The November Issue

ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER · SJSREVIEW.COM 2401 CLAREMONT LANE · HOUSTON, TX 77019 · VOLUME 66 · ISSUE 3 · NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Designers map out campus overhaul

N

by Christian Maines

- Switch location of Lower and Middle Schools - Create addition to the Fine Arts Center

- Build new Athletics Center - Construct multi-purpose stadium - Move baseball field

Skip - Remove stands Lee Field ftball - Move so field nis - Add ten courts

ew buildings, tunnels, and athletic facilities figure prominently in the recently unveiled campus plans, but even current kindergarten students might not see construction completed until they leave for college.

On Oct. 21, Headmaster Mark Desjardins announced a strategic plan for the development of the Taub Campus and the relocation of the Middle and Lower School buildings.

“The main thesis of the project is that we’re aiming to get the cars out of the center of South Campus as well as develop a pedestrian spine between fine arts and Caven Field,” Desjardins said.

The renovation process will include developing a pedestrian walkway to Caven and Finnegan Fields and removing the Skip Lee Field bleachers.

The Taub property will serve as an Upper School athletic center. The property will also have a stadium for football, soccer and lacrosse.

Two new tunnels will be constructed under West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway.

“I’m really excited about the big ideas of getting the cars off of the campus, particularly the south campus,” Desjardins said.

“I like the idea that the Middle School and Lower Schools are going to be in direct relation in the Fine Arts building and that students will interact in that part of the campus without crossing parking lots.”

Seven or eight tennis courts and an outdoor swimming pool will be constructed as a part of the renovation.

The overall timeframe for the project is uncertain.

“It’s all dependent on the generosity of the St. John’s community donors,” Desjardins said. “If we had all the money today, it would probably take us ten years; there is a lot of work that goes into designing buildings.”

Designs have not been finalized, but the plan to relocate the Middle and Lower Schools is unlikely to change.

“If seniors were to come back 20 years from now, they would see most of the major renovations completed,” Desjardins said. “By the time the kindergartners are seniors, they will at least see a new Lower School built.”

Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) is the architectural firm responsible for developing the layout of the new campus.

“Each individual part of the plan as it gets designed and implemented will have its own architect and design,” Desjardins said. “We will submit a bid, and we would have architects come in and present their vision of what might go there.”

ARC has renovated facilities at Boston College, Harvard University, Phillips Exeter Academy and Deerfield Academy.

“I think they did a terrific job leading us through that process,” Desjardins said.

The campus expansion will provide space for growing class sizes.

“We’ve programmed the buildings to accommodate about 1,700 students, so we will add about 400 students overall,” Desjardins said. “We will start next year by increasing the freshman class by 25, and we will do that again for the next four years.”

Developing new buildings as well as the Taub land purchase will necessitate incremental increases in tuition over the next several years.

“The Great Hall building itself cost $30 million, so that gives you a rough idea of what the Lower and Middle schools will cost,” Desjardins said.

The overall cost of the new building will likely amount to well over $100 million.

“I think other schools are playing catch-up with us since there is a lot of talk among the other schools about growth,” Desjardins said. “It’s interesting that Kinkaid has purchased new land, and I would be surprised if they had not had conversations about the size of their school.”

Tuition fees are expected to climb by three to six percent each year for the next six years to help compensate for the cost of the renovations.

“I feel confident that we won’t start anything that we don’t have the funding for,” said Greg Swan, Director of Finance and Operations.

The total amounts collected by the fundraising campaign will be announced sometime in the spring.

“I am very excited about what we’ve done,” Desjardins said. “Houston is a growing city, and it is important that St. John’s grows as well.”

DESIGNS PROVIDED BY ARC

The College Issue NEWS..................2 FEATURES...........3

CULTURE.............6 IN FOCUS.............8

College Stereotypes: Alums dispel (or admit) the validity of labels associated with their universities

SPORTS............10 BEYOND............11

OPinions..........14 ODDS & ENDS....15

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NEWS

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Unity Council aims to link affinity groups News Briefs

by Sadde Mohamed

EMILY RAGAUSS

Asp-ocalypse Strikes Back

by Sadde Mohamed

Sometimes speaking out is hard to do without backup.

Sophomore Keshav Krishnan heard derogatory comments while walking back from P.E. and wondered what more he could do. To help combat these jokes and comments and to raise awareness, sophomore Matthew Fastow, junior Suman Atluri and senior Isabel Wallace-Green created the St. John’s Unity Council (SJUC) with College Counselor Jamie Kim as a sponsor.

Wallace-Green and Atluri attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference last year and realized that many other schools in attendance had councils and governing bodies concerning diversity.

“They were almost shocked that a school our size and so well-known across the country didn’t really have a student-led diversity council, so I think that really led us to consider what we can do,” Atluri said.

Because many students do not know what a diversity council is, Kim decided to set the parameters.

“Even though it is a diversity council, we chose to define it as a unity council instead,” Kim said. “We chose unity as opposed to diversity because unity is bringing together people’s backgrounds, faiths and ideas so that we are all engaging in each other’s struggles, each other’s hopes and each other’s aspirations.”

The founding members of Unity

Council hope to expand its role at SJS. “It will discuss issues relating to diversity and unite the different diversity organizations in this school,” Fastow said. “We were modeling it after the current structure of Student Affairs Council (SAC). I’m not sure if it will be as prominent as SAC, but it will definitely be more than a club.”

The council aims to create a dialogue between students to better the school community.

“There are some problems, but our main goal is to have this council act as a forum to make discussion about diversity a little more open,” Atluri said. “Until now, I feel like it has been a very closed topic.”

Wallace-Green hopes to decrease micro-aggressions: those everyday intentional or unintentional insults that reflect larger patterns of discrimination.

“I also want people not to assume that SJS isn’t just one type of race or socioeconomic status,” Wallace-Green said.

Kim had some experience with multicultural work at St. Agnes Academy, where she implemented an African-American Affinity group and advised a diversity club.

“We wanted to really make a difference socially in the community. We would also hold sessions and go over controversial topics,” Kim said. “We asked of our student body, ‘What pressures do you face?’ and ‘How has

your identity influenced your experience?’ We would also host speakers, and our students really enjoyed it.”

Knowing that diversity councils and clubs do have an impact on a school’s sense of community, Kim plans to see a change in the student body.

“We are hoping to open people’s eyes to beyond the superficial issues that are going on, even off campus, in the Houston or global community, Kim said. “We want to make sure that we aren’t comfortable in our bubble here by doing something such as making a recent race issue like the Michael Brown issue more personal to SJS.” The officers hope that SJUC will create a lasting legacy.

“The success of SJUC depends on who is dedicated and interested in being an effective representative each year,” Wallace-Green said. “Already, we see a bunch of people who are interested and who do care about the issues, and I hope that interest will grow over the years.”

SJUC had its first informational meeting on Oct. 28.

“I’m hoping that this council is a place where people can say ‘This is what I’m thinking, what I’m experiencing, who I am, what I’m struggling with inside and outside of this community,’” Kim said, “And ‘How can this council support me in making sure that my voice is heard on this campus and that my presence is felt on this campus?”

State of the Union Unity Council founders junior Suman Atluri, senior Isabelle Wallace-Green and sophomore Matthew Fastow demonstrate their crosscultural bonds.

The Council seeks to provide a forum for the discussion of diversity.

At a first glance, the fuzzy asp seems like a harmless caterpillar. Yet these creatures are notoriously venomous, often dropping out of trees onto unsuspecting victims.

After getting her Senior Tea, Meghna Dara sat down on the grass and felt a shooting pain throughout her leg.

“I had to miss a whole class. I just couldn’t get up,” Dara said. “It hurt a lot for at least an hour and a half.

If you see something fuzzy, stay away from it.”

Senior Martha Jamail was stung last year after sitting down on a bench.

“It felt like I’d been shot; I felt it in my heart, and I thought I was going to die,” Jamail said. “I’m paranoid now. It definitely changed me.”

by Ashwini Bandi

APES creates retention pond, studies surroundings

Students who explore behind the Taub parking lot might be surprised to find seniors working on a mysterious ditch.

Elizabeth Spike and her AP Environmental Science class are planning to convert the ditch into a retention pond, which is used to hold rainwater in order to prevent flooding.

This process allows the water to slowly drain and catch pollutants such as fertilizer. The pond was built by contractors during the summer when they were working on the Taub parking lot.

The students are planning to fill the pond with native plants. They hope to study biodiversity, water quality and erosion control.

by Emily Chen

Debate, Faraday Society return after brief hiatus After lying low for a year, the Faraday Society and Debate team have resurfaced on the grid.

Students in Faraday Society perform chemistry experiments and watch demonstrations, including firing ping-pong balls, igniting dollar bills and shooting potatoes at a falcon-shaped piñata.

“We take a lot of the concepts that we learn in physics and chemistry and we apply those to more everyday examples that are a little more understandable,” junior Joe Faraguna said.

Although Faraday Society has become a hub of eccentric chemical experiments, it was not as active last year as it had been in the past.

“It kind of ebbs and flows. If we have really active leaders, they plan a lot of activities, and we do a lot of things,” co-sponsor and chemistry teacher Roxie Allen explained. “Last year, the person who was going to plan activities was kind of overcommitted, and the club didn’t get together and plan very many things, so we didn’t do much.”

This year, multiple leaders are working together to plan projects.

“When I describe the club to someone, it doesn’t always sound like something you’d want to spend a whole lunchtime doing,” said junior leader Leah Vogel. “We just want to make it more well-known so that

AUSTIN ZHANG

by Olivia Zhang

people actually know what they’re in for when they hear Faraday Society.”

Debating Revival Debate did not have much activity last year either. There were few active members, with rarely more than three people attending each meeting.

“This year, we’ve been promoting debate a lot more and encouraging freshmen and sophomores to start debating, and I’m really happy with the turnout,” Captain Michael Huang said. “Lots of people love debate, and we just wanted to make sure people understood that the activity was very open and anyone could join.”

Steven Scarborough (‘07), the new coach, hopes to get debate institu-

tionalized as a class so that students do not have to spend extra time researching their topics. “[Debate is] that thing that doesn’t have a dedicated chunk of time set up for it and that you’re not receiving credit for, and when push comes to shove, that’s what going to fall off your plate,” Scarborough said.

Debate members feel positively about their new coach.

“Steven is one of those guys you can really connect with since he previously went to St. John’s and did debate. He’s been incredibly helpful,” Huang said.

Huang has ambitious goals for the team’s future.

“SJS is too good not to be in the

debate scene,” Huang said. “I really want to leave high school knowing that I’ve made a lasting impact on the school so that future students can participate.”

Debate consists of more than just researching topics and arguing about them. At tournaments students can participate in events including dramatic interpretation, humorous interpretation, duet acting and impromptu speaking.

“There are just so many benefits of debate: awareness of the world around us, advocacy skills, being able to form coherent arguments, understanding your own beliefs and discovering your personal identity,” Huang said.

Mad Science Physics teacher Doug Carr pours a cornstarch and water mixture to demonstrate how nonNewtonian fluids work.

Faraday Society was named for English scientist Michael Faraday, who contributed to the field of electrochemistry.

FEATURES

3

SJSREVIEW.COM I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

REC THE HALLS

Teacher recs help students stand out from the crowd

Story by Gabe Malek and Chris Zimmerman Graphic by Tiffany Yue | Design by Jessica Lee A recommendation letter can range from a frank description of one’s faults to a laudatory tribute of a favorite student.

“I try to find more interesting stories too because I know I hate grading boring papers,” physics teacher Erol Turk said. “I am sure the admissions officers are so done with reading thousands of letters where everybody sounds like the illegitimate love child between Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa.”

College counselors advise teachers and hold workshops every year on how to write recommendation letters.

“They say to write about a student on their best day, which is easy to do because most people have many ‘best days,’” English teacher Ruth Bellows said.

Teachers recognize the potential importance of recommendation letters in college admissions decisions.

“For me, rec letters, if they are even read at all, will be read in a tie-break situation,” Turk said.

“I remember when I worked as a St. John’s faculty interviewer, we would have one spot left and four qualified kids, so we would go back over everything to see what makes one stand out over the others.”

Teachers mostly try to write rec letters to highlight qualities of the student within the classroom.

“Usually I identify a few qualities of that person and try to come up with a few anecdotal stories,” history teacher Jack Soliman said. “It’s organized kind of like an in-class essay. I start off with what I think is most

important and then give examples for what I have seen.”

College counselors write recommendation letters that focus on the bigger picture outside the classroom.

“Beginning freshman year, we keep a file that helps us write good letters of recommendation,” Director of College Counseling Bryan Rutledge said. “Teachers write their letters from the perspective of the classroom.”

The contributions of the teachers are integral to assessing the academic performance of students.

“I feel that I am supposed to write about the student, whether that is the classroom contribution or the skill set or the improvement,” Bellows said.

Although writing rec letters can be tedious, some teachers find aspects of the process enjoyable.

“I like the idea that I can reflect back,” Turk said. “I also make my students write me a note saying how they have used physics outside of the classroom, so it is really cool to see how people have recognized and used physics.”

Early action and decision deadlines add to the challenge of writing recs.

“The due date used to be January 1, then December 15, then December 1, then November 15, then November 1, and now there are a bunch of schools that require October 15,” Turk said. “So the same number of recs can become traumatic.”

Rec letters can also begin to pile up for teachers who are more accustomed to math and science. While Bellows can write a letter in 30 minutes, physics teacher Turk takes longer.

“The hard part for me is that I am not a writer, so I have to work for a while,” Turk said. “I have a hard time writing more than two in a day.”

Some teachers have a hard time turning down students who are looking for recom-

mendations.

“I have never said no,” Soliman said. “I think AP US History is rigorous, so at the end of the year, I always close by saying that there is nobody who appreciates what you do more than I do. My way of repaying you for your work is with recommendation letters if you want one.”

Other teachers deny requests only occasionally.

“When I say no, it is almost always because I just simply cannot get it done in the time frame,” Turk said. “I’m not going to write a mediocre or bad letter because I am doing them a disservice.”

While writing rec letters can be challenging for teachers, choosing the specific teacher can be tough for students.

“Deciding was a really difficult process because I’ve admired virtually every teacher I’ve had. I’ve never been great at deciding, and it’s especially difficult when there are so many amazing options,” Harvard freshman Xavier Gonzalez (’14) said. “But, from college counseling I knew that ideally one would have two recs, one from math or science and one from humanities, almost always from junior year. From there, I thought about which teachers I thought I knew best or knew me best, as well as which classes I had performed in best.”

Other students did not have a problem picking a teacher.

“I had clear-cut choices because it takes a certain type of student-teacher relationship where the teacher is able to really understand and describe a student’s personality,” senior Juan Philippe said.

Although Gonzalez struggled to choose a teacher, he advises students not to worry about the rec letter process.

“Don’t sweat it. Just enjoy the SJS ride,” Gonzalez said. “It’s short and really awesome, and there’s no need to think about deciding on a rec letter until the end of junior year.”

The process can inevitably become intense.

“It’s overall a pretty painless process, but it’s also a little nerve-wracking to talk to a teacher about writing you a gorgeous rec letter for your dream school,” Philippe said.

Soliman believes that there is a certain way to ask for a rec letter that will garner success for the student.

“I do advise students that if they ask a teacher for a rec, do it face to face: don’t send an email,” Soliman said. “Don’t just ask if the teacher can write a rec; ask if they can write a good, strong recommendation. You want to make sure that the teacher can give you a positive one.”

Senior Monica Dayao says that making sure teachers know you for more than just your grades is the key to receiving a strong rec letter.

“Get to know your teachers, especially during your junior year.

Talk to them outside of class: this can be in a tutorial or just a casual chat about life, but make the effort to get to know them,” Dayao said. “Your recommender doesn’t have to be the teacher who taught you in your best subject, but rather the teacher who knows your learning style and academic personality best.”

Ultimately, Turk notes that rec letters provide a valuable personal touch to the student’s overall application.

“Students are more than their SAT scores, GPAs and community service hours, so I think that’s where the letters give insight,” Turk said.

“We help you be more than just a number.”

4

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

FEATURES

Skip day, no-homework weekend offer needed breaks

AUSTIN ZHANG

When the Cat’s Away Senior Country was a veritable ghost town on Senior Skip Day, Monday, Oct. 27. In 1999, the administration began prescheduling the event in response to teacher complaints about planning lessons for days when students would not be present.

by Amy Liu

What a cushy life: while the average number of school days in the United States is 180, SJS students only have 163 days.

One of those days, Senior Skip Day, occurs the Monday after the Kinkaid game.

Before the 1970’s, the entire Upper School would receive a day off if SJS won the Homecoming game. The free day became reserved as senior custom, hence the term “Senior Skip Day.” “It sounds to me that seniors came up with this idea before getting administrative permission,” English teacher Ruth Bellows said. “They probably thought to do something unordinary by skipping a school day.”

Seniors once had the privilege of selecting which day they wanted to skip.

“They often skipped a day in the spring so they could go to the beach with friends,” former Head of Upper School Dwight Raulston (‘71) said.

Teachers resented having to arrange lesson plans when students might be absent. Even after it was institutionalized, critics saw Senior Skip Day as unfair and unnecessary.

“People argued that simply staying around long enough shouldn’t be a reason for privilege,” Bellows said.

Ben Williams, former Head of Upper School after Raulston’s first term ended in 1996, didn’t permit the tradition for one year. The administration prescheduled it

for the Monday after Kinkaid week and changed the name to “senior day off,” much to the discontent of seniors.

In response to the administration prescheduling their day off, the class of 1999 took an unauthorized second day off during the spring. Around one-third of the seniors were absent.

“Some people were outraged and some thought it was funny,” Bellows said. “On that day, I gave a lecture and gave a quiz on the lecture the next day.”

The seniors’ freedom to select the day gradually had less impact as they became accustomed to the Monday after Homecoming.

In 2008, the Middle School administration created the no-homework weekend, which was later adopted by the Upper School.

“The whole idea is to make this a kinder, gentler high school,” Bellows said.

It was first introduced during a Upper School faculty meeting before school started, prompting some resistance. Some teachers started scheduling tests or paper deadlines on Tuesday right after the weekend.

“There’s not much controversy over it anymore,” Raulston said. “It’s been going on so long now that if there’s any problem, it should be the teacher’s responsibility.”

Both senior skip day and no-homework weekend are appreciated as a well-needed respite, especially before early decision or early action college application deadlines.

“Mostly what I’m going to be doing is surrounds no-homework weekend as well just college applications,” said senior Isaas Senior Skip Day. belle Wallace-Green. “Seniors really need Parent Elise Neal said, “the semester that day.” keeps building and gets very hectic. It’s Seniors also take time to recover from nice to have a breather in the middle.” coordinating Kinkaid Week festivities.

Middle school students have no-home“The seniors are the ones who head spirit work nights in both the fall and spring. club, varsity sports teams, cheerleading They are conveniently scheduled around and SAC,” Bellows said. “They have a extracurricular events like production week big responsibility to make Homecoming or dance rehearsals. work.”

“High school’s a lot harder, but I don’t Younger students resented not having think making middle schoolers acting their own free day, despite also having like upper schoolers will actually prepare heavy workloads and post-Kinkaid exhaus- them,” MS librarian Melissa Murphey tion. said. “They can enjoy middle school while “My younger sister is pretty jealous they have it.” about it,” senior Grace Van Loh said. “But it’s definitely justified for us. Seniors put the most into Kinkaid week because it is 1-3 HRS their last.”

29% Allowing seniors a free day is unique to SJS. Public schools cannot afford such a day because of their large student population and state 6+ HRS HOMEWORK funding based on average daily 14% attendance.

DONE OVER “I was kind of surprised NO-HOMEWORK about this part of the school culture since I only taught WEEKEND at suburban public schools NONE before working here,” Bel3-6 HRS lows said. “As for huge public 32% 13% RESULTS TAKEN FROM THE REVIEW schools, you can’t just let ONLINE POLL OF 114 over 500 kids loose into the 0-1 HRS world.”

12% A stigma of privilege still MATTHEW NEAL

FEATURES

5

SJSREVIEW.COM I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

GLOBETROTTERS

Fish out of water: Students apply to colleges abroad

F

by Michael VerMeulen

rom the first time senior Paxton Lambright visited England, she knew she wanted to attend school there.

“When I was really little, I went to England to see my grandfather, who was working as a visiting professor for the London School of Economics as well as at Oxford,” Lambright said.

“I loved those schools so much that I told everyone that I that I was going to Oxford for college.”

Lambright, who is applying to the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, is one of many American students looking across the Atlantic for college.

Applicants to international colleges must jump through hoops that are different from You are able to those at American schools. see the world more.

“For example, the overYou can hop from seas universities require city to city in very little focus on one major during time, and you have application,” Lambright more of an opportunity to travel when you said. “You also need to be knowledgeable about are studying overthat major before going seas.” to the college because you are not generally applying Shannon Francis to the university. You are applying specifically for a subject.”

Another difference involves standardized test scores.

“In the United Kingdom, they don’t take the SAT,” Lambright said.

Instead, universities in the United Kingdom require A Levels that are more similar to the AP Exams.

“You almost have to convert your test scores on the SAT and AP tests to the equivalent of the score on A Levels,” Lambright said.

Overseas schools also require different information in their essays.

“

JARED MARGOLIS

A Whole New World Senior Paxton Lambright sets her sights on the University of London. Lambright is one of several seniors applying to universities overseas. In 2011, over 15,000 Americans pursued degrees at British universities.

“When you are applying to American schools, you need to show who you are and the little intricacies of your personality,” said senior Shannon Francis, who is applying to four different universities in the United Kingdom.

“There is an ode to professionalism involved with the overseas schools, as they specifically want to know your achievements and grades. They care more about your academic standing,” Francis said.

One of the advantages of overseas studies is that they provide easier access to employment and travel abroad.

“You are able to see the world more,” Francis said. “You can hop from city to city in very little time,

and you have more of an opportunity to travel when you are studying overseas.”

College students in Great Britain typically complete graduation requirments in less time.

“It only takes three years to graduate instead of four like in American colleges, which means I would have a head start,” Lambright said. “I would enter the workforce sooner and gain experience prior to others my age.”

One issue that American students face when applying to overseas colleges is the difficulty of travelling to the universities.

“I haven’t actually been to the University of London,” Lambright said.

“It’s really far away, so it’s difficult to find the time to go visit, and there are

also high travel costs. The uncertainty of the school is a little scary.”

Applicants also struggle with their conviction in narrowing down their selected major.

“If you are not completely sure about what you want to study, there is no point in applying overseas,” Lambright said. “The universities expect absolute certainty in what you want to study, so there is no possibility of a liberal arts degree like at American schools.”

Applicants still want to see the world even if they are not accepted.

“My favorite part of the world is Scotland, so just visiting there is great,” Francis said.

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT

Security officer shapes up for bodybuilding competitions

by Gabe Malek and Chris Zimmerman

Silvia Martinez is single-handedly reshaping the image of police officers.

On Oct. 11, Martinez won the Figure Division at the Musclemania competition in Paris, her second international title.

Figure Universe requires female competitors to have an athletic build and muscle tone without being extremely bulky like in traditional bodybuilding.

Martinez thought bodybuilding would help with her job.

“Bodybuilding requires a lot of preparation and discipline, so it goes hand in hand with police work,” Martinez said.

Although her fitness regimen helps Martinez with police work, it also serves as a break from the job.

“Bodybuilding is sort of an escape because police work can be tiring and frustrating sometimes, so going to the gym and eating well is something I enjoy,” Martinez said.

Martinez works as a Houston police officer and part-time security guard at SJS. Martinez views bodybuilding as more than a hobby and eventually

hopes to spread her knowledge to others.

“Bodybuilding is self-driven, but I do have a trainer and a posing coach,” Martinez said. “My trainer is a nutritionist as well, so he can guide me, but I am learning how to do that as well so I can help other people.”

Martinez’s training regimen becomes increasingly demanding leading up to contests.

“When I am training for a specific competition, I do an hour of cardio and lift for 30 minutes,” Martinez said. “Closer to the competition I have to cut weight, and so I do two hours of cardio a day, but that’s only about a week or so before.”

Martinez also stays in shape during the rest of the year.

“When I am not training, I lift four times a week and do at least an hour a day of cardio, whether it is running or walking on the treadmill,” Martinez said.

Martinez has been interested in athletics and fitness since childhood.

“When I was a kid, I loved all kinds of sports, mostly volleyball and swimming, but I played a little bit of everything,” Martinez said.

Martinez only works Fridays on campus, and then works for HPD

JARED MARGOLIS

Push It To The Limit Campus security officer Sylvia Martinez demonstrates one of the many exercises she does to get in shape for her Musclemania competitions. In Paris this October, Martinez won the Figure Division, which calls for muscle tone without an overly-bulky build.

until 11 p.m.

“Friday is my off day because I already work so long,” Martinez said.

“But on a regular day when I am not working at SJS, I work out at the gym at our police station.”

Martinez said that she really wants

to use her physical knowledge and ability to help the community and those around her.

“Ultimately I hope to help people accomplish the same things that I have done,” Martinez said.

6

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

CULTURE

FALL PLAY

Cast members uncover life lessons, pursue passions

JARED MARGOLIS

You Can Take Laughs With You Cast members James Boehme, Elizabeth Elrod and Julia Boyce run lines for the fall play. “You Can’t Take It with You” will run Fri. Nov. 14 and Sat. Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the VST.

by Marisa Murillo

Much like the characters in “You Can’t Take It with You,” the actors who portray them are following their passions while strengthening their relationships.

Written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, “You Can’t Take It with You” was first produced in 1936 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1937.

The show is about the Sycamores, an off-beat New York family in the 1920’s. The youngest daughter Alice brings home her boyfriend Anthony Kirby and his Wall Street family. Tension between the Sycamores and the Kirbys arises from the choice between what society views as proper and what brings them joy.

“The play is about how people choose to live their lives,” Director Bill McDonald said. “Do we choose to go after material things, or do we choose to have a life of fun and meaning?”

In an early rehearsal, the cast sat for two hours to read through the play and discuss its implications.

“I always have to think about what’s driving my character, not only in a scene, but also throughout the play,” said senior Hannah Tyler, who plays Penny Sycamore.

Tyler discovered that the play is about pursuing one’s dreams.

“It’s about a crazy family, being yourself and following your passion, but that’s just on a surface level. The play conveys the message of doing whatever it is you’re passionate about, no matter whether it brings you money, fame or accolades,” Tyler said.

Penny keeps the family together through the pandemonium from which the play derives its humor.

“Penny is the one who tries to make the family a cohesive unit in the midst of all this chaos that happens when passions collide,” Tyler said.

The play promotes family values, both onstage and off.

“The friends you make through

www.ThirdRockEurope.com

Contact ThirdRockMarty@gmail.com

the play become your family,” Tyler said. “The love of acting and being on stage keep me coming back. I get to do what I love on stage.”

Sophomore James Boehme portrays Mr. DePinna, an ice man who came inside the Sycamore house years ago and never left.

Boehme says the play encourages remaining true to oneself.

“This play is about doing what you love and not just being normal because you’ve only got one life, so why not make the most of it?” Boehme said. “It’s about doing what you love because that’s what’s important.”

“You Can’t Take It with You” features an ensemble cast, so most actors receive equal stage time.

“This is a show that’s based on character roles: there are no real lead roles,” McDonald said. “Everybody is a certain type of character.”

Boehme tries to stay true to his character’s identity.

“He’s a very hammy character,” Boehme said. “There are nuances to Mr. DePinna’s wacky personality. I don’t want to play him as being funny because he’s not trying to be funny: he’s a genuine human being.”

The show also provided many technical challenges.

Boehme credits assistant stage managers McKenna Gessner, Sophie Worscheh and Alex Jones for keeping props together, setting the stage and helping schedule rehearsals.

Senior Elizabeth Elrod, who plays Essie Carmichael, finds fulfillment in performing.

“Acting is another way to get involved in the theater, which is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Elrod said. “I live in the theater.

It’s like a second home, or maybe even a first home since we spend so much time here.”

Elrod also enjoys seeing the final product after weeks of putting together a show.

“We feel so proud when a production comes together,” Elrod said. “It’s the best feeling to be standing onstage and thinking that everything we’ve worked for is culminating in this.”

Gessner, Johnnycake President, has mixed feelings about her last fall play.

“This will be my fourth and final year being a stage manager, so it is going to be sad on the last night of production.” Gessner said. “I would definitely say it is a good experience because of the cast bonding and also the feeling of working together toward something greater.”

McDonald acknowledges that the cast and script meshed.

“We have a great cast, and we’ve had a great time working together.

I think everybody appreciates the message of the play,” McDonald said.

“The young actors are doing such a great job of embodying the characters in this timeless show.”

The theme of the play resonates with the cast.

“It’s reminded us to do what we love, and that premise alone is incredibly fun and enjoyable,” Boehme said.

WHAT You Can’t Take It with You, written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart WHEN Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 at 7:30 in the VST WHO Directed by Bill McDonald

CULTURE

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SJSREVIEW.COM NOVEMBER 14, 2014

AN ACTOR’S NIGHTMARE

JARED MARGOLIS

Auditions add drama to college application process

by Oliver Ruhl

Eighty percent of your admission outcome will be based on what you do in the next five minutes.

This is the reality facing performing arts applicants to theater programs across the country.

Most seniors wading through seas of CommonApp supplements and campus visits disdain the college application process: the numerous, often boring and generic, essay questions; the dreaded Activities section of ApplyTexas; and fear of the Universal Application.

For students applying for theater programs, this tedium is only the tip of the iceberg.

First, the rapidity with which applications must be turned in is the most disconcerting part of a theater application. In order to schedule auditions, applications must already be in.

Auditions, unlike application pools,

are finite, so in order to secure an audition in either New York (where most schools hold their auditions) or at a regional location, applications must get to schools as quickly as possible. For a few schools, I had an application ready and waiting before the school began accepting them.

Next comes preparing audition material. The required material varies from school to school, but the most common request is two contrasting monologues (two minutes max).

The auditionee is then left to decide whether the selection will be comedic or dramatic, classical or contemporary. At this point, applicants must read numerous plays to choose their selection.

Websites and books purportedly specializing in monologues are often lacking in material good enough for college auditions. Additionally, these resources lack the context of the play as a whole, something that

is necessary to truly understand a monologue.

After purchasing a total of eight monologue books, a myriad of plays and an entire First Folio, I began my search for the perfect three monologues this past summer. With the assistance of an audition coach, I selected the opening speech from “Richard III,” a monologue from “The Normal Heart” and a rant from “The Crowd You’re in With.”

Preparing for these auditions is an endeavor in itself. Many students hire coaches to improve the quality of their monologues. Some start practicing as early as the summer of sophomore year, choosing their monologues early and attempting to perfect them.

Once auditions are scheduled, travel arrangements are made and hotels are reserved. Auditions occur throughout the winter months. Some auditions are as early as mid-Novem-

ber while the majority occur during the last week of January.

Students often travel to a central location rather than auditioning at individual colleges.

The largest of these collective auditions is the National Unified Auditions, taking place Jan. 24 and 25. People perform two one-minute monologues in front of representatives from 25 different schools, including the University of Michigan and Penn State.

Theater programs are extremely competitive. Carnegie Mellon University accepted 14 students to their theater program last year, while Juilliard typically accepts eight to ten students into their B.F.A. programs.

These extra measures, however stressful, can yield a reward. Theater applicants make these sacrifices to pursue something they’re passionate about.

Tireless Thespian Senior Oliver Ruhl reads through one of his many monologue selections. Ruhl has already sent in all of his applications because of the quick turnaround in scheduling auditions

Examining musicians ‘brewing in the music scene’

by Ben Bieser

Everyone’s favorite freelance columnist is back with some more stuff he thinks is cool: this time I’ll discuss what’s been brewing in the music scene (or the one to which I’m attuned) this year. Think of this as some kind of self-indulgent State of the Union. Have fun, but read at your own risk.

From my vantage point, some fascinating trends have shown up on the scene this year. From the underground, an intriguing group of British upstarts are cranking out some of the most bizarre yet polished and compulsively listenable sounds I’ve ever heard.

The most salient artists emerging from this microgenre, SOPHIE and A.G. Cook, the latter of whom is the ringleader of an amorphous group called PC Music (is it a label? a collective? a string of Soundcloud aliases from one kooky mastermind?), have cranked out the jams. Pilfering from a variety of styles, from Billboard 100 pop to leftfield electronic acts, they’ve constructed their own twisted, avant-garde simula-

crum of pop and, in the process, may have forged a new standard of pop music itself.

Even more exciting: the two have teamed up to form QT, a project with more straightforward pop leanings that is, to my understanding, supposed to be a conceptual set of jingles for a fictional soda product (and in some form a wonky critique of capitalism or music or something too pretentious for me).

In a sense, this yet-to-be categorized trend (ironicpopwave? chirpyvocalpunk?) is the opposite of the last hipster trend, vaporwave, in that it aggregates experimental elements to form a shimmering pop product, while vaporwave deconstructed anachronized pop and patched the remnants into an experimental pastiche. In a nutshell: vaporwave is virtually unlistenable, and whatever ebullient din that PC Music musters right now unequivocally improves on the similar concept.

In the realm of indie pop, the synthesizer/drum machine approach still commands a sizable portion of the musical output.

Future Islands put out a stunningly earthy and relatable record in “Singles” (and became a meme as a result of their frontman’s erratic dance moves). I find the record danceable, catchy and fun, but as my boss

at Cactus Music put it, “if you didn’t like it sonic flagellation is “ecstasy.” in the ’80s, you won’t like it now.”

Described as the electronic equivalent Of course, bleary guitars still drive indie to Swans’ guitar-based phantasmagoria, rock. Real Estate recorded another solid Ben Frost’s A U R O R A occupies similar contemporary classic rock album, and experimental territory in his ambient noise Protomartyr and Total Control both made explorations. explosive and mopey post-punk records.

As for more recognizable and tangibly Newcomer Adult Jazz musical electronic music, released an impressively fulAndy Stott and his Modern ly-formed art pop experiment.

Love compatriot Miles WhitTheir debut record, “Gist Is,” taker made a brutal techno toyed with the notions of record under the alias Millie indie rock by culling from a & Andrea, the grimy, sadistic mishmash of diverse stylistic Dmitri Karamazov to the devices: autotune (hip hop), glittering sheen of QT’s Alexei anthemic drum swells (radio Karamazov.

ADULT JAZZ pop), and horns (jazz, duh).

The music released this year On the less casually pleasing side of has redefined pop and further explored things, experimental musicians continue to the bleakness of aural sadism (and Kanye craft new ways of brutalizing eardrums to hasn’t even dropped his new record yet). achieve euphonic catharsis.

For a more casual listener, lots of outfits Swans (read: those crazy old have manufactured more pleasguys who make hipster garbage) “Gist Is,” the debut ant but solid sounds. released my favorite record of Anyone can find a new record album by Adult Jazz, displays the year, tolling yet exalting to love. I encourage anyone diverse styles piece of work, reading this to find something new, be it on vinyl, iTunes, ironically titled “To Be Kind,” Spotify or inconsiderately blared in Senior grinds on for over two hours. Swans make Country. heavy, difficult music, but in lead vocalist Michael Gira’s words, “the goal” of this

8 ONE DAY A.C.T. MAN CHALLENGED S.A.T. MAN FOR SUPREMACY...

by Brooke Kushwaha

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by Tiffany Yue and Megan Shen

BUT THEN THE AMAZING MAVERICKS BATTLED THE COMMON APP, APPLY TEXAS & The UNIVERSAL APP The Common Application has one member college for nearly every student in the Upper School.

With over 500 member colleges and universities, including nearly all of the nation’s top-ranked institutions, the Common Application offers more options than the Universal College Application, which is only accepted by 45. Unlike the Common App, the Universal College Application does not require letters of recommendation or an essay.

Students applying to public universities in Texas must use ApplyTexas, a process that many find needlessly time-consuming and confusing.

“It told me that I can’t have two engineering majors; which is not true,” senior Vasia Pobedinski said.

“UT later came back and said it was possible, so then I had the option to change my major but not be able to change my short essay.”

The Common Application has five possible essay prompts; ApplyTexas three. All applicants must respond to two, but universities may require different essays.

In 2009, Texas State Legislature passed a law granting students in the top ten percent of their graduating class automatic admission through

Apply Texas. Due to an influx of applicants, UT-Austin has tightened the standard to the top seven percent for this year.

Students at schools that do not have class ranks like SJS cannot be admitted through this rule.

“I think that unranked schools are typically very academically rigorous and the reason for not ranking is that it’s kind of silly when so many students are at the top,” another anonymous senior said. “I would hope that the top seven percent at these schools don’t need the automatic admission.”

Some public universities in Texas, including A&M, offer automatic admission based on academic achievement. Students who complete four years of English, math and science, and two years of a foreign language, as well as meet testing requirements of a 1300 on the SAT or a 30 on the ACT are notified of admission as soon as they complete ApplyTexas.

“I was really excited to be accepted at A&M. I do find it slightly annoying that they ask for essays if they aren’t even going to use them, but applying to A&M and writing those essays made me have them ready for UT-Austin,” the senior said.

The first multiple-choice question students must answer is which standardized test to take. While the SAT and ACT may seem equally daunting, they are different beasts. Both the SAT and ACT include math and critical reading sections, but the ACT also features a Science Reasoning section.

“It’s basically reading comprehension for scientific passages and how well you can interpret graphs and charts,” junior Sloan Rucker said. “The ACT is a lot less conceptual than the SAT. It’s more memory-based with more problems, so you’re crunched for time. However, the English section is more straightforward, so you don’t have to extrapolate as much, and the passages are more interesting.”

The ACT, or American College Testing, was once primarily a regional exam.

While most U.S. and Canadian colleges accept ACT scores, originally only denizens of the Midwest bothered taking it in place of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

Today, some colleges won’t even accept the SAT without two additional SAT II subject tests, but they will accept an ACT score with writing.

One of the main differences between the SAT and ACT scoring is that while the SAT combines critical reading, math and

by Iris Cronin

writing sections towards a total score, the ACT averages each section to one composite score. As with the SAT, the ACT allows students to use their highest scores from each section if they retake the test.

Both tests claim to measure college readiness and predict future success, although it wasn’t until 2003 that ACT Inc. found a correlation between test scores and the likelihood that a student will earn a degree. The SAT frequently comes under fire for systematically favoring white males, but the ACT has had no such controversy.

On March 5, the College Board announced a return to its original 1600-point format by making the essay optional. The ACT has always had an optional writing section, although most colleges require students to submit writing anyway.

The SAT has ten sections that alternate between reading, math and writing, while the ACT groups subjects all together. “[The ACT] was a lot easier and more enjoyable for me. It felt good to be able to knock each section out and be done,” Rucker said.

In today’s highly variable, highly competitive college environment, the application process is complicated by yet anothe factor: timing.

Seniors must choose between submitting regular and early applications. If they choose early, they must then decide between Early Decision and Early Action Early Decision is a binding commitment. Those ED applicants who are accepted must withdraw their application from all other schools.

“I struggled a lot with the decision,” senior Abigail Anderson said. “I decided on ED. There’s an overwhelming number of positive factors, and it’s hard to turn your nose up at free tuition.”

Under an Early Action plan, students are informed of acceptance early but are not obligated to matriculate. There are two kinds of Early Action: restrictive and nonrestrictive. Restrictive Early Action, while still non-binding, means the studen cannot apply early to any other private institutions.

“I applied REA to Stanford and EA to a public school,” senior Benjamin Brown said. “I was planning to apply early to a different school, but then I remembered

Illustrations by Brooke Kushwaha | Design by Jessica Lee

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9 applicants were caught in an epic CLASH between college cost and prestige

by Rebecca Chen For many students and parents, acceptance into a prestigious university can seem like a glistening trophy— both a sign of one’s hard work over the past four years and a bragging right.

Yet the glamour of schools that rank in the top ten of U.S. News and World Report often obscures the harsh pecuniary realities of a four-year degree.

Top-ranking private schools have yearly tuitions of over $60,000. An in-state school such as the University of Texas can reduce that financial commitment by over one-half.

“Whether people say it or not, cost is always a big part of any decision you make, especially higher education,” Natasha Kumar (’13) said via instant message. “Most people these days look into pursuing grad school or professional school, so that’s another four years of schooling you have to pay for.”

Kumar is studying microbiology at Ohio State University after receiving a generous scholarship.

“I’m hoping to get into med school after I graduate, so it would make sense to try and minimize cost of undergrad as much as possible, so I don’t drown in student debt,” Kumar said. “Ohio State offered me a full ride, so that was obviously extraordinarily appealing.”

While Kumar put cost as her first priority, others rank prestige higher.

“Some people will apply for the name though they don’t want to be seen as applying for the name,” Notre Dame freshman Daniel Bland (’14) said. “But those schools are more visible and you’re more able to say they’re a good fit for you because of that reason, so a lot of people apply to the same schools.”

Ivy League schools particularly get a lot of applicants who might not necessarily know anything about the from that.’ That’s not school besides its name. how it should be.”

“A lot of my friends here applied just Fastow admits that presbecause Dartmouth is an Ivy League tige was a consideration in his school,” Jeffrey Fastow (’14) said. decision, but he asserts that it was Applying to well-known schools only a minor factor. may severely limit one’s options.

“The nitty gritty things like the “People don’t apply to Canadian people and the weather are what make colleges as much as they apply to Enyou happy,” Fastow said. “St. John’s glish or American colleges because of students apply to good schools and prestige,” senior Alex Sheinbaum said. reputable school, but sometimes they “To say that you went to Stanford, to don’t take things like the weather into Oxford, to Yale, that’s a big deal. They account. I had a good idea it would be think that if they go to that college, so cold up here.” they’ll have a better life. Personally, I don’t think that’s true, and studies show that’s not true.”

Focusing on prestige rather than a good fit can be a mistake with long-term repercussions.

“Choosing a college should depend on what you want to do. If you want to go into ocean studies but you want to go to Yale, Yale may not have that, but you want to go to Yale because it’s Yale. I

by Megan Routbort think that totally matters, but that’s not necessarily what people here think,” Sheinbaum said. “They say ‘I want to go to Yale, Much of the college admissions process is dependent on what does Yale have to offactors that cannot be changed in a short, frenzied period fer, I’ll choose something of time junior year—academic record, letters of recommendation, and extracurriculars cannot be crammed for. So it makes sense that students and parents alike are willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money to prepare for the one factor that can be easily influenced—the standardized test score.

The prep industry drains not only students’ financial resources but also their time. wanted to attend,” senior Andrew Jing In an interview for The New York Times, President of said. the College Board David Coleman said, “It is time for the Some choose not to apply early at all.

College Board to say in a clearer voice that the culture and “I need more time to figure out what I practice of costly test preparation that has arisen around want,” senior Deborah Dale said. I keep admissions exams drives the perception of inequality and going back and forth between schools so injustice in our country.” now probably isn’t the best time to make a The upcoming reformation of the SAT, which will replace decision.” the current one in 2016, is a strategy to counter-attack the prevalence of the test prep industry.

The new format will revert to the 1600-point scale, make the essay section optional, and eliminate penalties for wrong answers as part of an effort to test students on raw intelligence and curriculum experience rather than their ability to cram for a test or pay for a class.

In an effort to reduce the disparity in opportunities for education created by the income gap, the College Board is taking measures to make the college application less taxing on lower-income students. For the new SAT, the $51 test fee will be waived, applications to four colleges will be financed, and free online videos and practice problems for test prep will be available to all through a partnership with Khan Academy.

Students still hold firm to their beliefs that test preparation is ultimately worth the cost.

“It was definitely worth it. In the end I was really happy with my SAT score, and it made the college process a lot less stressful,” senior Eugenia Kakadiaris said. “It’s one of *Some names have been those things you just have to bite the bullet and do.” changed to protect the

sTUDENTS* FACED LOOMING DEADLINES: EARLY OR REGULAR? how much I loved San Francisco.”

Students are attracted to the possibility of a quicker resolution to the college question.

“I wanted to at least try and be done with the college process by January,” senior Caitlyn Crane said. “I’ve heard that some schools have a slightly higher acceptance rate if you apply early, and my REA school is my dream school.”

For many students, the goal of Early Action is peace of mind.

“I applied Early Action because I want the security of knowing I’m in somewhere.

Once I’m accepted at even a single school, I’ll just feel so much better. But I also didn’t want to commit to Early Decision,” senior Eleni McGee said.

The binding nature of ED can be a deterrent for many students.

“It is scary to have to be so sure. It’s a really inflexible course of action,” Anderson said.

For most students, the choice to apply early or regular is a decision they arrive at with guidance from their college counselors.

“My counselor and I decided that I should apply early to a school I really

identities of applicants

our heroes trained rigorously for tests of stamina and smarts

10

SPORTS

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Go, Speed Racer Sophomore Jayan Hanson placed 13th at the Maverick Ramble Oct. 11 and placed 20th at SPC, Nov. 8.

Mavericks edged out John Cooper by two points.

FALL SPC

XC wins title, ends 13-year drought

by Emily Chen

On Saturday Nov. 8, the boys’ cross-country team made history and took home the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) championship for the first time in 13 years.

“It’s kind of crazy because we talk so much about that team that won in 2000,” senior captain Akshay Jaggi said. “They’re kind of like legends, so it’s awesome to be the team that actually did it again.”

The team had come in second the past two years.

“It’s sad and exciting. I’ll never get to run with these guys again,” Jaggi said.

At SPC, the team had all five

scorers in the top 20: Jaggi (2nd), junior Joe Faraguna (6th), freshman Samuel Ho (12th), senior captain Alex Cherches (16th) and sophomore Jayan Hanson (20th). “[SPC] was my best race,” Hanson said. “I stuck with the guys I was supposed to stick with, and I just made it happen.”

Cross country performed well throughout the season, despite several setbacks. “[Our season was] very strong, despite some major absences of Akshay Jaggi, Julian Henry, Jake Schick and others at times due to nagging injuries,” Coach Richie Mercado, said.

Jaggi agrees that the team managed to pull through at the right time.

“We had injuries, but we peaked at

SPC,” Jaggi said. “Almost everyone on the team had recovered and was in peak condition for the big race. Cross country is a pretty grueling season.

What makes a great season is if you can, and we did.”

After such a strong season, the team was optimistic about SPC. “We came in confident, but not cocky. That’s what made the difference,” Hanson said. “I think last year we expected it to come to us, but this year we went out and got it.”

The team credits their success in large part to the leadership of Coach Mercado.

“I think we can keep winning for as long as we have Coach Mercado in charge,” Hanson said.

JARED MARGOLIS

FIELD HOCKEY

Freshmen make impact, upperclassmen get recruited While the conventional college application process already seems tedious for many seniors, all three varsity field hockey goalies spent years preparing themselves for college recruitment.

“You essentially have to market yourself to a bunch of different schools. It’s like the regular college app process, except it can be up to four years long,” senior Libby Manela said.

Both Manela and junior Kelsey Bing have verbally committed to play in Division I schools. Senior Mackenzie Mott has verbally committed to a Divison III school.

“I’m happy the whole recruiting process is over. It can get pretty stressful,” Bing said.

Field hockey finished their season first in South Zone (17-3-1) and third in SPC after losing to Hockaday in the semifinals, 1-0.

Alongside the three veteran goalies, the field hockey team also includes emerging talent. Audrey Ledbetter and Isabel Windham are just two of four freshmen to make varsity in more than 15 years. Manela played as goalie for the SPC-winning team in 2011, her freshman year.

“I had heard about Jennifer Trieschman (‘16) making it her freshman year and thought that it would be so cool to do the same,” Windham said. “I realized that if I worked on my skills and gave it my all, I might have a chance to do the same as Jennifer.”

Before Manela and Trieschman, Margaux Stephens Harbin was the last player to join varsity as a freshman back in 1998. Harbin now helps coach field hockey.

“We are always a little hesitant to take freshmen because of the age difference, but Audrey and Isabel have fit in well and have the confidence to compete at the varsity level,” Coach Craig Chambers said.

For the two freshmen, making varsity had been a goal since they started playing. Windham, who recently turned fourteen, is the youngest player ever on varsity.

“Varsity was always one of those things I always hoped for but in the

back of my mind I thought it was never going to happen my freshman year,” Ledbetter said. “I went into tryouts with high hopes but still knew that anything could happen.”

Bing also developed an early talent for field hockey, having played for national teams since middle school. She and Manela play on the USA Junior National Team together.

“I love being able to travel everywhere with Kelsey. We play for the same school, club, and country, so we spend a lot of time together on and off the field,” Manela said.

Both Bing and Manela dream of playing for the USA National Team.

“Hopefully I can stay in the pipeline and continue to represent my country,” Manela said.

Most field hockey players first get a taste of the sport in sixth grade PE and then devote themselves to the sport through middle school.

“My most memorable game was our HJPC championship in eighth grade when we lost to Kinkaid,” Windham said.

“The defeat motivated me to become a better player.”

Unlike Windham, Manela did not pick up a stick until eighth grade.

“I was a year behind everyone and really bad on the field, so I volunteered to be the goalie and ended up loving it,” Manela said.

Manela plans to play after college, but not at the expense of a career. If she does not see a future with the USA Field Hockey program, then she probably will not

continue playing.

“Whenever I have to stop playing will be a really hard time for me,” Manela said.

Field hockey usually practices three days a week and plays games the other two days. Some members of the team practice on weekends through programs such as Texas Pride and Futures.

For athletes who play club field hockey, the season does not end with SPC. In the spring, they enter time-consuming tournaments. Bing has competed in Uruguay and Holland with the U18 and U17 Junior

National Teams, respectively.

“I have millions of field hockey stories because that’s what I essentially do when I am not doing school work,” Bing said.

The 11 hours a week spent playing field hockey together have allowed the players to form many memories and inside jokes.

“There is never a dull or boring moment,” Mott said.

The Big Three Junior Kelsey Bing and seniors Libby Manela and Mackenzie Mott have all verbally committed to play field hockey in college.

EMILY RAGAUSS

by Inaara Malick

BEYOND

11

SJSREVIEW.COM I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

MADAM PRESIDENT

Alumna directs diversity on SMU residential board

COURTESY PHOTO

Stand and Deliver Former Head Prefect Sira Ntagha (‘14), second from left, second row, was appointed to SMU’s Lloyd Commons Cabinet of Directors, which also includes fellow SJS alum Josh Thomas (‘13), second from right. Ntagha drew from her experience with leadership and diversity to beat out upperclassmen for the position.

by Amy Liu

Pony Up Sira Ntagha, second from left, attends a weekly meeting to discuss the importance of addressing diversity at SMU.

When Sira Ntagha (‘14) was eight years old, her mom walked into the kitchen and found her trying to call the Supreme Court. Sira wanted to stop the execution of a man whom she believed had an unfair conviction.

Sira’s family members nicknamed her “the activist” for her willingness to formulate and express sociopolitical opinions.

“I would tease her that the FBI and CIA would someday know about her because she was very opinionated and constantly engaging herself in those opinions,” said her mother, Pamela-Douglas Ntagha. “She’s always had an interest in justice and treating people fairly.”

This passion has inspired Sira to address challenges with diversity and identity in an academic environment.

She is currently the Director of Diversity of her residential commons at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

Sira learned of the opportunity on the dorm Facebook page. She beat out numerous other applicants in higher classes and won the position.

“I felt pretty confident because of my past experience with diversity issues,” said Sira. “But I was worried

about competing with sophomores and upperclassmen who knew the school better than I did.”

Each commons has a council led by a Cabinet of Directors, including the Director of Diversity. The councils from all commons make up the assembly that leads the school.

“This job makes you think and gives you an opportunity a lot of other kids don’t get,” Sira said. “It gives me a place to start. If I didn’t have this, I would be kind of lost.”

Sira attends cabinet meetings every Tuesday night, where directors discuss budgeting, prayers, and future events. So far, their plans include a monthly get-together for students to talk about identity issues as well as a talent show.

Because SMU is a small university (around 6,500 undergraduates) with a minority population of less than 30 percent, Sira sees discussing the diversity issue as integral to future successes on campus.

“It’s important to address diversity and things that are controversial,” Sira said. “At SMU, it seems to be a taboo topic that people are unwilling to talk about.”

Some of her peers can understand the problems posed by overlooking diversity. Sira recalls that the women

on her floor talked long into the night and shared personal experiences during one of the first conversations they had.

“That kind of moment shows how I hope people can feel about their peers here at any point in time,” Sira said.

Sira’s initial struggle to fit in with SJS students inspired her passion about diversity issues. After she was accepted and decided to enroll, her parents gave her the first semester to choose if she still wanted to stay.

Sira expected to face an uptight, homogeneous and non-accepting culture. She would sometimes come home sad and worried about not being able to relate to her classmates.

“I think that SJS tried to embrace her and make the environment as conducive as possible, and I applaud their efforts,” her mother said. “But sometimes, it’s hard for others to truly understand.”

Gradually, Sira gained confidence and started to feel like part of the community.

“I just had preconceived notions, which everyone proved wrong once I got to know them,” Sira said. “St. John’s was the type of high school that would automatically have those stereotypes labeled to their students; we just didn’t take enough steps to debunk them.”

When first encouraged by advisers at Breakthrough Houston, a

non-profit tutoring program, to apply to St. John’s, Sira was skeptical.

But upon arriving, she quickly made her mark.

She was selected to be a member of the Student Diversity Leadership Council Conference, a gathering of high school leaders from around the nation who discuss diversity and social justice. After serving as Junior Class President, Sira was elected Head Prefect “One by one, she won people over,” said Pamela-Douglas. “At heart, she’s a natural leader. People really liked to see her true self.”

Sira’s outlook on high school totally changed throughout her four years and helped her realize that diversity boundaries are not only created by the majority.

“Everyone has those preconceived notions no matter what race they are, and that has to be dismantled,” Sira said. “People should be given a chance to show who they are as a whole, regardless of what they look like, what they believe in or who they love.”

As Director of Diversity, she acknowledges that diversity can often be misinterpreted as treating someone better than another person on their racial or ethnic group.

“This isn’t about trying to portray minorities as victims, or calling others out on being unfair, because we’re not trying to emphasize people’s differences,” Sira said. “People all vary in a lot of ways. People shouldn’t be judged on a single aspect.”

The future leader’s mother agrees.

“Stand up against things that you find unjust or unfair. It could be economic, social, anything,” she said. “Find something you’re passionate about.”

COURTESY PHOTO

12

BEYOND

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

by Sophia Li

William Mercado’s next door neighbor is a volcano, which can be seen from the front door of his homestead.

“There’s a bunch of gas coming up at all times,” Mercado (‘14) said.

Mercado is one of a handful of graduates who disregards the academic norm and choose to take a gap year before college.

Defined as a period between high school and college during which a student pursues extracurriculars or travel for enlightenment, the term gap year was first coined in Europe after European governments decided that future world wars could be prevented by having younger generations travel to other countries and gain global awareness.

“Students who take gap years are shown to be more likely to graduate on time, according to the National Association for College Admission,” college counselor Bryan Rutledge said.

Most colleges give students the option to defer for a year. Lydia Liu (‘14) will matriculate to the University of Chicago but decided to spend a semester at Renmin University in Beijing before enrolling.

Liu is a non-degree-seeking exchange student, so she does not receive a grade or credit for her courses.

Liu assigns herself grades based on how well she interacts with native Chinese speakers.

“I like to say that I am fluent in conversational Chinese, but in terms

of more formal usages, my written Chinese isn’t as fluent as I want it to be,” Liu said.

Liu’s parents were hesitant to send their daughter on a gap year since she would then be a year older than her peers at UChicago. At SJS, Liu took advanced courses and was often in class with upperclassmen. Because she has taken a year off, Liu will join the class of 2019 in college.

“As we get older, age matters less and less, especially just one year,” Liu said.

Renmin’s application is less stringent for exchange students than for natives.

“There’s a lot of self-imposed stress,” Liu said, “But who will motivate you if you do not motivate yourself?”

Mercado’s program, Rustic Pathways, had a similar application process. Students wrote essays, submitted financial information, and were interviewed by phone.

“I picked this program because I wanted to become fluent in Spanish,” Mercado said.

In the Rustic Pathways gap semester, students will spend a month each in Peru, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

Mercado will return to Houston for winter break. He plans to intern with G.O. Ministries for the spring semester.

The group has already traveled all over Peru, visiting Machu Picchu and the Amazon rainforest.

“We had to avoid mosquitoes, wasps and anacondas,” Mercado said.

Catching up with

former Quiz Bowl Captains

Scott Wise (’11)

Carlo DeGuzman (’14)

I’m a senior at Princeton in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs with a focus on agricultural policy.

I came to school in 2011 thinking I’d continue quiz bowl, but the college version is much different than high school. I went to one tournament my freshman year and did okay, but it made me realize how much time I would need to devote to the activity to be as good as I was in high school. College quiz bowl tests knowledge that only PhD’s would ever come across.

I’ve focused most of my extracurricular time on my a cappella group and my community service project, which teaches entrepreneurial skills to inmates about to leave prison. In lieu of quiz bowl, I’ve found alternative academic outlets: I have become an avid crossword puzzler, and I am the trivia master of my eating club’s pub trivia night.

I’m a freshman at Texas A&M majoring in computer engineering with a focus in computer science, though right now I’m trying to knock out most of my core curriculum requirements so that I can focus solely on programming in future semesters.

One class I like in particular is my Art History class, in which my quiz bowl knowledge has helped tremendously (it also helps that I got a crash course in Renaissance art when I visited Italy this past summer). At the same time, I am really looking forward to next semester, when I can finally start taking programming classes (and not have to wake up for an 8 a.m. class).

I still play quiz bowl at A&M, and even though I do miss my old teammates, I find myself having fun with my new teammates, both during practice and at tournaments.

COURTESY PHOTO

Gap year provides opportunities for travel, growth

Students also stopped in a small village, where they built a water tank to provide clean drinking water.

Liu describes her average day as similar to that of her friends’ back in the US. She wakes up early for morning classes and if she is free in the afternoon, she goes to the library for homework or talks to friends.

Liu has a more flexible schedule than one typically would at an American college. For China’s National Day, Guo Qing, Liu traveled with her mom to Japan for a week.

Liu took a gap year because she was unsure of her future plans.

“Being a journalist sounded like a great career path, but I actually didn’t know what that entailed,” Liu said.

After she leaves Renmin, Liu intends to test out possible career paths

by interning in law and journalism.

She anticipates deciding on a major by second semester.

“I am one of those people who would have gone into college completely undeclared,” she said.

Both Liu and Mercado agreed that misconceptions abound gap years.

“I’ve talked to my friends at college, and they’re already burned out,” Mercado said. “People think that they’ll lose knowledge if they take a year off when that’s really not the case.”

For Liu, the problem lies in the culture of her school of origin.

“St. John’s is such an orthodox school. The normal thing is to do four years of high school, four years of college,” Liu said, “I knew [a gap year] was unconventional, but I definitely do not regret it.”

Climb Every Mountain William Mercado, right, enjoys the scenic view of Machu Picchu in Peru. Mercado decided to take a gap year to travel and intern with G.O. Ministries.

GRADS GARNER NATIONAL ACCLAIM

Elizabeth Holmes (‘02) made the June 2014 cover of “Fortune.” At age 30, Holmes is the youngest female billionaire and founder of Theranos, a company that aims to simplify the blood testing industry. Director Wes Anderson (‘87) was featured on the May cover of “Relevant.” His latest film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” is considered an Academy Award contender for Best Picture.

g

BEYOND

13

SJSREVIEW.COM I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Alums tackle legitimacy of college stereotypes

U CHICAGO

COURTESY PHOTOS

Seeing Double Left: sophomore Emma Robinson, left, and her sister Allie (‘13) enjoy Princeton’s fall colors. Right: Tim the Beaver attends an MIT Halloween party with Jack Simmons (‘14), left, and her soccer teammate, who color-coordinated as Dr. Seuss’ Thing One and Thing Two.

DARTMOUTH

DARTMOUTH Daniel

Jellins

There are some elements of truths to the stereotype. I think you’re more likely to see people studying at 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday than other schools.

I personally don’t do this, but I know some who do.

It is hard to get an A. The first paper I turned in, the teacher

(’14)

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es t fun go e r e h “W

PRINCETON

U CHICAGO

of identity here, but the population is so diverse that there is a nearly equal number of kids that completely offset that spectrum as there are that enforce it.

News and media outlets have an irritating habit of trying to force schools into stereotypical molds.

I think the common stereotypes associated with Dartmouth (they change depending on who you’re talking to) tend to center around “outdoorsy” and “athletic” students in a “work-hard play-hard” vibe.

As far as validity goes, there are certainly students that fit that kind

DARTMOUTH

MIT

DARTMOUTH

didn’t even give any B’s and a lot of people got 50’s; however, they curve pretty much everything.

On the flip side, if you do manage your time well, it’s easy to beat the “where fun goes to die” label.

I have gone to the city every week I’ve been here, and I don’t work at all times of the day. I’ve par-

Taking one student or one campus organization and attempting to project their identity, universally, onto the school distorts the wide spectrum of personalities you’ll find in all facets of campus life.

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Ca

roline C owan PRINCETON (’13) PRINCETON GEORGIA PRINCETON GA” U e h t in y U CHICAGO t r a P “

MIT

MIT

MIT is awesome and I love it, but it is not at all what I expected.

The classes are hard and I learn a lot every single day, but I am less stressed than I was during some parts of high school and the workload isn’t bad at all.

The truth of the nerdy stereotype is a hard question. Everyone here

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Fasto Jeffrey

DARTMOUTH

DARTMOUTH

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The University of Georgia can definitely be classified as a party school, but it’s important to note that the stereotype doesn’t necessarily include the negative connotations people associate with that term.

is super smart, but there aren’t any stereotypical nerds. For example, my lab partner won fourth place on “Jeopardy,” but my other one drives race cars.

The best example is one of the star freshman football players who looks and acts like your stereotypical high school jock, but he then

ticipated in two different weekly intramural sports and have time for other extracurriculars.

It’s about how to balance your time. The stereotype is only true if you allow it to be true, but if you manage your time well and try to get out and do things, having fun is pretty easy to accomplish.

Many people assume students at a state school never go to class, drink seven days a week, and have terrible GPAs. Yes, students go downtown several nights a week, as well as the weekends, but we still live a balanced lifestyle.

proceeds to explain multivariable calculus to me like it is the simplest thing he has ever learned.

The biggest nerd factor I can think of is that anytime someone makes a nerdy chemistry or math joke, everyone laughs.

hard”

Everyone finds their crowd here.

We like to have fun, but we’ve figured out a way to do it without having it impede our daily lives and the work that needs to get done.

MIT

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immo Jack S

MIT MIT

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The Princeton stereotype of preppy eating clubs definitely exists.

Princeton’s stereotype is actually something that made me nervous, but I’ve found that the people you surround yourself with definitely determine how you experience a particular stereotype.

Most of my friends don’t really dress preppy, and we don’t all have

homes in the Hamptons, but that group definitely exists.

As far as eating clubs go, each one has its own personality. Each one has a stereotype, some true and some false. The most heavily “bickered” (our term for selecting an eating club) is actually one known for having no stereotype — it’s a club that has all different sorts

of people.

People at Princeton are definitely aware of our stereotype. We actually have two campus-sponsored events each year called Lawnparties which feature artists at the eating clubs, food, hanging out, but the intention is actually for us to dress as preppy as possible as a way of making fun of ourselves.

14

OPINIONS

THE REVIEW I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

STAFF EDITORIAL

An Open Letter to Our Parents

Dear Mom and Dad: Early applications are in, and we can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Unless that sigh is stifled by your relentless nagging, that is.

We love you guys. You should know that, even though it may seem like we care for you most when you buy us scrumptious food or drop off forgotten gym bags and lunches at school. We appreciate your support, but we also need you to keep your distance if we are to remain sane.

We are going to screw up. At this point, that should be a given. This just might be the perfect time for us to make mistakes and fix them on our own.

Maybe we don’t want to be doctors or lawyers. Maybe we don’t even aspire to eliminate hunger or poverty. Or maybe we do. Maybe we’ll eventually find our way to the path you have already carved out for us. But whatever choices we make, the point is that those will be our choices. Our decisions regarding our future.

You certainly have a stake in our future, and we understand that. We greatly appreciate all the sacrifices you have made to fund our educations over the years.

Estimates from the U.S. Department of

TIFFANY YUE

Agriculture predict that it costs just under a quarter of a million dollars to raise a child from infancy to age 18. And that’s not including the price of St. John’s. Or college, for that matter.

Thank you for your time. You have been the shoulder we cry on, you have listened to our teenage woes, and you have spent hours proofreading college essays. Some-

times you surprise us with thoughtful comments or treats. Sometimes your hugs are the only cure to a bad day.

Yet sometimes you seem too invested in the college application process. You harass our college counselors at all times of the day and night. You pounce on the Review’s college centerspread until it’s covered with comments. Worst of all, you reprimand us

for not appearing to care as much as we should.

Of course we care. This is our future, and we are terrified of that reality. While we loudly proclaim our desire to get away from home, we know that we will miss the familiar more than we would ever want to admit. We realize that college is just another step in the long, arduous process of establishing ourselves as individuals in this world. We need to take a break and not consider the overwhelming future once in a while. We deserve the reprieve that a night out with friends or a night in with Netflix provide.

In college, we will need to be independent people. We will not have anyone to run to when we have problems, nor will we have anyone to admonish us when we spend a day lounging around in our PJs. And after college, we’ll lead self-sufficient lives, unless your plan all along has been for us to move back home. Right now you should let us get used to some degree of self-reliance before it sneaks up on us next year.

Sincerely, Your Children

From the editor

Curb obsession with Ivy League shirts JARED MARGOLIS

Dear Readers, I hate college t-shirt day.

I’ll confess that I haven’t always felt this way. I used to love that sweltering April day as much as the next college-obsessed freshman.

In 2012, I slipped behind the Quad’s limestone pillars and eagerly drank in the rainbow of college colors, cross-referencing my meager stores of data on the seniors against the names on their shirts.

I had limited contact with these older (and much more vertically advanced) students. I knew one boy from the fall play, another girl from wind ensemble. Yet I was positive that I possessed enough information to pass scientific judgments on their relative “successes” in the college application process.

To get into Harvard, I’d need to be Head Prefect. If Northwestern was my goal, I could become a section editor on the Review. Each test I passed or failed, each leadership position I won or lost, was merely a part of the equation. I dove into my studies, believing that if I combined the correct set of variables, the algorithm for an acceptance letter to the college of my choice would quickly be revealed.

When I looked at Naviance’s anxiety-inducing Scattergrams for the first time the next year, I had an epiphany.

College t-shirt day is not the answer to the equation of high school. It is one day of your life that is eerily reminiscent to the absurd obsessions with brand-name clothing that plagued my middle school experience. Everyone is silently checking out what everyone else is wearing.

The students sporting shirts from ultra-selective colleges –Harvard, Stanford, and Yale – are the cool kids. Their peers gaze covetously at their designer threads while naïve freshmen try to imitate their style.

To find peace in the application process, I took advice from my eighth grade self. Because I didn’t attend SJS at the time, most of you are blissfully ignorant of my awkward pre-teen years, back when I was far from one of the cool kids. I exclusively wore shirts from Threadless featuring scintillating phrases such as “Know Your Nerds,” “The Loch Ness Imposter,” and my perennial favorite, “The Communist Party” (which featured Mao and Lenin carousing with Marx, a lampshade on his head).

While I’m certainly glad I left behind my days of total geekdom and settled into relative normalcy, the reality of those years was that I was quite happy. I didn’t care what

people thought of my offbeat style. I simply pursued what was important to me.

Just as I didn’t need to be head cheerleader to find contentment back then, I now realize that I don’t need to derive my self-worth from the rank assigned by U.S. News and World Report.

So as you look towards college, don’t let the hype over t-shirt day distract from what’s really important.

My fellow seniors, when the time comes for you to make a decision, follow your heart. Don’t worry about how people will perceive you; your own happiness should be your primary concern.

To the rest of the community – teachers and parents included – do not judge seniors based on the selectivity of the institutions they will attend, but by the size of their smiles and the importance of the contributions they’ve made to SJS over the past four years.

And please, remember that when that celebratory April day arrives, there is a story behind every shirt.

Best wishes, Megan Routbort

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–4th Place Best of Show (2014), 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 Grace Amandes, 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, 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 1,000 copies each issue, most of which are given for free to the Upper School community of 583 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.

ODDS & ENDS

15

SJSREVIEW.COM I NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Sixty Seconds SOPHIA LI

with Morgan Sholeen

Name Morgan Sholeen Grade 9th State of mind Unlike your mind, mine has districts instead of states. Each year, the day before Valentine’s Day, I gain a new district. My mind currently resides in the 10th district. The emotions are rebelling. I have to stop it before the emotions in the other districts hear the news and rebel too. The next time you see me, I may rule over my district not as a cruel dictator but as a *shivers* socialist.

Hate to love My cat and this girl who looks like my cat Love to hate My closet. I swear there’s a witch in there.

She has green skin, black hair with split ends, and ages like Madonna.

Happiness I just ate a bag of candy.

Misery I regret eating the bag of candy now.

Sports team Swimming Olympic sport I wasn’t able to attend the Olympics last year due to an injury.

Dream date We play hide and seek. I call my parents to pick me up. See how long my date keeps looking.

Relationship status My girlfriend, Katherine, just broke up with me. Did I mention I only date girls named Katherine? You could say I’ve dated an abundance of Katherines.

Comfort food Fruit smoothies Guilty pleasure K-pop Place to live My house I wish my cat would stop trying to eat my hand.

Spirit animal Fantastic Mr. Fox Zoo animal My brother

word Word for Soundbites around campus Ms. DiPaolo: In Saudi Arabia, women are just starting to be able to vote.

Ben Bliss: Do they vote on the monarchy?

If I were a woman, I’d want to be either Jennifer Lawrence or Dr. Bellows.

Exercising one’s right to speech in Modern Middle East

!

Snarknado

By Brooke Kushwaha

Gabe Bennett-Brandt sets the bar high for his feminine self

Hero Batman Superpower Utility Belt Fictional character Numbuh 4 from “Codename: Kids Next Door” when he’s eating pizza. Only when he’s eating pizza. Not when he’s doing something else; just when he’s eating pizza.

Phobia Salad Fingers Stress Reliever I like to cover myself in french fries and pretend I’m one of them.

Motto That’s scandalous!

I am Spartacus I’d rather be N-n-n-no, no, no, no place I’d rather be.

Follow us? Every second of my day with my camera

Blast from the Past Roxie Allen compares college app process There is nothing like that time in your life when everyone is asking you “Where are you going to school?” and “What are you going to do?”

Flashback to 1977 and I was there.

All I knew was I did not want to be a teacher. I was good in math and science, and I wanted to go away far from home.

It was a different culture at that time. If you were in the Stratford High School class of 1978, you either went to school where your parents had gone or you went to UT or Texas A&M. We had counselors, but I don’t recall any adjective of “college” used to describe them, so they were not much help.

I wanted to be different. I had vacationed in New York visiting family almost every year and we often drove by the US Military Academy at West Point. It was an amazing place, but one that was forbidden to me until in 1975 when women were first admitted. So I applied. I met with senators and congressmen, and I actually got a nomination, the first step in the process.

Then came the physical tests.

I was one of the only girls in the room. While I rode horses every day, my upper body strength was nothing compared to the incredible athletes in that room. How many chin ups was I supposed to do? More than I could.

How far was I supposed to throw the ball? Way farther than I could. So that ended that dream.

I rather belatedly decided to apply to Texas A&M and Rice. I had visited them along with Baylor and Texas Tech, and I had lots of friends headed to each.

One big problem at A&M was where I would live. I did find a couple of friends who needed a third roommate for an apartment, and I got accepted, so that was a possibility. I still waited to hear from Rice. My application was

COURTESY PHOTO

incomplete, missing a reference. As soon as it was submitted, I got that fancy letter in the mail. By then, I had already put a down payment on the apartment and been to orientation at Aggieland. I was hooked.

I loved going to Texas A&M, though I think I missed out on a lot of the real college life by never living on campus.

Still, it was a good experience for me.

It is interesting now to be reflecting on all of this. I have a senior at home going through this process. He still has no real “counselor” guiding him at school and he is still not sure what he wants to do or where he wants to go.

I love the way we do college counseling here. There really is someone in your corner fighting for you and helping you find the best fit. My path was rocky and full of dead-ends and abrupt turns, but I ended up exactly where I love, teaching chemistry and I never went far from home.

Who would have ever thought it?

Certainly not me my senior year in high school.

16

REARVIEW

SNAPSHOTS FROM COlLEGE

1.

From Harvard Yard to the UT Tower, every college has an iconic location. To get the inside scoop, we reached out to four SJS alums across the country and asked for photographs that represent their university. Here’s what they had to offer: 1. Wash u. in st. louis

2.

3.

Situated near the Olin Library sits an anthropomorphic bunny deep in contemplation, a sculpture produced by Barry Flanagan known as Thinker on a Rock.

“It’s a bit of a tradition to complain about how creepy the bunny seems, but everyone warms up to his thoughtful gaze,” William Clutterbuck (‘14) said.

Flanagan has produced three other statues with the same name: one in Des Moines, one in Washington D.C., and one in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

“I think ours is the only one with a sweater to stay warm in the fall and winter,” Clutterbuck said.

2. Barnard College

“

The two people on the Plensa appear to be facing one another, as if a conversation is happening. This idea reflects the collaborative culture at Rice, a central part of our learning experience.”

Jake Nyquist, Rice University

4.

To represent the two different campus cultures of Barnard, Sloane Gustafson (‘14), far left, created an amalgam of two photos, capturing the intimate, all-womens liberal arts experience as well as the big-city lifestyle she accesses through the resources of Columbia University.

“I have been pleasantly surprised,” Gustafson said. “Being nurtured in a small campus environment of strong, passionate women has been a magical experience thus far.”

3. Duke university

Almost as iconic as the temporary tent city of Krzyzewskiville is the Duke Chapel.

“On any given day, you’ll see someone taking a picture of it,” Samantha Neal (‘14) said.

The chapel stands as a monument to Duke’s twin Christian and Southern heritages, with ten surrounding carvings of figures including Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther.

“To me, the Chapel symbolizes the pinnacle of Duke achievement and reminds me to make the most of every moment here,” Neal said. “Seeing it never fails to motivate me or put me in an even better mood.”

4. Rice University

The Rice Public Art program endeavors to generate artistic encounters on campus. Mirrors by Jamue Plensa is one of its many installations.

“The piece’s significance has more to do with the beauty of our campus as a whole and the ability of our public spaces to bring people together,” Jake Nyquist (‘14) said.

The Plensa figures are engaged in intellectual debate.

“One of the best things about Rice is that these conversations are a central part of our learning experience,” Nyquist said.

Photos by William Clutterbuck (1), Sloane Gustafson (2), Samantha Neal (3) and Jake Nyquist (4) | Story by Megan Routbort