneurship, it’s never too late,” Mims said. “It doesn't matter when you start. Just when you start, don't quit. No matter how tough it gets, fight through it. Fear can be scary, but at the same time, it can be your strength.”

Peek faced challenges along the way as he started his photography business. It wasn’t always easy, but as he learned the business, he

Peek poses with his camera.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT PEEK PHOTOGRAPHY

Oat balls from Mims' business

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AQUINNETTA MIMS

Cookies from Mims' business

Porches for Purpose

Two Hocka-Moms use fall aesthetics to fuel womens' wellness

By Mary Bradley Sutherland Editor in Chief

Merritt Russ ’01 and Jasmine Lensing are both former corporate leaders who spent nearly two decades in the business world; Lensing is a culinary scientist and Russ is in corporate sales. Now, both full-time Hockaday moms, they’ve turned their attention to building a business that celebrates people, seasons and homes.

Porches for Purpose is an upscale, concierge-style holiday decorating business that creates custom seasonal displays for porches, storefronts and driveways. This fall, they're donating a portion of their proceeds to Mind the Gap, a mental health initiative that supports new mothers.

After years in fast-paced jobs, both Lensing and Russ found the transition to full-time parenting challenging. They brainstormed how they could navigate raising their children with their desire to find a career beyond corporate America. So, they got to work together.

The two partners considered what they could do for their community. Realizing that they had both the passion and the creative means to share the art of decoration, Lensing and Russ decided that this was something they could really do.

works for over a year now, and they are excited to finally kickstart it in the coming weeks.

Lensing and Russ have worked tirelessly to launch their website, promote their business on social media and network with local businesses and clients. They are resourcing their pumpkins from farms in the Texas Panhandle, an activity that has required lots of research.

While they’ve both had impressive careers, what excites them now is something different: using their talents to spread joy, create beauty and give back. Russ and Lensing are finding a new purpose in creating things for other people.

Living in the same neighborhood with children who are friends, the two women quickly noticed a shared passion: decorating.

“Merritt would go all out for Halloween and Christmas,” Lensing said. “She’d hit every holiday out of the park.”

Their kids loved it, their neighbors loved it, and soon, their friends were asking if they could decorate their houses too.

But for the two moms, it wasn’t just about cute decorations. It was about creating a feeling.

“We love the idea of bringing people home and what it feels like to be welcomed into a warm house,” Russ said. “Not everyone has the time or capacity to make that happen, but we do, and we love it.”

With their savvy corporate skills, they started brainstorming: How could they combine their skills in hospitality and service? What could they do that was fun, meaningful and flexible?

“We didn’t want to go back to corporate America,” Russ said. “We wanted to own our time and give back to something meaningful.”

They began thinking about their connection as friends, how they’d bonded over motherhood, leaving corporate jobs and raising three kids each.

“That’s when we married our ideas,” Lensing said. “We wanted to make this for all the moms.”

This is where Mind the Gap came in, an organization in which both Lensing and Russ believed. They wanted Porches for Purpose to support the moms who don’t have the time, resources or flexibility to create a homely, welcoming display. Their business plan has been in the

As an agricultural business, they don’t yet have to worry about holding inventory. This will change with their future plans to expand their holiday capacity. Their girls, Annie and Poppy, are fully involved too, helping with marketing, handing out flyers and, of course, the decorating.

“Our daughters love the more macabre Halloween stuff,” Russ said. “They love it and really cannot wait to help out with the installations.”

What really sets Porches for Purpose apart isn’t just the decorating—it’s the mission behind it. Mind the Gap, a project of Postpartum Support International (PSI), refers to the silent mental health crisis among women who are navigating pregnancy and the experience afterward. It supports the often overlooked community of women who struggle with perinatal mental health and the physiological, emotional and physical changes.

Both business partners had unique experiences throughout their motherhood journey and have spent lots of time exploring conversations with their community members.

“We wanted to call attention to that community of women with whom we both share in common,” Lensing said.

“It’s enjoyable to us, we get to work together as friends and put our minds to work,” Russ said. “We are happy to be doing something meaningful for the greater community.”

QR Code to Porches for Purpose Website

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL

Harmony in motion

Ballet brings dance and orchestra together for fall performance

By Emily McLeroy Managing Editor

Wooden toys coming to life. Fantastical lands filled with candy.

Flowers twirling around the stage. All these scenes are characteristic of the classic holiday dance, “The Nutcracker,” which is Hockaday Dance’s fall performance this year.

The production, which will happen in early December, is a collaboration between dance and orchestra.

“The Nutcracker” consists of two acts, one which takes place in the real world and the other in a fantasy world, and it follows the main character Clara whose nutcracker toy comes to life.

“‘The Nutcracker’ is a wonderful ballet that we grew up doing and seeing, and we want to give that experience to the greater Hockaday community,” Upper School Dance Teacher Alex Farrior said. “There’s so much to learn from the historical significance of this ballet.”

Senior Ava Ortega, playing Drosselmeyer, the creator of the Nutcracker in the dance, also enjoys the dance’s tradition.

“When it gets closer to the holidays, “The Nutcracker is one of the big images you see, especially in the ballet world,” Ortega said. “I’m so excited to bring it to Hockaday because I get to show the dance, which I love, to the people that I love as well.”

Hockaday Dance has been preparing for this performance since the start of school, beginning with a return to classical ballet technique.

“Last year, we did a modern concert, which was a really cool experience, but I’m excited to go back to ballet again,” Ortega said.

Farrior said the performance provides a fun experience for the community and dancers.

“I love seeing how the dancers embrace the characters, because Act One is set in the real world, and Act Two is in the magical land of sweets, so they have to adjust a lot,” Farrior said.

This production provides dancers of all levels of experience new opportunities.

“The framework of “The Nutcracker” allows for many different groups of dancers to participate in one performance, and since we have different dance class periods, it’s often hard to coordinate and make a fulllength ballet,” Farrior said. “This ballet lets all classes come together for a grand performance.”

Senior Claire Ying, playing Clara, a little girl whose toy comes to life and is transported to magical worlds, aims to make the most of one of her final performances.

“Even when all of us are stressed about school, or dance or rehearsals, we all stick together and push through because we know that we are doing this for each other,” Ying said. “Also, the seniors know that this is our last one and are looking forward to ending on a high note.”

Instead of dancing to a prerecorded track, the dancers will perform to live music, played by the Hockaday Orchestra from right below the stage.

“Live music makes dance a more elevated experience for both the dancers and the audience,” Farrior said. “Because two sets of artists are creating and collaborating at the same time, no performance will ever be the same, because the music will never be the exact same, and the dance will shift with it.”

Middle School Dance Teacher Christie Sullivan also appreciates the way that live music makes each performance unique.

“The special kind of interaction between music and dance is like no other,” Sullivan said. “You can’t get the same kind of interaction when you’re just playing a track.”

Dancing to live music not only makes the experience more enjoyable for the audience, but also more exciting for the dancers themselves.

“We’ve never had this experience before, so it might be a little bit difficult to adjust to the timing,” Ying said. “However, I think it really makes the experience better because you can tell when the music is played live instead of from a recording, and it adds to how magical the show is.”

Ortega is also excited to perform with an orchestra and enjoys the collaborative nature of the upcoming performance.

“I think it will be amazing to connect between the two art disciplines,” Ortega said. “I was joking with my friends that it will be fun to dance and then look down at the pit and see them playing.”

The collaboration brings the orchestra members an experience they've never had before.

“I think it’s an interesting experience to play in a pit, and it’s totally different from anything they’ve done before,” Director of Orchestral Music Charlsie Griffiths said. “It’s still a live performance, but nobody can see you. It has all the excitement of playing the music, and up on the stage, so many people are dancing, and it brings an amazing collaborative feeling.”

The Middle School ensemble will play angels who welcome Clara and the Nutcracker to the Land of Sweets at the beginning of the second act.

Junior orchestra member Tari Agbeyangi looks forward to this new experience, having never performed for a dance or in a pit before.

“Playing for the dance will be different because it’s not just playing for the sake of playing, and the dancers depend on us getting the timing right,” Agbeyangi said. “I’m excited to see how the fine arts work together, especially because dance usually uses prerecorded music, and now it’s live.”

“The Nutcracker” will also include a Middle School dance ensemble for the first time.

“We’re so excited to have them be a part of the show, first of all to give them the opportunity to perform, but also to have this multi-divisional production with so many elements of collaboration,” Sullivan said. “We’re hoping to see the older dancers help out the younger ones.”

“It all kind of fell into place because of the structure of ‘The Nutcracker,’” Sullivan said. “The timing works because they can rehearse separately because of their different schedules and then come together for the performance.”

Ying is also excited for the opportunity to perform with the Middle School ensemble.

“I think the ability to bring everyone together is such a cool part about ‘The Nutcracker,’” Ying said. “I remember, in a lot of dance studios I went to when I was younger, the younger kids always looked up to the older ones and pushed themselves and worked harder each year to become who their role models were. In this dance, we are their role models, because they can see themselves in us at this school as a part of Hockaday Dance.”

Note: Emilie Illum, Photo and Castoff Editor, also contributed to this story.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY MCLEROY, ALINA ZHENG AND EMILIE ILLUM

Dance Lab learns Waltz of the Snowflakes.

Dance Theater seniors Megan Li and Ava Ortega practice group dance .

Dance Workshop I begins to learn "The Nutcracker".

Food means family Cuisine connects Latin Hispanic community

By Kattie Ma & Claire Gicheru News Editor & Staff Writer

Latin Hispanic Heritage Month originally began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a law to expand the observance to a 31-day period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Seven Latin countries celebrate their Independence Day anniversaries during this month.

options, so people should look forward to that.”

Food is part of every culture. It brings people together during parties and celebrations and is a large part of everyday life, whether in cooking techniques and traditional recipes or meals with family. For the Latin Hispanic community, food is a way to show love and care as well as a connection to their heritage and culture.

Senior Nadia Guevara is a co-president of the Latin Hispanic Student Union (LHSU). Her mother’s side of the family is Mexican. One of her favorite cultural foods is Fideo, a dish of vermicelli noodles cooked in a soupy broth with beans and other garnishes.

“Fidela, specifically for me, it’s always made by my grandmother, and we have it at almost every holiday, and so it kind of reminds me of that closeness and unity we have,” Guevara said. “It also takes a lot of time and effort, and my grandmother puts a lot of love in it, as cheesy as that sounds, so it’s kind of a symbol of the love I have in my family as well.”

Guevara’s family has special traditions involving food as well.

“For birthdays, my grandmother always makes chicken tacos,” Guevara said. “She doesn’t make them very often; you can only request them on your birthday, and you have to eat them at her house.”

Additionally, experimenting with flaky pastries with her sister and Puerto Rican grandmother is one of Guevara’s favorite memories.

“We make dessert empanadas whenever she comes and we’ll try putting different things inside of it, sometimes it’s chocolate, sometimes it’s jellies, and that’s a really good memory,” Guevara said.

This year, LHSU is starting to plan their meetings and celebrations with more diverse foods from different cultures.

“For LHSU this year, we want to bring different kinds of food, not just Mexican food, that have a heavy influence here in Texas,” Guevara said. “We are planning all different kinds of desserts and other

Sophomore Adrienne Ruiz serves as the Affinity Council representative for LHSU. Her mother was born in Mexico, and her father grew up near the US-Mexico border.

“My culture has always been a really big part of my life, ever since I was little,” Ruiz said. “It was almost ingrained in me in the sounds around me, what I ate, and day-to-day life.”

Ruiz came to Hockaday in her freshman year, and at her old school, there was an evident lack of diversity.

“There was no clear representation of diversity, it was all the same, which I did not really care for because I wanted to show how proud I was of my culture,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz’s family eats Mexican and Latin food around three to five times per week. They make Ruiz’s personal favorite, baccala, every Christmas. Baccala is salted codfish mixed with tomatoes, olives and onions. For New Year’s Day, they make buñuelos, fried dough with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top.

During Ruiz’s first year at Hockaday, she went to the International Festival, an annual event that celebrates the different cultures and traditions that make up the school.

“I was blown away by the International Festival,” Ruiz said. “It was nothing I’ve ever seen before. I loved how we could educate everyone about the many different affinities and ethnicities that we have here at Hockaday. I felt it was a great way to show everyone that we could all be different and to embrace all corners of the world.”

Victor Torres is a member of the maintenance team and coaches multiple teams at Hockaday. His family is from Mexico.

“For me, cultural food means passion,” Torres said. “Ever since I was little, my grandma cooked, and my mom and my dad did too. So for me, food means family.”

Torres’s favorite family foods are tacos and tamales. Every year for Christmas, his family goes to his house to prepare these foods together. He also loves to cook seafood himself.

“The cooking secret is that you have to do it with passion,” Torres said. “Because if you don’t like it, it’s not going to taste good. So, you have to like to cook. In the future someday, I would like to eat more foods from around the world.”

ft. Sanjana Rajagopalan

By Lang Cooper Editor in Chief

Hockaday is filled with talented and opinionated Upper Schoolers, and in my last year, I want to learn about as many students as possible. And the best way to do so is, of course, over a scoop of ice cream with me. This issue, I took the one and only Sanjana Rajagopalan — fresh after releasing her first single “Neptune” — for ice cream, and she had quite the scoop to share.

Rajagopalan, a junior, is a woman of many talents: she sings, she writes songs, she acts, she’s been in “The Really Loud House” on Nickelodeon and she even loves to cook.

Her passion for many of these talents began in fifth grade when she started playing piano and guitar. In the last seven years, Rajagopalan has written over 500 songs (yes, 500!!!). When she finished writing the original version of “Neptune” in seventh grade, it was 10-minutes long.

“You can’t publish a 10-minute song unless you’re Taylor Swift,” Rajagopalan said.

So, she cut it down to a wonderful three minutes and 39 seconds, exploring the metaphor of Neptune and the sun.

“Although it’s in the form of a breakup song, “Neptune” is actually about one of my friends from middle school with whom I had this on and off relationship, but we always ended up being friends afterwards,” Rajagopalan said. “To me, it was like the sun and Neptune metaphor of how they always need each other and revolve around each other.”

Songwriting comes naturally to Rajagopalan. She hopes to remind her listeners that it’s healthy to lean into your deep emotions.

“‘Neptune’ was one of the only songs I wrote all in one day, maybe in just under an hour,” Rajagopalan said. “When writing a song, I start with the melody and center the lyrics around a quote or idea. I don’t struggle as much with words, but sometimes I have to go to Dictionary.com.”

You may be wondering what’s next in Rajagopalan’s music career, and I have an exciting answer for you: her debut EP, a shortened album, will be coming out in the upcoming months! But if you can’t wait that long, Rajagopalan performs at open mic nights at Campbell Crossing Studios, Hockaday coffeehouses and Upper School drama and musical theater productions.

To watch Rajagopalan’s full scoop about songwriting, acting and more, check out The Scoop with Coop on our Instagram or YouTube.

Guevara dances in performance of ballet folklórico.

Ruiz with her father at a Mexican restaurant

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADRIENNE RUIZ, CALLIE COATS AND SALLY HUDSPETH

Latin Hispanic food at international festival

About Camp Mystic

For nearly a century, Camp Mystic has been a home away from home for girls across Texas. Located in the Hill Country near Hunt, Texas on the Guadalupe River and founded in 1926 by University of Texas coach Edward “Doc” Stewart, its mission is to foster personal growth and compassion in a safe and supportive environment. The non-denominational Christian camp encourages personal development rooted in Christian values.

Every girl who steps foot inside the symbolic green gates of Mystic is transformed and impacted by the love and kindness that counselors and fellow campers share with one another.

Camp Mystic’s community includes many current and former Hockaday students. Many return to camp year after year, carrying their camp memories long after summer ends.

Lulu Sporl

For the last eight summers, sophomore Lulu Sporl has spent June at Camp Mystic. Sporl said the tribe competitions, notably the canoe race, were among her favorite memories from camp. The boat race is a huge Mystic event where the Tonkawas and Kiowas, the two tribes at Mystic, compete for tribe points.

Sporl also shared that out of all the activities she took this summer, yoga was her favorite. At Camp Mystic, yoga is a popular activity known by campers for the fun partner pose challenges, smoothie making and meditation sessions.

It is the people, though, that she cherishes the most.

“My counselor was studying to become a teacher, so I offered to tutor her,” Sporl said. “I had so much fun hanging out in my cabin working with her and laughing with my friends.”

Sporl said she carries the camp mantra, “be ye kind one to another” in her heart year-round.

“I find myself being the best version of myself when I'm at camp,” Sporl said. “So, I try to

Leading with Daisy campers remember

By Aneeka Tansen & Mary Elise Estess,

For Zeballos, Camp Mystic was a place where she found life-long friends who helped her through high school.

channel that person and bring her back to Hockaday with me.”

Elena Zeballos

Elena Zeballos ‘24 is a third-generation camper and grew up knowing she would one day call the camp her summer home. She attended Camp Mystic for nine years as a camper and two years as

“I went through some hard times through high school, and my Mystic sisters were the first people to show up at my house or give me a call,” Zeballos said. “That was the one place that I really truly felt safe, and it really strengthened my faith as well.”

Katie Croft

a counselor in 2024 and 2025 . She largely credits Camp Mystic for shaping the person she is today.

“I think Mystic has completely changed my life,” Zeballos said. “Once you’re there, it is just so magical. It gives you the safe space to discover who you want to be and who you can be.”

For Zeballos, Camp Mystic was a place where she found life-long friends who helped her through high school.

“I went through some hard times through high school, and my Mystic sisters were the first people to show up at my house or give me a call,” Zeballos said. “That was the one place that I really truly felt safe, and it really strengthened my faith as well.” Zeballos was at Mystic for nine years as a camper and two years as a counselor in 2024 and 2025 . She largely credits Camp Mystic for shaping the person she is today.

“I think Mystic has completely changed my life,” Zeballos said. “Once you’re there, it is just so magical. It gives you the safe space to discover who you want to be and who you can be.”

For Dr. Katie Croft, Upper School science teacher, Mystic runs in her family. She attended for twelve years including one year as a counselor. Her mom and aunts attended Mystic, and Croft sent both of her daughters there.

“When I look back and think about Mystic and what it means to me, the first thing that comes to mind is friendship,” Croft said. “The friendships that I formed there are unparalleled to any other experience I've had in life.”

In addition to the friendships she formed at Mystic, Croft also believes that the camp shares many similarities with Hockaday, namely the four cornerstones: character, courtesy, scholarship and athletics.

“There is so much that overlaps between Hockaday and Camp Mystic,” Croft said. “Obviously the all-girls setting but more importantly I think Mystic aligns with our four cornerstones.”

Croft explained how growing up she always wanted to be like the tribe officers, the eldest campers who lead the younger girls.

Zeballos at Camp Mystic pictured with friends

Zeballos and other campers pictured at camp

The "Tonkawas" tribe letters

with love

remember Camp Mystic

Elise Estess, Features & Opinions Editors

“I looked up to those older girls and they were such incredible role models,” Croft said. “It’s the same way at Hockaday. You get to grow up looking up towards these incredible role models of women leaders that are so strong and powerful.”

In her final year as a camper, Croft received the “M” award, given to campers who exemplify the qualities of a true Mystic girl. Each girl who receives an M is voted on by the counselors, making this award a huge honor and a Mystic milestone.

“I was looking at the qualities of an M girl,” Croft said. “One that stuck out to me was ‘An M girl is always human, falling down, picking herself up, brushing herself off and beginning all over again’ and I just love that quote.”

Jessie Moran

because Mystic is always going to be there, and I can always go back if I want to.’”

Her friendships from Mystic have endured.

“Just because you stop going, you still keep up with those people,” Moran said. “It was such an amazing community. It was just a big family, and we had little sisses.”

Moran was always uncertain about where

Senior Jessie Moran, who attended Camp Mystic from third to eighth grade, with the exception of 2020, said that her experiences left a lasting mark. Moran credits her passion for theater, songwriting and singing to Mystic.

“My favorite memory at Camp Mystic was when I performed for the first time ever,” Moran said. “I sang a song that I wrote for the first time, and I was really nervous. That has stuck with me for a really long time, and I think about it a lot. It just reminds me of how much Mystic has shaped me as a person.”

Moran said she decided to study abroad going into ninth grade.

“I had an opportunity to go study French in Quebec during the same time,” Moran said. “I guess I was kind of like, ‘Oh well, I’ll just go do that

she stood in her faith, but Mystic offered her a welcoming place to explore.

“It’s a place where you can learn a lot of valuable lessons, and it obviously has a religious aspect too,” Moran said. “From what I remember, every single time we talked about stuff like that, it was always leading with love and community. We never treated anyone else differently.

Flood Relief

Camp Mystic has long been a place of growth, friendship and joy for its campers and counselors. In a tragic turn of events in July of 2025, rising waters from the Guadalupe River swept through the camp, taking the lives of young campers and counselors.

“It took a day for it to set in,” Moran said. “My heart broke because that is the place that I loved so much, even though I hadn’t been there in years.”

The devastating loss has broken the hearts of people all over the country, and at Hockaday, the

community has come together to reflect, grieve and support one another.

This summer, seniors Cortney Buford and Sarah Moskowitz collaborated to hold a bazaar with all profits going to flood relief. Melanie Robinson, Director of the Dr. William B. Dean Institute for Social Impact, helped them organize it.

“It came from the heart of two seniors to see out into the world that there was a need and to feel empowered to address it,” Robinson said, “In part because of what it means to the Hockaday community, but also in part of what it means to be human.”

Robinson hadn’t heard of Camp Mystic before the floods but felt deeply moved by the tragedy and wanted to partner in helping however she could.

“Mystic just means a lot both to the Hockaday community and the broader neighborhood that Hockaday sits in,” Robinson said. “Everybody in Hockaday, from administration to students, was really supportive in organizing it.”

Robinson believes that the flood bazaar was important to the mission of Hockaday’s Institute for Social Impact. They raised around 800 dollars for flood relief.

“It goes back to the heart of what we are trying to do here with social impact,” Robinson said. “It goes back to the lives of purpose and impact. No matter where you are, no matter where you end up as a Hockaday student, you have the potential to make an impact.”

Dear Mystic

In this section, we asked members of our Mystic community to write postcards to the camp, sharing what their time there has meant to them over the years. Though just a few sentences, these letters capture years of memories and lessons that Mystic has taught them.

Moran as a young camper

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELENA ZEBALLOS, JESSIE MORAN, MARY ELISE ESTESS camp

Students enjoy the first days of school!

Seniors Sharika Mandyam, Tanvi Joshi and Jiajia Li attended the annual Senior Sunrise on the first day of class.

“I think it makes sure that everyone treats their last first day of high school as something special,” Joshi said. “It’s a good way to bring the whole grade together."

Lilianne Jones helps Iliana Lega write a list of time management skills for a group brainstorming session during freshman orientation.

“I was a little apprehensive because this is my first year at Hockaday, but everyone was super welcoming and it was a really fun experience,”

Juniors Callie Coats and Kate McAtee talk to each other about their summers during Back-to-School Day.

“My favorite part was the movie discussions because we got to talk with people from other grades and get to reconnect with my friends,” Coats said.

Sophomore Annie Sudbury plays games with students in Pre-K during the Lower School back-to-school party on their orientation day. Upper School girls help run the back-to-school party for lower-schoolers by playing games and dancing.

“I was making sure that they were all having fun because the Pre-Kers are all getting to know each other for the first time,” Sudbury said. “Slowly the grades get more independent, and they could just hang out with each other.”

By Gwendolyn Becker Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF TANVI CHERUKURI AND LUCY PIGOTT

PHOTO COURTESY OF LULU SPORL

PHOTO COURTESY OF GWENDOLYN BECKER

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILLIANA CUNNINGHAM

Staff switcheroo Explore a day in the life of Ms. Fisher and Mr. Bowman

By Leyah Philip Editor-in-Chief

Ever since Lisa Fisher and Scott Bowman swapped roles, they’ve had to adapt to the ins and outs of their new positions. From back-to-back meetings to constant visits from students with countless questions, they’ve gotten used to the busy schedules of Assistant Head of Upper School and Writing Center Director. Here’s a glimpse of a typical day in their lives!

Ms. Fisher, Assistant Head of Upper School

07:15 a.m. – As Assistant Head of the Upper School, Fisher arrives at school early to get a head start on her busy days. “I thought my schedule would be kind of the same as last year, but I’ve been getting here a little earlier so I can get some work done before other people get here,” Fisher said.

09:00 a.m – Fisher greets Upper School students as they arrive for class. She’s often seen talking with students and faculty members in the hallways, creating a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

10:25 a.m. – During this 30-minute period, Fisher can be found with her co-advisor, Ms. Bryant, and their senior advisory. “Advisory is my favorite time of the day,” Fisher said. Advisory gives Fisher an opportunity to catch up with her advisees and get a short break from the hustle and bustle of her schedule.

12:30 p.m. – Fisher takes a break from meetings to grab lunch, all while reviewing emails and preparing for her countless meetings of the week.

01:20-4:00 p.m. –For the majority of Fisher’s afternoon, she has back-to-back meetings lined up. If one gets canceled, there’s always another student who pops in with an urgent question, giving her no time to ever be bored. “There’s a very steady stream of students, faculty or staff who have questions for me,” Fisher said.

5:00-6:00 p.m – Ms. Fisher often stays late after school ends to finish up any leftover tasks and prepare for the next school day. Once most of her work is wrapped up, she is ready to go home after a busy and productive day.

Mr. Bowman, Writing Center Director and History Teacher

07:30 a.m. – Bowman gets an early start to the school day and heads to the Writing Center to prepare for the day. Whether it’s scheduling appointments, training interns or meeting with administration, Bowman’s schedule is packed.

09:00 a.m. – Bowman manages scheduling and coordinates collaboration with other divisions. “We’ve done intern trainings, set up the schedule and reached out to different divisions to participate with the Writing Center again,” Bowman said.

10:25 a.m. senior advisory with his co-advisor, Sra. Krasne. Advisory serves as a time outside of the classroom for him to spend time and check in with his advisees individually. These 30 minutes give him a fun break from the fast pace of his schedule.

12:30 p.m.

often eats lunch at his desk between appointments, “A lot of it’s still coming into focus, but I would say that in this position I’m more predictably busy, whereas in the old role, it touched on a lot of different areas,” Bowman said.

01:20 p.m.

During B period, Bowman teaches Law in American Society, a junior history class that explores United States History through the lens of the law. “I’m excited to work closely with writers again,” Bowman said. “In addition to teaching writing as a history teacher my entire time at Hockaday, I also have experience teaching writing to undergraduates and law students.”

04:30 p.m.

day ends, Bowman makes sure everything is taken care of in the Writing Center. After finishing up his work, Bowman heads home and begins to preapre for another successful day at the Writing Center.

New director and novel research

Coyne introduces new programs including a menstrual cycle study

By Anderson Rhodus & Elizabeth Farrell Sports Editor & Arts & Life Editor

Hockaday's focus on pulling out the potential of each student athlete is what drew the new Director of Athletics Melissa Coyne to Hockaday.

“I think you come out of this school really well positioned to attack whatever it is that comes at you,” Coyne said. “That was really attractive to me. I want to be able to have an impact on young women in the same way that my teachers, my mentors and my family had on me.”

Coyne, a former University of North Carolina lacrosse player, attended Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, which she said shares many similarities with Hockaday.

“My teachers and my coaches throughout my scholastic experience were so important to my development,” Coyne said. “It felt like a good time to go back to that and have an opportunity to give to you girls.”

conditioning services.

“Athletics is a cornerstone,” Coyne said. “So, I think a goal for me is to just continue to evaluate how we are doing those programs and make changes where needed and always look toward growth, asking, ‘How can we get better?'”

Coyne has already introduced a study in cooperation with Dr. Sophia Ulman, Scottish Rite for Children Movement Science Lab division director. It is a randomized study using Hockaday athletes to gather information about how menstrual cycles impact female bodies during athletic training.

“I think the focus on female anatomy, female bodies and what we can do to help you girls better train your bodies is really important,”

Coyne said. The study’s goal is to improve the results of a neuromuscular training program by syncing it with an athlete’s menstrual cycles to minimize injury risk, particularly ACL tears, and to maximize long-term musculoskeletal health in female athletes.

Volunteer student participants will enroll in the spring for an eight-week training program that takes place when school starts next year during the soccer and basketball preseason.

Statistically, young female athletes tear their ACL up to eight times more than males. This study aims to investigate if we can improve this disparity, and hopefully, in part, resolve this problem.

“We’ve conducted research over the past two years that has shown [females’] knee laxity, which is how stretchy the knee joint is, changes across the menstrual cycle,” Ulman said. “Additionally, [females’] biomechanics changed across the menstrual cycle, so some movement risk factors, like when the knees move inward or when the hips rotate inward, movements that are known to lead to injury, were all elevated during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.”

timing of when each group performs the exercises will vary.

“The training that we're providing, the specific exercises, will benefit these athletes no matter what group they’re in, because these exercises have been well researched, and they're evidencebased,” Ulman said. “They improve movement patterns and reduce risk factors across the board; we are simply trying to see if the syncing of the exercises improves movement and reduces risk factors even more.”

Participants in the study will also receive a free risk report from the Movement Science Lab at Scottish Rite, a free eight-week training program and a free biometric ring, which will be used to track athletes’ heart rates, menstrual cycles, nighttime recovery and more.

Health teacher and coach Melanie Jenkins said the biometric ring tracks the menstrual cycle in various ways.

Coyne was previously the athletic director at The St. James in Northern Virginia, a sports and wellness facility. There, she helped introduce an academy model, where athletes come to the facility specifically to train for high level sports. Coyne also worked for USA Lacrosse for several years.

She plans to bring her competitive attitude to the Hockaday athletics program by elevating the physical education curriculum, sports teams, health and nutrition and strength and

“I have experience running labbased research studies related to injury prevention,” Ulman said. “But this study is unique in the fact that it's in the community, it's in the high school setting.”

The study will initially focus on soccer and basketball athletes because those sports have the highest rate of ACL tears.

Hockaday is one of three DFW high schools participating in the three-year study.

Twice a week for 30 minutes, athletes in the study will conduct specific exercises prior to, during or after practice. Data is collected before and after the eight-week program to figure out if there were improvements in risk factors following the program.

Since the study is randomized, athletes are assigned to either one control group or one intervention group, without knowing which group they are in. Both groups will be doing the same exercises, so both groups will benefit from the study; however, the

“The ring will track temperature in order to understand different insights about each individual’s cycle," Jenkins said."More specific measurements must be synced up with an app called ‘Natural Cycles.'"

Jenkins said she is excited to see the results of the study.

“I am definitely interested in seeing how the menstrual cycle affects a person’s susceptibility to injury or perhaps performance,” Jenkins said. “Additionally, doing [this study] with this age group at Hockaday will provide insight, because menstruation in the first two years that one has it is much more irregular. Overall, the Athletics Department is super excited to see these results, and so am I."

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA COYNE, ELIZABETH FARRELL AND ANDERSON RHODUS

Juniors wear captain gear

Spotlighting the experience of junior captains

By Alina Zheng Sports Editor

The title “captain” inherently denotes respect from teammates. It bears a special role and responsibility, carrying an inheritance and creating a legacy for generations to come.

In the past, this role has typically been for a senior, but the Class of 2027 has shown the Hockaday community that it is possible to step into this leadership position.

This year, eight juniors have earned their way into the role for their teams.

For cross country captain Elle Mayrosh, she chose to run when she saw that there was only one senior. Her team encouraged her as she was competing for her captain position.

“My team made me feel supported while I was running for captain because they told me that they saw me as an important part of the team,” Mayrosh said.

Volleyball captain Mila Haffar said the team culture supports her as captain.

Racing

“Whether it’s during a game, at a travel tournament, or even in class with a teammate, I think every girl on the team really supports and encourages each other to do their best,” Haffar said.

Embodying new roles, basketball captains Lauren Haas and Lucia Ubiñas share a common goal of preparing, encouraging and leading their team at SPC.

“I’m excited to take on a new role in the team, start some new traditions and help lead our team to have an amazing, fun and successful season, with hopefully a good result at SPC,” Ubiñas said.

Having fun is a common thread that the captains value and one that connects teams across seasons.

So far during Mayrosh's time as captain, she said she has learned that people will come to cross country if there is an aspect of fun themes or activities.

However, Mayrosh also realizes the difficulties that accompany being

on the rise

a captain her junior year.

“Junior year is harder than sophomore year or freshman year,” Mayrosh said. “So it’s a big ramp up in schoolwork, having to balance doing cross country and being captain at the same time.”

role, Ubiñas emphasizes the value of learning from the upperclassmen.

Haas also understands that challenges with captaining.

“I think the main challenge will be having less high school basketball experience compared to a senior,” Haas said.

However, Haas said she will have more energy and time to lead the team.

For juniors considering a leadership

Motorsports surge into global popularity

By Anika Shah & Tanvi Cherukri Multimedia Editor & StaffWriter

Engines roar, tires screech and the smell of burning fuel fills the air. Racing, in all its forms, is capturing a growing global audience. From the high-speed precision of Formula 1 (F1) to the endurance challenges of 24-hour Le Mans, the sport’s blend of skill, technology and drama has turned once-niche competitions into events that dominate both social media feeds and streaming platforms.

For senior Ava Ortega, an unintended introduction to F1 converted her into an avid fan.

“I got interested in Formula One through edits on my social media,” Ortega said. “That’s how I fell into the rabbit hole.”

Dr. Walts, the Director of Debate and Forensics, developed an interest in racing through a more deliberate and intentional introduction.

“I’d always known about it, but I didn’t really get into it until 2017,” Walts said. “I watched “The 24-Hour War” about Ford versus Ferrari, and on a whim turned on Le Mans, an endurance race, that weekend. After about 30 minutes of figuring out what was going on, I was hooked.”

Since then, Walts has become a devoted endurance racing fan, attending the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, referred to as the most prestigious endurance race in the world.

“The cars go by so loud and so fast,

and the TV doesn’t capture how fast they are,” Walts said. “It was incredible, almost a religious experience.”

Despite taking different paths to racing, both Walts and Ortega are drawn to the spectacle around it.

The Monaco Grand Prix, held on the streets of Monte-Carlo, is famous for its celebrities and high fashion, while the Las Vegas Grand Prix lights up the Strip with fireworks and neon.

“Monaco is kind of a boring race unless people crash, but I love seeing the celebrities and the fashion,” Ortega said. “Vegas is the same way, because it’s on the Strip at night with fireworks and lights everywhere.”

Fans like sophomore Magic Cather focus more on the technical aspects.

“When you're watching it on TV, they'll angle the camera so you can see the car, but when you're actually there, you blink, but all the cars are already gone,” Cather said. “So, it's just super high speed, it's super physical and mental and there's so much to it that just makes it so interesting to me.”

Walts explained how the media has played a role in making motorsports more accessible and motorsports are adapting to modern concerns and improving fan engagement.

“F1 has excellent coverage and a massive social presence, which makes it easier for people to find,” Walts said. “Motorsports have done a better job of welcoming people into the paddock and interacting online. They show fans

what’s happening even when the cars aren’t on the track.”

Sophomore Kavya Chava follows F1 mainly through Instagram but also relies on the official F1 app.

“[The F1 app] has news and tells me what time races are going to be because I don’t want to convert from whatever time zone to Central Standard Time,” Chava said.

For Walts, endurance racing is about more than just speed and spectacle. His favorite team is the Iron Dames, an all-female World Endurance Racing team.

“They drive a pink Porsche, and their slogan is women driven by dreams,” Walts said. “They’re very positive, very inspiring.”

Last year, Walts took several Hockaday students, including Ortega, to an Iron Dames race in Austin.

“Having followed them for a couple of years, they are somewhat idols to me because of what they do,” Walts said. “I think that the mission of Hockaday and the mission of the Dames are so similarly aligned that to get some of the Hockaday girls with the Dames made a lot of sense.”

The visit with the Dames left its mark on Ortega, who enjoyed the behind-the scenes access.

“I had never seen any racing in real life, so it was like a dream come through for me,” Ortega said.

“Being a junior captain may seem a bit unorthodox, but in the past two years, I have had great role models in the previous basketball captains and field hockey captains,” Ubiñas said. “I know what the captains have been able to do, and I hope I can encourage my teammates as best as possible in games and in SPC.”

Fast Facts

Know:

Students learn about racing from the Iron Dames.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. CHUCK WALTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MILA HAFFAR

Haffar poses on media day.

People to Know: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) current championship leader

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 3-time world champ

Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) legendary 7-time champ

Terms to

DRS — flap system for easier overtaking

Undercut — early pit stop to jump rivals

Dirty Air — turbulent airflow that reduces grip

Game changers

Daisies blaze trails in male-dominated fields

By Samara Bhatki & Mia Frary Sports Editor & Arts & Life Editor

Defying gender stereotypes is not for the faint of heart. Upper School students Leila Ashour, Avika Guttigoli and Sara Gupta and Assistant Director of Athletics Jenn Johnson know that better than anyone. Inspired by their experiences participating in traditionally maledominated activities, they share the pros and cons of taking on this pioneering role.

Leila Ashour:

Breaking the Ice

Growing up in a household with two ice hockey playing brothers, it is no shock that junior Leila Ashour grew up with a stick and puck in hand. Originally a figure skater, Ashour quickly realized her passion for ice hockey and joined a co-ed team as a forward and defender. Even as Ashour’s love for the sport grew, the participation from Dallas-area females remained stagnant.

“It was hard to get the boys to pass the puck to me,” Ashour said. “Coaches would also make fun of me and tell me that there are no girls teams and that I should just stop playing.”

Lebanon women’s national ice hockey team, defying the doubts that come with a female in a male dominated sport. Ashour, who also coaches young girls in ice hockey, encourages female players to be confident.

“It takes a while, but if you are really passionate about it, then you should be practicing every day,” Ashour said. “Don’t let other people ruin the sport for you.”

Avika Guttigoli: Black-Belt Breakthrough

Junior Avika Guttigoli, a taekwondo black belt, enjoys her sport because it increases her confidence

that you have to protect yourself more than they do for the men.”

Sara Gupta : No ROOKie Here

Senior Sara Gupta approaches chess with an optimistic and strategic attitude.

Because there are fewer women participating in chess, they encounter less competition when attempting to achieve highranking status.

and mental strength.

As the only girl on her team, she even changed in a closet while the boys shared the locker room.

Nonetheless, Ashour kept her head up. She continued to play, but the environment remained toxic from the boys on her team, as well as the aggressiveness of multiple girls pining for the small number of spots on the even smaller number of teams.

“My biggest challenge was definitely the competitive environment,” Ashour said. “I played on the same team with the same people for years, and it just got very toxic.”

She did not let the challenging atmosphere reduce her love for hockey. She hopes to take her experience to the

“I really like how disciplined taekwondo is,” Guttigoli said. “Before I started [in fifth grade], I was a shy person. Since joining taekwondo, I've gained a lot of discipline, and I've really come out of my shell.”

“Though taekwondo has been historically considered male-dominated sport, this classification has shifted thanks to a rise in female participants like Guttigoli. Now, her classes are divided evenly between male and female participants, so she does not see taekwondo as a male-dominated activity.

football team has practice, it makes me glad that our priority really is females in sports,” Johnson said.

Over time, she has learned to see the advantages of her unique position.

“A lot of the time in chess tournaments when a guy is playing a girl, they underestimate the girl,” Gupta said. “This is a good thing for the girl, because then they can expect you to be worse, and that's when they get cooked.”

While Gupta mostly notices the benefits as a woman in chess, she also recognizes that there are drawbacks.

Don't let other people ruin the sport for you.

Leila Ashour '27

”She said she gets frustrated with her opponents’ aggressive behavior when they lose, something that she believes occurs more frequently with male players than female players.

She said that, in a school without boys, the focus is put only on our female athletes, so that rather than competing for attention and opportunities, they can just compete in their sports.

“I didn’t know how special Hockaday was, as I didn’t grow up in Texas,” Johnson said. “But I’ve been here for 23 years and learned very quickly just how special it is.”

Johnson said she enjoys watching female athletes come together to achieve something they thought they could not do, like the field hockey team’s second SPC championship in 2010.

“Train and go after what you love to do,” Johnson said. “If you are not finding what you need in what is offered for female athletes, push those boundaries and join those male dominated sports or teams.”

Guttigoli notes that female students are often treated equally, their lessons differing only slightly. She said this has little to do with gender bias, but rather ensuring all students can defend themselves effectively.

“Sometimes the things that they teach us versus the men are different,” Guttigoli said.

“When we're doing gun self-defense, they teach it to us differently, catering to fighting against a man. They really stress on the fact

Gupta noted that there were not many female chess players to look to as role models when she was younger, so every interaction counted.

“It was a good thing for me, when I was younger, that I played separated tournaments with just girls because I got to see more girls playing chess,” Gupta said.

Jenn Johnson: Allowing Girls to Thrive Assistant Director of Athletics Jennifer Johnson values the way Hockaday provides opportunities for girls in athletics in a world where attention is often focused on male athletes.

“When we travel to other SPC schools that are co-ed and our game can’t be played until later because the

Guttigoli practices Taekwondo.

Ashour stickhandles on rink.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEILA ASHOUR

SARA GUPTA, AVIKA GUTTIGOLI AND ANAIYA SAXENA

Young Gupta competes in chess tournament

Johnson gives feedback at field hockey game.

Tech ties us together

Automation fosters human connection

By Sophia Salem Business Manager

With the rise of technology comes the rise of skepticism. Countless movies, articles and podcasts have criticized our growing dependence on these advancements. Although media warns us incessantly about the dangers of the internet, phones and AI, it fails to highlight the brighter side of technology’s role in fostering human connection.

Many of us don’t spend a lifetime living in just one place, and moving away creates a physical barrier between friendships. Technology tears down those barriers between friends, both past and present, and it’s now easier to connect with people who live across the world.

Apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok let us connect with many people online, even without a conversation. For example, when

Teni, my friend in Connecticut, posts, it’s easy for me to know what’s happening in her life.

For connections that imitate real life, I can use messaging apps like iMessage or WhatsApp and audio or video calling services like FaceTime to catch up with that same friend. I can catch up with Teni with a conversation on iMessage or a video call instead of having to catch a flight.

When baking a cake for my French project, it was an online baking group that pointed me towards the most traditional recipe to get a good grade.

Technology also offers an opportunity to connect online with people who share my interests.

PRO Technology Edition

Online genealogy sites provide DNA tests that allow individuals to connect with their family history. This ability to trace back generations lets people learn about cultures from their roots that they may not have been taught growing up and therefore can lead to more identity-based connection.

Languages also play a significant role in culture, and on the internet, apps and websites to learn new languages have been popularized. With how easy it is with new technology to pick up a language, barriers across the globe are broken and the connection between people in different countries and cultures is fostered, which leads to a wider reach of communities. Instead of having to take a class to avoid forgetting my Spanish from middle school, I use free apps like Duolingo or Memrise.

The rise of technology allows for bonds across the globe. It isn’t going to replace human-to-human connection, because people will always want to get together, but it is a tool for us to improve those connections. In the future, it will improve human connections in current and unprecedented ways.

Half here, half there

Technology puts relationships on airplane mode

By Aadhya Yanamadala Copy Editor

Walk through the Hocka-Halls at any time of the day, and the picture is the same: teenagers with AirPods wedged firmly in their ears, phones clutched in hand and eyes locked on glowing screens. The school’s recent cell phone policies, enforced by teachers in the hallways, have little effect. Even in spaces meant for connection, like bustling hallways, family dinners or a Saturday trip to the mall, many of the people I see never seem fully present.

CON STAFF STANDOFF

We live in a generation where multitasking between people and technology has become the norm, but this refusal to unplug is slowly hampering the quality of our relationships and our ability to pay attention to the world around us.

I can’t count how many times I’ve had to nudge someone who stopped suddenly on the stairs because they were too busy scrolling TikTok or distracted by something only they could hear. These interruptions may seem like small inconveniences, but they symbolize a larger issue: a lack of awareness and engagement with our immediate surroundings. When we

are absorbed in what’s happening on a screen or in our ears, we are often blind to what’s unfolding right in front of us, which has implications beyond stairway traffic jams.

This culture of distraction also affects relationships. I’ve seen friends out together at the mall, sitting shoulder to shoulder, but only half-listening as one person talks while the other steals glances at a notification.

I’ve seen family dinners where conversation trails off because the speaker focuses their attention on their phone. Technology has given us unprecedented access to entertainment and information, allowing us to communicate without challenging ourselves with real conversation, making genuine

connection more difficult. Listening is no longer about giving someone our full attention; it’s often just waiting for a pause so we can return to our devices.

The irony is that we celebrate technology as a tool for engaging with others. And it is. Social media lets us keep in touch with friends across the world. Music and podcasts can be comforting escapes during stressful days. But when these tools creep into every moment, even those meant for real human bonds, they transform from assets into barriers.

Constant stimulation makes any kind of silence uncomfortable. It teaches us to be “half here” all the time. The result? We are never bored, but

we are also never truly engaged.

To be clear: I value technology. I love the way it can bring new ideas to life, connect us to global communities and spark creativity. The problem isn’t the tools themselves but our inability to put them down. We’ve reached a point where disconnecting feels unnatural and anxiety-inducing.

Yet being able to unplug, even briefly, is vital. Moments of boredom and stillness can fuel creativity, problem-solving and deeper thought, especially in younger children. Without this, we risk losing the ability to reflect, focus and truly connect.

As a generation, we face a choice. We can continue letting technology seep into every second of our day, or we can reclaim small pockets of presence. That might mean leaving AirPods in their case, turning phones face-down during meals or setting aside a daily hour with no screens at all. It doesn’t mean rejecting technology but rather recognizing its place. The world is happening in real time, and the people around us deserve more than just half of our attention.

OPINIONS

Sydney Sweeney: setback or success?

Sydney

Sweeney’s

By Melinda Hu Editor-in-Chief

Bathwater, soap and jeans. These words are seemingly very different yet connected by one person: Sydney Sweeney. Sweeney is an American actress and producer best known for her role on “Euphoria” as high schooler Cassie Howard.

In June 2025, Sweeney’s collaboration with Dr. Squatch, a popular soap company, came to fruition when she launched a limited-edition “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss” soap.

Yes, Sweeney’s bathwater is listed in the ingredients list.

Dr. Squatch stated on their website on a now deleted page that the soap is made with small amounts of bathwater that went through rigorous safety testing.

The collaboration idea came from the internet response to an ad that the star did for Dr. Squatch

recent ads cause controversy

in October 2024 where she calls her viewers “dirty little boys” to promote Dr. Squatch’s natural body wash. Many commentators wanted soap with Sweeney’s bathwater included. Sweeney and Dr. Squatch then decided to give viewers “what they want.” At $8 per bar, the soap sold out in seconds and is now on resale websites selling for upwards of $1,600.

Because Dr. Squatch wrote on their website that their products are specifically for men, there is no denying that this soap is made for the male gaze.

Throughout her life, Sweeney has constantly been sexualized, whether by the media or her peers. I understand her frustration of being sexualized or commented on based on her appearance. If Sweeney is going to be sexualized by the public, why not make some money off of it?

Now, do I personally enjoy the idea of rubbing someone’s bathwater over myself?

Absolutely not. But who am I to judge Sydney Sweeney for trying to make money off society’s unwavering sexualization of her body?

With the sexualization of females, I feel we’re expected

to vehemently commend it, no matter the conditions. The public will just keep doing what they’re best at: sharing honest opinions and cultivating false narratives.

In July 2025, American Eagle released an ad featuring Sweeney. The tagline is “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” Undeniably, Sweeney and American Eagle use “jeans” and “genes” interchangeably.

Sweeney, as a blonde, blueeyed, white woman represents the quintessential look of Western beauty standards. Many viewers have interpreted Sweeney, as a white woman, talking about how her genes as an indication of white privilege and the idea that Western features are superior.

Though I feel that this was not the message American Eagle or Sweeney wanted to convey, it is the one that viewers received. With anything posted on social media, effect outweighs intent. This is not a new concept, and seasoned brands like American Eagle and public figures like Sweeney who

have been in the public eye have no excuse to not understand the effects. As someone with absolutely no experience in public relations, I could’ve seen from miles away that this ad did not send any messages of empowerment or diversity.

Though Sweeney may never see this, I want to give her a few words of advice.

If you want to play into the inevitable sexualization of your appearance that you have no control over, then more power to you. Dictating the narrative of your objectification is important.

But I implore you to think about the young, diverse audience watching your every move. As a public figure, your every move is dissected, sifted through, sewn back together and then thrown right back at you. Every move you make is magnified, every photo you post is zoomed into, and every video or ad you make is stopped at each frame. One wrong move, and it’s over, but one right move and you could empower women across the world to tap into their femininity and counter unwanted sexualization by taking control of their own narrative.

So why not choose the latter?

How media shapes college narratives

Peeling back televisions’ distortions of college applications

By Juliette Friguletto Opinions Editor

From TV dramas to thrillers, the fictional spectacle of college admissions is far more than just an academic process. These portrayals shape public perception, especially for teen viewers developing opinions on colleges. Although directors usually err towards one or the other, realistic storylines are my favorites because of their sensible touches in shows which have rational coming-of-age narratives.

The popular sitcom “Modern Family,” is one of the more accurate depictions of the college application process. In the show, Haley Dunphy, the oldest daughter of Claire and Phil Dunphy, constantly struggles with her college decision and leaves herself only a few weeks to complete and submit applications. Correspondingly, Haley gets wait-listed and later accepted into only one out of six schools she applied to. Haley’s college application is far from perfect,

as she didn’t put quality work or complete school assignments with care. Additionally, Haley’s younger sister Alex Dunphy didn’t get into Harvard, her top choice, even with her stellar grades and extracurriculars. These outcomes show the dedication to portraying the realistic process that the directors prioritized.

Other popular TV shows like “Gilmore Girls” and “Gossip Girl” lean into a more idealized model, making college applications seem fairly simple and straightforward.

In the 2000s, Gilmore Girls’ main character Rory Gilmore only applies to three schools, all of which are Ivy Leagues. By applying to three schools and with the lack of safeties, Rory does not set herself up for success. Yet, for the sake of the plot line, she gets accepted into all three and decides to attend Yale. With her lack of urgency regarding admissions, Gilmore demonstrates unrealistic characteristics of a high schooler aspiring to attend a prestigious university.

“Gossip Girl,” a show about privileged high school students growing up in the Upper East side of Manhattan has similar unrealistic plot lines to Gilmore Girls. Admission decisions for Ivy Leagues in the show are based on the class of their families, which endorses paying to attend a university rather than being accepted based on merit. Characters in the show, including Serena Van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, are involved with many

public scandals, none of which negatively affect their admission. Each example is highly implausible and leaves viewers conflicted.

These false plot lines create stress for students by supporting misleading facts and complicating the application process. Many of these TV shows highlight character growth and the realistic journey of young life; the idea that only college should be sugarcoated is hypocritical and can be deceiving. While high-school upperclassmen start to look at colleges for their futures, watching fictional characters succeed so easily increases personal pressure to live up to such perfect expectations and standards. For me, it creates an impossible standard to live up to and enforces the impression that resumes and permanent records are unimportant. Although media is an ‘escape’ to the real world, false narratives shouldn’t be enforced in such a way that it affects the maintargeted viewers’ lives.

American Eagle ad featuring Sydney Sweeney

PHOTO FROM AMERICAN EAGLE WEBSITE

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CECILIA CHEN

FEDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Lang Cooper and Leyah Philip

WEB EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Melinda Hu and Mary Bradley Sutherland

COPY EDITORS

Sarah Moskowitz and Aadhya Yanamadala

MANAGING EDITOR

Emily McLeroy

WEB MANAGING EDITOR

Anya Aggarwal

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS

Audrey Liu and Anika Shah

NEWS EDITORS

Sophie Cho and Katie Ma ARTS & LIFE EDITORS

Siena Ebert and Elizabeth Farrell FEATURES EDITORS

Jenny Chu and Aneeka Tansen SPORTS EDITORS

Anderson Rhodus and Alina Zheng

OPINIONS EDITORS

Mary Elise Estess and Juliette Friguletto

PHOTO, GRAPHICS & CASTOFF EDITOR

Emilie Illum

BUSINESS MANAGER

Sophia Salem

STAFF WRITERS

Gwendolyn Becker, Samara Bhatki, Tanvi Cherukuri, Mia Frary, Brooklyn Friesen, Claire Gicheru, Haniya Khowaja, Aria KneplerPearl, Lucy Pigott, Bella Portera, Savannah Simon, Sara Vijay

FACULTY ADVISER

Kristy Rodgers

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Fourcast is written primarily for students of the Hockaday Upper School, its faculty and staff. The Fourcast has a press run of 500 and is printed by Midway Press. It is distributed free of charge to the Hockaday community. The staff reserves the right to refuse any advertising which is deemed inappropriate for the Hockaday community. Opinions will be clearly marked and/or will appear in the views section. Commentaries are the expressed opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of The Fourcast staff, its adviser or any other member of the Hockaday community. The Staff Editorial on the Opinions page reflects the position of The Fourcast staff, but not necessarily the position Hockaday administration or community. The Fourcast staff determines the content of each issue and strives to work as independently as possible in producing the student newspaper, but the content is subject to prior review by the Head of Upper School, the Communications Director and other members of the Hockaday leadership team. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be addressed to the editors-in-chief. Only signed pieces will be published. Corrections and clarifications from previous issues will be found in the news section. Questions or concerns should be addressed to Editors-in-Chief Lang Cooper (lcooper26@hockaday.org) or Leyah Philip (lphilip26@hockaday.org)

STAFF EDITORIAL

The staff editorial is an unsigned piece representing a consensus of opinion among members of The Fourcast editorial board regarding a current issue.

Acceptance of toxic relationships rises in media Rationalizing relationships

Aring the size of a sliver of tinfoil. A $750 raspberry coulis chocolate cake. Cheating with another girl twice two days after a “breakup”. Sound familiar? These complaints surround Jeremiah Fisher, one of the brother love interests in the viral teen-series “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

As the episodes drop throughout the weeks, people have flooded social media platforms with recounts of their switch to Team Conrad, lambasting Jeremiah in the process. However, what ultimately alters your opinion of him shouldn’t be based on just recent events. Sure, these jokes are funny and demonstrate Jeremiah’s extreme immaturity in season three, but the issues within his and Belly (the main character and female love interest)’s relationship, as well as his own issues run much deeper.

Frankly, Jeremiah’s behavior towards Belly across two and a half seasons involves an abysmal lack of communication and responsibility, self-centeredness, extreme insecurity, guilt tripping and double standards. Also, he’s more obsessed with one-upping Conrad than maintaining her happiness. Point blank: none of these traits make a good relationship. While Jeremiah cares for Belly, this is not a relationship people should be supporting or endorsing

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only example of a subpar love interest to become a media darling. Take the Kissing Booth series, for example. Noah, the male love interest, is the archetype of the “bad boy jock,” complete with repeated physical violence towards other people his age (including his brother) and manipulative, possessive tendencies towards Elle, the female love interest. In the beginning of the first episode, he even tells Elle she’s “asking for it” when a boy slaps her backside. Are we supposed to root for this guy? The glorification of someone’s lack of respect for other people needs to end.

Jacob Elordi—Noah’s actor—also portrays Nate from “Euphoria.” Nate’s worse than Noah and Jeremiah combined. He objectifies, sexually assaults and degrades young women. Yet he’s characterized as “protective” and “masculine,” as many reviewers

excuse his actions in the context of their physical attraction to him. While Nate has experienced tremendous amounts of trauma, it’s ultimately his responsibility alone to break further cycles. Issues? Valid. Destroying girls’ lives? Not.

The problem isn’t that these love interests exist, per se; after all, in Hollywood’s eyes, drama and hot guys sell each other. It’s that every time, without fail, the danger of these men and the “relationships” they ruin is continually glossed over in favor of fan edits and a lack of honest appraisal. Besides being disrespectful to people who endure these real-world situations, the fans’ thirst overshadows effective discourse over the character’s unjustifiable actions and rigid gender roles.

In turn, the casual acceptance of these situations influences impressionable young people to not only accept these toxic relationships as the ideal, but to strive for them. After all, viewer engagement only encourages Hollywood to continue featuring these qualities in love interests. As people make excuses for a fictional person’s faults, the line between that and an increasingly unfortunate reality only blurs further.

In fact, on platforms such as BookTok, a popular subsection of TikTok, frequent comments include things such as “I’d never let this pass in real life, but I love reading about it”.

Beyond a simple desire for drama, this thought process is incredibly problematic and damaging. As our society increasingly revolves around the

GRAPHIC

digital sphere, we become the media we consume and support. Viral videos that spotlight controlling and murderous love interests are often ridiculed, but the fact that there’s a fanbase who popularized these behaviors often goes ignored.

That same fanbase is even more susceptible to being mistreated in relationships, because they already have a track record of accepting and encouraging egregious actions from fictional characters. In the case of abusers, there’s not much that changes off a page.

Additionally, though not featured as prominently in the media, men are also victims of assault. However, whenever they do suffer abuse in films or TV series, the public response is often even more unsympathetic than to a woman’s plight. In turn, this stigmatizes further awareness of issues surrounding bodily autonomy and informed consent. Whether it’s condoning a woman’s exploitation or invalidating a man’s abuse, neither promote a culture that promotes boundaries and healthy relationships.

If you ever feel like your dignity is somewhat compromised or if your partner takes advantage of you in any way, it’s a sign something needs to change. Toxicity can be perpetrated by anyone, at any time—don’t let media sway you into thinking otherwise.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing physical/emotional abuse within a relationship, here is a resource: National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233)

COURTESY OF JOYCE JIN

“I went to Paris for a month with the WorldStrides Oxbridge program in Paris,” Barwa said. “My favorite aspect of the program was its emphasis on allowing us to experience as much of the city as possible. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to go abroad and bring home such fond memories!”

- Anashe Barwa Class of 2027

ofEmily Meyer

“I flew out to Ann-Arbor, Michigan for the Nexus Selection,” Lee said. “I had lots of fun playing field hockey for a weekend with all my teammates and friends.”

- Isabel Lee Class of 2028

“I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean to Spain on a schooner sailboat for six weeks,” Meyer said. “I made a lot of friends and it was so cool being out on the ocean, sailing with no land for hundreds of miles.”

- Emily Meyer Class of 2027

“I participated in the National Hispanic Institute’s Oratory competition, and I won first place,” Grecia Tarin said. “I was talking about my mom’s story, and how she didn’t conform to any stereotypes or the status quo of what it is to be a hispanic in the U.S.”

- Grecia Tarin Class of 2028

Photo courtesy of Anashe Barwa

Photo courtesy of Hockaday Athletics

Photo courtesy

Photo courtesy of Grecia Tarin