The Review: October 2014

ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER · SJSREVIEW.COM 2401 CLAREMONT LANE · HOUSTON, TX 77019 · VOLUME 66 · ISSUE 2 · OCTOBER 20, 2014

‘WE OWE YOU AN APOLOGY’ Prefects reach out to students, self-report Homecoming theme bias JARED MARGOLIS

Taking Care of Business Head Prefect Akshay Jaggi, left, and Prefects Stephen Wang, Ben Bieser, and Gabe Bennett-Brandt, discuss Homecoming plans during a Students Affairs Council meeting, Oct. 10. Controversy arose when the Prefects published a letter on SJS Confessions II addressing confusion surrounding the Homecoming theme vote.

U

by Iris Cronin and Oliver Ruhl

sually, SJS Confessions is a hotbed of positivity: compliments, heartfelt advice and warm remembrances of school life are common fare on the Facebook page.

But the controversial post that surfaced on Oct. 1 was not a declaration of affection. It was an apology.

The open letter, addressed from the prefects to the student body, tackled accusations that the Homecoming theme vote was not entirely democratic. At issue: SAC’s [Student Affairs Council] apparent preference for the ‘Neon’ theme on the grounds that it fit with the Kinkaid Week theme.

“The themes were “intended to align, and Spirit Club and SAC worked in secret to make sure that happened,” the letter read.

During and after this year’s vote (conducted on the Review Online), allegations of SAC partiality abounded.

“In the grand scheme of things, a high school vote on a Homecoming theme does not matter,” senior Elizabeth Elrod said.“This issue was important for the SJS community because it allowed us a chance to demonstrate that we don’t like having community organizations lie to us about the fairness of a vote.”

The vote created the possibility of con-

flicting themes.

“The homecoming dance theme and game theme have matched up for as long as we can remember,” the letter reads.“When the Homecoming theme poll was opened in 2013, the connection between the two was endangered.”

Prefect Gabe Bennett-Brandt addressed the posting of the letter.

“We on SAC felt guilty about the misconceptions surrounding the vote,” Bennett-Brandt said. “We understood that we had not provided a truly democratic system.”

Overall, Bennett-Brandt said that SAC and the prefects were pleased with the reception of the letter. There were, however, some “road bumps.”

“One issue was the formatting. The appearance of the letter was mangled in the transfer to Facebook; it got turned into this mass of text. We had many complaints of confusion and non-sequiturs,” he said.

Bennett-Brandt also took umbrage with the word “rigged.”

“Nowhere in the letter did we say we rigged the vote,” he said. “Anyone who gets that impression from the post has the completely wrong interpretation. I would say that’s been the main disappointment.”

Former Head Prefect Sira Ntagha (’14) responded to allegations concerning the manipulation of the vote.

Center Whataburger:

Rubber Ducky: Alum Donovan Hohn tells the story of his adventures

MAVERICKS

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CULTURE.............6 SPORTS.............7

“Spirit Club did advertise Color Splash, but they did that because they liked that theme, not because it would match up with Carnival,” Ntagha said via Facebook Messenger. “The voting isn’t rigged or fixed. Yes, it can be influenced, but that’s it.”

The involvement of the Spirit Club in the theme selection was another point of contention brought up in the letter.

“As in the past, Spirit Club collaborated with SAC when deciding potential themes for homecoming,” Spirit Club Captain Sarah Dyer said. “We wanted people to vote for their favorite and only once, but our advertising was simply promotion of the theme that we knew would work best with the Kinkaid Week theme.”

The controversial vote was not the only issue addressed in the letter.

“We were more concerned about the general discontent and worries people had about honor trials,” Head Prefect Akshay Jaggi said. “People were concerned about being judged not for what they had done in the classroom but what they’d done outside school.”

The prefects’ letter responded directly to these concerns of impartiality at honor trials, assuring students that “during an honor trial, we dispose of any preconceptions.”

“We think it is incredibly important for

IN FOCUS............8 BEYOND............11

OPINIONS..........13 ODD & ENDS......15

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you to be represented by your peers,” Jaggi said. “SAC is there in an honor trial to provide a student perspective on an event.

We go in without any judgement. You have a clean slate.”

Bennett-Brandt characterized the letter as primarily a response to “sudden dissatisfaction with SAC.” “We wanted to open the door to discussion about SAC as a whole, and we hoped to help people understand how important SAC could be,” he said.

In addition to serving in honor trials and planning Homecoming, SAC members serve as student ambassadors, run the toy drive, organize Field Day, sell Valentine’s Day flowers and occasionally interview potential administrators.

“SAC is not just something for a resume,” Junior Class President Joseph Hanson said.

The prefects composed the letter with help from SAC faculty sponsors, but did not share a draft with other grade-level representatives.

“We [non-prefects] found out about the letter the same way everybody else did, by looking at the page,” Hanson said. “I wish the letter had clarified that only prefects worked with the Spirit Club, but I mostly agreed with everything it said.”

Continued on Page 3

Later this month: Photo galleries of Kinkaid Week festivities

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NEWS

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

Food prep transitions to Blanco’s kitchen News Briefs

by Sadde Mohamed and Marisa Murillo

MARISA MURILLO

After being filled with music, dancing and laughter for over 30 years, Blanco’s fell silent last December.

Today the building once again has people bustling through the doors, although none of them are customers.

“We’re transitioning from a bar to a fully-functioning kitchen that feeds about 1,400 people a day,” Dean of Students Stephen Popp said. “I don’t think that Blanco’s would have gotten a thousand people through its doors on its busiest day and have all of them order food.”

Behind the scenes of the smoothly operating food service in the gym, developments in food preparation have presented many challenges. At the helm of the Blanco’s transformation is Director of Finance and Operations Greg Swan.

“Significant renovation was required to turn the former Blanco’s building into our new kitchen,” said Swan via email. “The challenges to the renovation were entirely due to the age of the building and its state of disrepair. Additional work was necessary as the contractor went through the renovation.”

Head Chef Wilfred Ferrell also faced difficulties with the transition.

“Kitchen equipment was removed from the old cafeteria and transported to Blanco’s before demolishing the building,” Ferrell said. “Food

Library roof rebuilt

production completion time had to be modified to allow for loading, transporting and serving.”

Along with having to overcome the constructional challenges, the transition required adherence to Houston’s citywide health codes.

“We had crazy rain [the week of Sept. 17], and the cafeteria staff moved their entire operation to the Upper School side of campus for two days just so we didn’t have to trudge through inches-deep puddles of water,” Popp said. “They got soaked.

It was a complete inconvenience for them to uproot and do all that, but they did it graciously.”

Fred Swead, a cafeteria staff member, encountered hurdles.

“Since we’ve been doing it for two weeks, we are still knocking out kinks and smoothing things out, fine

tuning so the entire process is a lot easier,” Swead said.

Transport of food and equipment has been complicated for the staff.

“We come in and cook the cold and hot foods separately and bring it to the Lower School one at a time,” Swead said. “Then we go back and load all the food onto a 14-foot truck and van. Later we set everything up.”

Even with the difficulties of moving kitchens, Ferrell has not sacrificed the quality of his menu.

Both students and faculty welcome the health-conscious variety of options presented by cafeteria staff.

“I’m always impressed by their offerings,” Popp said, “We sometimes forget that in many schools the cafeteria options are not as healthy or varied.”

Cooking up a Storm The cafeteria team prepares lunch in the Blanco’s kitchen before transporting food to the gym for distribution to hungry students and staff.

Colleges shed light on weight of PSATs

by Megan Shen

seded by the SAT and ACT, so it’s really to prepare you for these tests,” a Harvard representative said.

Accrocco notes that a poor performance on the PSAT does not necessarily translate into less success on the primary admissions tests.

“First and foremost, the PSAT’s function is getting students accustomed to standardized testing. I have plenty of students who don’t get the award who go on to get a very competitive SAT score,” Accrocco said.

National Merit qualification does offer a plethora of scholarship opportunities for students who advance as finalists.

“To become a finalist, a student must show strong academic performance in school, although there’s no real cutoff for what that looks like,” Accrocco said. “The vast majority of semifinalists will become finalists.”

Finalists can then receive one of three types of scholarships: awards from National Merit (of $2500),

Peers program to focus on acclimation, leadership

This year’s peer leader program has been revised to emphasize leadership qualities. Seniors chosen for the position attend an orientation late junior year and another in the summer to discuss leadership qualities, effective ways to lead, and ways to approach challenging situations as a peer leader.

“The peer leader program this year is focusing on not only helping freshmen acclimate to Upper School but also teaching valuable leadership skills,” peer leader Kate Bomar said.

“I’m learning more about leadership, which is a great life skill that can be applied outside of St. John’s.”

Peer leaders are now required to meet individually with each of the freshmen in their advisory and to check in with the advisor periodically.

The peer leaders are also encouraged to keep in touch with the freshmen throughout the year instead of just until freshman retreat, like many of the previous years’ leaders have done.

“It’s really helpful to have peer leaders that I can look up to and come to with any problem I have,” freshman Kate Habich said.

APES tours wastewater treatment facility

SOPHIA LEE

For students looking to bolster their college applications, a high score on the PSAT—otherwise known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test—seems like just another opportunity to add to their list of accolades.

Yet according to College Counselor Nick Accrocco, juniors are often unnecessarily anxious about the test.

“It’s really not something to worry about. A student could be admitted anywhere as long as they have strong SAT or ACT scores among other strengths,” Accrocco said.

Students’ high expectations may stem from the abundance of National Merit qualifiers in previous classes.

In recent years, the school has had the most National Merit semifinalists of any high school in the city of Houston, a trend which continued this year. The Class of 2015 has 50 semifinalists and 43 commended students.

“People get stressed about wanting to do well, especially when they hear about their friends or family becoming National Merit scholars,” junior Lillian Chen said.

Responding to queries from The Review, Stanford and Vanderbilt denied that neither PSAT nor National Merit qualification factors into admissions decisions, while the University of Virginia and the University of Southern California said that they consider National Merit achievements. Despite their varied responses, all colleges emphasized the holistic nature of the admissions process.

“We will consider anything you put in your file. But the PSAT is super-

Last spring, workers discovered that Taub Library’s roof could not support all its stories.

“Construction workers were up in the attic working, and I think they might have seen daylight,” Librarian Peg Patrick said.

The roof was replaced from the inside. All the tables, books and chairs were moved into the north room during construction, which lasted a month and a half.

The process of moving the dismantled shelves, tables and books back into the library lasted two days. The library was officially reopened Sept.

12, and students were invited back for cupcakes.

Freshman Riya Chakraborty said, “I’m really excited about the library being reopened because it gives a lot of students the opportunity to study.”

corporate sponsors, and the universities themselves. While more than 50 colleges offer four-year, full-tuition compensation and many others offer renewable partial tuition scholarships, the most selective universities—including the likes of Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Stanford—do not grant any stipends.

Accrocco encourages families to see the PSAT as an opportunity rather than a source of anxiety.

“It is a great way to prepare for the SAT and potentially offers lots of open doors for families looking for financial benefits at some colleges,” Accrocco said.

PSAT BY THE NUMBERS •

Fewer than 1% of the nation’s high school graduating seniors qualify as Semifinalists • University of Chicago enrolled the most National Merit Scholars in 2013 (314 students) Data from National Merit Corporation

True Test of Merit?

Although the PSAT may seem intimidating, results do not matter as much as students believe.

At the 69th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility, the AP Environmental Science class watched as recently treated wastewater rushed back into the Buffalo Bayou.

“The wastewater treatment facility shows the students how municipal sewage is treated, and they understand the process and need for treatment,” APES teacher Elizabeth Spike said.

The students toured the facility on Sept. 22 and observed the different components involved in wastewater treatment.

“It was really cool to see where exactly water that we use goes and what happens to it,” senior Vinay Gajula said.

The class then went to the Buffalo Bayou Nature Park, where they learned how to identify and sample vegetation.

“Surprisingly, sampling vegetation is a lot of work,” Gajula said.

Compiled by Ashwini Bandi, Emily Chen and Olivia Zhang

FEATURES

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SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

ARTISTIC LICENSING

Honda commercial leads art teacher to file lawsuit

by Christian Maines

D

Havel and Ruck, but the artists have continually refused them.

Havel and Ruck did so on the grounds that it was bad business practice.

“We believe that there was some deception involved,” Havel said.

Honda paid McGarryBowen $40 million for the Europe-wide advertisement, which was narrated by Garrison Keillor.

“When we found out about this, we decided that we needed legal advice,” Havel said. “Our lawyers said that the typical profit margin of such a deal is 20 percent, and 20 percent of 40 million is eight million. We have a legal right to that and any other profit made my McGarry Bowen and Rogue Films.”

Havel believes that the house used in the commercial is nearly identical to “Inversion” itself.

“I did this early on, and this is where it got kind of spooky,” Havel said. “I overlapped photographs of ‘Inversion’ on top of the house that they used in the commercial to see where they placed the dartboards, and the pictures matched up exactly.”

Havel’s legal counsel could not comment on the compensation Havel would receive if he wins the case.

“Would it be great to get a big windfall? Sure, it would be great,” Havel said.

“But that’s not what this is

JARED MARGOLIS

an Havel and Dean Ruck are not in the demolition business, but they can tear apart houses with the best of them.

Art teacher Dan Havel and his artistic partner Ruck deconstructed and rebuilt two condemned houses on the corner of Montrose Boulevard and Willard Street in 2005.

The artists rearranged the wooden paneling of the houses to create a vortex shape that connected the two buildings through a narrow hallway and exited into a main courtyard.

“Inversion” quickly gained public attention. Over its six-month installation, “Inversion” attracted visitors who crawled on all fours through the vortex and into the courtyard on the other side.

Yet they also received some unwanted attention for their project.

Honda Motor Company, in collaboration with advertising agency McGarryBowen and production

company Rogue Films, produced a commercial depicting a Honda CR-V driving through a vortex in a house.

“They contacted us at the beginning through a woman who was hired by the ad agency to make the film,” Havel said. “She said ‘Hi, we’re fans of your work, and we had the idea of a porthole through a building in a commercial.’”

McGarryBowen sent Havel and Ruck a synopsis of the commercial, as well as a storyboard that included other artists’ depictions of vortex-like images.

“They said that we can’t copyright portholes through buildings,” Havel said. “We said that if it looks like ‘Inversion,’ then there will be a problem.”

The production company continued with the commercial, and the commercial aired in an ad campaign across Europe.

“They contacted us and told us that it was too late, that the commercial had aired and that they would give us credit for the commercial,” Havel said.

Since then, McGarryBowen has made several monetary offers of over $10,000 to

about.”

Honda’s alleged copyright infringement could set a precedent for others who are tempted to “borrow” their artwork.

“We’ve been burned once, and we could be burned again,” Havel said.

Last week, the courts ruled against Havel and Ruck suing Honda, but they won the jurisdictional battle to pursue legal recourse against McGarryBowen and Rogue Films in the United States.

Havel’s attorney Arthur Feldman said that the defendents were hoping to force the artists to “travel to the far ends of the earth when their work has been knowingly copied.”

Havel Ruck Projects is an artist collaborative that was formalized into a limited liability partnership in 2009.

In 2013, they applied for a copyright on the design of “Inversion.”

“I don’t think that the general design of a vortex is copyrightable, but their design of ‘Inversion’ is copyrightable,” Feldman said.

Before the commercial aired, Havel and Ruck had licensed the rights to the design of “Inversion” to Inversion Coffee House. Feldman states that creating an ad campaign was an illegal infringement on Havel and Ruck’s registered copyright.

“This case raises important questions over whether individual artists can maintain a suit against foreign commercial entities who knowingly infringed on these artists’ work,” Feldman said.

Amidst the legal proceedings, Havel has managed to maintain a sense of humor about his situation.

“It’s funny, because I drive a CR-V, and I love it,” Havel said. “It’s nothing against these people, but somebody was lazy on the design end and said ‘Let’s run with this. Maybe they won’t notice.’”

Fight the Power(saw) Although art teacher Dan Havel owns a Honda CR-V, a commercial featuring the same make and model infringed on his Inversion House installation, as pictured on his shirt. Havel used power saws and similar tools to create ‘Inversion.’

Continued from Front Page “The process would be too long if all of SAC was involved,” Jaggi said. “We compiled and combined ideas and sent the draft to the SAC sponsors. It was less than a 24-hour turnaround.”

Concern about the location of the announcement, SJS Confessions II, arose after the letter was posted.

“The letter is well-worded and articulate, but I must say that SJS Confessions was a strange forum for the letter,” Elrod said.

Bennett-Brandt defends the location of the posting.

“We honestly thought that SJS Confessions was the fastest way to get the message to the most people,” he said. “The SAC Facebook page doesn’t receive enough traffic, and assemblies are tricky. In a situation like this, you generally don’t want to come between people and their lunch.”

Jaggi maintains that Confessions

was the best place to post the letter.

“With over 300 likes and frequent usage, SJS Confessions is a page people see,” Jaggi said. “We wanted to get it out quickly and make it highly accessible.”

The post caused an immediate stir on social media. Some commentors were critical of SAC and its connection to the student body.

As a part of SAC’s response to student frustration, a new page, SAC Suggestions, has been added to the resource page on the SJS website.

The page “is harder to access than we’d hoped, but it is in an appropriate place,” Jaggi said. “It’s affiliated with the school and is in a place where we can feel comfortable about having students submit suggestions and can access them on a regular basis.”

The fear of school administrators monitoring student online activity may be misplaced. Dean of Students Stephen Popp said that administra-

JARED MARGOLIS

SAC addresses transparency issues, seeks feedback

Meet and Greet Junior SAC representative reads the agenda at the weekly meeting in Erol Turk’s room, S103. Although meetings are open to all, few non-SAC members attend.

tors do not actively keep a watch on students’ online lives.

“Instead, we only look at things that are brought to us,” he said.

Popp also noted the role of SAC as a bridge between the student body and the administration.

“I’m comforted that people feel they can talk to an adult, but often students will—and prefer to—talk

to their peers,” Popp said. “What’s important to know about SAC is that it wants to serve the students.”

Popp hopes that students will view this incident as an attempt by SAC to reach out to the student body.

“What’s important to know about SAC is that they want to serve the students,” Popp said. “It’s a very busy gig.”

Scan to read the SAC letter

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FEATURES

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

Former history teacher reflects on midterm elections

by Jon Peterson

The midterms are the Golden Globes of elections. They lack the prestige of presidential election years but are often more entertaining than their more popular counterparts, owing to the offbeat cast of characters.

For about five minutes it seemed like the gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial races in Texas might garner some excitement, but this was to no avail. Meanwhile, the drama in the lieutenant governor race happened during the Republican primary “brodeo” last spring between David Dewhurst and Dan Patrick, which rehashed that old Progressive-Era chestnut, the Seventeenth Amendment.

Since analyzing the Texas midterms would be more boring than Taft’s tariff policy, I thought it would be fun to look back on the midterm elections during the lifetimes of current students.

Anyone who stepped into [my classroom] between August 2011 and May 2014 faced an immediate assault on your senses from the 1998 midterms in the form of a neon green Jesse Ventura campaign sign.

Jesse “The Body” Ventura made his name as a professional wrestler, wrestling announcer and actor. He returned to Minnesota as an assistant high school football coach, suburban mayor and sports talk-radio host. Ready for a bigger stage than the nine-to-noon shift on AM 1130 KFAN and aided by the most generous voter registration laws in the nation, Ventura labored at personal appearances such as the Minnesota State Fair because he lacked the funds for TV advertising. He made an appearance the Sunday before the election at a parking lot at my college, which is where I obtained the sign. In Minnesota, you just showed up at the polls with your college ID or your cable bill and you could vote, and most of the same day registrants voted for Jesse. He defeated the most venerated name in Minnesota politics: Humphrey.

Hubert “Skip” Humphrey III, son of LBJ’s veep, and the politically ambidextrous mayor of St. Paul, Norm Coleman, who helped bring the NHL back to the State of Hockey, both lost to Jesse. If not for Ventura, the biggest story would have been in my home state of Iowa as Republican Congressman Jim Ross Lightfoot frittered away a 30-point lead over the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Tom Vilsack, through a series of strange campaign ads and bizarre debate performances.

In 2002, President Bush and his political Mr. Miyagi, Karl Rove, used the emotion of 9-11 to gain authorization from Con-

Key Races Republicans are poised to retake the Senate for the first time since 2007.

For that to happen, several pivotal races must break for the GOP. Iowa is up for grabs after a gaffe by the Democratic incumbent at a fundraiser.

Senator Pat Roberts’ spot is endangered after allegations that he does not reside in Kansas Rick Perry, the longesttenured governor in Texas history, is stepping down.

COURTESY PHOTO

DP for President Peterson has collected election memorabilia throughout the years. He obtained the Ventura sign in the parking lot at his college just before the 1998 election.

gress for the use of military force in Iraq one month prior to the midterm elections.

Not wanting to be on the wrong side of an impending and popular war, many Democrats ignored their misgivings, including New York Senator Hillary Clinton. As Iraq spiraled out of control, her vote opened up real estate on the left for Barack Obama to challenge her in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

The most notorious political use of 9-11 imagery happened in the Georgia US Senate race as Republican challenger Saxby Chambliss implied in a TV ad that Osama bin Laden would support the Democratic incumbent and triple amputee Vietnam veteran, Max Cleland. Chambliss won.

Both the 1998 and 2002 elections bucked the trend of the president’s party losing congressional seats in a midterm election, while 2006 and 2010 had more traditional outcomes. Bush’s domestic presidency had ended with the tragic and inept government response to amendment as a campaign issue. Hurricane Katrina and his signature foreign policy initiative, the Iraq War, left the nation in the throes of civil war.

2006 was the so-called YouTube Election as Senator George Allen (R-VA) lost his reelection bid in large part due to a racial slur directed at an American of South

Asian descent, captured on video before going viral. Politicians also saw the dangers of illicit text messages as the sexually explicit instant messages and emails of Representative Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to congressional pages became public. The Republicans lost the House of Representatives for the first time in twelve years and, more surprisingly, the Senate as well.

In 2010, Tea Party anger over the passage of the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), the high national debt and the lagging economic recovery propelled the GOP to retake the House of Representatives.

Republican gains should have been even greater, but flawed candidates like Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell in Delaware hurt the GOP cause. Quick side note, if you ever run for office and reach the point in your campaign where you must run an ad stating that you are not a witch, it’s over.

As I am writing, the most interesting subplot for 2014 revolves around control of the Senate, which appears poised to flip to Republican control. The seat in Iowa should have been an easy one for Democrats to hold, but when your nominee insults farmers at a fundraiser, you’re going to get a race in Iowa. Iowa is the most agriculture-centric state in the nation as it usually leads the nation in corn and hog

production. Having grown up on a farm in Iowa, I can say from experience that farmers are a particularly thin-skinned lot, which is part of the reason they work by themselves miles away from other people.

To make matters worse for Democrat Bruce Braley, his GOP opponent is a self-professed hog-castrating farm girl, Joni Ernst.

Control of the Senate might come down to Kansas, which has not had a Democratic senator since the New Deal. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) is in trouble because his so-called home is a mailbox in Dodge City. As a former resident calling Nebraska the home of much of my extended family, I can safely say that Kansans are a proud people with a chip the size of Nebraska on their collective shoulder, so appearing too good for the Sunflower State might prove politically fatal, even for a Republican in a state where box elder bugs are often referred to as “Democrats.”

So on election night, grab a bag of pork rinds and watch the returns roll in from Iowa. Wikipedia “Bob Dole” to figure out why the GOP dug him up to campaign in Kansas and enjoy watching other states’ drama. We probably will not long remember the 2014 midterms for long, but this election season may still provide us with comedy, both intentional and unintentional, just like the Golden Globes.

Jon Peterson currently teaches history at St. Paul’s Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Voting Percentages by Age Group

45%

18-29 yrs

59.5%

30-44 yrs

67.9%

45-64 yrs

72%

65 yrs and older Data from US Census Bureau

CULTURE

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SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

ROCK THE VOTE

Senior volunteers as fellow on Davis campaign

ANNA CAUTHORN (LEFT) | COURTESY PHOTO

Banking on it Senior Miranda Hurtado-Ramos calls voters to ask for them to register to vote or volunteer for the Wendy Davis campaign. She has met Davis at multiple campaign events. Hurtado-Ramos began as a summer fellow with the campaign in June and is now a senior fellow.

S

by Cara Maines

enior Miranda Hurtado-Ramos does not wear the iconic pink shoes, but she does have a pocket constitution signed by Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis.

“She signed it on the Fourteenth Amendment. She said it was her favorite. That’s the one that says the Bill of Rights is applicable not just to Congress but to the states as well.”

Hurtado-Ramos worked as a summer fellow on the Wendy Davis campaign starting in June. Since the start of school, she has become a senior fellow.

“A fellowship is basically like an internship, but you do a little bit more,” she said. “It’s unpaid, but it’s more than a regular volunteer job.”

Hurtado-Ramos’s whole family is involved in the Davis campaign. She taught her mother, who is active in Latinos for Wendy, how to do data entry and make phone calls.

“One weekend when my aunt came to town from San Antonio and my grandmother came over to my house and my mom was there. We all went to the office to phone bank together,” Hurtado-Ramos said. “The people in

to this time as “Get out the Vote,” or the office were really impressed that GOTV. we were all volunteering together.”

“We do really intense canvassing,” Hurtado-Ramos worked in the ofHurtado-Ramos said. “Obviously fice most weekdays this summer and has continued her involvement in the I’m not going to be able to do a ton campaign throughout the school year. because I have school, but I’m going to be involved. I think is going to be “Since we’re in school, I haven’t really useful to have that experience been going to the office nearly as under my belt.” much, but I try to do at least one Hurtado-Ramos became interested phone bank during the week,” she in working on the campaign after said. “During the weekend I usually hearing about do a block walk or a voter regiDavis in the stration event of some kind.“ People say your media and seeHurtado-Ramos trains new vote doesn’t matter ing her speak volunteers in block walks, phone banks and talking to at Discovery and that the voting potential supporters on the Green. system is corrupt. phone. She also monitors social “I first heard Well, if you want to media fronts for the campaign, about Wendy including two Twitter accounts change something, Davis when (Battleground Texas and Latinos you’re going to have she did her for Wendy), a Snapchat account to vote first.” filibuster for and various Facebook groups.

Miranda the women’s “A lot of my life is with the health clinics Hurtado-Ramos [in 2013],” she campaign right now,” she said.

Hurtado-Ramos anticipates said. “My sister was there in Austin at the Capitol becoming even more involved in the when they were doing all of the campaign as Nov. 4 draws closer. demonstrations, and she was texting During the last few days before Election Day, campaign activists intensify me all these pictures. I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world.” their work, conducting roughly four After contacting a field organizer block walks a day and reminding supporters to vote. Strategists refer and submitting her resume, Hurta-

“

Get out and

ote in Texas if you are

do-Ramos became a fellow with the campaign. She booked and organized a voter registration event at the Colombian Festival, where she coordinated volunteers. Since then, she has met Davis at least five times.

“She recognizes me now,” Hurtado-Ramos said.

According to Hurtado-Ramos, one of the most important parts of campaigning is encouraging people to vote, which the Davis campaign achieves through block walks.

In the 2012 presidential election, Texas ranked 48 out of 51 (including Washington D.C.) in voter turnout.

“Talking to voters, hearing why people don’t want to vote and getting people to change their minds has been really interesting for me,” she said. “I read something online that said it takes less time to register to vote than it does to make a cup of ramen. It’s not that hard. All you have to do is show up at the polling place.”

Though Hurtado-Ramos will not be old enough to vote in November, she considers it a crucial responsibility for Americans, especially young people.

“This is their future. [They] complain about not having change, but you have to vote to change something,” she said. “People say your vote doesn’t matter and that the voting system is corrupt. Well, if you want to change something, you’re going to have to vote first.”

a U.S. citizen a resident of the county at least 18 years old Scan to view the Abbott-Davis poll

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CULTURE

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

LOCAL MUSIC

Houston’s overlooked hip-hop cred outstrips Austin During the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé’s headlining performance featured a backstage shout-out to H-town. While Austin’s many concerts and festivals may leave other Texas cities in its cultural shadow, Houston has steadily moved up the ladder thanks to performers like Queen Bey. Although Free Press Summer Fest emerged as a fledgling spectacle in 2009, Houston’s musical prominence has only grown since then. Despite the cancellation of Discovery Green’s Lone Star Music Festival, which was scheduled for the first weekend of November, the omission has done little to dishearten local music fans.

“Considering LA, Austin, New York or Chicago, I think Houston isn’t that far behind,” junior Emlynn Smith said. “We have a pretty decent number of venues and festivals, and we’re constantly growing and expanding. It’s definitely harder for more original bands and artists to make it in Houston because there aren’t as many small venues.”

While Houston may not have the indie credentials or sprawling festivals to compete with Austin nationally, the local culture of hip-hop and rap music remains an oft-overlooked asset.

“Austin is kind of overhyped simply

because they attract music. They don’t have much of a scene of their own, and they just bring in different artists as a virtue of their having ACL [Austin City Limits] and South by Southwest,” senior Connor Eichenwald said. “They don’t have major local Austin artists in the same way that Houston has a really rich musical history.”

Houston’s musical history is reflected most in its fond nickname, “Screwston.” The name honors the memory of prominent local DJ, Robert Earl “DJ Screw” Davis Jr., who invented the “screwed and chopped” genre of hip-hop. DJ Screw pioneered the technique of slowing down the original track and inserting scratches and skipped beats.

“Although his music isn’t really listened to as much among young people, his influence is undeniable,” Eichenwald said. “He put Houston on the map musically and directly affected the musical style of a lot of Houston artists. Many still call him out and rep him. He’s a huge cult figure.”

Screw’s influence on Houston music culminated after his death in 2000. Fans adopted the name Screwston in his memory, and his popularity spread from regional to national scale. His presence in ‘90s Houston rap prompted the rise of artists like Bun B, Slim Thug and Paul Wall who

were showcased in an opening set at Free Press Summer Fest last summer.

Artists like Drake and A$AP Rocky found their footing in Houston and went on to reach national fame.

Drake got his start doing shows for Warehouse Live, and A$AP Rocky pays homage with the lines, “influenced by Houston / see it in my music.”

“Houston has its own unique flavor of culture, and when rappers visit or listen to the sounds of its past, they can’t help but put some of that in their music,” senior Julian Henry said via instant-message.

Most recently, Houston-born rapper Riff Raff debuted his studio album, “Neon Icon,” combining West Coast and Southern rap roots.

The album features a Houston remix of Riff Raff’s single “How To Be the Man” with verses by Slim Thug and Paul Wall. Riff Raff, born Horst Christian Simco, began rapping in 2005. His penchant for electric colors and gaudy bling soon became synonymous with his music, and his success on the major label Mad Decent has once again put Houston hip-hop on the map.

“He’s always off doing his own thing and not conforming to anyone’s idea of who he should be,” Smith said.

“He has a Bart Simpson tattoo, and he just doesn’t care what anyone thinks.”

The R&B group Destiny’s Child also originated in Houston’s Third Ward, serving as the foundation for Beyoncé’s solo career. Although Beyoncé no longer bases her music in Houston, shout-outs to H-town and the Third Ward frequent her lyrics.

“Beyoncé has drastically changed the Houston music scene for the better,” said Tenille Tubbs, founder of Beyoncé club. “Beyoncé is one of the greatest entertainers alive, and the fact that she is from Houston has definitely boosted our hiphop scene’s reputation.”

High-profile entertainers like Beyoncé as well as a vibrant local culture are what keep Houston relevant despite its unsung assets.

“We’re the fourth biggest city in the United States, and Austin has nothing on that,” Eichenwald said. “They might be weird, but we are a diverse and creative city although we might not have the wealth of hipsters and indie folk bands to prove it.”

Throwdown for your hometown Musicians such as Beyoncé credit Houston as the city that kickstarted their careers.

BROOKE KUSHWAHA

by Brooke Kushwaha

FINE ARTS

by Irene Vazquez

As Chorale students crowded into the choir practice room in August, they were greeted by an additional row of black chairs, which the ensemble needed to accommodate new male voices.

For the first time in Chorale history, there are more boys than girls, 53 to 36. Chorale’s total membership has jumped from 72 to 89 singers.

“We asked the new members in their auditions, ‘Why choir?’”

Chorale director Scott Bonasso said.

“They say that their friends in choir are telling them how fun it is and how routine choral singing has had a positive impact on their lives.”

Many join choir to fulfill the fine arts graduation requirement (one credit in either a graded class or co-curricular ensemble).

The increase in the number of boys started with an unusually large class in Boychoir in the Middle School who started in sixth grade and continued singing in Upper School.

“We’re not just getting more warm bodies in the choir seats,” Bonasso said, adding that the musical ability of the singers has also improved.

The increase in Chorale numbers also impacts Bonasso’s directing.

“When the kids come out and they commit to choir in the numbers that they are, the directors want to honor that by providing them with good direction, good training and quality performance experiences,” Bonasso said.

The growth in the fine arts programs is causing some logistical issues, as rehearsal rooms are becom-

ing too small to accommodate the ensembles.

These space limitations are especially evident when all the choirs sing together at events like Candlelight.

“St. John the Divine isn’t getting any bigger,” Bonasso said. “And we were already filling up the sanctuary before our increase in numbers.”

For the theatre department, the matter is vastly more complicated. Rather than cut people from auditions, the theatre department experimented with double-casting shows to accommodate the growing population.

The last musical to be double cast was “Kiss Me Kate” in 2012. The production featured two female casts, while the boys were in both casts.

Junior Matthew Brown remembers “Kiss Me Kate” as a stressful experience.

“Because members of both casts were called to rehearsals at the same time, not everyone could show up,” Brown said. “Ms. Arizpe would add or change choreography almost every rehearsal, so some people would then be a week behind.”

As a result of the double cast, more frequent rehearsals were scheduled in order to teach the whole ensemble the same choreography.

“I remember bumping into my red cast dance partner at the Saturday matinee performance since she turned a different way than my black cast partner,” Brown said. “They had learned two different versions of the same dance.”

Instead of trying to crowd all interested thespians into just three productions, the theater department

JARED MARGOLIS

Increased membership creates overcrowding issues

has opened more avenues for participation. Starting in 2013, the department reinstated fall one-act plays, and 2014 saw the addition of winter one-act plays.

“While the audience for the one-act plays wasn’t as big as it was for the fall play, it felt nice because the entire audience was full of great parents and friends who laughed at any and all jokes we had,” sophomore Matthew Walsh said.

Growth in the bands has been more gradual. With the addition of the Beginner Band program for the fifth grade, band director Darrell Parrish has noticed growth through the Middle and Upper School programs.

“Mr. Parrish is always telling us that the idea was to never outgrow the room,” sophomore flautist Frances Hellums said. “But now they’re trying to squeeze chairs into the room.”

With the growth of the band pro-

gram, some sections have noticed an imbalance, which affects the sound.

“The band is very saxophone heavy,” sophomore trumpeter Jayan Hanson said.

Band members note that the addition of sectional rehearsals make the growing numbers in band easier to deal with.

Parrish is not concerned about the imbalance within the ensemble.

“I have always wanted a student to pick the instrument that they really want to play and then just work in the ensembles to make it all happen,” Parrish said.

With the decision to increase the size of the Upper School by 25 people per year for the next four years, Bonasso expects further expansion of the performing ensembles.

“We’re already talking about ways to expand the fine arts facilities.”

Joyful Noise Chorale’s membership increased by 17 singers this year.

Other fine arts ensembles have noticed a growth in size as well.

SPORTS

7

SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

DON’T CALL IT PING-PONG

E

by Sophia Li

very day after school, students line up to play ping-pong outside of Senior Country. They play for bragging rights, but sophomore Laura Huang, a nationally ranked table tennis player, could crush them all.

For professional competitors, confusing ping-pong and table tennis is a grave insult.

“Table tennis is a professional sport,” said Emilia Gheorghe, coach of the U.S. National Cadet Girls’ Table Tennis Team. “Ping-pong is that game you play in your friend’s basement.”

Huang, who trains with Gheorghe, remains neutral on this subject.

“It really doesn’t matter. I call it both,” Huang said.

Huang played her first match at the age of eight, but she did not take to the game at first. Her parents, noticing her potential, advised her to pursue the sport.

“They made me continue,” Huang said. “Plus, they wanted [a sport] where I couldn’t get hurt.”

As Huang continued to play, her aversion faded and a passion for table tennis soon emerged. Huang began to train more vigorously with her coaches and teammates and now plays over 1,150 hours annually at the Houston Table Tennis Club.

“I don’t feel as if I sacrifice a lot of time,” Huang said. “Table tennis is a break from school and from stress.”

Huang’s practice hours increase during the summer. On weekdays, Huang arrives at the club at 8:30 a.m. to warm up for half an hour. For the rest of the morning, she scrimmages with other players. In the afternoon, Huang rests at the club until 5 p.m., and then plays an hour’s worth of games with her coaches.

“After that I stay there for another hour or two and just play with other members,” Huang said. “It is around five to six hours a day, every day.”

At the age of nine, Huang entered the 2008 U.S. Aliana Open tournament, a Houston competition sanctioned by the USA Table Tennis League.

That year, as a rookie, she lost every match. Her rating was zero.

“I still got 400-something points,” Huang said.

USA Table Tennis is the presiding organization for national table tennis tournaments. Player ratings, which are determined based on the outcome of a match and the rating of the opponent, indicate the experience level of a player. Rookies start at zero, and professionals with ratings of over 2,800 are grouped into the elite category, which consists of the best players in the world.

COURTESY PHOTO

Sophomore table tennis expert rises through ranks

Huang fared significantly better in her second tournament, the 2009 U.S. Open, where her rating rose from 414 to 1,045.

Huang is currently ranked fifth in the nation in the junior division and ninth overall. She has competed at both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Nationals four times.

She played in the 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Junior Olympics. A family

Class of 2015

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trip to China prevented her from competing in 2010.

Huang’s current rating (2,192) designates her as an expert player.

As for the future of her table tennis career, Huang is noncommittal. She concedes that the Olympics are a possibility, albeit one that is far away.

“Even if I do try out, I still have a long way to go,” Huang said.

Power Player Sophomore Laura Huang is a member of the U.S. National Cadet Girls’ Table Tennis team.

She is currently ranked fifth in the nation in the junior’s division and ninth overall.

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

JUST LIKE WE LIKE IT.

AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE WHATABURGER

Swelling with pride and covered in school colors, students pack the one-room restaurant like fries in a take-out carton. Its 12 tables can’t accommodate the crowd that mocks the maximum occupancy sign (110 people).

A group of sweaty boys enters the building and is met with applause and slaps on the back. One of the boys jumps on a table and begins to sing. More people join, culminating in the entire restaurant echoing the chorus, “Hail St. John’s! Hail St. John’s! Hail St. John’s!”

For decades, students have flooded the River Oaks Whataburger religiously on Friday and Saturday nights. Some students are drawn by the mouthwatering burgers while others come for the social atmosphere, but whatever the reason, the local fast food eatery has become a St. John’s cultural hub.

“Whataburger is the center of everywhere you go in high school,” senior Vamsi Mohan said. “It brings grades closer to one another, and it’s a great meet-up spot.”

Although the restaurant is nondescript to most passersby, Whataburger retains sentimental value to some students.

“Whataburger symbolizes the high school experience of friends and football,” said cheerleader E Robins. “It isn’t just a place I go after games; it’s the go-to when my friends and I have nothing to do.”

Some students think Whataburger helps give high school students a sense of community.

“I’ll remember the Whataburger tradition as a time when the whole high school was truly together no matter if we won or lost,” junior Emlynn Smith said. “It’s always a great time to just be together as a school.” er? fill the River Oaks location after major sporting events, while others eat Students taburgtypically a h W m o r at the restaurant es) more frequently.

1goVtootWhataburger 6 , % 9 “I 3 ( tes) more than anyone ever should,” junior Hunter Kowalski said. uit 4 Visoseen 3 , % 2 Whataburger as a convenient place to socialize at any time of the day.

2 ( andwich“Since it’s open 24-7, I can go and grab a hubchub [honey butter chicken biscuit] at any s) of the night and just hang,” senior Robert Kempner said. “Sometimes I even see other 28 Votehour SJS students there in the super early hours of the morning.” s) tes) Whataburger is just another place to cheer on the Mavericks.

Vosome, 4For er (9%, 1 “I enjoy going after games because it proves to me that the students really do enjoy being a part of the community,” Robins said. “It’s fun to see everyone supporting the Mavs at one place. It sort of makes up for the small turnout at pep rallies.”

Even after a disappointing game, customers at Whataburger still retain their enthusiasm.

“After a loss, people are still pretty happy, not because of the game

S

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but because it’s Friday and the weekend. We’re all happy that we don’t have school, honestly,” senior Brandon Alston said. “We always tell the football players when they arrive, ‘Good job.’”

Many value the opportunity to mingle over the food.

“It’s absolutely incredible to be together with everybody, especially after a big win,” senior Richie Lazear said. “The whole place is packed with people, it’s noisy and everyone is having a good time.”

Although the honey butter chicken biscuit won The Review’s poll for favorite Whataburger item, the nation thinks differently.

“Our burgers are what we’re known for, and our original No. 1 Whataburger is our best-selling item,” said Jorge Correa, Whataburger Director of Operations.

Along with socializing and eating, students also go to Whataburger to snag a plastic Whataburger food tent for the dashboard of their cars or the random crannies around their houses.

“I always knew [going to Whataburger] was a tradition mostly because our house kept filling up with stolen numbers,” Smith said.

To some, taking numbers becomes a kind of game.

“People always try to take their sports number from Whataburger or even get as many as possible,” Alston said. “I think at least 30 have been stolen.”

The Westheimer location became a natural rendezvous because of its accessibility and proximity to school.

“It’s part of the tradition that the Whataburger is a launching place for parties,” senior Joe Kang said.

These partygoers often return to Whataburger early in the morning looking for something to eat.

“There is nothing like a honey butter chicken biscuit sandwich at midnight,” Alston said.

While students rarely look beyond the River Oaks Whataburger, the fast-food chain plays a similar role for other high school students across the city.

“There’s a Whataburger on San Felipe that is very close to Kinkaid, but the big difference between the SJS culture and ours is that SJS declares ownership over its Whataburger, and it becomes a part of the school in a de facto sense,” said Sydnie Swanson, a Kinkaid alumnus who is currently a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. “We share our Whata with Memorial and Second Baptist, so that’s not realistic for us.”

Despite the less-exclusive nature of Kinkaid’s relationship with Whataburger, students still value the restaurant’s contributions to school life. The San Felipe location catered a senior luncheon at Kinkaid last year and provided free merchandise, a photobooth and a DJ to show its appreciation.

For their 2014 Prom, Kinkaid ordered 500 honey butter chicken biscuits.

“When we left the doors exactly at 11, there was a hubchub in every hand,” Swanson said.

Whataburger also plays disparate roles in St. John’s and Kinkaid party culture. For SJS students, the restaurant is an established hotspot after games and the first event on the night’s agenda.

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SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

“At Kinkaid, it is more of a place you expect to find yourself at one point in a night of festivities,” Swanson said.

For students whose older siblings went to SJS, Whataburger is an anticipated ritual. Because freshmen are not supposed to go to Whataburger, their first time in the establishment has become a rite of passage.

“I heard a lot about the tradition, but I didn’t really understand what it was until I went for the first time sophomore year,” Smith said.

Some freshmen do not care about the post-game hype.

“I haven’t really thought about not being able to go that much,” freshman Schuyler Gustafson said. “I’m not really anxious for it because most freshmen go to each other’s houses or go to a different Whataburger after football games anyway.”

Even though students overcrowd the River Oaks Whataburger on Friday nights, they still maintain a healthy relationship with Whataburger’s staff and management.

“It can be hard for them to get the orders out when people are packed wall to wall, but they get enjoyment from seeing us as a community—not to mention they make a lot of money on us,” Kempner said. “Also, I think we do a pretty good job of cleaning up after ourselves. There may be a small ketchup spill or a stray fry here and there, but in general the place looks relatively clean when we leave.”

River Oaks Whataburger manager Manuel, who has been at the Westheimer location for two months, does not mind the Friday night throngs.

“We enjoy that people come in to our restaurant, but it can become a little overwhelming because everybody is so wrapped up in the moment and being with friends,” Manuel said.

St. John’s also maintains a good relationship with the Whataburger corporation.

“Whataburger has a long history in the Houston community, and we have some amazing, loyal customers in River Oaks, especially within the St. John’s School community,” Correa said. “It’s a tremendously popular location, and it’s always an honor to hear about St. John’s School students choosing to celebrate life’s moments, big or small, with us.”

For University of Chicago freshman Daniel Jellins (‘14), Whataburger synthesized all aspects of SJS nightlife in one prime location.

“I think it’s where the party and athletic cultures meet. It’s the connection,” Jellins said.

Jellins has fond memories of going to Whataburger after playing in his first varsity game.

“I’ll never forget my first time going because I was a sophomore on varsity. I didn’t really know anyone in the upper classes, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Jellins said. “After the win, we all went to Whataburger. I walk in, and there are cheers all around. People I don’t know are high-fiving me and hugging me: there’s no other feeling like it.”

For alumni who attend college out of state, leaving behind Whataburger can be challenging. Ryan Schick (‘14), a freshman at the University of Southern California, has had a hard time adjusting to the west coast burger chain In-N-Out. “Whata blows away In-N-Out, and nothing in the world compares to the honey butter chicken biscuit,” Schick said. “It’s going to be my first stop when I get home.

It’s hard living without it.”

While some can get wrapped up in the food and festivities at Whataburger, many students remember the weight of their actions off campus.

“As both a prefect and varsity player, [the Whataburger tradition] is pretty much the same, but there are some differences,” Jellins said. “You are thinking about the school’s reputation a little more. If you get in trouble, it is much worse than someone else getting in trouble, as they expect more from you.”

Many students have specific Whataburger memories that they hold close.

“My best memory from Whataburger is when we beat Kinkaid two years ago,” Mohan said. “Not many people thought we would win that game, but we did. Then we packed Whataburger. People’s faces were pressed on the glass.

No one could move, and when the football players came in, the building almost exploded.”

Most students cherish their first Whataburger experience the most.

“A memory that will stick with me is the first time I went to Whataburger after a home game this year, Robins said. “Everyone was dressed according to theme.

There was laughing and talking. There were cheers as the football players filtered in, and everyone was hanging out together. It was a classic scene, something that you would expect to see in ‘Friday Night Lights.’”

Although Whataburger has its ardent supporters, not every member of the community is enamored by it.

“It’s more of a cheerleader-football thing, so none of my friends are there,” junior Amanda Andrade said. “It’s kind of weird to me.”

Others find the venue awkward because it is so small and crowded.

“It is better to go somewhere else where you can get food faster,” junior Kyra Link said.

“It is kind of like a St. John’s inside joke that everyone loves Whataburger, and that it’s the greatest place ever. I never think on Friday night, ‘I’m going to be super cool and go to Whataburger.’”

Some students think the food is overrated.

“The food is alright, and it’s really cheap, but everyone talks about it like it’s the best restaurant ever,” one junior said. “I think people go there to socialize, not to eat the food.”

Featured SJS Book Fair author Donovan Hohn (’90) remembers eating Whataburger after moving to Houston from California.

“I hadn’t had Whataburger until I came to SJS, and I haven’t had one since,” Hohn said.

Even though Whataburger has its critics, some will carry the memories of the restaurant with them past SJS. Kempner said, “I will always remember the times when we filled up Whataburger well over its maximum capacity and yelled the alma mater in celebration of a great victory.”

by Gabe Malek and Chris Zimmerman

Photos by Marisa Murillo | Design by Jessica Lee

10

Sports Shorts

SPORTS

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

SPORTS CLUBS

Alternative competitions find their niche

Football tackles challenges

The football team played its last home game on Thurs., Oct. 2, falling to the Episcopal School of Dallas, 41-21.

Episcopal’s bus broke down en route to the game, which delayed the start until 8:30 p.m. Since the game lasted until 11, Spirit Club appealed to Dean Stephen Popp, who granted the players and cheerleaders a late start on Friday.

Coach Steve Gleaves appreciated the effort displayed by the team.

“The guys worked hard, and they played hard,” Gleaves said. “But right now we’re struggling, and we’re not able to execute what we’re trying to do.”

Although their 1-6 record has been a disappointment, the players remain optimistic.

“Our season might not have gone the way we wanted it to so far, but down the road there is plenty of room to improve,” senior Quincy Cotton said.

Cross-country races ahead

The girls’ cross-country team traveled to Austin, Oct. 4, but not to attend Austin City Limits.

The team raced in the McNeil Invitational, placing 12th in the most competitive division.

Junior Lillian Chen and sophomore Peyton Brown ran in the Gold Division where they placed 21st and 13th, respectively.

“I definitely felt like I could have run harder and kicked it in more during the last mile, but overall I was pleased with my personal record,” Chen said.

That same weekend, the boys’ team ran at the Nike South Invitational and placed third.

On Sept. 27, both teams ran at the St. Mark’s Invitational meet in Dallas, which was only open to members of the Southwest Preparatory Conference. The boys won first place, while the girls placed second overall.

Volleyball gets set for SPC

As the volleyball teams prepare for SPC, the boys and girls are headed in different directions.

The boys are currently in first place in the South Zone (13-7, 4-0 in SPC). They have one counter game left against Kinkaid and one against Saint Mary’s Hall before the tournament.

If the boys hold onto first place, they will play the last place team in the north zone.

The girls are fighting to make Division I, but an 0-3 record (as of Oct. 16) in counter games makes it a challenge.

With the changes in the SPC format, the girls must win at least two counter games in order to compete at SPC. They have six regular season games left to make a late run for qualification.

Compiled by Alexander Kim, Brooke Kushwaha and Gabe Malek

JARED MARGOLIS

Follow the bouncing ball Pete Bechtol, left, continues a rally with his teammate Jennifer Trieschman in the inaugural meeting of Spike Ball Club. The organization has seen an increase in attendance, and its leaders hope to draw in members from all grades.

by Michael VerMeulen

With blinding speed, two players smack the ball back and forth in an increasingly intense battle.

A crowd has gathered around the table, drawn to the game’s competitive nature. Hoots and hollers ring out with every point scored, and a loud cheer erupts when the match emphatically ends with a slam. Another amateur game is over in the first round of the SJS Ping-Pong Club tournament, but the atmosphere is decidedly Olympian.

Clubs involving non-SPC sports have multiplied. For example, the Ping-Pong Club has acquired enough frequent players to have games whenever there is time available.

Students from all grades have signed up to play in the club’s tournaments. According to junior and club co-president Alex Daichman, only juniors and seniors have been allowed to compete in previous years. This year, with the movement of the ping-pong tables into a communal area, the fun is accessible to all.

Students’ admiration of the sport has grown.

“Many people have rediscovered their love for this awesome sport,” said Toby Emiola, co-president.

“People are always really excited to play now, and it has been a great social experience.”

The Ultimate Frisbee Club has also become increasingly involved in competition, branching out from in-school games.

“In past years, we have played some games against other schools,” club president Jordan McLemore-Moon said. “This year we are going to be part of new league of eight schools including Kinkaid and St. Thomas. Every week, we will play a different game against a different school.”

Thanks to the skill of the club’s members, McLemore-Moon has contemplated the possibility of ultimate frisbee becoming an official school team.

“Right now, we are acting within the club program and outside of SPC, even though we play quite frequently in organized games with other schools,” McLemore-Moon said. “Hopefully, our team could become part of SPC because other schools in the Houston area have expressed interest in the sport, as shown by the new league.”

Interest in curling has peaked thanks to creation of the curling club. But for now, club members can only play virtually.

“At curling club, we focus on exposing people to an unknown sport,” sophomore club president Sam Samson said. “Something about shooting stones down the ice makes people keep coming back.”

Although curling has been

ident Ellie Trent only recently discovered the game herself.

“One day, Jennifer Trieschman brought a spike ball set to school, and we had so much fun playing it during lunch,” Trent said.

“After that, we decided that more people should know about and have fun playing the game. We wanted to share it with the rest of the school, so we made a club.”

These clubs afford students a break from the usual activities.

“You are able to have fun with friends and forget about the stresses of school and day-to-day life,” Samson said. “People can socialize and get to meet new people in our community while playing an awesome sport.”

Rules of the Game

by Irene Vazquez

Spike Ball

The game is played by teams of two with a trampoline net in the center.

One team serves the ball by hitting it off the net to the other team, which then has three hits before they must return the ball off the net. A rally continues until one team fails to return the ball, giving the other team a point. The first team to reach 21 points wins.

Ultimate Frisbee

Laying out Junior Toby Emiola reaches for the disc during an ultimate frisbee game.

Two teams of seven players each try to move the frisbee by throwing it down the field into the opposing team’s end zone. If a player drops the frisbee, the disc is turned over to the other team. The first team to reach 15 points wins.

Curling restricted to digital play so far, the club leadership has greater ambitions in mind.

“The pickup games and tournaments that we play on the Promethean board are just a starting block,” Samson said. “In the future, we would like to go to an out-of-school location to curl on ice.”

The most recent sport to inspire a club is spike ball, a combination of four-square and volleyball. In the game, two teams of two attempt to bounce a ball into a net between each other, only touching the ball a limited number of times. Junior and club co-pres-

Real curling is played on an ice rink called a curling sheet. Two teams of four players slide curling stones towards a target on the opposite end of the ice. One player slides the stone and two other players sweep the ice in front of the stone.

Each team slides eight stones in a round. After the stones have been cast, the team with the stone closest to the target scores a point. The team with the most points after ten rounds wins.

MARISA MURILLO

BEYOND

11

SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

COUNT DUCKULA

Alum follows the ducks, attains literary renown

by Lin Guo

D

onovan Hohn (’90) never expected that a homework assignment he gave to his high school English class would lead him on an expedition from a Chinese factory to the Alaskan coast.

Nor did he expect to return to SJS to tell the tale of how that expedition turned into an award-winning book.

Hohn, who had not seen his alma mater since graduating more than 20 years ago, recounted his travels in pursuit of the iconic rubber ducky as Book Fair author and speaker. He also traveled around campus and talked to classes ranging from creative writing to organic chemistry, a trek that brought back fond memories.

“It was remarkable how much the campus has changed,” Hohn said. “I recognized the Quad and interior.

The students, classrooms and teachers seemed familiar to me. It was also fun visiting the newspaper offices.”

Evan Drellich, now the Astros beat writer for the Houston Chronicle, was the student who provided the inspiration for Hohn’s global trek.

When Hohn told his literary journalism class to research an artifact or document of their choice, Drellich chose a rubber ducky.

“I had a very bad habit of doing my homework assignments right before class, if I did them at all,” Drellich Call Me Donovan said. “I had a little rubber duck that Alum Donovan I carried around, and it would sit on Hohn returned to my desk sometimes in class. For lack SJS as the Book of a better idea of an artifact, I sat Fair speaker, four years after publish- in the computer lab for about 30-40 ing his award-win- minutes before class. On Google, I ning book “Mocame across this story, and I menby-Duck.” tioned it in my assignment.”

The tale of the 1992 container ship spill and the 28,800 bath toys lost at sea intrigued Hohn, who began investigating what would later become Moby-Duck.

“At the end of the semester, I asked him if he minded if I kept going with it,” Hohn said. “He gave his blessings. I sent him postcards. I wrote him into the book’s opening chapter.”

Published in 2011, Moby-Duck has since garnered EMILY RAGAUSS

critical acclaim as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, one of NPR’s Best Books of 2011, Runner-Up for PEN Literary Science Writing and Nonfiction awards in 2012 and 2013 and Finalist for the 4 2012 Helen Bernstein Prize for Excellence in Journalism.

Hohn was already a writer when he started at SJS as a sophomore after his family moved to Houston.

“Whatever preconceptions I had you’ll have to forgive,” Hohn, a native of San Francisco, said. “Like many people on the coasts, I thought of Texas from popular culture, 1 the TV show “Dallas” in the 1980s, people wearing cowboy hats. Those notions began to change from the moment I was on the ground.”

Hohn spent his first weeks at SJS in the library reading the works of John Steinbeck as well as Harper’s Magazine, where he would later undertake his first internship. He soon found his place writing for The Review and literary magazine Imagination.

After graduating, Hohn went to Oberlin College in Ohio. Soon after wetting his feet in the literary world, he landed his first gig.

Hohn’s internship at Harper’s Magazine, the jump start to his writing career, was unplanned. He moved to New York City with Beth Chimera, his now-wife.

“I didn’t imagine becoming a magazine editor,” Hohn said. “It’s a creative and collaborative undertaking.

Unlike writing it’s not solitary. I got to demystify writing in a useful way.

Seeing the process made me feel more confident that I could do it myself.”

The internship at Harper’s sparked Hohn’s interest in nonfiction.

“It was a golden age for nonfiction,” Hohn said. “Like a documentary film, nonfiction limits your options.

You have to somehow transform it.”

Hohn, who received a M.A. in fiction from Boston University and a M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Michigan, also worked as a features editor at GQ, which he says was a completely different world.

“Harper’s is as much a literary

1. San Francisco Born in 1972

2. Houston

Attended SJS from 10th thru 12th grade

3. New York City

Wrote and edited for Harper’s Weekly and GQ. Taught high school English

5

3

DESIGN BY CHRIS ZIMMERMAN AND MATTHEW NEAL

2

journal as a magazine while GQ is for profit,” Hohn said.“The first 75 percent of any issue is mostly devoted to pop culture and sports. Only in the back of the magazine do you get the sort of writing you might find at Harper’s.”

After his tenure as a magazine editor, Hohn started teaching English at Friends Seminary, a K-12 school in New York City.

“My goal has always been to teach and write at a high school or college.

The magazine editing career was kind of an accident,” Hohn said. “Teaching also brought into focus for me the type of writing I wanted to do.”

At Friends Seminary, Hohn approached teaching creatively.

“I’m 98.2 percent sure Donovan ended up rapping in front of the class at some point,” Drellich said.

According to Hohn, the rapping helped his students memorize and recite Hamlet soliloquies.

“If they all did it correctly, I would perform Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself ’— the PG version.” Hohn said. “It’s one

4. Sitka, Alaska

Travelled in search of the lost bath toys

5. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Attended University of Michigan, where he currently lives with his family X marks the end of the journey he will take to write his next book of those goofy teacher things to do.”

After three-and-a-half years, Hohn left Friends Seminary to hunt for Moby-Duck. He now teaches creative writing at Wayne State University and is working on a new project.

“It’ll be part travel essay and part historical narrative, a journey around America’s coast down the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico,” Hohn said.

Two years ago, Hohn contemplated writing a different travel narrative inspired by the Polish-Soviet War of 1920. He let the idea go to find a project closer to home.

“By the time I was finished with Moby-Duck, I was also exhausted by travel,” Hohn said. “Yes, I’ve been a traveler since I left California for Texas, but I think I’m looking to wander not quite as far afield as I used to.”

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BEYOND

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

Activist alum sounds ‘climate alarm’ in protest

by Amy Liu

Joining Leonardo DiCaprio, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, former Vice President Al Gore and an estimated 400,000 others, Caroline Spears (’13) paraded through the streets of New York City for five hours during the People’s Climate March.

Spears, a sophomore at Stanford, participated in the march on Sept. 21 with her mother, former headmaster Jim Hendrix, and fellow alumni Maddie Clayton and Rachel Jacobe (both ’13). Now estimated as the fourth largest protest in US history, the march occurred two days before the 2014 United Nations summit in a bid to call attention to the harmful impact of human beings on the climate.

“Climate change is very relevant concern for a variety of people,” Spears said. “For example, we’re already seeing worse droughts in Texas.

Our generation particularly will face the negative effects.”

At 12:58 p.m., the protesters fell silent for two minutes before a whistle cued the “climate alarm,” a cacophony of screaming, jumping and crowd waves.

“For me, the climate alarm symbolized that the U.S. government has still not acted to mitigate this threat, despite the fact that around 80 percent of Americans know that climate change is human-caused,” Spears said.

“When the people want

something, the government should respect that. This march showed that Americans want action on climate change. This is how democracy works.”

The roughly 1,500 different social justice groups in attendance all settled their philosophical differences for the sake of awareness.

“There were anti-nuclear people rallying next to pro-nuclear people and ‘grass-fed beef ’ organizations side by side with the vegan group,” Spears said. “They disagreed so much, but came together for this purpose.”

Recent years have ushered in public dissatisfaction with government response to climate change. Last month US House of Representatives interrogating scientist John Holdren about peer-reviewed climate science. She noticed that their questions showed almost no scientific knowledge or background.

“These are powerful people who have no fundamental understanding of how our energy system works or the basic scientific principles upon which it’s based, which is worrying,”

Spears said. “Some make policy decisions completely based on their own personal opinions while labeling science as unreliable. Science isn’t perfect, but you should make policies on the best data you can get.”

Besides walking in the climate march, Spears has also traveled across continents, volunteered and conducted research to improve the environment and others’ understanding of it.

“She has extraordinary leadership skills, and rallies everyone around her in a cause,” said Priscilla Elliott, who sponsored her Science Research and Design (SRD) project about the relationship between butterflies and aristolochic acid plants. “People will just be drawn to her.”

Last year at Stanford, Spears took a class in environmental literacy, in which she immersed herself in scientific research.

“It was the most world-changing class I’ve had,” Spears said. “I try to make sure all my political opinions are factually accurate, and I was impressed by how sophisticated and nuanced the scientific literature on climate change is. It restored my faith in the scientific community.”

Spears’s current research

project investigates which ecosystems are altered by different energy sources.

“In the future I’d like to help create an economically powerful and fundamentally sustainable society,” Spears said. “We continue to make decisions that assume infinite resources, but as the population grows, that needs to end.”

At SJS, Spears indulged her curiosity about nature by engaging in SRD projects, taking classes such as AP Environmental Science and leading the Environmental Coalition of Students (ECOS). Although the student-driven style of SRD and community service projects gave opportunities for environmental awareness, Spears wanted to see involvement from the whole community.

“One thing SJS doesn’t have is goals of sustainability in its mission statement and culture,” Spears said.

“I’ve realized that lots of our peer high schools across the nation have this already.”

Spears, who is majoring in Atmosphere and Energy Engineering, plans to pursue a career that aligns with her environmental interests.

“I’m trying to find a small but rapidly growing energy field that will create the future I want to live in,” Spears said.

For those who pursue solutions to the same issues, Spears advises that education and passion are crucial, along with avoiding a self-centered mindset.

“You feel so much happier doing something for which you have a serious passion,” Spears said.

Silent September Caroline Spears, right, along with fellow alum Maddie Clayton, (both ‘13) participated in the People’s Climate March in New York City, Sept. 21. Spears founded the Environmental Coalition of Students in her time at SJS and plans to pursue a career that aligns with her environmental interests.

COURTESY PHOTO

Catching up with

former Cheerleading Captains Caroline Cowan (’13)

Meg Bres (’14)

I’m a sophomore at the University of Georgia, majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in Mass Media Arts and minoring in Fashion Merchandising and Sports Media.

While I’m not cheering anymore, I’m still dancing occasionally. Right now I’m part of the Chi Omega for Greek Grind, a sorority dance competition that benefits Prevent Child Abuse America. It’s a really upbeat competition with lots of crazy stunts, so I still get to incorporate cheerleading in many ways. We practice multiple times a week for several months before the competition, so it really feels like the cheer team prepping for Kinkaid Week all over again. It’s such a blast, and it’s for a great cause, but it really does make me miss cheering at SJS. I have no plans for after graduation yet, and I have a while to figure that out, but I do hope to eventually end up back in Houston.

I am a freshman at SMU majoring in business. I am continuing cheerleading in college, cheering for Mustang football, volleyball and basketball in the fall and winter, and then competing in College Cheerleading Nationals in the spring. Cheerleading for a Division I college program is very different from cheerleading in high school, mostly in terms of the time commitment and technical difficulty of the skills we do. However, it is still so fun just like cheer in high school, and I love being on a team with such talented athletes. Although it’s strange cheering on Saturdays rather than Friday nights on Skip Lee, cheering at a college game is definitely as cool of an experience as I hoped it would be, and it easily makes up for how hard and exhausting some of our practices can be during the week. So while I definitely miss cheering on the Mavericks, so far cheerleading at SMU has been amazing.

OPINIONS

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SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

MARISA MURILLO

Stereotypes abound throughout Kinkaid Week

Nerd Out SJS Students embrace their inner nerds at a football game.

Lighthearted self-effacement lessens the blow when rivals poke fun at each other’s quirks.

by Anna Cauthorn

T

he September issue of the Kinkaid school newspaper featured a satirical list of Kinkaid Problems such as “Crashing your dad’s Porsche” and “The Vineyard Vines website wouldn’t load.” As Kinkaid Week approaches, the list seems to provide even more fodder for the decades-old Falcon stereotype.

The annual celebration of Kinkaid Week grew out of the 63-year-old rivalry with the Kinkaid School and has become a favorite St. John’s tradition. Spirit Club decorates the entire school in preparation for the football game, and competition runs high.

On “Dress Like Kinkaid Day,” the halls are jam-packed with girls clad in skintight mauve clothing tottering on six-inch heels and boys wearing gold sweaters and polos—popped collar not optional. Meanwhile, for their “Dress Like St. John’s Day,” Falcons pull out plaid skirts, taped-up glasses and pocket protectors.

These stereotypes make the rivalry fun and promote school spirit and solidarity.

But how much truth do these clichés hold? Kinkaid and St. John’s share similar applicant pools, and in many ways they are nearly identical. They are both top-tier private prep schools. They both promote academic excellence. And they are both somewhat stigmatized by their rich-kid “affluenza.” From an outsider perspective, both schools retain an intimidating yet snobby reputation.

Within the two schools their opposing stereotypes are firmly rooted.

Rather than shy away from these stereotypes, many students embrace them, as evidenced by the hashtag #kinkaidprobs.

Even in the 1970s, Kinkaid had the reputation of a school for wealthy kids who could not get into St. John’s while St. John’s kids were known as owl-eyed bookworms. Back then, the rivalry was fierce and competitive but also existed in isolation between the two schools.

Today, the twitter account “HTX Confessions” and apps like Yik Yak help perpetuate stereotypes by allowing anonymous posters to trash-talk other schools. Frequent posts involve insulting St. John’s underdeveloped party scene or Kinkaid’s wannabe East Coast fashion sense. These forums also invite outside schools to participate in the rivalry and weigh in for themselves.

After Episcopal High School opened in 1983, SJS developed a new foe on the playing field, and since then, the rivalry with Kinkaid has seemed to lessen in importance. Our rivalry with Episcopal especially stems from its perceived emphasis on sports over academia, fostering a “jock vs. nerd” competition.

The Kinkaid Week traditions remain important, especially in the Upper School. October is an onerous month for both

teachers and students. The revelry and good-natured school spirit punctuates the daunting process of applying to college and churning out mid-semester grades. Kinkaid Week puts a bright spot on the horizon, a way to release the stress of the month and come together as a community.

Soon, garlands, streamers and posters will adorn the school, creating a more relaxed, fun atmosphere. Students will get to dress out of uniform.

Pep rallies will break up the monotony of the school day.

Alumni will attend the game at Rice Stadium en masse, showing the rivalry’s importance as a tradition and way to gather the generations together.

My collection of Kinkaid Week shirts ensures that I won’t forget the about the rivalry or the traditions.

I won’t ever wear red and black without feeling a swell of pride, and I will only mix and

match purple and gold during Mardi Gras.

Even as students argue that the Episcopal rivalry is more intense, the Kinkaid rivalry remains a tradition as loud and overblown as the purple leopard print senior girls will sport next week.

EMILY RAGAUSS

Talons Up While many students simply sport purple and gold, some choose outfits like this one which uphold long held stereotypes.

by Irene Vazquez

Kids today know anorexia. Students see videos and testimonials about bulimia. We’re aware. But we’re too quick to dismiss body image because we see ourselves as accepting and, more often than not, without fault.

But as long as there are still people feeling bad about themselves, body image will still be an issue.

People marginalize body image with comments like “shut up, you’re so skinny already.” The fact of the matter, as is the case with most mental health issues, is that people can’t look at someone and see what’s wrong.

Body image is a deeply personal struggle.

Conflict is rooted in one’s distorted notions of the body, allowing absolutely anyone to fall victim to an unhappy sense of self. Feeling fat has very little to do with how healthy one is or what one actually looks like.

I can’t speak for everyone, but there are days when I have looked in the mirror and hated what I saw, and I know I’m not alone.

Body image issues start early, often cropping up around puberty because bodies are changing, and teens feel an increasing need for social acceptance.

For girls, this can start as young as fifth and sixth grade. I was just 12

years old when I felt bad about myself because I couldn’t wear a strapless dress to my first bar mitzvah.

Body image issues are classified as “women’s issues” or “teen issues.” Yes, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 90 percent of the more than 8 million people in the United States with a diagnosed eating disorder are women, but that in no way diminishes the struggles of the hundreds of thousands of men who grapple with their image every day.

According to the National Eating Disorder Organization, men are less likely to look for help concerning their eating disorders.

Body weight is the primary focus of body image issues, but there are so many other facets. The boy who doesn’t think he’s tall enough, the kids who think they’re ugly because of their acne or the girl who doesn’t think she’s athletic enough to make the team. These topics get ignored just because they’re not as easy to discuss.

While more attention has been given to body image issues, the media still hurts more than it helps. Indepth news stories on anorexia and bulimia air right before Victoria’s Secret ads featuring stick-thin models.

Advertising teams try to scrounge

AMY LIU

Body image issues rooted in mind, societal perceptions

for inclusion, saying that “real women have curves,” but this in no way encompasses the myriad body types.

According to the National Institute on Media and the Family, one in every three articles in leading teen girl magazines featured a focus on appearance.

When we start paying more attention to our bodies, we erroneously start finding more things wrong. “#Fitspo” and “#thinspo” (short for fit and thin inspiration, respectively)

are trending tags on social media sites like Instagram and Tumblr.

I can’t win. I feel bad when I wear too much makeup to school because my peers want to know who I’m trying so hard for. If I sleep late and forget to put on eyeliner, then people assume I don’t care enough.

Body image issues are real. They aren’t going away anytime soon.

Weighing In It’s nearly impossible to look like a Barbie doll, but many teens think they should.

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OPINIONS

THE REVIEW I OCTOBER 20, 2014

STAFF EDITORIAL

Be informed, proudly wield your right to vote Even though we are still in the midst of a harrowing three-year drought, the Texas mudslinging season has been in full swing.

Log onto Facebook and you’re bombarded with a stream of Abbott v. Davis ads.

You can check out throwback photos of Davis’ iconic pink sneakers on Instagram.

Lawns are peppered with blaring red-andblue signs broadcasting the political views of their denizens.

Amidst the bombastic campaigns, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Our media relies far too much on sensationalism to pit the two political parties directly against each other. Political propaganda makes it hard to recognize the importance of political participation in our daily lives.

There are many things 18-year-olds cannot do. They cannot purchase handguns.

They cannot drive rental cars. They cannot drink legally.

However, there is one right that is accorded to all 18-year-olds in the United States: the right to vote. It is arguably one of the most important rights a person can exercise, and also the right towards which America’s youth are the most apathetic.

We spend the first 17 years of our lives politically disengaged, largely basing

our worldviews on those of our parents. the most underrepresented.

According to a Gallup poll, 71 percent of The Editorial Board encourages stuteens aged 13-17 say their social and podents to become not only voters but also litical ideologies are informed political “about the same” as participants. Rather their parents’. than blindly engagSadly, we do not ing in straight-tickbecome politically et voting, students 1 U.S. Senator aware the minute should strive to 36 U.S. Representatives we turn eighteen. inform themselves In fact, we often of pertinent 1 Governor choose to reissues and then 1 Lt. Governor main safely in select candiour political dates based 3 Supreme Court Justices comfort on who will zone, best reprerefusing to sent their engage in interests. the politiMany cal world. young A dismal people are 40 percent grievously of eligible unaware voters of what between priorities the ages of we should 18-24 vothold. While ed in 2012, healthcare making this doesn’t age group seem like

TEXAS BALLOT

VOTE

a pertinent issue when we’re living safely under our parents’ insurance plans until age 26, we’ll certainly want more coverage the minute we age out of this provision.

Additionally, many of us are on the brink of incurring the greatest expense of our lives: a college education. It’s important to be aware that the government’s current policies on student loans aren’t doing nearly enough to cover the exponentially rising costs of college.

The odds are against us. Texas is not a state that prioritizes political action.

According to the Census Bureau’s 2012 estimates of voter turnout, Texas rated 47th.

It was a minimal gain from 2010, when we were dead last. As the next generation of citizens, it is our duty to foment change.

We urge those of you who will be eligible in time for the 2014 elections to get out and vote. While you may be minimally apprised of the issues at hand, it is time to delve deeper into how the results of the election will impact your daily life.

On Nov. 4, get out and vote. But make an educated choice.

REBECCA CHEN

From the editor

Relish the season of change JARED MARGOLIS

Dear Readers, This issue, we immerse ourselves in the glamorous season of autumn. Despite Houston’s lack of colorful leaves or apples ripe for the picking, fall is my favorite time of the year. It’s obviously superior to other seasons—fall/ autumn has two names and two holidays in which people congregate to consume massive amounts of food. Some students are overly eager to pull on oversized sweaters and sip daintily (or not) from piping hot cups of Starbucks salted caramel lattes. I say carpe tempore, seize the season, for several reasons.

Being the self-proclaimed television addict that I am, I typed up a schedule of the fall premiere dates for my favorite shows. Before you think I’m an introvert who is glued to my screen all day (only partially true) you should know that TV jumpstarts numerous conversations.

Whether it’s gossiping about Olivia’s alcoholic tendencies in “Scandal” or hypothesizing about the paternity of Lizzy Keen on “The Blacklist,” TV shows present an opportunity to connect over a mutual obsession. So yes, mom, television is helping me get ahead in life.

I think “Ode to a Grecian Urn” could have easily been written about pumpkins: “pumpkins are truth and truth

pumpkins.” This majestic orange gourd has participated in traditions, told ghostly stories, and healed heartache in its dessert form. I admit that I love pumpkin-flavored foods more than pumpkin itself. I am one of those people who chugs venti pumpkin spice lattes and scarfs down 400-plus-calorie pumpkin bread.

The pumpkin obsession doesn’t stop at Starbucks. My Costco-sized box of pumpkin granola at my house shrinks daily, homemade pumpkin cream cheese muffins are devoured at breakfast, and the tub of Pumpkin Schmear I bought on Monday was demolished by Friday. My passion for pumpkins can be as frightening as a jack o’ lantern, but even I must admit that some fare, such as the Welch’s Pumpkin Spice Sparkling Cocktail, is a disgrace to the pumpkin species.

One recent chilly weekend, I woke up with my toes freezing. We don’t have real seasons like those northern states, but any change in temperature is much appreciated.

Fall provides the first breath of sub-90-degree air that we Houstonians have experienced for six months. Although the humidity and temperature may fluctuate drastically during the purportedly cold months of the year (Nike shorts and a t-shirt in December, anyone?), autumn signi-

fies that days of cooler temperatures are ahead.

Last but far from least, fall is election season. Although many students, including myself, are not old enough to vote this November, we should still keep up with current events and form our own opinions. Discussing ebola or ISIS may seem onerous, but many issues do in fact impact us, such as birth control, education, and enlightening those who stereotype all Texans as Republican cowboys.

Fall in Houston is far from typical. Having lived in Minnesota, Connecticut and Massachusetts, where colorful leaves are not only a given but also a nuisance, I do miss some aspects of the Hallmark fall experience. Yet in Houston, we can appreciate the entertainment, festive food, and ever-so-slight coolness that accompany fall without having to rake leaves or shovel snow.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Chen

The Review · St. John’s School · 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019 · review.sjs@gmail.com · 713-850-0222 sjsreview.com · Facebook SJS Review · Twitter @SJS_Review · Instagram @_thereview Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association--Silver Crown 2014, Gold Medalist 2012 & 2013 · National Scholastic Press Association--6th Place Best of Show (2012), First Class 2012 & 2013 Editors-in-Chief Rebecca Chen, Megan Routbort Deputy Editor Iris Cronin Senior Design Editor Jessica Lee Online Editor Cara Maines Assignment Editors Brooke Kushwaha, Oliver Ruhl, Megan Shen Design Editors Matthew Neal, Tiffany Yue, Christopher Zimmerman Photography Editor Jared Margolis Video Editor Emma Gobillot Copy Editors Gabe Malek, Matthew Neal, Irene Vazquez Asst. Online Editor Amy Liu Social Media Editor Inaara Malick

Business Manager Gabe Malek Asst. Business Manager Lucy Elkins Staff Suman Atluri, Ashwini Bandi, Anna Cauthorn, Shehzad Charania, Emily Chen, Lin Guo, Alexander Kim, Sophia Li, Christian Maines, Sukul Mittal, Sadde Mohamed, Marisa Murillo, Emily Ragauss, Kanchana Raja, Michael VerMeulen, Max Westmark, Dani Yan, Collins Yeates, Austin Zhang, Olivia Zhang Advisers David Nathan, Shelley Stein (‘88)

Mission Statement The Review strives to report on issues with honor, to recognize the assiduous efforts of all, and to serve as an engine of discourse within the St. John’s community.

Publication Info The Review is published eight times a school year. We distribute 950 copies each issue, most of which are given for free to the Upper School community of 574 students and 80 faculty.

Policies The Review provides a forum for student writing and opinion. The opinions and staff editorials contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Headmaster or the Board of Trustees of St. John’s School. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the entire

editorial board unless otherwise noted. Writers and photographers are credited with a byline.

Corrections, when necessary, can be found on the editorial pages. Running an advertisement does not imply endorsement by the school.

Submission Guidelines Letters to the editor and guest columnists are encouraged but are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, accuracy and good taste. On occasion, we will publish letters anonymously, provided the editor knows the author’s identity. The Review reserves the right not to print letters received. Either email letters and guest columns to review. sjs@gmail.com; give them to David Nathan in the Review Room (Q-210); or mail letters to The Review, 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019.

OPINIONS

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SJSREVIEW.COM I OCTOBER 20, 2014

Sixty Seconds with Brandon Alston

Name Brandon “Danceman” Alston Grade 12 State of mind Bow down (you know the rest) Known for Green Hate to love My height Love to hate Those who do not love Beyoncé Happiness Music Misery When it’s not the NBA season Sports team Lakers Olympic sport Fencing Fav spot on campus Senior Country Dream date Beyoncé Relationship status Single and ready to mingle, lol Comfort food Chipotle

Guilty pleasure An omelet at midnight Cafeteria food Spaghetti Place to live Dubai I wish I didn’t live so far away Treasured possession Collectible Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber The best thing My dancing skills Spirit animal Eagle Zoo animal Tiger Hero Iron Man Superpower The Force Fictional character Ender Book Ender’s Game TV show Suits

Snarknado

Word for word

By Brooke Kushwaha

Soundbites around campus Jack Cain: So Lady Macbeth got her husband to kill the king?

Dr. Bellows: She must have been really hot to convince him to do that.

Discussing the real motivation behind regicide in Belles-lettres Andrew Jing: When I’m sleepdeprived and I breathe in, it feels like I’m being impaled vertically through the lungs.

Scarily specific similie describes the constant struggle of senior year Jake Peterson: I want to be a River Oaks mom when I grow up.

Movie Friday Video game Super Smash Bros Phobia Snakes Stress Reliever A good nap Anthem Partition Motto Stop dancing Sing in the shower? All Star Doppelganger Ja Rule I am your father I’d rather be Tony Stark Follow us? danceman15 on Instagram and Snapchat



Dr. Raulston: I’m going to improve your college interview skills by introducing you to the word ‘desideratum.’

Noah Flowers: You know, we’re so lazy that you could write any combination of letters on the board, call it a word, and we wouldn’t bother to check.

For the record, it means “something that is needed or wanted” Mr. Zartman: He’s got a crowd of adoring women surrounding him.

That’s his bling, that’s his swag, he’s got eleven women.

Discussing the ancient Chinese practice of polygamy in WHAP

Sharing deep, dark secrets at advisory lunch

Blast from the Past I am a child of the eighties. It was a great time to be young. The decade for me was defined by John Hughes films such as “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Pretty in Pink,” music by artists such as U2, Madonna and Michael Jackson and, of course, big hair.

The eighties were certainly a decade of excess, and the fashion trends were by no means immune to the idea of “never enough.” For example, hair was never curly or big enough back then. As a teenager in Austin, I feel certain that I spent every dollar I earned working after school at the New England Insurance Company on my hair. Every three months, I would visit my hair stylist, Juana, and spend hundreds of dollars on a spiral perm.

Needless to say, when it came to my hair, the bigger the better. For my senior prom, my hair was so large that my date actually bought a corsage for me to wear in it.

Lest you readers believe that big hair was a trend limited to high school girls in Austin, think again.

Celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jon Bon Jovi all

had massive hair that was the envy of females and hair-band fans throughout the United States. Even important political figures such as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and U.S. President Ronald Reagan followed the big hair craze.

But then something terrible happened: the nineties. This new decade was a disastrous backlash against my beloved eighties. All of a sudden, “grunge” was the defining cultural phenomenon. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were its voice. And, even worse, fashion followed suit. Style was minimalist, and angst was high. My big hair was no longer in style! This led me not only into a fashion depression, but it also induced me to spend a new fortune trying to control the frizz and unruliness that defined my hair.

Certainly, I do not want you to believe that this article is simply about my hair throughout the four decades of my life. Sparing you, I did not address the seventies when my mother’s hairdresser in Brownwood, Texas, cut wings into my eight-year-old hair.

There is, in fact, a moral to this story.

Numerous physical characteristics inevitably define my appearance, but two of the most significant are my red glasses and, of course, my big hair.

Even today in the second decade of the new millennium, my hair remains big.

But the benefit of age has also brought with it the wisdom of acceptance. My hair has a mind of its own, much like I do. And I am just fine with that. My hair grew increasingly unruly with both of my pregnancies.

It is not merely a sign of my willingness to be comfortable as I am; it is a symbol of the two little girls that I brought into the world: the best part of myself.

The moral of the story is clear: be yourself. Fashion trends change, and the world is dynamic, but self-love and acceptance should always remain a constant. And besides, I figure I’m in the best of company with my big hair: consider the wonderful Ms. Lopesuarez, the fabulous junior Renee Roberts and the always intellectual and entertaining Dr. Raulston on a windy day.

The Big Eighties As a high school senior, Gara Johnson-West would spend her paychecks on spiral perms.

COURTESY PHOTO

Johnson-West primps and preens big hair

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REARVIEW

LEgends of the fall 1.

2. Fall back

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Photos by Austin Zhang (1), Olivia Reasoner (2), Marisa Murillo (3) and Collins Yeates (4) | Story by Megan Routbort

It’s hard not to sentimentalize autumn. This season is tasked with ushering in a final burst of color before the harsh grey winds of winter overwhelm the world. Apple cider flows freely.

Leaves turn vibrant red and peel off the trees. Shorts and tank tops are traded in for vests and boots.

At least in some regions. We live in Houston. And although the Bayou City was ranked as Forbes’ “Coolest Place to Live” in 2012, the business magazine was certainly not referencing our climate.

Yet we make do with what we’re given. As October temperatures hit balmy lows of 65 degrees, we wake up a few minutes earlier for a pre-school Starbucks stop. Over the years, the pumpkin spice latte, affectionately dubbed the PSL, has evolved from a delicious (albeit unhealthy) blend of pumpkin and cinnamon into a pop culture icon of the season.

Fall winds blow in more than just brisk weather. While the sun sets progressively earlier each day, there is no darkening of Maverick spirit in the forecast. As our football team suits up to play under the Friday Night Lights, the rest of us show our spirit during weekly lunchtime pep rallies.

This year, seniors Lindy Lamme, Sarah Dyer and Elissa Hakemack planned a stellar array of festivities including karaoke and the popular Teacher vs. Student Arm Wrestling at the Episcopal pep rally. Though senior Orion Hicks gave the kickboxer a run for his money, Mr. Turk’s impressive musculature helped him win the day.

For many students, Daylight Savings, which falls on Nov. 2, helps mitigate the effects of Halloween. There is little the chronically sleep-deprived Mavericks value more than an extra hour of sleep.

For seniors, autumn brings unprecedented levels of stress.

As college application deadlines loom ever nearer and the amount of schoolwork grows exponentially, a good night’s sleep is often the season’s first casualty. Nevertheless, some seniors like Martha Jamail find time to catch some much-needed shuteye while comfortably ensconced in a hammock on the Quad. For those desiring less sedentary activities, there’s badminton or a slackline for the aspiring tightrope walker.

Fall only lasts a few months; sooner than we can imagine, we’ll be shuffling into the Chapel for Candlelight and binging on wassail before rushing home to cram for our finals. So enjoy it while it’s here; even if the leaves don’t change color in this part of the world, you can still celebrate the advent of (subjectively) cooler weather with a PSL.