Legacy, Volume I

LEGACY

MAY 2017 // VOLUME I // AN IMPRINT OF THE KINKAIDIAN YEARBOOK // THE KINKAID SCHOOL

MAY 2017 // VOLUME I

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LEGACY.

AN IMPRINT OF THE KINKAIDIAN YEARBOOK

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Letter from the Editors

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The Class of '17 yearbook staff publishes the first ever Kinkaid senior magazine.

Emily Talbert dances on pointe. Based on the play American in Paris, the dance portrays a love struggle.

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by marie parra

Caps & Gowns

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You'll remember these people, for the things they did and the things they said.

A place we call home

by rebecca noel

After three long years, the Class of '17 finally took over the Student Center. It has been a cherished place for ping pong and Super Smash tournaments.

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A promenade in April

by mary helen burt

Our last formal dance was a night of #onlyatkinkaid memories.

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by rebecca noel

"How to" prepare for college

by mitali sharma & marie parra

by mitali sharma & marie parra

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Dear future me in 2017

Remember when you wrote letters to your senior-year selves back in freshman year? We do.

Off-campus lunches The senior lunch menu. by michael smith & mitali sharma

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Letters from Dr. Harris and Mrs. Fleming Two senior teachers give one last "lecture" before we depart. by dr. harris & ms. fleming

by rebecca noel

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College destinations Unsurprisingly, a large number of Falcons will be flying (or driving) short distances this fall as they head off to college.

You probably won't ever touch a first aid kit.

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Friendships last forever You'll make more friends, but they'll never quite be like the ones you made in high school.

by mary helen burt

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Senior glow-ups The first assembly used to start with a photo roll of the seniors' freshman school pictures. If you missed seeing those, here they are.

by salman popatia

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Oh, the places we went!

Whitney Burke's illustrated map of Kinkaid campus shows where and how we spent our time.

by rob lahourcade

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A timeline of our years at Kinkaid, with a senior year focus. by charlie marix

Please join me in this pledge Our Governing Council President looks back on the past four years.

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Looking back on our legacy

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Love It/Leave It Conclusion: April was a great month for PR disasters. by emmy reckling & mitali sharma

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Endless batches of cookies Congratulations, seniors! But keeping it real: you still ain't grown. by erika green swafford

The 201 Ho

Illustration by Sophie Parker (Class of '17)

Letter from the Editors Dear Class of 2017, We made it. There were days when it seemed graduation couldn’t come soon enough and days when we wished it never would. We made it through dress days, 8 a.m. starts, no eating in the hallways, and that time we parked off-campus for two years. We’ve won awards, made art, traveled the globe, and stayed up all night laughing with our friends. Now, we sit here with the people we’ve experienced it all with, flipping through these pages and preparing to make room on our shelves for more stories we’ve yet to create.

Looking back on the four years we’ve spent here, some of it probably begins to blur. One minute flows into the next until you’re not sure where one begins and the other ends, and suddenly, you’re here, about to graduate. Then again, there are those few scattered snippets that stay with you. You may not remember that funny thing you said that one time, but you remember the sound of your best friend’s laugh next to you in the car on your way to a concert. You don’t remember your lines in the play, but you remember the heat of the spotlight, the echoing of the applause, the smile on your mom’s face. You remember the winning goal you made, the late-night trip to Whata, the movie you snuck into, the test you failed so hard you had no choice but to die laughing, the time you ran through the halls on your way out the door when the power went out, just in case Mr. Loach tried to make you stay.

Even with all we’ve done, this is only the start, one small snapshot in the wild masterpiece that is bound to be your life. From here, some of you will make millions, spend millions, cure diseases, celebrate your kids getting into Harvard, win Nobel Prizes, visit all seven continents, publish novels, and dance with your spouse on your 50th wedding anniversary. Some of you will return and some of you will not, but only one thing is certain: you were a part of something extraordinary. Because of the Class of 2017, none of us will ever be the same. Here’s to you. Here’s to us. Here’s to the history we made and the history we’ve yet to create. Here’s to our legacy. It’s only just beginning.

legacy masthead.

Mary Helen Burt

Rebecca Noel

Emmy Reckling

plans to study graphic design next year and cannot wait to begin a new journey in her life.

loves cats, "The Office," and making bad puns. She has also performed in ten theatre performances at Kinkaid.

This is her third year in Yearbook.

is the only senior this year who has taken Yearbook for four years. She will study Photo Communications at St. Edward's University in Austin this fall.

James Goettee

Marie Parra

Mitali Sharma

is a sandwich connoisseur. He will attend Washington and Lee in the fall. He has a cat named Freddy Goettee.

enjoys traveling to Costa Rica and indulging in Amy's ice cream. She will attend the University of Chicago and hopefully survive the cold winters.

is a frequent visitor of Disneyland who enjoys dancing at garbas and eating peanut butter straight from the jar.

Charlie Marix

is moving to L.A. to attend the University of Southern California alongside her idol, Miranda Cosgrove; however, she will miss Marble Slab dearly.

es The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Drive Houston, Texas 77024

Headmaster: Andy Martire Assistant Headmaster: Ed Trusty Upper School Head: Peter Behr

Salman Popatia

Michael Smith

plays varsity tennis and loves jamming out to Taylor Swift. This is his fourth year in Yearbook.

plans to play Division I tennis at Southern Methodist University in the fall. This is his second year in Yearbook.

His favorite senior year class was Dr. Scott's Rebels & Outcasts.

Printer: Chas. P. Young Co. Advisor: LiAnn Yim student.publications@kinkaid.org

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farewell.

Dear Classmates, Please join me in the pledge.

Whoops, sorry—old habits die hard. If you’re reading this, you’ve graduated.

Or you somehow have snuck into the Yearbook office and are reading classified information. If this is the case, Salman Popatia will show up at your house in the middle of the night.

I’ve been asked to write a farewell address, so I guess I will wrack my mind for some original presidential advice. First, avoid entangling yourself in foreign affairs. Don’t get sucked into any treaties that could threaten our school with Episcopal, St. John’s, or ESPECIALLY Awty. Make a treaty with St. John’s, and next thing you know you’re engaged in a naval war with EHS over a gong dispute. Second, avoid factionalism and political parties. The great Super Smash Brothers dispute of 2016-2017 almost tore apart the fabric of Governing Council, and every year at least four friendships are broken in the Lower School over contested Field Day race results. How many more tears must be shed over the Purple and Gold feud?

The teams should come together to create a new, beautiful color: Gurple.

I would like to say thank you to all of you, one for not running against me for president, and two, for making these last four years special.

We may have gotten stiffed with the construction on campus, but I wouldn’t want to ride a bus to MDPC at 8 AM or eat soggy french fries in the Commons with anyone else. It’s been an honor leading you in the pledge.

Governing Council President says one last goodbye by rob lahourcade

Illustration by Chris Choi, ‘17

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—Rob Lahourcade

a few

more

words SENIORS SAY GOODBYE AND REFLECT ON THEIR BEST MEMORIES FROM HIGH SCHOOL

From the classroom to the athletic fields, to the art studios and the practice rooms, seniors have created collective moments together, as well as had their individual experiences. Through the thick and thin, the seniors have had their own unique experiences. Whether it be winning a championship, having a performance of their life, or excelling in the classroom, all of our seniors have created lasting bonds with each other and great memories that they will never forget.

STORY BY SALMAN POPATIA PHOTOS BY DAVID SHUTTS

Sofia Gonzalez “Working with KIT (Kinkaid Interdivisional Tutoring) has been a highlight of my high school career. KIT is a program where high school students are assigned to middle schoolers who seek help in various subjects like Math and Spanish. I tutored a fifth grade girl in both these subjects and what was really nice about it was that I saw myself in this girl that I was working with. I remember the struggles I had so helping someone overcome their own struggles felt really rewarding. My favorite part of the experience is seeing the concept click on their face.”

Matthew Maggi "Playing football at Kinkaid has been my favorite thing I've done during my time here.

We had a really good team environment and lots of people would come out to the games.

The big crowd would make it really fun to play.

Aside from just going out and competing and becoming a better football player, I've gotten better at working with people, and my work ethic in the classroom has also improved. The best moment of football for me was by far winning the championship junior year; it is the most fun thing I've ever done."

Daniela Parada Sanchez “My best experience in high school was definitely studying abroad in Spain during sophomore year. Staying with my Spanish mother really got me better at Spanish. We took excursions on the weekends to various places. My favorite excursion was when we went to Ronda because it was pouring, and our tour guide was hilarious.”

Colin Conway “I’ve been involved with baseball, photography, and journalism throughout high school but my favorite has definitely been baseball. I’ve made lots of strong bonds and friendships over the years and I love how the program is run like a college program.

The best moment was definitely winning the championship sophomore year. Johnathon Thomas caught a flyball to seal the deal and we all dogpiled him.”

Sophie Parker “Most people assume that I’m in love with orchestra, but art has been the most impactful and meaningful for me. Prior to high school, I’d never done visual art, but I now plan on pursuing a career in it. Illustration is my focus, and my dream job is to be either a book illustrator or do something with graphic design. The ISAS festivals have had the biggest effect on me because of the various workshops they have and the feedback you get from the judges.”

Chris Choi

“Being one of the creators of the robotics team, I'd definitely say that I've had the best time working with my team. It's been fun working with my team members and it is truly amazing to see how far the team has come from when I was working with the administration trying to help get this program started to competing at various competitions.

I've gotten really good at writing emails since I've had to communicate with the administration so much. More seriously, I've learned how to work with groups of people.

My favorite robotics moments were at the most recent competition, which was regionals because the entire team was there and we had a great time together.”

Kirk Hachigian “Journalism has hands down been my favorite experience in high school. From starting as a sports reporter my freshman year to now being the sole Editor-in-Chief, I’ve grown a lot as a journalist and as a leader. I now approach different topics, whether they be Kinkaid-related, local, or international, with a different perspective and with a curious mind. I’ve tried to focus on turning the paper into something that can cover more areas than just our school. My best memories have been sitting in the press box when Secretary of State John Kerry spoke at Rice and interviewing Rockets GM Daryl Morey.”

Oscar Melendez “Cross country has had the biggest effect on me in high school. I will miss my teammates the most. I was so fortunate to have incredible teammates over the past four years so leaving them behind will be difficult to say the least as I consider many of them family now. The most memorable moment was winning the talent show at cross country camp over the summer since the entire team participated. Our talent show demonstrated our experiences with women here in Texas: DZ was a cocky weightlifter, Jeffers was a rich snob, and Andres was a nerd. It was pretty successful and everyone laughed.”

Eren Baysal “Starting the Investment Club my sophomore year has had a big effect on me. I started the club because I wanted to meet different kinds of people from different grades and because I wanted to create a good environment for people to come together and learn about investing. I was very pleased to see that my club grew to be one that has one of the most people in it. I learned that I wasn't a comfortable public speaker but as I went up and spoke each week, I figured some things out and got more comfortable.

The best experience was when we had someone from JP Morgan come and speak because it was good for everybody to see someone doing it as a profession and see how we can apply what we learn to the real world.”

Faraz Virani “Though most people know me for my extensive shoe collection and my passion on the basketball court, I’ve had the best time being an Admissions Ambassador. When I was new in 6th grade, it was hard not knowing anybody coming in so I wanted to help with people coming to Kinkaid and give back in this way. I’ll never forget Josh Williams because I saw him through the whole process. I gave him a tour and we spoke a lot on the tour. Then I saw him at student night and he did end up coming here. My time as an admissions ambassador has made me a more confident speaker and I do plan on working with admissions at SMU next year.”

Bryn Anderson

"Dance has obviously b me. I've only been in the D junior and senior years but at dance and it's really prep year I'm going to take. The Kinkaid is like a true family rehearsals where a couple o crying because of stress or applications so we're all ver performance this year was contemporary choreograph was essentially elegant flaili fun to do."

Emma Carr

"Writing for the new great experience. I've le of the various programs the computer. I write fo definitely improved as a like I've had an impact members who I've work part is seeing when the out each time because y your work comes out as

WHEN I THI EXPERIENC HONESTLY T COMPANY. W OTHER AT O OUR WORST HAVE THEY UNCONDITI TAUGHT ME MYSELF.

Katlyn Feldma

“The cheer program my high school experien as something that only r but I've tried to focus on Program Ambassador. T first field hockey, volleyb

Noah Pintar

“Model UN has by I've been involved with opportunities to travel and around the world.

York, and Philadelphia as Budapest, Hungary. logically develop an ar view. Model UN has a abilities as a public spe the program grow as a member of the group.

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nderson

obviously been the biggest for en in the Dance Company my r years but I've improved a lot really prepared me for the gap o take. The Dance Company at true family. There have been e a couple of people would be of stress or pressure about college we're all very close. My favorite s year was doing Kerry Sullivan's horeography project because it legant flailing which was really

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or the newspaper has been a nce. I've learned the nuances s programs that we use on . I write for every issue so I've roved as a writer and I feel an impact on the younger staff o I've worked with. The best when the newspaper comes because you get to see how mes out as a finished product."

N I THINK OF FORMATIVE RIENCES AT KINKAID, I ESTLY THINK OF THEATRE ANY. WE’VE SEEN EACH ER AT OUR BEST AND WORST, AND NOT ONLY THEY ACCEPTED ME NDITIONALLY, BUT THEY'VE HT ME HOW TO BELIEVE IN LF. —Rebecca Noel

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Feldman

heer program has been a big part of hool experience. Most people see cheer g that only relates to football games d to focus on expanding our scope as a mbassador. This year, we cheered at our ockey, volleyball, and basketball games.”

intar

UN has by far been the best thing volved with. It has given me great es to travel both around the country the world. I've been to Atlanta, New hiladelphia in the country as well , Hungary. I've also learned how to velop an argument and a point of UN has also greatly enhanced my public speaker. I feel that I've helped m grow as a leader and an older the group.”

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1. Sofia Gonzalez 2. Matthew Maggi 3. Daniela Parada Sanchez 4. Colin Conway 5. Sophie Parker 6.Christina Choi 7. Kirk Hachigian 8. Oscar Melendez 9. Eren Baysal 10. Faraz Virani 11. Bryn Anderson 12. Emma Carr 13. Katlyn Feldman 14. Noah Pintar

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A PLACE WE CALL HOME “The Student Center is a unifying space where our entire class could all hang out together. There always seemed to be someone in there.”

STORY BY MARY HELEN BURT

The first time we set foot in the Student Center was at freshman orientation, August of 2013. Each freshman advisory, led by their senior peer mentors, toured the entire Upper School.

We were routinely led into the space, warned not to return until our senior year, and quickly ushered out of the room before we could even get a good look around.

Before we knew it, it was August of 2016 and the first day of school of our senior year! We started off our final year with one of many traditions that come with occupying the Student Center: Every year on the first day of school, the reigning class gathers in the Student Center during tutorial to listen to music and catch up with the classmates we haven’t seen all summer. Senior girls wore their “Queens of Kinkaid” shirts and decorated themselves with a profusion of beads, crowns, and stickers. Boys came armed with bubbles and water guns, another first day tradition—running through the halls to mark the beginning of another school year and the rise of a new senior class.

The Student Center is a unifying space where our entire class could all hang out together. There always seemed to be someone in there, whether it was in the morning when they were supposed to be in tutorial but would rather lay on a couch; during lunch after picking up food off campus with their friends; or during free periods throughout the day. In years

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past, part of our class would hang out in the library, some by our lockers, and some would choose to stay in the cafeteria during their free time. Now in our last year, we finally had a space where the entire class could come together, lounge on the bean bags in the well, and maybe challenge each other to a game of Super Smash Bros.

Further establishing the space as a place for seniors, senior events were constantly held in the Student Center throughout the year. At the beginning of the year, the senior girls got to know their Freshman girls buddies by playing bonding games and surprising them with costumes to dress in for the day to welcome them to the upper school. At the start of second semester, a welcome back breakfast for the senior class was held in the Student Center. The Upper School faculty gathered to hear about our internship experiences from Interim Term and to help kick off our final semester as upper school students. Finally, throughout the spring semester, the Student Center was the arena for competitive tournaments in both ping pong and Super Smash Bros among members of the senior class. Most of the planned senior year events were concentrated in the Student Center all year, making it the place to be whether or not we were required to.

It was in those moments in the Student Center, however, when nothing was happening, that the best memories were made. Early in the mornings, members

of the class would have breakfast together and share delusional thoughts before class. Lunch time is always an exciting hour to be in the Student Center. The smells of food from different restaurants in the area waft through the air. There is music playing, friends chatting and laughing as they munch on their food, and boys cheering while watching William Ison’s impressive water bottle flipping up onto the high ceiling beams or everyone focusing in on Phin Sprague dominating the ping pong table.

Free periods became a major opportunity to get to know classmates that may have never shared a class. The most unique memories are from different free periods throughout the day. Early morning free could lead to two classmates falling asleep next to one another and late afternoon stress relief could lead to the creation of an obstacle course with races weaving throughout the entire room.

The possibilities are endless. The Student Center was always a place filled with cheering and laughter from each member of the Class of 2017.

There was something about those high ceiling, huge windows and skylights, questionable purple carpet and torn, purple and yellow furniture that seemed to bring our class together. The Senior Center was just that for the class of 2017, a place for every senior.

A a

Every senior knows these glass doors, that well, and those bean bags. This is our place.

Alex Williams slams the ball across the net in order to win a point against Cole Clements waiting on the opposite side.

Ace Nicolaou and Eren Baysal focus in on the screen as Kirby Cravens, Dylan Poynter, William Gage, and Nicolas Key battle it out in Super Smash Bros.

Kelly Fisher catches up on her sketching while Avery Hartwell and Eloise Detmering watch a video.

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The Final

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Ping Pong

Showdown In the two weeks leading up to their final Field Day, seniors paired off and began battling it out in the annual ping pong tournament. One senior after another was eliminated in games up to 11 points and a 2-point difference. The top eight seniors duked it out to 21 points until Field Day, when the final four met in front of the entire upper school to compete under a single spotlight. They hit back and forth until only Benji Rae and Saef Iftikhar were left on the floor of the Melcher Gym. The final match was a close one, but ultimately Iftikhar prevailed as the reigning 2017 champion.

Benji Rae Ben Padon (FF) Kirk Hachigian (FF)

Colin Conway Corbin Priest (FF)

Carter Guinn Jake Shaper

J.D. Dyer Amir Razavi (FF)

NO SHOW William Alcorn Matt Maggi Sax Morgan Colin Conway Carter Guinn Neha Afzalpurkar Michael Blalock J.D. Dyer Kirby Cravens Lawson Lamme Sam Richey Ace Nicolaou

Ace Nicolaou Ella Morgan

Benji Rae Matt Maggi Benji Rae Neha Afzalpurkar Sax Morgan Benji Rae

Neha Afzalpurkar

Michael Blalock Michael Blalock Kirby Cravens Michael Blalock Sam Richey (DQ) Sam Richey (DQ) Tommy Beeler Benji Rae

Tommy Beeler

Saef Iftikhar

Cole Clements Will McLeroy Eren Baysal Ford Young Faraz Virani (FF)

Michael Smith Rahul Popat (FF)

Saef Iftikhar Eren Baysal Robert Oelman Jake Reinbolt

William Ison Oscar Melendez

Ryan McClanahan Michael Smith Phin Sprague Evan Rosen Cole Mitchell Robert Schnitzer Willy DuCharme William Ison Austin Karkowsky Drake Greenwood

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Saef Iftikhar Ryan McClanahan

Rob Lahourcade Rob Lahourcade Ford Young

Thomas Schuenemann Evan Rosen

Saef Iftikhar Robert Oelman

Saef Iftikhar

Ryan McClanahan

Phin Sprague

Phin Sprague Cole Mitchell

Phin Sprague Willy DuCharme

Willy DuCharme Drake Greenwood

the 2017 winner

Saef Iftikhar

A April

promenade in

Seniors and juniors enjoy a night of luxe as royals at prom in the Olgilvie Lobby.

STORY BY REBECCA NOEL PHOTOS BY DAVID SHUTTS Ben Padon & Maggie Wallis

Ashton Lambert & Eloise Detmering

As students rolled up to the entrance of the Ogilvie lobby on April 22nd, they were greeted with a unicorn. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a real unicorn but rather a horse with glittered hooves and a horn strapped to its head, but really, who else can look back on their senior prom and say that there was a unicorn in attendance?

It looked like a scene right out of a storybook. Organizers pulled out all the stops to make the “Purple Reign” William Gage & Abby Greenbaum Prom a magical night complete with a silver living statue to take photos with, chandeliers, neon lights, black jack tables, and some really good macaroons. Even with all of the glitz and glamour, the consensus was that the best part of the night was simply dancing and goofing off with friends, squeezing into the Photo Booth and throwing on plastic crowns and feather boas. Dr. Clayton and Ms. Fayard even got in on the fun and were sure to get huge group photos with every student in their AP Biology and AP Modern European History Turn the page for classes, respectively. It was the last prom the more prom photos Class of 2017 would share. And it was awesome.

Matt Maggi & Mina Abbassian Louise McCartney & Rob Lahourcade

Ace Nicolaou & Guest

Margaret Durning & Rebecca Noel Ashley Deutser & Robert Schnitzer

Cole Mitchell & Sarah Fullenweider

Jordan Kassab & J.D. Dyer

Benji Rae, Lexie Heim, Jennifer Jacobe, Dylan Poynter Colin Conway & Guest

Charlie Marix & Eren Baysal

Ryan Vu, Rebecca Noel Mary Helen Burt and Willy DuCharme

Charlie Marix, Julia Davis, Christiana Reckling

Prom 4/22/17

Photos by David Shutts

Pierce Johnson, Tommy Beeler, William Alcorn

Nico Sax Morgan, Sarah Bass Ashley Pakzaban and guest

Ethan Sykes and guest

Thomas Schuenemann, Lexie Heim

Michael Smith and Tommy Ereli with guests

Emily Talbert, Brock Looser, Marie Parra

Jake Reinbolt, Lawson Lamme, Ben Padon, Kirby Cravens

Kcenia Kloesel, Malcolm Hedgepeth, Ruth Ann Bajgier, Ella Morgan, Josh Mehling, Kelly Fisher, Emmy Reckling

Anna Glickman and John Goettee

Corbin Priest, Caroline Reid

Louise McCartney, Ashley Deutser

Hannah Barden

Nia Caldwell, Jaelyn Hamilton, guest, Kennedy Gamble, Chinaza Ndee, Alexis Johnson, Marie Mays and date

Sellers Thomas and Hany Kim

Brighton Huynh, Mitali Sharma, Rahul Popat, Neha Afzalpurkar

Kerry Sullivan, Robin Kate Davis

C a

Katlyn Feldman and Ford Young

Purple Reign

utts

Alex Williams, Robin Kate Davis Nicolas Key, Emma Carr

Jennifer Jacobe, William Alcorn

Sophie Parker, Filip Kesicki

Amir Razavi, Alyssa Karchmer

Brittney Williams, Tiffany Ajumobi

es

Marie Atmar, Faraz Virani

Daniela Parada Sanchez, Jake Shaper

Guest, Sax Morgan, Ben Lewis, Phil Mentz

Ellie Nakfoor, Kat Smith, Ellee Dukes, Elizabeth Mitchell

William Wells, Emmy Heyser

Whitney Burke, Sasha Inchauste, Vivian Liu

Drake Greenwood Christine Kendrick, Saskia Veldkamp, Ania Lewis, Cody Meng, Sabrina Bajwa, Jason Yang

Grace Wimbish, Chris Choi

Dylan Poynter, Jake Hammer, Carter Guinn

Phin Sprague and Sari Raizner

Chris Choi, Zubair Mukhi

Robert Schnitzer, William Ison, guest, Robert Oelman

Chelsea Collmer and date

Skylar Steele and Will McLeroy

Kristine Yang and Oscar Melendez

Hannah Chambers

HOW TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE A GUIDE FOR SUCCESS

"AT KINKAID YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY THE SAME PEOPLE. IT'S DIFFERENT IN COLLEGE. DON'T BE A STRANGER AND SAY HELLO TO SOMEONE NEW." — HANNAH HOLLIDAY (CLASS OF 2016)

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Go back and see your favorite teachers. (Lower and Middle School teachers, too!)

Eat a Kinkaid breakfast one last time. Grab an omelette or one of Chef Harris' delicious Texasshaped waffles.

Thank a facilities employee!

They’ve done more for you than you can imagine over your time here.

Make a bucket list of places around Kinkaid you want to visit for the last time. Hang out in the quad (Jump in the fountain, if you want!), walk on the Brown Auditorium catwalk, etc.

Talk to someone who you don’t usually interact with.

Eat more kolaches! (Especially if you’re leaving Texas) Hang out at Starbucks with your friends or go on a late night Whata run one last time.

Play golf with your dad and his business associates at HCC one last time. (You know who you are...)

Go do something cool in Houston that you’ve never done before. Go to Discovery Green, get lost in Montrose and eat at a place you’ve never been to before, go kayaking in Buffalo Bayou, visit the Rothko Chapel, roll down the big hill at Hermann Park, visit a museum–The Menil, HMNS, MFAH. Spend time with your family!

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WHAT NOT TO FORGET

WHEN YOU GET THERE

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Healthy snacks to keep around your dorm Unhealthy snacks to hide under your bed and not share with your roommate First aid kit A bike–especially if you're going to be on a large campus A mini fridge and microwave A planner (time management will be the key to your success) Laundry basket or bag Bathrobe if you have communal bathrooms… especially if you live on a co-ed floor A loud alarm clock Pepper spray or a safety whistle Air freshener for your potentially smelly roommate Speakers Throw blankets to keep around your dorms Q-tips and safety pins Comfy desk chair Full length hanging mirror Wall hangings, twinkly lights, rugs, whatever–give your room a personal touch Photos of your high school friends!

A corkboard to hang photos of your new friends A set time to Facetime your high school friends and keep in touch

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Don’t take classes before 10:00am.

Do laundry at the same time each week. That way it will actually happen! (Weekdays are best because no one else is there.)

Eat healthy and exercise!

Find your spot where you can do homework without being disturbed.

Set boundaries and rules with your roommate.

Get involved! Try one thing that you never imagined yourself doing.

Be realistic. Don’t try to do everything.

Create a daily routine to keep track of time. Your planner will be your best friend.

If you're going to a big school, make it feel small by sitting at the front of the room and in the same seat everyday. Get to know the people who sit around you and form study groups.

Go to office hours. Get to know your professors.

Chances are that they're seriously accomplished individuals, and they are here for your benefit. Take advantage of this time with them.

Call your family. They're going to miss you, and despite what you may think, you're going to miss them, too.

at a glance “IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE STUDENT DRESS CODE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DRAFT AND SUBMIT A ONE PAGE POINT PAPER OUTLINING SPECIFIC CHANGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED. ALL PAPERS WILL BE REVIEWED WITHIN THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS.”

136 seniors in the Class of 2017

“FOLLOW YOUR HEART Prom moves back to the Ogilvie Lobby and features a live unicorn.

Mr. Josh Ramey, Dean of Students, in an email to the student body on April 7, reminding them that if they wear T-shirts to school, it must be a college shirt or a Kinkaid shirt. Cotillion and Young Life shirts are not included.

THE GOOD

AND TRUST YOUR GUT. LET PEOPLE SURPRISE YOU. SOMETIMES LIFE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD. SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER THAT WAY. ABOVE ALL, BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND TO OTHERS.”

THE BAD

1,244 Kinkaid seniors sent out 1,244 college applications to 193 different schools across the world.

1 to 20 SCHOOLS The lowest number of applications submitted by a student was one, and six students applied to over twenty schools.

"Don't be afraid to switch majors.

You may discover another field that is a better fit for you."

Mrs. Shannon Terrill, a learning specialist, is supportive and caring. Students can always count on her for her sweet smile, thoughtful advice, and, of course, candy.

Recieving the Week Ahead – or, ahem, Weekly Bulletin – midday on a Friday.

Wrabel (Class of '07), artist and storyteller, performed on Field Day, surprising the Upper School with a stunning performace. Downto-earth, he was honest and funny, telling us about how his path was 'not a straight one".

$159.85 per day

Every time you skip school, you throw about $160 away, not including lunch or gas money.

“Don’t join group chats.”

Advice from Rahul Popat, senior class president, on college group chats, which are extremely stressful and annoying. Rahul is known for his strong leadership and memorable performance as emcee of the Dating Game during the 2017 Field Day.

// LEGACY // 15

DEAR

SENIOR ME

When we were freshmen in Decisions class, many of us wrote letters to our senior selves. We perhaps speculated about who we would end up becoming, hoping for popularity, stardom, academic achievement, athletic success, or maybe just to make it this far. Maybe we thought weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have it all figured out.

For most of us, that couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be further from the truth. These are some of the things we said to our current selves when it all began.

BY REBECCA NOEL

“Hey, how are you? I hope you’re going to a college you like in California. I also hope you have a dog by now.”

—Someone going to UT (and also doesn’t have a dog)

“You’re still single, aren’t you?...”

—Someone who is, in fact, single

“I hope you are a way cooler/more interesting human than I am now as a freshman. It would be really cool if you had a European boyfriend.”

“I’m sure you’re gonna do great things (well, ya know, probably).”

—Someone who’s not going to college in Europe

“If you have regrets, I want to tell you that it’s all okay. Everyone screws up at some point.”

—Someone who changed her mind about where to go to college at 11:57 p.m. on April 30

“Please tell me you have enough sports credits. I mean, I know you’re not athletic, but for the love of God, don’t be the person who doesn’t graduate because they don’t have enough sports credits.”

—Someone who came in clutch with that badminton credit

“I’m not really sure what to ask for: Good grades?

Success in debate? World peace? I know I’m just an unrealistic freshman, but I hope you, four-year updated version of me, have found something that makes you happy. A true passion.”

—Someone who has achieved just about all of this except for world peace. She’s working on that.

// LEGACY // 17

2003 - 2016

Sep. 30th, 2016

Sep. 16th, 2016 Aug. 21st, 2016

As our final summer as high schoolers came to a close, we gathered for the first time as a senior class at One Last Blast. Over tacos, we caught up with our friends and shared stories of our summer adventures. Marie Parra decorates her car with fun designs and inside jokes before joining our class as we stood for the classic graduation year formation photo.

Whether the costume had been meticulously planned four years in advance or thrown together four hours prior, our senior girls may very well have put on one of the greatest Wacky Dress Days of all time.

The cast of High School Musical, members of the band Kiss, and even the entire Kardashian clan were some of the day's standout costumes.

Kanye West (Charlie Marix) poses with mother-in-law Kris Jenner (Sarah Fullenweider) and Ashley Deutser helps fellow senior citizen Sarah Bass with her wig.

August

2016

STORY BY CHARLIE MARIX

A Look Back On Our

Arguably even more anticipated than the football game against St. John's is the Kinkaid vs. EHS game. With the highest away-game fan turnout, we cheered on our players while blasting music and showing off our best 70's attire. Mary Helen Burt and Ellie Nakfoor support William Ison and Kirby Cravens by donning the fanfavorite senior players' masks.

September

2016

This is a look back on the legacy weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve left specifically in our senior year. From One Last Blast to graduation, we have finally completed our journey as the class of 2017.

Legacy // LEGACY // 19

p q s

Oct. 22th, 2016

Oct. 7th - 9th, 2016 Year after year, the Austin City Limits Music Festival never fails to deliver great artists and even better food. A popular weekend oasis, you're unlikely to walk five steps without running into a classmate. Ruth Ann Bajgier, Nicolas Key, and Ella Morgan take in some rays by the Honda Stage after indulging in some burgers from Shake Shack, while Neha Afzalpurkar shares photos of her order from The Waffle Bus.

Finally, we had the opportunity to exercise our right as seniors to nominate the Homecoming court.

Although the pair were up against some pretty stiff competition, Chinaza Ndee and

Rob Lahourcade were elected by

the student body as our homecoming

Queen and King. Rejoicing over

their victory, the two danced the

night away among their loyal

subjects. Willy DuCharme is the

life of the party as he crowd surfs

over his fellow classmates.

October

November

2016

Oct. 19th, 2016 While the underclassmen suffered through practice standardized testing, we got a peek into life after Kinkaid during Alumni Leadership Day. A series of specialized panels offered insight into how our high school has prepared past students for their individual fields. Anvi Nandish and Tommy Ereli compare panel agendas before the opening presentation, and after, Sophie Parker discusses career opportunities post-graduation with an alum over lunch.

20 // LEGACY //

2016

Nov. 8th, 2016 In celebration of our eligibility to "exercise the franchise," Dr. Harris threw an Election Night party for his students with plenty of bet-placing and endless boxes of pizza. The night ended with a bang to say the least as President Donald Trump came out victorious.

William Alcorn shows off his "I Voted" sticker after visiting the polls for the first time as a registered voter.

Jan. 21st, 2017 Dec. 16th, 2016 With the final mid-term of our high school careers to mark the End of First Semester, the perks of being a second semester senior just start to wind up.

Donut Delight is always the perfect way to bring the final school week of the calendar year to a close. Jordan Kassab, Chinaza Ndee, Whitney Burke, Brittney Williams, and Kristine Yang celebrate their annual Secret Santa gift exchange at Brock Looser's house with lots of friends and hot chocolate.

December

2016

For three years, we anxiously awaited our Senior Internships. Dylan Poynter and Benji Rae dressed the part for their internships at Walter Oil and Gas while they learned the ropes of the industry.

Senior year also marks our final Cotillion. Emmy Heyser and Brighton Huynh get ready for the dance as Emmy carefully places the boutonniere on his lapel.

January

2017

Dec. 16th, 2016 -Jan. 2nd, 2017 During Winter Break, Evan Rosen traveled with his family to Iceland to see family and beautiful scenery. They roadtripped to various sites, such as Glacier Bay, the Blue Lagoon, and the Northern Lights. Hannah Chambers visited Canada to see her grandma and cousins. She went skiing, snowmobiling, and tubing with her family.

// LEGACY // 21

Feb. 16th, 2017 The Winter SPC tournament marked the end of the winter sports season. Girls Varsity Basketball proudly showed off their championship trophy as they finished SPC in first place. Alongside basketball, Girls Varisty Swimming took home first place as well.

Feb. 4th, 2017 We held our second annual Coffee House in the Student Center this year. The event drew several talented students and teachers alike to showcase their skills among our community. Rebecca Noel performed "Bluebird" by Sara Bareilles.

February

2017

22 // LEGACY //

March

2017

Mar. 10th - 21st 2017

Mar. 25th, 2017

The most popular vacation destination over Senior Spring Break is by far Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Upwards of 80 seniors made the trip to Paradise Island to start the graduation celebration early. After their stay at Atlantis, Pierce Johnson and William Ison kept the party going and took a boat ride all the way to Harbour Island.

For the first time since 2014, India Club brought the Holi Festival of Color back to Kinkaid. A ticket ($5) purchased entry to the event, which took place on the Harrison House Green, and access to the Indian food buffet.

Although his glasses were splattered with color, Brighton Huynh enthusiastically played through the blindness, battling his friends with colored powder and water guns.

Apr. 4th, 2017

May 5th, 2017

Students from Upper School set up booths at Culture Fest where they represented countries from around the world with dancing, food, and traditional dress.

Seniors in the India Club, Neha Afzalpurkar, Mitali Sharma, Emily Talbert, Marie Parra, and Jordan Kassab took home the award for Best Performance.

Oscar Melendez and Ace Nicolau committed in front of a crowd of friends and family to take their athletic talents to Haverford College and Texas Lutheran University, respectively, at the athletic signings in the Melcher gym. That day, they signed along with six other seniors: Jake Shaper, Matt Maggi, Sasha Inchauste, Ford Young, Michael Smith, and Pierce Johnson.

April

May

2017

Apr. 20th, 2017

Each year, the senior class looks forward to Field Day, where they get to help pre-schoolers with their Maypole race as well as sport the shirt of the college they plan to attend. Brittney Williams, Sellers Thomas, and John Goettee hype up their lower school buddies in anticipation of their race across the football field.

Apr. 24th, 2017

Senior students in the visual arts unveiled this year's Senioritis exhibit in the Student Life Building. Gifted sculpters, drawers, painters, and photographers showcased their art while teachers and students treated themselves to snacks as they admired the Class of 2017's work.

2017

Apr. 27th - 29th 2017

The seniors led their teams to strong finishes for the last time at spring SPC. Carter Guinn and JD Dyer beam with the championship trophy won by Boys Golf. The seniors in spring sports have been integral leaders in Kinkaid athletics, with three of them continuing to play in college, including Drake Greenwood who will play baseball at the University of Missouri along with Sasha Inchauste and Michael Smith who will play tennis at West Point and SMU, respectively.

// LEGACY // 23

off-campus

lunches

by Mitali Sharma & Michael Smith & Emmy Reckling

O H d T A T b E B L d

Five Guys

Whole Foods

Whataburger

7 min / 1.1 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Burger, Fries, and Peanuts

8 min / 1.3 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Sushi and Tapioca Pudding

5 min / 1.2 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, Patty Melt

Pei Wei

Starbucks

Cane's

5 min / 1.1 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Sesame Chicken

5 min / 1.1 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Iced Coffee

11 min / 2 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Canes Sauce and Texas Toast

Chick-Fil-A

Cafe Express

Smoothie King

10 min / 2.3 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Waffle fries with Polynesian Sauce 24 // LEGACY //

8 min / 1.6 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: French Toast

6 min / 1.1 miles from Kinkaid Recommended: Angel Food Smoothie

In un cu tre tru th Sy I'v

On Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 12:39pm, Beyoncé announced that she was having twins on Instagram. Students found out during lunch period on a block day, and they ran through the halls screaming about it.

On Wednesday, April 26th, the dystopian Hulu original series The Handmaid's Tale debuted. With a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the show based on Margaret Atwood's novel has resonated with a lot of TV viewers, generating a lot of praise and buzz. Notable stars of the show included Elisabeth Moss, Samira Wiley, and Alexis Bledel. This year, Ms. Fleming's Critical Literature class studied this novel and discussed the pilot episode.

LEGACY’S ANNUAL TAKE ON

Although Nick Viall chose Vanessa Grimaldi on last season of the Bachelor, Rachel Lindsay went on to become the first ever AfricanAmerican Bachelorette on the famous ABC show watched by millions of people. As soon as she received the first impression rose from Viall, she became a quick fan favorite.

by Mitali Sharma and Marie Parra

LOVE IT LEAVE IT

WHAT POPPED IN CULTURE

In 2016, more and more multicolored unicorn food items, like toast and cupcakes, began popping up in small, trendy cafés across the country. The trend truly broke in early 2017 with the release of the Starbucks unicorn frappucino. Ethan Sykes said, "It's the best and the worst thing I've ever put in my mouth."

On Monday, April 10 at Chicago O'Hare Airport, a doctor was dragged off an overbooked United Airlines flight. The CEO initially stood behind United's decision to forcibly remove the passenger, but caved after the swelling of public outrage and apologized.

In early April, Pepsi released an ad featuring Kendall Jenner, marching in a protest and handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. Within 48 hours after the video's release, it received over 1.6 million views on YouTube. Uproar broke out in the comment section and on Twitter, as viewers accused Pepsi of cultural appropriation and using the Black Lives Matter movement to sell soda.

For 24 hours in the last week of April, social media was dominated by reports of disaster at the Fyre Festival. The music festival, conceived by entrepreneur Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, was promoted by supermodels like Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski as a luxury music experience on a remote and private island in the Bahamas. When concertgoers arrived however, they found emergency relief tents instead of lavish lodges, limp salads and cheese on bread instead of gourmet dishes, and no way off the island. Attendees tweeted stories of tents and other belongings being stolen. Ja Rule tweeted, "I truly apologize as this is NOT MY FAULT", which didn't go over well. Within 72 hours, a $100 million class action lawsuit was filed against the organizers.

// LEGACY // 25

LEGACY. blueprint

8

7

1

6 9

2

3

5

10

4 11

12

14

13

Map by Whitney Burke, '17

17

1

5

The dungeon

science wing

The narrow hallway leading into the Biology wing, the “Dungeon” is the renowned freshmen hangout. As freshmen, the Class of 2017 was notorious for blocking this walkway. Although it’s pretty tight quarters, this hallway quickly became a cherished hangout where students could work on last-minute homework and socialize with friends.

Mr. Kliza, Ms. Miller, Ms. Cross, Dr. Anderson, and Ms. Zeigler dominate the chemistry and physics wing. Whether you took Honors Chemistry and lit Maverick red gummy bears on fire with Mr. Kliza or built crazy tall rollercoasters with the physics teachers, it was always a good time.

2

Moran library Forever associated with the Moran Library is the “White Tiger.” Sophomore year we occupied the upstairs library and the space next to the computer labs. Always a place to chat with friends before school and during lunch, we’ll also remember the puzzles, chess sets, March Madness book bracket, book spine poetry contests, and word of the day.

3

6

Oh, the PLACES WE WENT STORY BY MARIE PARRA 9

12

student life building

the forgotten years

the fields

Arts, one of the three A’s at Kinkaid. With a wide variety of visual, digital, or 3D art, the Student Life Building was spilling over with creativity and artistry.

In one hall, Journalism and Yearbook students stayed late for deadlines.

Also, we will never forget Mr. Curry’s AP U.S. History class junior year.

Oh, Middle School. These were the years of "brace face" and puberty or rather the years we try to forget. From quad time to itchy, blue skirts – no matter what temperature it was outside – Middle School was not so fun.

With no freedom to drive and more homework than Lower School, junior high truly was the “middle child” of our education.

Still, we'll think back fondly on our teachers who got us through.

Intimidated by seniors during tryouts freshmen year, we have grown into the senior star-athletes. Fall season, cross country would run around the track at 6:00 am. Winter season, soccer would run up and down the football fields. Spring season, baseball would make homeruns.

7

10

13

The deans

performing arts

the dlc

barnhart stadium

Although we only entered the Deans Office for candy all freshman and sophomore year, the Deans were invaluable junior and senior year. Our deans helped us through our breakdowns and comforted us after we failed a test. While the college process caused much stress, the Deans helped relieve some of our worries.

Dance performances.

One acts. Musicals. Plays.

Choir. Orchestra. Band.

Children’s Theatre. The performing arts at Kinkaid thrives with amazing talent. Each student works hard to memorize their lines and learn their music to show off to peers, faculty, and parents.

While we hated the DLC for making us eat in the Brown and Commons junior year, once it was completed, the new and improved cafeteria was totally worth the wait.

The popular “Falcon Fuel” cafe in the DLC has lines of students waiting to get coffee and chocolate chip muffins.

This stadium holds much significance for us. Watching the football games on Friday nights is a Texas tradition. Yell leaders would bang on trashcans and students would jump on the stands, creating a rowdy scene. Barnhart Stadium will forever be in our Barn-hearts.

4

8

11

14

brain gym

the golden years

the gyms

the garage

Renowned Ms. Forster begins class everyday with brain gyms to warm up students.

We remember doing the elephant, swinging around our arms and rolling our eyes from twelve o'clock to nine o'clock.

Blue Door, Green Door, and Red Door seemed an age ago.

Pre-K was a time without worries, where Lifers did not have homework and could play on the playground all day.

Let's remember International Day and loving Field Day.

From playing dodgeball in Lower School to chanting at pep rallies in Middle School to attending our first Homecoming in Upper School, the gyms not only served as a place for sports but also some of our favorite traditions.

The million-dollar garage that forced us to park off campus junior year. We love it if our spots are right next to the elevator and hate it if we have to walk a mile to reach the Upper School doors. // LEGACY // 27

SENIOR

GLOW UPS

From freshman year Tiffany to senior year "Chief Teef," Ajumobi has truly blossomed, making her peers shout, “Yass kween!” when she walks into the room. Her Princess Diariesesque transformation hit us like a bus. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has shed her glasses and definitely left her mark on the school, serving as Vice President of the Community Service Council and taking basically every AP class known to man. She's also ready to tear it up at Yale University next year. “Should I take this as a compliment or an insult?” Tiffany wonders.

Tiffany Ajumobi 28 // LEGACY //

Sax has made a name for himself in Kinkaid sports, playing on both the varsity baseball and football teams. Of his own personal expereicne over the course of Upper School, Sax says, “Over the course of your four years in high school, you will see a significant amount of change in yourself and in your peers. It’s exciting to watch each other transition into adults and move on to great things."

Sax Morgan

B

We've all changed quite a bit since freshman year (thank goodness), but some people have particularly "glowed up." Sure, they look different than they did as freshmen, but they've also grown as people, really finding what makes them who they are and figuring out how to be themselves. Here are their stories.

Since freshman year, Brighton has not only grown as a person but also developed his own personal style. He’s known for his cool New York hipster aesthetic and even asked Wrabel, who performed at Field Day this year, where he could “cop a shirt” like his. When asked about how he’s changed, Brighton said,“Since freshman year I have realised the best thing to do is just be real to yourself. Even though you might make friends doing it, being fake is not worth it. Do things you care about, keep an open mind, and explore both yourself and the opportunities around you.”

Brighton Huynh

STORY BY REBECCA NOEL

From neon green dip-dyed hair to getting crossfit ripped, Kristine has definitely come into her own over the last four years. She has developed amazing self-confidence and is a leader in the class. “Kristine is super cool and funny. Not to mention, she’s also hella smart,” said one senior, Jordan Kassab. However, Kristine still feels connected to her freshman self, saying,“I think though I have changed my appearance through clothes and haircuts, I still feel and look like a lost freshman about 99.9% of the time. Also, as for a cringey story about freshman year, let’s just leave it at my bangs. Those were the definition of tragic.”

Kristine Yang // LEGACY // 29

How the Class of 2017 grew up together.

STORY BY MARY HELEN BURT

PAGE 30

Friends since forever

"These people are your

littermates.

Y'all grew up together and would do anything for anyone in this class."

— Annie Thompkins, Kinkaid Class of 2000

FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER

Brock Looser celebrated her graduation with 21 of her closest friends from her classes, from dance company, and from her theatre experiences.

Whether we liked it or not, we grew up together—as a class. We learned how to read together, how to write together, how to spell together. We played through our Lower School years, survived the turmoil of Middle School, and found who we are as individuals in Upper School, all as a class. A large part of our formative years was spent with the same people.

The same ones that we are about to walk onto the football field with, in our caps and gowns, to receive our diplomas. From Lower School Curry Kisses to AP US History Mr. Curry’s rambling lessons on tyranny and despotism, the Class of 2017 has come very far, but not without forming some

32 // LEGACY //

of the greatest friendships along the way.

The limited amount of freedom in Lower School pushed us to make new and different friends each year. Every year we switched homeroom teachers and spent our days with different classmates. Although we had recess with the entire class, the opportunity to get to know a different handful of classmates year in Lower School really allowed our class to bond as a whole.

Heading into our Middle School years, our class doubled in size, and we accepted new friendly faces into our friend groups and lunch tables. Unlike Lower School, we all anticipated the freedom of switching classes and the

various class trips we would take each year. Not only did we get to know our classmates during passing periods, eating lunch together, and socializing during quad time, but we also got to know each other on various trips across the state and across the country. In sixth grade, we went to Mo Ranch and learned to trust our classmates, new and old. Tethered by just a rope being held tightly by our classmates, we each took turns plummeting from fifty feet up in the air on The Big Gulp. In seventh grade and again in eighth grade, we bonded through hours trapped on a bus with touring the entire state of Texas and the next year in our country’s capital. Before we knew it, we were graduating from eighth grade and heading into the Upper School.

These last four years were when our class really came together. Having class with one person, dance rehearsal with another, and sports practice after school with people you hadn’t seen all day was the beauty of Kinkaid’s goal to have every student strive to be an artist, an athlete, and involved in academics. As we found our individual passions, it was our differences that allowed us to come together as one.

The friendships made are ones that we will truly never forget and the friends made were true. They were the ones in the audience when your parents couldn’t make it to your performance.

They were the ones on the sidelines when the rest of the fan section was empty. They were the ones that asked you how that big test, quiz, or project went when you got it back. In the end, as we found ourselves as individuals, we accepted one another because we were different.

Alex Williams and William Wells met in Pre-K. Ever since Blue Door, they have been by each other's side the entire time. They battled their way through third grade and Mr. Gatowsky together.

Throughout Middle and Upper school, they constantly played video games, such as Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Battlefield, and spent so much time at each other's houses that they could practically walk in unannounced.

Their bromance contains traditions stacked on traditions. They have so many memories from junior and high school it is hard to count. In Middle School, Wells fell down the stairs due to an intense video game, breaking his wrist. In high school, Williams and Wells almost got the fire department called on them because they made a smoke bomb so big that it looked like there was a fire in the backyard. They have even gone on skiing trips to Snowmass, a trip to New York for Wells' birthday, and trips to Europe.

They do almost everything together from going to music festivals, movies, dinners, and everything in between â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they truly are a dynamic duo. Wells states, "From Blue Door to next year at SMU together, our friendship will continue to thrive and grow with unforgettable memories."

Alex Williams

&

Ashley Deutser & Jake Shaper

William WeLls

"We have been friends for as long as I can remember."

As a result of their parents friendship, Ashley and Jake have literally been friends since day one.

They were born in rooms right next to each other in the same hospital. They were born a single hour apart. They lived within walking distance of each other for ten years of their childhood.

They grew up together.

Almost as if they were siblings, Ashley and Jake shared everything from groups of friends all the way to their yearly birthday celebrations. Each year on their birthday, their parents would come to the lunchtime celebration in the lower school to help celebrate another year with cupcakes and cookies. Their fourth grade year, Jake and Ashley were both in Ms. Curry's homeroom class so their parents came to ring in their 10th year with the rest of the Kinkaid 4th grade class. After the entire grade sang to the two, Mr. Deutser proceeded to pick up Jake and threaten to dump him in the trash can off to the side. Ashley giggled as Jake attempted to fight back. Before they knew it, it was eight years down the road on their 18th birthday. The Deutsers and the Shapers collaborated on one last birthday celebration by throwing a birthday bash at Jake's house. The night consisted of listening to music, Torchy's Tacos, and singing to the two once again as they blew out the candles on a cake adorned with their childhood pictures.

After 18 years of childhood shared, they now go their separate ways to different colleges. Ashley will remain in-state to attend the University of Texas at Austin while Jake will head all the way to Rhode Island to attend Brown University. The sibling-like friendship that has developed over the years is sure to overcome the 1,922 miles that will stand between them.

LEGACY

college destinations FALCONS flying far

northeast

gap year

Chris Choi, Carnegie Mellon University, PA Anna Glickman, University of Pennsylvania, PA Sofia Gonzalez, University of Pennsylvania, PA Oscar Melendez, Haverford College, PA Chinaza Ndee, University of Pittsburgh, PA Ben Padon, University of Pennsylvania, PA Kerry Sullivan, Muhlenberg College, PA Brittney Williams, Villanova University, PA

Bryn Anderson, West Coast Swing Competitions

WEST

Julia Davis, Loyola Marymount University, CA Sarah Fullenweider, University of Southern California, CA Olivia Hart, University of Southern California, CA Avery Hartwell, University of Southern California, CA Austin Karkowsky, University of Southern California, CA Charlie Marix, University of Southern California, CA Philip Mentz, Chapman University, CA Kaylie Mings, Stanford University, CA Ashley Pakzaban, University of Southern California, CA Salman Popatia, University of California, Los Angeles, CA Caroline Reid, University of Southern California, CA Mitali Sharma, University of California, Los Angeles, CA Sophia Sole, Stanford University, CA Sellers Thomas, Chapman University, CA Nolan Watt, Saddleback College, CA

midwest

Marie Parra, University of Chicago, IL Jason Yang, University of Chicago, IL Saef Iftikhar, University of Michigan, MI Sax Morgan, Michigan State University, MI Alexis Johnson, Indiana University at Bloomington, IN Noah Pintar, Indiana University at Bloomington, IN Zubair Mukhi, Case Western Reserve University, OH Katlyn Feldman, Washington University in St. Louis, MO Drake Greenwood, University of Missouri, MO Alyssa Karchmer, Washington University in St. Louis, MO Jordan Kassab, Washington University in St. Louis, MO Ania Lewis, Washington University in St. Louis, MO Marie Mays, University of Missouri, MO Ford Young, Washington University in St. Louis, MO

South

Mina Abbassian, University of Texas, Austin, TX Neha Afzalpurkar, University of Texas, Austin, TX William Alcorn, University of Texas, Austin, TX Marie Atmar, Texas A&M University, TX Ruth Ann Bajgier, Texas A&M University, TX Hannah Barden, University of Texas, Austin, TX Sarah Bass, University of Texas, Austin, TX Eren Baysal, University of Texas, Austin, TX Tommy Beeler, Texas Christian University, TX Michael Blalock, Southern Methodist University, TX Emma Carr, University of Texas, Austin, TX Hannah Chambers, University of Texas, Austin, TX Cole Clements, Texas Christian University, TX Chelsea L Collmer, Baylor University, TX Colin Conway, Trinity University, TX Kirby Cravens, Southern Methodist University, TX Ashley Deutser, University of Texas, Austin, TX Ellee Dukes, University of Texas, Austin, TX J.D. Dyer, Texas A&M University, TX Tommy Ereli, University of Texas, Austin, TX Kelly Fisher, Texas A&M University, TX William Gage, University of Texas, Austin, TX Jaelyn Hamilton, Prairie View A&M University, TX Jake Hammer, Texas Christian University, TX Emmy Heyser, Texas A&M University, TX William Ison, University of Texas, Austin, TX Christine Kendrick, Trinity University, TX Lawson Lamme, Texas A&M University, TX Matt Maggi, Southern Methodist University, TX Rylan Maksoud, University of Texas, Austin, TX Louise McCartney, University of Texas, Austin, TX 34 // LEGACY //

Ryan McClanahan, Texas A&M University, TX Will McLeroy, University of Texas, Austin, TX Cody Meng, Rice University, TX Cole Mitchell, University of Texas, Austin, TX Elizabeth Mitchell, University of Texas, Austin, TX Ellie Nakfoor, University of Texas, Austin, TX Anvi Nandish, University of Texas, Austin, TX Ace Nicolaou, Texas Lutheran University, TX Rebecca Noel, Rice University, TX Robert Oelman, University of Texas, Austin, TX Sophie Parker, Rice University, TX Rahul Popat, Rice University, TX Dylan Poynter, University of Texas, Austin, TX Corbin Priest, Austin Community College, TX Benji Rae, University of Texas, Austin, TX Amir Razavi, University of Texas, Austin, TX Emmy Reckling, St. Edward's University, TX Jake Reinbolt, Southern Methodist University, TX Robert Schnitzer, University of Texas, Austin, TX Thomas Schuenemann, Southern Methodist University, TX Thomas Sellers, Southern Methodist University, TX Kat Smith, Southern Methodist University, TX Michael Smith, Southern Methodist University, TX Phin Sprague, Southwestern University, TX Skylar Steele, University of Texas, Austin, TX Saskia Veldkamp, Trinity University, TX Faraz Virani, Southern Methodist University, TX William Wells, Southern Methodist University, TX Alex Williams, Southern Methodist University, TX Kristine Yang, Rice University, TX Katarina Zarutskie, Baylor University, TX

Margaret Durning, Tufts University, MA Ella Morgan, Boston University, MA Ethan Sykes, Tufts University, MA Eloise Detmering, New York University, NY Kirk Hachigian, Cornell University, NY Brighton Huynh, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art, NY Sasha Inchauste, United States Military Academy - Army, NY Malcolm Little, New York University, NY Vivian Liu, Columbia University, NY Brock Looser, New York University, NY Josh Mehling, Syracuse University, NY Maggie Wallis, Columbia University, NY Tiffany Ajumobi, Yale University, CT John Goettee, Princeton University, NJ Sabrina Bajwa, Brown University, RI Jake Shaper, Brown University, RI

Abby Greenbaum, Tulane University, LA Daniela Parada Sanchez, Tulane University, LA Christiana Reckling, University of Mississippi, MS Robin Kate Davis, Sewanee: The University of the South, TN Willy DuCharme, Vanderbilt University, TN Lexie Heim, Vanderbilt University, TN Jennifer Jacobe, Vanderbilt University, TN Pierce Johnson, Sewanee: The University of the South, TN Nicolas Key, Sewanee: The University of the South, TN Kcenia Kloesel, Sewanee: The University of the South, TN Grace Wimbish, Rhodes College, TN Whitney Burke, University of Virginia, VA James Goettee, Washington and Lee University, VA Rob Lahourcade, Washington and Lee University, VA Sam Richey, Duke University, NC Evan Rosen, Duke University, NC Ryan Vu, Elon University, NC Carter Guinn, University of Georgia, GA Emily Talbert, Emory University, GA Mary Helen Burt, University of Miami, FL

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“ENDLESS BATCHES OF COOKIES” A letter of experience, wisdom, and congratulations from Distinguished Alumna Erika Green Swafford INTERVIEW BY MARIE PARRA

Swafford writes and co-produces the ABC show, How To Get Away with Murder.

Dear Class of 2017, Congratulations! You have made it! Time to pop your collars, brush your shoulders off and finally get your “I’m grown as (bleep) on.”

Or is it?

Yes my friends, you are decidedly grown-er than you were when you mercifully no longer had to wear uniforms to school. (#polyestersadness) Definitely grown-er after tasting the freedom of “off campus” privileges bestowed upon seniors. But this old head (that’s me, btw) from a time when hip-hop and alt-rock were edgy, underground, and not so horrifically commercialized, needs to keep it real with the babies (that would be you Class of 2017): YOU AIN’T GROWN. No need for needle scratches or looking at me sideways like I am intent on blistering you with shade bombs. (I have a day job where I get paid to do that) You are not grown and that’s a great thing. Gonna use a cookie analogy here so sorry not sorry.

You know how you put a batch of cookies in the oven and you note that the edges have started to tan a bit and

36 // LEGACY //

THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A GREAT EDUCATION: YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TO ALWAYS BE ABLE TO MAKE A WAY.

Swafford entered Kinkaid in eighth grade and participated in track and basketball all four years.

since you’re a soft cookie person at heart, you decide to take the cookies out? You try to remove them and they break apart, the center waaaay too gooey to make even a decent soft batch cookie? Just an oozing puddle of dough that had just started smelling like a cookie. So what do you do? You curse all that is holy, salvage the ones you can, smushing them back together into franken-cookies, tossing lost causes, and shoving the cookie sheet of terror back into the oven, obsessively keeping an eye on them through the glass. You my friends, are those cookies. I was that cookie — Totes underdone but made of some extraordinary stuff, filled with the brio of someone who knew where they were going for at least the next four years. (Cornell University — GO BIG RED!) I was confident in the education I had earned at Kinkaid, insanely excited at the prospect of living on my own, testing my mettle in a collegiate setting, and meeting new people. (let’s get real, I was excited to meet college guys) It never occurred to me to actually be nervous. It was all new and it was all good. I was going to introduce a new version of myself, free of family affiliations, free of the grade school

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assumptions with which I had been saddled.

College was Erika 2.0.

As a Type – A, first born, I was fully prepared with the plan I had painstakenly created in hand: I was going to learn the hotel business at Cornell’s Hotel School and one day, own my own chain of boutique hotels that would be anchored by renown restaurants. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I was WRONG. After college, I ventured into the hotel industry, fully expecting to achieve the greatness I had planned. I realized very quickly while working in the hospitality industry that I in fact hated pretty much everything about it. The batch of cookies I had so lovingly been tending to since before high school (damn good cookies, thank you very much) were yanked from the oven.

I literally “tossed my cookies.”

YOU AIN’T GROWN.

Swafford’s senior quote was “Sure God created man before woman...but then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece.”

The thing I had spent a lot of time dreaming about and working my butt off in service towards had crashed and burned.

Was I now a rudderless failure? NOT AT ALL. It was my mom, my hero and personal spirit animal, who reminded me that NO PATH IS STRAIGHT. She encouraged me to listen to my heart: Who was I at my core? What brought me immense joy? What freaked my freak out when I thought about it as a possibility for myself ? I had to figure out how to course correct.

I had to make myself some more bomb ass cookie dough.

And I was doing it in the real world, not within the confines of a place like Kinkaid where you are supported and you can take calculated risks. The “real” world does not care about your triumphs nor your tragedies, moving about at its own pace that you will need to figure out how to navigate. The “real” world has bills, extreme socio-economic stratification, wondrous race and ethnic diversity, a panoply of sexual orientation, trauma, joy, wanton stupidity, and lifeaffirming hope. The “real” world can be a maddening place (even if you self-select into communities you’ve always aligned yourself with) but it is also incredibly fecund. You will be moving into this larger world with a firm educational foundation and unparalleled familial support. You will see just how

fortunate your experience has been. So BE HUMBLE. BE OPEN. It was as I made up that new batch of dough in the “real” world that I allowed myself to think radically about who I was and what I wanted to do next. I allowed myself in the quiet moments to imagine myself working as a creative in the entertainment industry. As a Type-A, first born kid, working in entertainment sounded flip, flimsy, and totes unsubstantial. But it kept nagging at me and so I followed through, grudgingly going for it: moving to Los Angeles, getting an MBA, writing sketch comedy, performing one woman shows around town, singing TV theme hooks, working as an office manager for an equipment leasing company, teaching cooking classes, working as a script coordinator, writing spec scripts and features in the wee hours of the morning before my day jobs, working as an assistant, and becoming a cable TV executive. I loaded HELLA batches of cookies into the oven, tossing pile after pile over the next seven years still not quite certain as to how it was all going to play out. It was crazy. There was heartbreak, but there was also immense, unmitigated joy. I was taking chances. I was following my heart. And I knew regardless of where I landed, I was going to be okay. That’s what happens when you have a great education: You have the tools to always be able to make a way.

I now work as a writer for television.

This is the current way I, a proudly selfproclaimed storyteller, tell stories. I do so by writing scripts (blueprints) that are then followed by a couple hundred tradespeople and actors so that our collective effort may be transmitted to eyeballs around the globe.

Yes, it is a cool ass job. No, I do not spend my days hanging out with stars or driving a Lambo. A lot of my time is spent looking at blank white boards and blank screens with blinking cursors, thinking up characters and storylines, breathing that first breath of life into projects. (I am currently writing this letter to you from hiatus in my pajamas because yay me) #pajamapantslife When not on hiatus, I trade the jammies for jeans and sit in a room with other writers doing pretty much the exact same thing. It is a rarefied air that few get to experience. Even fewer, when you look like me.

I had the profound privilege of being born an African American woman. I have always considered it a privilege even in the face of slights, insults, violence, overt exclusion, subtle microaggressions, and the protestations of others to the contrary. I have been the only woman in a room. I have been the only person of color in a room. It can be frustrating and lonely and disheartening at times. But I refuse to give any one power over my confidence, so I thrive by leading with my

excellence and working hard to cut new paths so that those that come behind me won’t have it as hard if I can help it.

I am producing an interesting batch right now, but that does not mean that this is the definitive group of cookies. The circuitous path I took here is exhibit A. I have no idea what thing that scares me I will be pursuing next, but I cannot wait. What I have realized with the benefit of time is that there really is no such thing as failure. All of those imperfect cookies, “incorrect” versions of myself that I have been assiduously tossing to the casual eye, were in fact being stacked up neatly to the side. Every once in a while I take time to marvel at them with all of their gooey, crumbly imperfections. Every experience I have had along the way has revealed a lesson I needed to learn about myself and how I move within this world. And they generate questions: Am I being a woman of my word? Am I taking enough chances? Am I bringing my authentic self with me into every situation that I enter?

Am I leaving a situation/experience better than the way I found it? I begrudge not one iota of the journey I have been on thus far as it was all required to make me who I am becoming. There is no end point to your evolution so strap in kiddos.

As you prepare that final walk out of Kinkaid, past the sophomore garlands, the junior hoisted arches, and out into what will most assuredly be a humid Houston sky, don’t forget to hi-five your teachers and the support staff, for they have taught you well. Hug your parents, siblings, Aunt ‘so and so’ with the mustache and the epic potato salad, for they have loved you more than you can conceive.

Be generous with the love and the sappiness, because while you worked your butt off, they ALL got you to this point. It really does take a village. You are about to ‘bawse up.’ I hope you get out there and truly show the world, but most importantly yourself, what you are “workin’ with.” #theworldaintready May your dough be epic and your batches endless.

Erika Green Swafford (Class of—Jesus, has it been 27 years???—’90)

Erika Green Swafford is the co-executive producer of acclaimed show How to Get Away with Murder. She graduated in the Kinkaid Class of 1990 and was named a 2017 Distinguished Alumna.

// LEGACY // 37

Illustration by Sophie Parker, '17

A PLEA TO EMBRACE REASON AND LIFE ONE LAST ADDRESS FROM THE FACULTY I'm excited about the fantastic adventure each one of you will soon begin. That said, I must warn you that college is not an intellectually safe space — nor should it be if you are going to get the most out of the next four years.

College is an intellectually offensive and ideologically dangerous place. You will find your most cherished beliefs and assumptions seriously challenged everyday in numerous ways. Prepare now for the intellectual assault. You will be offended in lecture halls, in seminar rooms, and in casual conversation. When you see your conceptual world turned upside down and the truth as you know it called into question, be ready to undertake the most valuable and difficult of educational experiences: creating yourself. Embrace offense!

No matter how offended you might be, do not turn away; do not withdraw; do not retreat from the conversation. Enthusiastically join the discussion and help create a genuine exchange of ideas and welcome all ideas! Do what you came to college to do – become your own person with your own moral compass, belief system and worldview. Engage those with whom you disagree in robust conversation. Force yourself to justify your beliefs though the hard work of rational argument and logical analysis; and demand rational discussion from others in return for participating in the conversation with you. When someone encourages you to think or do something inconsistent with your values or beliefs, 38 // LEGACY //

don’t go along with the crowd to avoid confrontation.

Demand rational explanations and justifications before you concede things that are valuable to you. Embrace conflict!

I’m not encouraging you to be obnoxious or annoyingly obstinate. In fact, I want you to be precisely the opposite kind of person. Engage your offensive interlocutors in sincere conversation, giving them a fair hearing while you gently insist they do the same for you. Invite them to give their most persuasive arguments so you can take the rationally sound and genuinely beneficial ideas from their positions and use them to expand your worldview in new and exciting ways. If they fail to meet your requirement of mutually rational respect, you can – and must – let them go. There is no need to attempt to silence them because the vacuity of their passionate but irrational rhetoric will undo them. The more they say, the more they will marginalize themselves. Embrace reason!

When you take offense seriously and are ready to engage in reasonable conflict, you will necessarily be compelled to assess critically your views through a new, illuminating lens.

You will see in your beliefs and ideas those you are really committed to and are willing to work hard to save. You will see other ideas and assumptions you are less committed to and will jettison them in favor of more rationally compelling ideas, which will help you make better sense of your world and your place in it. In this way, you will be creating your own set of beliefs and values. It’s likely your set of beliefs and values as a college senior will be similar to the set you brought to campus as a freshman, but there will be one distinct difference – after four years of hard work and serious reflection, these beliefs and values will be yours. You will have earned them, and they will be a part of you. As a result, you will be even more committed to them and welcome opportunities to explore them in robust conversation at every turn. Johann Goethe’s famous line in Faust underscores this point: What you have inherited from your parents, earn over again for yourselves before you call it your own. Each of you has a wonderfully rich intellectual, conceptual, and moral inheritance. But this inheritance is not really yours yet. You have simply accepted it as a gift from parents, friends, teachers and so many others who care about you. College can and should be a time when you do the hard work of making this intellectual inheritance yours through rational reflection, logical inquiry, and robust debate. As you do so, you will be creating the person you want to be and starting on the path of living an authentic life of genuine satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness. Of course, this quest to claim your intellectual inheritance will not end in four years. College is just the beginning.

The project of securing your intellectual inheritance and expanding it as you create the person you want to be will take your entire lifetime. Embrace yourself !

Thank you for sharing a substantial portion of your lives with me over the past four years. It has been a tremendously happy and satisfying experience for me to have had the opportunity of working with you. I wish you the very best for a healthy and successful future, and I look forward to hearing about your academic and professional adventures as they unfold. Please keep in touch!

Dr. Ed Harris, Kinkaid's Economics and AP US Government teacher, is greatly respected among seniors. His enthusiasm for the coursework never fails to engage his students in thoughtful conversation.

LIVE YOUR ODYSSEY ONE LAST ADDRESS FROM THE FACULTY

You either loved it or hated it, but you all read it—or pretended to read it.

The Odyssey, in 9th grade English class. In it, a man survives tests and trials from the gods in an attempt to arrive. Most readers love the sea adventures: Cyclops, Calypso. But Odysseus arrives on the shore of Ithaca halfway through the epic; Homer dedicates twelve books—twelve!—to one place.

All of you have completed the tests and trials of an elite school. You’ve done or not done your homework, you’ve navigated tempestuous social waters, you’ve resisted some siren songs and succumbed to others. You’ve lost shipmates and wrestled with fate. You’ve eaten one too many slices of Papa John’s pizza and felt the sting of unrequited affection or—the horror!—a failed quiz. Each of you have battled your own Scylla and Charybdis and felt the support of a sparkling-eyed Athena too, in the form of a teacher or coach. And like Odysseus, the story you will craft about your high school adventures will bloom into hyperbole as you age— in every retelling you’ll become more and more epic. Ask your parents.

Now you’ve arrived at a shore, the liminal space between ocean and land, childhood and adulthood, that tidal threshold. But listen. Homer warns us: the story isn’t in the high drama of the sea. The real story is what happens once we’ve arrived; that’s where our character reveals itself most.

The Kinkaid School is merely the steadfast vessel that held you. You must leave it behind. You must swim Here are a few lessons the literature gives us: 1. Respond to any call to adventure. Enroll in that class. Help that friend. Take the criminal case no one wants. Try a new pedagogical approach or risk the business enterprise the skeptics call foolish.

2. Understand the power of narrative. I know, I know, I’m an English teacher and I’m biased, but every academic field is about narrative. The

writer of history knows this and the scientist imagines the untold story and sets out to discover new endings. To author is to establish author-ity. You be the writer of your story.

3. Find mentors. Recognize them as divine.

4. Hospitality is the highest form of kindness. Every great religious tradition from ancient mythologies to Judaism to Christianity to Islam to Buddhism beseeches us to “welcome the stranger.” Reach across aisles. Cross borders. Learn to listen.

5. At the end of the Odyssey, our hero meets his aging father, Laertes, on the hills of Ithaca. Odysseus sees blood and wants to fight, but his father busies himself planting a tree. There’s a lesson there for Odysseus and for us too. Make commitments. Set roots. Create opportunities for life beyond your own. Give hope a good faith effort.

Finally, honor your parents. I don’t mean that in an old-fashioned way—I don’t mean you must do everything they advise or agree with every tenet. But their letting go of you now is the single most difficult part of the sacred vocation of parenthood and is what makes them epic too.

Oh, and read books.

The great poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, wrote in his Letters to a Young Poet, “believe in a love being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.”

Go now. Let our love buoy you. You’re our heroes.

The real story is what happens once we’ve arrived; that’s where our character reveals itself most.

Ms. Casey Fleming met some of our class four years ago in freshman English but met the bulk of her seniors this year in her AP Critical Literature class. Her wisdom and passion for social issues makes her advice absolutely invaluable.

Illustration by Nancy McMillan

COVER DESIGN BY KELLY FISHER