The Kinkaid Falcon - Issue 6, Vol. 70

News

Arts & Culture

Features

Forum

Entertainment

Sports

Seniors, call this a playlist of our lives so far...”

P3. The last snapshot of school

P4. Senioritis exhibit revealed

P10. Behind the Yearbook scenes

P18. Exchange student’s goodbye

P20. Eighteen years of music

THE KINKAID FALCON

P22. Spring SPC recaps

May 12, 2017 Volume 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid School | 201 Kinkaid School Drive, Houston, TX 77024 | student.publications@kinkaid.org | http://thefalcon.kinkaid.org |

News .......................................2 Arts & Culture ....................4 Features ................................8 Forum....................................17 Entertainment .................20 Sports ..................................22

@thekinkaidfalcon

Michelle Gielan takes stage as graduation speaker Former news anchor will deliver commencement address

BY KIRK HACHIGIAN Michelle Gielan, a national news anchor that has become a positive psychology researcher, will give the keynote address during this year’s Commencement Exercises on Friday, May 19 for Kinkaid’s 79th graduating class. Ms. Gielan was a CBS News anchor before founding the Institute for Applied Positive Research in 2011.

“One of the reasons that we are excited about Ms. Gielan coming is that at the opening faculty and staff meetings this year we emphasized positivity as something to think about this year. We actually showed a video of Shawn Achor, Ms. Gielan’s husband, at the meeting. Personally, I have always tried to be a glass half-full person and work with my administrative team from that positive standpoint. Given her professional experience as an anchor and more recent ventures in the field of positive

Above. Seniors Ben Padon and Phil Mentz, then juniors, held the ivy arches for the Class of 2016 seniors to pass through. It is a tradition that juniors help send off the the graduating class. The ceremony closes with the lowering of the senior class flag and the raising of the juniors’ class flag. Photo by David Shutts.

psychology, I am really looking forward to the wisdom and insights she is going to share with both the graduates and faculty and staff,” Headmaster Andy Martire said.

Ms. Gielan grew up in the New York and Maryland area before graduating cum laude from Tufts University in 2000 with a bachelor of science degree in Computer Engineering.

She also studied at the University of Sydney in Australia and did graduate work in broadcast journalism at UCLA before receiving her master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsyl-

vania in 2011.

While working as a reporter for WLFD-TV Chicago, Ms. Gielan covered a wide variety of topics including politics, crime, and in-depth features.

She also broke the story of a secret list held by the Chicago Police Department that named officers who had been cited for numerous allegations of police brutality.

From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Gielan served as a national anchor for CBS Morning News and CBS News Up to The Minute. Citing frustration with the disturbing amount of negativity in the news, Ms.

Gielan decided to quit what she described as her “dream job,” to focus on research into the science of happiness.

In a study with Arianna Huffington, Ms. Gielan dis- covered that just three minutes of negative news in the morning can lead to a 27% higher likelihood of having a bad day.

She served as an Executive Producer “The Happiness Advantage” Special on PBS. Ms. Gielan also works with many Fortune 500 companies and schools to form strategies for a more happy and productive environment.

Ms. Gielan founded The

Boys varsity golf dynasty continues reign over SPC

BY KIRK HACHIGIAN Wooden’s Bruins. Russell’s Celtics. Gretzky’s Oilers.

Belichick and Brady’s Patriots. While each of these teams come from different eras and sports, they have one shared trait: dominance. It takes a special formula of talented players, skillful coaches, and a drive for success to create a true sports dynasty. However, that combination has been perfected by the Kinkaid boys varsity golf team.

Champions of six of the past eight SPC championships, the Falcons once again hoisted the trophy this year after a seven

stroke victory at Cypresswood Golf Club on April 24-25. After leading eventual runners-up John Cooper by three strokes at the end of the first round, the Falcons had a rocky start to the second round before righting the ship on the back nine.

At one point, the Falcons were trailing by six shots with only 11 holes left to play.

However, strong performances by Mason Nome (10), Will Jacobe (10), and Johnny Butler (11) secured the victory. Nome (-8) was named All-SPC after tallying consecutive rounds of 68 to finish as the individual

Above. The golf team poses after winning their second straight SPC Championship. Photo by J.D. Dyer.

runner-up behind Ben Wong (-10) from John Cooper. Jacobe (+1) also shined for the Falcons posting a 71 and 74, while also being recognized as All-SPC. Butler (+13), recovered from an 82 during the first round

with a crucial second day 75.

“We couldn’t be prouder of these boys as they overcame some adversity during the rounds, but came out on top.

[During the second round] we found our boys on the back

Institute for Applied Positive Research in 2011, which researches this connection between positive communication and success. In 2015, she published her bestselling book, Broadcasting Happiness, that highlights her research in positive psychology and how real individuals and organizations have used these techniques to fuel their success.

The 2017 Commencement Exercises are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on May 19 at Segal Field at Barnhart Stadium.

In the case of severe weather, the event will be moved to the Melcher Gym.

nine and told them where we were and that we had to turn it on, and they sure did,” head coach Bobby Eggleston said.

While these young stars put on a show, the Falcons could not have secured a victory without the leadership and contributions of seniors Carter Guinn and J.D. Dyer. Guinn (+18) posted back-to-back 81s while Dyer (+14) posted consecutive 79s.

“I was ecstatic to go out on top and finish my golf career at Kinkaid with an SPC championship. We still have a very young team and I know that the program will continue to find success in the future,” Dyer said.

The Falcons scored the only sub-300 rounds of the tournament (299 and 296) to win with a final tally of 595 strokes.

NEWS

2 / The Kinkaid Falcon

NEWS IN BRIEF

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Above left to right: Over the weekend, a group of from the Intro to Art classes attended the Rockin’ Rolling Prints event to transfer their prints onto huge wood canvases. (Photo by Ms. Padilla)

Intro to Art students team up with Rockin’ Rollin’ Prints

BY FARAZ VIRANI

Data

Intro to Art classes worked with Rockin’ Rollin’ Prints to bring community service and art together for new event near downtown Houston. Four student volunteers, Molly Ribbeck (9), Inara Khan (9), Audrey Orange (10), Louisa Zaharia (10), and Ayush Krishnamoorti (9), each individually painted a 3x4 foot woodcut

1,470 hits on the new Kinkaid website at around 10p.m. after the email announcement was sent out

As of 5/12/2017

block. The class designed their own piece for an exhibition sponsored by PrintMasters Houston.

“My class did a wood block print following this year’s theme of ‘A Space Odyssey’. In the bottom corner we carved an astronaut sitting on the moon holding a bouquet of balloons, but the balloons are the planets.

Around the border there’s a collage of the phases of the moon,” Ribbeck said.

The Intro to Art class has Ms. Padilla to thank for the success of the project. She introduced the project to the students and helped them from start to finish this year, as the students hope to take on a bigger role in all stages of the design next

year.

“Ms. Padilla was there every step of the way during the carving process and really helped clean up the piece and add final touches.

I’m so glad I learned about this event and hopefully will go back next year with my own piece,” Ribbeck said.

71%

Top 5

75%

most visited pages on the website are: the home page, parent portal, student portal, athletics, and the “Why Kinkaid” page

of the mobile devices used to visit the new Kinkaid website are iPhones. 12% are iPads. Go Apple!

of the devices visiting the new website in the first week were desktop/laptop browsers. 29% were mobile and tablet devices.

THE ROUNDUP

Senior athletes sign in May to play at the next level

BY WILLIAM SCOTT Fifteen senior athletes committed to continue competing at the college level. Here are the eight seniors who had their signings in the Melcher Gym on Friday, May 5: Matt Maggi, Football, Southern Methodist University Matt Maggi’s goal and dream since he was little was to play football at a Division I (D-I) school. He’ll realize that dream this fall when he attends Southern Methodist University in Dallas and joins the football team. Maggi has stated that he wants to play for as long as he can, should he get the opportunity to do so beyond the collegiate level. He voiced gratitude towards Kinkaid for helping him reach this level and attain his goal. “Thank you to everybody who came out every Friday night. Y’all make it fun to play for Kinkaid,” Maggi said.

Sasha Inchauste, Tennis, West Point Sasha Inchauste will take her tennis talents to West Point in New York this fall.

Earlier this year, she visited the school and realized that it was the right one for her.

Still, the head tennis coach at West Point would personally call her every couple of weeks to check up on things and keep Inchauste as interested in them as possible. Inchauste

Clockwise from top left: Seniors Jake Shaper, Matt Maggi, Ford Young, and Pierce Johnson, Oscar Melendez, Sasha Inchauste, Michael Smith, and Ace Nicolaou pose at the signing ceremony.

said, “I remember it was when my dad and I were on the road to a tennis tournament in Dallas, and he was talking about the days he played for Notre Dame. I honestly didn’t think I’d follow in his footsteps to play D-I tennis, but the way he talked about it – the rivalries, the team, traveling – helped me realize what I wanted out of tennis.” She believes that playing tennis in college will be similar to her experience with the team at Kinkaid, but just at a higher level of competition.

Ace Nicolaou, Soccer, Texas Lutheran University Ace Nicolaou will be moving just 155 miles away to Texas Lutheran University, where he’ll play soccer as a Bulldog.

Nicolaou chose Texas Lutheran because he thought their style of play was a perfect fit with the way he likes to play the game. “If the opportunity comes along for me to play beyond college, then I’ll probably go with it,” Nicolaou said. “If it doesn’t, I won’t be disappointed.” He has loved being a part

of the Kinkaid athletics program, saying, “Kinkaid sports produce an excellent environment to learn about leadership and commitment.”

Ford Young, Football, University of Washington and St. Louis Ford Young’s passion for football started at young, when he and his family would watch the Texas Longhorns play. He chose University of Washington in St. Louis because of their strong balance of sports and academics. “They are a Top 20 school, made the Division III playoffs last year in football by winning their conference, and are in the lead to win the Athletic Director’s Cup for Division III,” Young says. He would like to go as far as he can with sports. He thanks and gives a shoutout to he coaches who have helped him along the way. “Not only did they help make me a better athlete, they also helped me in the recruiting process. Thank you Coach Larned, Coach Veltri and Coach Maas,” Young says.

Michael Smith, Tennis, Southern Methodist University “I have known for my whole life that I would like to play tennis at the collegiate level.

It wasn’t like a sudden day; it was more a dream that I realized was attainable over a lot of matches and training,” Michael Smith says. He chose Southern Methodist University in part because he believes that they can help him reach new heights and new levels in tennis competition. After his visit to SMU, he knew that no other school has what it has to offer.

Jake Shaper, Basketball, Brown University Jake Shaper’s decision to play basketball in college was an unexpected and sudden one. “I went to my dad in fifth grade and out of nowhere told him that I wanted to play D-I basketball, and from then on that has been my goal,” Shaper says. He committed to Brown University because of how eager the coaches were

to have him play for them. He also admitted that it was very difficult to turn down an Ivy League education. Taking his play to the professional level would be a dream, but “the odds are slim.” However, he would be interested in being a coach or manager some day.

“Jae, Isaiah, and I still need keys to the gym,” Shaper added.

Oscar Melendez, Cross Country and Track, Haverford College After six years of running in the hot and humid Houston outdoors, Oscar Melendez will be hitting the roads in a very different setting. He’s set to run cross country at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. As a child, Melendez knew that he planned to try his hardest to play a sport at the next level, but he did not know which one. He was thrilled with how terrific Haverford was academically and their track record in cross country. “My coach and dean have been instrumental in helping run collegiately, especially at such a great college,” Melendez added.

Pierce Johnson, Football, Sewanee University Pierce Johnson committed to play football at Sewanee University. The turning point in his high school football career that convinced him to try and play football at the next level was the SPC championship during his junior year.

He likes Sewanee’s balance of football, academics, and social life. He also thanks all of his teachers and coaches that have helped him and pushed him along the way, saying, “Everybody from the coaches to the teachers have all played a role in my journey to collegiate sports.”

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Snapshots around School 1

NEWS

The Kinkaid Falcon / 3

1

On April 22 at 8:30 p.m., Kinkaid upperclassmen attended Junior and Senior prom. The theme was “Purple Reign” and the students had a magical night featuring a live horse dressed as a unicorn to take pictures with as they entered the Ogilvie lobby.

2 Film students answer questions from teacher Mr. Gillentine and the audience after screening their work on May 5. Photo courtesy of Dr. Trusty.

3 The final graduation parties happened in May, where seniors capped off their high school careers by celebrating with friends. From left to right, seniors William Gage, Sax Morgan, Nolan Watt, Willy DuCharme, Emma Carr, Nicholas Key, Josh Mehling, Emmy Reckling, Phil Mentz, Kcenia Kloesel, and Ella Rose Morgan hosted a Woodstock-themed grad party at the House of Blues.

2

3

4 At the start of lunch on May 10, the National Spanish Exam Medal winners gathered at the base of the Grand Staircase with their medals to commemorate their achievement. These students are regional winners based on their score on the annual standardized national exam that measures their skills at different levels. Kinkaid a total of 70 Gold Medals, 36 Silver Medals and 20 Bronze Medals.

4

Physics classes hold first annual egg drop contest A lot of successes and a few cracked eggs

BY ANNA LEON During the week of April 19, 2017, Ms. Cross’ and Dr. Anderson’s physics classes held an egg drop contest to reduce the stress levels of students in at least one of their classes in the infamous busy month.

The contest was simple: drop any bird egg from the top of the football stadium and hope it doesn’t crack.

However, people soon realized even with an absurd amount of protection, an egg easily cracks under pressure.

By applying laws of physics they had learned in the previous weeks, students split into groups and assembled their contraptions. The winners would earn extra

Corrections.

points in their lab grade or even two extra points on their final exam if they won the entire contest between all the classes.

Bubble wrap in a gallon-size bag was a popular choice but not always successful. A number of students also created parachutes to slow the rate of descent, with varying degrees of success.

One student even called UPS and asked what they recommended for packaging and protecting an egg.

There was a high rate of success, and with so many pairs and groups of three tying for first place, the winner was determined by how compact their creation was

Left: Juniors Sarah Stukalin and Katherine Berman won the contest by tucking their egg securely in between two bath loofahs and toilet paper. Right: Ashley Murchison (11) put her egg inside a cut-out water bottle layered with peanut butter and cotton balls but it cracked when dropped off the stadium.

after surviving the fall from the top of the bleachers.

Juniors Katherine Berman and Sarah Stukalin won the entire contest by using only

two bath loofahs and toilet paper.

After the contest’s official end, several students chose to test their eggs by dropping

them off the roof of the parking garage. Some survived.

Many did not.

The Falcon welcomes comments and suggestions. We seek to publish corrections and clarifications in the subsequent issue. Please email any corrections to our Assistant Editor, Arman Badrei, at arman.badrei@kinkaid.org. Corrections in Issue 5, published April 21, 2017: In the article “NFL Draft Preview” on P24, it was incorrectly reported that Marshon Lattimore is a WR when he is in fact a CB. On P21, the Pop Culture page was incorrectly labeled under the Sports section when it should be Entertainment. In the article “Spring Sports,” Myles Black’s name was misspelled. In the article “Gold triumps in“ on P10, Austin Karkowsky’s name was was misspelled.

ARTS & CULTURE

4 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Hannah Chambers (12) talks about her gallery exhibition in Senioritis. The two large body composition photo collages were created for a pop-up art installation by the art group, 18.

Senior artists showcase visual arts talents one last time in annual Senioritis exhibition

BY STERLING ELIAS Rarely can students, faculty, parents, and other members of the Kinkaid community be on the sandy beach beside Galveston’s Pleasure Pier in one instant and in the middle of a Korean dance the next, but so is the case with Kinkaid’s Senioritis. Senioritis, the annual art exhibit planned, created and featuring the senior artists, was revealed with a reception on April 10 and was on display through April 24. This year, 29 seniors participated in the visual arts exhibition, showcasing a variety of art mediums, including sculpting,

painting, photography, ceramics, and mixtures of these as well such as mixed media.

In the first hallway (where Admissions and the School Store is located), the galleries feature a ceramics exhibit

by Sophia Solé. A variety of plates, bowls, and vases of different sizes carefully rest on a wooden display shelf.

Each piece is inspired by the sea, colored in hues of blues, greens, and other ocean colors. Solé, who committed to Stanford in the fall for sailing, acknowledges that the open water has played a big role in

her life. This can be seen in her artistic style.

A series of sculptures by William Wells share this first gallery. These sculptures include a startling piece in which an arm protrudes from a broken mirror and a broken robot lying on the floor. Two wood sculptures, however, dominate the exhibit with their intricate and perfectly executed designs.

Both feature seemingly perfect spirals of interconnected wood patterns that captivate passersbies.

“I just wanted to make something jaw-dropping, some-

thing that makes everybody say ‘wow!’” Wells said.

The second gallery in the same hall presents an impressively immense collection of ceramics by Tommy Ereli and Emmy Heyser. Behind two tables featuring Ereli’s bright intricately-painted plates and trays and Heyser’s wheelthrown bowls, the wall displays Abby Greenbaum’s collection of drawings exploring the common theme of the body.

On the other side of the recital hall, works by Sarah Fullenwider, Avery Hartwell, and Whitney Burke share the

gallery across from the nurse’s office. Fullenwider’s collection depicts a fashion studio, portraying the complicated steps in the clothes-making process including sketches of dresses, fabric samples, and even a mannequin dressed in the beginnings of an outfit.

Another gallery features exhibits by Kat Smith, Chris Choi, and Kcenia Kloesel.

Choi’s exhibit includes a series of paintings inspired by Pungmul Nori, a Korean musical and dance performance.

This musical heavily relies on percussion accented by high Clockwise from top left: William Wells’ suspended, wooden sculpture hung from the second floor; Chris Choi’s colorful, coral, octopus captivated onlookers; Sophia Solé’s sea inspired pottery exhibit brought viewers to the beach; Sarah Fullenweider’s unique display of fashion and art was both interesting and fresh; Avery Hartwell used vibrant colors and intricate sketches to fill her wall with art; Emmy Heyser’s wheel thrown bowls sit on a table set to look like a dining table with napkins, silver ware, and wine glasses; Kat Smith’s silver colored tree brought nature inside the Kinkaid walls.

pitched brass instruments.

The dance which accompanies this music features performers dancing in a circle while rotating ribbons attached to their hats. Flowing brush strokes connecting the central people to their rotating ribbons flood the canvases of all 14 pieces, and some only rely one color over the white canvas while others depict multiple bright

colors with hardly any white at all.

“I tried to emulate the movement and sound through line quality and color,” Choi explains.

Various grouped pieces adorn the walls of the halls in between galleries. These pieces range from a wood sculpture

by Rahul Popat to paintings by Ellie Nakfoor.

Perhaps the most expansive exhibit is the the photography section which dominates the walls in the Kinkaid School lobby and includes work from Hannah Barden, Emmy Reckling, Marie Atmar, and many others. These photographs include varieties of landscapes, portraits, and numerous others. When students, faculty, and guests walk through the

lobby, their eyes immediately fall on a captivating landscape photograph of Galveston’s Pleasure Pier by Robin Kate Davis. Another set of photographs by Hannah Chambers depicts two human bodies consisting of different body parts from different people of all different shapes, sizes, and skin tones. This piece originally debuted during health week

as a commentary on health and body image.

Senioritis represents one final shine for student artists to display their art to which they have dedicated months, and the entire Kinkaid community enjoys their art one final time before their artistic career at Kinkaid comes to an end.

ARTS & CULTURE

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 5

ART BRIEFING

CHOIR AND ENCORE Choir and Encore joined together for their performance in the Brown Auditorium on April 23.

STUDENT DIRECTORS Ashton Lambert (11) and Avery Looser (10) acted in a One Act play that took place in an ice cream shop.

BAND PERFORMANCE Jared Orkin (9) plays the saxophone for the band performance’s of the Simpsons theme song.

ORCHESTRA Hany Kim (11), first chair viola, performs the song “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons in the orchestra concert that took place on April 23. In addition to classical pieces, they also performed the theme from Halo.

LONG LEAPS Andreea Calin (11) leads the dancers in a leap during their Dance Company performance. The piece was choreographed by Emily Talbert (12).

ONE ACT PLAYS William Miner (11) and Sara Bureau (11) play two romantic comedy actors in the One Act plays on April 30.

Take a trip to the Wild West at the Bryan Museum New Galveston museum showcases the history of Texas and the American West

BY JULIA DAVIS Plhoto from Bryan Museum website

Opened in 2015 by James Perry and Mary Jon Bryan, the eponymous Bryan Museum is home to the largest collection of Texas historical artifacts.

Centering on the history of the Wild West and Texas, the collection is home to 70,000 items, including books, saddles, rare maps, guns, and cowboy related objects. The collection is a comprehensive history of early Western America and early Texas, particularly the influence of Spain.

Although J.P Bryan is a Houstonian, the location for his collection was a strategic choice. On the website for the Bryan Museum, they explain that “Galveston is a wonderful place to have a museum of the

history of the Texas and the American frontier, because Galveston is where the sea meets the West.”

The museum was built in the Renaissance Revival style, and was once an orphanage (from 1895 to 1984). The building, which underwent a meticulous restoration process in 2013, is a beautiful example of the historic homes in Galveston. It is even used as a wedding venue because of the ample outdoor space and beautiful Victorian greenhouse adjacent to the building. The building provided enough room to house the Bryan’s enormous collection. James Perry Bryan, or J.P., started collecting Texan artifacts at the age of eight, and he continued to

steadily grow his collection.

The collection is presented chronologically, beginning with Texas as a Spanish colony, which lasted from 1690 to 1821, then the Battle of San Jacinto and Texas Revolution, Texas’ involvement with the Civil War, then ending with the creation of the manufactured cowboy by figures such as Buffalo Bill and performers from Wild West shows.

The items in the collection are threaded together by a connection to Texas and Galveston, however, there are also Native American and Spanish artifacts.

Some of the stand out pieces in the collection are a Civil War-era Confederate shotgun that is hidden in a violin

and three Andy Warhol silk screens of famous figures of the Wild West–Union General Custer, famed Apache Chief Geronimo, and shooter Annie Oakley. A wall holding many heavily-embellished Mexicanstyle saddles was also a main attraction. The impressive 21st century silver-work really lit up the room.

The Bryan Museum also works with other local museums to get special loaned exhibits to round-out the permanent collection. Now on view is “The ‘Stranger’s Disease:’ Experiencing Yellow Fever in Galveston, 18371897.” The exhibit provides a thorough look into what living in Galveston with Yellow Fever was like: teacups used

Top Left: 1895 Galveston Orphans Home. Bottom Left: Current Renaissance Revival façade. Middle Left: Texas HIstorical Commission Plaque for Galveston Orphans Home. Middle: Original cowboy outfit and Colt Single Action Army Black Powder Revolver. Top Right: Andy Warhol silkscreens of Geronimo, Annie Oakley, and General Custer.

Bottom Right: Unfired Clay Figrues c. 1909. Photos by Julia Davis.

to administer home-remedies, pictures of a face blistered with disease, and sketches of the original Galveston Medical College could be seen. The exhibit didn’t just focus on the history of Yellow Fever, but it also brought it into the present day by drawing comparisons between Yellow Fever and the current Zika outbreak.

As a seasoned museum goer, I feel like I have found a gem of Texas history in Galveston.

This museum should not be missed, it provides an excellent and immersive experience into the history of the place we all call home.

ARTS & CULTURE

6 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Korean Barbeque heats up

BY ANNA LEON & COLIN MONTEITH

The idea of cooking meat over an open flame is not limited to only one culture: Texas is world-famous for its barbecue, but have you ever tried the Korean method of barbecue? It involves cooking very thin slices of meat (beef, pork, chicken), often marinated in a mixture of sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and pepper, on a table in front of you that has built in gas or charcoal grills.

Getting Korean barbecue with friends or family makes for a fun and exciting experience where you can cook your food to your satisfaction. You prefer medium rare but your sibling likes well-done? Cook it to your individual tastes.

The waitstaff can also assist you in flipping the meat and making sure it’s properly grilled. There’s also a huge variety of side dishes—instead of creamed corn, coleslaw or potato salad, there are stir-fried cucumbers and

zucchini, steamed eggplants and broccoli, peanut-oil-seasoned lettuce, kimchi, braised potatoes, cold bean sprouts, tofu, and more.

We all have different tastes, but when it comes to Korean barbecue, there is something for everyone.

Korean barbecue is not a new cuisine, but its popularity has soared in recent years in cities like Los Angeles and New York. Houston has been slow to follow the trend, but here are three thriving hotspots where you can get the best Korean BBQ. Flower Piggy is located on Gessner Rd in a strip center. The beef deluxe combo came with beef ribeye, thinly sliced brisket, and marinated short rib which was just the perfect amount of food, if not too much, for three people.

The cost of the beef deluxe is about $90, which is not overly expensive split between three or four people. Also, more than eight side plates

and two soups are included in the combo, filling up the entire table with different flavors.

The beef ribeye is absolutely mouth-watering. The sound of the sizzling raw meat cooking on the grill made it hard to resist another piece. Between each type of meat, a waiter switches out the grill top to ensure the next meat retains its own flavor. Most of the sides are very delicious and are excellent complements for the meat, such as the steamed broccoli with sweet BBQ sauce drizzled over it because it gave it a nice tang.

Established in 1983, Korea Garden is one of the oldest Korean Barbecue restaurants in Houston.

Located on Long Point Rd, Korea Garden has a clean interior with traditional decorations. The spacious booths have large marble tables that can fit all of the sides and meat easily.

Clockwise from top left: Seoul Garden, Korea Garden, Flower Piggy. Photos by Colin Monteith and Anna Leon.

Ordering only a few minutes after sitting down, the meat and sides came immediately. A pot of oolong tea pairs well with the meat and the ample sides. For two people, two individual orders of meat should get the job done.

The galbi and bulgogi are the most delicious beef options.

Galbi are boneless beef short ribs that cook for a few minutes on the grill. These go very well wrapped in lettuce that is included with the sides. Bulgogi are thin slices of beef ribeye that cook for about a minute and are fantastic with sesame oil.

Along with the orders of meat, the appetizer seafood pancake is a unique, great addition to the meal. It comes on a large pan precut so you can share it with your friends and family, or take it

all for yourself.

Lastly, Seoul Garden really hit it off from the start. On the corner of Long Point and Blalock Rd, Seoul Garden’s blue awning is hard to miss. Upon entering the restaurant, a large metal water wheel in the man-made creek stands out as water trickles down below it.

The Sang Gal-Bi at Seoul Garden is a bit tough, but nonetheless tangy and definitely for people who love their meat unmarinated and unseasoned. It’s served with sesame oil sauce, which adds all the flavor you really need.

The Gal-Bi consisted of beef short rib marinated in sweet soy sauce that gave it a good complement after eating the saltier Sang Gal-Bi.

Star Pizza

Collina’s Italian

Pizza spots around Houston

BY ALI AMMONS Houston is known for its diverse people, heavy traffic, and great cost of living. As Houston has been growing, it’s starting to become known for another thing: the city’s rich food culture. And although it’s traditionally know for it’s southern barbeque and Tex-Mex, the strong food culture that has emerged in Houston has resulted in a range of cuisines within in the city. Due to an influx of immigrants and maintaining its spot as the most diverse city in America, more and more Houstonians are able to enjoy many different types of cuisine, but one particular food item has become a staple in Houstonians diets: pizza.

Collina’s Italian is one of the oldest and most wellknown pizza restaurants in town. In 1997, the restaurant was even featured as Pizza Maker of the month in Pizza Today. There are three locations in Houston, all decorated like old Italian cafes. With red and white

Luna Pizzeria

striped tablecloths covering the wood tables, and aged green hanging light fixtures, Collina’s has an old world and intimate feel. The restaurant’s pizza is known for its’ thin but airy crust, chunky red sauce, and light cheese. It also has traditional italian dishes and a delivery option if you are too busy to make it out to the restaurant itself. The only downfall is the delivery can take up to an hour on weekends.

Luna Pizzeria has two locations, one in uptown Kirby and the other on Yale Street in the Heights. The inside is lit by star-shaped lamps; tall

Bollo

red stools and benches that line the space. In addition, each of their locations offers games that people can play while waiting on their pies.

The menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, and salads.

Their pizzas are known for being simple and having thin crunchy crust, minimal red sauce, and finely shredded, fresh cheese. Although Luna only has delivery through Amazon Prime’s new delivery system, they offer pizza by the slice if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat.

Star Pizza, with a building on Shepherd off the Southwest Freeway and

the other on Washington in the Heights, retains and takes pride in its old Texas vibe. Similar to Luna, not only does Star serve pizza, it serves salad, pasta, and sandwiches. Star is known for its New York style pizzas that have thick doughy crust, thick clumpy tomato sauce, and mounds of cheese. In addition to New York style pizza, Star is one of the only pizza restaurants in Houston that serves deep dish Chicago style pizza. Star has a delivery option, but the delivery can take up to 45 minutes on weekdays and weekends.

Bollo is a newcomer to the

Houston pizza scene but is climbing to top and is becoming known as one of the top pizzerias in Houston. Bollo is known for using a wood fired oven that cooks at 800 degrees. The woodfire oven enables the pizza’s crust to be thin but doughy and for the pizza to maintain its neapolitan inspiration. Bollo is also known for using fresh ingredients and offering not only pizza but also traditional Italian dishes. The pizzeria is located in Upper Kirby on Alabama Street. In addition to offering dinner they now serve lunch Tuesday - Saturday.

ARTS & CULTURE

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 7

Houston welcomes Austin-based restaurants with open arms This year, many restaurants originally from Austin are expanding into Houston’s growing restaurant scene

BY KATIE ERIKSON

TACODELI Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: 1902 Washington Ave. Houston, TX 77007 Open since: April 2017

Some of the tacos that Tacodeli include the cowboy, pollo fantastico, and the shrimp taco.

The spirited staff and yellow accents of the artisan gelato shop brighten up the small space in the Heights. The shop only has one other location in Austin and focuses on making their gelato with locally-sourced ingredients. Dolce Neve means “sweet snow” in English, and was chosen to be the name because the owners aim to create gelato as natural as snow. The name also gives reference to the beginnings of gelato, which was originally made with just honey, snow, and fruit juices.

Francesca Silvestrini, who co-owns Dolce Neve with her brother Marco Silvestrini and husband Leopoldo Ferrarese, began her love for gelato while in college in Ohio. She spent years looking for proper Italian gelato before returning to Italy to study at Carpigiani Gelato Univeristy, which, yes, is solely dedicated to the making of gelato.

After studying, working, and even winning gelato competitions, Francesca returned to America to share her dedication with Austin,

Texas. The gelato comes sandwiched between cookies, drowned in espresso, molded into pops, or scooped into cones or cups. Each of the flavors at Dolce Neve are displayed under ornate silver tops, hiding the appearance from the consumer until they try it. Dolce Neve delivers year round flavors, which include more basic flavors like stracciatella and salted caramel, along with seasonal and rotating flavors like pecan and honey, mascarpone and lemon, and tiramisu.

Marco Silvestrini manages the Houston store while Francesca and Leopoldo stay in Austin. Dolce Neve decided to open in Houston largely because of David Buehrer, the owner of heights cafe Morningstar, who encouraged Dolce Neve to expand.

Dolce Neve’s emphasis on locally sourced ingredients shines through their entire business. They have expertly created fresh gelato while supporting local farms, creameries, coffees, honeys, and more.

RAMEN TATSUYA Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Location: 1722 California St, Houston, TX 77006 Open since: February 2017

The Mi-So-Hot ramen bowl and the spicy edamame are favorites on the menu, and customers enjoy their ramen among many murals on the walls.

The line going up to the cashier at Tacodeli circled around the entire restaurant. Even close to closing time, every table was filled. The large patio was filled with people of all ages, and even some with dogs. The line moved faster than expected, but after ordering, many of the tables were being saved by people in line, and it required a few minutes to find a small table in the back. The food came out promptly, but the servers found delivered food by shouting names across the loud crowds of people, which would be hard to hear.

Closing early in the afternoon, Tacodeli focuses mainly on breakfast and lunch crowds. It just opened its newest location on Washington Avenue and its extreme popularity in Austin has already transferred over to Houston.

The taco joint offers over 40 different combinations of tacos, including vegetarian and gluten free options.

The Cowboy Taco, Shrimp Taco, and Pollo Fantastico are some of the more

basic tacos. The Cowboy included beef tenderloin, grilled corn, onions, peppers, guacamole, and queso fresco. The Shrimp Taco has grilled Texas Grilled shrimp, jack cheese, and roasted poblano chiles and onions.

Pollo Fantastico was made with shredded chicken, roasted green chile sauce, crema mexicana, and green onions. The Otto taco is more of a breakfast taco and a house favorite. There were refried black beans, bacon, avocado, and Monterrey Jack cheese. With no eggs, it is not a normal breakfast taco, but the combination worked wonderfully, and the tortillas that wrapped each taco were perfectly soft and warm.

Customers also have the opportunity to build their own taco with over 20 options. Many customers opt to take their orders to-go and the restaurant has a separate line for only these orders, and that might be the way to go next time to avoid the lines.

DOLCE NEVE Hours: Noon to 10:00 p.m.

Location: 4721 N Main St, Houston, TX 77009 Open since: March 2017

Dolce Neve offers ice cream in a sandwich, in a pop, or in a cup, and they vary flavors each season.

With a bright red sign, a massive white cat sculpture, and blaring music, the Ramen Tatsu-ya stands out around the neighborhood of houses in Montrose. Inside, customers stand in line to order and pay from the counter, a then are escorted to seats, whether a at a booth, communal table, or bar style seating. Black, white, and red murals cover parts of the walls, and ropes hang down from the lights above. Piles of chopsticks and spoons were already on the table, signaling that no forks would be available for those who struggle with chopsticks.

There are seven main ramen creations, but all can be altered by adding either a sauce “bomb” or extra toppings. Most of the flavors are made with a pork bone broth and come with a hard-boiled egg.

The Mi-So-Hot also included goma pork, scallions, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, and corn. More flavor could be added with a “bomb” such as Fire

in a Bowl, which is made with thai chile and habanero paste. Other toppings like fried tofu, garlic, mushrooms, or roasted seaweed. The Ol’ Skool was made with chicken shoyu broth, pork, scallions, white onions, roasted seaweed, and pepper. The restaurants also offers appetizers such as spicy edamame and gyoza pork dumplings, sides like chashu or curry rice bowls, and sweets including matcha pudding and citrus tapioca.

Owners Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto have already opened a second spot in Austin, and Houston houses its third and newest location.

The chef/DJs met in Austin while trying to advance their music careers. They decided to work together and created Ramen Tatsu-ya to give Austin a taste of real, quality ramen, the “soul food of Japan,” and has since its opening, has done with same with Houston.

FEATURES

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 8

Kinkaid says “goodbye” to six faculty members

BY EMMA GILLIAM & SARAH KATE PADON

As the school year comes to a close and students and faculty depart for the summer, Kinkaid will say goodbye to five upper school faculty members: Mr. Justin Doran, Mr. Dennis Kliza, Mrs. Jennifer Monteleone, Mr. Tyson Morgan, Mrs. Sharon Reed, and Ms. LiAnn Yim.

Mr. Tyson MORGAN After three years of teaching in the English department and two years of coaching cross country, Mr. Tyson Morgan has decided to conclude his journey at Kinkaid, and move to California where his wife will be an English professor.

His students particularly enjoyed his discussion-based classes that really invited students to share their voices.

“He was always looking for different opinions from students,” Bennet Wagnon (9), a student in Mr. Morgan’s freshman English class, said. “My favorite thing about him is that he is very interested in literature and Greek

mythology. It’s funny. He’s like a little kid.”

In addition to being an engaging teacher, he was an inspiring cross country coach.

“He was a great coach and very supportive, always driving me to do more than what I cold normally do, motivating me. He was tough, and strict, as far as activities went, but he was a good coach. Disciplined would be a good word to describe his coaching,” Ryan Kekish (9) said.

While he will miss the important bonds he made with teachers and students, he looks forward his move to northern California and the cooler climate.

Mr. Justin DORAN During his five years at Kinkaid, Mr. Doran taught 8th grade drama, Children’s Theatre, and directed many Upper School plays and musicals, including “A Chorus Line”, “Hairspray”, and “Into the Woods.”

He was more than just a director; he cared about each of his students. Kerry Sullivan (12), a three-year Theater Company student, has leaned on Mr. Doran throughout her acting career at Kinkaid.

“He’s pretty much like a second father to all of us. He knows when you’re having a bad day… and it’s just nice to have someone there to always support you,” Sullivan said.

He directed shows at Kinkaid that have left a impact on both the audience and cast members.

“He knows every button to press. I am never acting when I am on stage with Mr. Doran, it is always, or at

least the goal is always, 100% truthful, and I don’t know how he does it, but he makes it real for everyone,” Sullivan said.

As a director, he wanted everyone who left a Kinkaid show to have learned something. He makes what you see on stage real.

“I would like people to know how much I am going to miss them and the sincere and authentic sense of loss that I have that will not be filled by anything other than being around those kids because those kids are a family,” Mr. Doran said.

As he moves on to the next stage of his life, he is looking forward to developing these relationships outside of school and helping them in their future endeavors.

Mrs. Sharon REED Mrs. Sharon Reed has decided to retire after 20 years working in the Kinkaid library.

“I had to do a report on changes and continuities in Western European poetry from 1900 to the present. And I liked poetry, but I was very lost. So I went to the librarians to see if they had any research for me, and they gave me some books. And the next day Mrs. Reed said, ‘Oh, Rebecca, I have more books for you!’ And she gave me five more books,” Rebecca Noel (12) said.

“Because of her, I was able to find the sources I needed and write a paper.”

Mrs. Reed started working at Kinkaid in 1997. In addition to assisting students with research, she also helps cultivate and curate the library collection. She loves the “so many wonderful things” about the library, but she’ll probably miss “having all the latest books at [her] fingertips” the most.

“I will miss the sense of family,

the community that has always been present, my many friendships among the faculty, the beautiful facilities, and I guess the kids,” Mrs. Reed added.

She also loved having the chance for her daughter, Courtney Reed (Class of ‘07), to attend school here.

“She got a really good education here, so we were really grateful for the opportunity for her to go here,” Mrs. Reed said.

After she leaves Kinkaid, Mrs. Reed plans to travel–something she didn’t have as much time to do while at Kinkaid. She also looks forward to cooking, reading, and walking more often and with more leisure . She’s also been working on redoing her house, so that will be the next big project to finish. Her daughter will start law school in the fall, and she expects and is excited to help her with class research.

However, the thing she looks forward to most about retirement is “never having to pick up another water bottle!”

Ms. LiAnn YIM In her three years as the Journalism and Yearbook teacher, Ms. LiAnn Yim has aided the students in producing three yearbooks and 18 issues of the Falcon. She will depart for California this summer, where she will be closer to family and continue to teach.

“Over the past three years I’ve gotten to know Ms. Yim really well. I am so thankful for the friendship that I have formed with her through the newspaper. I think it’s funny how she always keeps an emergency stash of water bottles in case there is a natural disaster. I am going to miss her next year,” Allison Favaloro (11) said.

Ms. Yim made her classes interesting and thought-provoking by assigning activities like weekly current events Jeopardy and Taboo.

“My favorite memory from this year was when Journalism class participated in a two-day interview role play exercise. Everyone got really into being

their characters,” Ms. Yim said. “Some of them planned really creative murder mysteries. One group had this storyline about how I was locked in the classroom over spring break.”

Ms. Yim added that she has loved working with students who are so collaborative and so passionate about the student publications. She has also enjoyed being part of a faculty where everyone is so welcoming and supportive.

As the last issues of the yearbook and newspaper are released, the students will miss Ms. Yim’s contagious excitement on deadline day and her support that made these publications possible.

Mrs. Jennifer MONTELEONE Mrs. Jennifer Monteleone has served on the Community Service Council during her three years at Kinkaid. Her contributions to the Council have greatly expanded the program and its impact on Kinkaid.

“I really believe at the heart of the community service program, there are some kids that are really trying to make a difference, and I like it a lot better than some of the other models at schools where they just try to accumulate hours,” Mrs. Monteleone said.

While serving on the Council, she aided students in planning a multitude of projects to benefit the community, but the Walk with Me event will be particularly memorable.

“It was the first event that I have ever done and it was the last event that I will have ever done, so it bookends nicely,” Mrs. Monteleone said.

Anna Maria Johnson (11) has been a part of the Community Service Council for three years and will continue as its president next year. She has continually worked with Mrs. Monteleone planning different projects and meetings.

“I am going to miss going to her office and just talking about stuff, whether it be about community service or other things. She’s a great listener and she’s always been one to really mentor me,” Johnson said.

Mrs. Monteleone’s departure will allow her to spend more time with family and focus on her mental health through activities like yoga and Bible study.

“When you leave something like this that you’ve worked on from grassroots, it feels better to know that it’s in a good place, a forward moving place,” Mrs. Monteleone said.

Mr. Dennis KLIZA Throughout his eight years at Kinkaid, Mr. Dennis Kilza taught honors and AP Chemistry and coached football and boy’s lacrosse. Both his students and colleagues admire his sense of humor that he brought to the workplace.

“My favorite thing about having Mr. Kliza as a teacher is how he makes everything interesting in class. Even if he’s just lecturing us, it’s never boring because he makes us laugh by dancing or telling us stories. My favorite memories from class are when he tells us about all the pranks he pulled at the Air Force Academy,” Katherine Sarvadi (10) said.

In addition to his stories, students enjoy hearing his catchphrase: “Don’t make me take your phone, don’t make me get in my zone.”

Students were excited when he brought his two weiner dogs, Toot-

sie Roll and Eclair, to school during interim term. Katherine Jacobe (10), a student in his Honors Chemistry class, was surprised when he brought them into class.

“No one knew he was going to bring them, so he just walked into room holding Tootsie Roll and Eclair in each of his hands. Everyone was so surprised because he looked so funny holding two tiny little dogs,” Jacobe said.

Mr. Kliza always managed to bring a positive attitude to the room. Chemistry teacher and colleague Ms. Christina Zeigler said, “I will miss the laughs and songs in the office. He knows every song ever created and will sing it on key.”

While he will miss Kinkaid, he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and dogs at his ranch and watching his University of Michigan sports games.

FEATURES

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 9

ADHD diagnoses surge nationwide The impact and effects of the rise ADHD accross America

BY KIRK HACHIGIAN Nearly one in five of all American boys will be medically diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by the time they high school age. Shocking right?

Well, even more astonishing is that 11 percent of all American schoolchildren between the age of 4-17 (6.4 million) were diagnosed with ADHD, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These astounding rates reflect a pattern of continual growth in ADHD diagnoses in America over the past decade, which constitutes a 41 percent rise.

About two-thirds of those with a diagnosis receive prescriptions for stimulants Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, and Concerta. These stimulants help those that do suffer with ADHD, but can also lead to addiction, anxiety, and occasionally psychosis. According to a 2013 University of Michigan study, Adderall is the most abused brand-name drug among high school seniors.

Many doctors have attributed this rise as evidence that we now better understand the symptoms of the disorder (inattentiveness, impulsivity, disorganization, etc.). However, many others have argued that these numbers in fact suggest that millions of children have been misdiagnosed and may be taking this medication to

simply to calm their behavior or perform better academically.

Other possible factors that have been cited leading to this increase include pressure from parents to help their children’s grades or behavior, too many video games, too much sugar, and pharmaceutical companies pushing ADHD drugs. Many people believe that medication should be the first treatment, while others argue that be-

stances. There are side effects with all medications, and taking ADHD meds without monitoring the side effects can lead to major health complications or possible drug interactions,” Kinkaid Learning Specialist Ms. Shannon Terrill said.

So, how do these staggering ADHD numbers in America compare to other countries?

Is this rise simply a product of the increasing educational

“I think now’s the time to call attention to the dangers that can be associated with making the [ADHD] diagnosis in a slipshod fashion.”

—Dr. Ned Hallowell havioural therapy and herbal treatments should be used first.

“Those are astronomical numbers. I’m floored,” said Dr. William Graf, a pediatric neurologist in New Haven and a professor at the Yale School of Medicine in The New York Times. “Mild symptoms are being diagnosed so readily, which goes well beyond the disorder and beyond the zone of ambiguity to pure enhancement of children who are otherwise healthy.”

“People without a diagnosis of ADHD should not be taking ADHD medication. ADHD medications are controlled sub-

competition worldwide?

Well, when comparing the U.S. numbers to those of Finland, a country that consistently receives higher achievement scores in each subject, the results are very telling. The ADHD medication rate for school age children was 0.123 percent. This begs the question if all of this medicating of the youth is truly helping American students learn better as the U.S. rankings continue to drop.

At Kinkaid, students with ADHD must follow certain procedures to be eligible for testing accommodations. The psycho-educational testing

required to be must be performed by a licensed psychologist and reviews students’ full educational, developmental, and medical history, a complete measure of achievement, and teacher feedback.

“Functional limitations must be described and there must be clear evidence of a clinically significant impairment in an academic setting.

Every testing report with a diagnosis of ADHD only goes directly into review to determine which, if any accommodations are needed,” Ms. Terrill said.

The number of students at Kinkaid with ADHD has followed the national trend over the past decade. While the exact percentage of students with ADHD cannot be released as that information is protected as medical records, there is certainly a notable portion of the student body that has been diagnosed. Another effect of this confidentiality is that any accommodations used on standardized testing are not released to colleges during the application process.

“It seems like more and more kids have extra time every year. Sometimes I feel like at least half of our grade has some type of accommodation,” Sarah Bass (12) said.

For Upper School students with ADHD, Kinkaid has one full-time Learning Specialist and one part-time Learning Specialist available to work with students individually,

Monday through Wednesday Shellac.........................$30 Pedicure......................$30 Dipping powder..........$35

their parents, and teachers.

While not all students with ADHD qualify for testing accommodations, many students receive time and a half or double time on exams.

While Kinkaid students are fortunate to have access to such an accommodating and supportive approach, many other schools do not have such systems in place for students with ADHD. “Teacher training and education are [key]. There are numerous classroom accommodations and strategies that can be implemented to help students with ADHD be successful in a classroom setting,” Ms. Terrill said.

One of the leaders in the field of ADHD research is child psychiatrist and author of best-selling books Dr. Ned Hallowell. While Dr. Hallowell still believes that many children with ADHD are left untreated, he said the rising rates demonstrate that the diagnoses has been handed out far too freely, potentially endangering children.

“I think now’s the time to call attention to the dangers that can be associated with making the diagnosis in a slipshod fashion,” he said. “That we have kids out there getting these drugs to use them as mental steroids — that’s dangerous, and I hate to think I have a hand in creating that problem.”

FEATURES

10 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The talented yearbook staff is made up of nine seniors, 13 juniors, 10 sophomores, and five freshmen.

One year, one book How 37 Kinkaid students tell the story of their 596 peers

BY HANA KELETA & ALI AMMONS The 2017 Kinkaidian yesarbook will be distributed to the Upper School after the Honor Day assembly on May 16.

Traditionally given out at the individual grades’ End of the Year (EOY) party on the last day of final exams, this year the event has been moved up and will take place in the Dining & Learning Center.

“Year after year, we were left with boxes of leftover books from students who either forgot to pick it up or were still taking a final when the EOY took part,” said Charlie Marix (12), one of the four Editors-in-Chief this year. “Everyone wanted to leave after their last final, no one stayed to look at the book.”

The other senior Editors-in-Chief, Mary Helen Burt, Marie Parra, and Rebecca Noel, agreed that the process was not the best.

“When extended time students finally got out of the exams, everyone else would be gone,” Burt said.

Assistant Editor Anna Reckling (11) recalled seeing a year-

book left outside in the rain, saying, “It was really sad to see how after all of our hard work, it would just be abandoned on a wet bench.”

Work on the yearbook begins before school has even started—in fact, a lot of the planning takes place at the end of the previous year. The yearbook staff spends the majority of the year ironing out even the most miniscule details. Each spread will go through seven or eight drafts, just to ensure that every page is unique and has a certain “wow” factor. In previous years, the design was rigid and replicated across sections. Now, the staff has a lot more freedom to create pages that best fit the subject. Because the book is so thick, their deadlines are spread throughout the year. Students commit extra hours before and after class to review pages in the days leading up to a deadline day, where they’ll turn in anything from 160-260 pages.

The theme this year is “Better Together.” Choosing the theme ideally takes place before the school year even starts, but this fall they found themselves

rethinking the themes they had initially chosen.

“We came up with a shortlist of themes that were thrown out during applications, but we didn’t like them. So we just called a big editors meeting with Ms. Yim a week before school,” Burt said. “We told everyone literally just yell out anything.

Any ideas.”

Every page of the yearbook is tied to the theme. Reflecting back on the process, Marix said, “I feel like we really changed it up this year. We tried to reimagine [The Kinkaidian] and take what worked from last year and expand on it. We really worked hard to try to carry out a theme throughout this year because last year, it wasn’t as evident throughout the book what our theme was, so we tried harder with this one.”

Although some students regard The Kinkaidian as just a heavy book that contains a bunch of pictures and captions, it serves a much greater purpose: It’s a memory bank, a history book, and even a reference book. The first look at a yearbook frequently symbol-

izes the end of another school year and the start of another summer, but its real meaning becomes clear when it is opened years later and the memories come back to life.

The yearbook possesses images and captures the moment of all events and peers who made ones Above. The cover of the yearbook. high school experience the time to look through all distinctive. It encapsulates memories and people that evolve the pages because this year we strived to do different modules into sometimes unrecognizable throughout, which is like little faces. It freezes time and holds sections where you include memories that would only be information that hasn’t been inremembered if the yearbook cluded in the past. If you really was opened. The yearbook is an take the time to look through irreplaceable way of capturing each spread, you’ll see some high school recollections. funny and entertaining things When looking at the book, on there.”

Burt reminds students to “take

Debate: a year-inreview

BY MEGHA NEELAPU Out of the three formats of debate Kinkaid offers—public forum, Lincoln-Douglas (LD), and policy—Kinkaid has been highly successful in LD and policy this season.

The policy debate team has also experienced much success this year, both at a local and national level.

“We have a lot of up and coming freshman teams and a sophomore team who did very well to hold their own at large, national tournaments in addition to winning many of the local tournaments,” Sabrina Bajwa (12) said.

Eight debaters qualified for the Texas Forensics Association (TFA) State Tournament—where the best debaters around Texas compete.

“Almost all of the freshman teams qualified to state— which is a significant accomplishment for first-years—but most importantly, they showed a lot of willingness to work hard and are dedicated to the activity,” Bajwa said.

Furthermore, four debaters reached the elimination

rounds: sophomore team Dani Knobloch and Amy Ho placed in the top 32 and Bajwa and her partner Sam Richey (12) in the top 16.

The LD debate team performed very well locally: five debaters qualified for TFA state and Jason Yang (12) reached the finals of the tournament and placed second— “a level that is on par with the best in the history of Kinkaid,” according to Mr. Eric Emerson, Kinkaid’s debate coach. But Yang (12) believes that the team could perform better on the national scale.

“I think locally we’re doing a very good job,” he said, “but I think nationally we could have more participants.”

Moreover, it is a challenge to manage other commitments with debate.

“It certainly isn’t easy going to tournaments every other weekend, missing a lot of school,” said Yang. Especially for him, Bajwa, and Richey, time management has been especially important: keeping up with school and other

Above. Seniors Sam Richey and Sabrina Bawja discuss their debate strategy.

activities and still qualifying for the most competitive debate tournament in the country— the Tournament of Champions (TOC)—is not an easy feat.

While the debaters did not reach their goal of reaching the elimination rounds of the TOC, they still performed well. Yang was ranked the sixteenth best speaker out of 86 competitors and Bajwa and Richey placed twenty-first overall out of 76.

Futhermore, they will not be leaving behind debate when the graduate: Yang and Bajwa will be teaching in debate camps.

But debate isn’t all about

the winning.

“It’s easy to focus on competitive success in debate as it is a largely competitive activity,” said Bajwa. “However, for me debate means so much more.

I met some of my greatest friends, learned about so many more subjects than I ever would have in school, and met amazing mentors. It taught me how to be resilient, to never give up, and to step outside of my comfort zone.”

Mr. Emerson’s freshman advisory—almost all of whom are debaters—is another example of how debate goes beyond the competitiveness.

“They are spirited, they love to hear the sound of their own voices, and in a moment will become ferocious over any discussion—and it makes me laugh,” said Mr. Emerson, referring to his advisees.

“But they also like each other, they’re the team together, and I anticipate much from them, especially given that many of them have talents that we will be untapping in the coming years.”

For the rest of the debate team, next year is also looking up: the graduating seniors and Mr. Emerson eagerly “anticipate it’ll be good.”

FEATURES

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Senior takes gap year for dance

BY ALLISON FAVALORO It’s easy to tell that Bryn Anderson (12) is a dancer: the long physique and graceful walk–practically a glide–are clear giveaways. When she’s not studying or participating in a dance competition, she fills her free time with more dancing. So it’s not surprising that Anderson will take a gap year next year to focus on her passion for the art of West Coast Swing dancing.

When people think about swing dancing, they think of groups of men and women in cowboy boots dancing to country music in rustic dance halls with creaking floors. Others may think of it as an obsolete form of dance practiced in the 20s to traditional jazz music.

But neither of those perceptions come close to describing the art of West Coast Swing.

Swing dance is a broad category of dance that is comprised of multiple sub-categories like Lindy Hop, Jive, Rodeo Swing, and of course, West Coast Swing. West Coast Swing, a more contemporary style of dance, is considered a “living dance” because it continually adapts to contemporary music.

“Even though [West Coast Swing] still a swing dance, the whole contemporary improvisational aspect of it brings everything that you would

associate with contemporary dancing to West Coast Swing.

There’s a lot of creativity and interest in the music, and the conversation you can have with your partner can be really amazing,” Anderson said.

Anderson grew up in Menlo Park, Calif. “as the kid who would dance in the supermarket”: whenever she heard music, she would naturally dance along. She became involved in West Coast Swing through her parents, Dr. Clay Anderson and Mrs. Lauri Anderson, who dance West Coast Swing themselves. Whenever they went out dancing, five-year-old Bryn would tag along.

When Anderson moved to Houston at eight-years-old, she missed the place where she grew up, so West Coast Swing “became a remnant of home” and something she use to “define [herself].”

Over the years, Anderson has danced her way from the Novice division up to the All Star division. She will soon become a Champion division dancer–the highest and most prestigious rank in West Coast Swing. According to Anderson, the dance competitions can be “terrifying and exhilarating and exciting in that they validate you as a dancer, or hard in that you flop and make a mistake, and you have to pull yourself up from that disap-

The Kinkaid Falcon / 11

Bryn Anderson (12) dancing at the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships. Photo by Bradford Whelan.

pointment.”

As senior year progressed, the trajectory of Anderson’s college application process slowed. Her father was the first to venture the idea of a gap year. She was on the fence at first, but by the end of September, she had made her decision to commit to take a break after graduation to pursue dancing.

Her gap year will allow her to spend time dancing and thinking about what she wants out of college and her career afterwards. Her dean, Mr. Josh Hudley, will help her approach the college again process next fall.

During her hiatus, she plans to start in Phoenix, Ariz. where she will teach her first West Coast Swing class.

She will then travel up the coast of California to compete in various tournaments. She

carol@junell.cc

will eventually work her way up to Vancouver for an event called “Sweet Side of Swing”, a program where higher-level West Coast Swing dancers mentor the newer dancers in the community. In January 2018, she plans to dance in international competitions in France, Hungary, the U.K., and hopefully Asia.

While at home, she wants to spend her time productively: she may tutor or get involved with community service.

“The thing that gets me most excited is the fact that I’m going to get to do what I want.

There are things I’ve been putting on hold for so long because of school. I can’t wait to really go into ‘beast mode’ with dancing and really dancing as much as I want. The prospect of personal freedom and the ability to take initiative to

do things that will help me achieve my goals makes me so happy,” Anderson said.

She has not decided what she wants to do after college, but she does not want to own a dance studio because “once something becomes your work, you can’t necessarily say no when you’ve had enough of it,” and she doesn’t want that to “lessen her love for dance.” She also considers herself as “quite the introvert,” so she wouldn’t enjoy “teaching all the time” and “being responsible for other people’s energy.”

She could see herself entering the world of science–possibly Neuroscience–because of the continual advancement in the field, and she can also help others, which is very important for her.

FEATURES

April 21, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 5

FEATURES

http://thefalcon.kinkaid.org

class of

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M University of Mississippi Oxford, MS Christiana Reckling

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1,900.9 miles the farthest distance to a school (Stanford University) from Houston, TX

96 students applied to The University of Texas, the most out of all schools (that's 70.5% of the entire Class of 2017!)

17 seniors logged into their accounts on Naviance, the college planning website, 100 or more times

8

seniors logged into Naviance 10 times or fewer

463

letters of recommendation written by 61 members of the faculty

73

colleges received just one application from a member of the class

Stanford University Stanford, CA Kaylie Mings Sophia SolĂŠ

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University of California Los Angeles, CA Salman Popatia Mitali Sharma Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Julia Davis University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Sarah Fullenweider Olivia Hart Avery Hartwell Austin Karkowsky Charlie Marix Ashley Pakzaban Caroline Reid Chapman University Orange, CA Phil Mentz Sellers Thomas

1,244

college applications sent

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Carnegie Mellon Un iversity Pittsburgh, PA Chris Choi

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MISSISSIPPI Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Sax Morgan University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Saef Iftikhar

Univ ersity Tufts d, MA r n Univ o g f Med et Durnin Bosto MA n, ar Marg ykes Bosto rgan S o n a M h a Et Ell

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Villanova Universi ty Muhlenberg College Villanova, PA Allentown, PA Brittany Williams Kerry Sullivan University of Penn sylvania Haverford College Philadelphia, PA Haverford, PA Anna Glickman Oscar Melendez Sofia Gonzalez Ben Padon

Princeton University Princeton, NJ John Goettee

Brown University Providence, RI Sabrina Bajwa Jake Shaper

CUT ECTI

2017 COLLEGE

The Kinkaid Falcon / 13

PENNSYLVANIA

Rhodes College Memph is, Grace W TN imbish

Vanderb ilt Unive rsity Nashvil le, Willy Du TN Charme Lexie H eim Jennife r Jacobe

Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Tommy Beeler Cole Clements Jake Hammer

TENNESSEE

Sewane e: Sewane The University e, TN of the S outh Robin K ate Dav is Pierce J oh Nicolas nson Ke Kcenia K y loesel

Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX Michael Blalock Kirby Cravens Matthew Maggi Jake Reinbolt Thomas Schuenemann Thomas Sellers Kat Smith Michael Smith Faraz Virani William Wells Alex Williams

Yale University New Haven, CT Tiffany Ajumobi

CONN

12 / The Kinkaid Falcon

University of Virginia Charlottesv ille, VA Whitney Bur ke Washingto n and Lee U niversity Lexington, VA James Goe ttee Rob Lahour cade

VIRGINIA LINA NORTH CARO Duke

University Durham, NC Sam Richey Evan Rosen

Elon Univers ity Elon, NC Ryan Vu

Emory University Atlanta, GA Emily Talbert

St. Edward's University Austin, TX Baylor University Emmy Reckling Waco, TX Austin Community College Chelsea Collmer Austin, TX Katarina Zarutskie Corbin Priest Texas A&M University University of Texas Southwestern University College Station, TX Austin, TX Georgetown, TX Marie Atmar Mina Abbassian Phin Sprague Ruth Ann Bajgier Neha Afzalpurkar J.D. Dyer William Alcorn Kelly Fisher Hannah Barden Emmy Heyser Sarah Bass Lawson Lamme Eren Baysal Southern Lutheran University Ryan McClanahan Emma Carr Seguin, TX Hannah Chambers Ace Nicolaou Ashley Deutser Prairie View A&M University Rice University Ellee Dukes Prairie View, TX Houston, TX Tommy Ereli Jaelyn Hamilton Cody Meng William Gage Rebecca Noel Trinity University William Ison Sophie Parker San Antonio, TX Rylan Maksoud Rahul Popat Colin Conway Louise McCartney Kristine Yang Christine Kendrick Will McLeroy Saskia Veldkamp Cole Mitchell Elizabeth Mitchell Ellie Nakfoor Anvi Nandish Robert Oelman Dylan Poynter Benji Rae Amir Razavi Robert Schnitzer Skylar Steele

FLOR

IDA

University of Georgia Athens, GA Carter Guinn

GEORGIA LOUISIANA

Tulane University New Orleans, LA Abby Greenbaum Daniela Parada Sanchez

University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Mary Helen Burt

FEATURES

14 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Seniors prepare to bike a “Tour de Spain”

BY SARAH BASS & ELLA MORGAN

Imagine taking a trip to Florida with your family. Now imagine instead of flying there, your mom suggests that she would rather bike the 500 miles. This may sound crazy and almost impossible, but this summer five Kinkaid students will be biking this same distance through the beautiful countryside in Spain.

Seniors Tommy Ereli, Sophia Solé, Noah Pintar, Ben Padon, and Maggie Wallis will be biking the Camino de Santiago (also known as the Way of St. James), an ancient pilgrim route stretching across Europe, ending at the tomb of St. James. They will begin their journey in Pamplona and finish in Santiago de Compostela.

They will be accompanied by three other friends, Shaw Butler, a senior at Strake Jesuit, Normand Bremner, a senior at St. Thomas, and a friend of Solé’s from Connecticut.

The idea struck when Sophia and Tommy were in Señor Longoria’s Honors Spanish class during freshman year.

They read an article about the Camino and were instantly hooked.

“A lot of people do Europe trips in the summer and I thought as a graduation thing I would do this instead,” said Solé. She originally wanted to walk it, but upon realizing it would take around three months, decided biking it would be a better idea.

“I got really into biking this year after we decided to do this,” Solé said.

Training for the Camino has been intense and required weekly group rides and individual preparation. Solé has been using her stationary Peloton bike at home for rides in the morning. Solé said that

it’s similar to “Soul Cycle, but at your house.”

So far, the farthest the group has biked is 35-40 miles in one day, which took them about three to four hours.

They usually bike from Memorial Park to Buffalo Bayou Park downtown. They have also driven to Chapel Hill, TX, an hour away, to bike there for a day.

“It was hot and we were all sweating and complaining, but we know it will all be worth it when we have reached the cathedral in Spain,” said Padon about the grueling training sessions. The group will need to be able to bike around forty miles a day, depending on their location.

Ereli and Pintar will be joining the group after seven days in León. Solé, Padon, and Wallis will fly into Barcelona and spend three days sightseeing before commencing their trip.

Each individual in the group has a different job assignment. The group has made a meticulously organized spreadsheet of information like packing necessities and job assignments. For example, Padon is in charge of first aid in case there is a medical emergency on the trail; Wallis will make sure everything is documented by GoPro so the group can make a video later and speakers for music that will bring spirit and excitement to the group; Solé is in charge of knowing the history of each place the group stops and knowing which hostels they will sleep in.

“I have never stayed in hostels before, so I am kind of worried, but they are really cheap and it’s in the spirit of the Camino not to plan it

out,” said Solé. The hostels will contain large rooms with many pilgrims sleeping in each room.

The group will carry their clothes and supplies in backpacks with additional storage in small packs attached to their bikes. They aren’t allowed to bring much because their backpacks can’t weigh them down as they bike. “[The Camino] is pretty safe, for the most part; you just bike along where most people would walk,” Solé explained.

The path will wind through towns and countryside and will be both established road and gravel paths. They are also going during a less popular time of year, so the roads will be less crowded.

While the trail isn’t very dangerous, there are a few potential pitfalls. The bikes must be kept in good shape to avoid any of them breaking down.

“I’m worried I’m going to get a flat tire,” Solé said. Normand Bremner is in charge of potential bike breakdowns. His assigned job is to know how to fix the bikes if something happens.

The trip will last around three weeks.

Solé said, “I am excited. It’s a bucket list thing I have wanted to do for a while. I’m excited to do Europe by myself and practice my Spanish and I’m really excited about the food.”

The route is marked by yellow scallop shells and yellow arrows.

Cyclists on the trail are known as “bici-grinos” which means bike pilgrims.

FROM LEFT: Sophia Sole, Normand Bremner, Noah Pintar, and Tommy Ereli go on rides in Houston to train for the long treck.

FEATURES

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Jun. 3

JUNE

The Kinkaid Falcon / 15

Jun. 12

Jun. 12

2016 Muhammad Ali, professional boxer and often regarded as one of the most influential athletes of the 20th century dies at age 74 from septic shock

The ‘80s themed Netflix Original, Stranger Things, hit home not only with nostalgic adults, but also with many teens, and this thrilling drama became wildly popular.

CDC issued a warning advising against travel to Miami. Pregnant women were advised not to travel to the region just north of Miami, FL where Zika was actively circulating via infected mosquitos.

At the 2016 Olympic games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Michael Phelps breaks the record for most decorated Olympian in individual events with 28 medals, 23 of them being gold. On Aug. 5, the gymnastics team, the “Final Five” wins to the police about being robbed by natives. Later, on Sep. 8, he is suspended by Speedo for 10 months.

Aug. 26

Almost immediately after the release of this augmented reality game, based off of many other Pokemon games, the first being released in 1996, this mobile app dominated the Top-Grossing charts, as well as the internet.

After a decade of being together, two years of marriage, and six kids, the iconic couple, formally known as “Brangelina,” divorces in the fall.

Oct. 3

OCTOBER

DECEMBER

2017 After a heated presidential race, the American people votes on the future of the United States on Tuesday, November 8th when Republican Donald Trump emerges victorious over Democrat Hillary Clinton as president.

FEBRUARY Feb. 1

MAY

Year in Review

BY MARLEY ORANGE AND MEGHA NEELAPU

Feb. 5

Feb. 26

The New England Patriots make a historic Super Bowl comeback after facing a 25 point deficit in the first ever Super Bowl overtime.

Much to social media’s disdain, the Starbucks unicorn frappucino is released.

Dec. 27

Carrie Fisher dies of Cardiac Arrest, with her death then followed by her mother, Debbie Reynolds, who died of a hemorrhagic stroke on Dec. 28.

JANUARY

Trump was sworn into office as the 45th president of The United States. His inaguration was followed by many protests, such as the Women’s March on Jan. 21, and the Travel ban protest on Jan. 21.

Apr. 19

Sep. 19

Kim Kardashian is robbed at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room. Five individuals took part in the robbery during Paris Fashion Week and stole her prized diamond engagement ring given to her by her husband Kanye West.

Nov. 8

Jan. 20

JULY

Jul. 6

SEPTEMBER

Colin Kaepernick gains national attention for not standing for the national anthem as a sign of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

NOVEMBER

Beyonce announces she is pregnant with twins through a photo on Instagram, and, after just seven hours, breaks the record for most likes on Instagram, previously held by Selena Gomez, with over 11 million likes.

The United Kingdom votes to leave the EU. The newly elected Prime Minister Theresa May led the withdrawal process of“Brexit” beginning on Mar. 29.

Jul. 15

AUGUST

Aug. 1

Omar Mateen openes fire in the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Forida; the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

On May 4, the owner Barbara Poma announces that the club will be turned into a memorial as well as a museum.

MARCH With the entire nation watching, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announce La La Land as the winner for Best Oicture instead of the true winner, Moonlight, because they were Moonlight handed the wrong envelope.

Apr. 4

Mar. 26

APRIL

Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi Ad attracts widespread criticism for co-opting the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Netflix original, “13 Reasons Why” inpired by Jay Asher’s novel, gains popularity, but sparks controversy about its mishandling of teen suicide and other serious issues.

FEATURES

16 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6 Left: A tile panel made

by Kindergarden and Pre-K represnts the four core values of Kinkaid.

Middle: A tile panel made by the third-grade represents the many themes of Texas.

Right: This mosaic that lines the staircase symbolizes Kinkaid’s diversity.

Photos by Marley Orange.

Mosaics in the Lower School

BY MARLEY ORANGE Many murals can be found on campus at Kinkaid, transforming blank, off-white walls into vibrant works of art.

When entering the lobby of the Friedkin Lower School Building, one is met with a hall of riveting designs, patterns, and colors from the ten tile panels adorning the walls.

Started in 2000 and completed in June 2002, the mosaics represent themes that are taught to students throughout Lower School: character education, reading, environmental issues, Texas history, the water cycle, animal habitats, and global awareness are all depicted in their ceramic glory. Each Lower School student attending Kinkaid in that school year

contributed to at least one of the tile panels, all guided by former art teachers, Ms. Sharon Anderson and Mrs. Joane Seale.

Pre-K and Kindergarten students worked together to make a tile panel that displays the four core values of Kinkaid and represent the roots of a Kinkaid student.

Each Pre-K student glazed a tile with triangular shapes and patterns on them to make an intricate design, while each kindergartener traced their hand, symbolizing Kinkaid’s personal touch.

The tile panel made by the first-graders depicts two students, a boy and a girl, reading together. Each stu-

dent helped by making a tile of what the two children might be reading about, such as love, adventures, and dogs. In addition, the border portraying nature and wildlife was created by the third-graders.

The second-graders illustrated some of the things they learned in that year: the water cycle and animal habitats.

The tile panel directly below the second-graders’ was made by third-graders to honor Kinkaid’s Backyard, as well as conservation, understanding, caring, and learning about the environment. Each student painted a flower from a different part of the world.

The fourth grade students made a tile panel to repre-

sent Texas’ past, present, and future.

“I designed the science panel and the tiles around the outer edge to represent all aspects of the curriculum covered in grades first through fourth,” Mrs. Seale said. “The space shuttle Discovery, which was launched in 1984 is shown lifting off into our universe on one of its three hubble telescope missions. Jeffery Hoffman, a former Kinkaid parent and astronaut who flew six missions, and repaired the Hubble Telescope, sent his autograph to be transcribed on a tile. He also wished the Kinkaid students the best of luck as they ‘Reach for the Stars.’”

Eugene Cernan of Apollo XVII sent an autograph as well. Both autographs are located at the bottom of the wall.

The tiles surrounding the music panel show many of the instruments that Myron Karner, the Lower School music teacher, introduces to the young students, as he still does today. His silhouette is shown conducting the Kinkaid song. The lyrics to the Kinkaid song can be seen, in part, in the background.

Not only do these works of art bring life to the walls, but these works are the footprint that past students and faculty have left behind on the long path that defines Kinkaid’s past, present, and future.

Climate change impacts Texas more than you think

BY MEGHA NEELAPU The science of climate change is complicated. However, people like Katharine Hayhoe, atmospheric scientist and director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, make it easier for the general public to understand: stripping away the condescending tones that people in the politics of climate change often use, she carefully explains the science. Yet, underneath her calm exterior, she feels a sense of urgency, like nearly all climate scientists. In fact, human-made climate change is considered by many world leaders to be the biggest issue of the 21st century and this generation, and the large majority of the American public agrees.

According to the recent Yale Climate Opinion Maps survey, 69 percent of Americans believe that the government should set “strict CO2 limits on existing coal-fired power plants” as of 2016. However, when asked if climate change would harm them personally, only 40 percent of Americans and 42 percent of Texas thought so. One hundred sixty-six Kinkaid students replied to a climate change questionnaire as well: seventy-nine percent responded that anthropogenic climate change is occurring, and 66 percent said that climate change would personally affect them at least somewhat. However, the impacts of climate change will affect everyone in one way or another, especially here in Texas. Many severe climate events have occurred here in the last decade—and it will

only get worse.

HURRICANES: Many climate scientists consider one of the first significant events worsened by climate change of this century to be Hurricane Katrina. While it did not significantly impact Texas, it caused thousands to evacuate from New Orleans to Houston. However, only three years later, Hurricane Ike struck, again, causing billions of dollars in damages. Both hurricanes are ranked among the top three costliest hurricanes in U.S. history according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Hurricanes of great magnitude like Hurricane Katrina and Ike grow in number and will continue to in this century according to numerous climate change reports, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) assessment as of 2016.

DROUGHT: In 2011, Texas took a big hit from the worst drought in the state’s history: all 254 counties were declared drought disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Out of the seven most destructive wildfire seasons on record—which have all occurred in the past 25 years—2011 was the most destructive year, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.

Moreover, the state made national news for suffering heavy economic losses which had global impacts. Texas produces about ten percent of the world’s cotton, and during that year, cotton production

$912.3 million Combined cost of the recent floods of May 2015 and April 2016

4 million Number of acres burned in the 2011 wildfire season— twice as much than the previous record

12% Of the respondents of the survey said “I know a little” or “not sure” when asked “Do you know what climate change is?

fell by 60 percent, forcing buyers to move elsewhere— mostly to Asian markets.

Other industries were hit as well, most notably, cattle. The total agricultural losses were valued at a record high of $7.62 billion, according to Texas A&M AgriLife, of which $3.23 billion was lost from livestock and $2.2 billion from cotton.

The number was more than $3.5 billion higher than the previous record in 2006, the Washington Times reported on cattle ranchers still recovering as of August 2016.

“While drought will always be a part of the natural climate variability of the Southern Plains, the impacts of drought in a warming world are likely to become even more pronounced,” said David P. Brown, an official based in Fort Worth, Texas in NOAA, to the New York Times at the time.

FLOODING: The recent floods of May 2015 and April 2016 affected thousands of people in Houston. The city has built miles and miles of a complex drainage system to prevent flooding; however, urbanization has brought people into areas near the bayous. Due to climate change, flooding has become more frequent and destructive in the previous century and the last, and this trend will continue, according to the EPA. RENEWABLE ENERGY: The best way to curb climate change and the damage it causes is to drastically cut use of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and

natural gas and use renewable forms of energy instead, like solar and wind. While Texas— and Houston—is known for oil production, Texas is also the leader in wind energy in the country, producing more than the next three states combined, and solar energy is on the rise.

Georgetown, Texas is one of the first cities in America to be powered by solely renewable energy, according to NPR. “First and foremost it was a business decision,” Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross said.

Many ranchers feel the same way. Several have been struggling in the past few years due to drought and heat waves but have received a steady source of income from leasing their land to big energy companies which plant wind turbines. In Sweetwater, Texas, a rancher typically receives over $1 million per year from planting 125 wind turbines, according to the Guardian.

Indeed, the renewable field is growing all across America: the fastest growing job in the country is a wind technician.

Furthermore, Texas is ranked sixth in the country for solar energy, and the industry is expanding. According to a 2012 Energy Department report, Texas has one-fifth of the U.S.’s total potential for concentrated solar power. Due to state policy and the boom in natural gas, this potential has not been used to its full extent, but still, cities like San Antonio and Austin have friendly municipal utilities that allow them to grow in solar usage.

FORUM

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 17

A call to service Low school credit requirement means students should take more responsibility

BY SARAH BASS This school year, Kinkaid students completed 3,105.5 hours of community service in projects all over Houston that involved a multitude of different activities. There were about 78 projects this year through multiple organizations like Brookwood, KIPP Academy, Social Motion Skills and others. The extensive resources students have to make positive change and impact the lives of people living in different communities is a unique chance Kinkaid students should take full advantage of.

In order to graduate, a Kinkaid student must complete a total of three hours of community service each year.

This year, 105 students fulfilled their credits in April— the last month possible to acquire their annual credit.

With summer opportunities available and projects offered almost every week, there is really no reason for a student to feel the need to rush and complete their credit in April. While I understand that as students we have a lot of pressure to complete projects involving athletics, academics, and the arts, I would argue that involvement in the community should be

just as important. It is imperative that we as students and members of a thriving community take time to give back.

For me, community service has been an integral part of my experience at Kinkaid.

While I have never served time on the council, I have lead two projects and attended countless others. It is so easy at a school like Kinkaid, with such a diverse array of projects, to find something of interest and to get involved.

There are projects involving people of all ages, many different activities, and in places all around Houston.

Kinkaid has made attending projects and fulfilling credits incredibly manageable for students in every grade.

My hope is that with time more students will get involved beyond the school’s minimum requirement.

Three hours to me seems easily attainable—and even a bit low. Three hours could be an easy credit to fulfil each semester, let alone in a year.

Senior Noah Pintar has been involved in Community Service since his freshman year and has served this year as the president of the council. He has served as a

Above. Senior Marie Atmar flips a coin in the annual Bocce Ball Tournament. Photo Credit Jennifer Moteleone.

My hope is that with time more students will get invovled beyond the school’s requirement.”

Freshman Representative, Project Leader, and Co-Chair/ Co-Project Leader for the Habitat for Humanity project his junior year.

“I think it would be great if we had more than three hours required for a credit,” Pintar said, “but Kinkaid is very demanding and our students are pressed for time with all of their school and extracurricular commitments, so I think three hours is reasonable.”

Our time is valuable, but it is also very limited. We only have four years to take advantage of the countless opportunities Kinkaid offers us as students. There are so many ways to get involved and to me there is no bet-

ter way than signing up for multiple projects any time you can; There are always projects that need volunteers.

Three hours is barely anytime at all when compared to all the time we spend on everything else. I hope students would continue to go above and beyond this minimal credit and complete more hours. Community Service is a great way to meet new people, learn about different issues, and take responsibility for change. Whether it’s volunteering with teenagers who have autism, helping with the annual Bocce Ball tournament, or finding a project on your own that you are passionate about, it’s important to get involved.

final issue is dedicated to Ms. Yim and the senior members of our staff as a thanks for their contributions.

My experience working for The Falcon these past four years has been one of the most rewarding of my Kinkaid experience. I strongly urge anyone with any interest in writing, design, current events, sports, or even just meeting new people to join our staff. The lasting friends, countless deadlines, and the breadth of topics that I have covered have created many special memories. As I head off to Cornell in the fall to pursue engineering (yes, home to the top rated college newspaper in the country!)

I know that I will definitely become involved with The

Cornell Daily Sun. Congratulations to next year’s Editors-in-Chief Arman Badrei and Allison Favaloro, who I have no doubt will provide excellent leadership for our publication. As always, we appreciate and love to hear any feedback or suggestions from our readers.

Please contact us on our website or through social media on Facebook and Instagram @thekinkaidfalcon.

Letter from the editor Dear Reader,

BY KIRK HACHIGIAN

Thank you so much for subscribing and reading the 2016-2017 edition of The Kinkaid Falcon. This is our sixth and final issue of the year and is the culmination of many hours of hard work inside and outside of the classroom. Our dedicated staff has tirelessly worked to continuously raise the bar for our publication, and I believe that this issue is our strongest yet.

Before school began this year, we settled on a few goals that we hoped to accomplish: Improving the quality of writing throughout each issue, reporting on a wider variety of topics, and using more engaging design. I be-

.

lieve that we have more than surpassed these aims as the year has progressed. Our final issue features everything from the best places to find pizza in Houston to a behind the scenes look at the production process of our amazing 528-page yearbook to a goodbye letter from staff member and foreign exchange student Laci Kranitz, and of course, our college map that shows where each senior will be attending college next year.

Special thanks goes out to our advisor, Ms. LiAnn Yim, without whom we never could have come so far. After three years at Kinkaid, Ms. Yim is regrettably leaving to move closer to her family in California at The Nueva School in San Mateo, California. This

voice and feedback. Please email student.publications@kinkaid. org or use the Contact form at http://thefalcon.kinkaid.org.

Corrections will be addressed on our website and published in the subsequent issue. Please direct The Kinkaid Falcon’s mission is to be an accurate advertising inquiries to colin. monteith@kinkaid.org. and reliable source of information for the Kinkaid community by informing readers about The opinions expressed in The topics that are interesting, thought-provoking, Kinkaid Falcon belong solely to the and impactful from the school, local Houston writer and are not a reflection or area and Texas, as well as other parts of the representation of the opinions of world. the school or its administrators.

Questions or comments? We welcome your

Masthead

Editor-in-Chief Kirk Hachigian

Arts & Culture Editor Katie Erikson

Associate Editors Sarah Bass Ella Morgan Faraz Virani

Entertainment Editor Katherine Berman

Assistant Editor Arman Badrei Features Editor Allison Favaloro Forum Editor Nia Caldwell

Web Editor Julia Davis Business Manager Colin Monteith Staff Ali Ammons Madi Babine Brady Brazda

Sincerely,

Kirk Hachigian Kirk Hachigian, Editor-in-Chief

Emma Carr Colin Conway Caleigh Doran Sterling Elias Mac Friday Emma Gilliam Jordan Jafarnia Hana Keleta Laszlo Kranitz Anna Leon-Amtmann Megha Neelapu Marley Orange Sarah Kate Padon Ashley Pazkaban William Scott Emma Stout

Adviser LiAnn Yim

The Kinkaid Falcon is published six times a school year. 700 print copies are distributed for free to 597 Upper School students and 93 faculty members, and 220 copies are mailed to subscribers.

The Kinkaid Falcon is a member of the CSPA and NSPA.

FORUM

18 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

To the Class of 2017, a reflection on the friendships we forged

BY ASHLEY PAKZABAN Dear Class of 2017, Before I begin, I need to acknowledge the fact that writing a letter to my high school class is naturally clichĂŠ but there is no getting around that.

Thirty-one of us entered the Kinkaid family 14 years ago and have lived to tell the tale. I’m sure all the Lifers remember the pride each one of us felt as we power-walked down the Lower School hallway to our homeroom (shoutout to Green Door), decked out in a denim smock and totebag with our names monogramed right on the front. Our smock and totebag, the hallmarks of Kinkaid Pre-K memories, were the first of many gifts our school has given us. Since then, Kinkaid has provided us with lifelong friendships, a nurturing community, and experiences that only a Kinkaid education can provide.

Over the next few years, we grew in number and graduated from innocent little Lower School. Just as the teen angst and petty drama started to boil within us, on the verge of puberty, our fifth grade selves were thrown into the ringer— Middle School.

In sixth grade, we gained even more friends and expanded our class of awkward pre-teens. With the new students came new friendships and friend groups. We all found our favorite group of people within the pool of bratty middle schoolers. I know

I’m not alone in saying I’ve blocked most of my junior high memories out of my mind. I also know, however, that some of the funniest and strangest memories we will ever have happened on at least one of the three class trips we took.

For example, on the Texas trip we visited a random town on the way to Austin.

At some point along the way, we got a lecture from a 70 year-old cowboy with a white beard that must have been at least three-feet long. He presented our class with his favorite tool—a rock. I specifically remember him kind of leaning in, as if he were about to tell us the secret to longevity, and declaring, “Now listen here, kids! Many a fish I kill’d with this here flint stick.� My seventh grade self choked out an animal-like sound then spewed out uncontrollable laughter.

Mr. Onuchic then escorted me to the back of the class where I was scolded by multiple teachers to keep quiet. But I just couldn’t.

I thought it was the funniest

thing I’ve ever heard in my life, and I still do.

The D.C. class trip ended our Middle School careers with a bang, and on we went to the Upper School. Our ranks swelled with new freshmen, and together we began to navigate high school.

Our grade might have experienced some major “injustices� (parking off campus as juniors, eating in the commons, the extra row of lockers, the extreme renovations—faculty and structural—that happened to the Middle School the year we left, etc.), but hey, we survived. Looking back on it, I’m grateful Kinkaid is constantly improving itself, and we just happened to get caught in the middle.

Graduating from Kinkaid means more than just getting my high school diploma. It means leaving the family I’ve grown up with behind. It means never returning as a “regular� to these hallways. It means leaving my entire childhood behind. I have at least a few memories associated with every building on this campus, if not every room.

I know the map of this place better than my own home. We are all moving to new homes and new campuses that will be foreign and scary at the beginning. We’ll rush to find a close knit group of friends, which will definitely evolve through the next four years of college.

And by the time we are college seniors, we will feel just the same as now. The name of the game is growing up and moving on. This will happen countless times throughout our lives, but this is the first major move (or step up) for many of us.

Our high school reunion will be interesting to say the least. Yes, we’re all connected with Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, but it will still be cool to meet everyone faceto-face. That’s really crazy to think about, but it’s bound to happen. Our kids might be friends. They might even come here for their education and childhood, too. Others might live across the world and be completely disconnected from the Kinkaid community, but hopefully those people will remember the connections and opportunities and happiness Kinkaid brought them.

We all have the potential to be kick-butt and successful adults. I believe in every one of us. I love you all. The Class of 2017 has left a piece of our hearts with this school. We love you, Kinkaid. Thank you.

KĂśszĂśnĂśm (thank you in Hungarian)

BY LACI KRANITZ It has been a long time since I have seen my family and my friends. I remember the slight fear I felt on the flight from Amsterdam to Houston. I just realized that I didn’t know anyone here in Houston, and I have never been here. Europeans have stereotypes about Texas: I expected to see horses everywhere, and people wearing cowboy hats and boots.

When I got here it was around 100 degrees, and I was so tired that my brain stopped working. I forgot all of the English I knew and felt very awkward when I first met my host family. I couldn’t really understand them, so I just said yes to everything. It was harder because learning a language in a classroom is so different from speaking it in the native environment. In the first few months, I would end up sleeping a lot because thinking in two languages hurt my head.

On my second day, my host family showed me the school and to be honest, I was shocked. Kinkaid was so different from my school back in Hungary; it’s so spread out, open, and beautiful.

This year I achieved one of my biggest dreams: to play American football. Just one day after I arrived in Texas, I went to Coach Larned’s office and told him I wanted to play

football. I told him that I had never played football before, but I really liked watching football on TV and knew all of the rules. He agreed and put me on the JV team.

I went to practice the next day and was very confused about everything. I couldn’t understand anything they said, but I tried to pay a lot of attention so I could improve everyday. Luckily, my teammates helped me out and made my life easier. Unfortunately, I injured my wrist in the fourth game and had a season-ending surgery. However, I still sat on the sideline every game to motivate my

teammates. The team went undefeated, so I think that I’m the only undefeated Hungarian football player in history. To continue covering my entire sports career at Kinkaid, I want to also thank the soccer team. Although I’m still mad that we didn’t beat Episcopal at SPC, I had a really fun time and enjoyed the whole season from the comfortable metal bench with Arman, Mitch, Ben, and the injured Michael. Tennis season was fun too even though we didn’t accomplish our goal—the semi-finals.

The actual schoolwork was pretty hard at the beginning

of the year.

Everyone talked fast and I couldn’t catch up with the teachers (I have to thank all of my teachers for helping me not get too lost in class).

One of my biggest issues is still doing my homework because in Hungary we don’t have homework. On the first day of school, I was shocked that I had so much homework and wanted to leave. As my English improved, school got easier and easier as well.

I can say now that I’m thinking in English and sometimes when I’m talking with my friends or family I can’t speak Hungarian, which is pretty funny.

Being an exchange student isn’t always easy. Being 5000 miles away from your family is even tougher. Not gonna lie—when my family was celebrating Christmas, Easter or my birthday at home without me, I felt homesick.

When my friends in Hungary were hanging out without me while I was sitting in the school, I felt homesick too.

But you guys were there for me. I have to give a huge thank you to my host family because they made my life easier and helped me a lot; they drove me everywhere (since I can’t drive as per AFS rules), they took me on trips to seven other cities, and most of all, they treated me like I’m their real son, for which I am very grateful. I also want to say thank you to all of my friends and classmates who made my life easier at school and made my weekends fun.

I think I grew up during my year—I learned new things, I learned a whole different language, and I also learned how to live without my parents—I became more responsible. I think this year was the best year of my life, and I’m going to miss all of you guys. If anyone is coming to Europe or Hungary just text me. We can meet, and I can show you some really fun places. I wish all of you good luck in whatever you choose to do in your life.

See y’all later, Laci Kranitz

FORUM

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 19

Commuting with common sense

Commuting for convenience

How biking, walking, or carpooling can benefit ourselves, our community, and our environment.

Why it’s easier for siblings with different schedules and people who live close to campus to just drive.

BY EMMA STOUT On April 22, the annual Earth Day, many of you probably encountered multiple “Save our Earth!”s or “Love our Mother!” just as I did as I scrolled through social media.

I felt so pleased that many members of our student body had voiced their appreciation for the environment. But one day later, I found myself observing the hundreds of cars driving into the Upper School student garage, thinking that something just didn’t add up.

Many of the Kinkaid students are still driving to school when they live within a two mile radius from the school. So what’s the solution?

Now this may come as a bit of a shock to Kinkaid students who neglect to recycle, leave faucets on, and abandon full water bottles, but biking or walking is an alternative. I mean think about it: 1) You would probably spend less time biking to school, which would take you 10 minutes if you’re go the average speed (12 mph), than it would for you to sit in traffic on San Felipe, drive up the garage, and walk to the building. 2) It’s good exercise. 3) You’re not burning carbon-emissions. 4) It reduces

traffic. 5) It’s a stress reliever.

And that’s just for a start.

But there’s one thing that may suspend any student or teacher’s ability to bike to school: Kinkaid actually doesn’t have any bike-racks available on campus. St. John’s School, Lamar, and St. Agnes have bike racks that are easily accessible near their Upper Schools. Even if the majority of students can’t bike to school, the lack of bike racks completely eliminates the option for students, teachers, and staff to bike to school if they wanted to.

I would suggest that Governing Council and the Upper School community take action to install easily accessible bike racks around campus.

Living too far to bike is obviously a dilemma, but let’s take a moment think about how many siblings attend Kinkaid who don’t carpool. I know of a number of people in my grade alone that have siblings they don’t carpool to and from school with. Try to coordinate schedules whenever possible or see when you are both available to carpool. It saves gas money and it’s just easier. Also, if you live close to a friend it’s always nice to offer them a ride if you are both going to the same event or to school at the same time. And don’t even get me started on how long people just sit in their running cars listening to music before they go inside the school.

I know that if the Kinkaid community is looking to better the environment, you can take small steps by cutting down on how long you let your car run, walking or biking to school, and carpooling whenever possible.

“I love walking to school much more than the 30 minute commute I used to have when I lived far away...it only takes me three minutes to walk to school Laine Jacobe (10)

Ask anybody who has taken the walk and they’ll tell you it’s a deceptively long walk especially with a heavy backpack -Amir Razavi (12)

“Walking is good excersize and good for the environment and my house is like two minutes away so it’s easier Roya moradi (10)

For two years I got to school an hour early every single day so my sister, Sarah Grace, an eighth grader at the time, could make it to school by 7:30 for tutorials. To say I was frustrated and sleep-deprived is an understatement. Fast forward a year and I was so excited that Sarah Grace was finally going to be in high school and I wouldn’t have to get to get up that much earlier every single morning. But now carpooling became her inconvenience: I had volleyball practice until late in the afternoon, and this left her waiting hours for me after school.

I can confidently declare that one of the greatest days of my life was the day my sister passed her driving test. I might have been more excited when she started driving than when I did. I no longer have to worry about anybody’s schedule but mine, and my stress level has significantly improved as a result.

Many other siblings agree that being able to drive themselves and not having to worry about anyone else’s schedule has relieved a lot of stress in their lives. Madeleine Karkowsky (10) who chooses to drive separately from her brother, Austin (12), says. “We have different schedules. Austin has rehearsal some days and it’s just easier for us to drive separately.”

While I don’t live close enough to school to walk, I can sympathize with the people who are close enough to walk that still choose to drive. Aside from basic convenience, many athletes and performers are

BY EMMA CARR not out of practice until it is dark out, along with the fact that many of the streets near the Kinkaid area don’t even have sidewalks, making walking home a safety hazard.

Amir Razavi, who lives off of Kinkaid Drive, says, “Ask anyone who has taken the walk and they’ll tell you it’s a deceptively long walk, especially with a heavy backpack.” With multiple textbooks, walking or biking every day could most definitely take a toll on our already aching backs.

Although I recognize that choosing to drive separately is not the best decision for our environment, at some point we have to value our own time more. With the loads of homework and studying every night, throwing in the added stress of coordinating schedules is unnecessary.

ENTERTAINMENT

20 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

As senior year comes to a close, nostalgia creeps in and the thought that Kinkaid doesn’t last forever finally becomes reality. Class of 2017, we are no longer 10 years

18 Years of Music

old, listening to our Hilary Duff CD’s and dancing in our rooms to a song we don’t

BY ELLA MORGAN

Britney’s meltdown, Lady Gaga’s debut, Flo Rida’s peak, and whatever LMFAO was. Call

know the meaning of. Although the glory days of pop music are a few years behind us (in my opinion), I’m proud enough to say we lived, even thrived, vivaciously through this a playlist of our lives so far, or just a list of really good throwbacks, but here are the most popular songs from every year the class of 2017 has lived through.

1998

“Gettin’ Jiggy Wit it”

by Will Smith You’re lying if you say this song doesn’t make you want to dance everytime you hear it. Welcome to the world of music, Class of 2017.

2007 “Umbrella” by Rihanna Here comes Rihanna running full force into her super successful career with a song about umbrellas. Pro tip: No one named “Ella” likes to have this song sung at them.

2008

“Low” by Flo Rida Get out your apple bottom jeans and boots with the fur! Did anyone our age know what apple bottom jeans were in 2008? Also, it seems as if Flo Rida just appeared out of thin air one day.

2017

“HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar Even though 2017 is far from over, I predict Kendrick Lamar’s latest album, “DAMN.” will dominate at the Grammy’s.

The music video is pretty great, too.

1999 “Baby One More Time”

2000

by Britney Spears

“Say My Name” by

Fast forward eight years and Britney will use an umbrella to do just that. A song as iconic as its music video. (If this song isn’t always stuck in your head, you haven’t listened to it enough.)

Destiny’s Child

2006

“Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira My childhood wouldn’t have been complete without this song, even though I could understand maybe three words that came out of Shakira’s mouth. (Another Shakira honorable mention would have to be “Waka Waka” in 2010.)

2009

Thank you Destiny’s Child for bringing Queen Bey into our lives. This trio isn’t complete without Kelly and Michelle, but we all know Bey stole the show.

2005 “Gold Digger” by Kanye West No lie, I know every word to this song, and if you don’t, you probably should.

You know, just so you don’t embarrass yourself.

2010

“Tik Tok” by Ke$ha

“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga Not only did this song spike Ke$ha’s career into In 2008, we welcomed a what it is today, but it also new face to pop culture: got us thinking about the Lady Gaga. By 2009 hits more intellectual side of like “Just Dance,” “Poker music, like waking up in Face,” and “Paparazzi” had the morning feeling like P dominated pop charts all Diddy. over the world.

2016

“Work” by Rihanna ft.

Drake When I first heard this song I thought I would never hear anything more annoying, but it definitely grew on me. (This was just one hit off of Rihanna’s best album yet: “Anti”.)

2015

“Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars This song is irresistably catchy. Can Bruno Mars write a bad song?

2001

“Drops of Jupiter” by Train Nothing like a good Train song to get you emotional about the sun and the Milky Way. I’ll leave whether this song is good or bad up for debate.

2004

“Yeah!” by Usher If you asked 100 eighteenyear-olds what song makes them want to get on a dance floor the most, at least 20 would answer with this. (Sidenote: it seems that songs with “!” in the title really made a splash in 2004; see “Hey Ya!” by Outkast.)

2011 “Party Rock Anthem”

2002

“Hot in Herre” by Nelly If I were to make a list of songs to put into a time capsule for future teenagers to listen to, I would most definitely add this gem. And for a young Houstonian stuck in the Texas heat, my five-yearold self couldn’t relate to Nelly more.

2003

“Crazy in Love” by Beyonce (ft. Jay Z) Here comes Queen Bey with her first solo single on her debut solo album. This song features her future husband, turning the dating rumours into actual facts.

2012

by LMFAO

“Call Me Maybe” by

Ahhh 2011. The year of the Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. No party was complete without this anthem of our youth, appropriately followed by the DJ’s electronic version of the Horah.

Carly Rae Jepsen No one was really sure what to think of this catchy song when it first came out, but who would’ve thought it would blow up as much as it did. Thanks, Carly Rae.

2014 “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea This song wasn’t and will never be good, but 2014 wouldn’t have been 2014 without it.

2013

“Thrift Shop”

by Macklemore You may hate this song now, but I guarantee when it first came out in 2012, you would’ve added it to your iTunes playlist and posted a Facebook status of the lyrics.

ENTERTAINMENT

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

C hh aa rr tt Cuu ll tt uu rr ee C P oo pp C P

The Kinkaid Falcon / 21

The Pop Culture Chart: where we get to know the Kinkaidian tastes and takes on what’s the talk around campus.

Design and Reporting by Madi Babine and Jordan Jafarnia

What was your best moment of high school?

“When the power went off sophomore year and we got to leave school at noon. Then, the power came back on after 30 minutes, but all the students were running past the gates of Kinkaid.”

—Tommy Ereli

“Winning the Smash tournament.”

“Leaving May 19.”

—Alexis Johnson

—Nolan Watt

“Mr. Ramey telling us about pepper spray training during class. They would spray it in his eyes and he would have to suffer through and put his head in water. He thought it would be over, but when he showered the pain came back.”

—Kelly Fisher

What lessons did you learn the hard way?

“Not being so dramatic about cross country on Instagram.”

—Oscar melendez

“Don’t do your endnotes the night before.”

“Don’t start a Netflix season before finals.”

—Brittney Williams

—Jake Shaper

“If you think you have ADD, get tested; don’t suffer through it.”

—Ashley Pakzaban

What are most looking foward to in college?

“Competing in D1 Tennis.”

—Sasha Inchauste

“Looking forward to my main sport (sailing) being a varsity team sport versus trying to explain to people at my school what I do all weekend!”

“Becoming a frat God…Oh and playing tennis.”

—Michael Smith

“Not having to answer these questions ever again.”

—Brighton Huynh

—Sophia Sole

What song would you use to describe your high school experience? “‘Alright’ by Kendrick Lamar.”

“‘Shots’ by LMFAO.” —Sax Morgan

—Kirby Cravens

“‘Agony’ from Into the Woods.”

“‘SOS’ by Rihanna.”

—Emma Carr

—Chinaza Ndee

What is your funniest memory with the seniors?

“We had a fire drill in the middle of class, and my seniors insisted we continued our seminar in the middle of the football field.”

—Mrs. Lambert

“Well, this group of seniors changed my name to D-Clay a few years ago and somehow it stuck and spread (like fungi do). It is real funny because one day at a store I heard someone yelling out, “D-Clay!” You had to see the look on my husband’s face: “D-what?” —Dr. Clayton

“When Phil Mentz was in honors Physics and wanted to ask a question one day, he looked up and said, “So, Linda...” and then realized what he had said and turned almost purple, wide-eyed. It was pretty funny.”

—Ms. Miller

“When we antiderived while the floor was lava the day before spring break this year!”

—Ms. Thakker

SPORTS

22 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

In sum: the spring SPC

Boys Tennis

BY MAC FRIDAY, NIA CALDWELL, CALEIGH DORAN, KATHERINE BERMAN

Ranked as the number three seed going into the SPC tournament, boys tennis started their match play Thursday night against number six North seed Trinity Valley and crushed them 4-1. On Friday morning, the boys fell 2-3 to St. Mark’s, the number

Girls Tennis Girls varsity tennis placed fourth this year, their first time to place in the top four since 2014. The girls boasted a record of 5-1 in the regular season and beat St. John’s for the first time in three years.

On Thursday evening, the girls easily got their first win against Greenhill, after winning all five lines (three singles matches and two doubles).

Friday morning they took on

the number two North seed, Trinity Valley, and again, won all five lines.

The girls then faced their South Zone rival St. John’s but ultimately fell short, losing three lines and only winning two. The next morning the girls battled ESD, lost 2-3, and received fourth place.

Boys Track and Field An improvement from last year’s twelfth place, boys track and field came in a solid seventh.

Leading the charge, Alex Williams (12) won the long jump with a leap of 22 and a half feet, got third in the 400

Girls Track and Field “Despite missing a few assets, we knew we could make some noise at SPC,” said Kennedy Gamble (11) on the Falcons SPC performance.

Audrey Ho (10) placed second with a pole vault of 10 feet 6 inches, smashing her personal best, while Madi Malouf (10) got third in the discus with a personal record throw of of 115 feet 8 inches. Kinkaid’s 4x100 team of Katelyn Gamble (9), Allison Favalaro (11), Sarah

Fullenwider (12) and Kennedy Gamble (11), came close to breaking their record and defeated the rest of the competition for first in SPC. Kennedy Gamble also dominated the 100 meters and 200 meters dashes. After a total team effort, the girls track and field team placed third behind Hockaday and St. John’s, a step up from last year’s fourth place.

Another successful baseball season came to a conclusion on April 29. The varsity boys baseball team won a slim victory of 8-7 in their first game against Oakridge, which allowed them to advance to the Quarterfinals, where they played Fort Worth Country Day. After a big win against

first place, the girls managed to beat their own record. The team has evolved dramatically; in the span of four years, the team has gone from eighth to fourth in SPC with McCartney breaking 100 for the first time in tournament.

After a 17-7 rout of Strake Jesuit on April 18th, the boys lacrosse team entered the SPC tournament determined and focused on one single task: taking the SPC trophy back to Houston. Kinkaid was seeded number one from South Zone and played North Zone fourth

copal where the girls suffered a devastating loss. The team did not give up and were able to win their last game of the season 6-1 against Greenhill for fifth place.

Patience finally pays off for Houston sports fans

BY FARAZ VIRANI I remember when the Astros were the worst team in the history of baseball. I remember watching the careers of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady crumble in front of my eyes due to injury in a Rockets uniform. I remember when the Texans drafted David Carr, and couldn’t find a franchise quarterback during their entire decade and a half history.

Well, Houston sports fans, we have suffered enough.

Times are a’changing, and for the first time for any student in the lives of anyone in the Upper School, all three major Houston sports franchises are legitimate championship contenders in the MLB, NBA, and NFL. The Houston Astros, or the Lastros, or Disastros, whatever you want to call them, are back. After hitting the reset button as a result of their 2005 World Series loss,

the team not only caught the injury bug for multiple years, but decided to build the team through the draft with younger prospects. With a core of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer, the Astros are on the rise. The team is currently atop the the AL West standings with 23 wins, and were named the predicted 2017 World Champions by Sports Illustrated prior to the season’s start. The team can attribute their early success to the dominance of their bullpen. Lead by starters Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, and Mike Fiers, along with the strong showing by relief pitcher Chris Devenski, the future couldn’t be brighter for the budding powerhouse.

October 27, 2012 is the date that changed the fortunes for the Houston Rockets. The day that General Manager Daryl Morey swindled the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Beard-

FWCD of 6-0, the boys were set for the finals against their biggest competition and local rival, Episcopal. Unfortunately, after a hard fought battle, the Falcons lost 4-5 to the Knights, but nonetheless earned second place. After what junior Will Kunetka described as a “rebuilding year,” the Falcons will be fierce contenders for the championship in 2018.

Boys Lacrosse

Softball Softball secured a fifth place finish in SPC after a tough season. The girls played their first game against Casady, winning 5-2 and advancing to the next round of the tournament. They then played Epis-

meter dash and fifth in the 100 meter dash. Noah Chan (11) placed fourth in the pole vault while Marquis Hubbard (11) got sixth in the shot put. With more room to grow, the boys track and field team is poised for a successful season next year.

Baseball

Girls Golf The girls golf team, led by Coach Becca Carey and seniors Louise McCarthy, Emily Talbert, and Ruth Ann Bajgier, finished fourth in SPC, improving upon last season’s finish of fifth place. While they did not beat their toughest competition—St. John’s—who finished

two north seed, after battling to the finish. This is the first time the boys tennis team has not placed in the top two since 2011. “Even though we lost a close match to St. Mark’s, we had a lot of fun as a team, and we are looking forward to doing even better at SPC next year,” Woodley Burrow (11) said.

seed St. Stephens. By the end, the Falcons stood victorious 14-8. The win against St. Stephens put Kinkaid in the semifinal against a formidable St. Mark’s team, where the Dallas team defeated Kinkaid 14-11. This placed the Falcons in the 3rd place game against Greenhill, in which Kinkaid controlled the game and captured third place with a 12-10 victory.

Girls Lacrosse Coming into SPC with a 14-5 record and the second seed from the South, the girls lacrosse team faced Greenhill, the third seed from the North, in the opening quarterfinal game on April 28. The Falcons put on a dominating performance, defeating the Hornets 20-8.

Their victory placed them in a

ed One put the Rockets on a trajectory that they certainly weren’t expecting, as the team was annually average, and stuck in the middle of the pack for years. The Dwight Howard era came, the Dwight Howard era passed. Without his presence clogging up the paint, the Rockets became the run ‘n gun, fast paced, three-point barrage they are today. James Harden has now moved to the point guard position to facilitate and lead the team as the floor general. Harden is surrounded by weapons all around him that are never afraid to fire from downtown in Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverley, and potential sixth man of the year winners Eric Gordon and Lou Williams. To put it simply, when this team gets hot from

huge semifinal game against lastyear’s runner up, Episcopal School of Dallas. The Falcons fought hard, but came up short losing 19-12. The loss to ESD matched the Falcons up with St. John’s, in the third place game. The history between the two teams upped the tension going into the game, with St. John’s dominating the rivalry over the past decade. The falcons won the game after not beating them for 10 years.

deep, they can beat anyone, and they are fun to watch. Regardless of the outcome of this postseason, the team is poised for another deep run next year, along with enough salary cap room to add new pieces to the team to continue their progression and offensive firepower.

Houston, we have a QB1.

Welcome to Texas, Deshaun Watson. Seventeen quarterbacks later, and the Texans might have finally solved the quarterback plague that has haunted the team since their founding in 2002. Trading the 25th pick in last month’s draft along with a first round pick next year, Head Coach Bill O’Brien is all in for the threeyear college star. Watson will take the field with a strong running game with Lamar

Miller, and a lethal passing weapon in DeAndre Hopkins. A rookie coming in with experience and championship pedigree from Clemson may be exactly what the team needs with a fully loaded, Super Bowl ready defense, spearheaded by superstar defensive end JJ Watt. The Texans have drafted right on both sides of the ball and have a team primed for a run at the Lombardi Trophy.

As the city of Houston enters the golden age of their professional sports, it is an exciting time for Astros, Rockets, and Texans fans citywide. With all three teams as contenders in their respective leagues, fans should be optimistic about a championship banner making its way to H-Town very soon.

SPORTS

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

The Kinkaid Falcon / 23

The year in sports at Kinkaid

BY ALI AMMONS & KATHERINE BERMAN

FALL SPORTS

Boys Cross Country Girls Cross Country

Football

Field Hockey

Place in SPC Record

6th

1st

6th

N/A

N/A

19-4

MVP

Oscar Melendez (12)

Camilla Vicens (9)

Caroline Hanan (11)

Matt Maggi (12)

Team Song

“Dancing Queen.”

- DZ Zavitsanos (11)

“Purple Rain.”

-Hany Kim (11)

“Trndsttr.” - Caroline Hanan (11)

“Scatman.” Ameer Mustafa (10)

“Eating at Russo’s before every race.”- Oscar Melendez (12)

Team Ritual Best Team Memory

3rd

Girls Volleyball

Did not qualify for SPC

Did not qualify for SPC

3-15

13-17

William Gage (12)

Chinaza Ndee (12)

7-3

“Good Vibrations.”

“Purple - Alex Fumovitz Lamborghini.” (10) Onuchi Ndee (10)

“Before the game “We touch each “Slaping the sign above starts, attack and others noses and the door when we midfield meet on the say good luck walk out of the locker field and say a chant.” room for games.” before a race.” - Olivia Marrus (10) William Ison (12) Alexandra Blake (9)

“Winning SPC.” “The camp talent Sophia Solé (12) show. “ - Andres Melendez (11)

Boys Volleyball

“Ballin’ to music “Dancing before before our each game.” games” Lauren Ho (11) - Rodrigo GuerraLeroux (11)

“Even though we lost, “Marquis’s 25-30 dash “Beating St. John’s I loved the second St. run in the St. John’s Varsity for the first John’s game this year. game, where he When I stepped onto time in school history; broke six tackles and the field, I could feel the it was our last game.” intensity and drive of my carried two guys with - Cameron Rudin (10) team.” - Annabel Skubisz him out of bounds.” TX Harris (11) (9)

“Beating Fort Bend Christian Academy for the first time since I’ve been here.”- Ella Morgan (12)

WINTER SPORTS

Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Boys Soccer

Girls Soccer

Swimming and Diving

Wrestling

4th

1st

3rd

2nd

9th in boys and 1st in girls

2nd

Record

22-11

20-2

10-4-2

16-2-1

N/A

N/A

MVP

Jae LeDee (11)

Alexis Johnson (12)

Ace Nicolaou (12)

Izzy Nelson (11)

“Pipe it Up.” - Faraz Virani (12)

“Drag Me Down (the Big Payno x AFTERHRS Remix).” - Chinaza Ndee (12)

“Scatman.” - Laci Krantiz (11)

“Handshakes with Wes.” - Wesley House (11)

“Jamming out to old throwbacks before a game.”

-Kate Petrovic (10)

“Sitting in our lockers with the lights off and listening to our team song before every home game.” - Ace Nicolaou (12)

Place in SPC

Team Song Team Ritual Best Team Memory

“Faraz getting 13 points in one game.”

- Zachary Bell (11)

“We Are the Champions.”

- Megan Maclay (9)

“‘Hit the Quan.” Caleigh Doran (11) “Saying the ‘oh ah ya it’s on baby’ chant before every game.” Laine Woelfel (9)

“Our coach didn’t know how “Lex’s game winning “Arman accidentally kicked a ball right into to say “Berman”, so he called shot during the HCHS Game.” - Jasmine Smith Tate’s face, and he crum- Katherine Berman (11) “Vernan”, or “Vern” for short.” pled to the ground.”

(11)

—Lací Kránitz (11)

Audrey Orange (10) Noah Chan (11)

- Farise Cravens (10)

“Kickstart My Heart.” - Noah Chan (11)

“We always huddle “Zubair leading us in up and scream our yoga every day during teammates name before stretches.” - Helena he goes on the mat.” Johnson (10) Ameer Mustafa (10) “Girls 4x100 freestyle relay beating out the top two teams and taking home the win at SPC for the first time in 20 years.” - May Moorefield (9)

“Watching Brighton Huynh, otherwise known as Tron, make it to Nationals and finally become Megatron.” - Edward Chamblee (11)

SPRING SPORTS Place in SPC

Record MVP Team Song

Boys & Girls Lacrosse

Boys & Girls Tennis

Boys & Girls Track and Field

Boys & Girls Golf

Baseball

Softball

3rd(Both)

5th and 4th

7th and 3rd

1st and 4th

2nd

5th

17-6 and 14-5

6-3 and 7-3

N/A

N/A

15-7

6-13-1

Will Jacobe (10) and Drake Michael Smith (12) and Olivia Stuart Alex Williams (10) and Emily Talbert (12) Greenwood (12) Sasha Inchauste (12) Ison (10) Kennedy Gamble (11) “15th and the 1st”= - Malcolm “Big Rings” - Michael Smith “Push It.” - DZ Zavitsanos (11) “I’m So Lit Right Now.” - “Steal Her Man.” “Gold digger.” - Colin Conway Hedgepeth (11) and “Look At (12) and “Bet On It.” -Lauren and “Rolex.” - Ali Ammons Morgan Parker Emily Talbert (12) (11) RIce (11) (12) (10) Me!” - Olivia Marrus (10) Reese Sullivan (11) and Belle Martire (11)

Team Ritual

“Laser light show and fog machine before the game.” Parker Browne (11)

Best Team Memory

“The sideline during the beginning of the St. Mark’s’ game - Jake Reinbolt (12) and “Beating St. John’s for the first time in almost a decade at SPC.” - Haylie Sims (9)

“Jamming with the Block Party Live on the bus!” Sasha Inchauste (12) “When our coach told Laci his job was to pull the girlfriends of the opposing teams.” - Merritt Tilney (11) and “Berman crashing into a tennis basket and body slamming the ground.” - Roya Moradi (10)

“Dan King’s (10) prerace speech.”

- Andres Melendez (11)

“When Basil eurostepped on the long jump.” - Noah Chan (11), and “Rising like biscuits at SPC!” Ellie Lucke (10)

“Breakfast brought by the worst player.” Bain Williams (9)

“Eating at Chili’s.” - Will Kunetka (11)

“Ben Padon “Johnny Butler beating Will Jacobe at Southwyhitting a ck.” - JD Dyer (12) and homerun on “Waking up at 4:00 am senior night.” to go to tournaments.” - Lawson Lamme Louise McCartney (12) (12)

“High-fiving one another outside of the dugout before a game.”

- Olivia Ison (10)

“When Marley Orange went in the outfield and starting crawling on the ground, looking for a gopher.” - Megan Frankel (9)

SPORTS

24 / The Kinkaid Falcon

May 12, 2017 / Vol. 70, Issue 6

Chelsea rebound to claim Premier League title Results, predictions, and top moments from the world’s most popular sports league

BY KIRK HACHIGIAN & ARMAN BADREI They’re back. Exactly a year ago, Chelsea were fighting to stay in the top half of the league. Today, they will have (most likely) won their second English Premier League title in three years.

The Blues can to seal the deal with a victory against West Brom after second-placed Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to West Ham last Saturday.

The revival of Chelsea is in no small part due to the tactical genius of Italian manager Antonio Conte. Conte, who was hired last April, reenergized a lackluster Chelsea squad by bringing in N’Golo Kanté, Marcos Alonso, and David Luiz. While many people were skeptical of the huge price tags for the latter two (a combined 53 million Euros), both have excelled in Conte’s system.

After back to back losses last fall against Liverpool and Arsenal, Conte tinkered with the squad and began playing a 3-4-3 that he perfected while managing Juventus in Italy.

Following the change, the Blues ripped off 13 straight victories and have not looked back.

Kanté, who made the switch from last season’s champions Leicester City, has been doing the work of three men at the heart of the Chelsea team. The defensive midfielder is the clear favorite for PFA Player of the Year. Diego Costa has impressed as a well-behaved pit bull pressing oppositions’ back lines, David

Left to right: Midfielder N’Golo Kanté, manager Antonio Conte, and defender David Luiz.

currently sits second in goals scored this season (21) trailing only Everton’s Romelu Lukaku (24).

For Lukaku and Everton, this season has been one of ups and downs. While their seventh place finish and European football next season is a promising start for new manager Ronald Koeman, there are many questions that must be answered this summer for the Liverpool based club. If they can hold onto star players Ross Barkley and Lukaku, look for Everton to challenge the top tier of clubs next season.

While the season winds to a close, the race to finish in the top four is just heating up.

While Liverpool and Manchester City currently hold the last two places, Manchester United and Arsenal still have a sliver of hope. If either Man City or Liverpool falter, there is room for Arsenal to claim

Luiz is no longer a meme, Pedro has been playing like it’s 2013–in short, everything has been clicking for Conte and Co. and they have undoubtedly been the best team in England.

Having all but clinched the title, Chelsea now must consider signing to bolster their squad for European competition. Having already been linked with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, James Rodriguez, and Alexis Sánchez.

Second-placed Tottenham however, will be sorely disappointed with their performance in the second half of the season. The electric trio of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Heung-Min Son gave the North London side hope for their first title since 1961, but they fell just short. However, supporters will be ecstatic with the club’s promising future and recent dominance over rivals Arsenal. Kane

fourth place despite a very disappointing season for Arsène Wenger and the gunners.

At the other end of the table, Sunderland and Middlesbrough will be dropping down to the second-tier Championship League while Hull City, Swansea City, and Crystal Palace are battling to stay out of the final relegation position. Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion will be rejoining the Premier League next season.

In the UEFA Champions League, English teams had a disappointing showing. Represented by Leicester City, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham.

Surprisingly, it was Leicester City who progressed the furthest in the European competition. Last year’s champions of England, the Foxes survived until the quarterfinals where they were defeated

by Athletic Madrid 2-1 on the aggregate score.

All in all, it has been a crazy season filled with exciting finishes, physical battles, and emotional performances that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Russell “Best”-brook

Russell West-”brick”

Once in a lifetime season deserves MVP

Inefficient stat-padding shouldn’t win MVP

BY COLIN CONWAY

BY FARAZ VIRANI

Yes, Russell Westbrook averaged a triple double this season and set the NBA record for triple doubles in a season.

This isn’t why he should win MVP however. Even if you glance over his record breaking triple doubles—(which is a big if)—Westbrook still deserves the MVP. He lead the league in scoring this year, scoring 31.6 points a game, the highest scoring average in the past three years. He averaged a point and a half more than any other player in the league, and dished out 10.4 assists per game. Throw in his 10.7 rebounds per game and Westbrook had a never-before-seen season.

The Thunder went 33-9 when Westbrook had a triple-double and went 14-25 when he did not. Not only did his triple doubles lead to wins, but Westbrook also came up big for the Thunder when it mattered. Westbrook lead the league in “clutch” scoring, averaging 6.2 points down the stretch in close games.

Surrounded by role players, Westbrook dragged the Thunder to 47 wins. This came after Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka left Oklahoma City through a free agency and a trade respectively. Last year the three stars and the complimentary

role players blended well, coming within one win of the NBA finals but when Durant and Ibaka left the limited skill set of the other 14 players for Oklahoma City has shone through. Offensively challenged players like Steven Adams and Andre Roberson work when you have 3 great scorers but with only Westbrook, the Thunder at times struggled to score. Their alternatives, Enes Kanter, and Doug McDermott can’t defend at all. Westbrook was the only player who could consistently create his own shot. The limited offensive ability of his teammates. to score off of the dribble only adds to the prestige of Westbrook’s passing feats. The shortcomings on either end of the floor for Westbrook’s teammates were apparent when they played good teams, and at times they hampered the Thunder’s ability to win.

When considering the MVP, wins should matter, but Oklahoma City doesn’t have close to the roster from top to bottom as James Harden’s Rockets or Kawhi Leonard’s Spurs. The fact that Westbrook led his team full of one-dimensional role players to 47 wins is almost as impressive as his astounding triple-doubles.

Points per game: 31.6 Assists per game: 10.4 Rebounds per game: 10.7

438 Turnovers (2nd most in NBA history) 38.37 Usage Rate (2nd highest in NBA history) 1117 missed shots (most in NBA by 256 shots)

If Russell Westbrook wins the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, it is only because he averaged ten or more points, assists, and rebounds per game. Congratulations! The Thunder were eliminated from the Playoffs as a sixth seed in the Western Conference, losing in five games to the Houston Rockets.

Are we really going to give a player, who was bounced in the first round of the playoffs, a MVP award, just because he averaged TWO more rebounds a game? That is all that is separating him from James Harden. Without those two rebounds, would Westbrook even be able to compete with LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard?

“But Westbrook has no help,” they say. He actually does. A defensive-minded guard in Victor Oladipo to play alongside Westbrook allows him to expend full energy on the offensive side of the ball.

One of the most skilled bigs in the league is Enes Kanter, always brings a jolt of energy off the bench. Thunder GM Sam Presti just handed center Steven Adams a $100 million dollar extension to patrol the paint. And lastly, Andre Roberson, although a horrendous shooter, routinely shuts down star perimeter players. Russell

Westbrook has solid pieces to work with on the Thunder. He failed to utilise them all year long, so he could average a triple double.

Let’s not forget that last offseason, the now Warrior, Kevin Durant, Westbrook high and dry. Nowadays, Durant is all praising of his new teammates, damning of Westbrook and his style of play.

Westbrook is a selfish superstar. During Game 2 of the first round matchup versus the Rockets, Westbrook was exposed during the fourth quarter, when stars are supposed to shine brightest. Westbrook managed to a 51 point triple double and still managed to lose the game. His team was controlling the game heading into the fourth quarter. Then, Westbrook became “Westbrick”, clanking fourteen of his eighteen field goal attempts in the fourth.

If Westbrook wins the MVP award, it will set a dangerous precedent. If he wins, it means that stats mean more than winning games. At the end of this season, the basketball world will be talking about the teams and players competing for a NBA championship, not the guy who stat padded and now has to watch the rest of the playoffs from his couch.