FALCON
THE
The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024
September 28, 2018 Volume 71, Issue 1
AFTER HARVEY
INSIDE
News | 2 Arts & Culture | 5 Opinion | 7 Features | 10 Entertainment | 16 Sports | 18
It’s been a year since Houston’s streets drained, churches opened, people hoped. Now, it’s time for reflection. [cover story on pg. 10]
2 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
News in Brief
Debaters perform at local, state tournaments
The debate team found success in its first three tournaments of the year, advancing to elimination rounds at Foster, Grapevine and Greenhill high schools. At Foster, a 49-team debate tournament, Spencer Powers BY AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI (11) and Sahar Punjwani (11) won the competition in policy debate. Additionally, Jack Scofield (12) and Shreya Mehta (11) placed in the top 16 at Foster. Mehta, who was awarded “top speaker,” placed as the first After five years as a headcy to help. During its search, seed coming out of preliminary master at Kinkaid, Dr. Martire Kinkaid is attempting to find rounds. “parted ways” with the school someone who fits the school’s Hannah Shi (12) and Chrisover the summer. four core values and will lead tian Gibson (12) just missed Dr. Martire’s abrupt departhe school in a new direction. advancing to the top 8, as they finished in 9th place. ture surprised many Kinkaid Dr. Martire and his family At Grapevine, Mehta adparents and students, due to have now moved back to Baltivanced to the elimination round both its proximity to the end of more and are re-acclimating to and was two wins away from a the school year and his 2017 their new setting. He was not national qualification bid. contract extension for two more available for comment on this At Greenhill, Dani Knobloch years. news piece. (12) and Amy Ho (12) started Ken Cowan, head of the the year as one of the top 16 Board of Trustees, sent a letter teams, out of 115, in the counto the Kinkaid community try. They reached the octo-finals and received a bid to the TOC, a that stated, “the Board and Dr. large national competition later Martire have now decided to in the year. separate with an eye toward an Lastly, at Cypress Woods amicable and smooth leadership High School, Kinkaid had transition.” its best outing, with Hannah Dr. Trusty, the interim headShi (12) and Karm Ghei (11) master, plans to fill Dr. Martire’s receiving first place in polishoes while Kinkaid finds a new cy debate. Hannah and Karm headmaster. For more on Dr. went undefeated in preliminary rounds and did not drop a ballot Trusty, please visit page 12. in elimination rounds. AdditionThe board is searching for ally, Christian Gipson (12) and a new headmaster during Dr. Dr. Martire speaks at the all-school Olivia Fowler (10) placed third Trusty’s interim term and is em- convocation in 2017. Photo by Sarah by reaching the semi-finals. For ploying a national search agenKate Padon. their efforts, Fowler was award-
The cross country trail that goes through the backyard and newly developed West Campus has finally opened for running, and the Cross Country boys and girls teams are taking advantage of the opportunity to train there. The route goes through the new hilly area of the Backyard, spills into the detention pond, and leads onto a straight gravel pathway that winds back to the start. The route travels through the detention pathway, which is a large valley and a unique aspect to add into the course. Mr. Carter Metclaf, one of the designers of the course, stated that lots of planning was involved in the course. The hills in the course are “unlike anything you can find in Houston, and prove which teams really train the hardest,” Metclaf said. “The course is meant to challenge cross-country runners, and hopefully races will happen on the course soon.”
Other features of the trail include a windy route through a tree-covered area, and a run up and down Kel’s Hill. The course finishes with a sharp curve around the back of the softball field, and leads back onto the track. Both the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams plan to take advantage of the course by running the hills, which provide a unique opportunity to train harder and perform better than other teams. “It gives us a ready access to challenging terrain that we couldn’t do previously without traveling into the city”, said Ryan Gillentine, head coach of the boys’ cross country team. “We would love to, in the long-term, host races for middle school and varsity to showcase our campus, and to highlight Kinkaid as a attraction for cross country.” The new course provides a phenomenal opportunity for both teams.
4 first-place finishes in policy debate
2 bids to national tournaments (TOC)
The Kinkaid Falcon’s mission is to be an accurate and reliable source of information for the Kinkaid community by informing readers about topics that are interesting, thought-provoking, and impactful from the school, local Houston area and Texas, as well as other parts of the world. Questions or comments? We welcome your voice and feedback in the form of email, letters and guest articles. Please email student.publications@kinkaid. org or use the contact form at thefalcon.kinkaid.org. Letters can be sent to: The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024
3 speaker awards won by debaters ed the second overall speaker award while Shi was awarded the fourth. “The outings have all been quite successful,” said Mr. Eric Emerson, coach of the debate team. “We look forward to performing successfully throughout the year.”
Upcoming Dates and Events Friday, September 28. Homecoming Game vs. Episcopal School of Dallas Saturday, September 29, 8:30 p.m. Homecoming Dance Wednesday, October 3, 7 p.m. Hispanic Heritage Night Movie Friday, October 5. Faculty Professional Development Day (day off for students) Monday, October 8. Columbus Day (holiday) Saturday, October 13, 8 a.m. Bocce Ball Community Service Saturday, October 20, 7 p.m., Sunday, October 21, 2 p.m. “These Shining Lives,” “Agnes of God Dances” Saturday, October 27, evening. Hauntcert Choir Concert Sunday, October 28, afternoon. Hauntcert Orchestra Concert Friday, October 26, 7 p.m. Home Game against Houston Christian Week of October 29 - November 2. Spirit of Kinkaid Week
One section of the Backyard trail highlighted with a windy shaded pathway. Photo by Ayush Krishnamoorti.
FALCON staff
Board ‘parts ways’ with Martire, looks toward new headmaster
Running trail opens in Backyard
THE KINKAID
Friday, November 2, 7 p.m. St. John’s Game at Rice Stadium
Corrections will be addressed on our website and published in the subsequent issue. Please direct advertising inquiries to nicole. fernandez@kinkaid.org. The opinions expressed in The Kinkaid Falcon belong solely to the writer and are not a reflection or representation of the opinions of the school or its administrators. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emma Stout ASSOCIATE EDITORS Sarah Kate Padon & Emma Gilliam ASSISTANT EDITOR Megha Neelapu NEWS EDITOR Ayush Krishnamoorti ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Megan Riley FEATURES EDITOR Madi Babine ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Olivia Marrus OPINION EDITORs Eliza Griggs & Maggie Johnston SPORTS EDITORS Sterling Elias & Jordan Jafarnia STAFF WRITERS Connor Blake Brady Brazda Sloan Colt Mya Franklin Charles Garrison Lily Gunn Jordan Guy Kyla Henderson Wilson Kelsey Jack Klosek Allison Le Daryn Mehling Vedul Palavajjhala William Scott Chris Stallings Britney Tran Camila Vicens Frankie Wimbish Ali Yousuf ADVISER Dr. Kimetris Baltrip The Kinkaid Falcon is published six times a school year. Eight hundred free print copies are distributed to 613 Upper School students and 94 faculty members, and 235 copies are mailed to subscribers. The Kinkaid Falcon is a member of the CSPA and NSPA.
3 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Snapshots show an eventful fall BY SARAH KATE PADON
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Martin Lowe made an appearance during the Upper School assembly as the AJ Carothers/Patty Edwards Visiting Artist Series. Mr. Lowe demonstrated his skill as a music director when he directed the Upper School choir in their performance of "Falling Slowly." 1
Photo by Sarah Kate Padon
Darius Goodman (12), Evran Ozdogan (10), and Anthony Treistman (10) joked around at clubs fair while handing out donuts and trying to recruit people for their Economics Club. 2
Photo courtesty of Jennifer Kehler
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During International Arts Education Week, pieces of paper were scattered throughout trees in the Quad. From each tree hung note cards that read "Because of Arts Ed..." and students were invited to share their experiences in celebration of the arts programs at Kinkaid. 3
Photo by Emma Stout
4 Ameer Mustafa (12)
invited Nick Medina (12) to sing to during the Electric Lunch sponsored by the Fine Arts Leadership Board during International Arts Education Week. Students listened to a band led by Joshua Ben-Shoshan (12). Photo by Sarah Kate Padon
New construction brings back old memories Since 2011, Master Plan to expand West Campus and redesign school has been underway
The collection of buildings located on the 25-acre plot of land on the west side of campus purchased in 2011 will be torn down this Setember. Photo by Emma Stout.
BY EMMA STOUT The time to put down the shovels, roll up the blueprints, take a step back and admire what Kinkaid accomplished arrived in May 2011. Kinkaid embarked on a momentous challenge to redesign its Piney Point campus, according to a master plan. After eight years of construction, obstacles and planning, students and families can admire what Kinkaid has accomplished. The Piney Point location is Kinkaid's third campus. It follows the dining room of Ms. Margaret Kinkaid's house at the
intersection of Elgin and San Jacinto (now Midtown Houston), and the school’s location at the intersection of Richmond and Fraustrak (Newton) which opened in the fall of 1924. Kinkaid opened its new campus at the current location in 1974; however, it didn’t take long before Kinkaid began making plans for new construction. More recently, as some students and faculty may recall, the 25-acre land on the west side of campus, previously owned by a female resident, was purchased in 2011. “The Don North days were when the majority of the
planning for purchasing the West Campus land happened,” said Mr. Ed Jordan, director of facilities at Kinkaid. The process for actually purchasing the land was a little trickier than expected. Kinkaid agreed that they would purchase the track of land and the resident could live there until she moved or passed away. In the meantime, Kinkaid began the first 60 percent of the process – planning and designing. Piney Point Village is primarily residential; therefore, the Piney Point city ordinances are designed for homes. As a private institution, it is difficult
for Kinkaid to obtain construction permits due to the ordinances; unlike homes that are built on public land, so it’s easier to construct a home in Piney Point than an Upper School or new gym. Meanwhile, the board of directors was working on architecture plans. They hired a firm and set to work to redesign the Upper School, expand the south side of the school, including the new cafeteria and parking garage on the 25-acre plot of land previously purchased. After a few, “brainstorming sessions,” said Mr. Jordan, the board decided that it definitely wanted to establish a new entrance to reduce traffic, make pick up easier, and have fewer students parking at Chapelwood Church. So, students at the start of this new school year were greeted with a new, refined campus entrance which was completed over the 2018 summer. Coming West on San Felipe St., the entrance curves around the remnants of the front forest and connects with the old road, pulling the west-coming traffic out of the San Felipe St. and Kinkaid Rd. intersection. Not only is this the most forefront change of the past seven years of Kinkaid construction; however, it also signifies the beginning of the end of the Master Plan. The plan for the construc-
tion is to complete it South to North (from the Backyard to the front of the school) so as not to damage any of the newly constructed property or roads when moving equipment. The planning for this programme began in March of 2014 and is coming to a close as the school finishes one of its final projects– the new entrance. Although a small addition, the entrance has made a large impact on the school’s traffic flow. Roya Moradi (11) said, “I’d say the new entrance has cut my drive time down by about half. I come West from San Felipe so it really makes access to the parking garage much faster.” She also noted the parking garage has made a difference in her commute time. Although it takes about three minutes to walk from the Freshman floor to the Upper School office, this is an alternative to a drive from Chapelwood. This is not to say that Kinkaid is finished with its construction, however. Plans for the new upper school are projected to begin within the next five years. As the school grows and the upper school is rebuilt, Mr. Jordan notes that the board will be looking to revisit the size of the school's student population.
4 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Freshmen retreat begins right on time Last year’s experience differed after Hurricane Harvey
BY KYLA HENDERSON As Hurricane Harvey began to approach Houston, Mr. Peter Behr, Upper School Head, sent an email to ninth-grade families. “Though the news about now Tropical Depression Harvey is not looking good in terms of rainfall in the Houston area, we are continuing to monitor the Freshman Retreat weather forecast,” Mr. Behr wrote in his Aug. 23, 2017, email. Last year’s Freshman Retreat to Camp Cho-Yeh was scheduled for Aug. 25, but the trip was pushed back to early January due to the unforgiving hurricane. Almost five months later, the camping trip was rescheduled for three days. “We were half way done with school,” sophomore Jalen Elrod said. However, Elrod said having the retreat months later “definitely eliminated the awkward phase” of meeting other freshmen since everyone knew one another. All in all, administrators had to make decisions on whether to continue the retreat at Camp Cho-Yeh, to switch locations, or to cancel it altogether. They were also responsible for conversing with camp leaders to see when it would be
open again. “The Peer Mentor Leaders pushed (us) to keep the retreat,” said Mrs. Quenby Mott, Upper School Dean. This year’s freshman retreat began right on time. Without a drop of rain in sight, the weather cooperated and was perfect for outdoor activities. One of the activities that could not happen at last year’s retreat was swimming because students went to camp during the winter. This differed on this year’s trip when they left during late summer. Freshmen left on a Friday and rode to their residence at Camp Cho-Yeh in Polk County, Texas, where they spent three days together along with their peer mentor leaders, deans and community group leaders. After being assigned cabins and meeting with advisories, their day at Camp Cho-Yeh began. A normal day in camp would start with the campers waking up, getting ready and heading to breakfast, where students sit with their advisories to enjoy their first meal. Afterward, all the freshmen would meet and discuss the day’s activities, which would entail either a group activity or time with their advisories. Free time could happen later
and include activities such as life-size checkers, basketball, a crate challenge, playground or the infamous high ropes obstacle course, which is one of the more memorable activities at Camp Cho-Yeh. “It was fun but also scary,” said Kendall Howes (9), referring to the challenge. Later in the day, there was lunch, more free time, bonding or regular activities, and dinner depending on the day. Next, everyone would meet up again in time and head to the dining center for the last meal of the day. After dinner, students had a choice between swimming or a movie night. “I wanted to swim, but my friends didn’t want to so we watched “Mulan,” Howes said. After a few hours everyone would meet up again to prepare to go to their cabins and head to bed to be ready for the next morning. Since freshmen were barely three weeks into school at the time of their retreat this year, their experience was different from those who went last year. “Before the trip began, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know many people other than those who had come from the school before me,” Howes said. The retreat experience as a
Kinkaid students enjoy downtime in the lake. Photo courtesy of Ms. Jennifer Kehler.
whole, was different from the previous year’s because of the effect of Hurricane Harvey. Because the students were barely three weeks into school at the time, there could have been tension, especially for new students. Howe said she met friends
that she still has today at the retreat. Though the students who went on this year’s trip might have had an awkward start, the retreat allowed her along with a good portion of this year’s freshman class to step out of their comfort zones.
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ARTS & CULTURE 5
Travis Scott pays homage to Houston in “Astroworld” BY STERLING ELIAS
Since Travis Scott has blown up on a national and international scale, performing on world tours and having a child with worldwide superstar Kylie Jenner, he has proven to be a star who doesn’t forget where he comes from. As his fame exponentially transcends not just the rap game, but the global pop culture dynamic as a whole, his love for Houston grows, and on Aug. 3, after much anticipation, he finally delivers a tribute to his hometown in “Astroworld” that has captivated Houstonians all across the 713. The hype for this album reached an all-time peak in early November 2017, when the Houston Astros won the franchise’s first World Series. Scott teased the album on Twitter, referencing “Astroworld” throughout the World Series run and even made an appearance with the team during their World Series parade. When Scott announced that he would perform at a Houston club the night of the parade, fans were convinced that he would finally release the album, but as the performance came, he played new songs and no news of the album emerged. Eight months later, once the post World Series hype died down and the Astros’ success
was impeded by injuries to key players, Scott took matters into his own hands to promote his upcoming album. The hype re-emerged once he announced an August release date for his album in late July. Promotions continued when giant, inflatable, golden Travis Scott heads began to appear at iconic locations throughout Houston, including Cactus Music, Screwed Up Records, and, of course, Minute Maid Park – the same golden heads that appear on the album cover. On the surface, “Astroworld” appears to be a fairly long album considering its 17 tracks, but the project only spans across a mere 58 minutes, revealing that each song is somewhat short, with only three exceeding five minutes while five tracks play for under three. This use of many short songs instead of a smaller number of longer songs enables Scott to use a vast variety of beats and sounds and allows him to experiment with sound schemes that he had not yet explored in his career to this point. This is exemplified on tracks including “Coffee Bean” in which he uses a slow, echoing beat with no voice distortion and “Yosemite,” which has proven to be one of the most popular songs of the album with a guitar-centric beat, unique for rap music, and even more rare
to Scott’s music. While the long tracklist enables Scott to experiment with new music, it also provides ample opportunity for him to fall back into his old tropes and tendencies, which he does a little too often. This is not to say that this music is bad; it just is not different enough to make much of a statement or progress his career. He begins to befall the same fate that cursed Migos on their album “Culture II” in which they faced criticism that their music all sounded the same. While Scott’s overuse of the same beats does not quite match the level that Migos reached, he walks a thin line and at times leans more to one side than the other. The central focus of “Astroworld” is to convey the culture of Houston through Scott’s music. He takes this approach through equating the city of Houston to a circus, which in many ways it is. As one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., Houston has grown into a melting pot of cultures that often combine and merge into a circus-like spectacle where one never knows what they may come across next. His naming of the album after
the Houston amusement park “Astroworld” reinforces the idea of the album as a circus depiction of Houston. Scott conveys this message on the cover by combining different aspects of Houston’s identity, ranging time periods and cultures. The oldschool clothing on the people in the image directly contrasts the modern Scott head dominating the center of the image. Additionally, the bright colors and glowing entrance stands out against the destroyed car and trashed floor in the image, paralleling the city of Houston as not always picture-perfect. Yet, it is not always a trashed wasteland, revealing that there is a range of sides to Houston’s identity. A common criticism of Scott’s music is that he often overproduces, adding extra sound effects, 808’s and voice enhancers. This can lead to a chaotic track in that listeners may get lost in the cacophony of the music rather than what the words are saying. However, Scott does this intentionally to reinforce the fun house, distorted circus theme of the album. Through this overproduction, he almost creates a “chopped-and-screwed” image of the “Astroworld” experience, equating the city of Houston and its distorted culture to that of the Astroworld amusement park. While most fans agree that at times Scott can get carried away – for example, he should have left Drake’s verse on Sicko Mode in one piece rather than cut him off just as he starts to go in – Scott’s use of overproduction on “Astroworld” is intentional, and an integral aspect to convey the theme of the album as an allegory for Houston’s culture. While this project is not the career-defining album that fans had hoped to see from Scott, especially after such an anticipated arrival, it is an homage to the Houston culture that will keep hometown fans throwing up the H every time they hear “Astroworld.”
Album Length:
58 min Metacritic Score:
84 Tracks:
17 Features:
12 Release Date:
9/3
6 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Kinkaid faculty, staff put art on display BY ALLISON LE
Every year the halls of the Student Life Building are filled with student artwork, ranging from photographs to drawings to ceramic and wood sculptures. But every few years, the Visual Arts Department faculty members work together and put up art of their own on display. Before the start of school this year, artwork by various Kinkaid faculty and staff was compiled in an exhibition that remained on display for the first two weeks of school. The featured artists included Visual Arts faculty: Ms. Nancy McMillan, Ms. Luiza Grandchamp, Mr. Anthony Suber, Ms. Megan Martin, Ms. Bess Garison, Ms. Gissette Padilla, and Ms. Lauren Taylor. Other featured artists were Ms. Marie Stein, director of human resources and Mr. Keith Guehring, website administrator.
In the Northwest Gallery, Ms. Garison’s two photographs hang left of Ms. McMillan’s four paintings. Ms. Luiza Grandchamp’s handcrafted jewlery is also on display. Photos by Allison Le.
Mr. Anthony SUBER The work of Mr. Anthony Suber, Upper Visual Arts teacher, was recently featured in an art show called Texas Eclectics at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Greece, where he had displayed “wearable sculptures.” He had seven pieces displayed in the Southwest Gallery. His work used a mixture of unconventional mediums and materials. The theme of his work circles around having a conversation about microaggressive behaviors with his audience and he hopes to bring to mind the topic of afro-futurism and ancient future – using the past to communicate to the future.
Mr. Keith
GUEHRING
Mr. Keith Guehring, website administrator, featured work that primarily showed landmarks and popular locations around Texas and Houston. He said he hoped to remind his observers of a memory associated with the particular scene in his art. His three canvases in the Southeast Gallery of the Student Life Building showed a 59 Diner sign, a Steinway Pianos marquee, and the front of Western Star Motel. The details in his art almost were exact to the pictures he took at the location to model his paintings after. The 59 Diner painting is special to Mr. Guehring, as it was the location that he and his wife had their first date. Aside from the detailed canvases, Mr. Guehring also likes to work with pop art. His office walls are lined with countless contemporary pop art that is styled in a way of an abstract collage, where there are different components with no common subject combined on one paper or canvas to create a larger and more interesting story.
One of Ms. Padilla’s five pieces of work that hung in the Southwest Gallery with Mr. Suber’s art. Each were comprised of separate canvases and other materials in a threedimensional creation.
Ms. Marie
STEIN
The four hand stitched pieces shown above were created by Ms. Marie Stein (Director of Human Resources) hung in the Northeast Gallery represent the history of craftsmanship and worth of slow-fashion. Her interests in textile work and stitching come from the popularity of the modern age where consumer goods are mostly made in an industrial setting rather than by hand to create a unique, individualized product; embroidery and textiles are interesting because of the slow-fashion movement which means handmade products, the return to the era of consuming less, and the recyclement and reinvention of products. She incorporates not only a story of her own, but honors the one that is unspoken from makers of the vintage linens that she uses in each of her artworks.
Each of Ms. Taylor’s pieces were pencil-like sketches that featured different subjects such as a crow, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, and a cat, among others.
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | OPINION 7
The Pitfall
Kinkaid community’s thoughts on the end of our beloved senior center’s constructional crater BY LILY GUNN & EMMA GILLIAM
“The pit itself was a discussion about ping pong believe it or not, and we wanted to maintain it but to keep it away from the door to the deans’ office.” - Mr. Behr, Head of Upper School “Everything is working out perfectly fine.” - Ms. Alejandra Cashiola
“At Young Life, we felt an immediate difference once the well was filled in. The well was a great space to get large groups sitting on the same level and drove lots of conversations and connections. We definitely miss the well.” - Wes Whitney, Young Life Leader
“Well , I’m but I’m not that u pset, still a becau lit to lou se the pit w tle sad ng a feel li e and han s a fun plac g out. ke the e Now roo The se niors m looks sm , I just didn alle notice .” - La ’t even get r. ine Ja a cobe ( ny 12)
1979 - 2018
The Pit, or “well” as it was originally called, departed this life during the frenzy that was summer 2018. After 39 years of loyal service to hundreds of Kinkaid students, the removal of the pit has left a hexagonal hole in many hearts. We’re not sad—just disappointed. Pit, you may be gone, but never “When I showed my mom the picture of the student center she was so shocked forgotten. Rest easy, old friend. that the pit was gone. When she was in high school in 1984 there was still a pit. There has always been a pit and now it’s gone. Why now, Kinkaid? And why the purple accents? Also, don’t forget to pay your SOK dues.” - Sophie Lipman (12), SOK Treasurer
#RIPPIT
Not having the pit does pose some problems for The Fine Arts Leadership Board but we are still planning to host the event in the student center, and probably use the elevated surface for the stage where our electric lunch was! -Avery Looser (12), Fine Arts Leadership Board President
Letter from the editor
As many of you may recall, Hurricane Harvey seized the cover of The Falcon’s first issue about 365 days ago. It’s been precisely one year since Houston’s streets started draining, churches opened, people hoped. Now it’s time for reflection.
I think a quote from one of my favorite childhood books, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, adequately describes my sentiments: “Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some” The hurricane caused about $160 billion in damage, according to AccuWeather for Time Magazine. Sixty-three lives were lost. More than 130,000 homes were destroyed. But its toll cannot be determined by the number ofn the people impacted or the effects of long-term environmental degradation. Hurricane Harvey was, of course, a time of hardship and struggle, but what is most
memorable are the actions people took in our community to support one another and to support our city. With hundreds of shelters and thousands of volunteers, we should not look back on the catastrophic event and think damage or destruction, but rather hope, unity, and impact. So as you read, reflect on how Harvey changed Houston, Kinkaid and you – for the better. Recognize that. Sincerely, Emma Stout
Got Opinions?
Write for The Falcon. Email maggie.johnston@kinkaid.org, eliza.griggs@kinkaid.org or student.publications@kinkaid.org.
Got Art?
Submit it to our website.
Email emma.stout@kinkaid.org or student. publications@kinkaid.org to have your media, print, visual, or film art uploaded to our website.
8 OPINION | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
“... if not for the women who came before me” BY MEGHA NEELAPU
I could feel my heart beating in my chest, as a million different thoughts rushed through my head. I was in shock, reeling from what just happened. Or rather, what had happened seven years ago in a school restroom. I was in the girls’ restroom when a group of three or four seventh and eighth-graders entered. There were at least two girls—and one boy. There was a supply closet at the back of the bathroom. The girls walked into the closet to find what they needed. The boy held back. I was in a stall with the door locked. But as is common with many bathroom stalls, there was an opening big enough for someone to look at whatever—or whomever—was inside it. The boy realized what stall I was in. He stared through the opening at 9-year-old me. This was not a peek. Not a glance. He stared. He stared long enough for me to make eye contact with him. He didn’t move. My mouth was frozen. I was scared to speak but not because of what other far worse things he could do to me. I was scared because I thought he would embarrass me, that he would for some reason say to the other middle schoolers, “Hey, there’s a little girl in here.” I tried to cover the more private parts of my body. He seemed tall, imposing. Middle schoolers always felt like
Why our stories matter and how they can help BY DR. LAURA LOMAX-BREAM US COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGIST
Even though Megha’s story happened seven years ago, her story and stories like it are important for her and for us. Most of us aren’t brave enough to share such stories publicly, but they matter whether we tell no other person, a few trusted people, or take a chance and tell a larger audience. Many of us cannot and should not publish our stories for a wide audience, but all of us should try writing in a jour-
giants when I was younger. Or, maybe I always felt small. I was the shortest and youngest kid in my class. Still, when he was staring at me, I tried to make myself even smaller, squeezing my body together as if I could disappear and escape his gaze. The other middle schoolers took what they needed and walked out the closet and out the bathroom; the boy went with them. I washed my hands and left, too. I know now that my parents and that school would’ve been supportive. But I didn’t tell anyone what happened. I was embarrassed. I didn’t know who to tell. I didn’t know what could be done. I didn’t even know it was wrong. I was only in fourth grade and I didn’t really understand what had happened, so in a strange way, I didn’t experience anxiety from the incident until now. About two weeks before my junior year started, I was listening to a YouTube series called “Man Enough” created by actor Justin Baldoni, who plays the role of Rafael in the TV show “Jane the Virgin.” The conversation in this series shifted to the topic of child sexual abuse, and as though I was in a telenovela, in a flash I recalled everything that happened to me. But this time, I realized it was wrong and I had the language to describe it. Instead of dwelling on the incident itself, my mind immediately
nal or speaking with a confidant when we experience trauma or emotional pain. Talking to someone who understands can be helpful, and beginning to build your story is vital. Megha wonders in her story about what might have happened if she had come forward at the time of her experience, but it is somewhat rare to discuss illegal behaviors right after they happen and exceptionally rare to talk about disconcerting events that a victim may not know quite how to describe. There are multiple barriers to dealing with sexual exploitation of more vulnerable people by less vulnerable people. This is true for many reasons, but one that matters for our students is that, especially
jumped to thinking of solutions to the broader issue: policies that can be implemented at a school level to help victims and solve the root of the problem.
I know now that my parents and that school would’ve been supportive. But I didn’t tell anyone what happened. There were many reasons that I began focusing on solutions: “Man Enough,” the #MeToo Movement, a recent story about Pennsylvania Catholic priests, Kinkaid in the news last May, my desire to make a change in this world.But mostly, I think contemplating solutions helped me regain control. What happened seven years ago happened because I didn’t have control. He did. He was big. I was small. At some level, he knew that what he did was wrong. I still remember his face. I remember that he was in eighth grade, and I remember his name. I even recently found his LinkedIn page with his contact information. I am choosing not to contact him and not to reveal his name or his face. Instead, I’m choosing to work on the solution. I am choosing to make sure that students are safe and that students are responsible and grow into adults
when we are young, we often feel guilty, embarrassed, or ashamed of what happened to us. Young people have a tendency to imagine they played a causal role in what happened or even in behavior or outcomes for which they could not possibly have had responsibility such as in the divorce of their parents or getting bullied. However, social and physical aggression always reveals much more about the aggressor. Perpetrators project their own anxieties onto their targets. We are still learning about the fears and beliefs of aggressors, which is another reason stories like Megha’s are important. While it is probably true that deep down the boy in her story knew what he was doing was wrong, sex offenders (and
Photo by Megan Riley
who know and do what is right have been inspired to share their and know what is wrong. own story. I know what the solution I never would have been able should look like, but there’s still a to share my story if not for the lot I don’t know. women who came before me and Will people look at me the way experienced things far worse than they used to before? Am I allowed a single act of voyeurism, women to say “#MeToo”? who still chose to share their What would happen if I constories with millions of people. I front the guy who did this to me? never would have had the courage What would he say? Does he even to do something about it without remember? Has he changed? Have them. I changed? These days, I think about It’s weird and scary to write #MeToo a lot. I think about those about myself this way, to be this kids abused by the Pennsylvavulnerable to people whom I have nia priests. I think about all the never even said two words to, and TV shows and the movies I’ve for many of my friends and family watched where a drunk woman to learn about my story through has sex with a sober man, and how an article. that’s portrayed as normal and People will talk about me and acceptable. what happened to me without I think about what I should me knowing. Some will praise have said and done all those times me. Some will make stupid jokes I heard students in my own grade about me behind my back. To say maliciously call another student a that I don’t care what people said “slut” or a “hoe”, talked about how would be a lie. nude pictures of a student were As I sat at my desk to write shared with others without their this at 12:11 a.m., the night after consent, or said something else the first day of my junior year, I stupid and sexist and wrong. was literally kept awake at night I think about how hypocritical by thinking about what people say I am to only do something about and what they do. this issue after it affected me. I It’s been nearly a year since think about my younger sister and the #MeToo Movement blew up. what she will go through. It seems impossible that so many Most of all I think about what women could have experienced I can say and what I can do next. sexual harassment and sexual How I will help other people. assault, and I’m still in awe at the It’s 12:29 a.m. cultural shift that has occurred and is occurring right now, the dis- If you need support, call RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800cussions that have been prompted, 656-HOPE (4673). and the number of women who
I cannot say whether this boy was or became a sex offender in the legal sense) have a very well-developed set of rationalizations for what they do. They can think “what I did was wrong enough that I must not get caught” and at the same time think “she actually liked what I did.” I don’t know whether the boy who stared at Megha will ever read or hear her story. I do know when people like Megha speak up and explain how disturbing their experiences were, how much they did not enjoy what happened, and how much they want to make changes to minimize such experiences for others, we begin important conversations. Those conversations help create a society in which
children know that it is OK to talk about such experiences without being rejected. It’s how current and potential perpetrators hear challenges to the defense mechanisms they employ. If we only discuss the most dramatic, illegal stories, we miss the opportunity to discern where those come from and how our own histories sometimes prevent us from listening to and supporting survivors. We need all kinds of stories to help perpetrators get the treatment they need and help survivors know they are not alone. Students can make appointments to see Dr. Lomax-Bream through email or just visit her office when they need to talk.
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 9
A blue Texas and the man who’s forming it
BY SLOAN COLT
BY SLOAN COLT For the first time in decades, a Democrat’s progressive ideals are resonating with a changing Texas voter demographic. Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke of El Paso’s 16th District threatens to unseat incumbent Texas political icon, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. The reason for this political shift — in what was once considered to be one of the most conservative states in the Union — is a direct result of the election of President Donald Trump. Trump won the state by nearly 1 million votes in the 2016 general election. According to data collected by poll analysis website, FiveThirtyEight.com, Trump’s approval has had a net change of minus 15 percentage points in Texas since January 2017. Many of Trump’s policies and ideals have caused Texas Republicans to reconsider their support.
Americans were confronted by images of children being ripped from their mothers and placed in cages located on the Texas-Mexico border in the later half of May 2018. The vast majority of Texans were concerned that the policy was painting a bad picture of the state and its values. A poll conducted by The University of Texas/The Texas Tribune found that only 46 percent of Texas Republicans supported Trump’s family separation policy and among all Texas voters the approval was a mere 28 percent. Also, Trump’s tariffs policy imposed on foreign trade was unpopular among most Texans. Additionally, an NBC News/Marist poll showed that about 40 percent of Texas voters believed that Trump’s tariffs would hurt the economy and increase the price of goods.
O’Rourke has led a grassroots, Kennedy-style campaign that has appealed to rural and urban counties across Texas. When O’Rourke began his campaign in 2017 he was down by double digits in nearly every poll against the incumbent Cruz. As of September 2018, though, an Emerson poll showed a slim one-point lead for Cruz. Other polls such as the NBC/Marist and Texas Lyceum polls showed a lead no greater than five. So, how is a Democrat in Texas in a neck-and-neck race with a Republican? It has to do with how the two campaigns have been run. O’Rourke is a fourth-generation Texan who grew up in El Paso. His father, El Paso Judge Pat Francis O’Rourke, inspired him to follow politics. He attended Columbia University and graduated in
1995 with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, and he is also fluent in Spanish. O’Rourke’s campaign has visited all 254 counties in Texas, reaching a diverse voter pool. In contrast, Cruz has only visited major cities such as San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Austin. In addition, O’Rourke, a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, has made comments that have gained national attention. Speaking about NFL protests during the national anthem, O’Rourke said: “I can’t think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up, or take a knee, for your rights, any time, anywhere, in any place.” His comment has since gained praise from television personalities and celebrities such as LeBron James and Ellen DeGeneres, who invited him to her show and described him as a “brilliant man.” Meanwhile, James tweeted his support for the candidate. The comment also reached voters across the country, and Beto O’Rourke yard signs have been popping up from California to Massachusetts. Cruz has since published a television and radio advertisement on the con-
troversial topic that challenges O’Rourke’s popular opinion and asks voters, “Will you stand in November?” O’Rourke’s more progressive views on such social issues align with more voters, while Cruz’s views are far more rigid. In a recent interview, Upper School government teacher and political connoisseur, Ted Curry, said he believes the odds are still in Cruz’s favor but not by a margin one would expect in Texas. “O’Rourke probably has a 40 percent chance of winning,” Curry said, in regard to Beto’s chances at a victory against incumbent Senator Ted Cruz. “If current demographic trends continue and current voting patterns continue then Texas will join New York, California, Illinois, and possibly Pennsylvania as ‘minority majority’ states.” Curry also said minority groups have voted overwhelmingly for democrats historically. He also made clear that despite Texas cities becoming more diverse, the “ex-urban and rural counties remain overwhelmingly Republican and Anglo.” While we may not see a consistently blue Texas for a while, O’Rourke’s campaign is proving that it is not as implausible as it may once have seemed.
Top left: O’Rourke speaks to a crowd at a rally. Bottom left: O’Rourke stands for a photo with students. Bottom right: O’Rourke rallies with supporters in the street. Photos courtesy of the O’Rourke campaign.
10 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
A year afte Houston is sti
BY MADI BABINE
Sitting up in bed as she rubbed the morning off her eyes, Sofia Escalona (11) knew something was wrong. She hopped out of bed and her feet hit water, not the cold wood floor she was used to.
could move into a home–but not without uncertainty. “If this house floods, I don’t know if I would want to stay in Houston. I would never want to go through this again,” Mrs. Stubbs said.
“Niñas, despiértense, ya está entrando agua a la casa,” her father said as he rushed in. Translated, he had said: “Girls, wake up! Water is already coming into the house.”
Despite her trauma, Stubbs explained the gratitude she felt toward the Kinkaid community for its generosity and willingness to show up so quickly. “They were the biggest gift to me,” she said, adding that she was saved from the emotional distress of having to go through her ruined mementos.
Four hours later, the Escalona family was riding on a rescue boat down a river that used to be their street. With only two pairs of outfits in her hand, Escalona thought she would be returning home soon. Little did she know, it would be almost a year until they moved back. On Aug. 27, 2017, it started to rain. 51 inches of rainwater poured down on Houston throughout the week, leaving many Houstonians displaced and terrified. Although Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston over a year ago, thousands of families are still feeling its brutal effects. According to a Mar. 30, 2018 article in the Houston Chronicle, over 240,000 homes were damaged in Harris County alone. At Kinkaid, the affected amounted to 70 families: 40 students and 30 faculty and staff members. This is not the first time Houston floods infiltrated the homes of Kinkaid families. Middle School reading specialist Mrs. Ruth Stubbs and her family experienced six inches of flood waters during the Memorial Day flood of 2015. So, when Harvey overflowed their street with flood water, the Stubbs family prepared, moving everything off the bottom foot of their first floor. To their dismay, by 11 a.m. the next day, three feet of water had snuck into their home and cleaned off their kitchen countertops. Stubbs’s family members were unsure how they were going to get out of their flooded neighborhood. “We were going to be carried through water,” Mrs. Stubbs said. “I told the kids to put whatever could fit in a backpack… three changes of clothes, their school laptop, cellphones… that was all we really had room for…Looking back there was probably things we should've brought.” The Stubbs family and their neighbors were escorted by rescue boat to the Interstate 610 overpass. While waiting for buses to take them to the George R. Brown Convention Center, a stranger arrived with a big plastic tarp and stretched it over them, just as it began to pour. “I think he might have been an angel,” Mrs. Stubbs said. The Stubbs decided two floods were enough; they put their house up for sale and rented an apartment until they
If this house floods, I don't know if I would want to stay in
Houston. I wold never want to go through this again. - Mrs. Stubbs
However, many were not as fortunate to receive the same help as the Stubbs family. Brandon Formby, writer for the Texas Tribune, estimated in a Aug. 23, 2018, article that nearly 10 percent of Houstonians are still waiting to find a place they can call home. Because Houston has no exact number of how many are still displaced, it is easy to overlook those still struggling. Lauren Hersh, an agency spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reported that as of June, over 400 Houston households were still living in hotel rooms funded by FEMA; however, hotel vouchers had expired in early July. Rebuilding Houston will not be an easy task as full restoration could take years or even a decade. The lengthy recovery time could end up causing even more trouble in the final months of this year’s hurricane season. “There is a good likelihood we are going to get a major storm event before we are even partially recovered from (Harvey),”said , Texas A&M University in Galveston flood expert, Professor Sam Brody, speaking to Reuters Magazine. Another storm could expel families from their homes yet again, and with thousands of homes still in the process of
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 11
er Harvey: ill recovering
E & SALLY BUCK
being rebuilt, many families are unable to handle another trauma --financially or emotionally. “After what we went through I can never ignore the trauma that other people are experiencing and just pretend it doesn’t exist. Harvey has taught me to be much more compassionate towards those struggling,” Escalona said. No time was wasted after Harvey finally passed: reconstruction began as soon as possible. However, this was no easy task. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Harvey left behind $125 billion in damage and is ranked No. 2 as the most costliest U.S. hurricane, second only to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which inflicted about $160 billion in damage to the Louisiana coast. However, one of the biggest problems victims of Harvey faced was the lack of flood insurance. Almost 80 percent of households affected by Harvey did not have flood insurance, according to FEMA, leaving hundreds of thousands of people not only without a home but also financially insecure. Hurricanes Irma and Maria slammed the Southeast just days after Harvey passed, stretching FEMA resources across multiple states. In the days during and following Harvey’s landfall, FEMA spent billions of dollars on direct response– shelters, food, water and medical supplies;. However, FEMA was unable to alleviate much financial strain in the following months. Its grants were able to help pay for some of the costs of damages, but the average payout was a mere $4,300, not nearly enough to cover repairs for homes and businesses. Both local and federal governments are taking many steps to prevent a Harvey-like situation from occurring again. Harris County voters passed a $2.5 billion flood bond-the largest bond measure ever offered in Texas’ most populous county--to protect the area in future storms. According to a Aug. 26, 2018 Houston Chronicle article, the vote had over 85 percent approval rates, allowing Harris County to build at least 230 projects in the next 10 to 15 years. For decades, Houston has been working to add wetlands and prairies to soak up water, widening bayous to hold more water, buying out over 1,000 flood-risk homes and repairing flood-damaged infrastructure. According to county estimates, the flood bond would only increase the property tax by 1.4 percent for most homeowners. Although the $2.5 billion bond will provide a great
amount of relief to Harris County, a Aug. 24, 2018 Houston Chronicle article reported that an estimated $57.6 billion is needed to build flood-prevention infrastructure in Galveston, Fort Bend and surrounding counties. Hurricane Harvey not only left physical effects, but it forever changed Houstonian culture. Mimi Swartz, writer for Texas Monthly, wrote that Harris County is still suffering from PTSD from the hurricane. People think twice about getting into their cars when it rains. Others are terrified that a small rainstorm will flood the city just like Harvey did. Some continue to struggle with anxiety and depression from the storm. And for those looking for a home in Houston, “never flooded” has become a major selling point. According to the Harris County Flood Control District, Harvey is the area’s third “500-year flood” in the past three years, following the Memorial Day flood in 2015 and the Tax Day flood in 2016). Hurricane Harvey is gone and the water has receded, but Houston will never be the same: houses will be built a little higher and the community is forever united by this common tragedy.
$1,628,483,996.38 in FEMA grants 121,331 people rescued 19 trillion gallons of water in Texas Source: FEMA, www.fema.gov
Photo courtesy of Richard Carson
12 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Dr. Trusty takes role as interim headmaster Former assistant head of Upper School steps up after the sudden departure of Andy Martire BY SARAH KATE PADON & OLIVIA MARRUS Strolling down the hallway, smiling and waving at every person who passes by, Dr. Ed Trusty, the Interim Headmaster at Kinkaid for the 2018-19 school year, is a friendly face to all as he continues to transition into his new role. “People made jokes when I was out and about often that I was spying on kids, which was never true. I’m not a spy kind of guy. I just like to be in the hustle and bustle,” Dr. Trusty said. Even though he has stepped into a new administrative role this year, Dr. Trusty still embraces the reason he began his journey as an educator. His goal for the year is to be able to maintain the same presence within the school community he has had in the past because for him that presence is what cultivates his sense of a Kinkaid family. “To see folks and say hello and support you all at your activities and events, that’s important to me,” Dr. Trusty said. “Being involved in the life of the school that maybe I don’t have to do, but are things that I want to do, those things are important to me.” His involvement in the community and dedication to those around him are evident. “Kindness, empathy, strong character, listener - those are the sorts of things that come to mind when I think of [Dr. Trusty,], and to me those things are crucial in leadership,” said board member, Greg Looser, when asked to describe Dr. Trusty. Although his role is changing, Dr. Trusty is continuing his involvement with students. For example, he retained his student community group. He said one
of the first cautions he gave when his new position was announced to the school community was to tell his community group “they could not get rid of him that easily.” As an educator, one of the moments he looks forward to seeing is the growth of his community group of 11 seniors over the past four years. It his dedication to these moments that have grounded him throughout his transition. Sophie Lipman (12) has been a member of Dr. Trusty’s advisory over the last four years. “I think Dr. Trusty really makes an effort to get to know the students of not only the high school, but also the middle and lower school. He wants to be involved in the lives of the students and he highlights everyone uniquely. For example, Every Monday since freshman year, Dr. Trusty has sent my advisory an email that previews the week ahead and within this email he gives a shout-out to someone that did something special that past week,” Lipman said. She described him as a “very caring person who is genuinely interested in what is going on in [her] life.” [She has] complained to him countless times about problems in the garage or things that [she] notices aren’t going smoothly in the high school and he always listens to what [she has] to say. Also, he has made an appearance to [her] rec tennis practices, which may not seem like a big deal to him, but is something that means a lot to [her.] Not only is Dr. Trusty dedicated to his students, but he is also dedicated to making sure that the change in administration does not affect anyone
negatively. Thus, another of his think since he is such a warm goals for this this school year sincere person and he is so hard is to prioritize his involvement working, it has been a smooth while maintaining a familiarity transition,” Mr. Looser said. with the school’s community. Mr. Looser spoke of how The faculty, staff and senior satisfied the board is with Dr. administration team have all Trusty and how thankful they played integral roles in easing are that he is at Kinkaid. He Dr. Trusty’s transition. Still, he said he could not be more has encountered a few bumps pleased with the opening of the such as resolving issues that school year. were not he was not directly Even though the beginning involved with. of school was quite hectic, “When you’re facing advergiving 10 speeches sity as a team you either step in seven days, Dr. back or everyone steps forTrusty mainward,” Dr. Trusty said. tains a positive For him, when Kinkaid was outlook on faced with adversity this sumthe school mer after dealing with a change year. in administration, everyone “As I’ve in the community “stepped shared before forward” to usher him into his I’m a glass new role. As things continue more full kind to change and progress, “one of guy anyof my goals is that as much way, as possible things don’t seem different,” Dr. Trusty said. Dr. Trusty welcomed the faculty this summer in their first meeting inviting everyone to hug a few people around them. Mr. Looser recalls him saying, “‘any time a family goes through a tough time, the first and best thing that you ought to do is give each other a hug,’ so he said ‘I want everybody, because it has been a hard summer to find a couple of people and just give them a hug.” Of course, he made it clear they didn’t have to hug someone if it made them feel uncomfortable. “I thought to myself, if that is the kind of leader he is, this is going to be really, really good. I just Photo by Megan Riley
so I take it with some degree of positivity about having the opportunity to serve the school in this capacity and working with obviously [the students] and the teachers and faculty that we get to work with,” Dr. Trusty said. He said he is hoping for an uneventful year in the right ways, but one that will also be memorable. “Another goal of mine is to continue to ensure that we have an exciting and fun year, to have moments of levity and moments of celebration because that’s an important part of community building,” Dr. Trusty said.
HOBBIES FAVORITE Favorite
FUN FACTS
“I do write poetry—sometimes.”
COLOR HTX SPOT “My favorite color is green.”
FAVORITE Favorite
MOVIE
“Coming to America— best movie ever!”
restaurant “California Pizza Kitchen or MOD for now.”
“Anywhere my wife is!”
PETS “No pets. I have too many allergies!”
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 13
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14 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Kinkaid welcomes AFS exchange student
Tommaso Casavecchi’s (11), experience moving to Texas from Italy BY MEGAN RILEY Each year, one Kinkaid family hosts an exchange student through the AFS-USA exchange program. The program itself hosts students from 90 different countries across the globe. This year’s student, Tommaso Casavechhi (11), said he is super excited to spend a year in Houston, Texas. Moving nearly 6,000 miles away from his home town of Florence, Italy, Casavechhi has experienced drastic changes in his everyday life. The typical school day in Florence follows a much different curriculum than America. Other than no football games every Friday, Cassachevi says he attends school six days of the week, including Saturday. “It kind of seems like a lot,” Cassachevi explains, but a school day lasts only from 8:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon. When coming to Kinkaid, Casavechhi was enthusiastic
about the different electives offered at Kinkaid. In Italy, a normal high school curriculum includes over eleven core classes. Courses like philosophy or architecture are seen as regular
“definitely not the pizza.” Yet to find a true Italian pizza in America, he said True Food Kitchen’s Margarita Pizza is the closest so far. Apart from eating, Tomasso said he likes spending his free time in America watching movies, drawing, or hanging out with friends. As a new member of the Kinkaid Varsity Volleyball team, Cassachevi has had the opportunity to meet new friends as his teammates. “It is my favorite sport,” Casavechhi said, “I play it back home also.” His athletic game was hindered last week however, when an in-game injury caused a sprained ankle. He is out of practice right now but says he should be back in the game soon enough. “Texas is very
Texas is very different from Florence. Italian classes. His school in particular, has one homeroom that attends every class together for five years. Cassachevi says he prefers switching classes at Kinkaid because you meet more people. Since arriving, Tommaso reveals he’s gained ten pounds and doesn’t think he’ll stop there. He says “it is because of America, and American food.” He says his favorite food from Texas so far is burgers, and
Tommaso’s Favorites Food: Pizza Color: Yellow Animal: Turtle Sport: Volleyball Movie: Star Wars
different from Florence”, said Casavechhi. When asked what ways, he says people in America are much friendlier. “Americans are also very dog-dependant,” he says everyone in America has a dog and treats
them like their own child. “No one in Italy has a pet dog.” He also says that a huge difference is that everyone here has a car. In Italy, bikes like Vespas and scooters are the main mode of transportation. “I am most excited for prom because the movies make it seem so fun,” said Casavechhi. When asked about what this next year in America has in store for him, he said he wants to become a good English speaker and will probably become fatter. When asked what he wants to get out of his year abroad, Casavechhi said, “I am excited to make new friends and remember this experience as something I can carry with me my whole life.”
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 15 NEW FACULTY SERIES
Kinkaid welcomes new faculty BY SARAH KATE PADON
Dr. Kimetris
Baltrip
Mr. Brian
Dr. Kimetris Baltrip joined the Kinkaid community this year as the Upper School Journalism and Yearbook teacher, bringing 13 years of experience from Kansas State University to the Upper School publications. She said her “transition to high school has been exhilarating” and she is looking forward to cultivating successful students whose “caliber is truly recognized as an extension of [their] character.” As a native Houstonian, Dr. Baltrip is excited to be back in Houston, which offers her the chance to spend time with her family. While Dr. Baltrip has spent a majority of her career in higher education, she cherished her first job working as
Mr. Adam
Capitano
Ms. Chantae
Mr. Brian Burbank, a new Upper School dean, comes to Kinkaid with valuable experience on both sides of the college process. His has served as an undergraduate admissions officer at Tufts University and a college counselor and academic advisor at a Boston-area independent school. “I am most excited to go through a year as a dean to better understand the details and complexities of the role,” Burbank said. Along with the chance to join the Kinkaid community, Mr. Burbank took his move to Houston as an opportunity to explore a city he has “long admired and enjoyed” for its diversity.
Ms. Abby
As an addition to the Upper School Science department, Mr. Adam Capitano is excited to find new ways to deliver content to his students in class. His experience teaching students of all ages has taught him that he works best with high school students. “At this age, you see possibilities and still benefit from some guidance,” Capitano said. While living in Houston he found a love for Houston sports radio, particularly after the Texans lose. “They have the misery down to an art form, and always have a creative way to express [a loss],” Capitano said.
Higginbotham
Ms. Chantae Higginbotham joined the Upper School as the Administrative Assistant to the Head of Upper School with the goal of learning everything she can about Kinkaid. As a native Houstonian, “the southern hospitality that comes from being a Texan” makes the people her favorite part of the city. It is the same sense of community at Kinkaid that she looks forward to experiencing. “I am most excited about truly becoming a part of the [Kinkaid] community,” Higginbotham said. Her new role at Kinkaid is not her only new endeavor. A newlywed, she celebrated her first anniversary on Sept. 17.
Burbank
Finkelston
A recent graduate of Princeton University, Ms. Abby Finkelston is excited for the opportunity to learn in her position as the Upper School Cooney Fellow to learn more about teaching. Ms. Finkelston holds an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and will be joining the coaching staff with experience on the women’s lacrosse team at Princeton. She is also helping coach the varsity field hockey team this fall as well as girls lacrosse in the spring. Houston brings new experiences for Ms. Finkelston, she said, as she is originally from Leonardtown, Maryland. “The colors that appear in the clouds every night take my breath away,” Ms. Finkelston said.
Mr. Mark
Humphries
Mr. Mark Humphries comes to Kinkaid’s Upper School French department with a wealth of knowledge about French. Having spent eight years living in Paris, Mr. Humphries has developed his understanding of the language. He was born overseas in Sydney, Australia, but he calls Texas home since he spent most of his time growing up here. “When I came back to Texas to get married, I worked as a writer (and then communications manager) at the ACLU of Texas,” said Mr. Humphries. He said he is excited about getting back into the classroom and getting to know the Kinkaid community.
Venezuelan crisis rages: what it means for the US Little hope remains as the country deteriorates into anarchy BY CAMILA VICENS “I just want my friends and family to leave… the way they are living is not appropriate for any human being,” said Mr. Jorge Buitrago, a math teacher at Kinkaid, who was left Venezuela around 20 years ago. But for many Venezuelans who have relocated, the reality of their struggle continues as their family members remain in the country. With problems such as food shortages, high crime rates and the militarization of daily life, Venezuelans are desperate to leave their country -- and it’s not hard to find evidence of it. According to a 2016 Pew Research Center study, which is the most recent, there has been an 168 percent increase in Venezuelans seeking asylum to America. Regardless of the country’s slow decline into anarchy, Venezuela was once considered an economic miracle when it jumped into the international oil race with unexpected success. It now produces substantially less due to corruption that has crippled their most important industry. Six senior executives from PDVSA, Venezuela’s government-controlled oil company, were arrested just last year on charges of embezzlement, bid rigginging, laundering, and
criminal association. Mr. Buitrago attributes the problem not only to the current administration but to the ones before it as well, and elaborates that “had they succeeded in their job...people wouldn’t have felt the need for change.” Venezuela became a democracy in 1958. The country’s first president-elect, Rómulo Betancourt, enacted economic restrictions after he helped establish the Communist Party in Costa Rica and Colombia. The following series of presidents in Venezuela held similar views— with some exceptions—and continued to expand restrictions. The problem with many of these governments was that they neglected the lower classes, so people went in search of change which came in the form of a radical socialism embodied in former president Hugo Chavez. One question that remains is whether socialism is the only cause of the country’s downfall. Mr. Buitrago says that it is not only a result of only socialism, but also corruption. “I’ve always believed that if a government does not provide for the people of the country then it is a failure,” Mr. Buitrago said. Many other countries across the globe have been employing a different breed of socialism, such as Sweden and other Eu-
ropean nations. It might be assumed that this is not an American issue, but with candidates of the Democratic Socialists of America rising in American politics, it is clear that this issue hits close to home.
Few Venezuelans expected the country to reach the state that it is in now, and even fewer see an easy way out. Members of the socialist party such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have had astounding success in the recent primaries. The relevance is made even more clear by looking at millenials, who have been shown to be more drawn to socialism. For example, the University of Chicago’s GenForward Survey of Americans age 18 to 34 found that 45 percent of respondents had a positive view of socialism. It also seems to be a party issue, with a new Gallup poll showing that socialism is gaining popularity specifically with people who classify themselves as Democrats. The study, that dates back to 2010, shows that 72 percent of conservatives retain a positive view of capital-
An anti-government protestor walks through a chaotic street with cars set ablaze. Photo courtesy of Andy W.
ism and only 17 percent think well of socialism. On the left, the numbers shift dramatically. Socialism climbed the ranks of popularity from 53 to 57 percent, while capitalism has plummeted to just 47 percent – the lowest an ideology has ever polled among liberals. Mr. Buitrago says that he, as a Venezuelan, is worried about socialism rising in America, but not because it will fall into the state Venezuela is in, but rather because he thinks it could “hurt the American way of living.” Few Venezuelans expected the country to reach the state that it is in now, and even fewer see an easy way out. Mr. Buitrago said he saw the slow decline of his country even
before Chavez, the former Venezuelan president, and because of the financial burden of living in the economically deteriorating country, he was forced to leave during Chavez’s first coup. His views on Venezuela’s outlook are even more glim. Mr. Buitrago says the country is “broken without repair.” With overseas investors competing with the interests of the countries on the regime’s borders (Colombia, Brazil, etc.), and the eyes of the world on the socialist experiment, it is unclear what will happen. Although one thing is for sure as he puts it: “I don’t think there is any hope.”
16 ENTERTAINMENT | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Felicia Falcon tells all about Homecoming BY FELICIA FALCON So Kinkaid, did you miss me? It’s been a few years since my presence has graced the pages of The Falcon, but your favorite advice column is back! It’s me, Felicia Falcon, and I am here to answer your burning questions about all things high school. For this first issue, I will be tackling the most pressing thing on all your curious minds: homecoming. Homecoming is a longstanding tradition that has been a part of the culture at Kinkaid for many years. Every year, students and alumni have gathered to watch the Falcons compete under bright stadium lights, with the smell of burgers and crisp fall air mixing together to create an atmosphere that can only be described as Friday night football in Texas. Some students wear mums and some alumni return for one night a year to cheer on the boys in purple as they play to represent the school we call our own. However homecoming is more than just the football game - it has its quirks! That being said here are my answers to some of the most- asked homecoming questions:
What do I wear to the game? Is there a theme? Traditionally girls dress a little bit nicer to the homecoming game. Common looks are blouses and jean shorts or skirts that correspond with our colors, purple and gold. Boys, on the other hand, usually wear khaki shorts and a collared shirt. There is no set theme, so just come dressed in your Kinkaid best!
Speaking of dress codes...I’m stressed about what to wear to the dance! Any suggestions? Considering the dance is tomorrow, you might be a little late to the clothing game if you are still worried about what to wear. For girls, any sort of cute (and of course, appropriate) dress is perfect! Remember, homecoming is low-stress. Anything you feel comfortable in is what I recommend wearing. But, remember girls: after about ten minutes of dancing
around in the gym, your feet might start to hurt! I think the most important part of your outfit is shoes that you are comfortable with wearing all night. Even if they’re not the most satisfying shoes, that’s okay too. Most people end up taking their shoes off anyways.
going with your friends or with a date, remember to have fun! These memories will last you a lifetime. I hope this little guide of mine has answered all of your questions. See you there!
P.S.: If you wish to submit any questions for the next issue of The Falcon, please email the entertainmet editor: olivia.marrus@kinkaid.org.
Love, Felicia Falcon
What’s the dance like? The dance is super fun! The whole point of homecoming is to go and have fun with your friends and to mingle with other grades. Melcher Gym becomes almost unrecognizable: there’s a dance floor, a photo booth, couches to sit on if you get tired, and an impressive spread of snacks near the back of the room. The dance is what you make of it! I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and enjoy your time in there by dancing, chatting, and making fun memories. After all, you’re locked in there until 10:30, so there is really no point in making yourself miserable. A word of advice, though: don’t throw water in the air or you will risk being told to “grow up” by seniors. Homecoming is a fun weekend and a staple in any high school. Whether you’re
Three items went missing
The story of a tea kettle, red tricycles and handknit turtles BY MYA FRANKLIN A pink and purple turtle handknit with love. A metallic electric kettle that alleviated student stress with just a cup of tea. Two red tricycles that are used at every Kinkaid pep rally. Over the summer, these three items mysteriously disappeared from the Kinkaid campus. In August, a metallic electric tea kettle belonging to Dr. Sonia Clayton, Upper School science teacher, suddenly vanished. The electric tea kettle has become a dearly loved staple for Dr. Clayton’s AP biology class. Dr. Clayton said the tea kettle tradition started when she asked her students how she can help to
reduce their stress, and they suggested drinking tea during their roundtable discussions about the labs. “It was their little comfort zone,” Dr. Clayton said. “I was able to do a little something to make them feel good.” Dr. Clayton realized the kettle was missing when she was arranging her room a couple of weeks before the start of school. She said her first thought was that someone rearranged the rooms while they were cleaning up, and she began to search the room in places that she wouldn’t normally look. Fortunately, an act of kindness led to the tea kettle being found.
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Someone stored the tea kettle carefully in one of the top shelves of the closets in her room where it would not be damaged, Dr. Clayton said. She said the random act of kindness was a “really nice gesture” and was grateful to the unknown person for their compassion. “I really appreciate how much you cared,” Dr. Clayton directed towards the unknown hero who found and cared for the tea kettle. “I would like to say how acts of kindness are all around at school, and I really appreciate it.” Another case of missing items also happened in August when two red tricycles vanished from the area around the Student Center before the start of school. The tricycles are integral to the success of our pep rallies and they represent irreplaceable memories in the Mechler Gym, said Jennifer Kehler, Student Life Coordinator and the owner of the red tricycles. During the construction of the Student Center, Ms. Kehler said her “eclectic” stuff was packed up in boxes in the senior hallway. Two days before school started, they went missing. Ms. Kehler jokingly said her initial reaction to her tricycles’ disappearance was that some-
one kidnapped the tricycles and was holding them hostage. Ms. Kehler sent an all points bulletin to the Upper School Faculty and received a response from the Athletic Department. She gives credit to two heroes, David Holm, Director of Athletics, and Jessica Hawkes, Upper School History Teacher, for retrieving the irreplaceable tricycles. Ms. Kehler says items disappear from her possession “on a somewhat regular basis.” However, Ms. Kehler said that nothing has ever been this much of a scare like the disappearance of the tricycles. Sadly, this next story doesn’t have a happy ending. On the weekend before the start of school, a small hand-knitted pink and purple turtle belonging to Michael Vischak, Upper School Math Teacher, disappeared. Mr. Vishak said he has a history of collecting little trinkets and knick-knacks, like programs of all the spring musicals, that he associates with his former
students. The little missing turtle is another example of a sentimental memento associated with two of Mr. Vischak’s former students. It is also special to him, he says, because it was his first time practicing knitting. Mr. Vischak said he most likely didn’t pack up his class supplies during the summer transition, and the tiny turtle got lost in the fray. To search for his lost turtle, he said he “checked the same drawer three times,” and looked in all the nooks and crannies in his classroom. However, Mr. Vischak says he still has hope that the tiny turtle will be found. “I would just like it to see it come home,” said Mr. Vischak.
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ENTERTAINMENT 17
Pop Culture Chart
The Pop Culture Chart: Where we get to know the Kinkaidian tastes and takes on what’s the talk around campus.
BY NICOLE FERNANDEZ & JORDAN GUY
What was your favorite thing that you did this summer?
“Going to LA because I enjoyed spending time with my family.” -Carter Kelsey (9)
“My favorite thing I did this summer was playing football with my friends.” -Hudson Gage (10)
“I enjoyed playing sports with my friends.” -Jordan Ricks (11)
“I liked traveling with my family and friends.” -Marynell Ward (12)
What song best describes your summer?
“Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus because summer is a party and I am in the USA” -Elizabeth Scott (9)
“Summer Time Magic by Childish Gamino because summer is a time where you don’t have to be stressed about school and homework.” -Stella Pintar (10)
“I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGrawbecause I didn’t want to be at school.” -Jordan Ricks (11)
“Teen Titans Go To The Movies because it was an emotional rollercoaster.” -Sky Perkins (9)
“Mama Mia 2 because it was super exciting and entertaining.” -Charlotte Shivley (10)
“The Avengers because Thanos is a meme.” -Freddy Reckling (11)
“Incredibles 2 because I got to see it with friends.” -Kenneth Lam (12)
“Sit Around House.” -Henry Prendergast (9)
“Well, X Died.” -Haley McClanahan (10)
“Adventurous, Unforgettable, Awesome.” -Sofia Escalona (11)
“Sunny, exciting, Busy.” -Carolin Totz (12)
“Work Hard, Play Hard by Wiz Kalifa.” -Josh Williams (12)
What was the best summer movie that you watched?
Sum up your summer in three words.
18 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
Post Oak team propels itself to world stage Four students experience Little League’s historic run BY AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI & CHARLES GARRISON Four Kinkaid students contributed to the Post Oak Little League, one of the best youth baseball teams in the nation that competed in the Little League World Series. At the tournament, Houston’s Post Oak Little League baseball team capped off a local and state run to push toward Williamsburg; however, two heart-breaking losses sent the team back home with just one victory. Imagine you are a 12-yearold kid who is skilled enough in baseball to qualify to make the All-Star team for your local little league. Then, picture defeating all other All-Star teams in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the nation. Seems too good to be true? Well, you keep winning streak, defeating all teams in Texas, the second-most populated state in the nation. Then, you defeat all other adjacent state teams, placing you among the Top 8 American teams and sending
you to Williamsburg to face off against the best baseball studs in your age group. This is what it took for the Post Oak Little League team to make it to the World Series. Post Oak’s success in the World Series and state tournaments came from clutch scoring, and from four students from Kinkaid who played baseball at an elite level. After a berth in the LLWS, Post Oak defeated Coventry from Rhode Island, 3-1. A stellar pitching performance from Carter Pitts (7) and Ryan Selvaggi combined to allow two hits and one unearned run. Selvaggi also scored the go-ahead run in the third inning, and Andy Guy padded the lead with an RBI single in the top of the sixth. The same duo followed up three days later against the Staten Island team, only allowing two runs on a wild pitch and two hits. However, the offense was not as productive, mustering only one run and sending
the team to an elimination game against Georgia. In a thriller against Georgia, Selvaggi highlighted the early scoring, leading the team to a 4-0 lead after a home run in the bottom of the fifth. Georgia retaliated to tie the game at 5-5 going into the extra eighth inning. Both teams answered each other in this extra inning, making the score 6-6 going into the top of the ninth. Then, a sacrifice fly and Post Oak’s inability to answer ended the team’s season with a loss. The team’s success this year started with the district, section, and Texas East tournaments, where the team went 11-0. These games included defeating all teams from Texas, and becoming both city and state champions. At the Southwest Regional, the qualifier for the World Series in Waco, Texas, they faced Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi. They dominated these games with a scoring margin of 43-5. “They’ve already done so
The team celebrates after winning their first game at the Little League World Series. Photo courtesy of Ross Selvaggi Jr.
well and they are so happy to have made it to this point. But we’d like to do a little more,” manager David Rook said. They clearly did so much more at the LLWS. “Ryan Selvaggi led the team to a fantastic season with both amazing pitching and hitting,” said Jordan Guy (10). One of David Rook’s other players, Andy Guy, was part of
the fantastic offensive initiative. Additionally, Carter Pitts hit in the upcoming events to the World Series. The other two players from Kinkaid were Ethan Goldstein and Richie Klosek. “It was exciting to see everyone joined together to enjoy the same national and international past time,” Guy said.
A summer that could last forever BY JACK KLOSEK
Over Memorial Day weekend, my team, the Columbia When I was a 12-year-old Angels, lost a tough game in the All Star, my dad was head coach Perfect Game South Champifor Post Oak Little League. We onship to a good Mizuno team. got smoked by Bellaire and Richie’s team captured its third West University. Year after year, consecutive win at Memoriwe lost to those two teams. al Day Madness, an annual Although my 2016 AllAll-Star pre-tournament game Star campaign was awful, my at First Colony Little League brother Richie’s team, the Post in Sugar Land. Richie’s team Oak 10s, was the opposite. The secured hard-fought wins agaist team won its district tournament, Lamar and Pearland teams, 10-4, before facing off against which bolstered their confiPearland West in the sectional dence going into their All-Star tournament. campaign. I was in California, watching About three weeks later, I the game on the baseball app, was playing my final tournaGameChanger. My brother’s ment of the season in Atlanta. team routed Pearland West, My team relaxed after going 12-2. I awaited game updates 1-1 on the day as Richie and his from my father who sent them teammates began their journey. via text. Each text made me They opened their tournament at feel like I was there, rooting West University Little League’s on Richie. They had a win the South Campus. Not only was next night, and in the champithis where Bellaire Little onship, they walked off against League beat my team when I Pearland on two errors to win was 12 years old, but this was 6-5 and punch a ticket to the where I had practiced with the state tournament in Tyler, Texas. Columbia Angels in the 2017My father told me and 18 season. Richie that we share all our Richie’s team swept aside accomplishments, so I travthe opposing team, winning eled to Tyler to watch the state 20-0 in three innings. championship, living my dream The next time they played, through my brother. I was watching the Cincinnati Richie’s team played a Reds against the Atlanta Braves. thriller in the first game with a While the Braves’ Mike Fol20-14 win over Northwest from tynewicz threw cheddar at 99 Austin. Richie had grown into a mph, I followed my brother’s different player. I saw firsthand team on GameChanger. They the hours he put in off the tee quickly earned a spot on the to become an incredible hitter. board with a 2-run home run by His team lost the next game, but Ryan Selvaggi and went on to came back with three wins after win 3-1 against West U. facing elimination. I finished my tournament They were state champs. and flew home to catch part of Fast forward to this year. their third game against Bellaire. We were two years older and Ryan pitched an immaculate inRichie could vie for his shot at ning, and the team homered en the Little League World Series. My father led his regular season route to a 8-2 win. They were one step away from winning the team to a Post Oak Majors district title. Division Championship. They Two days later in the champihoped to carry their momentum onship, Ryan achieved one of to their All-Star campaign.
the rarest feats in baseball. He threw a perfect game: 18 up, 18 down. He and my brother hit back-to-back home runs in the first. Post Oak won 8-0 to earn its first 12-year-old district title in four years. I watched Post Oak take on Pearland and win 4-0. This win meant a lot to the team. They had lost twice to Pearland the year before. Richie told me after the game: “The loss as 11 year olds put the fire in our bellies to beat Pearland this year.” The next night, Post Oak runruled NASA Area West, 10-0, in four innings. But they had to beat Pearland once more to get to the state tournament. There was a buzz going around. The winner between the Post Oak vs. Pearland “will make it to at least the Southwest Regional, if not the Little League World Series,” said hitting coach, Reagan Buckley. Post Oak had a chance to go to state as 12 year olds for the first time since 2012. Down 3-1 for the first time all summer, Richie’s team needed a comeback. I went to the dugout and told them to get going. A parade of hits, walks and errors followed, totaling seven runs. The game closed on an unassisted fielder’s choice at second base. The next week, I rode with Richie and teammates to the state tournament. I felt like I was part of the team. Post Oak opened the tournament against Port Neches. Carter delivered another quality start and the bats were alive. Ryan homered deep into the trees behind the right center field fence and knocked in the game-winning run. Post Oak won 11-1 in four innings. The next night, Ryan homered again and threw a gem against Lamar American from Richmond, Texas. They won
The four Kinkaid students who competed in the Southwest Regional. From left to right: Richie Klosek (7), Ethan Goldstein (7), Andy Guy (7), and Carter Pitts (7). Photo courstesy of Tama Klosek.
7-0 and were one step away from a spot in the regional tournament. Not only their talent, but the boys’ camaraderie was a driving force in their success. After an upset by Port Neches against Lamar, Post Oak had one more win to advance to the regional. The game was a scoreless pitchers duel until Richie, on a 3-2 count, delivered the knockout blow: a line drive, two-run homer to left. That proved to be the only score of the game, and Post Oak become the 12-year-old state champion for the first time in league history. Two weeks later came Waco. I had helped Richie with a sheet he used to describe himself for media personalities on ESPN and the Longhorn Network. The team arrived at the opening ceremony, which featured a walk around bridges in Waco, an official proclamation from the city, a ceremonial pitch from the mayor, and a presentation of colors. The team routed Arkansas, 14-1, in the opening game, but my highlight was capturing
Richie’s two-run shot to center on video. The crowd was electrified; the moment was surreal. Two days later, there was a 16-4 blowout over Mississippi, then they won against Okalahoma 5-0. I captured another home run by Richie on video. History was made with the team’s 8-0 win. In Post Oak first’s 12-year-old Southwest Regional appearance, they were champions. I was overcome with emotion. The Little League World Series was a momentous experience. After a win against Rhode Island, we traveled to Pennsylvania. Richie was a celebrity there. As we walked around the complex, he gave autographs and took pictures. Despite two tough losses that followed, my family and I experienced the payoff of a four-year journey. From training sessions and practices, to celebration and heartbreak, a run of a lifetime was born. I only wish they could have pushed their run a little farther.
September 28, 2018 | The Kinkaid Falcon | SPORTS 19
Alumnus sees success in national golf tournaments Cole Hammer (‘18) wins U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, Western Amateur
BY CONNOR BLAKE Last May, when the Class of 2018 alked across Segal field for graduation, senior Cole Hammer was already playing in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Tournament in Tequesta, Florida. With his partner Garrett Barber of Florida, the duo earned third seed after shooting a combined 5 under 131 in stroke play. After the day of stroke play qualifying, the tournament moved to a match play format with the top 32 teams moving on. In the fourball format, both golfers on each team play the hole and the best score is taken for their team. This score is then compared to the best score of the opposing team, where the winner gets a point and a tie halves the hole. Hammer and Barber cruised through match after match, taking risky shots and making plays. During their semifinal match they combined for five birdies and a 40-yard chip-in eagle by Hammer. In the afternoon that same day, Hammer chipped in from 30 feet to gain a 1-up advantage early in the finals and Barber made an eagle after stopping a 235-yard approach shot 3 feet from the hole. To seal the deal, Hammer calmly putted in a final birdie after driving the green on hole 15. Then ranked 52nd and 57th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the time, the two 18-year-olds only lagged behind for two holes in their five matches. Hammer was congratulated in a video by Jordan Spieth, the 2017 British Open champion and winner of the 2015 U.S. Open and Masters Tournament.
Hammer is by no means new the amateur competitive scene. At the age of 15, Hammer competed in the 2015 U.S. Open in the summer before his sophomore year and has been playing in prestigious tournaments ever since. That calmness, Coach Bobby Eggleston said, is an integral part of his success. “There are a lot of people that can play the game very well, but then it comes down to what you can do with this,” he said, tapping his head. “When you get behind in a match can you come back or do you learn how to fight back, and his mental approach helps him tremendously in that.” His mental game was not the only reason for his successes. “Being able to play in a number of tournaments a such a young age really helped him out. He has such a competitive attitude and really wants to do well. He puts his time in on the course, practicing as well as playing,” Eggleston remarked. At the beginning of August, Hammer was beginning another major tournament: The Western Amateur. After the four days of stroke play, he was tied for first with a 23 under 261. For the next stage of the tournament with 16 competitors left, the format was once again match play. Hammer defeated his first opponent in 20 holes and won his second match 1-up. The next day in the semifinals, Hammer defeated his opponent Brandon Wu in a close 20 holes. That afternoon in the finals, Hammer took an early lead and was up by four at the turn against Davis
Hammer kneels with his trophies after winning the Western Amatuer at Sunset Ridge Country Club outside Chicago. Photo by Charles Cherney/WGA.
Riley of Mississippi. Riley went on a hot streak and by the end of 16, was only down by one. Riley missed the critical match tying birdie putt and they halved hole 17. They halved 18 and Hammer finished 1-up. Cole Hammer had won his second amateur title of the summer. “Surreal, honestly, this is the biggest day in my golf career without question. Nothing even compares,” Hammer reflected in a post-round interview that appeared on the Western Amateur website. “This is by far the biggest tournament that I’ve ever won and to do it here at Sunset Ridge with my mom on the bag and it just really means the world. Just a really, really special week from start to finish.” Despite having two wins under his belt for the summer, his biggest events were yet to come. Just over a week later,
the U.S. Amateur Championship was underway. In the two days of stroke play qualifying, Hammer posted a 6-under-par 137 at Pebble Beach to tie for first in a field of around 300. Seeded second in match play, he defeated Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz with a chip-in eagle on the last hole in the round of 64. He defeated three more opponents before losing to the the eventual champion Viktor Hovland of Norway in the semifinals. Then ranked 17th in the WAGR standings, this performance gave Cole a spot on the U.S. team at the World Amateur Team Championships in Ireland held Sept. 5 - 8. Along with his teammates Justin Suh of USC and Collin Morikawa of UC Berkeley, Cole competed in his first international event at a course outside Dublin. He finished the tournament strong with a 7 under
66 after finishing day three at 3 under par. This surge pushed the U.S. team into second, just two strokes ahead of Spain and one behind the Eisenhower Trophy champions, Denmark. From playing in the U.S. Open at 15, to winning two amateur tournaments and playing in another two major international competitions, Hammer has continued his success and is catching fire. Coach Eggleston said he could see Hammer on tour some day. “Absolutely. There is no doubt in my mind that he has what it takes to make it out there,” Eggleston said. At the beginning of the summer his WAGR ranking was 52nd, but as of Sept. 19, he ranked ninth. A freshman at the University of Texas this fall, Cole Hammer has been on a path straight to the top.
Fantasy players to watch for this season Who has been overvalued and whose stock is on the rise? BY BRADY BRAZDA, WILSON KELSEY & CHARLES GARRISON
Underrated WR: Keelan Cole
Already with the catch of the year so far, Keelan Cole may not be an unknown name, but he will undoubtedly be moving up the wide receiver ranks as the season progresses. With the departures of Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns in the offseason, Cole stands as the number one pass catcher on the Jacksonville depth chart. He has led his team in receiving yards for two games straight, while also leading the team in receptions. With the starting receiving corps consisting of mostly new names in Jacksonville, Keelan Cole seems to be earning Blake Bortles’ trust, which will be vital to his future success. Cole has the potential to be a 1,000 yard receiver this year, as Blake Bortles’ favorite targets such as Allen Robinson have been in the past. Keelan Cole’s potential is a train you want to hop onto before his value is too high.
Underrated QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick has gotten off to a successful start, already having two of the best scoring performances by any quarterback thus far. The reason he may be “slept on” is because he has only been starting because of Jameis Winston’s suspension; however, with Fitzpatrick’s astounding production, it seems that he could definitely become the Bucs’ number one guy.
Overrated RB: Tevin Coleman
Tevin Coleman plays a large role while Devonta Freeman is injured, but when he comes back shortly, Coleman’s usage will go down significantly. Coleman has began the season with multiple double digit scores, but many of these have come off of big plays that are likely to not happen consistently. In week 1, with Devonta Freeman healthy, Tevin Coleman was only given 9 carries for 19 yards, and 1 catch for 26 yards. A touchdown caused his scoring total to look inflated, but his volume was unreliably low. With Devonta Freeman coming back from injury shortly, Tevin Coleman’s volume will be too low to be trusted as an RB1 or RB2 for the remainder of this season. While his numbers as of now have looked solid, it seems doubtful that his good trend will continue.
Overrated WR: DeSean Jackson
DeSean Jackson has started the 2018 season with an unbelievable run, but his success is unsustainable for the remainder of the year. He is currently third on his own team in targets, with only 14 so far. He has caught 12 of those targets. A catch rate that impressive will not last, causing his receptions per game to be on a downward trend. Teammates like Mike Evans, O.J. Howard, and Chris Godwin will be taking opportunities away from Jackson. DeSean Jackson began this season with incredible performances, but it seems near impossible that he will be able to keep those kinds of games going this year. Beware of trades involving Jackson, as his value looks to only go down as this year continues. Photos by ESPN
20 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 28, 2018
The Falcon Staff makes MLB playoff predictions BY STERLING ELIAS, CHRIS STALLINGS & WILLIAM SCOTT
Chris
Though the defending champs are thriving in the American League, a breathtaking season is currently in the making in the city of Boston. The Red Sox have been dominating every team they encounter; the offensive side of the team is absurd, having multiple All Stars, including: Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Mitch Moreland, and recently acquired, Ian Kinsler. This lineup, along with the more than impressive pitching staff, has created the leading record, 98-46, currently held by the Red Sox. The power in the Bronx and the consistent gameplay in Houston make these two teams the only ones that are standing in the way of Boston’s hot bats and dominating pitching staff. Through the American League Division Series, there may be a Wild Card game between the A’s and the Yankees, resulting in a hard fought Yankee win. Coming into the seven game set against Boston, the Yankees are sure to have experienced a punch in the jaw following the Wild Card game and the Red Sox will surely take advantage of this. Though an Astros sweep is highly inevitable when facing a AL Central team like Cleveland, the Houston team will not be ready for the Red Sox, along with all Boston’s lively morale after coming off a victory against one of the best teams in the AL. If the Red Sox continue to replicate what they have been doing all season, they will come out of
the ALCS victorious and glide through any National League team that attempts to stop them from a ninth World Series championship.
William
As the MLB playoffs approach Astros fans in begin to reminisce about the national championship last fall, and Houston’s success in maintaining the lead in the AL West reminds us of victorious season and advancement into the playoffs. Although Houston’s record this far through the regular season has been comparably impressive to most teams it does not resemble Houston’s 101- 61 win-loss pattern in 2017. While the Astros have started players that contributed to their success last season, several players have become superstars on the field in 2018 season: starting pitcher Garrett Cole, starting outfielder Tony Kemp, and first baseman Tyler White. Astros fans continue to flood into Minute Maid Park with hopes for a chance of back-toback national titles, but several teams have proven dominance in their division and are potential World Series contenders. It may be difficult for Astros fans to admit but the Boston Red Sox have raised eyebrows across the nation with their highly successful regular season standings can be misleading as we near the playoffs Boston will not be an easy victory.
Sterling
The Houston Astros are going
back to back. They currently sit atop perhaps the most competitive division in baseball, the AL West. Battling teams such as the Athletics and the Mariners, and more importantly, battling injuries to their top players, including Carlos Correa, George Springer, Brian McCann and Jose Altuve, last year’s AL MVP, the Astros have still managed to dominate their division. The only time their chokehold on the AL West has come into question this season is when the Astros dealt simultaneously with injuries to their three best players. Still, they never fell out of first, and are now reaching new heights with their players healthy. The only challenge the Astros may face en route to another World Series victory will either be the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees in the ALCS, but either team they face will be coming off the heels of a matchup with the other in the ALDS and are sure to be banged up. Meanwhile, the Astros will breeze by the bullpen-less Indians in their ALDS Matchup. The Red Sox don’t have the bullpen to go toe-to-toe with the Houston favorites, and the Yankees don’t have the bats, even if they do have the power. Once the Astros storm through the American League, they will decimate any excuse of a team that the National league sputters out as its champion as not a single NL team comes close to matching the level of play achieved by the top-tier of the American League.
The bracket (above) represents our 2019 postseason prediction of the AL. The Astros will, hopefully, have no issues beating the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. Their only potential threat in the 2019 postseason will take form as the impressive Red Sox in the ALCS or semifinal series. However, Boston will face either the Oakland A’s or the New York Yankees to decide who advances to the ALCS, and this potential ALCS between Houston and Boston could provide baseball fans with perhaps the best playoff matchup they have seen in years, especially considering their historic rivalry. Either way, the team that faces the Astros in the ALCS will be tired and exhausted from a hard fought series. Although Houston continues to pose as a threat with another very successful season, each team brings competitiveness to the postseason and all share the same goal of the World Series trophy.
Texans make off-season changes BY ALI YOUSUF
J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, Whitney Mercilus, C.J Fiedorowicz, Derek Newton and D’onta Foreman are the six starters on the Texans who spent a majority of last season on the injured reserve list. The Texans Super Bowl chances were 40-1 without these players last year, but NBC Sports has given the Texans a 10-1 chance with these players’ return. But injury returns aren’t the only reason the team’s Super Bowl chances have vaulted. The Texans have made big acquisitions through free agency and the NFL draft. The Texans had the most salary cap value on the injured reserve last year at $52 million, according to KHOU. They had a former defensive player of the year in Watt; a once Top 5 in NFL sacks player in Mercilus; and three superb starters on the defensive side of the ball. At the same time, the Texans used the most players, 73, on its defense because of injuries, according to 247sports. The return of veterans who were on injured reserve not only makes the starting lineup better, but improves the team’s depth as well since younger players gained experience and are now more game ready.
On the offensive side, the Texans have dynamite rookie Watson’s return after he tore his ACL. Watson put up 21 touchdowns in 25 quarters last season and mounted a last-minute drive against a tough Seattle defense. He took the Texans head to head with the New England Patriots. He can come back stronger from his injury, for he has had a full offseason to learn the offense. The Texans made a big splash in free agency as they did not have a first-round draft pick, which would have been the No. 4 overall pick. They beefed up what was thought to be the league’s worst offensive line and brought the New Orleans Saints’ Senio Kelemete, who had the best run blocking offensive line in the league. Kelemete was a guard who can play anywhere on offense. Zach Fulton is ranked as the 14th best guard in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Fulton came from the Kansas City Chiefs for a fouryear, $28 million contract. Another offensive line signing was Sentreal Henderson from the Buffalo Bills. What’s common between these offensive linemen is their versatility. The team also improved its
bottom-eight ranked secondary and added slot cornerback Aaron Colvin from the league’s most efficient defense in the Jacksonville Jaguars and All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu has a reputation for causing turnovers and is a well-known safety around the league. Also, resigning starting cornerback Jonathan Joseph was a priority to keep one of the bright spots of the secondary from last year. “This is no longer a dangerously thin unit. With the return of Watt and Mercilus, the secondary should no longer be an area of concern,” said Aaron Wilson, Texans beat writer, in a March 30, 2018, analysis in the Houston Chronicle. Although The Texans did not have a first- or second-round draft pick this year, the team could still use its three thirdround picks to plug holes. The reason the team did not have a first-round pick, which was supposed to be the fourth overall, was because they traded up last year to get Watson. The Texans also drafted safety Justin Reid out of Stanford. Reid was viewed by some to be a late first-round or early second-round pick, but the fact that he slid down to the Texans in the third round was a steal.
“With the return of Watt and Mercilus, the secondary should no lonber be an area of concern,” said Aaaron Wilson. Photo courtesy of Victor Araiza.
Reid will help improve the secondary by adding depth and if he learns from Mathieu and Kareem Jackson he could really help the Texans’ secondary. The second third-round pick, Martinas Rankin, is an offensive lineman out of Mississippi State. Rankin will help with depth on the offense as four of the five Texans linemen from last year aren’t on a team now. Jordan Akins, a tight end out of UCF, was taken with the 98th overall pick. He will help fill the void left by tight end Fiedorowicz’s
retirement. Another young player is big play slot receiver Keke Coutee, out of Texas Tech. Coutee is a fast, shifty receiver who should improve the depth of a receiving core that was plagued by injuries. Because of these upgrades, the Texans earn an overall grade of B+. A prediction for their record could be 11-5, a significant improvement on their 4-12 record last year and would most likely be enough to earn them a wild card spot in the playoffs.