september 28, 2017 volume 53, issue 1
the Everything Greenhill
evergreengreenhill.org
“Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to bring people together. We’re Texans, and we’re here to help each other.”
Tragedy strikes; a community responds
read about Greenhill’s response to Hurricane Harvey on page 4 Photo by Lt. Zachary West , 100th MPAD
Football hires new head coach Jacobs Hayden Sports Editor
Jake Middleman Asst. Sports Editor
Head Football Coach Casey Selfridge’s mantra for his players is simple: process over product. He has made his philosophy very clear since coming to Greenhill in the fall. Just look at the pinned tweet on the twitter account, @CoachSelfridge. It reads like this: “Process > Product, Process > Product, Process > Product, Process > Product, Process > Product, Process > Product, Process > Product.” Coach Selfridge’s coaching philosophy of “process over product” is simple. He wants his players to focus on the journey to the prize, not the end result. “When I first came [to Greenhill], I asked the kids their goals and the answer was to win an SPC title,” he said. “That sounds great but if the kids and the program don’t understand what it takes to achieve those goals, then they’re just
empty goals,” Coach Selfridge said. Coach Selfridge has taken over Greenhill’s football team in a much different spot than he did in his previous head coaching job. Coach Selfridge spent the last six seasons as the Head Coach of Lakeside School in Seattle. In his first year there, he took over a Lakeside team coming off a 2-8 season, and quickly got the team to their first state playoffs in over 14 years. His teams at Lakeside set eight overall team records and 27 individual school records. Last season under Tom Williams, Greenhill football finished with an 8-2 overall record (6-2 in SPC 3A), which was the team’s first winning campaign in 15 years. Highlights from last season include the Hornets 42-27 victory at St. Marks in the first game of the season, Greenhill’s first win over their archrival in 13 years. The team returns last year’s top two leading receivers, seniors Xavier Bryant and Kassidy Woods, but is without thier starting quarterback and running back
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from last season. “I came in and saw that they were 8-2 [last season], they had some really special kids, and that everything was on the upswing. It made me kind of pause for a second and say ‘ok. what am I going to add to this,’” said Coach Selfridge. cont’d on page 17
Asst. News Editor
Greenhill held a mandatory anti-racism training session for all school faculty in August prior to the beginning of the school year. The school’s six-person Equity and Inclusion team worked together to organize the training session. The Equity and Inclusion team is made up of faculty who work to ensure Greenhill is an inclusive environment for everyone.
The training was conducted by an organization called Border Crossers. According to their website, Border Crossers’ mission is to “train and empower educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in schools and communities.” As part of the training, faculty members from all departments were split into four groups, each led by three to four facilitators from Border Crossers. The day began with an activity where everyone introduced themselves and shared one word that encapsulated their feelings on the
Informing Greenhill since 1966
News Advancing Core Principles group redefines Greenhill’s core values of honor, respect and compassion p. 5
Features Photo by Zoe Allen
TAKING CONTROL: Greenhill’s new Head Football Coach Casey Selfridge leads practice for his first season on the Hill.
Faculty partake in anti-racism training Sonali Notani
Members of the Greenhill community weigh in on the events in Charlottesville p. 2
upcoming training. The facilitators gave a basic foundation of the idea of race, different types of racism, and racial identity to their faculty groups. Once the training commenced, a series of discussions were held on the history of racism. The discussions focused predominately around racism in America. This laid a basic framework for the second portion of the training.
A Q&A with German foreign exchange student Leopold Von Hanstein p. 7
Arts Two Greenhill students selected for the USA National Debate Team p. 15
Sports A breakdwon of the chemistry behind Greenhill’s offensive line p. 16
cont’d on page 6
4141 Spring Valley Road, Addison, TX 75001
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Rants & Raves
the
Evergreen staff editor-in-chief
Joseph Weinberg
executive editors A RANT to the alarm not going off in the MPAC during the false fire alarm. Given how much money and time went into constructing the MPAC, you would think that the fire alarm sirens in the building would work properly when an alarm is pulled. Let’s just hope none of us end up getting caught in an inferno in Rose Hall.
A RAVE to the character posters around campus. Sometimes we all need a little help sticking to Greenhill’s yearly theme. Now, with the addition of character to our goals to keep in mind for they year, I’m sure we’ll all embody a little more character as we go about our days.
A RANT to the new Outlook Webmail. What’s multicolored, white, and has the same user-friendliness as an actual labyrinth: the new Outlook, of course. No, I don’t want to create a group, Outlook, please just tell me where my unread emails are for once.
Zoe Allen Abbas Hasan
managing editor Lili Stern
design editors Areeba Amer Alice Zhang
arts editor
Riya Rangdal
backpage editors
Natalie Gonchar Caroline Simpson
features editors Ross Rubin Amber Syed
news editor
A RAVE to Greenhill’s Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. In the often-divisive world we live in today, it’s heartening to see so many people come together to help their fellow Texans. To everyone who’s helped with Greenhill’s Harvey Relief Efforts: thank you. Together, we’re making Texas a better place.
A RANT to the proctor table in the Learning Commons. The vibe in the Elliott Center now feels vaguely reminiscent of a principal’s office: we all sit, silent and waiting, as the proctor stares from their black watchtower, with an eye out for rule-breakers. These are learning commons, not detention!
A RAVE to 84 Point, the new coffee shop in Greenhill Towers. Looking for a way to relieve your stress without spending too much time, gas, or energy? Hop into this trendy new shop for an instant pick-meup.
Jeffrey Harberg
sports editor
Hayden Jacobs
views editor Maya Ghosh
asst. news editor Sonali Notani
asst. sports editor Jake Middleman
online editor-in-chief Areeba Amer
online executive editor Radhe Melwani
A RANT to the freezing temperatures in the Upper School. The day is hot, you say. A jacket will ruin my outfit, you say. As you pass into the History Pod, you are assaulted by the freezing air of the A/C. There are so many questions as you slowly freeze to death: Why is Greenhill like this? Why did I forget a jacket?
A RAVE to the new urinal in the men’s restroom. No longer will we have to wait awkwardly in lines to use the bathroom, no longer will we have to expend our exhausted bodies by manually flushing. Besides, the trash bag over the old broken one was unconfortable and disorienting.
A RANT to the long lunch lines. These days, you may as well bring a tent with you to the lunchroom given how incredibly long lines have been this year. You’d think we’re waiting for front-row seats to see Kendrick Lamar, but, no, we’re just waiting for a piddling serving of tofu. Content courtesy of Allie Frymire Photos by Rylyn Koger
assemblies and select Fine Arts courses, students don’t take advantage of the MPAC and its surrounding areas as much as they could. Students regularly gather outside to do work and socialize, yet they never do so around the MPAC. The patio and green space outside the Michael Manes Grand Lobby remain unused by the community, yet those spaces are prime areas for students to hang out “If there were benches or tables out there, it would definitely be more of a used area,” said senior Leah Witheiler. The addition of benches, tables and other gathering spaces would motivate students to better utilize the MPAC on a daily basis. In doing so, it would feel more a part of the Greenhill campus as opposed to a whole separate campus within its own. Given the time and money spent on the construction of the building, it’s understandable that administration wants it to remain unscathed from the hands of irresponsible students. But at the same time, the lack of
Zeenya Meherally
staff writers
Stephen Crotty Harrison Heymann
business manager Rishi Vas
adviser
Nureen Patel
asst. adviser
Staff Editorial: Integrate the MPAC Greenhill is physically divided. In February of 2016, the Greenhill community was introduced to the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center (MPAC), the cornerstone of Greenhill’s “Building Community Campaign.” With the state of the art Rose Hall, a brand new Black Box Theater, a new video production room and many other amenities, the MPAC was built with the intention of becoming the hallmark of Greenhill’s campus. Two years later, The Evergreen believes the MPAC is failing to live up to its status as the hallmark of the school. While the MPAC’s facilities have given Greenhill artists the facilities to excel and grow to new heights, the building itself is isolated from the rest of the community and daily student life. The physical location of the MPAC is obviously unchangeable, but the latter problem warrants the serious attention of the community. With the exception of F-Day
online broadcast editor
Dr. Amy Bresie
an inviting area around and inside of the building unnecessarily isolates it from the rest of the campus. “As it is right now, it doesn’t look like part of campus because it’s so new and big and shiny. I feel like people treat it that way. We are a high school, and it is ours so we should be able to use it,” said senior Mahima Akula. The MPAC is yet to be fully incorporated into the Greenhill fabric, which is a bit ironic given the focus of this capital campaign was “Building Community.” After almost two years, it’s time the MPAC become more accessible to students beyond fine arts classes and the occasional Upper School assembly. This building needs to provide more spaces for relaxed social interaction, thus fostering the community it was designed to create. Only then will it truly be the hallmark of Greenhill’s campus.
staff photographers
Annah Abedi Joshua Flowers Rylyn Koger Phoebe Metzger-Levitt
staff artists
Grace Doyle Drake Heptig Scott Wang Amy Yang
Have a response? Opinion? Original Idea? Email us at: evergreen@greenhill.org For the editorial policy visit our website at evergreengreenhill.org
thursday, september 28, 2017
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In the wake of recent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, Greenhill students and faculty members weigh in on a nation-wide debate about whether the use of confederate flags and Nazi symbols is free speech or hate speech.
I’m just a simple history and economics teacher, so I’ll quote Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes: “if there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other, it is the principle of free thought—not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate.”
- Adrian Martinez, Upper School History teacher
Confederate and Nazi symbols should not be protected under free speech. The arguments for seem to be pretty obvious, that both are symbols of hate that were used to oppress groups of people. This view is usually presented with two counter arguments. The first counter argument seems to be that censoring certain symbols is a slippery slope. This argument seems pretty ludicrous to me. Countries like Germany post World War II have instituted anti-Nazi propaganda law without the feared slippery slope. The only chance of a slippery slope to me seems to be the unthinkable notion that all symbols of hate and oppression might be banned. The second common argument, more in reference to confederate symbols is about heritage. This premise is pretty flimsy considering most confederate monuments were built during the Jim Crow and civil rights eras as backlash against widening of rights for African Americans. Why should a heritage of oppression and slavery be remembered? To me the reasons to ban such symbols are evident while counterarguments rely on faulty premises.
- Sam Grimsley, senior
I believe it depends, as there are always two sides to a story. America has been a place where people can speak their mind, and radical view points have been apart of that. Confederate flags and Nazi symbolism shouldn’t all be grouped together and put aside as hate speech altogether. At the same time, many individuals rally behind these symbols for hate and violence against others. With these two points, I personally believe it is based on an individual level. A person who hangs a Confederate flag from his or her doorstep is not infringing on peoples rights, and we should not take away what is his right. However, for those who go out and speak of harming others in the name of these symbols are stepping over the line that is hate speech. Just has other crimes go, give people the right to free speech until they step over into infringing on others rights.
- Kai Hashimoto, sophomore
The events in Charlottesville this summer serve as an opportunity for us as a country to not only look through a window to see the reality of different viewpoints represented in America, but also to look in the mirror and examine if what happened truly reflects our personal values and beliefs. Charlottesville puts a spotlight on the disconnect between the idea of how people think it should be and the reality of what is. Believing that people don’t think like “that” anymore or that in 2017 those ideas have been abandoned is dangerous and after this summer, it is no longer possible to be blissfully ignorant. It is also clear that no matter where you may fall on the political spectrum, most people agree that human life is valuable and that our principles have more in common than not. With that realization, you have to accept the challenge to take action.
- April Burns, Upper School Spanish teacher
Confederate and Nazi symbols represent racism, anti-semitism, white supremacy, and simply put, hate. Today, groups like “Sons of Confederate Veterans” and “United Daughters of the Confederacy,” claim to be doing some lord’s work to preserve an alternate history that never existed, where the Confederacy won the war, kept their slaves, and divided the Union. But reality follows that Lee and Jackson lost the war, Hitler lost the war, marriage equality was passed, so why do Confederate battle flags fly in front of courthouses? These symbols serve no purpose but fueling white supremacists, nationalists, fascists. If the presence of these symbols make equal citizens feel uncomfortable or concerned for their safety, there is no need to keep them standing. Public symbols of hatred perpetuate a dark American history, one that is masked as patriotism in many classrooms, and to keep them up is to turn a blind eye to the oppression minority groups have undergone and still suffer from. Karl Popper theorized that for a society to be truly tolerant, it must be intolerant of intolerance.
- Sudeep Bhargava, senior
The Confederate and Nazi flags make me ill. A few years ago, I almost got in a car accident because I felt a perverse desire to ram the car in front of me that brandished a large Confederate flag. These symbols have power, and they have been used to institutionalize violence and oppression. That said, I keep a Constitution app on my phone; I wear a special shirt every September 17 to celebrate Constitution Day; I pay my membership dues to the ACLU. I believe in the First Amendment that protects free speech even when I hate what is said. The line between free speech and hate speech is a thin one. Still, as much as these inflammatory symbols enrage me, I believe in the right to protest. If you need me, I’ll be in counter protest.
- Dr. Amy Bresie, Upper School History teacher and History Department Chair
Graphics by Grace Doyle
News the
Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications Office
TAKING INITIATIVE: Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas gulf coast, leaving around 30,000 people in shelters. Greenhill students took the bull by the horns, and worked together to collect items for victims of the hurricane. Donated items include diapers, baby wipes, toiletries, underwear, feminine hygiene products, and sweatpants.
A community lends a hand
Greenhill joins relief efforts to help victims of Hurricane Harvey Stephen Crotty Staff Writer
The Monday after Hurricane Harvey slammed into the gulf coast of Texas, the Greenhill administration team and Director of Service Learning and Community Service Angela Woodson sat around a table, knowing they had to act. The Friday before that meeting, on August 25, Harvey hit the Texas coast, heavily damaging cities such as Houston, Port Arthur and the surrounding areas on the coast. The violent storm has caused billions of dollars of property damage and left at least 70 dead. Harvey dumped 33 trillion gallons of water around the Texas coast and damages are estimated at around 180 billion dollars according to USA Today just five days after landfall. Similar to the response to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in New Orleans 12 years prior, Greenhill administration felt a strong responsibility to help in relief efforts. “Knowing lots of people in Houston, and lots of our families have family and friends in Houston, we have a responsibility to support and help in whatever way possible,” said Head of School Scott Griggs. On the Monday after Harvey’s initial landfall, students received an email from Head of School Scott Griggs and Director of Service Learning and Community Service Angela Woodson announcing that the annual Community Picnic was to be cancelled with funds given to the Red Cross for relief. Despite cancelling the popular Friday night tradition, Mrs. Woodson received a supportive response from Greenhill parents and students on this choice.
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You see it, everybody’s watching television, you want to help, you want to do something. That’s just the beginning. That need is great and those affected will be going through recovery and rebuilding for a long time.”
The press release of the cancellation on their Facebook page is the most popular post on Greenhill’s account, receiving almost 500 reactions and being shared 61 times. The only pushback came from the decision to donate the funds to the Red Cross. “In the past, there have been some problems with the Red Cross and allocation of funds, just some infrastructure things. But we’re standing by that because they’re on the front lines helping people during their greatest time of need.
When you look on TV, you see people wrapped up in Red Cross blankets, because this is what they do, provide emergency assistance during times of disaster,” said Mrs. Woodson. Greenhill also decided to make an adjustment to the annual Estelle Dickens Drive. In years past, the drive’s purpose has been to gather and donate school supplies to underprivileged students. This year, the drive is dedicated to collecting supplies to support hurricane relief. Efforts to help with relief have been divided up by division. The Child Development Center held a lemonade stand to gather funds to donate to relief efforts. Preschool has been collecting socks and the Lower School has been gathering baby wipes and diapers. Toiletries are being gathered by the Middle School and the remaining Upper School Students and faculty will purchase clothing and feminine hygiene products. Due to issues of space and shipping, Daniel Borochoff, president of CharityWatch.org, has said that, despite the importance of material goods, cash is what is most needed at that moment. Greenhill’s senior class is obliging that request, donating all funds raised for a senior gift to hurricane relief instead. The Class of 2007 had a similar idea, donating funds to Katrina in 2005 as juniors. Although Class Dean David Lowen said it is still too early to give a final tally of exactly how much money has been raised by the seniors, he says that the current amount is over two thousand dollars. According to Mr. Lowen, there was no pushback against the idea and, in a poll he created, 86 percent of seniors were in favor of the idea. Research is still being done as to the most effective way to channel that money for relief. “What they’re gonna do with it, we don’t know yet. We’re trying to figure out how we can donate it correctly,” said Mr. Lowen. One of the 14 percent who voted against the idea was Colton Bobbitt, a Greenhill student since kindergarten. “Just being here for thirteen years, I was hoping to leave an impact on the school. I voted for using the money to buy something for Greenhill, because I’ve been here so long,” said Colton. Although Colton was in the minority, he still supports the decision and acknowledges that the donation of funds will make an impact. In addition to the donated supplies and funds, efforts are being made by Greenhill Legends to gather backpacks full of school supplies to students affected or displaced by the storm.
After Katrina, Greenhill enrolled several evacuees from Katrina and if necessary will do so again. Greenhill has agreed to take in students from affected Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, schools such as Episcopal High School and The Kinkaid School. “I’m not anticipating any [students]. Their schools are back up and running now. I think most of the families want their children back in their home school. But if somebody comes knocking, we will certainly accomodate them,” said Mr. Griggs. Mrs. Woodson was faced with responding to the disaster in just her first week as Director of Service Learning and Community Service, emphasizes that Greenhill must stay supportive of those affected by Hurricane Harvey through the complete timeline of the disaster. “Everybody’s there to react immediately. You see it, everybody’s watching television, you want to help, you want to do something. That’s just the beginning. That need is great and those affected will be going through recovery and rebuilding for a long time,” she said. Despite all the destruction, Mrs. Woodson said some good can come out of this crisis. “Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to bring people together. It kind of levels us to the human race. Before Hurricane Harvey, people were focusing on what made us different. But after Harvey, I’ve heard, ‘We’re Texans, and we’re here to help each other.’ I think that’s how we should be every day, not just during a disaster.”
Photo courtesy of US Dept. of Defense
TRAGEDY STRIKES: Heavily affected cities of Hurricane Harvey include Houston, Galveston, and Beaumont. Red Cross has already donated more than $45 million in finantial assistance to over 100,000 households in need.
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thursday, september 28, 2017
ACP redefines school’s core values Riya Rangdal Arts Editor
This summer, Greenhill’s Advancing Core Principles (ACP) Group redefined the school’s core values of honor, respect and compassion. Led by Middle School Math Teacher Jaye Andrews, the group decided based on a campus-wide survey, that the definitions needed to be made clearer to the community. The new definitions are as follows: We live with honor through actions that model and promote honesty, fairness, and integrity, regardless of consequence, criticism, or the promise of praise. We live with respect through actions that affirm the inherent value in oneself, others, places, events, and the environment. We live with compassion through actions that demonstrate kindness and empathy for the physical and emotional well-being of others.
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We [ACP and Admin Team] wanted to share the definitions with our community because we felt it was very important to provide the school with clarity.”
According to Mr. Andrews, ACP’s goal was to modify the definitions to better fit the Greenhill community. ACP also wanted to make them more accessible to all members of the community. A campus wide survey that was sent out revealed that many faculty and students were unaware of how the core principles pertained to Greenhill life, so Mr. Andrews and the ACP decided it was time for change. “[ACP] drafted definitions of what we thought honor, respect, and compassion meant to the community, sent them to the administrative team to edit and approve, and the administrative team and we agreed that the resulting definitions fit the culture of this school,” said Mr. Andrews.
Graphic by Drake Heptig
Mr. Andrews said the ACP zeroed in on two essential questions while creating the definitions: What do we want to say, and what do we want to show so our definitions will resound with the students. The process involved three meeting over the summer with six students and five faculty members. The definitions were then sent to the administrative team, which consisted of Head of School Scott Griggs, Assistant Head of School Tom Perryman, Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Karen Bradberry and the respective school division heads. After a thorough examination, the administrative team approved the definitions with a few small revisions. Sophomore Veda Velamuri was one of the six students who participated in the summer meetings. She said partaking in the redefining of the school’s principles is her way of giving back to the Greenhill community.
“I felt that this is such an important part of what we do here what Greenhill was founded for, I thought it would be a privilege to give a student perspective on something that defines Greenhill,” said Veda. ACP, which was founded in 2000, feels accomplished because they reached their goal for the summer and could submit and distribute definitions for the beginning of the new school year.
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I felt that this is such an important part of what we do here what Greenhill was founded for, I thought it would be a privilege to give a student perspective on something that defines Greenhill.”
“We [ACP and Admin Team] wanted to share the definitions with our community because we felt it was very important to provide
Faculty undergoes anti-racism training cont’d from page 1 The knowledge gained from the morning activities was applied to theoretical in-class scenarios. This gave the teachers a better understanding of how to deal with these situations if they were to arise in a classroom setting. It also opened up the opportunity to spark conversations among Greenhill faculty about the way race is approached and handled by the school. “The training has been transformative; the meaningful conversations that people are willing to engage in now are increasing drastically,” said Dr. Bradberry. Former Middle School English teacher Bianca Anderson, who left before the beginning of the last academic year, is the Dallas-Fort Worth Director of
Border Crossers. She was the one who reached out and recommended that Greenhill do the training. Mr. Perryman, Dr. Bradberry and other administrators had attended Border Crossers sessions before and realized that Greenhill could highly benefit from a training session. Upper School spanish teacher Monsie Muñoz said she hopes Greenhill decides to go further than just this initial training session. “While it was impactful at the time and people are continuing to process it, the training can get lost behind everything else that we have to do. It takes repetition for something to really become ingrained or second nature,” she said. Greenhill is the first and only independent school in the Southwest to hire Border Cross-
ers to come in and talk about the concept of race and how it is manifested within the structures of society. Myers said the training sessions had a profound impact on him. “I think this was eye opening to the teaches and they were left wanting more. The Equity and Inclusion team definitely recognizes that, and we are deciding where to go from here,” Mr. Myers said.
Graphic by Drake Heptig
the school with clarity,” said Mr. Andrews. ACP has now decided on the new goals for the rest of a school year. Mr. Andrews said the group plans to meet once a month to discuss the rolling out of the newly redefined principles. He said the group is considering using social media as a platform for sharing them with the rest of the community so that prospective families can get insight into Greenhill’s core values. Now that the definitions have been made, ACP is looking forward to meeting their future goals. The ACP believes that even though they are satisfied with the definitions, they will need to be tweaked as the community changes and evolves. Their current goals includedistribution of the defnitions, creating Heart on the Hill activities that pertain to the core principles and focus on this school year’s theme, Character.
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6 news Competitive quiz bowl returns to Upper School Competitive quiz bowl has returned to the Greenhill Upper School under the leadership of junior Reid Zlotky and Upper School Math teacher Michael Legacy. The new Upper School quiz bowl team will tests student’s knowledge and various subjects. “Quiz bowl is a learning experience, it is an opportunity to expand and further your knowledge,” said Mr. Legacy. Reid said quiz bowl is more than just an entertaining hobby. “I think it’s a really fun activity as well as being intellectually engaging,” he said. This is the first time Greenhill has had a competitive Upper School quiz bowl team that will travel to compete. Middle School Match teacher Dr. Grant Mindle runs a competitive Middle School quiz bowl club however this is the club’s first year in the Upper School. Previously, Greenhill quiz bowl competed with other members on campus. Now, the Greenhill quiz bowl team travels and competes off campus. The club currently has about a dozen members that meet in the mornings once every letter day rotation. During meetings, the team prepares for competitions by holding mini-tournaments and reviewing specific topics in quiz bowl practice packets. Last year, upper schoolers Mohan Desai, Robert Gao, Reid Zlotky, and Varun Gande travelled to Chicago to participate in the Small School National Championship Tournament. They plan to compete in a number of upcoming tournaments in and around Dallas. “Quiz Bowl is important because you get to try new things. It is competitive and fun, and those two senses combined together make it a really good extracurricular to have,” said Varun.
Story by Brent Ladin, Lane Herbert, Mila Nguyen and Raag Venkat
Evergreen
thursday, september 28, 2017
Three major administrative changes for new school year
Greenhill partners with Anti-Defamation League
Greenhill has undergone three major department and administrative faculty changes for the 2017-2018 school year. Kendra Grace is the new Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Operating Officer. Her position entails not only overseeing finance but also managing facility operations, IT operations, security, The Buzz, Summer on the Hill, Extended Day and the Child Development Center (CDC). She also collects tuition, fulfills payments and pays for the utilities. “My mission is two-fold, it’s first to make sure that as an administration we are stewarding the financial resources that we have available to us in the best way possible. The second is to be a servant. I make sure that the teachers have the resources that they need to teach you guys,” said Ms. Grace. Her job is to ensure that everything at Greenhill runs smoothly. “You see the school side of it, but I see all the behind the scenes and the people who work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly so that you guys never have to see the hiccups or the bumps,” she said. Scott Rosa is Greenhill’s new Director of Technology. Mr. Rosa said Greenhill’s tech department is different from tech teams he’s been a part of in the past. “I really enjoy the variety and the large team I’m working with,” said Mr. Rosa. Returning faculty member DeBorah Henry is now the Director of the Child Development Center and Extended Day. Mrs. Henry taught first grade for 11 years, second grade for four years, and kindergarten for one year. “Since coming into teaching, I have always aspired to be a principal,” said Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Henry said the CDC is not just a daycare, but also a development center. “They are excited that I’m there. They are open and accepting and I love that,” she said. Story by Alyssa Miller, Davis Gutow, Kaylee Chien, Kevin Liu and Sonia Dhingra
Greenhill has allied with Anti-Defamation League Organization (ADL) in its fight for freedom of any faith and against future injustices that might come up at Greenhill in the near future. Greenhill began ADL’s “No Place for Hate” school program earlier this year. According to ADL, the program is designed for K-12 schools and encourages a change in school environment by activities designed to address injustice and encourage acceptance of all faiths. The decision by Greenhill to partner with the organization emphasizes the school’s commitment to ensure Greenhill students are being taught to advocate for groups who don’t have a voice. Director of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Karen Bradberry, said that students at Greenhill need to be taught to value humanity, “[Students] need to be the voice of groups who are silenced,” said Dr. Bradberry, “That’s what this school is all about.” Monsie Muñoz, the Upper School coordinator of Equity and Inclusion, said these topics need to be discussed as a school, rather than in small groups. “It’d be great if we could do a school-wide event, as we have been doing smaller, division-specific activities up until now” said Ms. Muñoz. She believes the partnering with ADL will help with Greenhill’s goal of becoming an equal and diverse community. Greg Nichols-Browne, the Preschool coordinator of Equity and Inclusion, said practices to exemplify diversity are already in place at Greenhill. “They develop appreciation and awareness for other cultures...some of the activities the children are exposed to include decorating a person cut-out according to their interest or where their family is from,” he said.
Story by Leah Nutkis, Melinda Xu and Tej Dhingra
the
Features
Q&A
Leopold Von Hanstein
Tell me a little bit about your family and hometown. I’m from Berlin, which is the capital of Germany. We live in downtown, which gives me and my family the opportunity to go, for example, to the cinema. I also really enjoy meeting friends, playing golf, tennis and the piano. What was your initial reaction to learning that you were going to spend your year at Greenhill? I was very excited about it. I applied for staying one year in the United States and now I am more than very happy to be here. Did you think that Greenhill students and Texans were going to behave or act a certain way? No, I was completely open to everything because I wanted to experience everything without any prejudices. What is the best part about being here so far? The whole picture. Everybody is so nice here and every class is so much fun. All in all it is a great atmosphere here. Do you have a bucket list? No, not yet, but maybe I should create one. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why? Maybe providing enough water for everyone. It is more social and would be helpful for others. What is the biggest difference between Greenhill and your school in Germany? There are so many differences. One for example is that classes here are longer in the afternoon. In Germany, we end at half past two. But here there are much more breaks and lunch is very good. What is something you are looking forward to here and why? I am looking forward to Thanksgiving, because we don’t have Thanksgiving in Germany. I’m excited because I have no idea about Thanksgiving, in Germany we learn in English lessons about what it is, but nobody really knows. And of course to the prom and homecoming, I look very much forward to it. If you had to describe yourself in three adjectives, what would they be and why?
ICH BIN EIN BERLINER: German exchange student Leopold Von Hanstein poses with the German flag.
Curious, interested, and open-minded. Curious, because I want to experience new things, to get to know new people, and learn about something new. I am open-minded because that is in my opinion very mportant to settle in every new environment. I am interested in new things, and in everything that is going on around me. What is your favorite movie and why? Oh, there are so many movies! There is one movie that is very good, the English title is The Intouchables. The movie is about a disabled person that gets help from someone who has now experience in helping disabled people. Together they have a lot of fun together. It was one of the most successful comedies in France. But I also like all the Harry Potter movies. How does Berlin compare to Dallas? Berlin is also very green, we have lot of forests and parks. The buildings are much closer to each other We also
Photo By Anaah Abedi
have a lot of pathways compared to Dallas where there aren’t that many. We have a stronger public transport network so that you don’t need necessarily a car in Berlin. We have a lot of cultural events in the evenings, like operas and theaters. Do you like operas? Yes, some of them are very good. We have a place that takes old operas and refreshes them and makes them modern. There was a new and very good interpretation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. What is the biggest difference in culture? We eat much more bread in Germany, and we have not only white bread, but darker bread. It’s healthier. There is much less sugar in everything. The first thing I drank in Boston was a lemonade and there was so much sugar in it. Germans are not used to so much sugar. Reporting by Maya Ghosh
The Fulton legacy learn and it’s not your job to decide whether or not they can learn, because they can. It’s your job to teach them,’” she said. At the forefront of Mr. Fulton’s values was the focus on approaching each student’s needs individually. “He was always very into individuals and respecting people for who they are. He really valued what people had to offer and he celebrated differences,” Ms. Parry said.
Amber Syed Features Editor
Ross Rubin Features Editor
Lower School teachers and identical twins Melissa McNally ’07 and Maggie Parry ’07 have been a part of Greenhill since before they were born. Their grandfather, Bernard Fulton, founded Greenhill in 1950. Both Ms. McNally and Ms. Parry joined Greenhill in eighth grade and graduated from Greenhill as students in 2007. Ten years later, Ms. McNally and Ms. Parry are teaching at Greenhill. Ms. Parry is new to Greenhill this year. She previously worked at the Frisco Independent School District and The Lamplighter School. Ms. McNally has been at Greenhill for two years, and previously taught at a school in Atlanta. “[Teaching at Greenhill] is something that the two of us ha been dreaming about for so long and it feels like we both have accomplished a lifelong dream being here,” Ms. Parry said. Both Ms. Parry and Ms. McNally knew teaching was the career they wanted to pursue from a young age, in part due to the values their grandfather instilled in them as children. “For us, it was always very clear that he thought education was the most important gift you could give to somebody,” Ms. Parry said. According to Ms. Parry and Ms. McNally, Mr. Fulton spent numerous hours with them when they were young and forged close bonds with both of them. “My favorite thing when I was a kid [was that] he exercised every day, that’s probably why he lived until he was
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[Teaching at Greenhill] is something that the two of us been dreaming about for so long and it feels like we both have accomplished a lifelong dream being here.”
Photo By Phoebe Metzger-Levitt
A FAMILY OF EDUCATORS: Ms. Melissa McNally (right) and Ms. Maggie Parry (left) have returned to Greenhill as teachers ten years after graduating from the school.
99…he would put on this like old little track suit and I would run around the house with him and he would do a lap around the house. He would pretend to stretch and I would do it with him and that was really fun,” Ms. McNally said. Ms. McNally said Mr. Fulton’s main piece of advice to her when she told him she wanted to pursue a career in teaching was to be sure to allow students to develop at their own pace. “He would tell me ‘just remember, every child can
Through generations, the Fulton family continues to educate. Ms. Parry and Ms. McNally’s father, Will Fulton, started a middle school in Eureka Springs, Arkansas in 1974. “As a student, I was very enthusaistic about teachers who challenged us and who communicated genuine interest. I became convinced that cultivation of enthusiasm for learning was a worthy and feasible goal,” Mr. Fulton said. According to Ms. McNally, being an educator is an especially rewarding job, because she helps people achieve their potential. Teaching at a school with Greenhill’s values makes being an educator that much more special. “I like working for Greenhill, because I love the mission of Greenhill. I believe in it, it’s shaped who I am as a teacher, so it’s nice to work somewhere that their mission and my personal beliefs about teaching in line so closely,” Ms. McNally said.
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the
Evergreen
One last time
thursday, september 28, 2017
Head of School Scott Griggs teaches math class in his final year Radhe Melwani
Online Executive Editor
Most students know Scott Griggs as the Head of School, but the 14 students in room US 301 can now add a new title to his appellation: math teacher. It has been ten years since Mr. Griggs has taught a class at Greenhill. Mr. Griggs stopped teaching Algebra classes in 2007 to focus on his priorities as Head of School. “I am loving [teaching in the Upper School]. I stepped away mainly because we were raising money for campaigns, building buildings, and I ended up missing too many classes for other meetings that I had to attend. So this year without any of that going on, I am really happy to be back in the classroom,” Mr. Griggs said.
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As the Head of School he always seemed like some big figure that just runs behind the scenes, and now that he is a teacher you can see how he is and what he does and that he is an actual person."
Mr. Griggs holds a major in Physics from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, and has taught subjects from math to physics throughout his career as an educator. According to Mr. Griggs, the decision to return to the classroom and teach Algebra was primarily made because the Upper School Math Department needed to fill a vacancy after three teachers departed last year and only two new ones were hired. Mr. Griggs said being out of the classroom for a decade has presented him
with a learning curve upon returning. “I will be very honest, the classroom has changed in the ten years I have been away, in particular with all of the new technology. I haven’t fully adapted yet so I am still a little bit old school with my approach,” he said. When students first saw their teachers when they were released in August, students who had Mr. Griggs for Algebra I said they were intrigued at the thought of having a class taught by the Head of School. “This is my first year here, so I was pretty nervous when I saw the Head of School was also going to be my math teacher. But the first day he was just super nice and relaxed and I had a good feeling about it,” said freshman Josh Flowers. “My class is a bunch of new people, so we were all sort of in the same boat walking in, not knowing exactly what to expect, but everyone has a really positive attitude in that class.” Some students did not even know of Mr. Griggs' other title. “I did not know he was the Head of School until my mom told me, so I was really surprised. I did not think he would take us on,” said freshman Grace Williams. According to Mr. Griggs, teaching Algebra I has allowed him to become closer to students and to connect more to Greenhill students. Although he stands out as the only member of the math department who is also the Head of School, he hopes his students do not act differently towards him than their other teachers. So far, he’s getting his wish. “As the Head of School he always seemed like some big figure that just runs behind the scenes, and now that he is a teacher you can see how he is and what he does and that he is an actual person,” Grace said.
Photo by Phoebe Metzger-Levitt
OUT OF OFFICE: Head of School Scott Griggs teaches an Algebra I class for Upper School students. This is his first time teaching an academic class since 2007.
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Evergreen
thursday, september 28, 2017
features
9
A spin on Spanish
Upper School Spanish teacher introduces electives with personal flare Abbas Hasan
Executive Editor
Every student in Jacobo Luna-Cruz’s Creative Writing in Spanish elective must keep a dream journal. Each morning, students in the class write down their thoughts and emotions before leaving bed. This project is a part of Mr. Luna’s philosophy in writing and teaching. He wants students to explore their emotions and thoughts to become better writers. As a writer himself, he participates in this activity as well. At the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year, Mr. Luna launched his new Spanish electives. The three new courses, Creative Writing in Spanish, Mexican Independence from Spain and Mexican Revolution and Consequences, replace MAS Cine: Cinema of Mexico, Argentina and Spanish in the Metroplex. The classes are open to all students past the Spanish IV level. Mr. Luna said he took on the change in electives because Greenhill students were not getting as much out of the Spanish electives as they could have been. He aimed to make the electives more substantive and challenging. “When I inherited them, I felt like I needed more content but I also needed engagement and something I was passionate about,” said Mr. Luna. “The students that I know have a lot to say, and I just needed to find a more solid way to teach them. I didn’t want the electives to be the easy way out.” Mr. Luna’s passion for writing and understanding different cultures started early. As a high schooler in Mexico, he wrote regularly in a journal and shared it with friends. “When they read it and liked it, I thought ‘Oh!’ this is nice,” he said. Since then, he has continued to write, journaling every day. This summer, he won a grant from Greenhill for a Creativity Workshop in Prague. The ideas and expertise he gained he plans to transfer into the writing elements of his new electives. “The more you let yourself walk into the waters of the unknown,… the more you get from this experience,” Mr. Luna said. “I chose the path of allowing student exploration and the chance to have choices for each of the three writing genres we are exploring: storytelling, poetry and personal essay.” In the first month of school, student have already seen how excited Mr. Luna is about the creative writing material. “He loves teaching kids. He loves seeing kids enjoy things that he is passionate about. He wants us to learn the way we want to. Mr. Luna really cares,” said senior Samantha Harberg. Of the three new electives, Mr. Luna feels the creative writing elective offers the greatest opportunity for individual growth. Mr. Luna’s approach to the creative writing elective is to encourage personal development for every individual student. “My focus is now on making students not think about the style or technique or the grade. I need the students to explore,” he said. Mr. Luna’s goals seem to be working. Senior Talia Klein is currently in Creative Writing in Spanish, and enjoys the freedom Mr. Luna’s class provides. “When there are no restrictions on the things we do in
Photo By Anaah Abedi
TEACHING TO INSPIRE: Upper School Spanish teacher Jacobo Luna-Cruz writes in his dream journal every morning.
class we are allowed to be in touch with our true creative selves which allows our minds to be free,” Talia said. “I think Mr. Luna is doing a great job at letting us feel free with our writing.”
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I chose the path of allowing student exploration and the chance to have choices for each of the three writing genres we are exploring: storytelling, poetry and personal essay.”
With the Mexican independence from Spain and Mexican Revolution and Consequences courses, Mr. Luna has two main goals. First, he would like students to question whether the Mexican-United States relationship is beneficial. Secondly, he wants Greenhill students to look multi-generationally at the consequences of the Mexican Revolution. “Being Mexico and USA in one mind, body and soul, there is always a dual bicultural battle as a MexicanAmerican. On one hand, there is a responsibility to educate people about the US when I visit Mexico. On the other, there is a need to educate people about Mexico in the US,” he said. Mr. Luna said his decision to create these two electives is rooted in his strong connection to his Mexican identity. Mr. Luna grew up in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico before coming to the US in 2005 as an exchange teacher in North
Carolina. He came to Texas in 2008 and began working at Greenhill in the 2014. “We don’t have a curriculum in the U.S. about stories of our neighbors. It’s very Eurocentric. Being in Texas, teaching students about what actually happened in Mexico and the is really important to me,” Mr. Luna said. Although the Mexican history electives have not started yet, students like Samantha Harberg are already excited for the new courses offered. “In all the years I’ve taken Spanish, we have never touched on the history of Mexican culture. We have always focused on language, grammar or food. I think it will be interesting to learn more about Mexican history,” said Samantha. With tensions between Mexico and the United States increasing, Mr. Luna believes creating understanding between different cultures and heritages is more important than ever. He plans to address these tensions in his electives and incorporate them into learning opportunities for his students. Mr. Luna is confident that Greenhill and its students will handle these uncomfortable topics well. He hopes his new classes can teach students to combat ignorance and embrace cultures different than their own. “This is who we are [at Greenhill]. Every person, language and culture is appreciated, acknowledged and celebrated,” he said. “When you move fear away, understanding comes.”
Safety concerns of student-faculty texting Areeba Amer
Online Editor-In-Chief/Design Editor
There have been multiple violations of faculty and student boundaries in the news recently that has compromised the safety of both parties. From exchanging explicit content to harassment, the news has prompted Greenhill to impose regulations against faculty-student texting so that administration can ensure the safety of both parties. Starting this year, the Athletic Department has banned texting between coaches and students in an effort to help regulate communication between the two parties. “[The decision] was proactive in nature, nothing had happened,” Mr. Wabrek said. “It was something that we felt was important moving forward because we wanted to make sure that we protect everybody and that communication is something always related to school.”
Previously, coaches and students would text frequently, but they now use the Remind app as their primary means of communication. Coaches and students will still be able to communicate, but Mr. Wabrek will be able to oversee all communication, so no contact between coaches and players is happening on an individual basis. Some athletes find this new change uncomfortable and inconvienent. “It’s really vital for me to be able to text my coach and to have them text me back,” said junior Kylie Quinn. “It’s just really frustrating when I have to bother a whole group chat with everybody else to talk to my coach because it’s this big inconvienence to the whole team.” According to Head of School Scott Griggs, this rule of no student-faculty texting was implemented across all divisions at the beginning this school year. “We have told [teachers] that we do not want them texting individual students,” Mr. Griggs said. “[Communication]
shouldn’t be really happening on an individual, private basis.” Some teachers and students in other departments still continue to communicate over text despite the rule. “Texting [a teacher] should be fine as long as the teacher is okay with the student texting him or her,” said senior Sofia Babool. “I still text my teachers.” Nonetheless, administration said that indiviudal texting between students and faculty remains a safety issue. “We do not want to put students into a situation where they feel unsafe and we want to protect faculty who have very good intentions, but perhaps aren’t seeing the bigger picture with it,” said Interim Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester. “We are trying to encourage faculty to have more than one teacher on a group text [in a third-party app].”
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The Evergreen delves into the pros Each year, millions of students from around the country submit applications to colleges in hopes of earning acceptance to their dream schools. As part of the lengthy application process, students send in their high school transcripts, report their individual passions, list their extracurricular activities and write essays revealing their personality. The majority of the application is personal; no two students have the same college application. However, one aspect of the college application process is designed to be consistent: standardized testing. Standardized testing objectifies a subjective process, according to Heath Einstein, Director of Admissions at Texas Christian University (TCU). The vast majority of colleges, including TCU, require that all applicants submit either the SAT or ACT, the two universally accepted standardized tests. As a result, over 3.6 million students from around the globe took either the SAT or ACT in 2016. While these tests are intended to assess all applicants on the same playing field, factors like money and student test-taking abilities do just the opposite. “There’s almost no better example of inequity than with standardized test scores,” Mr. Einstein said.
Cost
A 2015 study led by researchers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT) showed family income is the number one factor that influences standardized test results. The registration fee for the SAT with writing is $60, while the registration fee for the ACT with writing is $43, which excludes people from taking the test directly based on whether they can afford it. Eligible students can apply for up to two fee waivers to take these standardized tests, which grants underprivileged students a chance to apply to colleges. Wealthier students can afford to take the exam more than two times to try to improve their scores, which gives them an advantage over underprivileged applicants. Another financial advantage is presented to wealthy applicants when it comes to test preparation: the hiring of private tutors. Low-income families find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to SAT and ACT prep tutors. Private tutors come at a steep cost, and applicants who can afford months of intense tutoring gain an advantage over those who cannot. Slingshot Prep, a tutoring agency in Dallas that focuses mostly on the ACT test, charges anywhere from $160-250 per hour depending on the tutor. Slingshot does not offer financial aid, but there are special cases where a tutor volunteers their time. In addition to the rate for one hour, Slingshot recommends taking lessons for one full school year before taking the ACT.
According to Megan Rozman, a tutor at Slingshot Prep, students generally improve on tests after going through the tutoring process. She’s seen students raise their score by three, four, or even five points on the ACT. Because of this, students that can afford standardized testing prep classes have a far greater chance of receiving a higher score. Inconsistencies with the amount of test preparation offered invalidates the standardization factor that testing agencies claim to enforce. The Evergreen conducted a survey of 30 Upper School seniors who have taken standardized tests. Of the 19 people that responded, 18 people prepared for the test before taking the ACT or SAT, and 11 people used an individual tutor, meeting an average of once per week. Of the 11 people that used an individual tutor, 10 of the people said their scores increased after doing test prep. Senior Swati Ravi took the SAT after preparing and said she is aware of the flaws with standardized testing. “People who don’t have the money or time to sit in a test prep place for two hours a week can be at a disadvantage compared to those who do,” Swati said. There are less expensive ways to prepare for standardized tests. Khan Academy, a non profit educational organization created to help educate students through online tools, offers a free test prep course for the SAT in collaboration with The College Board. This course includes practice on specific sections and full length practice tests. Greenhill offers solutions to families who cannot afford expensive test preparation. Director of College Counseling Keith Todd said his department makes it a point to provide students with a variety of affordable options for test preparation. “We arrange for a test-prep class to be offered at Greenhill whose price is discounted for all participants. Also, in the information that we provide on testing on the Naviance platform, we list credible test-prep resources for low or no cost,” Mr. Todd said.
Fairness The SAT and the ACT are not designed to follow a particular high school curriculum, but rather to measure students’ strengths and weaknesses in certain academic areas. As a result, many questions on the tests ask logic and information synthesis questions that require prior knowledge of foreign concepts. “On the SAT, there are still a lot of trick questions. It’s less about knowing the material and more about knowing how to take the test,” Swati said. Even as a tutor, Megan said standardized testing is not a level playing field. “Not all people learn and think in the same way. [The tests] are written in a one size fits all format, and a lot of students don’t learn that way. They just don’t accurately measure a student’s intelligence or intellect,” Megan said. Additionally, some students experience test-taking anxiety, which they believe puts them at a disadvantage in the high-pressure test-taking environment. “Even though I do a bunch of prep for the ACT, I get into the test and have so much anxiety,” said senior Cate Baker. “It doesn’t show colleges whether I’m actually a good student, it just shows them that I’m really bad at taking tests.” The TCU admissions office recognizes that test-taking anxiety as well as the SAT and ACT’s structure can skew the representation of a student’s intelligence. They weight a student’s transcript far heavier than their test scores in the admissions process to get a more accurate representation. “The test scores for us are the last piece of that [academic] assessment. It’s not as important as the transcript,” said Mr. Einstein. “Because of some of the inherent flaws in the standardized testing system, it’s problematic for admission offices to overemphasize test scores.”
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thursday, september 28, 2017
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s and cons of standardized testing Test-optional schools In recent years, there has been a surge in the number of schools adopting the testoptional structure, according to FairTest, the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. A test-optional admissions structure allows for students to decide whether they submit their standardized test scores without facing penalty from the admission board. Some schools require additional essays or evaluations in place of test scores, while others don’t. Right now, the number of schools giving this option totals close to 1000, and Mr. Todd expects that number to keep rising. “More colleges are looking into various ways to measure academic talent and potential, including test-optional or test-flexible policies,” Mr. Todd said. Bates College, one of the trailblazers of the test-optional structure, has been using this test-optional philosophy in their admission process since 1984. A 20-year study conducted by William Hiss, Bates’ Vice President and the former Dean of Admission found data indicating little differences in graduation rates and GPAs between students who did and did not submit their scores when they applied. The survey conducted by The Evergreen revealed that Greenhill students are not necessarily applying to test optional schools to avoid having to submit scores. 12 out of the 19 people that took the survey said that they were not planning on applying to test optional schools. Of the four people that were, three said that the reason behind applying was not associated with their standardized testing results. Another major benefit of the test-optional structure is the diversity it brings to the applicant pool. Hiss’ study shows a major increase in the number of applicants who are U.S. citizens of color, international citizens, low-income or blue collar students, female, rural students and students with learning disabilities at test-optional schools. With a test-optional policy, money and distance from a test center are no longer crucial factors in defining a student’s application, thus increasing the chances of admission for a low-income applicant. “If we know that the students who fare worst on the tests on average are students who come from lower income backgrounds, whose parents perhaps didn’t go to college, and students of color, and if we have as a goal that we want to diversify our college communities, as many colleges do, then the very clear implication of the test-optional policy is to provide access to higher education,” Mr. Einstein said.
The Future Though more schools are moving to test-optional policies, Einstein said there is still merit in standardized testing. “In a climate where we want information that’s so easily digestible, using an SAT or an ACT score is probably the simplest way to try to assess somebody,” Mr. Einstein said. “We’re sort of all talking the same language.” Some Greenhill students also believe that standardized testing is still helpful in the college admission process. “Standardized tests are a great way to compare an applicant’s knowledge against other applicants in a way that is not GPA or transcript dependent,” senior Kyle Smaw said. While Swati said that standardized tests are not fair for all students, she recognizes that colleges need scores to put a student into context. “Schools enjoy having an additional data point to compare all students, even though standardized testing may not be the perfect solution,” Swati said. Mr. Todd said that while schools may reevaluate the role and weight of test scores in the admissions process, standardized testing will still continue to factor heavily in the minds of admissions boards across the country. “We will see more flexibility, but in the near future I don’t see standardized tests going away entirely,” he said.
Story by Lili Stern and Alice Zhang Graphic by Amy Yang and Areeba Amer
the
Special Report
Photo by Areeba Amer
STARTING OUT YOUNG: A family looks at the College Counseling Wall in the Upper School Building, where college counselors post posters advertising for upcoming college visits. This fall, Greenhill will play host to over 150 colleges, with visits open to interested juniors and seniors. There have been as many as 80 college representatives in one week.
The Matriculation Mindset Zoe Allen
Executive Editor
A Greenhill Hill Guide starts her tour of Greenhill for a prospective 5th grade family at the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center. She takes the family to the Middle School, showing them each grade pod, and stopping to chat with some of the faculty about what the Greenhill experience is like. The parents listen carefully to every word, but one question lingers in the back of their minds. Ten minutes into the tour, a prospective parent asks: “How many Greenhill students get into Ivy-League schools each year?” This is not an uncommon question Hill Guides face while giving their tours, accrding to Hill Guide Brooke Allen. Many families are interested in Greenhill’s college matriculation, especially prospective Greenhill parents. “I hear parents of preschoolers talk about matriculation,” said Head of School Scott Griggs. Greenhill students feel pressure to attend prestigious universities, given examples from prior Greenhill students, peers at other schools in the area, family members, and the college preparatory environment that is Greenhill. “The pressure to go to a ‘good school’ is everywhere,” senior Gregory Toudouze said. “Every time some people ask me where I’m applying, I always notice myself saying the [prestigious] schools. I say those schools
first, because I want people to think ‘oh, he’s smart, he can go there’, as opposed to my safety schools or other less prestigious universities.” Niche, an online research and review site, factored in Greenhill’s matriculation when publishing their “2018 Best Schools Report.” Greenhill was ranked as the third best private school in Texas, and number 39 in the nation in that Niche report. In the Texas rankings, Greenhill is ranked behind The Hockaday School and St. Mark’s School of Texas. Personal reviews, complaints, compliments, matriculation and a number of other factors all play into how the rank-
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The pressure to go to a good school is everywhere...I always see myself saying the [prestigious] schools. I want people to think ‘oh, he’s smart, he can go there.’ “
ings are decided. Mr. Griggs said the ranking has not weighed heavily in his mind because it uses parent and student responses to determine the rankings and does not have any “real qualitiative measures.” Having prestigious schools in the matriculation in each class is not on the forefront of the Greenhill agenda, according to Mr. Griggs. “One of the things that we stress here is
that students are finding a good match and the college that is best suited for them,” Mr. Griggs said. “We want to make sure that if you’re a qualified student and have done what’s necessary in an extremely competitive college admission world today, that you have appropriate choices.” Gregory said he has felt the pressure in college admissions in the Greenhill community. “People think so much about you based on what colleges you’re applying to. Even when I talk to my mom about certain colleges, she’ll say, ‘oh no, you’re not going there.’” Mr. Griggs said he has been impressed by the Greenhill College Counseling department handles the sensitive topic of matriculation and the college process. “They know not only specific colleges but specific programs at various colleges that could be fit for a student. They’re extremely well versed. I meet with the college counselors every two weeks and am always impressed with what they’re doing,” he said. College Counselor Keith Todd cares more about how compatible students are with collges, rather than the prestige based of a college based on reviews, rankings, or preconceived notions. “Greenhill’s message is about each student finding their own best match and their own pathway to the next stage of education,” Mr. Todd said. “We may think strategically in terms of colleges’ different admission rates, as we help students make plans, but
ultimately we are interested in each individual student finding the place that is the right fit. As the saying goes among college counselors, ‘College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.’” That does not stop Greenhill students from feeling the stress of the college admissions process, and feeling as though Greenhill is a competitive environment. “It’s not the pressure from an administrative standpoint to go to a top tier school,” said senior Ariana Luterman. “It’s social pressure, thinking about where everyone else might go.” Ariana said she also thinks about Greenhill’s reputation in correlation to college according to other SPC schools. “I have friends at St. Mark’s and Hockaday, and sometimes there’s a feeling of ‘how many Ivy League acceptances did Greenhill have this year?’” she said. Most students decide to attend college to further their learning and prepare for a successful future. Many believe that their future relies on where they go to college, but this is not entirely true. Gregory said he tries to think in the long-term when the process gets stressful. He knows that college is not the “be-all, end-all” of the future. “What amazes me most is that not everybody who goes to an Ivy League school does great things,” said Gregory. “There are so many people that didn’t even go to college, or to colleges that you may not have heard of that do amazing things. It’s what you do after that really matters.”
the
Arts National champion joins debate coaching staff Harrison Heymann Staff Writer
The team that has more national titles and championships than any other team in Greenhill history has added a former national champion to their coaching staff. Elijah Smith is Greenhill debate’s newest coach, joining longtime head coach Aaron Timmons and assistant-head coach Eric Forslund. “I’m here to supplement, not supplant Mr. Timmons and Mr. Forslund, to help when there is a gap [in knowledge], and to help the overall needs of the team,” Mr. Smith said. Mr. Smith’s style of debating is different than that of traditional debaters. Instead of forming arguments focused primarily on policy implementation, he creates arguments that address who has access to debate due to their socioeconomic status and race. Greenhill varsity debaters said they benefit from having coaches who approach topics in a unique way. “There are multiple different ways to argue and engage with opponents, so it is an advantage to learn about a variety of different argumentative styles [from different coaches],” said junior Anna Myers. Mr. Smith attended Rutgers University for four and a half years and Emporia State University in Kansas for one semester. As a student at Emporia State, Mr. Smith won the 2013 National Debate Tournament as well as the Cross-Examination Debate Association national championships. These
two accolades made him a member of the first debate team ever to “unite the crown” by winning the two major college debate national championships in the same year. “When I came into college, my coach asked me what my goal for debate was and I said, ‘I want to win a national championship,’ ” Mr. Smith said. “I never thought I would win a championship being, essentially from the hood in Newark, New Jersey, and I won two.” Mr. Smith has taught debate for five years. He coaches all three types of debate: Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and Public Forum. He has assisted debate coaching at Stanford University, Wake Forest University and The Collegiate School in New York City. During his tenure at Wake Forest, he led one of his teams to the semifinal of the National Debate Tournament.
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The only thing I wanted to do was debate. Students often find things other than classwork that they enjoy and they focus on that. For me, that was debate.”
Mr. Smith grew up in a single parent home with an ill mother. He said his difficult upbringing helped him mature much earlier than other kids his age. “I had many more adult requirements and responsibilities than I, or I think any kid really, would have liked,” he said. “People in the debate community helped me a lot and made sure I followed a good path,”
Photo by Anaah Abedi
NEW TO THE TEAM: Mr. Smith and his team of student debaters prepared for competition. Mr. Smith joins Greenhill as a two-time collegiate national championship.
he said. Mr. Smith also struggled to find a balance in high school between debate and his academics. “The only thing I wanted to do was debate. Students often find things other than classwork that they enjoy and they focus on that. For me, that was debate,” he said. Mr. Smith said he tells Greenhill debaters the importance of balancing their academics with extracurricular activities and their life in general. “He’s helped me not just with debate,
he’s helped me keep up with my school work and he makes sure I’m doing that so that I have the opportunity to debate,” said junior Chris Eckert. Recently, Mr. Smith has been directing the research of the Lincoln-Douglas debaters. “Immediately it was very clear that he knew he what he was doing and was excited about what he was doing. He is a wonderful, incredible resource to have,” Anna said.
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thursday, september 28, 2017
Two debaters selected for Team USA Natalie Gonchar Backpage Editor
Shreya
ical skills. The Global Symposium is an annual public speaking and debate workshop. The national team often has practice work online to accommodate the student’s schedules. On September 14 and 15, all nine members of USA Debate met for their first training session at the Addison Marriot Quorum Hotel. The team members reviewed on Team USA’s progress at the World Schools Debating Championship in Bali this past summer, discussing updates such as the forms and contents of speeches. USA Debate Team Coach Cindi Timmons said the workload shouldn’t be a problem for the students. Other domestic competitions that will be held this year include competitions at Cornell University and Harvard University. International travels begin in November when the team will travel to Germany.
Senior Shreya Agarwala and junior Brian Zhou were selected for the USA Debate Team, joining seven other high school students from around the country that were chosen for the 2017-2018 team. Throughout the academic school year, the team of nine will represent the United States in nearly a dozen of competitions all over the world, including New York and Germany. Hundreds of students competed for those nine spots, and two Greenhill students were selected through the multi-step process that consisted of essays, speeches and a final interview. The application process for the 20172018 school year began last April, and is open to all high school debaters in the United States.
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“After that its just the selection process—the anxious waiting and then having to figure out when or whether you’re accepted to the team.“
“After that its just the selection process—the anxious waiting and then having to figure out when or whether you’re accepted to the team,” Brian said. After finding out the results on August 24, the debaters both said they felt excited to be a part of such a unique opportunity. “It’s that sense of ‘wow I made it’ and ‘I’m honored to have this opportunity’. I’m also really enthusiastic on how it will play out during the year,” Brian said.
Photo courtesy of Cindi Timmons
DEBATERS IN BLUE: Brian Zhou (top left) and Shreya Agarwala (bottom right) smile with their new USA Debate Team, who will travel around the world to represent the USA.
and Brian are the first Greenhill students to be selected for the team since Mitali Mathur ’15, who made the national team for the 2015-16 school year. The USA team is coached by Greenhill debate coaches Aaron Timmons and Cindi Timmons. Shreya said she is excited to join a new debate team of students from around the country and not just Greenhill. Shreya debated for the USA development team last year for underclassmen since juniors and seniors fill up most of the spots on the national team. Select few freshman have made the team since the program
began in 2014. She debated with many of her current USA national teammates while with the development team. Brian has debated for Greenhill throughout high school as well as preparing with teammates and competing at local and national tournaments, earning him a 1st place title holder in the 2017 Woodward Lincoln Douglas Debate National Championship. He has also collaborated with coaches at the Global Debate Symposium’s summer workshops to develop basic debate skills like construction, strategy and rhetor-
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“Debaters are great at time management. I know Shreya and Brian are up to it, and we are excited to have them aboard.”
The nine-team members will compete in multiple domestic and international competitions, with a select five chosen to compete in the World Championship in Croatia and Slovenia in July. The select five will be chosen based on their success throughout the year and interactions with other teammates. “Debaters are great at time management,” she said. “I know Shreya and Brian are up too it, and we are excited to have them aboard.”
Junior releases new single “Care Enough” on iTunes and Spotify Jeffrey Harberg News Editor
Junior Jordan Lebowitz released a single onto iTunes and Spotify on September 1. The song, titled “Care Enough”, is Jordan’s first on Spotify. It is the third song he’s produced in his singing career thus far. “The song is about a relationship with a girl that didn’t prove her loyalty and trust in the relationship. She doesn’t seem to care about being trustworthy,” Jordan said. The writing process for the song began roughly a year ago, but Jordan took a couple months hiatus in the middle of the process because he hit a road block while writing. He came back to it a couple months ago and finished it, than he took it to a recording studio where he laid down a track with a professional producer. Jordan hopes that people take away the message of being proud of making the right decision and staying true to their integrity from his song. “Some people might interpret it as sad, but I hope they interpret it as me feeling self-empowered because it makes me realize what I did right and what this person did wrong,” he said. Jordan’s music is written purely based on real-life inspiration. He said writing music comes rather easily for him when he is motivated because he can write and think naturally when he feels inspired. “Without [inspiration], I sometimes
struggle to find words. That is when I set the music down because I only write when it is coming to me easily,” said Jordan. Jordan’s involvement in music started to take off when he was 12-years-old. He said he admired artists like Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars because they of their authentic voices and talents He hopes that people see the same authenticity in his music.
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“I feel like I can express my emotions and feelings in my music, so it is kind of an outlet for me. I like to feel free to talk to myself about what is going on in my life.“
“I hope people can really feel my music and hear my voice. I like when people can relate to my music; people who are going through the same kind of thing as me can hopefully understand what I am saying and feel the music,” Jordan said. Jordan said his music helps him clear himself of his thoughts by sharing his experiences with the rest of the world. “I feel like I can express my emotions and feelings in my music, so it is kind of an outlet for me. I like to feel free to talk to myself about what is going on in my life,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Lebowitz
HOLLYWOOD BOUND: Junior vocalist Jordan Lebowitz writes and preforms his second single, “Care Enough”. He has also released “How to Handle Love” three years ago.
thursday, september 28, 2017
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Dinner and a Movie Natalie Gonchar Backpage Editor
Caroline Simpson Backpage Editor
When we realized that both of our younger sisters were prancing around after they were inspired by the movie Leap!, we knew we had to see it for ourselves. We decided to venture out to the Northpark center AMC and catch the new animated movie, and were pleasantly surprised by our 8-year-old sisters’ recomendation. Leap! takes place in Paris, France, and we were awed by its distinct cultural ambience as well as the ‘follow your dreams’ moral. The story follows two orphans that each have big dreams: Felicie hopes to become a ballerina, and Victor is an aspiring inventor. Since our dream is to become Beyoncé’s backup dancers, we aligned nicely with one of the characters. The movie depicted many classic fable themes like true friendships, following your goals and never giving up. We happened to be the oldest people in the theatre that weren’t accompanied by small children, but were unexpectedly impressed with the content of the movie, including the comedic elements. There were parts of the film when we laughed so hard we started crying—we were by far the loudest laughers in the theatre and definitely got a few turned heads in our direction. It was Felicie’s quirky ballerina friend
Graphic by Cade Wetherill
LEAP INTO ADVENTURE: Leap! follows the stories of Felicie and Victor (shown above) on their intertwining journeys to pursue their passions, dancing, inventing, and friendship.
that had both of us on the floor. The movie was charming and the characters were likeable, including one of our favorites, the cleaning lady Odette, who had a mysterious past. She taught Felicie how to dance and improve her techniques, and of course, we loved Victor, the orphan with big brains and a huge heart—something that would come in very handy at a school like Greenhill,
given that our theme for this year is character. Even though the movie was laced with comedic genius, the best part of it was the passion that Felicie had for her dancing and the life she breathed into it. Her passion was contagious and it made us want to feel that way about something. So, we had a twenty-minute ballerina dance party in the movie theatre bathroom
before we left. The movie was set in France and the movie made sure that known. The characters went from having dinner in the unfinished Eiffel Tower to the top of the unfinished Statue of Liberty. The movie had beautiful French architecture and, much like the demographic of Paris, there were characters from all over Europe, including Russia and Ireland. If you asked us really nicely to go see Leap! again with you, we definitely would, but this time we would be eating croissants and wearing tutus. Your age doesn’t matter, this is an adorable, heartwarming movie that everyone should see. After finishing this movie we were super from of our movie snacks, but we still couldn’t get enough of the French culture, so we decided to stop by Joy Macarons in Lower Greenville for treats to satisfy our sweet tooth. The colorful and fun atmosphere was definitely Instagram worthy. With features such as the brightly painted window frame to the rainbow macaroons. The name Joy truly fit the atmosphere of the bakery. We munched on macaroons ranging from decadent chocolate to tangy violet and black currant. If you’re looking for an enjoyable, French filled activity, we strongly recommend heading down to your closest movie theatre followed by a JOYous meal or macaroon.
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Unsung heroes
Examining the chemistry of the Greenhill offensive lineman Joseph Weinberg Editor-in-Chief
Down in the trenches of Brinkmann Field on Friday nights, don’t be surprised to hear the names of various sushi ingredients coming from the Greenhill Hornet offensive line as they crouch down before the snap. The five linemen don’t have some sort of profound love for raw fish; the sushi ingredients are just one way they communicate with one another. “Yelling out the ingredients lets the other lineman know we are going to cut block that play,” said senior Mason Marano. “We don’t want to be too predictable because ‘sushi’ has been our call for the past few years so now we can yell any ingredient in any kind of sushi roll.” The Greenhill offensive line is a team within a team. Whether it’s working together through grueling practices in the heat, memorizing blocking schemes, calling each other out for messing up, or using sushi ingredients as code, they live and die as a unit.
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Part of being a good lineman is trusting that the person to the right and left of you is going to be there and do their job.”
The position is unique in that the five men work closely together on every down, unlike receivers and backs who often have individual assignments on any given play.
Photo by Joshua Flowers
BIG MEN ON CAMPUS: Starting offensive linemen Kevin Hoare, Mason Marano, Brennan Brown, Malcom Taylor and Mitchell Schindler working on their blocks during a practice.
“If you’re a receiver and you run the wrong route, they just won’t pass you the ball. But as a lineman, if any one of us messes up, the play is over,” said senior tackle Mitchell Schindler. Offensive lineman typically don’t get much credit for the work they do. Their efforts can easily go unnoticed by many fans and fellow teammates because they never physically have the ball in their hands. They also don’t have tangible stats to go along with their performance unlike other offensive positions. “Football is already a very selfless game, and being an offensive lineman is the most
selfless position,” said Coach Parker Ainsworth. Coach Ainsworth is Greenhill’s current offensive line coach and played on the line in both high school and college. “Nobody thanks you for doing your job.” Mason and Mitchell both said the quarterback is the only other player on the team who truly appreciates what they do each play. While they said they’ve learned to live with not getting as much credit as they might deserve, it can still cause some frustration. “We do a lot of the work and get none of the glory. We’re also the most criticized and don’t really get credit,” Mason said. “It kinda
sucks.” The linemen rely on a strong chemistry between one another to maximize success on the field. Coach Ainsworth said he tries not to rotate the offensive lineman in and out of the game very often in an effort to maintain good chemistry between the five of them. He said he wants to keep them together as much as possible to keep a continuity and consistency on the line. “Part of being a good lineman is trusting that the person to the right and left of you is going to be there and do their job,” said junior lineman Kevin Hoare. “The chemistry comes with experience
and practicing our schemes and picking up blitzes over and over again.” According to the linemen, the position is deceptively exhausting. Although they aren’t sprinting down the field on every play like a wide receiver, they have to go up against a fellow big man every play, taking a toll on their energy level throughout the game. In Greenhill’s case, the linemen often go up against bigger opponents. Kevin said he is usually tasked with blocking people who have at least 40 pounds on him and a couple of inches in height as well. Despite the exhaustion and lack of recognition that comes with the job, the offensive linemen still manage to have fun down on the line of scrimmage, hence the sushi communication example. “I’ve been saying ‘spicy tuna’ recently to alert the guys,” Mason said. “Mitchell has been going with ‘unagi’.” While they have their fun on the line, they don’t lose sight of their worth and importance to the team. Because the position lends itself to a lot of scrutiny, the five linemen are hard on one another, always holding each other accountable if one of the five messes up. “We have to hold each other to high standards because we are the heartbeat of the team,” said junior guard Kevin Hoare. Coach Ainsworth recognizes the importance of the position he coaches. “There’s a reason the left tackle is the second highest paid position in the NFL,” he said.
The athletic-academic relationship
Jeffery Harberg
News Editor
Junior JT Herrscher leaves home at 6:30 a.m every morning to begin his hour-long commute to school. After a long day of AP classes, he goes to football practice and typically doesn’t get home until around 9:00 PM, when he begins his Calculus and Physics homework. The Greenhill Athletic Department is trying to make sure students like JT’s voices can be heard, so that they can effectively help students fulfill their responsibilities as both students and athletes. The Greenhill athletics department is working to incorporate student feedback into their programs and teams in an effort to reduce student stress levels. Head of Athletics and Physical Education Chad Wabrek said the department plans to include a student/head coach meeting at the end of every sports season and will make more of an effort to reduce time missed in class by scheduling games later in the school day thus preventing early dismissals from class.
“Academics, arts and athletics are like an equilateral triangle here at Greenhill; each side is just as strong,” Mr. Wabrek said. Mr. Wabrek said the Athletic Department wants the students involved as much as possible in the process of communication between the Athletic Department and students. He knows feedback from the students themselves is essential to relieving Greenhill student-athlete stress. Mr. Wabrek said that when a student brings a concern up to the athletics department, he wants the student to feel as if they have been responded to thoroughly. “Just being heard does not make the students believe in the process [of communication] as much as I want them to believe in it,” he said. “Student needs to be responded to.” Student athletes are starting to notice the hard work that the coaches and administration are putting in to involve them in athletics decisions. “I think that the coaches do a good job of listening to us if we come to them with something. Teachers and coaches know that we do a lot at Greenhill,” JT
said. “Being in a sport can put you in a bind but in the end you are definitely able to do both.” Senior Walker Mullen has noticed an increased effort in coaches trying to accomadate to academic schedules. “Coaches always say that academics come first. I once told Coach [Kevin} Barnicle I had to make up a test during a practice before a game and he was cool with
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Just being heard does not make the students believe in the process [of communication] as much as I want them to believe in it...students needs to be responded to.”
that, which is incredible,” Walker said. Girls varsity basketball coach and Upper School math teacher Darryn Sandler has a unique view of the student-athlete experience because he sees it from both the academic and athletics perspective. He said that the studentathlete experience has become easier to navigate for Greenhill students in recent years. “There is now better communication between coaches
Graphic by Scott Wang
and Upper School teachers. When a student is having issues in academics, the teacher can communicate that with the advisor, and/or coaches, just like in the athletics world the coach would communicate that to the advisor and/or teachers,” said Sandler. The Athletic Department has organized programs in the past to try and improve the communication between students, coaches, and teachers. The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) was up and running at the beginning of Coach Wabrek’s term before it was canceled a few years ago. It was a way for students to be involved in the athletics department and voice their concerns/suggestions. “It was an opportunity for us
to get feedback from the kids from thier other peers and say, ‘Hey what are you hearing?’...We are hoping to reinstitute SAAC because I think that there is a need for that,” Mr. Wabrek said. Mr. Wabrek said it became hard to schedule SAAC meetings due to members’ busy schedules, which ultimately forced the program to shut down. Mr. Wabrek said he wants to reinstate SAAC this year. The changes are taking time, but the students and coaches are seeing improvements in the communication. “[The coaches] are all accommodating and understand that we are student-athletes,” Mullen said.
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From Seattle to Spring Valley Casey Selfridge takes over the Greenhill Football
cont’d from page 1 Coach Selfridge has used positivity to reach and motivate his players since taking over the team. He said he has become more optimistic in his coaching style as he as grown as both a coach and educator. “You must coach [players] to the vision of what he can be not of what you think he is or what you think they are,” he said. His players said they appreciate the positivity he brings. Senior wide receiver Kassidy Woods noted a shift in culture from Coach William’s style. “Coach Selfridge is more of a calm and collected type, compared to Coach Williams,” said Kassidy. “He is straightforward and if you don’t get something he will teach it to you patiently.” In his first year, Coach Selfridge has made it a priority to improve parts of the program off the field, which he thinks will translate to greater success on Friday nights in the future. One way he plans to improve off the field is by building a stronger relationship between the middle and high school football programs. Coach Selfridge said streamlining the program philosophy from seventh grade all the way to the varsity team will ensure all players and coaches are on the same page as they move through the program.
any given day,” he said. “That has always stuck with me when I’ve coached,” he said. Although his Friday night debut did not go as planned as the team suffered an overtime loss against St. Marks, Coach Selfridge took a lot of positives out of the closely contested game. “It was two good schools competing,” he said. We made a couple errors and left a few things out there but when I talked to my guys after that, I said I would much rather have that environment in game and learn a whole lot about us than have a blowout of our two scrimmages and still not really know what we need to fix or where I need to get better and where our kids need to get better.”
Photo courtesy of Josh Flowers
PROCESS OVER PRODUCT: Coach Selfridge instructs the offense during a practice before Greenhill’s game against Oakridge. Greenhill ended up winning that game 27-26, moving them to 2-0 in conference play.
“Anybody could’ve walked in here and been successful this year,” he said. “It’s the long-term stuff that will need the work.” Another change Coach Selfridge has had to deal with is the size of Greenhill’s football program compared to that of Lakeside’s. At Lakeside, Coach Selfridge only had 15 players on his roster when the season started and the
team ended with just 19 total on the team. With 38 on the Greenhill roster this year, he has more than double the number of players to incorporate into his squad. Although Greenhill has more players than he is used to, Coach Selfridge instills in his players that to have success, they need to buy into the team and its goal, not individual records and statistics.
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The number of TD passes thrown by Jake Webster
By the numbers: Greenhill Football
384
The number of all purpose yards by Xavier Bryant.
81
The number of yards on Kassidy Woods’ longest reception of the season
His consistent “we-can-doit” attitude comes from his days of playing high school football. As an 190 lb offensive lineman, he played with a group of kids who he said on the surface looked like “underachievers.” His small numbered team went on to win the Washington State Championship. “We understood that our eleven could beat anybody on
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You must coach [players] to the vision of what he can be not of what you think he is or what you think they are.”
At press time, Coach Selfridge has the Hornets at 2-1 overall and 2-0 in SPC 3A play. The team has five games left in the season, including a marquee matchup at Cisterican on October 27th. Cistercian knocked the Hornets out of SPC playoff contention last season.
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Fall Sports Update Cross-country’s girls team placed first in the Luke’s Locker Six-Mile Relay
on August 26, while the boys placed seventeenth out of 43 teams. Cross-country had their first seasonal meet in Austin at St. Andrew’s School the weekend of September 9. The girls finished eighth out of 20 and the boys finished tenth out of 18. The next weekend they travelled to Flower Mound and competed against schools from all over the state of Texas including division 5A and 6A schools. Sophomores Kaiti Ness and Maddie Hatfield ran in the Elite Varsity Division, and Kaiti Ness earned 4th place and Maddie Hatfield 14th place, putting both of them in the top 20 against large public school competitors. Daniel Brickman led the boys team, finishing 17th in the boys Elite Varsity race. Photo courtesy of Joe Monaco
Boys volleyball currently sits at 7-1 this season. They defeated rivals St. Marks
three sets to none and have also beat the Casady School, who defeated them in last year’s SPC championship match. The boys swept Fort Worth Country Day on September 19 with a 3-0 victory, holding the falcons below 16 points in each set. This year’s team consists of 11 players. Senior captain Barrett Winchell has 94 kills, 30 digs, 20 aces, and nine blocks, through only eight games.
Photo courtesy of Tim Kaiser
Football holds a record of 2-1 thus far, with a 2-0 record in SPC 3A counter games.
They began their season with a 21-20 loss to St. Marks, but bounced back with a 33-6 win on the road at Casady in Oklahoma City. Quarterback Jake Webster threw for five touchdowns in that game. The following Friday, the Hornets came out with a 27-26 win on the road at the Oakridge School. Senior wide receiver Kassidy Woods led the Hornets air raid offense that game, hauling in two touchdowns. “The team is looking very strong. We’re excited for this season and we have high expectations,” said junior linebacker and wide receiver JT Herrscher regarding the team’s upcoming games. Photo courtesy of Joshua Flowers
Girls volleyball has begun their defense of last year’s SPC title with a 4-15
record. They kicked off the season in the Nike Tournament the weekend of August 5. As the only private school in the tournament, the team placed twenty-first of the 50 teams that competed. Head Coach Tatiane Deibert is optimistic about the team’s chances this year despite losing last season’s team MVP Ellen Margaret Andrews. “This has been my most energetic team -- we don’t lack work ethic, all we need are reps and patience,” said Coach Deibert. Senior co-captain Jessica Pugh recently committed to play Division I volleyball at Hampton University. She currently leads the team with 83 kills and 25 aces in the season. Photo courtesy of Natalie Nieman
Field Hockey has begun their 2017 campaign with a 3-5 record, with highlight
wins against Oakridge and Hockaday. Senior captain Gabrielle Coben has six assists and one goal so far this season. “We have an amazing group of girls. Even though we have a young team our chemistry is better than it has been in the past several years, and I really hope that will carry over to the games for the wins,” she said. The team traveled to Houston the weekend of September 16, going 1-1 in two games against St. John’s School and The Kinkaid School. Photo courtesy of Tim Kaiser
story by Caroline Simpson
thursday, september 28, 2017
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senior columns
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Thrifting for wisdom
There is nothing more rewarding than finding the perfect pair of jeans at a random store that costs less than the coffee you just bought. This summer, I found my most prized clothing items in the form of two hats: a bejeweled bucket hat that reads “HOT” in all capitalized letters, and a Cowboy hat with a gold “Z” on it, more commonly
known as a “Zorro hat”—but to me, it was destiny—finding a hat with the first letter of my name on it in a thrift store in the middle of West, Texas. Thrift shopping is an entirely different animal than stepping into a Nordstrom’s or H&M—it’s serendipity. Everyone knows what department stores sell, but at thrift stores, there’s no telling what you’ll find. High points in thrift shopping are unlike any other high points, which make the low points of thrift shopping lower than most regular shopping lows (my yellow Ralph Lauren Polo jacket is a high, whereas the cheetah print tankini I’ve seen is a low). Thrift stores don’t confine themselves to a certain label; they constantly keep shoppers on their toes and you never know what to expect, or what you’ll find. When you find the perfect item, it
makes it that much better. Thrift shopping is a metaphor for how I live my life: I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, to embrace spontaneity, to relish in the unknown, and to seek adventure. That’s probably why I love thrift shopping so much—it’s a direct manifestation of my life. Thrifting can also be wildly disappointing. Often times I come out of stores with nothing new, walking side by side with friends who have struck gold. The whole experience is a lot sadder for me than it should be, comparable to losing a sports game or not doing well on an assignment, because it’s failure. Some might wonder why I like thrifting so much if half of the time I fail at it, which brings me to why it is important that thrift shopping is ambiguous—life is full of joy
and sadness, success and failure, discovery and roadblocks. Most people aim to be eternally happy, not wanting to experience unpleasant emotions or hardships. But what is life without these feelings? Without the setbacks, joy would not be as powerful. Incredible feelings are made incredible because of how they are in comparison to everything else. It’s all relative, and the despondency people feel is equally as important as the wonder that people feel. It can be difficult to understand this at times, and I know it has been for me. Seeing people on Snapchat at parties that I wasn’t invited to is responsible for my lows, but I realize quickly after that I have plenty of highs to counter those feelings. After all, I can always go thrift shopping.
When my white friends ask me to go to dinner, religious holidays often force me to decline. Explaining their significance usually results in my friends laughing at me. They laugh at the mythology of the Hindu religion. They mutter in English, “You celebrate a god that killed his own son and replaced his head with one of an elephant?” Instead of getting angry, I choose to laugh with them. Although my Indian and American friends attempt to comprehend my experience, I recognize this as an impossibility. My family lives in two polar opposite worlds. While this is difficult, we still maintain our identity while living in both cultures. I believe in the importance of Sunday Night Football because I know that I participate in the quintessential American experience while staying true to my roots.
This is why our Sunday nights are so sacred. In those couple of hours, we honor both cultures, and we accept both societies without worry that one will champion our lives more than the other. We remember our origins and embrace the world that we now live in. I never used to like Indian food because the smells nauseated me, and the spices irritated me. And although that is reason enough to dislike the food, my main irritation surrounded the guilt that I felt when eating Indian food. I felt like eating it meant cheating on the society that I lived in. But now, I feel at ease because I understand that only a small part of my identity relates to my ethnicity or my nationality. I’m so much more than an Indian with American citizenship, and those labels no longer have power over me.
camera, proud of their hatred. I heard the chants. The chants of “Jews will not replace us” and “blood and soil” ringing throughout the University of Virginia’s campus, each voice evoking the atrocities of Nazi Germany. I saw neo-Nazis, hundreds of them, marching with confidence. I saw hate not on “many sides”, but very clearly on one. But this was not so clear to everyone. The neo-Nazis accomplished their goal that night. I, like many other Americans, went to bed terrified. Not only terrified of the neo-Nazis, but terrified of my country; a country whose leadership has appointed Nazi sympathizers to work in the White House and pandered to white supremacists. What happened in Charlottesville transcends partisan politics. This is no longer about Trump or Hillary, Conservative or Liberal. This is about human decency. It’s about respecting the most basic of human
rights. This is about making the easy distinction between what’s fundamentally right and fundamentally wrong. There are not two sides. My fear of neo-Nazis is not rooted in my Judaism, or my political views. My fear of neo-Nazis is rooted in my humanity. It’s rooted in a basic human empathy that all people should have towards one another. It’s a shame that we, liberals, and conservatives alike, are so quick to jump to political implications and point fingers after what took place in Charlottesville. Why has it been so painstaking for the White House to come out and acknowledge the fact that neoNazis are bad? And yes, people who march around celebrating the mass murder of 11 million innocent people are objectively bad. This isn’t rocket science. It kills me to see our president label the media’s condemnation of neo-Nazis as evidence of a “lying,” “liberal,” and “politically correct,” mainstream media. It’s
not fake news, Mr. President. It’s responsible news. Journalists have a responsibility to hold institutions accountable. That includes calling bigotry out for what it is. As a journalist, I’ve always been taught the importance of impartiality, but I find it increasingly difficult to stay neutral given the unprecedented level of bigotry pervading our country. As a reporter, my gut tells me to give people equal credibility when conflicts arise, but that’s impossible for me to do in a circumstance like this. It would be ignorant of me to not speak out when one side is so clearly in the wrong. If I do remain neutral and stay silent as our president continues to project, promote and condone bigotry across the country, I know I’ll be on the wrong side of American history. So, I won’t be silent. Not now. Not ever. And I hope you won’t be either.
Plano, I get laughs and weird looks. People are quick to judge. They claim Plano to be boring, flat, and too far from Dallas. I disagree. Although at first glance, Plano might not be the most interesting or exciting part of the metroplex. It’s special to me. Growing up as a first generation Pakistani-American, my parents have always tried to instill Pakistani values in me. I eat Pakistani food, wear Pakistani clothes, speak Urdu and practice Islam. At the same time, I value my Texan culture equally. I am in the stands for Friday Night Lights, I go all out for Homecoming and I live on Tex-Mex. There are thousands of first generation South Asians in Texas just like me who strive to connect their South Asian roots to the Texas culture they have grown up in. Plano is
a haven for those like me who combine and celebrate the two cultures. In my neighborhood, every house to the left and right of mine is occupied by an Indian or Pakistani family. The local movie theater plays Bollywood films and sells samosas. Stores like India Bazaar or Patel Brothers that sell anything you could want from the Indian Sub-Continent are less than ten minutes from my house. Plano is a place where my culture and people have established themselves. It’s a place where my two seemingly distinct identities have found a way to coexist. I value Plano because here I have not had to sacrifice my heritage to become a part of Texas and American culture. Plano has let me nurture two unique sides of who I am. When I look at the United States now, I
am scared. A rise in intolerance, xenophobia, and Islamophobia has swept the nation. I fear for people like me. People easily negate South Asian culture and values as extremist. In the coming years, I only imagine this challenge increasing. It’s places like Plano that give me faith. I believe that the tightlyknit South Asian community can confront and overcome the ignorance we face. In a time when South Asians seem to only get bad press, I love Plano because it is place where coexistence thrives and my culture is celebrated. My people have settled here and flourished, creating a piece of their homeland in the United States. It may be flat and boring to some, but to me, Plano truly is “The City of Excellence.”
Sunday night culture fight
On Sunday nights like millions of Americans nationwide, my family sits down to watch Sunday Night Football. From the theme song at the beginning of the program to the storming of the field after the last play, my family remains engaged in every moment of it. And despite the importance of football to the well-being of our nation, most of our friends remain uninterested when watching
men angrily tackling one another. And unlike most avid football watchers, we never eat the typical game-day snacks such as wings, or other junk foods. We instead eat mangsho and dal bhat on Sunday nights, the only day of the week we eat Indian food. This clash of Indian and American culture has evolved into a tradition in my family: Sunday Night Football and Indian food. I’m Indian-American, and I could never hide it. My hair, skin color, eyes, and body shape give me away, and give people stereotypes of me before a word ever comes out of my mouth. When I attempt to speak to my Indian friends in Hindi or Bengali, they laugh at my thick American accent. They laugh at my discomfort in traditional Indian clothing. They mutter in Hindi, “Who does this girl think she is? White?”
No time for neutrality
As I climbed into bed, I logged onto Twitter like any other night, hoping to get a nice dose of memes and ClickHole headlines in my system before dozing off. It was on Twitter where I first saw the horror. I saw the tikki-torches illuminating the eerie night sky, each torchlight a symbol of unrelenting bigotry. I saw the faces of bigotry in this country, no longer disguising themselves in white hoods, but instead staring directly into the
Plano pride
I love Plano. It has been my home for the past four years and I’ve loved every moment of it. Driving past the enormous water tower by my house that bears the motto, “Plano, the City of Excellence” always makes me happy. When I tell my friends of my love for
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thursday, september 28, 2017
Coffee Break
This Lower Greenville brunch destination is wide open and has the perfect natural lighting for any occasion. My personal favorite drink is their Thai Iced Coffee, which has the perfect amount of sweetness for any coffee (or non-coffee) drinker. Plus, the pop art portraits on the exposed brick walls are enough to brighten anyone’s day (or Instagram). Rating: 5 Price: $$
Perhaps known for their venue more than their coffee, Local Press + Brew is the best cup of coffee you’ll ever have inside a motor shop (yes, you read that right). Located in Oak Cliff, this shop features a succulent wall and a graffiti skeleton holding coffee. It’s worth the venture for the experience alone, but their delectable pastries and incredible brews should make it onto anyone’s bucket list. However, beware of angsty baristas. Rating: 4 Price: $
Just half a mile away from Halcyon and the other in the hip and happening Sylvan Thirty, Houndstooth Coffee has been my go to coffee shop for over a year now. Along with their incredible beverages, the baristas are the friendliest people in Dallas—I asked one to make me “the most aesthetically pleasing” cup of coffee, and she whipped me up a cappuccino, no questions asked. Rating: 5 Price: $$
Graphic by Drake Heptig
Located in Dallas’ Design District, Ascension has become a standout staple of the coffee scene. My guess is that it would be the most Instagrammed brunch spot in the city, with their amazing avocado toast and paninis, but even if you don’t have time for a meal, Ascension is worth the journey. Their Americano (iced or regular) is the best I’ve ever had. Their savory cheese and bacon scone melts in your mouth and is the perfect breakfast pastry. Rating: 4.5 Price: $$
84 Point, the new addition to the Greenhill community, is the little sister of Ascension. Due its close proximity to the school, it makes it the perfect study spot. Their staff knows Greenhill better than we do—they give Upper School Science teacher Dr. Kendall a mug with a fox on it every morning, because his favorite movie is Fantastic Mr. Fox. When waiting in line, make sure to grab a snack, all the companies producing them are owned by women.If you’re a true coffee diehard, try the “Kyoto”—about the most highly condensed, caffeinated beverage you’ll ever have. You won’t sleep until midterms. Rating: 5 Price: $$ Story and photos by Zoe Allen