may 17, 2017 volume 52, issue 6
the Everything Greenhill
evergreengreenhill.org
Happy trails, Ross family Head of Upper School Laura Ross to leave Greenhill to become Head of Upper School at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles see story on page 5
Photo by Lili Stern
Beyond the coverings: a conversation Views about religious customs
Staff editorial on making a clearer health policy for students of the Upper School p. 2
News
Samar Ahmad Arts Editor
Stephen Crotty Staff Writer
Senior Josh Rudner is well aware that people are pointing at him and looking at him when he enters a public space, wondering what he is wearing on his head. Those questioners do not know that the colorful piece of fabric covering Josh’s head is a kippah worn to respect his Jewish faith. The kippah is a skullcap traditionally worn by Jewish men as a sign of devoutness and pride in their identity. Josh started wearing his kippah regularly in public while attending Jewish day school at Ann & Nate Levine Academy. “When I was in third or fourth or fifth grade, [my brother] Zach and I would go to school, wear kippahs, then come home and take them off and do our homework or play. But then I realized that I wasn’t less Jewish when I left my school and that if this is what Jewish men are supposed to do, then there’s no reason for me not to do it at home,” said Josh. Josh is not the only student at Greenhill who wears a headdress regularly. Seniors Jed Golman, Jordan Sternblitz, and Hayes Barton all wear kippot (plural of kippah). Senior Simra Abedi wears hijab to practice her Islamic faith. Hijab is a head scarf
Serving Greenhill since 1966
Sally Rosenberg to retire after 23 years at Greenhill as Director of Service Learning and Community service p. 3
Feat. Graphics by Michelle Liang
traditionally worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty and connection to one’s faith. For Simra, what is meant to be a symbol of religious devotion often carries a stigma. “People generally lack an incentive to learn about the hijab and what it means, which creates a negative opinion that is projected without fear,” said Simra. Students at Greenhill wear religious headdresses for multiple reasons. They may wear it because of a growing spiritual identity or because of a personal belief that religious devotion should not be confined to the home. Simra began to wear hijab in October of her junior year. She was compelled to wear it after realizing that the strong, brave
Muslim role models all chose to wear it. According to Simra, she could no longer ignore what is considered to be a large part of her religion by only wearing hijab at Sunday religious school. “Islam places a lot of importance on women, and in order to follow the example of these strong women, I had to wear hijab,” said Simra. According to Simra, the response to her hijab was positive at Greenhill. She was asked many questions on the subject of whether her decision would be permanent as well as her reasoning behind why she chose to wear it. That being said, Simra did face some backlash from her own family regarding her decision.
cont’d on page 6
The Evergreen continues its Student Spotlight series with sophomore James Brown p. 5
Arts
Students use social media as a platform to share their artwork with fellow classmates p.11
Sports See where 11 Greenhill athletes are headed to continue their athletic careers p. 13
4141 Spring Valley Road, Addison, TX 75001
the
Views
Rants & Raves
the
Evergreen staff editor-in-chief
Joseph Weinberg
executive editor A RANT to the mass email complaints. If I send out a mass email to the entire Upper School about an upcoming event that might add a bit of excitement and joy into your lives, why do so many students complain? You don’t have to read it, nor do you have to respond, so why are y’all getting so worked up about an arts board notification?
A RAVE to the student-led organization Smarter Bites, which continues on its quest to give the world a pizza its mind (pizza-shaped vegetables of course). Even though money doesn’t grow on trees, Smarter Bites made an exception to their all natural rule and raised a whopping 8000 dollars for Children’s Health!! They definitely deserve some brownie points but I’m afraid that would be against their
A RANT to lacrosse conflicts with prom. There was a moment when 24K Magic came on at prom and I looked over to my left and then looked over to my right and then one more time around and there was not a single lacrosse stick “up to the moon!” Needless to say, I was heartbroken.
Abbas Hasan
managing editor Lili Stern
design editors Areeba Amer Alice Zhang
arts editor
policy...
Samar Ahmad
backpage editors
Natalie Gonchar Caroline Simpson
features editors Ross Rubin Amber Syed
news editor
A RANT to this month for giving us a glimpse of what death feels like. AP must stand for A lot of Pressure because I am cooking. The real Senior Project is surviving these April showers that have only brought pain flowers.
A RAVE to the gift of life bestowed to us and our mobile devices by the seniors. At first I was afraid. I was petrified. I kept thinking about how I’m gonna live if my phone dies. Then the seniors came along, and made right what was wrong and I grew stronger, learned how to get along...WITH CHARGING STATIONS
A RANT to the lack of IMPACT testing across the student body. What about those of us breaking it down in Rose Hall instead of Brickman Field...I’m pacted as much as they are. What if I hit my head on a gong and get a percussion? Don’t I get to play with virtual shapes for 45 minutes (if you don’t get it, it’s cause you’ve never gotten impact testing)?
Jeffrey Harberg
sports editor
Hayden Jacobs
views editor Maya Ghosh
asst. arts editor Riya Rangdal
asst. news editor Sonali Notani
asst. sports editor Jake Middleman
online editor-in-chief Areeba Amer
A RAVE to early graduation! Starting on May 27th at 2 p.m., a hundred or so 17, 18, and 19-year-olds will be on the way to the rest of their lives. Good luck in the future, and make sure to always keep your stinger’s up!
A RANT to individual college t-shirt days. Scheduling this is tricky, but bragging about attending a university must wait. Not every day in April can be college t-shirt day! (Unless you’re a freshman repping your Harvard apparel). #goals
A RAVE to Boys Tennis’ 5-peat! If there’s one thing Greenhill athletics is known for, it’s Boys Tennis, and they pulled through yet again this year with a phenomenal SPC championship. They definitely deserve a round of applause for helping hold up the Athletics side of the Greenhill triangle.
Content courtesy of Allie Frymire, Julia Halm, Amber Johri, Anushe Sheikh, and Richa Sinkre Photos courtesey of Rylyn Koger
Staff Editorial: Standardizing make-up work As Dean of Students Jack Oros flipped through the student handbook, he failed to find a policy that listed rules for making up missed work due to illness. In a book that explains in intricate detail the workings of Physical Education absences and Greenhill’s copyright policy, it’s hard to believe that something as simple and commonplace as making up work after being sick has no place in the student handbook. Although the handbook states the guidelines for keeping students home when ill, many students still attend their classes due to fear of falling behind their peers and creating more work for teachers. The handbook also states that “it is the policy of the School to deal with its students, faculty and staff within reasonable parameters of medical knowledge.”
At face value, this statement may seem fair and equitable, but in reality teachers have a multitude of different policies for making up homework. This lack of consistency creates schoolwide division and confusion, leading to students attending school so they don’t fall behind, despite a fever, strep throat, or another easily diagnosable, fixable, contagious sickness. When sick, students should not feel obligated to come to school because they don’t want to have to makeup schoolwork or miss deadlines. They need to stay home and take care of themselves. We understand that there is no easy solution to a circumstantial issue like this, but we should take the first steps to acknowledge that this is a problem that permeates our community. Let’s at least start a conversation about trying
to standardize the process of making up work. A schoolwide discussion regarding this policy would aid both students and teachers. The term “Reasonable parameters of medical knowledge”, as stated in the handbook, is not enough. What are reasonable parameters? How should they be applied to a classroom environment? Due to little specific policy in the handbook, ALL teachers should be required to lay out their expectations at the beginning of the school year, in order to clear confusion and create a channel for discussion. Many teachers already do this, but it needs to become standard in every class. When a student has a concussion, there is already a set regimen that the school, sports teams, and student must follow in order to keep them
abreast of their schoolwork and physical capabilities. Why are other illnesses treated differently? Sicknesses exert both an emotional and physical toll, therefore it is an imperative that we take them all seriously. How do we lack standard guidelines for making up schoolwork missed due to illness? We need to talk about this, and fast, because when the next bout of sickness comes around, ill students should not be dragging themselves to school, infecting the rest of us all because they do not want to make up their work. We understand that like each unique student at Greenhill, each case is different. But right now, our handbook is too interpretable, let’s aim to be more consistent.
online executive editor Radhe Melwani
online broadcast editor Zeenya Meherally
staff writers
Anushka Harve Stephen Crotty
business manager Rishi Vas
advisor
Nureen Patel
asst. advisor
Dr. Amy Bresie
staff photographers Rylyn Koger
staff artists
Michelle Liang Amy Yang
Have a response? Opinion? Original Idea? Email us at: evergreen@greenhill.org For the editorial policy visit our website at evergreengreenhill.org
News the
A legacy of service
Director of Service Learning and Community Service Sally Rosenberg to retire at the end of the school year
Photos courtesy of Sally Rosenberg and Katie Young
SERVING UP SERVICE: Sally Rosenberg spent 23 years as the Director of Service Learning and Community Service at Greenhill, participating and assisting in activities to better the community. (Left) She paints a house for Habitat for Humanity, (center) she holds a certificate for donating to Temple Emanu-el, (right) she poses with Dean of Students Jack Oros.
Abbas Hasan Executive Editor
Anushka Harve Staff Writer
Take a look around. Books upon books stacked tall against the walls clutter the office, waiting to be read by the privileged and needy alike. Certificates hang on the wall, telling stories of a woman who has dedicated her life to serving others and inspiring others to do so as well. A picture of her granddaughter rests on her desk. One of the signs in the room reads, “Stop me before I volunteer again”. There’s no mistaking who this room belongs to. Full of memories and artifacts from her 28 years of involvement with the Greenhill community, this room is the home of none other than Sally Rosenberg, Director of Service Learning and Community Service. She will take all of the experiences she has accumulated over her long tenure at Greenhill with her as she retires at the end of this 2016-2017 school year. Of her 28 years involved with the Greenhill community, she has spent 23 of them in her current position as the Director of Service Learning and Community Service. Mrs. Rosenberg will be replaced next year by former Director of Admission Angela Woodson, who is returning to campus after a threeyear hiatus. What Mrs. Rosenberg enjoys most about community service is seeing students come to the realization that service has true meaning to their lives in addition to the lives of the people they serve. “I love seeing the kids at any age get excited or light up when they either find something they really enjoy doing, or make the connection to what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world, and how what they’re learning can affect the community,” said Mrs. Rosenberg. According to Upper School Dean of Students Jack Oros, Mrs. Rosenberg’s impact on the greater Greenhill
By the numbers: Sally Rosenberg
community has been substantial. “She has built an entire program and she has made this a place where people valued service,” said Mr. Oros. “I think that we have trained and instilled a passion for service and she had a hand in that.”
“
I love seeing the kids at any age get excited or light up when they either find something they really enjoy doing, or make the connection to what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world, and how what they’re learning can affect the community.”
Mrs. Rosenberg first got involved with Greenhill through her kids, who came to the school in 1989, and began volunteering with the Parents Association. The new position of Community Service Director was created in December of 1993, and she officially started at Greenhill in February of 1994. Of the many memories Mrs. Rosenberg has from her time at Greenhill, a few stand out. “[My favorite memory at Greenhill was] probably when we built the Habitat for Humanity house, for the 50th anniversary of the school, because we included every grade and every component of the school, from the Board of Trustees to the alums to kids in every aspect. It was extremely rewarding,” she said. Angela Woodson, Mrs. Rosenberg’s successor, is currently the Advisor Relations Officer for the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT). CFT is a public charity that helps donors get the most impact from their giving and connects them with community needs. She was the Director of Admission at Greenhill for eight years before leaving three years ago. She heard about the new posi-
The amount of money Greenhill has given back to the Dallas Community this school year.
$1,006,000
The number of commuinity service days organized by Mrs. Rosenberg.
36
tion opening from several Greenhill colleagues. Mrs. Woodson hopes to carry on Mrs. Rosenberg’s legacy when she returns to the school in the fall. “Sally Rosenberg single-handedly established the community service program at Greenhill School,” said Mrs. Woodson. “She has worked tirelessly for over 23 years to ensure that community service is fundamental to the school’s mission and has tried to instill a lifelong love of and commitment to service in every Greenhill student.” Senior Isabel Chavez has worked closely with Mrs. Rosenberg since she was a freshman, and is grateful for the opportunity she had to work with her. She noted how Mrs. Rosenberg has helped her grow as a volunteer, as well as how she has developed important leadership skills under Mrs. Rosenberg’s watch. “[Mrs. Rosenberg] lets me know when there are opportunities she thinks I’d be interested in and has helped prepare me for a career in education,” said Isabel. “She taught me to go for opportunities when they come my way, and she taught me how to be a leader.” According to Isabel, Mrs. Rosenberg’s impact on her and the rest of the Greenhill community has strengthened the role of service in the overall Greenhill education. “She has undoubtedly fostered a sense of philanthropy and seeks to personalize the way we as students approach community service,” Isabel said. “I’ll miss going in her office, sitting on the couch, and listening to whatever country song is playing on the radio.” Although Mrs. Rosenberg is leaving Greenhill, she hopes that her overall message and influence as Director of Service Learning and Community Service does not depart with her. “I believe, in my very soul, that every person can make a difference. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re rich or you’re poor, you can give back and you can do something,” she said.
The highest amount of community service hours Greenhill has completed in one year under Mrs. Rosenberg.
57,000
The number of community service hours accumulated by Greenhill students this school year.
40,000
4 news
the
Evergreen
wednesday, may 17, 2017
Senior wins Volunteer of the Year award from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Radhe Melwani
Online Executive Editor
This year, senior Kailey McNeal was named Volunteer of the Year by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Texas. In addition, she was nominated as a Hill’s Shelter Hero candidate, an award honoring volunteers who, according to Hill’s Shelter Heroes website, “go above and beyond to transform the lives of pets.” “I was extremely surprised to win the award, but very grateful,” said Kailey. “Animal protection is the most important thing in my life and for the past five years the SPCA of Texas has helped me make a huge difference in the lives of North Texas animals.” Kailey has volunteered at SPCA since she was 12 years old and has accumulated over 590 hours of service. Her interest in and love for animals began with encouragement from her mother and her own pets. “My mom has always been a pretty big animal lover so she would take me over to her parents’ house where they had dogs and cats and I would take care of those animals,” said Kailey. “That’s when I realized I wanted to volunteer with animals, and then we got two dogs from SPCA of Texas so I was like ‘why don’t I start volunteering there?’” When Kailey was old enough, she and her mother would go to the SPCA shelter to volunteer together. After learning about the struggles that the animals at the SPCA shelter faced, she began doing more research on animals, which led her to read “Animal Liberation” by Peter Singer. Kailey described the book as the current bible of animal rights. After reading it, she decided
to try veganism. “Sophomore year, a couple of my friends asked me why I wasn’t vegetarian. [After reading “Animal Liberation”] I thought, well, I do love animals, and why do I volunteer? I volunteer because I don’t want the animals at the shelter to suffer. I got to the point where it was like how can I say I love animals so much and not make this change [to veganism]?” Kailey said. After going vegan for a few days, Kailey decided to switch to veganism permanently. Becoming vegan helped Kailey realize that she wants to help all types of animals, not just dogs and cats, so she began volunteering at other organizations in addition to SPCA. Kailey has worked with The Humane League, in which she was honored as Student Activist of the Year. She is currently a mentor at Vegan Outreach, where she supports people who want to become vegan. Most recently, Kailey is interning with the Texas Humane Legislation Network to experience the legal side of protecting animal rights, a route she may want to follow in college. “Kailey’s continuous commitment alone to our organization shows us that this is an issue she is passionate about,” said Leyka Ishibashi, the Volunteer Recruiter at the SPCA of Texas. “She is dedicated, has a passion for our animals, works hard and is always helpful. You can see the love and passion she has for animals come to fruition in her time spent with the animals and us.” In addition to working with these organizations, Kailey advocates for animal rights through her class work, social media, outfits and even her car. “I am trying to represent the animal
Photo courtesy of Kailey McNeal
VOLUNTEERING WITH JOY: Kailey McNeal plays with a pit bull who has recently found a home. Kailey and the pit bull taught kids at an SPCA camp about dog safety.
rights movement by trying to get it out to people. One thing I learned at animal rights camp is that you have to find ways to do “ninja activism”, which is activism that people don’t know you are doing, like wearing t-shirts or putting things on your car. I write political messages and put crazy bumper stickers [on my car] to try to get an idea across to people subconsciously without them realizing that I’m trying to get them thinking,” Kailey said. Although Kailey has not officially decided what she would like to do in college, her current career goal is to be a lobbyist for animal protection legislation. “I want to do whatever I can to make
the most change for animals. I think that activism and education are really important, imperative even, but I think that a place where animals are majorly lacking representation is our government,” Kailey said. “I think it is really important to have a voice in government that is perceived as less “extreme” in order to make institutional changes, along with the social change that is already happening. It is hard for any social change for animals to come if our legislation allows cruelty to occur.”
Lower School computer lab to undergo renovations Amber Syed Features Editor
Riya Rangdal Asst. Arts Editor
This summer, the Lower School computer lab will undergo renovations as part of a complete overhaul of the Lower School Computer program. The new Lower School Computer Science and Engineering teacher Lauren Marold has spearheaded the new project. The Lower School’s computer program has changed its teaching style this year to one where there is a greater emphasis on the students themselves, and the curriculum is based more on the students’ interests. “We are using a constructivist philosophy where [the class] is student centered and hands-on. The teacher is more of a facilitator and a guide on the side as opposed to a ‘sage on the stage’,” said Mrs. Marold. The change was made to give younger students an opportunity to explore their passions through the STEAM program, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The course was also renamed from Computer Class to Computer Science and Engineering. The added emphasis of these topics in the curriculum reinforces the principles that the new class is based on. “STEAM gives students a chance to explore multiple aspects of learning and integrate technology into the classroom,” Mrs. Marold said. As part of the renovations, the lab will receive mobile furniture, writeable surfaces for the walls, a new whiteboard, an interactive projector, a green screen and chairs that respond to student’s body movements. The lab will also include a video production corner where students can explore film. According to Mrs. Marold, the goal of these renovations is to create a lab
that has limited physical items so that kids have plenty of open space to work. “Space and environment really influence the way that learning can take place, and so if you disrupt the learning environment a little bit and make it not so traditional, it’s interesting the kinds of ideas that students can come up with,” Mrs. Marold said. These renovations go hand in hand with the new changes to the computer curriculum. “[I’m] making it a space that can be an “anything space” and an innovative learning space that can serve many purposes,” she said. “This new lab is a big transformation to match the thinking [of this new program].” Projects have given kids a creative outlet to explore technology. In first grade, students created alternative endings to fairy tale stories using technology. For example, first graders designed a better house for “The Three Little Pigs” so it would not get blown down. Also, they built a prototype of a zip-line to help “Rapunzel” escape from the Witch’s tower. “I have a design-based, handson approach to the way I teach, so I use a lot of thinking structures such as the Stanford school design thinking process and the engineering design process,” Mrs. Marold said. The hope is that the new technology in the computer lab will be useful for other classes in the Lower School. Mrs. Mary Aidala, Lower School Visual Art teacher, sees the renovated lab as a potential space for collaboration between art class and computer class. “I think it would be great to add more technology into art projects. I would be very interested in sewing with conductive thread or with conductive paint, those type of things…maybe we can work on
designing things that can move. Just more creating, more building,” said Mrs. Aidela. According to the Head of Lower School Michael Simpson, the revamped computer program instills skills in Lower School students that they can carry with them
throughout the rest of their school career. “We expect the students will be stronger thinkers, designers, problem solves, listeners and collaborative team members [because of the new computer program],” said Mr. Simpson.
Features the
Lili Stern
California dreamin’
Managing Editor
Jeffrey Harberg News Editor
In the fall of 2012, with her husband and two small children in tow, Laura Ross stepped onto the Greenhill campus for her first school day as the Head of Upper School. She was a terrified first-time division head in a new city, having just moved from Austin. However, as soon as she looked across the quad and saw the huge banner reading “Welcome Mrs. Ross,” she knew she had found a new home. “It was so telling about [the Greenhill] community. I was so touched that these kids that didn’t even know me yet would do something like that,” said Mrs. Ross. Five years later, Mrs. Ross and her family are saying goodbye to Greenhill and moving to Los Angeles, where Mrs. Ross has taken the Head of Upper School position at Harvard-Westlake School. She leaves behind a legacy of connectedness, innovation and resilience. “When I think of Mrs. Ross, I think Photo courtesy of Laura Ross of a very personal person who wants to START OF AN ERA: Mrs. Ross standing outside of the Upper School on her first day at know everybody and one who makes Greenhill as Head of Upper School. She will leave Dallas for Los Angeles in June. strong personal connections. I also think of calmness. I think she has been very good accomplishment is: I know people’s names Teacher Gregg Ross, Mrs. Ross’ husband, at pushing us as a school to look at our and I know who they are.” she is able to exercise good leadership even programs and systems in terms of stress Students have noted Mrs. Ross’ considering the large number of groups she and pace, and wanting to do what is best for concerted efforts to connect with them on a has to deal with on an everyday basis. students has always been at the forefront for personal level. “I get stories from her day, and I’m her,” said Head of School Scott Griggs. “I know that she always really cares always amazed at how she’s able to deal with Mrs. Ross’ commitment to alleviating about what we have to say. She’s always so all of these disparate groups,” said Mr. Ross. students’ stress manifested itself through one nice,” said Hannah Caplan, a junior in Mrs. “She has students, faculty, parents, board, of the biggest changes implemented during Ross’ advisory. “She cares so much about our administration, and she’s able to actually her tenure: the Upper School’s schedule school, and how things are done. She also is make everyone feel valued, heard, and change. The new schedule, implemented in fun, silly and has a great sense of humor.” respected.” the 2015-16 school year, features a 9:00 a.m. That being said, Upper School Math From a personal standpoint, Mrs. Ross start; an hour later than it had been in the Teacher Darryn Sandler, who co-advises considers herself lucky that their whole past. During her five-year stint, Mrs. Ross a class of 2018 advisory with Mrs. Ross, family has been able to be on the same also oversaw notable changes such as an noted that she is able to maintain a strong campus together for the last five years. updated dress code and the addition of class leadership and command of the school while “We love that at night, when we talk deans. also harboring strong relationships with the about our days, we all know what everybody’s Despite these tangible accomplishments, people she leads. talking about, we all have a connection,” she Mrs. Ross has valued relationship building “I think the mark of a good leader is said. “It’s been such a good fit for all four over administrative changes during her time someone that takes the time to listen, and of us. Who gets to have everybody in your at Greenhill. [Mrs. Ross] is always willing to listen to what family in the same place in their lives? That’s “I hope that I’ve made students feel you have to say,” said Mr. Sandler. “She might such a gift.” known by me. My biggest goal is that not always agree with you, but I definitely Harvard-Westlake is separated into two students and teachers feel like I know them, think she takes the time to listen and different campuses; one serves grades seven I care about them as people, I know who explain where she’s coming from if there’s a through nine and the other serves grades they are and I know a little bit of their story,” difference in direction.” ten through 12. As a result, the Ross family she said. “That’s what I feel like my biggest According to Middle School Math
In the Spotlight... Ross Rubin Features Editor
We continue our “In the Spotlight” series, a chance to get to know one randomly selected Upper School student each issue. This conversation was with sophomore James Brown. Sophomore James Brown can be seen during the school days studying, talking about classes, politics, and sports with his friends. He also dedicates a lot of time to Greenhill’s advanced video production program, better known as AVP. However, by observing James at school, you would not know much about his true passion: cars. When James comes home from school, he spends time taking in as much knowledge as he can about cars and racing. He is interested in vintage cars as well as cars that are built for speed. James has had this passion since a very young age and it has prompted his interest in race car driving. When he was young, he loved car-related movies and television shows like “Speed Racer” and Cars. His parents were always supportive of his collecting toy cars, which contributed to his growing passion. “My parents were the people who
bought me my Hot Wheels and everything,” said James. He took a deep interest in his parents’ cars as well. “My dad had this Lexus that I really loved and when he got rid of it I cried,” said James. One date James had marked on his calendar for years was August 29, 2016, the day he turned 16. “I always dreamt of turning 16 and getting a license,” he said. “I was counting down the years.” Upon turning 16, he had his heart set on a red Camaro for his first car. The decision required extensive thought and research, but James ultimately settled on the car because it was both safe and fast. James hopes to follow his passion later in life and dreams of racing cars for a living. James’ extensive knowledge about cars and car races may result in him pursuing a career as a race car driver. According to James, speed is not the only thing that drives his interest. Learning about the unique features of each vehicle is also intriguing to him. “Going fast is fun, of course, but a lot of the fun is in the handling throttle and braking characteristics, which can change a
bunch between every car you drive,” James said. James frequently watches highlight videos of various racing competitions and he especially enjoys the Grand Tourer (GT) car racing series, which features normal cars that are altered for the racetrack. He also enjoys rally races, which involve racing on off-road tracks. Although James wants to become a driver someday, he understands the dangers that come with professional driving and the many precautions he would have to take were he to pursue that career. That being said, he feels comfortable behind the wheel. “I’m not really scared of driving,” he said. “I always try to keep an eye on my surroundings.” James has developed an interest in drift racing as well, races in which drivers purposefully over steer to allow the car to drift while still maintaining control of the car. In the near future, James wants to start a drift club next year for students interested in watching races and highlight videos. “If we can get the club running, I would like us to towards the end of the year, maybe enter a drift competition,” James said.
will not be on the same campus. Mr. Ross considers this both a good and a bad thing for their family moving forward. “All of the sudden, we feel like this family unit we have gets exploded a little bit,” he said. “But it also gives everybody a little bit more of their own fiefdoms, so we’re excited about that.” According to Mrs. Ross, one of the things she will miss most about Greenhill is being on a K-12 campus, which will not be the case in her new position. “High school gets so stressful, and I think probably for students too, you get that moment where you walk over by the cafeteria, and you see first graders looking at the peacocks,” she said. “It’s access to joy.” While there are some notable differences between Greenhill and Harvard-Westlake, Mr. Ross does see a lot of similarities between the two schools. Among them are their approaches towards caring for students. “We’re happy that we’re going to a school that has the same values and commitment to teaching the whole student that Greenhill does,” he said. With her departure, Mrs. Ross leaves Greenhill’s Upper School in the hands of Trevor Worcester, current Middle School and Upper School Latin Teacher and Upper School Modern and Classical Language Department Head, who will take over as Head of Upper School next year. He believes that Mrs. Ross is a tough act to follow. “I can’t fill her shoes,” he said. “What I can do is approach things similarly. Whenever an issue arises that needs to be addresssed, hopefully I would approach that issue in a way she would.” Mrs. Ross noted it will be difficult to leave behind Greenhill’s unique atmosphere and student body. “I’ll miss the culture of Greenhill. Just the way people treat each other here, and the general culture,” Mrs. Ross said. “I’m hoping my new school has a great culture too, but I know that this is a special one.” As she prepares to leave, Mrs. Ross wishes that Greenhill simply continues to be the school she has grown to love over her five years on the hill. “I just hope that it continues to be a place where people take time to recognize what’s good,” she said. “I’ve been so lucky and I’m just so grateful I had this opportunity. It’s been a good fit.”
Photo courtesy of James Brown
DREAMING OF THE FINISH LINE: James poses with his dream car, a red Camaro.
The club is important to him because sports or school athletics have never really interested him, but cars and race car driving do. “Sports were never a huge interest for me, but racing as a sport fills that niche for me,” James said.
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Evergreen
wednesday, may 17, 2017
The choice to cover cont'd from page 1 "While it was really positive at school, I did get a bad reaction when I wore hijab in front of my family for the first time. It was only my second day wearing it and my aunt was very upset. She failed to understand why I would do that to myself,” Simra said. “It was the harshest reaction I’ve ever gotten.” Simra also recounts a rather interesting encounter she had while interning at a psychological counseling office over the summer. She was doing research in the library on victims of trauma when a woman who was roughly in her sixties approached her. The woman asked why Simra was covering up her hair with “that rag on her head.”
“
Asking questions is always good, like 'What do you call that?' I'm always happy to answer the questions."
“I was stunned. She went on for about ten minutes about how my hair is too pretty and how I’m too young to do something like that. She didn’t mean it in a harmful way, but she
was genuinely confused. I explained the religious piece but she didn’t really understand,” Simra said. Simra believes that the general conservatism of older generations as well as the recent rise of Islamaphobia have made encounters like this more commonplace. She noted that while there are more accepting people in the younger generations, they do not actually know enough about Islam to properly advocate for the faith if necessary. “I think there are a lot of misconceptions about Islam and the hijab. So many people think that women in hijab are being oppressed. A lot of the time it is their choice. People have a certain view on what hijab is and what it means, and they are closed off to hearing other reasons,” she said. People are also curious and often misinformed about the kippah, but Josh emphasized that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about trying to learn more about people’s religious decisions. “Asking questions is always good, like ‘What do you call that? What is that?’ I’m always happy to answer the questions. But asking to wear it, taking it off my head by force, which has
happened so many times, playing with it, making fun of it, friends who ask several times and then always forget what it is,” said Josh. “Just don’t make rude jokes about it.” Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Karen Bradberry does not feel that students are obligated to educate others on their religious headdresses. “It can’t be that Simra is responsible for teaching people. It has to be the school’s responsibility to teach people,” Dr. Bradberry said. Still, Simra wishes that her decision to wear hijab started more conversations on campus. She was open to answering the questions that were posed to her on the first few days of wearing hijab but was also disappointed in the surface level nature of the inquiries and comments, such as “how cool it is.” Soon, Simra stopped receiving any response. “It’s nice to have a community that’s just ok with it. But I think it’s even better to have a community that questions it. Not necessarily in a negative way, but to have a little curiosity,” she said. Photos by Alice Zhang
EXPRESSING IDENTITY: Seniors Simra Abedi (top) and Josh Rudner (bottom) wear their head coverings everyday to school and public spaces.
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wednesday, may 17, 2017
senior section
17 memories from Greenhill’s Class of 2017 5th grade
Watching the scandalous version of Clash of the Titans
11th grade
MPAC opening
1st grade
Last year of pizza everyday in the cafeteria
Kindergarten
Teachers sang us to line
5th grade
Ms. Cashen’s ghost stories
6th grade
When Mr. P gave detentions to boys for playing basketball
9th grade
The Purple People Eater controversy
Pre-kindergarten Munchie Mission
10th grade
Found the shorts!
8th grade
Last grade to do Shakespeare Day (Ben Stromberg played the nurse)
4th grade
Met Laura Bush because of Pennies for Texas
7th grade
Everyone wrote goodbye notes on their bodies during a tornado drill
1st Grade
Soul Food cafe
9th grade
Mr. Wabrek’s first year (AKA the invention of #RE)
10th grade
Taking the AX10 midterm in our pajamas
12th grade
When we dominated Cistercian on Twitter after they beat us in football
2nd grade
Wax Museums
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3...2...1... Blast Off! From Dallas to Canada to Israel, the Class of 2017 is ready to launch Auburn University
Duke University
Bard College
Hampton University
Students greet each other with the phrase “War Eagle”
Students are permitted to burn benches after Duke beats UNC
Campus bought from country estates
Founded on a Wood Farm known as “Little Scotland”
Every student is in the Student Government
Alma mater of the founders of YouTube
Has campus zoo that houses mascots
Hosts largest collegiate bike race
Had the first radio show in Nashville in 1922
Provides artificial leather boots to vegans in the IDF
Offers a course on Disney films
First college to require a semester abroad
Have a dorm supposedly haunted by playwright Eugene O’Neill
Named the “greenest school” by The Princeton Review
Offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in bag piping
Chapman University
Built first golf course in Mississippi
When founded in 1861, both sexes and all races were admitted
University of Chicago (3)
Alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Home to the winner of the first Heisman Trophy
Boulder is ranked by Forbes as the most educated city
New York University (3) Highest percentage of international students in U.S. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The first state university in the U.S.
Havemeyer 309 lecture hall home to most Hollywood Movies
Northeastern University (2)
Has the oldest hockey arena in the world
Only public Ivy League school
Northwestern University (3)
Home to the largest charity run by students
Students are required to stay the summer before junior year
100 percent of their purchased energy is wind power
First university to offer online master’s degree
Barnard College
Baylor University
Belmont University Boston College
Boston University (3)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Indiana University at Bloomington (3) Israel Defense Forces Lake Erie College
Lewis & Clark College
California Polytechnic State University, San Loyola University New Orleans Alma mater of rapper G-Eazy Luis Obispo McGill University There is a concrete “P” on campus that students decorate Alma mater of three Canadian Prime Ministers University of California, Berkeley University of Michigan (3) Largest College Republicans club in California President Gerald Ford played football for the Wolverines Carleton College Middlebury College Have a silent dance party each year before finals Has its own ski slope Carnegie Mellon University Millsaps College
University of Colorado at Boulder (2) Columbia University Cornell University
Dartmouth College Dickinson College Drexel University
Morehouse College
Oberlin College Students can rent original works of art from a local museum The University of Oklahoma Has a record of 47 consecutive wins in football
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0 students 1 student 2 students 3-4 students 5-7 students 8+ students
Oral Roberts University
The University of Texas at Austin (11)
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Texas at Dallas
Students from 90 countries are represented
Hook’em Horns sign created by a head cheerleader in 1955
Tradition of throwing toast on field during home football games
Have won four chess national championships
Mascot is Willy the Wave
Banned the sale of water bottles in campus eateries
All students take service-learning courses before graduating
Used to be in two different cities before moving to San Antonio
Founder William Marsh Rice’s ashes are spread on campus
Original mascot was Pecker the Pelican
Awarded the first bachelor’s degree in California
All students are referred to as midshipmen
Has had a gold-medal winner in each Olympics since 1912
Only collegiate UNESCO World Heritage site in the U.S.
School’s art museum houses most Spanish art outside of Spain
Best college dorms, according to The Princeton Review
Known for their marching band, the “Human Jukebox”
Alma mater of both Hillary Clinton and Madeline Albright
Mascot, The Stanford Tree, has a new costume each year
Oldest university in Texas
Was located in Waco, Texas until 1910
Pepperdine University
The New School (2)
Pitzer College
Trinity University (3)
Rice University (2)
Santa Clara University (2)
University of Southern California (5) Southern Methodist University (5)
Southern University and A&M College (2) Stanford University
Texas A&M University (3)
Texas Christian University
Tulane University (5)
United States Naval Academy University of Virginia
Washington University in St. Louis (5) Wellesley College
Wesleyan University (2)
Mascots were originally called “The Methodists”
Yale University (3)
Has the oldest collegiate daily newspaper still in existence
10 senior section
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Evergreen
wednesday, may 17, 2017
Before takeoff, a few words from advisors... Thank you for welcoming me into your advisory last year. You are an amazing and talented bunch, and I know you’ll do great things in college and beyond. I am so proud of each and every one of you. You will be missed.
Sarah Markhovsky You are all winners! And yes…I mean in concrete things like jeopardy and basketball brackets, but I also mean in a larger sense. You are winning at being kind, thoughtful, genuine individuals. You are winning at being both introspective and encouraging to others. Tardies and absences aside, I have enjoyed starting my day with you all for the last four years.
Class of 2017, times like this are always bittersweet, a weird mix of sadness, joyfulness and perhaps a little bit of nervousness. All I’m really going to say is “Be Smart.” My advisory has heard that phrase for four years and truthfully, I hope it sticks with them for 40 more. If you want the world to be a better place, do your part to make it a better place. If you want your new school or new community to be more understanding of others, refuse to be silent. If you want your community to be more kind, offer your kindness. If you want our world to be more peaceful, find ways to be a peacemaker. If you want those around you to be less self-centered and more grateful, lead your life as such for others to emulate. Best of luck to you all no matter what your plans may be next year, we look forward to hearing about your adventures.
Rebecca Shuman
Genie Burke Two years ago, we were given an opportunity to meld a new group. In this time, I have come to admire and respect the talents and intellects of each of you special young people, whom I will miss dearly. There has been a great deal of personal sharing and the formation of new relationships, many of which will last a lifetime. What stands out for me is our Advisory Gatherings with your parents, which have been such joyous, bonding experiences. It is hard to let go but oh, the things you will see and the places you’ll go. Your past has been exciting but your future will be dynamic. And with life comes the ups and down but, make happiness your truth. One last thing, when you have a little time, drop me a note just to let me know you are well.
Tina Mendez-Kohler
I seriously won the lottery with you all, I cannot stress that enough. It has been a joy watching you twelve grow into adults. Freshmen year I met you as a group for the first time, sitting four rows up in the lecture hall in August of 2013. Fast forward to senior year, and I’ll be watching each of you walk across the Meyerson to receive your Greenhill diplomas. The memories made in between will always have a special place in my heart. It’s been an amazing experience being your advisor, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for each of you. Whatever career paths you head down, remember to always improve yourselves day after day. Live life like you mean it, and I’ll see you at the other side.
Michael Haskins
The class of 2017 is very special to me because you were my last advisory group and the last students I taught at Greenhill. I had every intention of staying at least until your graduation, but life intervened. I want you to know that I have missed you every day since I had to leave. The experience has, however, reminded me of something I think it’s important for all of us to recognize: We never know what is going to happen that will change our lives in small and sometimes major ways. We don’t have as much control as we would like to have. We do, however, have choices in how we respond to those challenges. All of us can choose to notice each day that we are surrounded with beauty and wonder, even when we feel hurt and lonely. I hope we can remember to ask, in the midst of challenging circumstances, not just “What’s wrong?” but also “What’s not wrong?” In my experience, the second list is inevitably longer than the first. I wish you all good lives, filled with growth, wonder, gratitude and love.
We began as a collection of individuals: different backgrounds, different experiences, different entry points to Greenhill and this advisory. We made 308 our home, sitting in circles or scattered to the far corners. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies became the unofficial advisory treat, Paradise Bakery was our exam lunch mainstay, and 10:00 AM advisory time suited you far better than 8:40 ever could. There were concerts and contests, performances and presentations, and I marveled at all of your talents. We shared our experiences, you opened up to me, and I guided you as I knew how. You have earned what you have accomplished, and I couldn’t be more proud. Young Padawans you were – Jedis now you are.
Dan Kasten
Trevor Worcester
College is a time to find your true identity, to explore different avenues, forge connections and experience people you’re unfamiliar with. Embrace the complex diversity that surrounds you and learn from those you encounter. Never stop learning! But most of all, stay true to yourself. Don’t allow others to influence you in such a way that you become something you’re not. I love you and wish you all the wonderful blessings this beautiful life offers. You have one life to live. Live it to its fullest!
May you always seek to listen to others and to learn about yourselves. May you always know and believe in the power of your own words and dreams. May you understand that success is not about accomplishments, but about how you make the world better with your skills and talents. And may you always be able to give and receive love. Be good!
We commend you for the flexibility you brought to having multiple advisors over the years. Your adaptability will serve you well as you follow different paths. Furthermore, never lose sight of Mr. Kasten’s advice about slowing down and taking some deep breaths so that you can focus on the good in this world. You will be missed.
Jason Yaffe and Blake Harkey
April Burns
Velvet Colvin I was told that I would have a great group of sweet, hard-working students. Well, this was definitely an understatement! I remember our first day huddled in my igloo office. Someone suggested that we get advisory blankets (one of many creative ideas). We had frequent visits from various peers asking to be in our advisory. I felt honored to have a fun and magnetic group! We were the only advisory with a pet (fish) for at least ½ year and I regret not giving you more opportunities to step-up a take care of what’s his name? Nose-goes! As you enter the next part of your journey, please never forget those who have helped shape the person you are today, always strive to be a better person, seek and cherish what makes you truly happy and share that happiness with others. I’m proud of you and I am thankful for all that you have taught me! Now, it’s your turn to coordinate an advisory lunch when you come back to visit. Go do great things and keep in touch!
Honelynn Parker
Photo by Alice Zhang
We’ve written dozens of stories, fixed countless Oxford commas, gone through far too many Spotify playlists and spent 870 hours at layout. Aside from an unhealthy amount of coffee, Cane’s, bubble tea and Mama Leffert’s butter cookies, the primary force driving our #relentlesseffort has been deep-seated dedication to serving this community. To Greenhill and the Class of 2017, we love you #stingem.
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Arts
Where art meets media
The Greenhill Fine Arts Department offers a multitude of courses to students interested in improving their artistic skills. While many choose to enroll in these classes, others produce their own art during their free time. Here is a look at some social media platforms students use to publish their work.
gracedoyleportfolio
birbstille
Photo by Alice Zhang
Junior Amy Yang has been sharing her work on Tumblr (@magdraws) and Instagram (@birbstille) for a year. She mainly works with traditional and digital 2D art. Amy got the idea of sharing her work on social media from other artwork posted on social media sites. According to Amy, the most important thing to remember on social media is to not become discouraged after seeing other art.
Photo by Rylyn Koger
Junior Grace Doyle, creator of @gracedoyleportfolio, promotes her work through Instagram. Grace publishes a variety of art, including 2D art, 3D art and animation. Grace was introduced to 2D art by her family at a young age, but recently established her social media platform and diversified her content. Upon recognition of the importance of building connections in the art world, Grace decided to use social media to spread her work.
pianomonky.ra
rachmakesstuff
Photo by Rylyn Koger
Photo courtesy of Rachel Friedman
Senior Rachel Friedman started working on many different forms of art in seventh grade. Over the years, she has been using her Snapchat account to promote her art, but then realized that she wanted a more permanent form of documentation. Rachel started her Instagram account (@rachmakesstuff) to share her art permanantly. According to Rachel, one important thing that social media can promote is the meaning behind every piece of art. She said that works of art which have a significant message embedded in them, such as political and social issues, tend to draw more attention if shared on social media.
Jake Middleman
Sophomore Kyra Moran just recently started an Instagram account (@pianomonky.ra) to promote her music. Although she has been singing and playing instruments since a young age, she started her account when her friends encouraged her to share her music with others. Kyra uses social media as a way to share her art without having to perform onstage. She said that she feels more comfortable sharing her work on social media because of the controlled audience. Story by Alice Zhang Content courtesy of social media accounts
Summer through a camera lens
Asst. Sports Editor
Natalie Gonchar Backpage Editor
For the past ten years, Middle School and Upper School Visual Arts teacher Corbin Doyle has run his summer film camp for middle and high school students around the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The camp, entitled “Mr. Doyle’s Famous Film Camp,” is held in the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center (MPAC) at Greenhill. There, students are provided the opportunity to learn the basics of video production. Each week, 32 students from various schools learn to produce many types of film, ranging from stop motion to drama. The course is available to students for two weeks in June. According to Mr. Doyle, this camp offers opportunities that students would not get otherwise. “Where else is there a class of seventh and twelfth graders working on film together or working on anything together?” said Mr. Doyle. Every day, students meet in the MPAC video production room where they discuss their goals for the week. Then, they break up into production groups and create a script
and brainstorm. Finally, they shoot their film. For Mr. Doyle, this process is what makes his camp so unique. “It’s great because it’s closer to real film making. When you are in Advanced Video Production (AVP), you might work on a film for six hours on a Saturday, but the only other time that happens outside of AVP is during this summer class where you’re working six hours a day,” Mr. Doyle said. Greenhill junior Sudeep Bhargava has joined the AVP program this year, and has attended the camp for three years. He decided to join “Mr. Doyle’s Famous Film Camp” after some of his friends enrolled in it. “I never got the chance to take Doyle’s film class [in Middle School], and it sounded like fun,” said Sudeep. Many of the films created at this camp have been accepted into film festivals all over the world. One production, named “Trolley” was screened at five festivals, including South by Southwest, LA Cine Fest, and the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Another short filmed produced at Mr. Doyle’s Famous Film Camp named “Allumette,” was screened at both the All American Film Festival in New York and the Texas Union Film Festival at
the University of Texas at Austin. Greenhill freshman Anand Jain joined this past summer. He feels that he is equipped with the skills he needs to take Advanced Video Production, a course only offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors. “The purpose for me was to learn the skills necessary to take AVP, and to learn the process of film-making,” said Anand. “It shows you how hard it is to make something in a short amount of time, and it helps you learn time management.” Mr. Doyle has attempted to create a space where students not only learn the basics of film making, but also grow a love for the art. According to Sudeep, Mr. Doyle’s love for video production facilitated a love of his own. “While taking this camp, it was where I learned that I loved film. The environment was so cohesive and everyone supported each other,” Sudeep said. “Mr. Doyle has given so much of his time and resources and because of how great of an educator he is, I am considering continuing film beyond Greenhill.”
Photos courtesy of doylesummerfilm.blogspot.com
BEHIND THE SCENES: Students pursue their passion for film and hone their skills over the summer with Mr. Doyle.
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wednesday, may 17, 2017
A confusingly comedic experience Executive Editor Abbas Hasan reviews the spring play
Abbas Hasan
Executive Editor
Walking into the Studio Theater that Friday night, I did not know what to expect. I had heard of the Shakespeare play “Comedy of Errors”, but I had absolutely no idea what it was about. Several members of the production told me it was hard to follow beforehand, but I kept an open mind to whatever the play would present. “Comedy of Errors” was written by Shakespeare in the late 1500s. The play is set in the fictional harbor town of Ephesus, and in this strange city, the comedy ensues. An old man from the merchant city of Syracuse has turned up at the harbor of Ephesus. The two cities are at odds with one another, and the Duke of Ephesus, Solinus, declares that the Syracusian will be executed unless he can come up with 1,000 marks. The old man from Syracuse then proceeds to tell the story of how he has been separated from his wife and children in a shipwreck. He has stumbled into Ephesus with the hope of finding his lost relatives. He had a set of identical twins, and for those twins, he bought two identical twins to be their servants. The sons of Ephesus are both named Antipholus, and each one has a servant named Dromio. Shakespeare uses these two sets of twins to create confusion and some slapstick comedy. As I found my seat in the Studio Theater, I was surprised to find seats surrounding all four sides, with the stage situated in the center. I found my way to the side furthest from the entrance, and as I walked around the stage, I noticed that each side of the audience had a completely different view of the action. The stage was set in a way that
Photo courtesy of Valerie Hauss-Smith
STUDENTS OF SHAKESPEARE: Greenhill Upper School theater brought Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors” to life for the spring production. The production featured elements of improvisation and mime-like costumes to present the comedic skirmishes that ensue in Ephesus.
gave every section a unique experience, and it made me even more excited for the play that lay ahead. The play began, and the incredible set design immediately stood out. Members of the cast swung on ropes hanging from the ceiling, climbed ladders and slid down poles like firemen. There was so much to see, I was thoroughly entertained. The costumes added to the humor of the play. The face paint, the hair and the costumes enriched the flair and light-hearted tone of the production. As both Antipholus of Syracuse and his
brother Antipholus of Ephesus began acting with their own Dromios at their sides, I started to understand the confusion the cast members had warned me about beforehand. I was confused by the two sets of actors wearing the same costume and the bizarre Shakespearean language which only made it more difficult to understand. However, as the play progressed, I began to realize that much of the humor of the play comes from that confusion. I commend the actors for their work in attempting to make the play more enjoyable
with some improvisations throughout the show. In transition moments, some of the actors would walk around the set and pretend to be members of the odd city of Ephesus. Sometimes they would reach out and grab someone in the audience or jump out of nowhere. This all added to the fun of the play. I can’t imagine anybody in the audience being bored at any moment during the production. In others parts of the play, the actors would improvise their lines. This was very smart on their part as it can be very difficult for the audience to pick out the humor in Shakespearean language. The improvisations from the cast let the audience know when to laugh, thus making it easier for us to be a responsive audience. In all, this experience was unlike any other Greenhill theater production I had ever seen before. The stage, the costumes, the seating and the play were all new to me. I left the play reminiscing about just how much I genuinely enjoyed watching the show. After watching Greenhill’s production of “Cabaret”, I knew the cast and stage crew were more than capable of producing another spectacular show, and they did. This year, Upper School Drama and Theater teacher Valerie Hauss-Smith has chosen older productions like “Tartuffe”, “Cabaret” and “Comedy of Errors”, but nonetheless, each one has found a way to capture the likes of a modern audience. “Comedy of Errors”, one of the last full Greenhill theater productions of the school year, was nothing short of fantastic.
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Hornets headed to the NCAA
Greenhill athletes advance to play at the collegiate level
Bryson Houston Morehouse College
Chris Quintero Oral Roberts University
Douglass Smith Southern University
Michael Simpson Trinity University
Bryson has been a Varsity Track and Field athlete for all four years of high school and will be continuing his running career at Morehouse College, a historically black university in Atlanta, Georgia. “[Morehouse] was just a great place for me, fit, it had a brotherhood that other schools really didn’t have. I’m able to continue playing sports there at a high level and get a great education.”
Chris ended his Greenhill soccer career this past season winning the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2016-2017 season as well as earning all-conference honors. Chris will be continuing his soccer career at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “[I’m most] excited for fighting to get into the NCAA tournament, for any Division I sport, that’s the dream - playing in front of huge crowds and on ESPN.”
Douglass will be joining the Track and Field team next year at Southern University in Louisiana. While at Greenhill, Douglass competed in sprint, jump, and relay events. “[Southern University] has a great engineering program and being that it is a [historically black college or university] I know that I will develop some great connections and relationships that will provide me with many opportunities in my career.”
Michael was a four-year starter for Greenhill’s Varsity Football team and will continue playing at Trinity University, a Division III school located in San Antonio. Michael finished his senior season with allconference honors. “I chose Trinity because I like the low student to teacher ratio and the size of the school.”
Ellen Margaret Andrews Yale University
Konnell Woods Lake Erie College
Max Mendelsohn Pepperdine University
Ellen Margaret, a four-year basketball starter, will continue her basketball career at Yale University. Ellen Margaret broke the Greenhill record for most career points and was named the Large Private School Player of the Year by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches in 2016. “Being at Greenhill my whole life has really made me want to attend a school with strong academics and also a place that really valued the other aspects of a student...Yale really values the whole student athlete, not just the athlete.”
Konnell Woods will be playing football at Lake Erie College next fall, a Division II school located in Northern Ohio. Konnell came to Greenhill as a junior and led the football team as the starting quarterback for the past two seasons. Konnell led the team to a 12-8 overall record during his two seasons on the team as well as recieving the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2016 season. Konnell threw for 248 yards and rushed for 103 more in Greenhill Football’s first win over St. Marks 13 years. “I am most excited about getting to know the other players on the team and competing for the starting [quarterback] position.”
Even though Max came to Greenhill as a senior and was only a member of the Greenhill Boys’ Varsity Tennis team for one season, he helped the boys capture the 2017 Southwest Preparatory Conference title as the team’s line one singles player and a team captain. Max will be furthering his tennis career at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. “I’m excited to play tennis at a school that I am really looking forward to attend; the guys on the team are really cool and the coach is great.”
Rheagen Smith Texas A&M University
Rheagen has been on the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team for the past three years. During her senior season she was a team captain and was awarded the team’s Most Valuable Player award. Rheagen will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall where she will compete in the Southeastern Conference. “It’s close to home, so my mom can come see me play and it’s a great school.”
Jack Goodwin Millsaps College Jack Goodwin will continue his tennis career at Millsaps College in Mississippi next year. Jack came to Greenhill as a junior and made an immediate impact on the Tennis Team, playing line one doubles and helping Greenhill take home the 2016 and 2017 SPC championships. “I’m just pumped to be [at Millsaps] and to beat [our school’s rival] Rhodes.”
Kelsey Fitzgerald Hampton University
Nate Eazor Middlebury College
Kelsey has been on the Greenhill Varsity Cheerleading team since she came to Greenhill as a junior, and was a team captain her senior year. Kelsey will be attending Hampton University, in Virginia and will join the Pirates’ travelling cheer team. “I am most excited to be doing the sport I adore while wearing my school’s logo across my chest.”
Nate will join the Middlebury College tennis team next fall after a strong high school career. He achieved all-conference honors his sophomore, junior, and senior year and is excited to join a new team of players at Middlebury. “I’m excited to spend time with my team and get to know them a little bit better and just to get a really good education.”
Photos courtesy of Chad Wabrek, Preston Hollow People, and the respective athletes
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Boys and Girls Lacrosse place well in postseason tournaments Joseph Weinberg Editor-in-Chief
Both the Greenhill Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams have enjoyed successful 2017 campaigns with strong showings in both Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) and State competitions. On May 7, the girls secured the 2017 Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League (TGHSLL) Division II State Championship, the program’s first major championship in school history. This was the first time the girls had qualified for the TGHSLL state playoffs. For junior co-captain Brooke Allen, winning the championship was unlike anything she’d ever experienced on the field before. “I just started crying when we won,” said Brooke. “I’ve never felt that way, ever.” Junior Gabrielle Coben, the other team captain, also recounts being overcome with emotion upon winning the state title. “It was a representation of how far we’ve come as a team since the beginning of the year and since my freshman year,” said Gabrielle. “It’s an incredibly satisfying feeling, especially as a captain, to see all the hard work we’ve put in this year pay off on the field.” On May 6 and 7, Boys Lacrosse traveled to The Woodlands, Texas to compete in the state playoffs. They won their district and earned a spot in the the Texas High School Lacrosse League Division II Final Four after defeating The Woodlands (DII) and Austin School of Regents in their first two playoff games. “I knew the Final Four was always a possibility but it wasn’t until we beat The Woodlands that [making the Final Four] became a tangible goal,” said junior captain Max Kaiser. “The way we played together on Saturday and seeing the team come together for our next game again on Sunday made me realize ‘wow, we can really do this.’”
Photos courtesy of Chad Wabrek
TAKE STATE: (Top) Greenhill Boys and Girls lacrosse pose at their state sendoff before they left for their tournament in Houston. (Bottom left) Boys Lacrosses poses after a win against Regents School of Austin in the state quarterfinal (Bottom right) Girls Lacrosse poses with the trophy after beating Katy High School in the championship.
The team had not qualified for the state playoffs since 2013 when they also reached the Final Four before falling in the semifinals. Boys Lacrosse traveled to Katy, Texas this past weekend to compete in the Texas High School Lacrosse League Division
II Final Four. Log onto evergreengreenhill. org or follow @evergreenhornet on twitter to see how the Hornets fared in the Final Four. Due to a lack of SPC schools with lacrosse programs, the Greenhill Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams are unique in that
they compete in two separate competitions throughout the season: SPC games and District games. Unlike other Greenhill sports, if they qualify, the teams compete for a State championship in May after the SPC playoffs in late April. The Boys team finished with a regular season record of 11-3 with their only losses to the Episcopal School of Dallas, St. Marks School of Texas and Highland Park (DII). They also secured a fourth place finish at the SPC tournament in Dallas, the team’s highest place at the SPC Championships in over ten years and an improvement from their eighth place finish at last year’s competition. The team is led by co-captains Mason Marano, a junior midfielder and University of Delaware commit, Alex Rose, a junior midfielder and Max Kaiser, a junior defenseman. Max attributed much of the program’s success this year to a more selfless playing style among the team. “When I was a freshman, everyone seemed to only care about padding their stat lines, but this year we’ve played more of a team-first offense,” Max said. “The emphasis of the offense now is more about moving the ball around and getting assists.” According to Alex Rose, the success enjoyed by the team this year has set the bar high for the future of the program. “The seriousness of the team has increased so much from previous years,” said Alex. “The goal of the program is no longer making the Final Four. It’s winning the championship.” The Girls posted an 8-4 overall record for the regular season and took home fifth place at the SPC tournament in April. The program had not finished that well at the SPC championships since 2008, where they also finished fifth.
wednesday, may 17, 2017
The concussion chronicles
“Okay, Areeba, turn your head to the left,” my doctor instructed. “Sure!” I turn my head to the left. “Now turn your head to the right.” “Okay!” I didn’t turn my head. “Areeba. Turn your head to the right.” “I did! It is to the right!” I didn’t move. My head was still turned to the left, but somehow I didn’t register that. “Areeba, tell me again what happened?”
Tooth tales
Lying down on a cold, unforgiving chair with a bright light shining down upon me, I remained as still as possible, trying not to choke on my own spit. My skin crawled with goosebumps, my hands were cold and clammy and I had more nerves than I’ve ever had before. The anticipation in the room was palpable, like I could reach out and grab it. After a couple of suspenseful seconds, my dentist looked up, gave me her disappointed
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“I ran into the side of a stage while dancing during a dress rehearsal a little over 24 hours ago.” After numerous failed tests, I was diagnosed with a concussion and was sent home to rest. Thus, I would have to pause my junior year for a month to ensure a smooth recovery, which included missing my dance show, the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Festival, and all my school work. Easier said than done. I spent my first week at home, alternating between sleeping and trying to fight boredom. My own mind felt foreign and I was unable to concentrate, do basic math, or write or speak in a coherent manner. I cried at least twice a day because my concussion caused increased sadness and irritability, but there was nothing I could do to cheer myself up. I mean, how do you fight your own mind? My entire life I lived by the logic that
if something bad happens, then something good will follow, and vice versa. It was a way for me to stay optimistic through rough times and stay grounded when I felt rewarded for my actions. Therefore, through recovery, I kept waiting for a sign that things would turn in my favor, but it never came. Instead of a miracle, I received more disappointing news and missed more opportunities. Nothing seemed to be going well so I lost my motivation to recover. I was convinced my drive would only come back once something good happened to me. After about two days of sulking, I realized that I had to make things happen for me. Did I miraculously get the courage to get out of my pathetic hole and get on with my life? No, but I forced myself to make active steps to resume my life. Slowly but surely, I got some control of my life again and faced my problems head-on. (Well, not literally, of course.)
Mantras such as “Good times will come” and “There is always a light at the end of the tunnel” are true, but to live your life by them is a mistake. You can’t just sit around and expect good things to happen to you; you have to make them happen. Sometimes, all it takes is frozen yogurt and a change of attitude, and other times it will take weeks before you see “the light.” But, none of that matters. What matters is that you are actively trying to make yourself feel better, to get control of your life, and to make the changes necesary to get the life you want. As I write, my own set of “Concussion Chronicles” are still not over. I’ve made a countless number of dumb mistakes and I’ll be lucky if I finish the school year on time, but at least I know I tried my hardest to get where I am now.
doe eyes, and said, “Maya has a cavity.” Even though I should have been mortified because this wasn’t my first soirée with a cavity, or embarrassed because my dentist was a family friend whose children have grown up with me, I was most nervous about what my mother’s and father’s reactions would be. Most parents would probably shrug it off and tell their kids that they need to brush more often, but my parents were not like that. You see, I’ve had both the blessing and the misfortune of growing up in a family in which both of my parents are specialized dentists- my dad being an orthodontist, and my mom being a maxillofacial prosthodontist. It’s no fault of my parents that I’ve had a couple cavities. Since birth, they’ve preached the glories of floss and the blessings of a clean
mouth. They emphasize that the teeth in the back are just as important as the visible ones in the front and the perils of gingivitis and periodontitis. Around the house, in the car, and at dinner, I try to direct them away from looking at my mouth. They can tell how long it’s been since I’ve last flossed, how much plaque has accumulated on my teeth, and what I ate for lunch hours ago. I can acutely feel my parents’ eyes burning holes into my teeth when I’m talking. Before I go out they make sure to yell out, “I hope you have flossed!” They even made sure to pass out disposable toothbrushes and floss to my friends after a dinner we hosted before Winter Dance (nobody took them). Although I would never tell my parents, I enjoy the routine of brushing and flossing twice (and often three times) a day. I’ve had nights when I suddenly wake up with a
racing heartbeat because I had a nightmare about going to school with food in my teeth. I don’t feel good when I forget to floss, and felt utterly terrible the only time I forgot to brush. When my teeth are clean, I feel clean. In a world that often unfairly judges you for your appearance, my parents just want me to put my best *tooth* forward. I can never control peoples’ opinions on my dark skin or gender, but I can control my brushing and flossing habits. When they tell me to brush, I outwardly show exasperation and annoyance, but inwardly, I’m grateful that my parents are teaching me to take pride in my appearance. I’m thankful that my parents instilled in me the importance of dental hygiene, and I’m thankful that I have an amazing dentist. I don’t know if I will ever get a cavity again, but I do know that I will never be a dentist.
with football memorabilia. My most prized possession is the Tottenham Hotspur (my favorite club) flag that sits above my bed. Something about the sport speaks to me. I can name all 20 teams in the Premier league right now, as well as their managers, stadiums, and current spot in the standings. I can explain to you how the promotion/ relegation system works throughout all four leagues, and how the English Football League Cup is the most meaningless trophy in all of sports. I could go on forever about how N’Golo Kante is the best player in the league and don’t even get me started on how Mauricio Pochettino’s managerial swap from Southampton to Tottenham is the greatest thing to ever happen to North London. Disagree with me? I’m happy to debate, I have the stats to back it up. I can also define the many football terms so if you want to know what a “Derby,” “Brace,” or “Skipper,” is, I have you covered.
Perhaps the most peculiar part about my obsession with football though is that I have absolutely no idea where it comes from. I have no answer as to why I know all of this random crap about the sport. I can’t look back to one specific moment when I fell in love with the football or one aspect of the game that drew me to it. I love it wholeheartedly, but I’m not quite sure why. I am at a loss for words when I try to explain my intense passion for the sport to other people. After all, how many 17 year olds wake up at 6:30 am on Saturday mornings to watch 22 foreign men run around on a plot of grass for 90 minutes? I have so many questions regarding my love for the sport. Why did I choose the Tottenham Hotspur of North London to be the club with my unwavering support? Why am I filled with pride (and sometimes cry tears of joy) when a group of 11 men I have never met win a match? Why do I get so sad when this same
group of 11 men lose? I can’t articulate my passion, but who cares? I hope everyone is lucky enough to have some sort of passion that brings them as much happiness as English football brings me. You don’t need to be able to explain why you like it. Simply having something to turn to as a reliable source of joy can go a long way in managing the stresses and burdens of our everyday lives. All that matters is that it gives you some level of comfort. Having a strong connection to British football carries no greater significance, and possessing all this random information is meaningless except for the happiness it brings. At this point, all I can be sure of is that watching the Tottenham Hotspur kick the ball into the back of a net brings me an incredible amount of joy. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. That’s what a passion is all about: happiness.
It’s football, not soccer
I’m legitimately beginning to think that I’m a British boy trapped in an American’s body. Well, that may be a bit of a stretch, but one thing that’s for certain is that I love British football (soccer as you Americans call it). And when I say I love it, I mean it. I love everything about football in England. I avidly follow the English Premier League. I wake up early in the morning on weekends to watch as many games as I can. The walls in my bedroom are lined
afterwords
Letter to the Editor: Cindi Timmons responds to The Evergreen’s “Sexism in Debate” story
The Evergreen would like to apologize for the mispelling of Cindi Timmons’ name in our April issue as well as failing to address her by her proper titles. It should also be noted that Mrs. Timmons was not contacted for an interview as part of the Sexism in Debate story.
Dear Editor, As someone who has been part of the Greenhill community since 1996, I was glad to see the national award-winning debate team in The Evergreen. However, I was dismayed at the missed opportunity to fully explore and discuss a vital subject dear to my heart. As a recognized leader in the field of debate at the local, state, national, and international level, with three published articles and two speaking engagements this year alone on the topic of Women in Debate, I was surprised that I was not contacted despite my name being offered as a resource. Instead, I was described as “the wife,” ironically, a display of the sexist mindset the article indicts. This reductionist designation, though unintentional, demonstrates how pervasive
sexism is in society; it is that societal sexism that debate skills can address. There is nothing inherently sexist about competitive debate, rather, it mirrors society - the same sexism we saw so prominently displayed in the 2016 presidential campaign and debates, for example. Young women in debate can face similar situations as they engage in competitive speech acts where opponents seek to best each other using the power of rhetoric and research, “academic sport.” The Greenhill “bubble,” where diversity and tolerance are valued, is more protective than these real world settings where sexism, racism, and classism are rampant. However, debate offers the training and the skills necessary to learn to respond to society’s ills and to grow through those encounters with personal advocacy skills intact. Women who fully engage in debate have access to the support and training that helps them thrive in the world after graduation, where the workplace seeks to dominate or even silence the female voice. The welltrained Greenhill debate graduate has the
tools necessary to stand up for herself and to articulate her views with confidence and experience. Many of these women are now leaders in their fields and attribute much of their success to their debate training on the Hill. It is understandable that a young woman, possibly experiencing the first real challenge to her self-advocacy in a competitive setting, would be caught off guard (this happens to the males too, but sexist attitudes tend to benefit them more). In preparation for that first experience, advice is often shared about what might be encountered and how to best meet those challenges. This functions as more than debate coaching; it is life coaching. Women are NEVER told to “hold their tongues.” In order to provide more Greenhill students with these vital life skills, I began offering speech and debate activities to Lower School and Middle School students five years ago through the Extended Day program. I am proud to note that the last three years has seen female enrollment grow to the point where the girls are a slight majority.
I am hopeful that this early training and experience will help them counter the sexism they will undoubtedly face later in life. I write from a lifetime of experience with societal sexism. At one point earlier in my life, sexist attitudes and behavior conspired to silence my voice. It was my training in debate that ultimately gave it back.
-Cindi Timmons Board Member - World Schools Debating Championship Team Manager and Coach - USA Debate Team Member of the National and State Halls of Fame Texas Junior Speech and Debate Association - Founding Member Greenhill LS/MS Founder and Instructor - Speech and Debate Club
To read Mr. Timmons’ response, please go to evergreengreenhill.org
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wednesday, may 17, 2017
2016-17 School Year: By the Numbers
12
Sold Out
1,810
Tickets sold for Greenhill productions
Relentless Effort
4.7
Average place in SPC by all teams this year
The Show Must Go On
6
New Chicks
Baby peacocks born this year
Changing Course
17
New courses added to the Greenhill curriculum for next year Fresh Off the Shelf
28,809
Greenhill theater shows
produced this year
Reeling Them In
24
Greenhill films accepted into film festivals
Greenhill library books checked out this year
The Internship
47
Seniors doing senior projects this year Graphics by Amy Yang and Drake Heptig