The Bear Facts November 2019

THE BEAR Vol. 41, Issue 2, November 2019

FACTS

Ursuline Academy of Dallas

theuabearfacts.com

Tornado Leaves Ursuline Unscathed, But Not Its Community

By ABIGAIL MIHALIC ‘20 & SARAH HUI ‘20

The outside of Mount’s house

Merani’s broken fence Gough’s shattered windows

Flabiano’s hanging trampoline

Chloe Flabiano ’22 did not take the tornado warning too seriously on Sunday, Oct. 20. Like any normal night, she hopped in the shower, music blaring, while her family watched the Cowboy’s game.

She found it a little strange when the power went out, but after hearing her mother scream to get downstairs and seeing her father’s unusually frightened expression, Flabiano knew this storm was different. One look outside before rushing to safety confirmed her fears.

“I can’t even describe what I saw.

There were random things flying everywhere, and all I could hear were the extremely loud crashes coming from every direction. The time in the closet went by fast. I remember crying and holding my dogs while my mom was praying. I could literally hear the roar of the tornado, and everything was so loud that I genuinely thought I would come out from under the stairs and my house would not be there anymore.”

At around 9 p.m. that night, the strongest of ten tornadoes touched down near Love Field Airport and, with 140 mph winds, blew through a 15-mile-long stretch of densely populated North Dallas.

Although the city was tremendously lucky to not suffer any casualties, the tornado’s path of destruction left over 100,000 homes without power and caused a record $2 billion in damages to homes, schools and workplaces.

While Ursuline was mostly spared, surrounding neighborhoods were hit especially hard, impacting many in the Ursuline community.

Flabiano considers her family one of the lucky ones in her neighborhood.

Although her house was saved from total destruction, the repairs are numerous: patching a massive hole in her game

room, fixing water leaks, replacing the entire roof and fence and installing three new HVAC compressors.

Almost all the Flabianos’ trees fell, one crushing her brother’s car. Their trampoline still hangs sideways, pinned to her neighbor’s tree by a fallen power line. Despite the lengthy repairs, Flabiano treasures the fact that she will be able to eventually return home.

Marcy Mount ’21 remembers saying “Are we really doing this?” to her mom before hiding in an interior bathroom.

Soon after, the tornado caused trees to fall on her roof and windows to shatter.

Mount spent the next week without power or internet access, bouncing back and forth between a hotel and her house to clear debris from her yard. While repairs are not fully completed especially due to the high demand for contractors, the Mounts have moved back home.

“It’s crazy to look at my street and not recognize it because there are no more trees or fences or telephone poles,” she said.

Tornado damage to walls, windows and floors will keep Ava Gough ’20 and her family out of their house for the next five or six months. In the days following the tornado, Gough’s worries about what would happen to her house were compounded by frantic apartment hunting.

Now, with her family’s apartment close to her house, Ursuline and her friends, Gough feels that she has adapted to her new normal and is settled and happy. Gough reflected on her experience after the tornado.

“I believe this situation has caused me to become more thankful, mature and independent.”

Not only did Flabiano’s house sustain damage from the tornado, but so did her workplace, Sample House & Candle See Students on pg. 3

Courtesy of Chloe Flabiano ‘22

House across from St. Mark’s

Apartments behind Girard’s house Courtesy of Chloe Flabiano ‘22

The remains of Sample House

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November

The Bear Facts

Jesuit One Acts Showcase Seniors

By HELEN EMERSON ‘20 The annual favorite Jesuit One Acts have begun production and will open in January. One Acts are entirely written and directed by Ursuline and Jesuit seniors, with the exception of one junior this year, and provide a unique opportunity to showcase the broader talents of the Ursuline and Jesuit theater community. Approximately ten One Acts of ten to fifteen minutes in length are being written and performed this year. Ursuline students Kate Rucker ‘20, Bailey Uttich ‘20 and Peyton Walker ‘20 are each directing a One Act this year.

One Act auditions are open to students from not only Ursuline and Jesuit, but other area high schools such as Booker T. Washington. The auditions themselves are a unique facet of the experience, as students audition in especially creative ways. “One year, a guy juggled lemons and then took a bite out of one, two guys re-enacted a scene from ‘The Joker,’ three girls made a Tik Tok on stage and another guy took a bat and smashed a chair,” said Rucker. These inventive auditions contribute to the fun of the experience for both directors and participants, as previous experience “runs the gamut from poorly crafted dad jokes to Alec Baldwin-worthy Trump sketches,” said Walker.

After auditions, the participants will

transition into making their One Act says Rucker. She participated in one a reality. A lot of hard work, time and acts for the first time last year, and preparation goes into Walker writing them. Rucker has acted and Walker have in them been writing ever since their comedy freshman about a freshman year. Both mixer since this seniors summer. “Our anticipate lighthearted the added adolescent tale excitement pokes fun at of directing the infamously their own. awkward rite of Some passage that we write all refer to as the One Acts Jesuit-Ursuline deliberately freshman mixer. to include We hit on all the their close stereotypes, from friends Jesuit’s most agto make gressive snapchat one acts a stalkers to Ursufun senior line’s Bumblememory. like obsession For exwith obtaining a ample, homecoming date Jesuit senior The One Acts poster from last year

by Labor Day,” Wilson said Walker.

Rasco is staging “We haven’t gotten to direct it yet, but his comedic one act around his close we are very much looking forward to it,” friends, many of whom lack any act-

ing experience, and the idea of brotherhood. Others are not writing original works, but adapting one acts from the past. “My One Act was written a couple of years ago by Ursuline graduate Anna Zagorski. It is about everything that can go wrong when you’re taking the SAT,” said Jesuit senior Will Florer.

“My favorite things about the One Acts are the amount of new people you get to meet, how funny they are and the unique opportunity that they provide for students,” said Rucker. The One Acts attract a wide variety of people because “all sorts of people want to participate in a show when they know the commitment level is not as high as a full semester production. And this year we have a lot of funny student-written scripts and plenty of talented actors, so it should be an exciting process,” said Florer.

One Acts provide a unique and fun experience for the Ursuline and Jesuit theater communities, as well as students from other high schools who wish to participate. They will work hard on these productions until they open in early January, and both writers and performers hope that their peers will come to not only support their hard work but to enjoy a night of comedy in honor of seniors’ achievements.

THE BEAR FACTS STAFF FRONT EDITORS Sarah Hui ‘20 Abigail Mihalic ‘20 INSIDE EDITORS Sarah Hui ‘20 Abigail Mihalic ‘20 SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR Natalie Ro ‘22 PROFILES EDITOR Ellie Skelly ‘21 FEATURES EDITOR Helen Emerson ‘20 GLOBAL FEATURES EDITOR Katharine Bales ‘22 SPREAD EDITOR Sarah Nguyen ‘20 SPORTS & WELLNESS EDITOR Emma Louviere ‘22 https://theuabearfacts.com/

ADVISER Melinda Smith EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sarah Hui ‘20 Abigail Mihalic ‘20 ONLINE EDITORS Grace Risinger ‘20 Emilea McCutchan ‘20 Editorial Policy Editorials reflect the staff’s opinion and are not bylined. Opinion pieces are bylined and are the opinion of the author.

Letter policy Readers are encouraged to submit letters to be considered for publication. They may respond to an article, provide feedback on the whole paper, or address a topic not addressed in the paper. In order to be published, these letters cannot be anonymous.

Articles, story ideas, or pictures submitted by the Ursuline community will be received and considered for publication. Submissions for should be e-mailed to 20amihalic@ursulinedallas.org or 20shui@ursulinedallas.org, or brought to room 035.

4900 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, Texas 75229 uabfstaff@gmail.com

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Ainsley Neitzel ‘20 TRENDING EDITORS Kate Janson ‘20 Hope Whitcraft ‘20 INSIGHTS EDITOR Bethany Roberts ‘20 OPINIONS EDITOR Jackie Thomas ‘20 BACK EDITOR Kate Giebler ‘21 BUSINESS MANAGER Kate Janson ‘20 SOCIAL MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER Hope Whitcraft ‘20 REPORTER Brooke Norman ‘20 @uabearfacts

The Bear Facts

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School News

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November

Students and Teachers Deal with Destruction (continued from front)

By ABIGAIL MIHALIC ‘20 & SARAH HUI ‘20 Shop on Preston Royal. She had just finished her shift hours before the tornado, and she rode her bike over the next day to survey the damage for her manager.

“It was utter devastation, especially for my boss, because she has been working there since the day Sample House was conceived. Even though I just recently got my job, I am extremely sad because I loved my job there and the people even more,” said Flabiano.

place to stay if needed by math teacher Fred Lancaster.

The night of the tornado, debris pounded on the roof and wind blew through their front door’s mail slot eerily as Hoyle and his mother Mary Lou took shelter in a bathroom.

The next day, they saw their big oak trees had been knocked down, including one blocking their driveway.

Two large tree limbs had fallen into

Flabiano talking with her manager inside the destroyed Sample House

Courtesy of The Dallas Morning News Ursuline teachers also felt the tornado’s impact. Sunday evening, Gabrielle Merani, Ursuline’s service coordinator and an English teacher, was out of the house.

Only her 10-month-old German Shepherd Rottweiler mix Grayson was at home.

Merani was just a minute away, leaving a restaurant with her boyfriend. It was raining, but the rain looked sideways and a chair slid across the ground.

“I don’t think this is normal rain,” said her boyfriend.

The two ducked inside the restaurant’s bathrooms. Seconds later, there was a loud “whoosh,” Merani said. The windows blew in, the power went out and car sirens began blaring. Everything lasted only a second.

They went outside, joining other shocked and unnerved shopping center visitors. All the power lines were down, and cars had slammed into each other.

“Was that a tornado?” they asked each other. Then the tornado siren went off, late.

Merani’s thoughts turned to her puppy Grayson at home alone. But the drive home, normally a minute, took a whole hour. When Merani and her boyfriend finally reached her house, they found Grayson cowering in a corner.

The tornado split seven of Merani’s eight trees in half. Debris lay everywhere, along with her flattened fence. For two weeks, Merani did not have power. She could not even access the Internet because she had lost her phone two days before the tornado.

“I just hoped Ursuline was off,” said Merani. “I tried to get there but couldn’t.”

Merani and her dog Grayson spent nearly two weeks total between a hotel and two motels. In terms of support, Ursuline has been incredible, she said.

Merani gave a shout out to Principal Andrea Shurley and fellow English teacher Kate Schenck.

History teacher Guy Hoyle experienced the same strong support. He was offered a

their pool and a branch was going through their garage’s roof.

The cleanup at Hoyle’s house took a week. Lowe’s employees with chainsaws helped first, then volunteers from United Methodist Church finished up the job.

“It was the most amazing thing,” said Hoyle. “[The cleanup] was so overwhelming. I would still be picking up [debris] if I had to do it alone.”

Jeff Girard, AP Government and Inside Nazi Germany teacher, was making Monday’s lunch for his two kids when the tornado hit. By the time they took shelter in a closet, the tornado had passed.

Girard helped with disaster relief on Staten Island after Hurricane Sandy through Good Shepherd Episcopal School’s Disaster Relief and Recovery program when he was a teacher there roughly five years ago.

“When it’s in your own backyard it’s like, whoa, it could have been way worse,” said Girard. “Then you ask, how can we help others who had it way worse?”

Girard’s family had less damage than others, losing part of their fence and having a tree branch fall on their roof. Behind them, apartments lay

destroyed. The discrepancy in damage is similar to Ursuline’s unharmed campus and the destruction at another high school, St. Mark’s.

The Hicks Athletic Center, St. Mark’s main gym, was destroyed, and other buildings including the performance hall, the black box theater, and the chapel sustained damages. Senior Sam Ahmed described the moment he understood how bad the campus had ben hit after seeing pictures students posted to his class’ group chat.

“They honestly looked photoshopped, and I didn’t want to believe them.”

Ahmed sees this as a defining experience for the class of 2020 and the entire St. Mark’s community. With plans in place to completely restore the high school, Ahmed believes that attention should be shifted towards DISD schools who suffered the most.

Three DISD schools were battered by the tornado enough that they will likely be declared total losses: Thomas Jefferson High, Cary Middle and Walnut Hill Elementary. DISD received support from across the Dallas community, including 1 million-dollar donations from both Dallas Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones and Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban.

School district officials are debating whether to restore these schools to their original form or use this opportunity to build different schools, such as a middle/ high school combo or a career institute.

One of these schools, Walnut Hill Elementary, is close to the hearts of many Ursuline students. Multiple seniors served

The Resendiz siblings at Walnut Hill upset,” said the Ursuline senior.

Resendiz was surprised at how well her brother took the news of losing his school. Since all the students, teachers and staff moved to the recently-closed Tom W. Field Elementary, it still feels like Walnut Hill, just in a different building.

This move has not been without its struggles. Tom Field is 15 minutes farther from the Resendiz home than Walnut Hill, nearly prompting the family to change schools if not for their son’s strong desire to stay with his classmates.

While the school has since received plenty of supplies, Resendiz (to his delight) did not have homework for the first two weeks after the tornado simply because the teachers lacked printers.

Despite a variety of tornado experiences, those affected all expressed a similar sentiment—one of gratefulness, hope and a desire to serve others.

“It’s the stories and the community

St. Mark’s gym Morning News Dallas The Courtesy of every Monday morning at Walnut Hill, and many students pass by the building going to and from Ursuline each day.

Paloma Resendiz ’20 served at Walnut Hill, but she is also a sister to one of its fourth graders, Edwin Resendiz.

“I grew to love that school, so when I heard that the roof blew off and it caught fire and all this sad stuff, I was really

outreach and what neighbors do for each other that’s really the takeaway,” said Girard.

As a community, Dallas has come together to support those most affected by the tornado’s destruction. From nonprofits, businesses and restaurants, to churches, schools and neighbors, many ensured that Dallas can recover from this tragedy.

Images courtesy of NBC DFW and Washington Post

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November

School News

The Bear Facts

AP Government’s Mock Congress Impacts Ursuline

By KATE JANSON ‘20 Students across America are limited in the area of decision making. From voting to running for political positions, anyone under 18 does not have much of a say in what happens in their day-to-day lives.

Students and children are often held inferior by their superiors. However, things changed for Ursuline AP Government students for a week.

It remains difficult for students, especially when they are uninvolved in politics, to fully understand the ins and outs of how a law is made. AP Government students began studying the Declaration of Independence at the start of the school year, learning about the foundation of the U.S. After reading The Federalist Papers and the Constitution, students had a good grasp of how the U.S. government works.

They study, in depth, what it takes to be a member of the House of Representatives and of the Senate, and then they became versions of the House and Senate.

Bringing history forward, Jeffrey Girard’s period six class became the Senate and his period eight class became the House of Representatives. Each class was asked to elect a majority and minority leader to speak on their party’s behalf.

Once leaders were elected, the classes were asked to form groups to mock the

committees in Congress and elect a chair for each.

The committees focused on the ideas of cleanliness, well-being of students, campus beautification or athletics at Ursuline. Each committee was then asked to write a bill surrounding their area of interest, explaining key terms, defining the main purpose, proposing a budget and describing when the bill would take effect.

A good amount of work went into creating some of the bills. Students from period six visited the head of security at Ursuline, Auggie Trevino, to propose the relocation of police officers directing traffic in the dreaded Ursuline carpool lines. These students asked about the possibility of moving a policeman to senior lot to direct traffic.

Trevino visited Girard’s sixth period class to give the students an in-depth explanation of how the traffic would flow with the new arrangement, and to announce that he would be officially making the change. “Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions, you never know, the answer may be yes,” Trevino said.

Other students calculated the cost of what it would be to install new air conditioning, a new workout facility and

new microwaves in Haggar. Some bills focused on the metal health of students and asked for peer mentors to speak with or days with no homework while others focused on pest control.

Journalism and AP Government student, Jackie Thomas ‘20, wrote a bill calling for a change in what types of credits Journalism, Newspaper and Yearbook count for. Thomas said, “It was interesting to see real debate come out of our bills, much like in real political discussions.”

When the two classes combined, they formed the Ursuline Congress, each with elected leaders, committees and bills ready to be voted on. Just like a bill being signed into law, the process of an idea becoming a real rule at Ursuline undergoes a lot of thinking, questions and hard work. The classes met on their own first to discuss their bills as the separate House and Senate.

The chairs of each committee presented their bills and then put them up for debate. Next, the elected leaders would propose a vote and tally to see if the bill would pass. A passed bill will be presented to Ursuline administration.

After discussions with Dean of Students, Kayla Brown, Academic Dean, Elizabeth Smith and Grade Dean, David Beyreis,

an electronic survey was sent out to both periods for the final vote.

Although the authors of the bills that made it through the final vote receive extra credit, the purpose of the exercise was for students to be able to have a voice for change in the Ursuline community.

Perhaps with administrators hearing students’ opinions and ideas in a professional way, things at Ursuline were bound to change. Have any of you noticed that you have been leaving Senior Lot slightly faster recently?

Well, students can thank the Mock Congress for that.

Jeff Girard’s period eight AP Gov. class discussing Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

Courtesy of Jackie Thomas ‘20

The Bear Facts

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School News

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November

Alumnae Teachers Remember Their Intramurals

By KATHARINE BALES ‘22 Intramurals, a beloved UA tradition, has existed for decades of our school’s history. Current teachers who attended Ursuline share their favorite past themes from their high school Intramurals experiences.

Rebecca Holterhoff teaches in the theology department and graduated from Ursuline in 2005. During her freshman year, her class theme was “Legally Green” to match the freshman grade color, the same color that the freshmen wear today.

Next came “Harry Potter and the Sophomore Stone” for her sophomore year.

“I enjoyed this theme because we had a ‘Harry Potter’ theme day, and the book, movie and music are fun. There were lots of pieces to include in our hallway and mural as well,” Holterhoff said.

For junior year, the class of 2005 did “Ferris Junior’s Day Off” based on the 1986 comedy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” The last theme was “Seniorella,” where the beloved Disney princess Cinderella was the main character.

Although most Intramurals traditions have remained the same in the last decade, Holterhoff identified a few key differences. For instance, the different grades have not always made videos showcasing their theme’s storyline. “Instead of showing videos in the gym, we put on skits—it was very difficult to hear and follow along,” she said.

Moreover, built-in workdays were not offered yet at Ursuline. Holterhoff said.

“Everything had to be completed after school.”

Math department chair and teacher Tammy Yung did not graduate from the Ursuline school in Dallas. She attended Ursuline Academy of St. Louis, however, and later came to teach at the Dallas location. From her experience observing the tradition here, she most loves watching the videos displayed. “It’s so fun to see all the creative ideas that you guys can come up with,” Yung said.

Rachel Davies, meanwhile, graduated in 2007 and now teaches English. Her freshman theme, “007 License to Thrill,” incorporated her graduation year while referencing the left- Mrs. Holterhoff and right- friend junior year 1989 James Bond movie “Li-

cense to Kill.” The freshmen were Jane Bond rather than James Bond in order to portray the “international girl of mystery” according to Davies.

For the next year, “Tour de Soph (Livesoph)” took place at the height of Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG campaign. The theme was based on the Tour de France race, so for the skit students raced each other on tricycles around Neuhoff. Other grade levels were represented as fellow racers.

As juniors, they decided to depict themselves as the classic red-clothed videogame character Super Mario. According to the plot, Junior Mario rescued Peach—the character who represented the senior class—from Senioritis Bowser.

Davies said, “Freshmen were Luigi (little sisters and all that), and sophomores were Wario.”

Finally, to conclude her Ursuline experience, Ms. Davies’ class chose to name itself “The Senior of Notre Dame.” Seniors played Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

“From what I remember, we were the first class to have to wear lanyards, and this was a protest in the tamest way possible,” Davies said.

“We complained about the lanyards and backpacks ruining our backs and necks.”

Ms. Davies enjoyed her senior year theme even though, in her opinion, it had the least direct plot. She said, “That was the year my class finally really came together on all the different aspects, but especially Spirit. It is more than somewhat responsible for my philosophy that no matter how weird something is, if you all lean into it, it gets way more fun.”

Despite that Intramurals has changed in some ways, students still consider it to be a highlight of their Ursuline experience. The tradition, focusing on bringing girls closer, will engrave itself into our memories and make a lasting impact on our lives. left- Coach Zorn and right- Coach Nester

StuCo Switches to a Chair System

By EMMA LOUVIERE ‘22 As more and more events like dances and Intramurals are coming up, student council works to incorporate a brand-new system to encourage more class participation — the chair system.

The chair system works by having class participants apply to be the chair of a committee for a particular event. Interested students fill out a simple survey where they can list their ideas for the event and how they will accomplish them through their position as chair. After being selected, these chairs run the event with help from the student council (stuco) and their committee.

The purpose of the chair system and is to encourage class involvement. It provides an opportunity for girls to take initiative for something they are passionate about without having to be on student council or be involved in every class event.

Natalie Marinna ‘22 was one of the first people to try out this system as one of the two chairs for freshman and sophomore homecoming. “I was on student council last year, so it was nice to use my experience for hoco. It was also really cool having a committee because they helped put our vision to life, and we didn’t have to do it on our own.”

While Marinna thinks that the system is a great idea, she noticed some things that need fine-tuning in the process. “It was a little awkward with stuco because they are technically in charge, so I didn’t want to get in the way of their vision.” She is also concerned about applying the system to Intramurals. “I don’t think our class is prepared for the amount of work that goes into all the things they have to do for intramurals.”

With a few things worked out to improve the chair system, Marinna thinks it could be a great program for the school.

Emma Lochridge ‘22 was one of Marina’s committee members for homecoming.

While she loved being involved, she also noticed things that could make the system better. Lochridge said, “I think we need more of an interview system to find the chair and have the right person in charge. I also think there needs to be more of a definite plan from the chairs. Other than that, I think it was a cool experience, and it made me realize how much stress is on stuco.”

Manahil Khan ‘22 is on student council and is one of the people truly implementing this system. Although letting some of her control go is difficult, she is excited about her class understanding more about student council’s job. “It serves as a lesson to the stress that stuco goes through for every event, and it’s also a great way for stuco to ensure that the voice of our class is being heard,” Khan said.

Another student council member, Nikki Kanzler ‘20, also has thoughts on the system in place. “It’s really nice for student council to be able to rely on class participation, and it’s cool to see our class step up and want to lead things. It also takes a load off of student council. At times it can be hard to let go of control because we are new to the system, but senior stuco has concluded that we have faith in our class to get stuff done.”

Although the system may not be perfected overall, the student body is excited for the opportunity to lead their community in events that they are passionate about.

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November

Features

The Bear Facts

New Green Spaces Enhance Downtown Dallas

By JACKIE THOMAS ‘20 For many of us, it may be hard to imagine Downtown Dallas without Klyde Warren Park’s 5.2 acres of bustling greenspace, even though the park only opened to the public a short seven years ago. Indeed, it seems that Dallas, like many metropolises around the country, has been making heightened efforts to create more public outdoor recreational spaces downtown in the past decade and shows no signs of stopping. This year brings several new additions to the urban landscape, including Klyde Warren Park’s upcoming expansion and Pacific Plaza Park, an entirely new public greenspace in the heart of Downtown.

The final design of Klyde Warren Park’s highly anticipated expansion was revealed Oct. 15, after the project’s announcement late last year. The effort comes as a partnership between the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation and VisitDallas, and has found huge funding in both private and public sectors. Coordinators announced new donations along with the design plans, including $20 million from Kelcy and Ann Warren, whose contribution largely funded the park’s original construction nearly a decade ago.

The final renderings, presented as a joint effort between HKS, Gensler, Jacobs and OJB Landscape Architecture firms, showcase impressive plans for the future of the beloved Dallas destination, adding 1.2 acres in total. Along with an expected added 32,000 square feet of green space, the expansion will include construction of a three-story pavilion, a new fountain fac-

ing Pearl Street complete with choreographed water shows and a revamping of the popular children’s park, according to D Magazine.

The planned pavilion will serve several purposes for the city, with VisitDallas to occupy the ground floor as an interactive visitor’s center. The pavilion will also house a new café, a rooftop deck and a ball-

Courtesy of Studio 1482

room available to rent for special events. Rental revenue earned from the space will fund park upkeep and allow existing and future programs and events presented

by Klyde Warren Park to remain free for the enjoyment of the Dallas public.

“This project fulfills the vision we outlined when we began talking about decking over Woodall Rodgers a decade

ago, and it is the next step in improving the connectivity of the Park and the Arts District with the West End, Victory Park and the Perot Museum,” said Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation chairman Jody Grant of the expansion. Construction for the project is expected to begin in winter 2021 and be completed by 2024, according to Klyde Warren Park.

Along with these exciting new

plans for Klyde Warren, Dallas has recently unveiled a finished new urban park in the heart of downtown. Called Pacific Plaza Park, this space provides 3.7 acres of new green space, transforming what was a parking lot into a meticulouslydetailed public recreational area.

Pacific Plaza Park was funded by nonprofit organization Parks for Downtown Dallas and designed by a team within HKS Architects, one of the firms design-

ing the Klyde Warren Park expansion.

Details of the park’s sizable metal shade while extraordinarily beautiful, may seem a bit random, but each design element actually nods to Dallas’s rich history.

For example, perforations in the structure’s stainless-steel panels actually serve as an abstract version of Morse Code to reference the historic 19th century rail line that ran adjacent to the new park’s location, whose engineers used Morse Code to communicate along the line from El Paso to New Orleans.

Hidden meanings and attention to detail set Pacific Plaza Park apart from other urban parks, providing a muchneeded natural refuge set against the stark concrete landscape of downtown.

In fact, the park offers 144 newly planted trees and 23 mature live oaks to garnish the space between busy Dallas streets.

Dallas’ effort to beautify its urban areas does not end with Klyde Warren Park’s upcoming expansion or Pacific Plaza Park, however. Non-profit Parks for Downtown Dallas already has plans in place for three more parks downtown: West End Square, Carpenter Park and Harwood Park, all of which are expected to be open to the public by 2022.

Head downtown to soak in drab expanses of concrete while you still can—within the next few years, Dallas will likely be unrecognizable thanks to the many plans to fill the city with public recreation spaces, from expanding established favorites to introducing impressive new projects.

Disney Rivals with Netflix and Other Competitors

By NATALIE RO ‘22 The Walt Disney Company is a multibillion-dollar company and has produced classic favorites such as Cinderella, Hannah Montana and Peter Pan. Many childhood memories will be relieved by people being able to watch a plethora of Disney productions on their new streaming service.

About two years ago, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger announced that Disney would be expanding its empire and would introduce its own streaming service. With this shocking news, Disney fans leaped for joy as other streaming providers such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime do not provide a collection of Disney shows.

The service, called Disney Plus, will be released on Nov. 12, and include movies from studios such as Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, ESPN, ABC, FOX and FX. However, since Disney is creating its own streaming channel, the company will pull all of its shows and movies from other channels.

With Disney Plus joining the competition of who is the better streaming service, what does this mean for Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime? The profits of these companies are predicted to go down while Disney’s empire is predicted to expand even more. With the popularity of Disney and its own studios rising, Netflix may suffer immensely.

To compare the two, the package for a Disney Plus bundle is $6.99 per month,

while a Netflix subscription is $9 per month. Also, Disney Plus will offer an annual prepay bundle of $69.99 per year. For Disney fans, the best option is to purchase the annual bundle because it is cheaper than buying the monthly bundle.

According to CNET, “Netflix has been the first place to watch Disney’s movies with a subscription. That deal meant Netflix was the go-to place for the biggest US blockbusters of the last three years.

The top two movies of 2017 and the top three movies of 2016 and 2018 were all from Disney, and Netflix has been the place to binge them all. But Disney decided against renew-

ing that Netflix deal as it plotted its own competitor.”

Because the Disney Plus package is cheaper, consumers will be more easily persuaded to pick the cheaper option and possible drop Netflix all together, as Disney Plus does offer a wide variety of movies from different studios.

According to CNET, “Disney Plus will also offer unlimited mobile downloads for offline viewing. Subscribers can download to up to 10 mobile or tablet devices, with no constraints on the number of times a title can be downloaded.”

Additionally, Disney has the upper hand because many families with smaller children will purchase this package because of their

young ones’ interest in Disney’s family friendly content.

“Even though all of Disney’s movies will stream exclusively on Disney Plus, the company doesn’t plan to debut any of its big-budget motion pictures on the service. That’s what’s known as a dayand-date approach, to release titles on the big screens and on a streaming service at the same time,” according to CNET. Competing with Netflix will be hard considering that Netflix has classic movies and original series that are fun to watch. However, Disney Plus will also produce its own exclusive Disney Plus movies and shows. For example, Disney plans on releasing Monsters At Work, a fun spin-off of the Monster Inc. movies and the long awaited Loki movie. Disney Plus will also show all 30 seasons of The Simpsons.

CNET also says, “Disney Plus also will have original documentaries, reality shows, competition series, behind-thescenes features, nature and adventure titles, animated programming -- the list goes on. It may also be the place Disney premieres live-action short films that it’s creating in its Launchpad incubator program designed to elevate opportunities for filmmakers from underrepresented groups.”

To purchase Disney Plus, visit the Disney Plus website and choose any bundle.

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November

Net Neutrality Continues to Raise Controversy

By NATALIE RO ‘22 A country based upon the Constitution and the amendments, the U.S. sees rules and regulation as important to maintain a safe and protected environment. In regard to net neutrality, part of the First Amendment, rules and restrictions are being bended and changed.

First off, what is net neutrality? Net neutrality is the principle of a free and open internet space where consumers are not hindered by investors or entrepreneurs who restrict certain information. The fight for net neutrality started in the early 2000s when certain internet services banned costumers from using private networks and setting up Wi-Fi routers, which bring the internet to people’s homes.

In late 2015, during Obama’s presidency, millions of Americans reported to the Federal Communications Commission about the issue of net neutrality and enforcing protection according to the regulations. The FCC decided in favor of millions of Americans and supported the choice of a free and open internet.

Obama thanked the country saying, “Today’s FCC decision will protect innovation and create a level playing field for

the next generation of entrepreneursand it wouldn’t have happened without Americans like you... so to all the people who participated in this conversation, I have a simple message: Thank you.”

certain web pages.

But why is net neutrality important?

Net neutrality means that “internet service providers have little say on what passes through the mechanisms that are

Courtesy of Media Matters

When Trump assumed the presidency, one of the changes he made was ending network regulation. This change opened the doors to paid prioritization by investors and corporal businesses, as well as blockage and banning from

used by customers to access the internet.

There are controls in place for illegal activities, but companies like Comcast or AT&T [will] not be able to change how a customer’s data is delivered to them.,” according to the editor of Vitanna. This

favors small businesses who are looking for a fair shot to advertise their businesses.

Along with a fair playing field among the corporate and smaller businesses, the freedom of expression is protected. Vitanna also states that, “blogs, services, businesses, and any website can operate legally and there aren’t any censorships available as long as the content being offered meets legal obligations. If illegal content is discovered, it can be immediately reported to law enforcement officials..”

Net neutrality among teenagers is also important because as kids we grew up with a free and open internet space. With net neutrality gone, certain social media platforms have no freedom to post our opinions or have a voice.

Giselle Sethi ’22 said, “I do not think anyone has the right to withhold information from anyone. It violates our first amendment. If there is a specific group of people in charge, they can skew the publics beliefs one way, or another based on their own beliefs. That singular perspective can become dangerous because the less the consumers know, the more the authoritative leader’s grows.”

Sophomore Shelby Sawyer ’22 added,

Botham Jean’s Death Revealed Both Distrust and Hope

By JACKIE THOMAS ‘20 After over a year of uncertainty surrounding Amber Guyger’s conviction and sentencing, jurors penalized the former Dallas police officer, 31, on Oct. 2, 2018 with a 10-year prison sentence for the murder of Botham Jean. Events both leading up to and directly following the verdict have shaken the Dallas community, raising questions surrounding police accountability as tensions run high.

On Sept. 6, 2018, Guyger, off-duty but still in uniform, entered Botham Jean’s apartment one floor above hers. Guyger mistook his apartment to be her own, per her testimony. According to Guyger, she thought Jean was an intruder and reacted by firing two shots, killing him.

Far from an aggressor, Jean, a Harding University graduate and accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, was watching television and eating ice cream moments before his tragic death.

Almost immediately, prosecutors and the public pointed out a possible racial dynamic to the killing, noting a connection between Guyger’s actions on Sept. 6 and the many other instances of violence against unarmed black Americans by white police officers. Questions of racism on Guyger’s part and police accountability as a whole remained heavy issues throughout her trial, prompting passionate response in Dallas both during and after the trial.

Many saw Guyger’s 10-year senthe sentence as a slap in the face. The tence as too lenient, especially with the prosecutors originally requested no less possibility of parole after just 5 years in than 28 years, honoring the age Botham prison. Chants of “No justice, no peace” Jean would have reached during the trial echoed through the halls of the Frank on Sept.. 29.

Crowley Courts building immediRegarding comments that the senately after the jury’s decitence was too short, attorney sion was announced.

S. Lee Merritt repreSmall but ardent senting the Jean protests continfamily said, “Of ued into the course that’s evening on inadequate. the streets The entire of downsystem is town inadequate Dallas, and the resulting work must in one continue.” arrest, Amaccordplifying ing to the the public’s Associated suspicion Press. and distrust, “I feel bombshell news like we have a broke on Oct. 10 dog bite with the that Joshua Brown, s Court esy of Dallas New murder conviction, but a key witness for the the dog has no teeth,” said prosecution against Guyger, Dr. Frederick Haynes, present at the was shot and killed in a parking lot near protests on Oct. 2. Many activists and his apartment. According to Dallas police members of the public shared Haynes’s and the Washington Post, Brown’s death sentiment, regarding the conviction as a resulted from a “drug deal gone bad.” rare victory in a case involving the fatal Despite authorities’ investigations police shooting of a black man, while and conclusions, there was no short-

age of contrasting theories nationwide and here in Dallas especially. Suspicion that supporters of Guyger or the Dallas Police Department coordinated Brown’s murder in some way ran rampant. The theories were baseless, but demonstrated a deep divide and poignant break in trust between minorities and the police force.

While the verdict and sentencing brought undeniable tension and pain to the Dallas community and communities around the nation, Guyger’s trial also displayed to the country inspiring images of hope. Brandt Jean, brother of victim Botham Jean, gave a moving victim impact statement at the conclusion of the trial, in which he expressed forgiveness and asked Judge Tammy Kemp for permission to hug Guyger. The resulting moment was captured by courtroom cameras and dominated the news cycle for days thereafter: Jean and Guyger in a tearful embrace, a fittingly shocking scene of compassion to end a case which had astounded observers for over a year.

Guyger’s actions and trial placed a spotlight on Dallas’s unstable relations between police and the public, illuminating areas for improvement which the police department has taken steps to fix.

Just as powerfully, though, images like Brandt Jean’s forgiveness revealed beautiful compassion, suggesting that, amid brokenness, hope exists.

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November

Global Features

The Bear Facts

From Trash to Ash: Singapore’s Eco-Friendly Solution

By KATHARINE BALES ‘22

Ursuline and the broader community have recently struggled to dispose of trash without harming the environment.

It may be time to consider other countries’ methods.

Singapore, an Asian island country just south of Malaysia, is only two-thirds the size of New York City and has approximately 5.8 million residents. Because of its dense population, the country discovered in the 1970s that it would eventually run out of landfill space. The trash produced would soon overflow and lead to irreversible environmental problems. In 1979, Singapore came up with a solution—to institute a waste-to-energy system by building its first incineration plant.

What is a waste-to-energy system?

This revolutionary approach generates renewable energy by incinerating nonplastic and non-recyclable trash into ash.

A video by Business Insider described the process which starts with weighing the trash and pouring it into a bunker where crushers break down any solid waste.

During the burning stage, heat is converted to steam which then fuels wind turbines and is converted to electricity.

Smoke produced in the process must be filtered to remove pollutants before it is released into the atmosphere as a nontoxic gas. All ash in Singapore is transported to the Semakau Landfill.

Burning garbage into ash compresses and reduces waste by releasing its retained water through steam which can be diffused into the atmosphere without polluting the air. The process ensures that all toxins stay contained within a special

chamber to further avoid damaging the environment.

As a result of the waste-to-energy system’s success thus far, Singapore built three additional incineration plants to assist in the new eco-friendly

4.4 pounds per person in the U.S. The difference may seem trivial at first, but it ultimately saves space in the landfills and distinguishes Singapore from the rest of the world.

In Singapore, 38 percent of trash is

Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

efforts to dispose of garbage. Due to these revolutionary garbage policies, tourists rave that the streets look immaculate and all nature reserves are well-maintained.

Though Singapore is substantially smaller than the United States, The Wall Street Journal reports that the average Singaporean resident generates 3.8 pounds of trash compared to

burned for energy and 60 percent is recycled; meanwhile, the United States burns only 13 percent of its total trash and recycles 43 percent. These statistics could indicate a mismanagement of the United States’ trash system, or it could reflect the techniques that Singapore has used compared to its counterparts across the world.

Singapore’s innovative system un-

doubtedly helped the country in reducing its waste production by 90 percent, but limited landfill space could pose potential issues in the future. Since only six percent of plastics are recycled, the remaining 94 percent have ended up in the country’s one and only landfill.

According to BBC News, plastics are not incinerated, as they cannot break down as easily as other materials. Therefore, unlike most substances, plastic does not release greenhouse gases in its unincinerated state. Although these findings may seem to put plastic in a positive light, it continues to crowd the world’s needed trash space.

The most drastic solution to this growing problem would be to limit the country’s residential use to products that can be either incinerated or recycled.

Therefore, almost all non-recyclable plastic items would be permanently banned from the country to accomplish this goal.

Much like any country in the modern world, Singapore aims to generate less trash in order to conserve its landfill space. Its temporary solution (garbage incineration) proved effective for nearly four decades, but now the people of Singapore must consider an alternative to supersede the new complications of their current system.

Even though Singapore’s alternative system seemed to work for 40 years, it has triggered unexpected problems that could lead to environmental regression.

This one of many examples of the world’s relentless efforts to reduce pollution and reverse the effects of global warming, but we have yet to find a permanent solution.

Go On A Green Shopping Spree

By EMILIEA MCCUTCHAN ‘20 In a school full of teenage girls, there is a good chance that there are many shopping-lovers at Ursuline. Many students have fond memories of middle school mall excursions with friends, buying back to school clothes with their moms, or shopping for the perfect homecoming dress.

With holidays, dances, and cooler weather coming soon in the next few weeks, students should try buying your clothes at these eco-friendly clothing brands before opting for other stores that hurt our planet.

A brand girls might already be familiar with is the clothing retailer giant H&M. They recently began an eco-friendly clothing collection, Conscious Exclusive, focused on unique, eco-friendly textiles and clothing for certain occasions. The current Conscious Exclusive focuses on nightwear including sequined and embroidered clothing which is perfect for the upcoming holidays. They use TENCEL x REFIBRA fibers made from pre-consumer recycled cotton waste and wood pulp from sustainable forests. Because of the closed loop production needed to create the textiles—which is a kind of production where consumer waste is collected, recycled, and used to make new products—the production process has a very low impact on the ecosystem.

Many students love Free People, but Style Saint is equally cute and more ecofriendly. Style Saint uses eco-friendly silk

and lace, differentiating it from the other sustainable clothing brands that primarily use cotton or cotton-like textiles. Style Saint ensures that their products are staples and can be worn for many years which combats against

affordably instead of having excessive markups on their pieces.

Amour Vert combines an effortless look with a love for the planet. Their sustainable clothing uses textiles like their incredibly soft signature beechwood blend made from sus-

Courtesy of Science Post wasteful, poorly made fast tainably harvested and fashion clothes that are often thrown biodegradable beechwood fibers, certiaway. Style Saint also approaches fied organic cotton free from pesticides commerce with a direct-to-customer and genetically modified organisms and method. Because they sell their clothes Tencel made from sustainably farmed online, they can price their clothes eucalyptus trees. Their clothes are similar

to Anthropologie’s and are effortless and versatile. Plus, if you a buy a t-shirt, they plant a tree in return.

A more fashion-forward brand that is equally as sustainable and eco-friendly is The Reformation. They use a multitude of eco-friendly textiles, including linen and Alpaca wool, to create their feminine clothing. They ensure their textiles have a low chemical impact and use LEED certified factories that do not damage the ecosystem. They have also been carbon neutral since 2015, which sets The Reformation apart from other brands. Plus, they offer discounts for those who use wind energy or donate to organizations fighting against climate change, so if you have windmills outside your house you can receive a $100 credit.

These brands might range in fashion styles from bohemian to chic, but all of these brands are eco-friendly and use sustainable textiles. The price range is moderate to more expensive, but students should keep in mind that these pieces are designed to be timeless staples that will weather the test of time. With the holidays around the corner and the shopping season on the horizon, next time students decide to go on a shopping spree, they should try to be more environmentally-friendly and conscious of the environment by purchasing from these brands.

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Global Features

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11

November

What Exactly Is a Climate Disaster?

By BROOKE NORMAN ‘20 numerous and infectious plastic debris While direction towards rescue for fragments and barely any signs marine the devastating ecosystems will never life, this will result in tourist companies rapidly or effortlessly be reached, plans to shut down the area, prohibitfor international agreement towards ing access to tourists and uniform treatment, caution, regulocal communities. lation and surveillance over While many developcritical vicinities would ing countries rely certainly aid in not only on their successful preventing areas from tourist attractions being disrupted. They for income, a would also assist discontinuation of in our comprehentourism will lead sion of the situation to economy disturand realization of bance, including a our unique abilideprivation of medities in this process. cation for patients with Even though singular life-threatening illnesses and participation produces a shortage of seafood. After this, a small difference, inCourtesy of more and more beaches will be volvement sparks curiosclosed to the public, historically groundworkusa.org/ ity within our peers who changing life for many families become inspired to take and traveling for the future generations. action as well. While Dallas has been heavily affected by the recent tornado, many citizens of Dallas have become consistent with volunteering through environmental organizations in efforts of a cleaner and safer environment. Some large organizations here in Dallas provide many opportunities for participation by utilizing varying approaches to suit anyone’s particular interests and talents.

Some phenomenal, committed organizations such as Groundwork Dallas, Trinity River Audubon Center and Keep Dallas Beautiful all provide countless opportunities with a central focus on evolving Dallas’ environment and encouraging participation. Recognition of the situation at hand is the first step, involveCourtesy of the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium ment follows in visioning a modification of detrimental habits for a transformed future.

For decades, we have heard from a multitude of activists and environmentalists to alter our lifestyles in an effort to prevent global warming, and while some listened, others profoundly underestimated the impact of the change in climate. Automatically assuming our planet was unlikely to deteriorate in such a brief period, many expected others to carry out the advised sacrifices for the future benefit of the environment, not partaking in their own share.

Even when the temperature overall barely rises, all ecosystems hurriedly go into shock, becoming vulnerable and halting normal functions of life. Since ecosystem services are heavily relied on from the all over the world (such as tourism, food, protection, medicine, etc.), refusing to conserve innumerable major resources that were once easily obtained will constrain various components of our daily lives. Also, not only will our resources become less

available, families in developing countries who have professions in their nearby, deteriorating ecosystems will struggle to locate new jobs to support their families once jobs are lost from complete destruction. As for us, the United States economy is estimated to shrink by 1.1% by 2050, and while our economy declines, natural disasters will multiply, adding to the turmoil with a higher probability of recurring and increasingly powerful damage nationwide, with numerous emerging questions taking over news platforms and contemplation in politics regarding imposing strict eco-friendly lifestyles.

What exactly does this mean for us in the future? While probability is never guaranteed, many educated environmentalists have inferred with precise predictions. For example, once ocean reefs transform into a toxic zones with high pHs levels, disease-ridden corals,

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The Bear Facts

H a r v a r d Ruling Heightens the Affirmative Action Debate By: Helen Emerson’20 A court case against Harvard University over discriminatory admissions practices, brewing since 2014, reached a decision early in October. Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) charged Harvard with seeking a certain racial composition in each class by specifically discriminating against Asian American applicants.

Harvard denied all charges of unfair admissions practices, and judge Allison Burroughs ruled in their favor, finding that the university upholds necessary diversity goals and does not participate in “racial balancing.” The case parallels similar arguments against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Texas at Austin. Many predict that the fight is far from settled, and will likely end up in the Supreme Court, possibly having national repercussions in college admissions and their diversity practices.

SFFA’s claims of Asian American discrimination were the most controversial aspect of the case and remain so in the decision. The group cited admissions data which revealed that Asian American applicants, as part of the holistic review process, were rated lower on personal scales though they surpassed others in academic and extracurricular areas. SFFA cited this as evidence that Harvard was implementing a quota system to cap the Asian American admissions to a certain percentage. The university denied allegations, arguing that while race is an essential factor in assembling a class, it will not directly result in an admissions decision, whether positive or negative.

At this junction the case examined a difficult balance between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of college admissions.

While Asian American students often outperformed other applicants in GPA and standardized test scores, they received lower ratings in aspects that “cannot be fully captured by the statistical data” like “in-

tegrity, helpfulness, courage, kindness,” according to The New Yorker. Harvard argued that these qualities are an essential element to admissions, but the plaintiffs countered that lower personal ratings were not accurate, but based in stereotypes that mathematic and other academic proficiencies might reduce an Asian American student’s capacities for such personal qualities. Harvard denied stereotyping by its admissions officers.

The Harvard case prompted the investigation of other high-level institutions such as Stanford, Princeton and the University of California Berkeley.

Stanford admitted to unconscious bias against Asian American applicants, while other institutions claimed no fault or bias. For many, the case recalls similar investigations of the 1980s Reagan administration which were seen as a conservative attempt to end affirmative action. Recent cases, much like those of the 1980s, raise concerns that investigating admissions practices and racial considerations pit minority groups against each other.

In The New York Times, Claire Jean Kim, a professor of Asian American studies at the University of California, Irvine, described the Harvard lawsuit as a “continuation of a historical dynamic that’s been around for almost two centuries.”

Ethan Hwang, a writer for The Los Angeles Times, is discouraged by the ruling. “Harvard has said its affirmative action program increases diversity and gives disadvantaged students a better chance of getting into an elite university. But every system that gives one group an advantage ends up putting another at a disadvantage,” said Hwang.

It must be clarified that the case does not claim that Asian Americans are underrepresented at elite universities,

as most Harvard classes are comprised of 25% Asian Americans on average.

Instead, it examines the rate at which they are accepted versus the rate of application. Asian American students are admitted to the university at a lower rate than other applicants, increasing their competition and requirements for their admission. Hwang identifies a 2013 study which revealed that in a race-blind admissions trial, Asian Americans would comprise nearly half of the admitted Harvard students.

In addition to its favorable ruling for Harvard, the court did acknowledge the possibility of admissions processes reflecting “some implicit biases” which, “while regrettable, cannot be eliminated in a process that must rely on judgements of individuals.” The court encouraged the admissions office to provide training on implicit biases to reduce such discrimination. Some argue that this asset to the decision recognizes the problem as existent but insignificant, while others see the favorable ruling as strategic avoidance of a war on affirmative action, according to The New Yorker.

But the war will likely come anyway.

After the decision was released, SFFA filed an appeal in the First Circuit, one which implicates further years of deliberation and possibly an appearance in the Supreme Court. The case will become vital for the future of affirmative action, with the potential to permanently alter the race consciousness of college admissions. The ultimate decision will be far from simple as affirmative action cases are no novelty, and numerous highly contested cases of the past provide precedent.

“In case after case the courts have drawn a tight circle where affirmative action can live; the colleges that step outside of it will be ordered back in by

How you’d have to score on your SATs to have an equal chance of admission, by race At seven highly selective universites in 1997

Data from National Study of College Experience Courtesy of Vox

a judge…The schools that use race in admissions have become adept at designing their programs to be legally airtight,” says Adam Harris of The Atlantic. Harris predicts that the arrival of the Harvard case before the Supreme Court will implicate questions of whether the conservative Supreme Court will break precedent, and whether the precedent of race-conscious admissions is strong enough to decide yet another case.

The Harvard case and others of its kind fall in line with Varsity Blues, the investigation of wealthy and celebrity parents’ bribing institutions for their children’s admission. This cheating practice to gain undeserved entrance into elite schools has prompted admissions offices and tests like the SAT and ACT to examine their practices to better prevent such fraud. The scandal, much like the Harvard lawsuit, raises important examinations of deserving applicants versus those actually accepted. Can college admissions realistically be based on merit alone?

The bitter disputes over affirmative action continue to affect students in the college admissions process. Ultimately, the ruling in Harvard’s favor temporarily upholds the precedent that racial consideration is necessary in admissions so long as it does not become determinative of admission, a caveat which implicates holistic review. It is likely that the appealed case will beget greater discussions of the nature and limitations of affirmative action programs, with the potential that college applicants in the next five to ten years will encounter different admissions standards and procedures or a redefined holistic review process.

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14

November

Sports & Wellness

The Bear Facts

A Career Ending Pop: How ACL Tears Sideline Futures

By EMMA LOUVIERE ‘22 There are ten minutes left in the game, the score is tied up and you are running for the ball. Just as you plant your foot, you hear a pop. Then a searing pain follows. It only took a fraction of a second for your entire career as an athlete to end.

This story is a reality for 1 of every 3,000 individuals who will tear their ACL, and injury that is extremely common in athletes. The ACL or the anterior cruciate ligament stabilizes the knee along with four other major ligaments. Its role is to help the femur and tibia bones remain in place when making quick stop or go movements.

It is most common to see this injury in female soccer players. This is due to the fast-paced nature of soccer, and women’s knees are structurally more turned in and more rigid then men.

Emma Kenchel ’22 has become an expert in all things ACL after spending two years rehabilitating the ligament on both of her legs. Kenchel has been playing soccer for as long as she can remember, but in 2017 her soccer career almost ended.

“I was turning around, and there was a defender behind me. My body went one way and my knee went the other, and the ACL just snapped.”

After 9 months of recovery, Kenchel A major contrast between pre-injury was cleared to play, but her doctor and post-injury are Kenchel’s views on warned her about the possibility of a playing in college. repeat injury.

Kenchel stepped out on the field only to have her doctor’s warning come true.

“I was planting my foot while going in for a ball and my whole knee blew out.

I injured my ACL, LCL, MCL and I had someone bruising. It was all destroyed.”

Kenchel The main then went factor in back to her hesirecovery. tation “The first is the 6 months fear of I did missing physical out on therapy her life twice a again. week ev“I’m at ery week. such Then after a high 6 risk, and months I don’t it was jus want to strengthhave to ening my miss out knee and on more getting things Courtesy of Emma Kenchel back skills. When the 9th in the future because of month hit is when I started injury.” playing again. ” While Kenchel was sidelined, the Kenchel is now back on the field world went on without her, not only in but it isn’t same as before her injury. her soccer life but also in her daily life.

“I a more aware of everything and I do “I missed out on just 8th grade stuff, more stretching. I am also just aware like eighth grade soccer and basketball. when I am planting my foot or going in Also, PE…I know that sounds stupid, but for a tackle.” everyone would come back in eighth

“Pre-surgery I wanted to play in college 100%. Post-surgery, I’m not so sure.”

grade and talk about it and I just didn’t have the opportunity to experience it.

It’s just the basic things that I would have enjoyed.”

Kenchel is back to playing while she takes precautions like wearing a brace and doing extra exercises before she steps on the field. She doesn’t think there are many things she can do to effectively prevent it.

“I just don’t think there is anything that can really stop it. You can try to prevent it with stretches but it’s not like the flu.

You can’t get a shot to avoid it.”

Kenchel tore both her ACLs in consecutive years and came back.

Although Courtesy of Childrens Hospital this ids an injury that sees a 90% return rate, it is also an injury that takes athletes out of the game for 9 months and the biggest struggle is making up for that lost time.

Kenchel used those nine months to recover and is now back to playing the game that she loves.

Behind the Scenes of Football

By EMILEA MCCUTCHAN ‘20 Fall’s favorite sport would have to be football. Not a weekend went by where a football game was not televised. Many students share childhood memories of spending weekends in the living room, crowded around the television, cheering on favorite college football teams or professional football teams. During the holidays like Thanksgiving, football games are played between friends and family. But the playing and production of football games is much more intense and complex than many realize when simply watching football on TV or playing in the backyard.

Paxton Scott is a senior and wide receiver at St. Mark’s School of Texas and was recently recruited to play football at Dartmouth. To Scott, a lot of dedication and time goes into the sport of football.

Scott began playing football when he was a kid, starting with flag football. “I loved the catching and scoring aspect of the game,” he said.

He soon graduated to tackle football, where at first, the adjustment was a challenge. “I did not like the contact, and the helmet hurt my head,” he said. Yet despite the initial discomfort, Scott kept playing. “I love playing the sport and there is always something you can improve, so you continue working to be the best player possible,” he said.

Now in high school, football requires

substantial focus. Because of the sport, the sport of football besides the players is Scott has had the values of hard work the actual football itself. Chris Calandro and mental strength instilled in him, and his company Big Game produces especially from having to learn how footballs for a variety of colleges and to play schools in through the South and includovercome ing LSU, injuries.

Jesuit During and St. football Mark’s. season, he Calandro trains for began fourteen manuhours a facturing week, footballs including after practice. noticing Dehow some spite the footballs hard work were not and comof the mitment highest demanded qualin footity. He ball, the decided to Courtesy of Big Game USA payoff is definitely worth it. Scott take matters into his own hands and create recalls his favorite memory of football a specially crafted football. After taking sophomore year, when, after beating samples to some teams who loved his Greenhill in overtime, all the St. Mark’s creations, his company, Big Game, began. fans stormed the field to celebrate the However, just like in-season trainbig win. ing, crafting footballs to use on the field Something that plays a huge part in requires dedication. Calandro said that

attention to detail is paramount. “To go from good to great, you have to focus on the details. You have to do better and be stronger than the opponent,” he said. “The little things add up.”

Calandro also learned values of teamwork and cooperation from football. “Not one person can beat a team of eleven.

They have to cooperate together,” he said.

Similarly, many factors go into creating a football which are all equally important.

He must calculate the perfect weight, so the football is not too light or heavy, he uses science to find a seamless aerodynamic football shape, and he tests which matierals perform well in all weather conditions.

At the end of the day after creating and producing footballs, Calandro still remembers going to a football game with his dad, the smell of barbeque, the colors from the band and the uniforms and the excitement surrounding the game. The same football values of cooperation and attention to detail are principles Calandro lives by daily.

Looking behind the scenes of football and the dedication that goes into the sport, it is easy to see how the principles learned from football impact all those involved.

The hard work, mental strength, focus on details and cooperation instilled in those who play the sport and help produce the sport carry on into their everyday life.

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15

November

How Paying College Athletes Affects Texas Sports

By KATE JANSON ‘20 Texas has among the highest grossing national college football programs, making almost every new NCAA rule have the largest impact here. The NCAA claims that all athletes are “students first, athletes second,” and often stay true to that. Graduation rates of NCAA college athletes have risen from 74 percent in 2002 to a new high of 88 percent in 2018.

But it is also true that the NCAA athletes are what fuel the multi-billion-dollar entertainment industry. So, when will these young athletes start demanding their slice of the pie?

According to Dallas News, in 2017, the NCAA reported almost $1.1 billion in revenue. Nearly 90 percent of that one billion came from the sale of men’s basketball March Madness TV, championship tickets and marketing. In the larger scheme of things, college sports in the U.S. is a $14 billion-dollar industry.

Of that, 38 Division One athletic departments bring in over $100 million a year in gross revenue.

Of those 38 schools nationally, Texas is the proud placeholder of the top two highest grossing foot-

ball athletic departments. The University of Texas at Austin brought in $219,402,579 and Texas A&M brought in $212,399,426. Both programs are at the top of Forbes 2019 list of most valuable college football programs, earning an average of $93 million in annual profit.

When colleges continued to accumulate revenues and profit margins this high, it was only a

matter of time before NCAA athletes began asking for their fair share in the business. This is the reason why Texas is supporting California’s new fair Pay to Play Act, which allows college athletes in California to hire agents and take their piece in endorsement deals. The bill prohibits anyone with authority over intercollegiate activities from providing compensation under the athlete’s name, image or likeness, or preventing an athlete from as a

result of their game, image or likeness.

The issue really comes down to fairness.

The NCAA, its coaches and the departments benefit while the athletes working hard on the field or the court cannot monetize for their skills. Often these athletes are coming from lower and modest- income families, and they could be monetizing on endorsements, signing autographs or selling merchandise. Especially in today’s day and age with social media, there is a huge unexplored platform for athletes to earn mil-

lions of dollars a year.

The law still does not allow colleges to pay athletes outright, because, well, they are still students. But the law could possibly relieve some stress of the financial pressures on athletes that have contributed to recruiting violation scandals. The law could help clear up the world of college endorsements.

The NCAA pushed hard against the administration of the law and said, “Changes are needed to continue to support student-athletes, but improvement needs to happen on a national level through NCAA’s rules-making process.” Since the California law does not take effect until 2023, there is time for the NCAA to improve their process and distribution.

But California Governor Gavin Newson says the law will “initiate dozens of other states to introduce similar legislation and change college sports for the better.”

Between now and when the law takes effect in 2023, hopefully more colleges, including UT and Texas A&M, will begin to take similar legislative actions to rightfully support their athletes. Of course, their education is the primary focus, but at the end of the day, it is these kids’ raw talent and long hours of training that is funding this industry. Their continuous hard work and dedication deserve a reward.

Fight Club Theme Amps Up VolleyBear Fans

By ELLIE SKELLY ‘20 The 2019 Ursuline Volleyball season has come to an end. After an amazing season, the UA Volleyball Bears lost in playoffs against Bishop Lynch at Dallas Baptist University in a really close, hard fought game. They played exceptionally, and the Ursuline community is so proud of everything the team accomplished this season. This year, the varsity team worked hard to include students and parents in a special way with superfan t-shirts and exciting announcements on the players’ Instagram stories.

One thing many Ursuline students may not realize, however, is the team’s official theme for gamedays this season.

Decided on the bus to the Pearland tournament this summer, the “Fight Night” theme, including boxing gloves and t shirts, has helped excite players and fans of the team.

Last year, the class of 2019 seniors chose the theme of Star Wars. Fans brought light sabers to games, sang the theme song, and senior team managers helped fans and players go full out in participa-

tion with the theme.

The Fight Night theme was chosen for several reasons. The greatest reason, however, was intimidation.

“We chose the theme fight night and made the motto, fight to the finish.” Explains Lauren Asher ’20. “Every game was called fight night and our theme song was also Fight Night.”

The hope of the players was that the theme would create a fun way for both Ursuline and Jesuit students

to get involved with the volleyball team and their games. It was intended, also, to create an intimidating environment

for opposing teams when playing a game at Ursuline.

Home games are a perfect opportunity

to amp up the team, get people excited, and have fun. Part of the fun is to intimidate the opposing team in a fun, positive way.

Another way the team worked to get students involved with the team was through superfan t-shirts. These shirts said “Superfan” on the front of the t shirt and had every varsity player’s nickname on the back.

Using players’ nicknames added a light, fun touch to the super fan t-shirts.

The shirts were fifteen dollars and were worn by the players’ friends and family.

You could spot many people wearing the t shirt and cheering the team on.

Despite the extensive details, excitement and advertising of the theme by players, many Ursuline students were unaware of the theme when asked.

“I did not know there was a theme this year” said Marta Baker ’20. “I remember the theme last year was Star Wars, but I thought it was more of an inside joke within the team than for the fans too.”

Multiple students thought last year’s theme was more of an inside joke, but this year allowed fans to be just as much a part of the theme as the players.

Overall, the concept of a theme for the volleyball season was a really special way to get students involved in the team’s season. Hopefully, more Ursuline sports teams will hop on the trend and chose fun themes for their seasons as well, allowing students to get even more involved and revved up for the games teams as a whole.

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The Bear Facts

ACL Fest: Is it Really Worth the Hype?

By SARAH NGUYEN ‘20 ACL Fest: Is It Really Worth the Hype?

“It’s the Coachella of the South. My friends and I had been planning this trip nearly half a year in advance, and it surely did not disappoint,” said Hailey Gulick ’20, who with several other friends attended the annual Austin City Limits Festival, or ACL Fest, in early October..

It is impossible for you to not have heard of ACL Fest before. However, for people who dwell under rocks, from the genius minds of Lollapalooza arose the ACL Fest, is an annual music festival held in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. ACL Fest and is also one of the biggest music celebrations in the United States.

According to USA Today, Festicket Magazine, and numerous other magazines, ACL Fest, also known Austin City Limits Festival, is a must-go-to event featuring artists from rap hero Jay-Z to British rock duo Royal Blood.

“Initially my friend group for ACL consisted of ten people, but it eventually narrowed down to four people including myself. In the end a group of four people could be too big. We lost each other most of the time, so I kept with a buddy instead,” said Maxine Polma ‘20.

There are eight stages in total, and about 450,000 people attend every year.

All eight stages are not occupied the entire duration of the festival. Instead, only two to three performances simultaneously occur during the same hour. Thus, thousands of attendees are split only three ways, and each performance occupies attracts much many more people than any high school dance does.

“We arrived late, and Billie EElilish’s performance had started. We decided to cut and scoot ourselves to the front.

And let me just say, don’t do that. Most people were annoyed and tolerant, but there are few who picked fights,” said Hailey Gulick ’20.

Regardless of the mature atmosphere, parents, their children, and even grandparents attend this annual event.

Attendees from as young as 13 to as old as 60 have been waitingwaited for their favorite artist’s performance for hours. Families set up chairs and waited for their favorite artist to enter the stage.

Contrary to the an extensive, stressful preparation process, there are various musical acts from genres from rock to country to pop. The concerts start go from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and you

concert-goers can stay as long as you they desire. Some stay for a few hours while others party for the full entire weekend.

Surprisingly, ACL Fest the Austin City Limits festival did not first start begin as a festival.

Instead, the event’s original form was a TV series showcasing Texas singers and folk performers.

Taking inspiration from this awardwinning TV show, the ACL Ffest was formed with a similar lineup. Over the years, ACL Fest it has expanded to more music genres, including jazz and rock.

The Austin City Limits Festival was

founded in 2002 and was primarily was a single-weekend event until 2012. As ACL Fest grew in popularity and the artist lineup expanded, the Austin City Council members expanded the festival to two separate weekends.

Besides the amazing music, the festival also featureds famous foods and various displays of art. The food court, Austin Eats, consisteds of Austin’s most historic and iconic eateries with a diverse selection of foods from gluten-free meals to a wholefull steaks. Including the Austinoriginatedoriginated Torchy’s Tacos food truck, the food court also presented featured appearances from Stubbs B-B-Q, Chi’Lantro BBQ, and Amy’s Ice Cream , and more of Austin’s favorites. In addition to foodAside from food, the ACL Art Market exhibiteds and soldells art from both local to and well-known artists.

When asked to describe the ACL Ffest in one word, Paola O’Rourke ‘20 answered, “I honestly cannot describe the food, the experience, or the music in just one word. The time I had was unforgettable, unique, and so much fun.,” The Austin City LimitsACL Festival is not just any festival, but a celebration of music, art, and humanity. People from all over the Unites States come to Austin to embrace Southern culture from its bomb tacos to its people’s friendly nature. So, is the Austin City Limits Festival worth the hype? In the end, the answer depends. If you love Southern culture and are open to different types of music, you will no doubt adore this unique festival and all it has to offer.

Youtubers Making Their Mainstream Media Debuts

By EMMA LOUVIERE ‘22 Teens are infamous for their obsession with various apps on their phones including Tik Tok, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. These apps have taken over the lives of teens with the help of various content creators. The creators usually see the app as a steppingstone to mainstream media, but for the past few years, their use on the app has put up a wall between themselves and mainstream companies.

This wall seems to be coming down as the mainstream media world accepts more and more influencers.

Liza Koshy:

Liza Koshy is known for her YouTube Red Comedy Series, her work with Vogue and her hosting job on Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare.” Koshy was born and raised in Houston and spent her free time during high school uploading videos to the now departed app Vine.

Like many other Vine personalities, Koshy then made the jump from Vine to YouTube. On YouTube, she racked up over 17 million subscrib-

ers, where she made clean, kid-friendly content. Due to her YouTube success, Koshy received a job as a host on Nickelodeon where she speaks to the same demographic but on a larger stage. This job and her clean social media fame led her to many other opportunities in the mainstream media world.

David Dobrik:

David Dobrik is a creator on YouTube and is commonly recognized for his four minute and twenty second videos featuring his friend group commonly known the “Vlog Squad.” David started on the 6 second video app Vine and eventually moved to YouTube.

Rather than fear the YouTube community, Seat Geek (a ticket purchasing app) established a relationship with David Dobrik and has sponsored numerous videos. This relationship has allowed Dobrik to make substantial money off YouTube, and he is even able to gift cars

to members of his friend group. Dobrik’s success with Seat Geek led to various other companies reaching out for sponsorships. One of these companies is Chipotle, who asked David to promote their new ordering app. As an incentive, they even named a burrito after him.

Companies use this marketing technique to advertise to a younger demographic, and David has the means to make crazy videos that his fans enjoy. Due to his success in the YouTube community Nickelodeon offered him a job as a host for their new show, “America’s Most Musical Family.”

Lauren Riihimaki:

Lauren Riihamaki is better known to her 9 million subscribers as LaurDiy and has partnered with numerous companies to make her screen name known a r o u n d the world.

Lauren makes video focusing primarily on diy’s.

She shows younger artists h o w to do fun crafts.

She now has her

own line of crafting kits which can be bought in Walmart, Target, Hobby Lobby and Amazon and has recently been asked to be the host of her second HBO show.

The show, called “Craftopia,” will have nine to fifteen-year-old contestants race to make the best craft creation and will be on HBO plus.

Lily Singh:

Lily Singh, commonly known as her YouTube handle Superwoman is an internet sensation. Singh, having conquered the YouTube world by enticing 14.9 million subscribers with her comedy skits moved into mainstream media as NBC welcomes her into their family. Her show, “A Little Late with Lily Singh,” airs at 12:30 a.m. on NBC. The show is a combination of a traditional late-night format and her YouTube channel. She is the poster child for all the up and coming YouTubers hoping to one day make the jump to the traditional TV environment.

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Jingle Ball ‘19 Lineup

By AINSLEY NEITZEL‘20

Camila Cabello:

The singer, who gained her fame by competing in the vocal competition X Factor with her band Fifth Harmony, broke away from the all-girl band and became a solo artist in 2016. Since then she has had amazing success with hit songs like “Havana” and “Consequences” and collaboration songs with Shawn Mendes like “Senorita” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” The two confirmed dating rumors after the music video for “Senorita” was released this past summer.

Sam Smith:

This British singer and songwriter will be taking the stage as well, showcasing Billboard top songs like “Stay With Me,” “Too Good at Goodbyes” and “I’m Not The Only One.” He does not currently have another concert set for Dallas, so Jingle Ball is the only known time he will be in Dallas within the next year.

Charlie Puth:

This singer gained his stardom by starting as a YouTube singer and will be performing at the 2019 Jingle Ball. His famous songs include “Attention,” “We Don’t Talk

Anymore,” “I Warned Myself” and “See You Again,” his collaboration with Wiz Khalifa.

Lizzo:

This singer is known for her positive, upbeat songs. She preaches a message of self-love and positivity.

He top songs include “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell.”

Lauv:

Lauv, whose real name is Ari Staprans Leff, is known for his songs “Mean It” and “I Like Me Better.” He was nominated for Breakout Artist in the 2018 Teen Choice Awards, Best New Pop Artist in the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, and Push Artist of the Year in the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.

Why Don’t We:

This boy band is now performing for their third consecutive year at Jingle Ball. Youngest band member, Zach Herron, is originally from Dallas. The band just completed a world tour, showcasing their album 8 Letters and new songs “Unbelievable,” “I Don’t Belong In This Club,” “Big Plans” and more.

Over New TV Shows, Teens Love the Oldies

By AINSLEY NEITZEL‘20 In a time where everyone has subscriptions to streaming providers like Netflix, Hulu and HBO with thousands of TV shows, movies and original content, many teens are still drawn to older TV shows. This is not to say that newer, current shows are not appreciated, but to recognize that shows like Friends, Seinfeld and Gilmore Girls remain as relevant as they were when first produced.

Why do high schoolers choose to re-watch these series over and over again? Why not watch shows with new episodes released each week, instead of watching the same episode for the hundredth time, knowing exactly what is happening next?

“Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows,” said Jo Davis ’20. “I’m almost through watching all seven seasons for the seventh time.”

Lauren Asher ’20 explained why she likes watching the show Friends.

“I like these older

shows because they are classics and are feel-good and easier to relate to. And they bring me closer to my parents because they watch them too.”

Watching shows that both you and your parents love has become a common way to bond and connect with parents. Students today live busy lives filled with academics, sports and other extra curriculars, leaving students with little downtime to spend with family.

During the free time students do have, they often find themselves tired our from their commitments. Watching a TV show, students can bond and connect with family while also getting the rest they need to recharge before their next task.

Many of the shows that have

grown in popularity were filmed in the 1990s. Some shows that were made before then, I Love Lucy, for example, are beloved as well. However, most shows began in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some examples given by Ursuline students are Seinfeld, Friends, Bewitched, The Twilight Zone, Parks and Recreation and How I Met Your Mother.

Seinfeld, the comedy starring Jerry Seinfeld, was first released in 1989 and the final episode aired in 1998. The first episode of Friends aired in September of 1994, and it ran for ten years, ending in May of 2004. Both comedies capture the 1990s perfectly – from fashion, to trends, to the simplicity of life without the technology we have today.

Teens enjoy these shows because of sentimentality connected with a simpler time. Back then, the world was not run by technology, social media or the ability to work around-theclock on

phones and laptops. The characters in these older shows had fun lives outside of work, and some teens envy that.

The nostalgia connected to the 1990s and early 2000s is unique. Those who can remember and relate to that time in the world hold on to those memories.

There is something warm and nostalgic about that era in history, and teens today separate themselves from younger generations by their memories of that time period.

Teens today, while they also watch current shows, love older shows for many reasons. These shows continue to stay relevant and unless something drastic changes, it seems they will stay that way.

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Matthew McConaughey Joins UT Austin Staff

By KATE JANSON ‘20 After watching Oscar-winning actors in films throughout the ages, it seems nearly impossible for those actors to be anything more than merely a two-dimensional face on a screen. Yet, one of the most coveted actors of this generation, Matthew McConaughey, will be meeting students of UT Austin in the Fall.

Not only is he easy on the eyes, but he has appeared in over 50 films and produced five films. After winning an Oscar and Golden Globe Award in 2014 for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, McConaughey decided to slow things down a bit and return to his Texan roots.

Though it may be hard to believe, McConaughey once walked the same streets of Austin that many Texans have, and he earned a film degree from UT Austin in 1993. After appearing in many fan favorites, including “Dazed and Confused,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and “Failure to Launch,”

McConaughey joined the faculty in the Department of RadioTelevision-Film after serving as a visiting instructor since 2015, when he started co-teaching the Script to Screen production class

alongside director Scott Rice. He began writing the course’s curriculum, offering a behind-the-scenes view of each production to explore every stage of a film’s production, from screenwriting to postproduction.

McConaughey told UT News, “It’s the class I wish I would have had when I was in film school. Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them, making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art – no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless.

That will always be our classroom focus.”

Besides his professional pedigree, McConaughey continues to make a name for himself on the UT Austin campus through his personal investment in students, his desire to work outside of the classroom and serving as an overall mentor. The chair of Department of Radio-TelevisionFilm, Noah Isenberg said, “He has a passion for teaching and for all things cinematic, that is palpable, even infectious.”

Isenberg adds that McConaughey new role represents “a mutually beneficial relationship and recognizes the contribution he has made to the university.

This formalizes our relationship. His passion for film is boundless.”

McConaughey’s first Script to Screen class started on Sept. 3, and he says it will take students on a chronological journey of how scripts gets to the screen. For the fall 2019 term, the class of 40 lucky students will be studying “The Gentlemen” and “Mud,” looking at the process of development and production. Jeff Nichols, the director of “Mud,” is scheduled to visit the class.

This advanced course is only available to upper division students who have completed specific prerequisites, and no non-majors will be admitted to this course. According to McConaughey, the class is a huge draw, and he told CBS DFW, “A few people catch me in parking lots around town, going ‘I’m on the waiting list to get in the class, man. Can you get me to the front?’”

McConaughey, through doing something he loves, has brought down the barriers between actors and their fans.

Students at UT Austin, and at other campuses across the country, aspire to be one of his students. McConaughey is not just an award-winning actor, or just a professor, he is “the cultural ambassador of Austin,” Isenberg said.

Adding Sparkle to Holiday Season’s Gray Area

By BETHANY ROBERTS ‘20 The Thanksgiving vs. Christmas debate is forever to remain unsettled. The question is as impossible as apple cider vs. hot chocolate or pumpkin vs. apple pie.

Everyone has their own opinion that cannot be labeled right or wrong. Yet Christmas and Thanksgiving both deserve to be celebrated. After all, the term “holiday cheer” was invented to unite that warm, fuzzy feeling of both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The only question that matters is how to balance both of these important holidays with such close proximity to each other. Balancing them requires taking a better look at the time in between. If you approach the transition period just right, the gray area right after Thanksgiving and just before Christmas season can also be a time of cheer.

The most notable feature of the transition period is Christmas decorations.

The question, “When do Christmas lights go up?” receives various heated responses. Some insist on eating Thanksgiving dinner with their Christmas lights shining, while others are convinced putting up lights before

Thanksgiving is an abomination.

Faced with this heavily-debated question because I like decorating my room to a small extent, I have personally found a happy medium: fairy lights. Stringing fairy lights gives just the right amount of festivity for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

As opposed to typical Christmas lights, fairy lights create a softer light and have a daintier string, allowing for an easier set up and a more aesthetic result. Putting them over a bed or another cozy spot creates a perfect place to curl up in a blanket and especially with a twinkling setting, enjoy the crisp weather and holiday spirit.

In general, it is a good rule of thumb to avoid going overboard on Thanksgiving decorations that will not serve well during the Christmas season. By no means should one hold back, but buying a multitude of bright orange pumpkins quickly loses its appeal once Michael Buble’s Christmas album starts playing. Perhaps opting

for a few white pumpkins instead could help ease the transition from one holiday to the other and skip the awkward nodecoration stage.

Another way to smooth the transition is through your fashion. In Texas, a shortage of cold weather year-round typically prevents an expanded winter wardrobe. Kate Janson ‘20, a fashion blogger, said, “I usually keep it simple for fall and winter.”

Janson recommends having a good pair of jeans. Making sure the jeans go with anything, fit well and look good is key.

Finding a few long-sleeve tops or sweaters that pair with the jeans and/or a few skirts will give you plenty of options for outfits.

Simple pieces you can mix and match give the most options in terms of outfit variety throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Not only does it simplify your closet, but having less core pieces means one can invest in more expensive (ergo, warmer) garments. Buying a warm jacket or coat will serve you well as the temperature dips lower and lower.

“A cute jacket is a good staple to throw on over

anything,” Janson added.

Everyone has an activity they look forward to most with each approaching holiday. When thinking of Thanksgiving activities, I think of football, hayrides and bonfires. When thinking of Christmas activities, I think of ice skating, carriage rides and gift exchanges. But in between, there is usually a gray area I cannot remember as clearly.

However, why not make that time have memorable activities too? For me, the holiday season is perfectly embodied when I am baking. After the kitchen is cleared from Thanksgiving dinner prep, attempting to bake cookies from scratch (or attempting to bake anything at all) would be a fun activity to pass the time between the holidays. Perhaps make it a personal challenge to master a certain recipe by Christmas.

The time between winter’s two holidays is known as the most wonderful time of the year for a reason. Whether you prefer Thanksgiving or Christmas, enjoying every moment of the holiday season builds up the best of memories.

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Best Flavors for Fall Cravings

By KATHARINE BALES ‘22 Each year around October, the autumn season brings colder weather, colorful leaves, and football games to Texas.

According to some Ursuline students, it also means the return of delicious seasonal goods into their lives.

Pumpkin spice as a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Together they produce one of the most iconic fall flavors. For example, the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks comes in iced and hot varieties. “I love getting the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks in the fall because it literally tastes like fall!” Briar Bundy ’22 said.

“The pumpkin and the cinnamon blend so well with the coffee.”

Another Ursuline fan of this drink has to admit how comforting it can be.

Bethany Roberts ’20 said, “I feel like it creates such a cozy vibe. Being able to sip on my latte while doing homework just comforts me.”

Through its wide reach and popularity across the world, Starbucks sparked the pumpkin spice mania. The latte is the coffee giant’s top selling seasonal beverage. Culinary trend reporter Food Management agrees that this famous latte is one of the most popular autumn trends, as it has now entered its sixteenth season as an available option.

During the pre-Thanksgiving season, pumpkin is incorporated into breads, pies, cakes, and pastries. Bundy said, “I also love getting Starbucks’ pumpkin scone to go along with my pumpkin spice latte. It’s a great treat for before or

after school!” Meanwhile, Grace Van Dinter ’22 prefers using recipes to bake her own fall foods. She said, “Each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I enjoy making pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread for my family.”

Cinnamon, one of the

pumpkin spices, is another common favorite during the fall. Like pumpkin, it adds flavor to a multitude of seasonal drinks and baked goods.

Though much less popular than the beloved PSL, Starbucks’ cinnamon dolce

latte is a mixture of espresso and steamed milk, usually topped with whipped cream and ground cinnamon.

Another widely enjoyed pastry can be considered a classic breakfast or desert: the cinnamon roll.

Natalie Ro ’22 said, “I love biting into a

warm cinnamon roll, especially once the weather gets colder.” Although cinnamon rolls can easily be eaten at any time of year, Ro believes that fall sets the perfect mood for cinnamon roll consumption.

Apple is also a beloved fall flavor.

Apple cider, which can be served hot or cold, is representative of fall. Apple pie almost always makes an appearance at Thanksgiving dinner. In addition, caramel apples are often sold at fall fairs and carnivals.

Halloween is known for its vast assortment of candy, including candy corn and a number of chocolate and candy brands. Carolina De La Rosa ’22 said, “Candy corn is my favorite Halloween candy, and I only eat it in October.”

These triangular white, yellow, and orange pieces are most often enjoyed at their peak of store availability, which tends to be before and slightly after Halloween.

And who could possibly forget about hot chocolate? As the temperature drops, hot beverages come into style and prepare people for winter. Anupa Mathew ’22 said, “During the fall, the perfect drink for me is hot chocolate because it’s the best comfort drink to relax, cozy up and watch movies with.” A nice cup of hot cocoa is perfect as we settle into Christmastime, too.

Among pumpkin, cinnamon, apple, candy, and hot chocolate, pumpkin appears to shine through as the average Ursuline girl’s favorite flavor to get them in the mood for the changing seasons.

After the Thanksgiving holiday passes, grocery stores and restaurants will shift to Christmas-themed flavors such as gingerbread and peppermint. Before you know it, Christmas will be right around the corner!

The Best Holiday of the Year: Black Friday

By SARAH NGUYEN ‘20 Some people may consider Christmas their favorite holiday. Others, Thanksgiving. But for Emma Luo ’22, her favorite is quite untraditional: Black Friday. Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

The day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of America’s Christmas shopping season as an endless sea of people cram into malls across the country.

“Black Friday is like the epitome of human greed.

The day is basically a cult favorite and the strangest American tradition,” said Grace Risinger ’20.

Many stores mark their prices down by at least 50 percent and promote their Black Friday sale weeks in advance.

Black Friday is not an official holiday, but at this point it could be. People take

the day off work, and others travel long distances to reach certain stores. Many schools have both Thanksgiving and the following Friday off which also increases the number of shoppers flocking the

mall.

The earliest use of “Black Friday” originated in Philadelphia to describe the heavy traffic flow on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Decades later, the phrase resurfaced to describe retailers’ turn

from being “in the red” to being “in the black.” “In the red” means to be in debt, while “in the black” means the opposite – making a profit.

Black Friday has become so popular that

especially if you are after the highly coveted deals. The day could be an ordeal if you let it: some people sleep outside malls overnight in hopes of snagging the best deals on new TVs or stoves, and there have been reports of violence occurring between shoppers as well. Since 2006, there have been 12 reported deaths and 117 injuries attributed to Black Friday activities.

When asked what her game plan for the Friday after Thanksgiving is, Natalie Wu ’22 answered, “I’ll be out of my bed by 6 Coutesy of Sarah Nguyen’20 a.m. and my stores have opened as early as midnight. best friends and I [will] head to NorthSo some malls are already full before Park mall for the best time.” daylight even hits.

Like Wu and Luo, millions will be celSo, throw on your best workout outfit ebrating this unofficial national holiday, and be ready to conquer the crowds. hitting online sites and malls in hopes of Black Friday is not a walk in the park, owning their most desired items one day.

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Check Out These Ways to Study Outside the Box

By KATE GIEBLER ‘21 We are in the midst of chaos right study time by learning the information now this school year. Teachers are no so that you feel prepared come test day. longer hesitant to give students constant One proven way to succeed on a test is tests and quizzes, and students are no to illustrate your notes. Drawing forces longer relaxing in the lounge but hard at your brain to process information visuwork in the library. At this hectic time ally, kinesthetically and semantically, of year, students often fall into a study so you feel fully immersed in the test slump where, as much as they study for material. Illustrating notes also relieves upcoming assessments, students cannot stress and adds a more enjoyable spin on seem to achieve their desired grade. This notetaking. slump typically results from a student’s As studying is not an activity for inability to study correctly. However, by having good time, we find ourselves switching up their studying routine with getting bored halfway into our study unique methods, students can start scorsession and zone out, which means we ing As without stress. end up studying without absorbing any Before trying any unconventional information. To combat monotony and study techniques, Katy Brown, Ursuline disinterest, try lightening up a study sespersonal counselor, suggests startsion with laughter. ing small by breaking down the broad By watching a funny video or listenideas. Brown said, “Take all of your ing to a humorous lecture on the assessassignments, tests to study for, etc., Courtesy of Hello Doctor for the week and literally write out a schedule for each day after school and the weekend.”

She explains that by condensing your time, this strategy can condense your workload and settle the overwhelming feeling of a packed schedule.

After managing your schedule, focus on maximizing your

ment topic, you can increase motivation and focus on the material at hand while enjoying yourself.

Ron Berk, PhD, a professor at John Hopkins University, uses this method of teaching “to enhance otherwise dull statistical methodology by tapping into students’ multiple intelligences and learning styles in a way that forces them to think in divergent and real-life ways.”

Once you have split up your schedule, drawn on some of your notes and enjoyed learning new material through a funny video, it is time to take a much needed “brain break.”

“Make sure that you are taking time to build in breaks for yourself instead of trying to cram everything in the night before in one giant hours-long study session,” said Brown. “Even if it’s taking twenty

minutes to watch an episode of ‘The Office’ before moving from your physics homework to your algebra, you will be much more productive than if you tried to do everything in one sitting.”

One more unique way to maximize your studying is to utilize the gummy bear incentive. This method combines a sweet treat incentive with completing textbook pages by placing a gummy bear on each paragraph of the textbook that you need to read.

The gummy bears add a reason for you to want to finish the reading. The delicious candy also highlights the most important parts of the reading with positivity because sometimes we need to be rewarded for our work.

Overall, studying can be overwhelming, difficult and boring, which make it a difficult skill to master. However, the ability to study effectively is one that will carry through high school to college and even beyond, so these tips are just a few ways to enjoy your study sessions and benefit the most from them. Like my middle school teacher always said, “Studying is a skill in which you should work smarter not harder.”

Defining Gen Z: Techie, Open-Minded & Risk-Adverse

By KATE GIEBLER ‘21 In today’s world, individuals rise to fame through social media posts, electric cars turn from dream to reality and the Internet is not just a luxury, but vital to the daily life of most people. These realities contribute to the standards for each young person who make up the generation known as Gen Z. The current Ursuline body, and many classes to come, is constructed of Generation Z girls. But what is Generation Z? Who makes up this new generation, what does it embody and for what values does it stand?

Gen Z includes people born in the mid-1990s to the 2000s, the time period of the commencement of the technological age. Therefore, every Gen Z individual grew up with complete knowledge and understanding of the Internet, computers, cell phones and more.

According to U.S. consultants Sparks and Honey, “In 2014, 41 percent of Generation Z spent more than three hours per day using computers for purposes other than schoolwork, compared with 22 percent in 2004.”

Although older generations often warn their younger, more technologically proficient counterparts about their addiction to social media or their inability to set their phones down, the Huffington Post notes that Gen Z stays better con-

nected to friends and family than other generations. They are also more prepared to adapt to new waves of technological advancements.

However, although Gen Z-ers may hate to admit it, their elders hold some truth in their complaints. According to Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University and the author of Generation Me and iGen Earth. “[Generation Z} is less “face to face”, and thus feel more lonely and left out .”

These patterns spark concern, and the statistic serves as a precaution to the rise of technology and its pros and cons.

All of these advancements in tech have shaped Gen Z by affecting the characteristics which make up their personalities. A book, Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace “found that Generation Z students self-identify as being loyal, compassionate, thoughtful, open-minded, responsible, and determined.” However, “how they see their Generation Z peers is quite different from their own self-identity. They view their peers as competitive, spontaneous, adventuresome, and curious—all characteristics that they do not see readily in themselves.”

Gen Z embodies the characteristics of curiosity and open-mindedness through an eagerness to understand all of the

new developments they encounter during this modern time. However, because Gen Z-ers rely more on technology and other people rather than themselves, they often lack the independence that past generations have prided themselves upon.

Gen Z, although perhaps not as individually independent, certainly stands out from all other generations because of dramatic cultural changes, some of which include the decrease of personal privacy, the decline of a mainstream pop culture and popular redefinition of gender, family and race.

Possibly to their own surprise, Gen Z stands as the most risk-averse generation, even in minor ways. A study from 2013 shows that 8 percent of teenagers never or rarely wear a seat belt when riding in a car with someone else, as opposed to 26 percent in 1991.

Gen Z’s education may have contributed to the prevalent wise choice of wearing a seatbelt, as according to a Northeastern University Survey, “81 percent of Generation Z believes obtaining a college degree is necessary in achieving career goals.”

Courtesy of NPR

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21

November

Tips & Tricks for Designing Your Own Latte

By BETHANY ROBERTS ‘20 Cooler weather is best celebrated with a hot drink. And, in my opinion, the latte is perfect to keep warm. Whether you are obsessed or are completely new to the world of coffee, most people are not aware of the amount of options they have when it comes to what is going in your cup and even fewer are educated on each option.

If specifying espresso, keep in mind that lighter roasts have a sweeter taste but more caffeine. Most cafes opt for a darker roast, as many people prefer to balance out the bitterness of dark espresso with their choice of syrups and milk. The foam on top of a latte also helps balance the flavors inside, so drinking it in a mug as opposed to a to-go cup is sometimes pivotal.

Traditionally, sweetness is added to coffee through plain granulated sugar.

Brown sugar or artificial

sweeteners are also common additives.

However, a recent craze of adding flavored syrups has infiltrated most coffee shops. Most syrups vary per coffee shop, but the typical lineup is vanilla, caramel and hazelnut. Depending on the size of your drink, your barista will add the corresponding number of pumps of syrup.

However, if you would like to personalize the strength of the flavor, just ask for less or more pumps when ordering. Many coffee shops have seasonal syrups, like peppermint during the winter and most famously, pumpkin spice in the fall. Personalizing the amount of syrup in your drink often takes trial and error since this variable affects the taste significantly.

The different types of milk for coffee have the greatest variety. The more fat in the milk, the richer and creamier your drink will taste. Whole milk, with about 3 to 4 percent fat content, is the typical default for most coffee shops unless the customer specifies.

Some coffee drinkers prefer a lighter density to their coffee, which allows the espresso flavor to shine through more

clearly. 1 percent or 2 percent milk, a slightly healthier option, will cut down on the sweetness and body of a latte.

Skim milk is slightly sweeter and has even less body than reduced-fat milk, allowing the espresso to shine through even more clearly. (Urnex) Milk alternatives include cream and non-dairy milk.

Creams are best for those who want a strong body to their coffee. Half-and-half and heavy cream are best used in a brewed dark roast since their high amounts of fat would make a latte too thick and sweet.

Non-dairy milk options include oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk and coconut milk.

Oat milk is rapidly growing in popularity with coffee drinkers. It has been praised for not forming a film or curdling in coffee unlike other diary alternatives when people make a cup at home. Much like full-fat dairy milk, oat milk is creamy and full of body yet does not overpower the espresso.

Almond milk does not add much body or flavor but it does add a distinctly nutty taste. Soy milk, on the other hand, has

a soy aftertaste and does add body and sweetness. Rice milk is the non-dairy equivalent to skim milk, with little body. Coconut milk, “mildly nutty” with a “slightly sour aftertaste” is known to break apart if not properly pre-heated when used in lattes, so order it at a café to try it out.

Exploring the different options of the latte world is an adventure in itself, but finding the latte that you love as the end result will top off your fall season. The different espressos, sweeteners and milks creates so many combinations, you are bound to find something you love.

Luxury Clothes Are Going Up in Flames

By HOPE WHITCRAFT ‘20 Have you ever tried thrifting? Do you ever walk into the thrift store hoping to find some authentic designer pieces? It is a thrifter’s dream to find a designer piece at a thrift shop, especially since highend brands are often so pricey that they are impossible for the average person to own.

Top companies in the fashion industry have a strategy to prevent their products from being worn by the “wrong shoppers.” These luxury brands burn billions of dollars’ worth of clothes instead of letting their products go down the chain of discounted prices and second-hand

stores. This strategy is supposed to keep the price of the brand’s products high since the only way to buy the item is from that specific store. Instead is negatively impacting the environment by causing air pollution and wastefulness.

By burning so many clothes, companies like Burberry and Louis Vuitton are polluting the earth. The British company Burberry burned over 116 million dollars’ worth of clothes in just the past five years. Jewelry and watch brands such as Cartier, Piaget, Baume and Mercier destroyed over 563 million dollars’ worth of watches in 2018. Other

non-luxury brands that burn clothes are Urban Outfitters, Victoria Secret, Eddie Bauer and J.C. Penny.

These are just some of the many statistics that have come up in the past few years about these fashion brands destroying their products. This is something that has been kept secret from shoppers by these powerful brands for many years.

Now that the secret is out, environmentalists are enraged.

The fashion industry is already named “the world’s worst polluter” and these luxury brands burning clothes only makes their case worse. Not only are they not

sending the right message to the public that only certain people should wear their clothes or own their products, they are also wasting millions of dollars to keep their status instead of donating or selling clothes at a discounted rate.

Since the secret has come out, Burberry has already announced that they will stop burning their unsold products.

This proves that just by so many people standing up for the environment, it can make a difference. Every little bit counts to help stop this problem including boyatting companies that burn clothes.

Courtesy of Fullcombo. net

22

November

Opinions

The Bear Facts

Joker Faces Criticism Amid Controversy

By NATALIE RO ‘22 With DC’s release of the film Joker, critics have been fast to note that the movie is gritty and disturbing. The movie deals with various issues such as mental illness, eating disorders, classism and abuse. These hard-hitting topics shocked audiences and even had such an impact that some members had to leave their theater.

The movie centers around the main character of Arthur Flecker and his struggle to fit in with society. He struggles with a condition that causes him to burst into laughter. Along with this condition, he also suffers from delusions of a fantasized reality involving his hero, Murray Franklin, a talk show host, and his neighbor, Sophie Dumond.

“Everything about the storytelling- the ominous, booming score; the gritty darkness; the invasive sound- is designed to be oppressive, and to push the audience toward Arthur’s point of view as the primary victim of all the oppression.

Phillips delivers that message in a selfcongratulatory way, largely by set-

ting the film in a world where Arthur has no choice but violence, and no escape but madness. He’s portrayed as a kind of dark truth teller because he’s learned that the world is a joke, and nothing matters,” said The Verge, news and media network.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Flecker and does a scarily excellent job of portraying a troubled and abused clown who only wants a place in society. Controversy surrounding the film concerns the way the Flecker’s actions echo those of

mass shooters. His actions bombard audiences with emotions because they feel uncomfortable and anxious at the same time.

Other people were upset about how the movie has nothing to do with the Batman collection, even though the Joker is apart of it. When entering a AMC theater, AMC’s poster warns “JOKER: This is not your typical comic book film and is only intended for mature audiences.” This caused audiences to wonder why this movie was significant enough to be

released this year.

A critic from the Verge questioned, “Do we really need another Joker story so soon after Suicide Squad?” The critic also said, “The Joker [is] full of dangerous ideas that will spur its worst fans to murder.” With this new movie, audiences have seen at least six different adaptations of the classic character. All portrayals of the Joker are completely different from one another.

Regarding Fletcher’s mental illness, he takes seven different types of medication, which much more than normal dosage amounts. With this high of a medicine intake, audiences can infer that he seriously struggles with his mind and the thoughts and feelings he has.

On the positive side, this film brings awareness to the dangers of mental illness.

It is vital for people to be aware of the seriousness of mental illnesses, and that they can cause severe damage. It is important to receive proper help if suffering from a mental illCourtesy of Google Images ness.

Nail Salon Employees Face Injustice

By ELLIE SKELLY ‘21 Less than minimum wage paychecks, exposure to dangerous toxins, and abuse— these are the conditions faced daily by nail salon employees. Though many enjoy the ritual of getting a cheap, quality manicure or pedicure, few realize the human-rights violations of employees that their pretty nails help facilitate.

Nail salon employees, mostly immigrants from Asia or Latin America, often fall prey to wage theft, the denial of wages or benefits rightfully owed to an employee as set by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Wage theft is extremely prominent in nail salons because of the illegal status of most employees, making action against wage theft a one-way ticket to deportation.

“We did a survey of 100 workCourtesy of Jackie ers who Thomas ‘20‘20 came

in for workshops or school, and 70% of them were experiencing wage theft, and a significant number of them were experiencing wage theft in the hundreds [of dollars] per week,” said Xu, a Chinese immigrant and activist.

On top of wage theft, nail salon employees are already paid miniscule amounts. Nail Salon workers are classified as tipped workers or independent contractors, making them eligible for hourly wages well below minimum wage, similar to those of waiters.

However, tips do not accumulate too much in the salon world. While a waiter or waitress is able to work multiple tables at once, earning a tip from each at the same time, nail employees are stuck at one chair for the entirety of their service. Additionally, tips do not yield a high sum, as most standard manicures are relatively cheap, and the tipping is too low to add up to a minimum wage job.

Tips are not reliable in the nail business, explains past nail salon employee and organizer o f the New Yo r k Nail Salon Workers Association (NYNSWA), as she said, “The problem is that tips are unstable and clients don’t always leave tips, as well as the prices tend to be really low and thus results in low tips.”

The inability to earn a substantial wage has a huge effect on the employees, most of whom are women trying to support a family. Glenda explained, saying, “More than 33% of our members are single mothers and the sacrifice that they have to make every day [is] to leave their children with a babysitter, because they have to work six to seven days a week, ten to twelve hours a day without the needed rest breaks. And they still don’t know if at the end of the week they’ll make enough to make ends meet, to pay rent or to have food on the table.”

Furthermore, nail salon employees are repeatedly exposed to chemicals, often in buildings with poor ventilation systems, as reported in a 2015 New York Times investigation. Following this investigation, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo launched a Nail Salon Industry Enforcement Task Force, “statewide initiative directed salon owners to pay out more than $2 million in unpaid wages and damages and mandated new salon ventilation requirements as well as a directive to salon owners to provide ‘appropriate protective equipment’ to workers, including masks, eye protection, and gloves” reported the New York Times when the force was initiated in 2015.

Despite this mandate, many salons are still below the new industry standards with their poor ventilation systems and lack of proper safety equipment. These problems lead to eye problems, asthma

and serious reproductive issues.

The tide is changing for nail salon employees, however, who are now backed up by NYNSWA, “a worker-led organization that seeks to win fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity at work for its members, and to achieve public health, environmental and racial justice by working with the community, clients, and salon owners,” reports Teen Vogue in an article this September.

NYNSWA is currently comprised of seven-hundred female nail salon workers who actively participate in “Know Your Rights” workshops on wage, hours, immigration, labor, and health and safety rights. Also, members have access to the NYNSWA’s nail specialty licensing program, enabling women to find an affordable route to obtaining their “Nail Specialty license” offering opportunities for more access to worker rights and education.

This license enables salon workers to work in higher quality salons, helping them bring in bigger paychecks. It also helps workers learn the value of their work, helping add to demands for better conditions and circumstances in salons.

Employees in nail salons regularly face horrible working conditions, putting both their safety and economic stability in jeopardy. Though newly founded organizations like NYNSWA are dedicated to making a difference, there still is a long way to come.

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Forever 21 Won’t Last Forever

By ELLIE SKELLY ‘21

dollars’ worth While this news seekers across it is a win for the general wellbe-

On September 29th, Forever 21 officially filed for bankruptcy. After continually struggling to stay afloat in the “retail apocalypse” brought on by every mall-store’s biggest enemy, the internet, the fast fashion giant with eight hundred stores and three billion of sales has fallen. has troubled bargain the world,

ing of humanity.

The leading cause of the downfall of Forever 21 is its untimely expansion. “We went from seven countries to 47 countries within a less-than-six-year time frame and with that came a lot of complexity,” said coowner Jin Sook Chang in an interview with the New York Times; this expansion occurred as the fashion industry shifted to online, leaving Forever 21 in quite the predicament.

Following their file, the company launched a global restructuring strategy which the company’s executive vice president, Linda Chang, described as “an important and necessary step to secure the future of our company, which will enable us to reorganize our business and reposition Forever 21.” This reconstruction involves closing over half of its stores world-wide.

Forever 21 is well-known for their massive selection of cheap, trendy clothes. They paved the way for the fast fashion market, offering $5 tops for the trendiest of teens to wear once and then toss into a garbage can, which then will be dumped into a landfill to sit or be burned, releasing mother earth’s worst enemy, carbon, into the air.

Fast fashion takes a sizable toll on the environment, presenting eager shoppers with the dilemma of buying the cropped Hot Cheeto tee or protecting our beloved planet. The United Nations Environment Program reports: “Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned.

If nothing changes by 2050, the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget.

Washing clothes also releases half a million tons of microfibers into the ocean every year.”

The root of Forever 21’s environmental crisis lies in its business scheme. Forever 21 aims to produce as much as possible for as cheaply of possible and continue to stay on top of trends, inevitably leading to the lack-luster quality of such products. This angle encourages shoppers to buy clothes for very little, and when the fad fades, the shopper can toss the old piece for something newer with barely any economic consequence.

Additionally, the poor quality of the clothes lends themselves to not having much chance as a handme-down, basically eliminating the opportunity of recycling the clothes as they cannot last for longer than one owner.

Another disturbing element of Forever 21 is the working conditions for the clothes’ manufacturers. In 2017, The LA Times reported a story on factory worker Norma Ulloa, a forty-four-year-old women who spent eleven hours pinning tags and snipping loose threads for six dollars an hour, one-half of Los Angeles’s twelve dollar minimum wage and the same price of a shirt sold at Forever 21. Ulloa, along with over three hundred other workers, filed a claim against Forever 21 in 2017. Two years later, it has still gone unsettled and ignored by the company.

Those working in the sewing department are paid for each garment completed. Business Insider reported that for a vest that is set to retail for $13.80, the typical garment worker would be payed 12 cents.

Though Forever 21 claims that they do routine evaluations of their factories and that any disregard of the law is, in fact, not their own fault but that of the manufacturing company, they have made very little efforts to improve their conditions.

For example, in 2013 the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed from lax structural standards, killing eleven-hundred workers as one of the worst industrial accidents in history. Forever 21 employees were killed in this disaster, but as fellow competitors have since joined the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety or the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, Forever 21 opted out.

In 2016, Forever 21 was called out by the International Labor Rights Forum for buying cotton from Uzbekistan factories, places known for their horrible human rights violations and forced child labor. Forever 21 has yet to respond to this call, refusing to join companies such as The Gap, Levi’s, and American Eagle among others.

If Forever 21 has any good qualities, they pale in comparison to the damage the store causes.

They are a major contributor to the Earth’s landfills and the release of carbon in the atmosphere, their clothes are unoriginal replicas of short-lived trends, they commit major violations against general human rights, and despite all these shortcuts taken, they are unable to turn a simple profit.

The closing of Forever 21 may temporarily wound the wardrobes of those searching for a get-cool-quick fix, but overall, Forever 21’s slow burn to Hell calls for a halleluiah.

23

November

Unpacking Politics: Health Care Reform

By JACKIE THOMAS ‘20

Health care—yet another ever-so-complicated, ever-so-polarizing issue in modern American politics. With 14 percent of Americans uninsured, voters are turning their focus to candidates’ plans to reform the U.S. health care system.

Many liberal politicians are calling more and more fervently for a public system, with most Democrats falling somewhere between simply wanting a public option or doing away with health care insurance in the private sector altogether. To better understand the arguments, let’s unpack these ideas, along with conservative response to them.

First of all, what is private vs. public heath care?

Private health care insurance refers to U.S. citizens buying into plans from companies like United Health, Humana, or Blue Cross Blue Shield. Often, private insurance is provided or recommended by an individual’s employer. Currently, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, 74 percent of Americans enroll in this private system, which has its pros and cons.

Many conservatives support privatized health care, citing that private companies allow for more options for providers and individual care. This system supports free market ideals, which many rightleaning politicians and citizens aim to protect, by encouraging competition and theoretically prompting companies to cut prices to appeal to consumers.

On the other side, however, many on the left argue that privatized insurance prioritizes shareholder profits over quality of care, resulting in high costs for Americans with subpar health care in return. Critics submit that this private system awards health care like a privilege, granting insurance that makes medical care possible only to those who can afford it.

Public health care, meanwhile, involves government-issued insurance, sometimes called universal health care. This includes the “Medicare for all” plans cited by presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. In its most radical form, public health care would involve the federal government taking the place of private insurance companies as the mediator between citizens and health care providers, doing away with private options altogether.

Proponents of public health care see the singlepayer system, where there would only be one government-sponsored insurance provider, as inarguably necessary. This system, those on the left argue, would eliminate corporate greed by insurance companies and ensure equal, adequate and affordable care for all Americans. Politicians cite the success of many other major countries in implementing similar “Medicare for all” plans, including the likes of Canada, Denmark and Australia.

Recently, another option has gained national traction, combining aspects of both private and public health care. Many, including multiple current presidential candidates, advocate for a system containing private and public options depending on the wants and needs of each individual citizen.

Termed “Medicare for all who want it” by Democrat Pete Buttigieg, this plan seems to be a satisfactory compromise to its supporters. The plan potentially frees Americans from inflated prices driven by private corporations while still offering choice for citizens to choose their own provider. Additionally, some advocates for this system, including Buttigieg, see it as a possible stepping-stone towards a singlepayer system.

Ultimately, to determine your personal stance on American health care and how it should be reformed, if at all, consider what aspects of the debate are most valuable to you. Recognize the pros and cons for each side without bias. Avoid the unproductive, party-driven squabbling in order to understand and address the core human issues within the health care debate.

Everyone destresses in different ways. If you are Sarah Hui ‘20, perhaps you throw a solo dance party in your bedroom. Maybe you are more of an Ellie Skelly ‘21, and create a mini sauna in the shower to let all the tears out. Yet, some of us are more like Jackie Thomas ‘20, and simply do not destress.

By now, you have probably learned that failing to destress results in a seemingly never-ending cycle of stress. As the Nov. 1 deadline approaches, it is important to take the time to relax, take a few deep breaths and congratulate yourself for all the hard work and sleepless nights you have put into your college applications.

If you have been dying for an excuse to buy a new bath bomb from Lush, now is the perfect occasion. According to Teen Vogue and research by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D, being surrounded by water “improves your emotional health, reduces stress and promotes relaxation.” Therefore, light some candles, put on your favorite Spotify playlist, hop into the tub and voilà!

Your mind and body will be graciously thanking you for taking the time to relax.

Unfortunately, if baths are not your thing, the nearest beach is in about five hours away in Galveston (thanks a lot, Texas!). However, White Rock Lake is only a twenty-minute drive from Ursuline. For an added bonus, stop at the White Rock Coffee drive-thru before taking in the crisp air, picturesque landscape and the calming sound of the water splashing around the dock at the lake.

Visiting White Rock Lake is a beloved stress reliever of many Ursuline students, including Elizabeth Primrose ’20. Primrose said, “I am a big fan of water and sunsets, so going to White Rock relaxes

me as I can sit by the water and watch the sunset.

If I ever feel stressed or overwhelmed, I like to walk around the lake and experience the serenity. I always leave feeling calm and at peace!”

Exercising is another great, scientifically-proven way to destress. Physical activity, whether accomplished through walking around White Rock Lake or through attending a workout class, releases endorphins, which make you, and your brain, happier.

One popular medium of working out, not only in the Ursuline community, but also throughout Dallas, is spin class.

Ainsley Neitzel ’20 is a regular at Soul Cycle. “I feel happier and I feel that I can handle my stress better after a spin class. I imagine I am chasing whatever is stressing me while I am on the bike. It’s good anger management! I also love the music they play because it helps me focus on staying on rhythm rather than how hard the workout is,” Neitzel said.

Helen Emerson ’20 is also an avid spin class attendee. Emerson loves the instructors at Cycle Bar. “The instructors always help to motivate me, and spin allows me to think about something besides what I am stressed about for a while,” she said.

When trying to find the time in your busy schedule to destress, it is best to start small in order to truly make a habit out of ‘me’ time. Sometimes, all it takes to relieve stress is putting on a face mask once a week or de-cluttering a different corner of your room. Regardless of how you destress, it is important that you make note of the fact that you are amazing and that you accomplish such great things every single day!

Image courtesy of Elizabeth Primrose ‘20

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Class of 2020 Grace R nger ‘20 i si