Issue 5

Staff shares advice for students preparing for standardized tests

Hockaday's 110th Commencement

A deep look into the traditional graduation

by Elle Myers | Managing Editor

On May 18, there will be 1,800 chairs in neat rows across Graduation Terrace for Hockaday’s 110th Commencement, a day that will be filled with tears of happiness, sadness and everything in between. Behind the Scenes

Activities and Events Coordinator Tiffany Rubi ‘88 coordinates every detail, large and small, for the event.

In the fall, Rubi deals with things like reaching out to vendors to reserve 2,500 chairs for outside, 1,500 for inside and chairs for seniors. Now, Rubi must ensure that all the vendors are set and ready.

“I met with the woman who does flowers for the baskets,” Rubi said. “She arranges a lot of those beforehand and brings them down to Hicks, and girls can take them when they leave.”

In addition, Rubi gets help from other staff in planning the event.

“I get a lot of the things ordered like rentals, and then Jason Wagner, the audio visual coordinator, handles vendors who do the recording and sound,” Rubi said.

One thing that Rubi finds difficult is the seating for the families. Each graduate is only allowed six seats for guests in reserved seating section,

but there is plenty of open seating.

“The class last year was 128 girls, and this year there are also 128 girls, so getting them on stage under the pergola is fine and works with the chairs,” Rubi said.

Dresses and hats, oh my!

Mothers of graduates donate their time to help plan Commencement.

Julie Little, mother of Gracie, is the lead for Form IV. In addition, Nicole Small ‘91, mother of Julia, and Carrie Phaneuf ‘91, mother of Estee, handle graduation dresses and hats.

All their jobs span the year and one of their central goals is to help girls pick the dress and hats.

“For Hockaday commencement, our Senior Mom Committee helps provide the class with a white dress, specially chosen by the senior class, and a coordinating hat similar to that worn by Hockaday graduates for many years,” Little said.

That process began May 2023 with eight to ten girls trying on dresses at Stardust in Plano. The selection is narrowed to around ten options and submitted for administrative review. The top five choices are presented in the fall style show. Each dress is worn by three different girls to see which dress works best for everyone.

“My hat is blue because it has always been my favorite color. My flowers are yellow, white, purple and green. I am using the same florist that my mom used for her graduation hat in 1992."

1969

With a high neck and lace sleeves, this 1969 dress is the definition of ‘60s fashion.

"We are looking for a dress that everyone will feel good about regardless of whether you are tall, short, etc,” Phaneuf said. “That is what the girls are considering and what we encourage them to look at because not every dress is good for all people."

At the style show, each senior casts their vote for their top pick.

“It’s really fun that everybody gets to have a contribution on what the dress looks like,” Small said.

In addition to the long white dresses, pastel garden hats are a staple for Hockaday’s graduation.

“We contacted several reputable hat vendors to provide a hat for every senior with the exception of those opting to wear a legacy hat (sister/ mother/aunt) or a borrowed hat,” Little said. “The vendor sent sample hats to try on."

Girls were measured for the appropriate dress size and hat size that fit most comfortably.

Seniors are also pick whichever hat color they would like to wear, out of the colors offered, and there is no limit on how many of each color is worn. Each senior is responsible for decorating their hat with flowers.

“While we don’t recommend a particular florist, we do share a list of

A look into the past and future

“My hat is purple and I’m putting a combination of pink roses, blue and purple, and white hydrangeas. I think it’s going to look very pretty!

1974

This dress stands out with small polka dots and two pockets.

local florists that Hockaday families have used and reported being pleased with in the past,” Little said.

The floral design is unrestricted and totally individual.

“Girls enjoy individualizing their own hats according to their preference and style," Little said. "However, due to the size and structure of the hat, a similar amount of flowers is typically used, as to make the hat look festive without weighing it down too much.”

A small hat for a big legacy

A conversation with Ashley Francis

Q: How many people have worn the hat before you?

A: “Seven family members have worn the graduation hat before me.”

Q: Why do you want to wear this hat for your graduation?

A: “I really want to wear this hat because it holds such a strong legacy that I’m so glad to be a part of.”

Q: How do you plan on decorating your hat with flowers?

A: “I am planning on having yellow, white, and purple flowers on my hat. I think those colors go very well with the vintage yellow.”

“My hat is pink because it’s my sister’s, and I am putting roses and daisies on my hat.”

1989

This ‘80s dress features a pleated v-neckline with a small flower.

1999

This satin dress with a square neck is a classic.

Evelyn Fox

Amalia Evans

Linda Benites

Securing our safety

Staff works around the clock to protect community

by Shreya Vijay | Print Editor in Chief

Driving around in their golf carts and patrolling the school, security guards have become an integral part of the Hockaday community and ensure the safety of students and faculty in all divisions.

Director of Safety and Security

Jeff Arrington said his day-to-day responsibilities vary, as one of his biggest jobs is to remain proactive in identifying any potential security threats or risks.

“My primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, faculty, staff and visitors within our community,” Arrington said. “I also oversee threat and risk management, crisis planning and emergency preparedness.”

team are effective in maintaining a secure environment for all.”

Security Officer Omar Diaz Jr. is a member of the security staff. As part of his duties, he assists with carpool and greeting students at Hoak Portico in the morning. He also greets any other visitors to the school.

Arrington also described how the security dynamic has changed since the car theft at an athletic game last month.

“It’s important to note that incidents like the one from last month are extremely rare within our school community,” Arrington said. “Our security protocols and vigilant security

“We’re monitoring the campus the whole day,” Diaz said. “My favorite part of working at Hockaday is meeting new people every day and seeing students happy to come to school and learn.”

Regarding the car theft, Diaz said security has tightened since then.

“We are trying our best to be better,” Diaz said. “We are incorporating the Dallas Police Department and we have increased our patrol times too.”

Arrington said they have increased staffing at the gates near the athletic complex, and he also reinforced security’s continued commitment to keeping the school safe.

“I would encourage everyone to see this

Reproductive healthcare

Dr. Austin Dennard ‘03 shares her story

by Danya Risam-Chandi | Managing Editor

Austin Dennard ‘03 has made her mark on women’s health in North Texas as an advocate for abortion access and women’s healthcare. Not only is Dennard an OB-GYN, she is also one of the 13 women who sued the state of Texas arguing that the state’s abortion ban is unclear (Amanda Zurawski, et al., Plaintiffs vs. State of Texas, 2023).

Dennard said her interest in women’s health developed during her time at Hockaday.

“Being in an environment of all female education already infused us with all this wonderful feminism,” Dennard said. “Activism is really part of our education without even realizing it.”

Dennard enjoys the multiple facets within her job as an OB-GYN and the variety of health conditions she may cover in any given day.

“We do so many different things in our specialty,” Dennard said. “We talk about contraception, the menstrual cycle, obstetrics in pregnancy and hormone management.”

When Dennard herself needed an abortion, she found her passion for advocacy and getting involved in national policy issues.

“It wasn’t until I was personally involved as both a patient and doctor with these incredibly restrictive laws that have been passed in Texas that this whole new side of advocacy really became part of my day to day,” she said.

In August of 2022, Dennard, who was pregnant, learned the fetus suffered from anencephaly and had no chance of survival.

“I could not get an abortion even though it was legal in Texas then,” Dennard said. “I had to flee the state to get routine access to medical care.”

Once Dennard made the decision to leave Texas for medical care, both she and her family struggled to understand how and why this was happening.

“It was of course traumatic and horrible for our family,” Dennard said. “It’s so hard to go to a foreign place and have a procedure done by a stranger for a pregnancy that we really wanted to succeed.”

Even after recovering from the procedure, Dennard was scared to share her story for fear of losing her medical license in Texas.

unfortunate event as an opportunity for us to come together as a community and reaffirm our commitment and dedication to school safety,” Arrington said. “It’s important to emphasize the following to our students, faculty and staff: if you see something, say something.”

Diaz said he loves working at Hockaday.

“We are such a unique campus, and I love working here,” Diaz said.

Arrington also said he is grateful for his job at Hockaday and is thankful for the support the security staff receives from the community.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve as the Director of Safety and Security,” Arrington said. “I am incredibly grateful for the tremendous amount of support the Security team receives from the school’s leadership, faculty, staff, parents and student population.”

“I was also scared that if I told anybody where we had gone, I could get my medical license taken away,” Dennard said. “The whole idea of aiding and abetting people getting care was so scary, especially back when this was all so new.”

Dennard joined in the lawsuit with the encouragement of one of her patients. Her patient was pregnant with twins and faced significant medical complications during the pregnancy.

“Around 12 weeks one of her twins was diagnosed with trisomy 18, which is a condition that a fetus cannot survive with,” Dennard said. “That put us in a predicament because she had one healthy twin and one which would die and put the other at risk, unless she received the proper care.”

After receiving abortion care in Colorado, Dennard’s patient came back and told Dennard she was joining the group of women suing the state of Texas and encouraged Dennard to talk to her lawyer.

Dennard originally thought she would provide the perspective of a doctor, but after talking

with the lawyer she joined as a plaintiff to tell her own abortion story.

The lawsuit aimed to get a more specific definition of the medical exemption, so doctors in Texas feel more empowered to counsel their patients with a clear understanding of the law.

“If the law remains so vague, healthcare providers will not be able to provide any care or counsel to patients,” Dennard said. “Doctors and providers have to risk losing their license, getting thrown in jail and thousands of dollars in fines which really paralyzes our health care system.”

Participating in the lawsuit gave Dennard a tangible way to digest her emotions surrounding her abortion story as well as advocate for other women.

“It felt like someone had just lifted me up and given me a productive way to make a change and create something good out of something that was so incredibly difficult for our family to go through,” Dennard said.

Omar Diaz, Security

Jeff Arrington, Security

Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AUSTIN DENNARD

Study tips for standardized tests

Staff shares advice for students preparing for standardized tests

by Sophia Lou| Multimedia Editor

As seniors’ college admissions roll around, one aspect of the application may come to mind: standardized tests. Especially as colleges begin to reinstate the SAT and ACT requirements, the pressure to achieve a certain score causes stress. But what are some tips to help with studying?

First, it’s important to decide which test to take. Jennifer Spradley, an Upper School learning specialist, and Elizabeth Jones, a college counselor, advise that students take a practice test of both the SAT and ACT to determine which they will score stronger in.

“It makes absolutely no difference to colleges which test you take,” Spradley said. “After taking a practice test of each, take a look at your score to see which one will be the easier one for you to go in and do a little bit more work to pull score scores up in certain categories.”

She also mentioned that since most colleges super score tests, students have opportunities to dramatically bring up their scores. Super scoring takes the highest scores of different sections across separate sittings and combines them to create the maximum test score.

After students pick a test, it’s time to study.

Spradley suggests students have a consistent routine rather than trying to cram everything into three weeks. Instead, using a strategy called recursive learning, students can begin with a topic they are unfamiliar with, learn it for a short interval daily, review it

a few days later and then focus on a new concept.

“It takes a while for your brain to move things from short term memory to long term memory,” Spradley said.

“Information really sticks to your brain better when you do the slow but steady approach.”

Jones advised that students create a test plan.

“A general rule of thumb is to start preparing for the test three to six months in advance,”

Jones said. “A solid test prep plan includes plenty of time for practice tests leading up to the actual test date, and as with any great preparation plan, practice is key.”

Senior Diya Hegde said one of her most important tips is to keep a journal of mistakes and reference it before taking a

practice test to prevent making the same errors. She also advises students to take breaks with their test prep, rather than doing practice tests back-to-back.

“I was a lot more intentional about the quality of my studying rather than the quantity,” Hegde said.

Although the importance of standardized tests varies between colleges and some colleges remain test optional while others are once again requiring them once again, it is important to remember that standardized tests are just one part of the bigger picture.

“Regardless of a college’s stance on standardized testing, College Counseling encourages students to remember that standardized testing accounts for one piece of the entire application,” Jones said.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CECILIA CHEN

Compare the ACT and new digital SAT with this QR code

Celebrating Mother’s Day

Three mothers in the Hockaday community share their experiences and memories.

by Larkin Clouston |Arts and Life Editor

Exciting Dallas summer activites

Four exhilarating recommendations for your summer excursions.

Photo Courtesy of Sadie Manaster

Photo from Amazon

Photo from Zara

Photo from Aerie

This Aerie striped bikini is the perfect dupe for the popular Triangl swimwear. This striped bikini not only captures the same

Love, MomCelebrating Mother’s Day with memoirs from campus moms

by Alexa Muñoz | Copy Editor

We would not be here without our mothers. We wouldn’t be here without our dads, either, but with Mother’s Day fast approaching on May 12, it is the season to show appreciation for the moms in our lives.

Here are the stories, cherished memories and perspectives of three moms who care for their own children and impact our lives every step of the way.

Natalia Ismail, mother of Sahir Ismail

Upper School mathematics teacher one minute, supermom the next: Natalia Ismail’s hybrid lifestyle is one to be amazed at.

In January 2022, Ismail prepared her upcoming lessons for the long-term substitute teacher just as she would’ve taught it. When she came back, however, it wasn’t stepping back into teaching that was difficult.

“It was challenging because now I had another human to take care of,” Ismail said.

And it was hard for 8-weekold Sahir Ismail, who had gone from the sweet life at home to full-time at Hockaday’s Child Development Center –an amazing thing to have on campus, according to Ismail — since she can be there for her

there to help me out,” Ismail said.

Another lesson is something her own students taught her: resiliency and patience, which are two aspects of Ismail’s life that now apply to both her students and family.

“Watching you guys deal with your challenges and be resilient is something we want to instill in him as well,” Ismail said. “Everyone learns at different paces, but having the patience to re-explain or try to make a connection somewhere else is something I’ve learned as a teacher and mom.”

Sahir is now 14 months old, which means the family is coming up on their second Mother’s Day together. For their first Mother’s Day in 2022, Ismail’s husband gifted her a personalized frame with pictures of their new family.

“It’s really special for us because our journey to parenthood hasn’t been easy, and he made last Mother’s Day so special to honor Sahir who’s allowed us to be parents.”

This year, it’s all about cherishing their special moments together. Ismail’s most recent favorite family memory has been watching Sahir learn to walk.

“He’ll pull himself up on counter or kitchen cabinets or coffee tables, and then let go and wiggle and falls,” said Ismail. “But he always wiggles and gets back up and tries again.”

son whenever needed.

This transition brought many lessons for Ismail – one being time management. While she used to take grading home and knock it out that night, she now must prioritize her baby and focus on his needs.

“It required me to be super efficient with my time at school because it’s not realistic to just do stuff over the weekend or at the end of the day,” said Ismail.

She has never been the type to stress out and finds balance in the power of prioritizing tasks, so she makes to-do lists and maps out her family and school events so she can be there for both.

She is grateful to also have support from her husband.

“He knows I love teaching, and knows I love being a mom, so when I have to work evenings or want to attend an event on campus, he’s always

decision to make, she has never regretted it. When Yuan was in middle school, she used the 40-minute commute to bond with her daughter over her school-life, friends, books and movies.

“It was a very precious time every day, basically a blessing for my daily life,” Bao said.

An aspiring reader, he also tends to crawl over to his stack of books and pull out a book that he wants to read.

“It’s great seeing that he’s enjoying reading with us already,” Ismail said. “It’s always fun to cuddle up on the glider and read books with him.”

So how does she do it? Her advice: don’t lose yourself.

“If being a mother is something that’s important to you, and having a career is something that’s important to you, you can do it,” she said. “You can do it all. One doesn’t have to define the other, so stay true to you.”

Esther Bao, mother of Erin Yuan ‘25

Twelve years ago, Esther Bao moved to the Plano area and began teaching Mandarin Chinese at St. Mark’s and Hockaday. She loved the singlegender environments and vividly remembers how marvelous her students were at both schools. In 2017, when her daughter Erin Yuan ‘25 was accepted to Hockaday, she transitioned to only working at Hockaday.

While it was a difficult

Now, the well-loved Upper School Mandarin Chinese teacher spends less time with Yuan as she has started driving. They don’t get to see each other as often with their busy schedules — but their bond is stronger than ever.

“We make it work,” Yuan said. “Even if it’s just walking down the hallway and saying hi, it’s so nice to have that extra time to see each other.”

Bao also appreciates having students that are similar in age as her daughter. She now understands why her students may be stressed, which allows her to rearrange her class’s homework and assessments to accommodate their needs.

“I learned firsthand information, and I keep learning, even as a teacher, because learning is our lifelong job,” Bao said. “I learn firsthand information from putting myself in my students’ shoes. I feel their pain, I’m happy for whatever they laugh at – so it’s easy to adjust my workload and assessments to meet their needs.”

minute walk from where Bao’s husband lived 20 years ago, near the sites his company designed and constructed. For Yuan, being able to visit what her father built was an incredibly meaningful experience.

“It was very special, and supposed to be an accident, but we turned it into a good thing,” said Bao.

“That’s what my mom always says,” said Yuan. “Whenever anything bad happens she’s always like, ‘but it worked out in the end!’”

Their plans for this year’s Mother’s Day are simple: ordering matching shirts with a picture of their family on them.

Carla Bolden, mother of Anna Bolden ‘25 and Claire Bolden ‘27

She’s a mother of two daisies, but grade-mom of 124 since 2014: Carla Bolden, one of the three grade reps for the Class of 2027, enjoys doing the behindthe-scenes work of the HPA, helping to ensure we have a smooth-sailing school year.

Throughout her time in this role, her responsibilities have varied.

“In Upper School, the biggest thing is helping parents understand that the school will communicate with students and not with parents as much,” said Bolden. “It’s mostly reminding them when things are going on and planning social events for parents and students to get to know each other.”

This year, she’s enjoyed getting to know the new parents and girls and having the chance to bring everyone together. “At the beginning of the year, we planned a game day for all the girls in the class of 2027, and then we had a coffee meeting with all the 2027 parents,” said Bolden.

Appreciation between her role and school faculty goes

both ways.

Bao said a trip to China during winter break was among her favorite memories. It was interrupted by a spelling error on Erin’s visa that necessitated an unexpected detour from Beijing to Hong Kong for a week.

What truly amazed the family was the sheer serendipity of the situation: the hotel they randomly booked in Hong Kong turned out to be just a five-

“I feel appreciated just from the realness and joy of being at school all the time. The Hockaday Parents Association has also done a lot to formally thank us, and I find it personally rewarding to help bring community to parents.”

For this year’s Mother’s Day, Bolden plans to attend the Rangers’ game with her family.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIA ISMAIL

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA BOLDEN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIN YUAN

Carla Bolden with family

Natalia Ismail with family

Esther Bao with daughter Erin Yuan

AROUND

SUMMER ACTIVITIES

by Larkin Clouston | Arts and Life Editor and Cece Johnson | Opinions Editor

As summer quickly approaches, make sure to check out these unique spots in the DFW area to spice up your summer.

PopStroke - 5770 Grandscape Blvd.,75056

Owned by Tiger Woods and just 20 minutes from Hockaday, there is a 18-hole putting course with a full-service restaurant and an ice cream parlor, playground, and outdoor gaming.

Little Sunflower Farm - 258 Country Road, 75490

An hour from Hockaday, the Little Sunflower Farm offers a whimsical greenhouse full of fully bloomed sunflowers, vegetables, honeybees, butterflies and beautiful decorations. This unique activity is perfect for a short roadtrip.

Bondi Bowls, located in University Park, is the perfect smoothie spot to cool down after a hot summer day. Bondi Bowls was originally only in California, but now has locations all over. They aim to bring Californian smoothies to Dallas. 2 3 4 1

Bondi Bowls - 6810 Snider Plaza., 75205 3 1 2 4

Fireside Surf - 5772 Grandscape Blvd., 75056

Fireside Surf, located in The Colony, is a fun adventure for a hot summer day and a great way to experience surfboarding without leaving Texas.

Photos by Larkin Clouston and Cece Johnson

Stages to Screens Hockaday freshman has early acting success

by Aadhya Yanamadala| Features Editor

Sanjana Rajagopalan ’27 finishes her monologue with a dazzling smile before stepping off screen. She has just finished a day of shooting for the Nickelodeon’s television show “The Really Loud House,” where she plays Zia, one of the main character’s friends.

She started acting when she was four years old, participating in cherished childhood productions such as “Aladdin.” Once she established her love for the stage, she asked her parents to sign her up for acting classes.

“And that kind of started my love for this, but acting classes really helped me find my passion for performing and entertaining.”

She also found an agent

“I really wanted to be like Dove Cameron,” Rajagopalan said.

through these lessons by attending seminars that her teacher hosted for aspiring actors. Rajagopalan quickly connected with a local agent and signed with her. Her agent

sends her audition tapes to casting directors, which gives Rajagopalan the opportunity to audition for around three to four roles a week.

Through this agent, she made her first on-screen appearance at ten years old, where she played Preethi Kapoor in the movie “Iké Boys,” released in 2021.

“She’s a very emotionally intelligent person,” Hockaday drama teacher Jeremy Hays said. “And while that isn’t a prerequisite for acting, it can really help you when you are starting out.”

After she finished her movie, she started acting in a Disney pilot show before signing with Nickelodeon for her role in “The Really Loud House.”

Filming for this production normally takes two weeks per episode. Usually, she gets called in around 11 a.m., and she does

Student Summers

Hockadaisies share their plans for the summer

a couple hours of schoolwork before going to hair and makeup and getting dressed in her costume. She normally shoots five to six scenes a day (lunch provided, of course), with each one taking around an hour.

“It’s a lot of time — 10-hour long days for five days a week — but I really enjoy it because I’m around a lot of people my age. And you also get to interact with everyone,” Rajagopalan said.

She continues to flourish in Hockaday Drama, where she participates in the Daisy Company. She was also cast in the musical “Six,” which she couldn’t partake in due to her shooting schedule.

“Sanjana’s a natural leader in her class,” Hays said. “Not because she wants to—she has absolutely zero ego— but because of her talent.”

Pursuing her passion Sophomore Jessie Moran shares her love for music

by Lang Cooper| Sports Editor

At coffeehouses throughout the year, sophomore Jessie Moran has wowed the crowd with her songs.

Moran began to write her own songs at thirteen years old after a severe concussion. With all her activities restricted by concussion protocols, she turned to music to fill her time.

Soon after, Moran and her parents traveled to Hawaii for spring break, but she could only participate in a few activities. To cheer her up, Moran’s parents bought her a ukulele, which she quickly taught herself to play. With this new skill, Moran began writing her own songs. From there, she taught herself guitar and piano chords to pair with her lyrics.

“I’m self-taught in every instrument, and I love figuring out how to play them on my own,” Moran said.

When Moran writes a new song, she normally bases her lyrics off fabricated ideas, but she has also found songwriting as a great way to process her emotions. Songs might take Moran weeks to write, while other times it just takes her a day.

“Sometimes songwriting is really easy, and lyrics just flow out of me. Other times, I’ll sit down for hours and only come up with one good sentence before I’m burnt out for the day,” Moran said. Her “Big Sis” Sydney Hoyl ‘23 is an active inspiration and currently attends New York University. She

is actively pursuing her own music career.

“Sydney gave me a lot of confidence to be able to go up on stage and perform in front of people that I don’t know,” Moran said. “It is so inspiring that she is able to get her music into the world, and I hope to do the same.”

Although their styles of music differ, Hoyl and Moran both began writing music in their bedrooms. They share an immense love for music and the joy it can spread.

“Jessie is really talented, and I love cheering her on as her Big Sis,” Hoyl said. “Hockaday is a special place because it fosters a supportive environment for all of us to explore our creative sides. I encourage Jessie to take advantage of that as she continues to write.”

Besides performing at coffeehouses, Moran also sings soprano in the Hockaday choir and takes voice lessons.

“Jessie is a leader in her choir

section and sings the floaty high notes with excellence,” choir teacher Abi Poe said.

Before she graduates, Moran hopes to record some songs and release them on Spotify and other musical platforms.

“I feel like I finally have enough material that is polished and performed enough to record and produce a set,” Moran said.

Moran sings a solo at a choir concert

Moran at a coffeehouse

Rajagopalan poses outside her trailer

Beneficiary Bazaar

Students support non-profit organizations

by Amitha Nair| JADE Editor-in-Chief

Filled with roaming students and tables stacked high with homemade treats and products, students at the April 18 Social Impact Bazaar raised money in order to alleviate monetary issues for nonprofit businesses of their choice.

The semi-annual Social Impact Bazaar is used to support businesses run by students and clubs working with nonprofit organizations. During the Bazaar, students who work with these organizations sell items such as baked goods, plushies or drinks to aid in raising money to donate and buy items to assist their partnered charity.

Sophomore Riya Sangapu raised money for Active Minds, an organization dedicated to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and spreading awareness about it. She sold handmade stuffed plushies with positive messages along with brownies that were intended to offer comfort and positivity, aiming to support student’s

potato, but I believe in you! Go do your thing!’,” Sangapu said.

“These plushies serve as reminders of optimism and support to people facing challenges or emotional stuff.”

On the other side of Metzger Plaza, sophomore Anya Tewari was selling cookie mixes stored in Mason jars, known as Cookies for a Cause, to support the Children’s Health Hospital.

This product began with Tewari’s older sister, and Tewari choose to use her profits to support a Hockaday club: Cure 4 Cancer, C4C.

mental health. Each toy had vibrant colors and cheerful designs that were crocheted into various shapes, all of which make them small and mobile.

“We had a cute, positive potato plushie with a little sign saying, ‘I know I’m just a

“My sister started Cookies for a Cause before going to college, and she also donated the profits to Children’s Medical Center,” Tewari said. “I decided to continue Cookies for a Cause with C4C as the causes fit together perfectly.”

While some students made goods specifically for the Social Impact Bazaar, freshman Gigi Boyd brought her threeyear beekeeping business to the Hockaday campus. In her business, Boyd puts a portion of her profits to buy books and toys for low-income families to improve literacy rates in elementary school kids.

“We build bee hotels similar to the ones here at Hockaday and we implement them in local community spaces,” Gaona said.

“The bee hotels give native bee species a safe place to lay their eggs.”

Zoe Littlejohn “

The Bazaar attracted tons of money due to the plethora of things you were able to purchase in return of helping others and supporting good causes.”

For the bazaar, she also added honeysweetened baked goods to raise money for Operation Kindness, a no-kill shelter. She donated 75% of the profits from the baked goods to the shelter, a place that holds a special place in Boyd’s heart, and the rest to her usual organization.

“I want to donate to operation kindness because that is where my dogs have been rescued from,” Boyd said. Continuing the theme of bees, junior Gabriela Gaona support the Lone Star Bee Initiative, an organization that Gaona started to promote native Texas Bee species.

Gaona sold crochet bees and seed bombs to Gaona sold crochet bees and seed bombs to promote the concept of pollination. The crochet bees resembled bumble bees, which are one of six bee species native to Texas, while the seed bombs were native wildflowers.

The bazaar was only created last year, but made a lasting impact on non-profit organizations, as well as provided students to be proactive and support noble causes.

Junior Zoe Littlejohn, both seller and buyer, was able to see how first-hand how passionate and excited students were towards supporting good causes through raising funds by selling products.

“The Bazaar attracted tons of money due to the plethora of things you were able to purchase in return of helping others and supporting good causes,” Littlejohn said.

Sophomores Mimi Davidson and Naomi Odogwu support Nigental

Freshmen Margaret Hohenshelt and Cecilia Chen sell shirts

Senior Isabelle Hughes and junior Finley Burke sell raffle tickets

Juniors Gabriela Gaona and Stella Monteiro sell crochet bees and seed bombs

The evolution of boarding

Nestled within the three-story Liza Lee Academic Research Center at the end of a hallway resides one of Hockaday’s hidden treasures: the alumnae archives.

Amongst the collection of every style of Commencement dress worn at Hockaday, various trophies and past editions of the Hockaday yearbook, folders upon folders are filled to the brim with photos of the boarding department that tell the story of Hockaday’s past to retain its legacy.

Originally called the “Home Department” at its inception in the 1914-1915 school year, boarding has a history of over 100 years within our school.

To help ensure that the department ran smoothly, Ms. Hockaday selected Ms. Miriam Morgan and Ms. Sarah B. Trent.

According to the Centennial Celebration page on Hockaday’s website, Ms. Morgan reflected on her experience with the boarding department in her retirement speech: “Then came the great chance which brought into my life its greatest joy—the opportunity of service. When Miss Ela Hockaday and Miss Sarah B. Trent called on me on my birthday, May 12, 1915, and asked me to join them in establishing a boarding department in their already successful school, I little realized the great opportunity for service that they offered me. Only now as the sun is fast setting for me do I fully realize what a marvelous blessing has been mine to love and be loved by so many dear girls.”

During the 1921-1922 school year, a student government system was created, called the House Council, which still exists today. In the 1920s, House Council was integral in the expansion and evolution of the boarding department. Specifically, Council would amend regulations and create new rules and would present them for approval with the other students.

When the campus moved to Greenville Avenue, the boarding department went with it.

Among the many boarders of Hockaday, Dr. Claire Hughes ‘85 stands out as she was not only a boarder, but so was her daughter, Annalia Lynch ‘19.

Boarding through

By Melinda Hu, Arts & Life Editor and

During this time period, a farmhouse on campus and the houses

Hughes came to Hockaday as a boarder her freshman year from a small town in Colorado. When her grandmother, Hockaday class of ‘33, realized that Hughes was bored in school, she convinced Hughes’ parents to send her to Hockaday.

In the 80s, Hockaday had a diverse range of boarders, with some from Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

“I got to meet people from countries that I had never experienced or even thought about before,” Hughes said.

Hughes describes the boarding department as a place where young women are prepared to be leaders and are taught to have no limits.

“It completely opened my mind.”

“I think Ms. Hockaday had the concept of not only sending girls to the world, but also bringing the world to Hockaday,” Hughes said.

Aligning with Ela Hockaday’s goal to expose Hockaday students to diverse opportunities, Hockaday used to bring guest speakers each Wednesday to speak to the boarders as a part of a lecture series. One speaker stood out to Hughes as he talked about how language links with culture.

“I just sat there and was blown away by this whole thought,” Hughes said. “It literally has impacted my research directions. My first awareness came from that one conversation after a Wednesday night dinner.”

When Hughes decided to send her own daughter Annalia to Hockaday as a boarder, she made the choice for the same reason her grandmother wanted her to attend Hockaday: to receive a wonderful education that would not have been otherwise possible in their small town Brunswick, Georgia.

Generational

boarder

“Annalia was getting really bored at school, and I knew that she needed something more significant,” Hughes said. “Boarding was a great experience for me and so I wanted to send my daughter too.”

Annalia came to Hockaday as a boarder in her freshman year and is now at the U.S. State Department as a passport specialist and is going into foreign policy.

“I guarantee you it’s because she got exposed to different ways of being, so I think that the boarding department was actually really critical to her,” said Hughes.

Boarding as a student and as a parent were different for Hughes because as a parent, she thought about the logistics and systems of support from afar.

“I still parented, I just got really good at a distance,” Hughes said. In both her and her daughter’s lives after graduating from Hockaday, Hughes has seen the palpable impact of boarding on their selfsufficiency and willingness to endure challenges.

“College was a breeze for me, and I knew how to handle things that no one knew how to do,” Hughes said. “Annalia also became independent as a boarder, and it had a tremendous impact on her tendencies to take risks.”

To encompass her time in boarding with a memory, Hughes recalls a surreal experience during a thunderstorm.

“There was a Dallas thunderstorm with lightning rolling through, and a lot of us went into one room and listened to opera,” Hughes said. “It was a surreal experience that was crystallizing and just something special.”

Hughes acknowledged the pressure that comes with being a Hockaday student, but she realized the expectations were truly exposing her to their limitless potential.

“I always felt like if you weren’t President or CEO, you failed, but it wasn’t,” Hughes said. “I realize now: what they do is tell you all the things that are possible and wherever you land, it’s this goal that you’re going to change the world.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. CLAIRE HUGHES

through the years

In addition to being a Hockaday parent to Campbell Harris ‘22 and senior Harper Harris, Holly Harris ‘85 was a boarder at Hockaday. Harris moved from Rogers, Arkansas to board at Hockaday during her junior and senior years.

Daisy boarder to daisy mom

Throughout her two years boarding, Harris learned how to be more autonomous over her life.

“I developed independence and greater sense of responsibility,” Harris said. “I took responsibility in ways that I might not have had to with my parents around.”

When Harris returned for an alumnae event when her daughters were in Lower School, she toured the renovated boarding hall.

Last boarders

As members of the final class of boarders, seniors Yoyo Yuan and Sophia Chen shared the impact boarding has had on them throughout their Hockaday journeys.

Yuan, who moved from Shanghai, China for eighth grade, has grown from being a timid, homesick 12-yearold into a confident, independent senior ready to pursue the next chapter of her life. Yuan’s family moved her into the dorm, but being unable to communicate with them during the first night as they were on a plane was a difficult experience.

“I heard about the new traditions and the redone facilities were very nice,” Harris said. “I got a sense that they were doing a lot to engage the boarders to create memories and traditions, and it was good that they had developed and matured the department a lot.”

Harris believes that boarding’s legacy at Hockaday created a broader range of possibilities for students.

“The boarding department expanded the outreach and left a positive legacy,” Harris said. “I’m sad to see it go.”

Being able to attend Hockaday through the boarding department, Harris perceived Hockaday’s positive impact on her life and was thus inspired by the opportunities with which boarding provided her to send her daughters to Hockaday as well.

“I really wanted them to have a great education.” Harris said. “All the opportunities they’ve been afforded at Hockaday, their accomplishments, and being strong young women sets them up.”

“At first, I was insecure about English and communication skills, but over the five years, I feel like a grown up and I can do everything with confidence,” Yuan said.

Chen currently serves as the House Council President and is originally from Houston. She joined Hockaday as a boarder for her freshman year.

During COVID, both Chen and Yuan lived with host families while the dorms were closed, and living in a new environment provided them with different perspectives and teachings.

Once moving into the boarding facility in the second semester of her sophomore year, Chen began to create memories with fellow boarders, studying in the lounge with the other boarders while conversing. Chen has also learned how to manage her time effectively.

“I like the opportunity to get to know the other boarders while having fun,” Chen said. “I’ve also learned to be independent without someone hovering over my shoulder and to pace myself.”

Beyond growth in self-sufficiency as a boarder, Yuan feels that the boarding department has helped her learn to take others’ needs into account.

“We coordinate our schedules so everyone can work together, and I’ve realized that everyone needs to coordinate, which is really important in college life as well,” Yuan said.

Throughout Chen’s years as a boarder, her favorite tradition has been decorating ornaments during the

holiday season, which stay on the tree after the boarders graduate, symbolizing their legacy.

“The ornaments go on the Christmas tree in the Great Hall and are part of the tree in the future as well,” Chen said.

Both Yuan and Chen agree that one of their favorite traditions is the “Hat Cake Ceremony,” a beloved and significant occasion during which the boarders each get a cake in the shape of a Commencement hat.

“This year, we opened the Hat Cake Ceremony to all seniors because we wanted to share a tradition from boarding before the department closes,” Chen said.

Looking back on her time boarding, Yuan is grateful for all the people who have helped her along the way.

“I’m grateful for Sage, the maintenance staff, the drivers and the dorm parents,” Yuan said. “I’m thankful that they sacrificed their own free time for us.”

Yuan and Chen agree that boarding will still have a lasting impact on Hockaday long after the department closes, as Chen believes that the alumnae boarders will leave remnants of their legacy in clubs, student council and things they said.

“Boarding will be an integral part of the community even when the building itself isn’t there,” Yuan said. “Boarders have brought different perspectives into the clubs, activities and classes.”

Chen has loved meeting new people who come from various backgrounds as they unite in boarding.

“The boarding department is a melting pot for cultures,” Chen said. “We share our experiences and learn from each other.”

For Yuan, boarding has been a haven of comfort during her five years at Hockaday.

“The boarding department is a safe place on campus, and it’s very special to be a minority as boarders and be the last class of boarders to experience boarding,” Yuan said. “It is fulfilling to have so much space to use to organize rooms and do homework. I don’t think I’ll ever find a dorm as great as this one.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY HUDSPETH

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HOCKADAY ALUMNAE ARCHIVES

and Sarah Moskowitz, Features Editor

Stellar student summers Daisies share unique plans for break

by Anika Shah| News Editor

In anticipation of summer, Fourcast surveyed Upper School students about their summer plans. Here are some of their responses.

Juliette Friguletto ‘27

Q: What are your plans for this summer?

A: This summer I will be traveling to Scotland for my sister’s graduation trip. I am also going to camp for three weeks in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Q: Have you attended camp in the past?

A: Yes, this is my third year attending the camp.

Q: What do you hope to gain from these experiences?

A: I hope to make many new friends, get a good tan and have so much fun with my friends who are coming back to camp with me. I am also excited to celebrate my sister’s graduation and help her move into her first apartment in Washington D.C..

Gray Damonte ‘26

Q: What are your plans for this summer?

A: I will be traveling to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji this summer for a month. It is part of a student travel company called Putney. I will be swimming, sailing, skiing, hiking and more.

Q: How/why did you decide to do this program?

A: After hearing about it from a friend who has done trips through this company, I went to Patagonia last year and really enjoyed it. This year I chose the Australia trip because I can ski in the summer and explore Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, an area I have never been to before.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this experience?

A: I hope I can form new friendships and experience the cultures of Oceania.

Isabella Nordtvedt ‘27

Q: What are your plans for this summer?

A: I am heading to the University of Texas at Austin for a rowing camp, as well as traveling to Australia and New Zealand and going to camp in Colombia.

Q: How did you find/decide to apply for these programs?

A: I signed up for a rowing camp close to home. I have also gone to camp in Colombia every year since 7th grade, since my mom is from there and wanted

me to learn more about her country.

Q: What do you hope to gain from the program?

A: At UT Austin, I want to improve my rowing skills and get my splits down so that I can make the rowing team in the fall and go to as many regattas as possible. In Colombia, I hope to immerse myself in my mother’s culture, become more fluent in Spanish and make more friends.

Chloe Oeschger ‘26

Q: What are your plans?

A: I’m going to a figure skating camp in Minnesota for a week, and then hopefully going to Japan for a Japanese immersion camp and then doing some traveling around Asia, as well as a Spanish community service camp in Costa Rica.

Q: Why did you decide to attend these programs?

to determine the health of the local coral reef ecosystem. We conduct the fish, coral, substrate and invertebrates to look for indicator species that need good conditions to live in this ecosystem.

Q: How did you find this opportunity?

A: I found this opportunity through the NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) website, which is the dive organization that I am certified under. I knew I wanted to spend my summer diving, so before I found this opportunity, I originally planned on working at a dive shop on the west coast in exchange for free gear rental so I could dive every day.

Q: Why did you decide to apply for and attend this program?

me insights into the day-to-day life of working in medicine.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this experience?

A: I hope to learn more about the personal aspects of the medical field in addition to understanding the daily activities of those working as doctors, nurses, or in other positions.

Eva Spak ‘24

Q: What are your summer plans?

A: This summer, I plan to study Spanish in Salamanca, Spain, during June, and then I will study Polish at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, during July.

Q: How did you find these opportunities?

A: I love figure skating, and I chose this camp because my last summer and wanted to

A: I decided to apply to Diving with a Purpose because I already have my Advanced Open Water Certification. I wanted to explore

The graphic above shows the results to a survey of Upper School students regarding their summer plans.

continue it with a more authentic immersion. Finally, I love community service and wanted a chance to do that over the summer while traveling to new places and practicing languages.

Q: What are you the most excited for?

A: At the moment it’s the skate camp, but if I get to go to Japan, then it will definitely change to that since I’ve never been.

Cassidy Golden ‘25

Q: What are your summer plans?

A: This summer, I will be traveling to Guanaja, Honduras, to participate in the Diving with a Purpose Youth CARES program. In this program, youth from the USA and locals from Guanaja will be scuba diving to collect data

with me. I am also excited to survey the reef. Finally, I’m excited to connect with the locals of Guanaja and explore the beautiful island.

Jordan Lacsamana ‘25

Q: What are your summer plans?

A: During the month of July, every Wednesday I will be a VolunTEEN at Children’s Hospital in Plano. I will be volunteering from 9:30-4:30 every day, and I will be working in a customer service position.

Q: Why did you decide to participate in these activities?

A: In the future, I hope to go into the medical field, and I believe that getting some experience in a hospital will give

A: I’ve had my eye on this program in Krakow for many years because my older brother did it five years ago, but you have to be 18 years old to enroll. They offer camps for teenagers as well, and I did one when I was 13 and had a wonderful experience, so I am excited to return to the university and continue my Polish Studies. For the program in Spain, I found it by researching summer study abroad programs on university websites.

Q: What do you hope to gain from these experiences?

A: In Poland, I hope to connect more with a city that I already know so much about, and build relationships with people in Polish. It is hard to practice my Polish in Dallas because I do not hear much Polish around me, but in Poland, my communication skills grow since I am constantly surrounded by the language. It is so cool to make friends in a different language. In Spain, I hope to pick up all the Spanish I learned from 2nd to 6th grade.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF EMILY MCLEROY

Honoring heritage

Student organizations celebrate AAPI month

by Anjy Fadairo| Web Editor-in-Chief

In May 1979, following years of effort from Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Representative Frank Horton of New York, the United States celebrated its first Asian/Pacific Heritage Week.

The week, intended to be a time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the AAPI community within the U.S. became AAPI Heritage Month in 1990 after Congress requested a presidential proclamation to extend the week.

Hockaday students within the AAPI community regard May as a time of celebration and togetherness.

“It’s an opportunity for us to all reunite together to appreciate different Asian cultures and traditions,” Senior Yoyo Yuan, president of the Asian Student Association (ASA), said.

For this year’s AAPI Heritage month, ASA’s leadership is celebrating with a club-wide get-together.

“We plan on watching some Asian films and enjoying ramen, which is a big part of the Asian community,” Yuan said. “It’ll be a time for us to be together and celebrate two parts of our culture.”

The South Asian Student Association (SASA) will have an end-of-year meeting to reflect upon their experiences and SASA’s progress.

As SASA has grown, its leadership team has put effort into finding ways to celebrate the month with members.

Junior Anya Ahuja, a co-president of SASA, said, “I just want this gathering to celebrate all of us as Asians, especially because there’s still the misconception that countries like India and Nepal aren’t in Asia. For that reason, I really want to do something specifically for SASA

during May to affirm that we have the right to celebrate this month.”

Outside of student groups, students also celebrate AAPI Heritage Month through their passions.

Junior Emily McShane, an award-winning multimedia artist, stays in touch with both her Hong Kong and American heritage through her artwork.

“In my illustrations, I enjoy taking inspiration from Chinese illustrations and traditional Chinese stories,” McShane said.

She sees AAPI month as a unique time of year where she gets to share parts of her culture with others while thinking more about representation within the AAPI community.

“I really want to see more Asian voices in mainstream movies or animations,” McShane said. “I also want to be in those spaces that are making movies or animations and be able to tell stories from a different perspective.”

Similarly, through her radio show and community involvement, Ahuja works for the benefit of her community.

“Most of what I do is really focused on South Asians,” Ahuja said. “I try to uplift and spotlight those who are doing something admirable.”

For both SASA and ASA, this cultural exchange extends beyond AAPI Heritage Month.

Respected retiree

Linda Hill leaves lasting legacy on Hockaday

by Shifa Irfan| Business Manager

As the morning sun casts its rays over the halls, Linda Hill sits at her desk, a cup of coffee in hand. The early morning school activities hum just outside of her door as students begin to filter in, preparing for the school day.

Hill is a beloved Upper School math teacher. She is currently in her eighth year of teaching at the school and has decided to retire.

Before becoming the adored math teacher at Hockaday that she is, Hill worked in public education at Plano East Senior High School.

“I got talked into Hockaday by a teacher that was already here that used to work with me, and she was telling me what a wonderful school it was,” Hill said. “It was wonderful. I loved having just girls. I loved having kids that cared about school, and I liked the atmosphere of the school and the respect and the courtesy. I even liked the uniform.”

Hill also talked about how Hockaday’s emphasis on honor seemed to create a more cohesive learning environment, tightly woven together by the threads of integrity.

“Because of our size and all girls there are many more opportunities for every girl to be a leader in every way, shape, or form,” Hill said.

Even as a part-time teacher, Hill’s dedication to learning and her students remains unwavering. Her career at Hockaday has only spanned just under a decade, but she has left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of her students and colleagues.

“She is a very caring teacher,” said Candace Townsley, one of Hill’s close friends and colleagues. “She genuinely cares about the fact that you’re going to learn math. She makes sure that students understand the process and not to just plug and chug.”

Hill also makes the effort to make connections with her students. If students ask, she’ll always do her best to show up whether it’s for a simple clarification question or attending a school event, driving from Murphy to Dallas to ensure that she is there.

As she bids farewell to her tenure at Hockaday, Hill leaves behind a legacy of excellence,

Within ASA, leadership regularly hosts conversations that surround serious topics, like their recent meeting regarding the implications of affirmative action for members of the Asian American community.

Leaders also make time for levity in gatherings, like their annual boba social.

“As a group, we like to inform the Upper School about Asian awareness issues and the Asian model minority myth,” Yuan said. “It’s really crucial for everyone to understand and be aware of these microaggressions, but I think it’s also helpful when we highlight more of the fun parts of our traditions.”

Ahuja, who has had older cousins and mentors at Hockaday, said that she is grateful for the support she’s found within Hockaday’s AAPI community and thanks the founder of SASA for including her.

“Jayna and Nina Dave along with Eesha founded SASA,” Ahuja said. “They invited me to be part of SASA leadership even though I was a freshman and helped me get so involved.”

She additionally credits her Big Sis for giving her support and inspiration.

“My Big Sis, Cassie Liu, is also such a powerhouse of a woman. She is so inspirational. She, like every AAPI student or faculty member that I’ve met, has had something to teach me, which I think is really important,” Ahuja said.

Similarly, Yuan has felt empowered and guided by the students within Hockaday’s AAPI community who came before her.

“As a member from past years, I learned so much from the former leadership team,” Yuan said.

compassion, and unwavering dedication to her craft. Her impact on the school community will be felt for years to come.

“Just believe in yourself. When you feel like things are against you, just stand up taller and know that you have support,” Hill said.

Hill grades her students’ papers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHIFA IRFAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA STOLTZ

Seniors at the AAPI Heritage Reception.

& Wellness Breaking records and barriers

Women’s sports rise in popularity

by Audrey Liu | News Editor

As the crowd cheers from the stands, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark rushes forward and shoots, scoring a three-pointer. Clark’s record-setting season helped boost the popularity of women’s college basketball this season. The April 7 championship game between Iowa and South Carolina captivated nearly 19 million average viewers, setting a record as the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.

Beyond collegiate athletics, women’s sports are gaining traction worldwide, with globally increased interest in sports such as the Women’s World Cup.

The foundation for the rise of women’s sports was laid decades ago with the enactment of Title IX in 1972. This civil rights law prohibits gender-based discrimination in schools receiving federal funding.

For athletes like senior Zoe Stone, who will be rowing at Georgetown University, Title IX paved the way for participation in collegiate sports.

“

In 2022, Hockaday crew named one of their boats Title IX, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the revolutionary movement.

Sophomore Claire Ying, an avid follower of women’s soccer, has also noticed an increase in viewership of these games.

“Especially after the world cup, some teams like Arsenal have been having sellout crowds,” Ying said.

It’s hard to pinpoint what, exactly, is driving the sudden surge in popularity of women’s sports, but Stone believes part of the hype for women’s basketball compared to men’s is the longevity of female athletes’ careers in collegiate sports.

Watching women’s sports become more popular is an inspiration to everyone who plays those sports.”

Zoe Stone

“Title IX is a big reason why women’s sports are now rising at the college level, which is what’s happening right now, fifty plus years later,” Stone said. “For me personally, Title IX is what has enabled me to pursue rowing both in high school and have access to competing at a collegiate level.”

“I think that the spirit behind certain players at the collegiate level for women is really different than men, because women stay around longer,” Stone said. “It’s really cool to watch how Caitlin Clark gets so much hype because she’s been at Iowa, and she’s become kind of an icon.”

On the other hand, Ying has a different motivation for watching women’s soccer over men’s, although she used to watch both during the World Cup.

Facing the final countdown

How to combat academic stress and burnout

by Danya Risam-Chandi | Managing Editor

As the end of the school year approaches, many students struggle to combat the stress of constant deadlines and tests, resorting to late night cramming and time consuming study routines.

Upper School Learning Specialist Nelly Kaakaty helps stressed and burnt out students work toward healthier habits.

“It comes up with every conversation I have with students,” Kaakaty said. “For some of them it is stressful because they are trying to find the motivation to get to the end of the year. For others, it comes from feeling overwhelmed by the number of assignments due all at once.”

Jennifer Spradley, Upper School Learning Specialist, notes that students should not overlook aspects of their life outside of academics.

“Balancing your social life, athletic life, family life and academic life is crucial,” Spradley said. “If all you are doing is studying, it can have physical and emotional consequences.”

Kaakaty feels the most common mistake students make is using passive techniques such as reading their notes.

“You really need to interact with the material in a more meaningful way by taking it a step further,” Kaakaty said. “You can summarize it in your own words or even teach it to someone else.”

Kaakaty also recommends switching up old routines.

“Even if an old method has been effective, this really is a time where most people want to make a change,” Kaakaty said.

For some people, studying in a public space can help productivity.

“It can help hold you accountable if you are around other people who are being productive, rather than just sitting in your room where you might feel more tempted to fall asleep, for example,” Kaakaty said.

The Hocka-Hall of Fame Senior athletes establish new records before graduating.

“The US women’s national team, they’re very polarizing, with a lot of controversial movements and advocacy,” Ying said. “I don’t think that’s something that the men’s national teams do, so I think following that side of the story is more interesting. They do more than just kick a ball around.”

Despite remarkable progress, significant disparities persist in women’s sports. The glaring pay gap between the WNBA and NBA remains a pressing issue, reflecting broader challenges in achieving gender equality in athletics.

Ying also points out the disparities in streaming and media coverage between men’s and women’s soccer, saying it is more difficult finding streaming platforms for women’s teams compared to men’s soccer teams.

Stone also believes her positive and supported experience with sports is due to Hockaday’s cornerstone on athletics. With the school as one of the front-runners in offering sports for women, Stone believes this allows girls to feel empowered and to have athletics as a core part of their identities.

As the legacies of Title IX and recent triumphs inspire a new generation of athletes and fans, the trajectory of women’s sports continues to ascend. Projections from Deloitte, a professional services network company, suggest more growth, with elite women’s sports projected to surpass $1 billion in revenue by 2024, marking a significant milestone in the industry’s evolution.

English Language and Composition exam, recommends practice essays.

In terms of time management, Spradley recommends estimating how much time each one of your tasks will take and breaking that up into smaller chunks.

Senior Olivia Zambrano believes in the importance of separating study habits based on subject.

“For world languages, vocabulary flashcards are helpful,” Zambrano said. “For math, practice and repetition are really key.”

Zambrano, who self-studied for the AP

“You do not want to spend too much time on any topic on a single day,” Spradley said. Another common source of stress when approaching the end of the academic year could be misunderstandings or frustrations with teachers. If you are feeling frustrated with a teacher, Spradley recommends you take time to cool off, before starting a conversation. Feelings of frustration and anger at school often arise from academic burnout. To combat this Kaakaty recommends scheduling out personal time.

“We all, myself included, get to a point where we decide we need self-care, but oftentimes that happens once the stress or burnout has already become overwhelming,” Kaakaty said. “Even when you are feeling okay, you should still be prioritizing self care.”

Celebrating the Head of Athletics

Looking back on Coach Surgi’s time at Hockaday

by Emily McLeroy | Sports Editor

When Coach Deb Surgi arrived at Hockaday in 2018, the athletics program was very different from the incredible program we know now. A previous Fourcast article, written in 2018, described athletics as a “forgotten cornerstone.” However, Surgi decided to change that.

Through her time at Hockaday, Coach Surgi has transformed sports at Hockaday with her work on the new athletic facilities, her contributions to school spirit, the culture of athletics at Hockaday and her dedication to giving every student the opportunity to enjoy sports.

She will retire at the end of this school year.

Accomplishments and Highlights

During her six years at Hockaday, the athletics program reached new heights with numerous accomplishments achieved.

In total, 10 SPC championships were won throughout these years.

During the 2021-2022 sports year, Hockaday received the SPC Athletic Directors’ Cup, which had last been won in 2011. This award recognizes the top overall girls’ athletic program in all SPC.

Finally, Hockaday experienced a record number of college-committed athletes during her leadership.

Junior Mae Flanagan has worked with Coach Surgi through her time on the Athletic Board.

“She’s been really central in planning everything we do,” Flanagan said. “She’s become the embodiment of Hockaday athletics.”

Flanagan said that Coach Surgi was essential to the planning of events like spirit nights, pep rallies, and more. She also had a key role in the design of the new athletic facilities.

“She has a contagious energy and spirit, especially with the Daisy mascot,” Flanagan said.

New Sports Facilities

Coach Surgi was instrumental in the design process for the Athletics and Wellness Project. This includes the new fields, track, Cornerstone Plaza, cross country trail, batting cages and more.

Surgi emphasized that the process was a big team effort, and that many people contributed to make the athletic facilities what they are today. She said she values the input from the community and students in the design.

field playing.

“One of our main goals was to provide community spaces and build a connection between the academic buildings and the athletic venues,” Surgi said.

She said she loves seeing ways the new athletic facilities have brought students together across all grades and divisions. Before the new facilities’ construction, the sports areas were separated from campus, creating a disconnect between athletics and academics.

“When you’re looking at the Athletics and Wellness project, there should be no doubt now about our commitment to athletics,” Surgi said.

Fostering School Spirit

Surgi’s strong commitment to sports and her belief that “there is an athlete in every one of us” has greatly impacted the Hockaday sports community.

“I think sports allows for making connections with teammates, representing your school with pride and showing your spirit.” Surgi said.

She introduced the Hockaday Athlete of the Week, which recognizes athletes’ hard work, and avidly promotes the saying “Protect the Meadow.”

Surgi believes the saying “Protect the Meadow,” which was created by students, has brought the Hockaday community together even more, adding to school spirit.

“Whether you’re going to a speech and debate tournament, taking the stage at ISAS or running out onto the turf field to take on another school, we’re all protecting the meadow,” Surgi said. “It’s sort of our rallying cry.”

She also emphasized how athletics are for everyone and connect everyone, from a third grader watching her sister play, to someone cheering their friend on in the stands, to the athlete on the

Jade, the new Daisy mascot, debuted this year with the support of Surgi. When Coach Surgi arrived at Hockaday, the Athletic Board was contemplating changing the mascot. Many people viewed the daisy as a “weak mascot” when compared to other mascots and believed it should have been changed to something more representative of our school’s strength. Eventually, however, they decided we needed to be proud of it.

The initial idea for Jade, like “Protect the Meadow”, was created by a student. The design process took a while to get right, but it eventually worked out, resulting in Jade the Daisy.

“I think it’s another point of pride,” Surgi said. “It’s another way to promote spirit and bring people together in a joyful way.”

Looking Toward the Future

Although this is her last year at Hockaday, Surgi is confident that the athletics program will continue to grow and evolve in new ways.

“I think everyone who is in a leadership role has a certain set of goals that are needed at that moment in time,” Surgi said. “And I think that as I depart, there will be a new set of goals to be addressed.”

Flanagan is also hopeful for the future of Hockaday athletics.

“The community will look really different without Coach Surgi and we’re going to miss her a lot, but I think Coach Johnson will do an amazing job as the interim director,” Flanagan said.

Surgi’s said her greatest hope is that the community continues to value athletics and school spirit like it does now.

“I hope that never again will students have to say that the cornerstone of athletics has been forgotten,” Surgi said.

Surgi speaks to the school at a pep rally

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY HUDSPETH

Surgi and others at the construction site of the fields

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY HUDSPETH

& Wellness

The Hocka-Hall of Fame

Senior athletes establish new records in the meadow

by Elizabeth Truelove| Editor-In-Chief

The class of 2024 made a huge impact on the athletic program at Hockaday with numerous school records.

Avery Jackson

Starting her career with the Varsity Volleyball team, Avery Jackson has broken numerous Hockaday records including kills in a match, in a game, in a career and digs in a match.

For her record of most kills in a career, Jackson focused more on hitting a specific number rather than the Hockaday record.

perfectly lined up for Spirit Night this year.”

On Jan. 17, Tambe celebrated with her teammates and coaches after breaking the record.

“It felt like a bunch of hard work had paid off,” Tambe said. “Not just my own work, but my teammates’ as well.”

“I really wanted to hit 1,500 kills my senior year,” Jackson said. “So, during SPC, I knew I needed to step it up in order to get that number.”

As Jackson prepares to pursue beach volleyball at Stanford University, she hopes the team takes advantage of the remaining time they have with each other.

“You don’t get to play volleyball forever,” Jackson said. “So, cherish your time.”

Ashna Tambe

Varsity Basketball captain Ashna Tambe has played on

the varsity team for four years, racking up enough points to break the Hockaday record for career points. Before breaking the record, Tambe knew she wanted to break 1,000 points, but didn’t anticipate scoring over 1,500 points for the team.

“My dad keeps track of my stats,” Tambe said. “It just

As the Varsity Basketball team has yet to win an SPC championship for years, Tambe pointed out the lack of attention around the sport at Hockaday. In addition to crediting the new coaches and the team’s energy, Tambe said that she hopes to leave HVBB with a better reputation than she found it.

“I hope I brought [basketball] more to the forefront of people’s minds at Hockaday,” Tambe said.

Jaden Thomas

After years of training, recovering from an ACL tear and playing in front of scouts at domestic identification camps, Varsity Soccer captain Jaden Thomas achieved her dream: playing for the US National team.

team,” Thomas said. “It’s just a higher speed and level across the board.”

As Thomas leaves Hockaday to play soccer at Stanford University, she hopes HVS enjoys the time the team has together in high school.

Gracie Little

A four-year Varsity Track & Field athlete, Gracie Little has broken both the school pole vault and 4x800 records. She set both records during her sophomore year, but the 4x800 record stands out to her.

“It was a very close team,” Little said. “One of the members, Leena Mehendale, was a senior, so it was the last year to break the record with her.”

Little ran the South Zone 4x800 race with Leena Mehendale ’22, Margaret Thompson ‘24 and Jordan Lacsamana ‘25.

“Well, I was in bed,” Thomas said. “But it was a very cool moment to get the call.”

For Thomas, this had always been the dream. However, with challenges such as the pandemic and an injury that set her back for months, Thomas said she felt even more pride in that moment with how far she’s come.

“It was a very full circle moment,” Thomas said. “My biggest dream came true.”

Playing for the national team exposed Thomas to a whole new level of skill.

“Everyone there is used to being the best on their club

torch to younger athletes who will continue breaking Hockaday records, she also remembers a moment with Remy Finn ’22.

“Bean actually recorded a video of my long jump for Remy,” Anderson said. “He told her the good news and she texted us saying how proud and excited she was.”

As she leaves HVTF to Yale University, she hopes the younger girls savor their high school careers and continue to work hard.

For the pole vault record, Little went into her career knowing she wanted to break it.

“It was so fun to celebrate with all the other pole vaulters,” Little said.

Alyssa Anderson Varsity Track and Field captain

Alyssa Anderson holds two records for Hockaday in the long jump and javelin event. For the long jump record, she broke it during her junior year and javelin this year.

“While I wouldn’t say it was the only thing I was shooting for, [the records] were something I thought would be amazing to accomplish at some point,” Anderson said.

“Give it everything you have,” Anderson said.

Margaret Thompson Varsity Track and Field, as well as Cross Country, captain Margaret Thompson started competing in her record-breaking event as a sophomore, the same year she also broke the record in the 4x800 with Little, Lacsamana and Mehendale.

“I was intrigued about [steeplechase],” Thompson said. “So, Coach Bean entered me.”

After recognizing her potential in the event, Thompson continued to compete in the 2,000-meter steeplechase. A year later, Thompson set her sights on the Hockaday record.

To finish her junior year, later that same season, Thompson traveled to Eugene, Ore., to compete at Nike Outdoor Nationals.

“I was already excited to have run a personal record at my biggest competition,” Thompson said.

“When I found out that I set the new Hockaday record, I was even more excited.”

As Anderson hopes to pass the

Thompson and Little after the 4x800 relay PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT SMITH

Thomas practicing her skills

Anderson powering through the race

PHOTO COURTESY OF PALOMA DUARTE

Tambe shooting a free throw PHOTO COURTESY OF BELLA RAYMOND

Jackson spiking the ball

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATA LITTRELL

PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN LACSAMANA

Opinions

*Read this in a proper English accent

by Elizabeth Truelove & Shreya Vijay | Editors-in-Chief

Salutations reader of the “Fourcast,”

Ye hath traveled so far as to reach the final destination: the Opinions section. On your arduous journey to this page, you’ve encountered dangers along the way such as the tearjerking centerspread recounting the legacy of boarding to the aweinspiring sports story celebrating the record-breaking seniors.

Now, let’s be honest, you definitely haven’t read every story. So, why did you choose this one? You wanted to hear the town’s whispers about the new editors? You wanted to see how good your sworn enemy is at AP style? Or did you just want to

hear from two sleep-deprived, over-stimulated rising seniors trying to finish the year?

These are the questions we must ask ourselves when going through the process of creating this paper.

Each story commemorates our journalists’ hard work and dedication to the Fourcast. Each page reflects the hours spent outside of class working towards publication. This issue is not only a celebration of our new roles, but in addition, a celebration of the weeks invested by each and every member of the 24-25 Fourcast staff.

We are so grateful for the support we have received from the Hockaday community and

Letter from the Editors Moving away from AP classes Welcoming in the new EIC’s

Opinions about AP

Letter from the incoming Editors-in-Chief

hope to continue the ethical, but entertaining, aspects of journalism that the Fourcast is known for.

Hold your horses and saddle

Seeing your “true” colors The new color analysis trend is not worth your money

by Leyah Philip | Opinions Editor

Do you look like a summer or a winter?

Are you cool-toned or warm-toned? These are just a few of the questions that have been circulating on social media for the past few months.

Color analysis is a recent trend on TikTok where a professional color analyst helps you determine which colors and their corresponding seasons complement you the best based on the undertones of your skin, hair and eyes.

However, if you look deeper, you’ll find that the trend has actually been around for years. In the 1970s, color consultant Carole Jackson wrote a book called “Color Me Beautiful,” which popularized the system of assigning four seasons to people’s natural color palettes. Since then, the trend has found a new home on social media platforms, as many influencers have promoted it by showing their allegedly mindblowing consultations. Currently, #coloranalysis has over 277,000 posts on TikTok, and it feels like I’ve seen almost all of them on

my For You Page.

I can’t be the only one who is tired of scrolling past people bragging about how their $300 color analysis consultation changed their lives. But if you’re lucky enough to not have been bombarded with all of these videos, I’m here to inform you that in reality, color analysis can be done anywhere. This new trend is not worth your money.

In a typical color-analysis consultation, the consultant holds up different colors of fabric to reveal which seasonal palette makes you look the best, but even a TikTok filter could tell you whether you’re a summer, fall, winter or spring. Everyone has asked themselves or a friend before, “does this color wash me out?”. Now imagine paying someone for the exact same answer a teenager with a good eye could tell you.

While I do think it is helpful to know what colors look best on your skin tone, color analysts have turned a simple question into an overpriced trend. Every color analysis video that I’ve

seen shows a consultant waving some different colored fabrics in the air only to conclude that their customer is warm instead of cooltoned, something I could’ve figured out just by looking at them for a second. I even asked ChatGPT to do a color analysis for me, and it only took a minute. Simply type in your eye, hair and skin color, and they can tell you which colors to avoid, which ones you look best in, and even what shade of lipstick complements your features. Plus, I was in the comfort of my own home, not a two-hour session in some studio far away. What more could you want?

you from wearing what you want. So what if red isn’t in your seasonal palette? No matter what the color analysis says, if you feel confident, then you can make it your color.

If anything, color analysis simply limits people from experimenting with different colors and finding what makes them look and feel their best. Don’t let trends like these stop

And if you still think this trend might be worth trying, look no further than your very own “Fourcast”. If you scan this QR Code, even we can do a color analysis for you. Think about that the next time you see a video of someone paying hundreds for a few colorful sheets of fabric.

GRAPHIC BY CECE JOHNSON

up because Shreya and Elizabeth have entered town.

Yours truly, Shreya and Elizabeth

Branching out during break

by Jessica Boll | Web Editor-in-Chief

Rather than lazily lounging by the pool this summer, taking advantage of an academic break is the best usage of the months when we don’t have school. Due to tight schedules during the school year, students are unable to fully explore different areas of interest. The summer months provide the perfect solution to this, enabling students to proactively seek opportunities for growth through summer classes, camps and internships.

year to lessen the load.

PRO JESSICA BOLL

Rising sophomores can complete semester courses at Hockaday, which gives more opportunities for students to take an interdisciplinary course or add a free period during the next school year.

Additionally, students in different grades can take advantage of the extra free time and learn course material ahead of the upcoming school

As high schoolers, exploration is key to discovering our interests and possible paths for our future careers. Summer internships and camps can provide an immersive experience, and sometimes paid, in those specific fields. For example, if a student is interested in the medical field, several opportunities exist for them to shadow professionals in hospitals.

For students used to the hustle of high school, the onslaught of unscheduled time can be stressful, so an academic summer provides an opportunity to build up a consistent routine while keeping school topics fresh in mind.

While having fun and relaxing during the summer is important, making the most of the months away from mandatory instruction allows for both accelerated growth and opportunities to improve in the future.

STAFF STANDOFF

Take a break, don’t break down

by Cece Johnson | Opinions Editor

Ithink students should have a relaxing summer. We work nine and a half months out of the school year, spending approximately 1,590 hours a year in school. Furthermore, students do work at home after school and on the weekends. That’s dedicating most of our time, for three-fourths of the year to school. If students don’t take time off, we will burn out. Pushing yourself to do more academic work than you already do causes unnecessary stress, which can lead to resentment of the work, making you more likely to crash and burn. Taking time off over the summer only increases your chances of committing to schoolwork during the year.

As Hockaday students, we already work very hard to maintain our grades and stay on top of the workload. We frequently stay up late, wake up early and take time away from something else important to finish schoolwork. In addition to academics, many students are

also committed to sports or different extracurricular activities, so having time to just relax becomes an anomaly. Relaxing during the summer is important because it gives us time to clear our heads, away from the pressure of school. It is a time to reset and enjoy being a teenager without tests, projects, presentations and homework. I do think it is important to do something during the summer. However, I don’t believe the best way to do that is by participating in more academic activities than we already participate in for over three-fourths of the year. Instead, students should try non-academic activities like volunteering or finding a new hobby. Students can often get so caught up in achieving the most they possibly can, they forget that you are only a teenager once, and the best way to spend your summer is to just enjoy it.

DAISIES’ TAKES

I think Chick-fil-A is SO overrated. - Anika Gopal ‘26

I don’t like the beach. - Rayna Li ‘25

Mint chocolate chip ice cream is really bad. - Madrid Garrett ‘27

I miss quarantine. - Louella Jacobsen ‘26

fEDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Elizabeth Truelove & Shreya Vijay WEB EDITORS

Jessica Boll & Anjy Fadairo JADE EDITOR

Amitha Nair

MANAGING EDITORS

Elle Myers & Danya Risam-Chandi COPY EDITOR

Alexa Munoz

BUSINESS MANAGER

Shifa Irfan NEWS EDITORS

Audrey Liu & Anika Shah ARTS & LIFE EDITORS

Larkin Clouston & Melinda Hu FEATURES EDITORS

Sarah Moskowitz & Aadhya Yanamadala

SPORTS EDITORS

Lang Cooper & Emily McLeroy

OPINIONS EDITORS

Cece Johnson & Leyah Philip

PHOTO, GRAPHICS & CASTOFF EDITOR

Mary Bradley Sutherland ASSISTANT JADE EDITOR

Anya Aggarwal MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Sophia Luo 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 Stance on the views page reflects the position of The Fourcast staff, but not necessarily the position of the 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 editor-in-chief. Only signed pieces will be published. Corrections and clarifications from previous issues will be found as designated in the news section. Any questions or concerns should be addressed to Editors-in-Chief Elizabeth Truelove (etruelove25@hockaday.org) or Shreya Vijay (svijay25@hockaday.org).

To cut or to keep

Students should have the AP options available

The Advanced Placement (AP) course debate continues to get hotter. Just as test-optional policies for the SAT and ACT exams continue to elicit debate well after the COVID-19 pandemic, AP courses and exams administered by the College Board also continue to draw controversy both on the college and high school landscapes.

In our opinion, the answer is simple. Students should not be restricted from opportunities to tailor their coursework and craft an academic journey that’s right for them. As Hockaday contemplates whether to continue or cut down on offering AP courses, we feel it would be a grave disservice to eliminate them completely.

First, AP courses offer a standardized curriculum that is recognized nationally and ensures accountability by college preparatory high schools. Far from restricting teachers to a trademarked curriculum, AP courses can allow an organized, well-established framework that can be accentuated by the exceptional resources we have here.

The College Board’s easily accessible videos and practice questions are excellent resources

that reinforce what Hockaday teaches in their honors classes.

Second, just as Upper School students are encouraged to explore the variety of honors courses offered through

Hockaday’s course catalog, the option for pursuing AP courses should be no different. Our student body should not have to rely solely on self-studying to be able to pursue these specialized areas of interest.

Removing AP Chemistry as an option for sophomores is one example of the trend toward limiting students in their course options. This type of decision should be considered on an

individual basis for students who qualify, just as they would for advanced math or language courses. At the very least, if staffing or funding of these courses are an issue, the use of online vendors such as One Schoolhouse and Laurel Springs which have nationally approved AP course offerings, should continue to be honored and encouraged.

The stress of AP exams and obtaining college credit has also been frequently cited as an argument for removing them from high school course offerings. These options have advantages that each student should be allowed to weigh for themselves. Standardized testing is a reality that is here to stay. Regardless of the field, certification and qualification exams are the rule in almost any career path. Many of us feel that exposure to these exams is facilitative for future college success and beyond.

Abandoning the AP curriculum would significantly disadvantage our students in a landscape that does continue to factor in standardized scores. Most importantly, it would limit them from pursuing enriching opportunities that are of indispensable personal value.

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