The Knight Times / March 2022 Issue 8

News that Stands Out

THE KNIGHT TIMES Official Student Newspaper of Episcopal High School

March 2022

4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401

EHS celebrates a week of kindness

www.ehshouston.org

Volume 37, Issue 8

Seniors gather for retreat at Camp Allen Class of 2022 shares a full day of activities and togetherness

MORGAN HEROD Staff Writer Dude Be Nice Week is a beloved tradition at EHS. Led by EHS Student Council, its main priority is celebrating kindness and gratitude. Though these characteristics are exemplified daily, the week serves as a reminder that being kind can make a positive impact on someone. This year marks the sixth annual Dude Be Nice Week.

Throughout the week, STUCO worked hard to make everyone in the community feel special and loved. To kick off the week, over 600 wristbands were given to students and faculty members. On Tuesday, STUCO visited Ms. Gobea and Mrs. Gongora in the school store to show appreciation for their hard work.

On Wednesday, a friendship bracelet station was set up in the library to honor special friends. Thursday, students had the opportunity to make cookies during lunch and give them to an important someone. Last Friday was Who Lifts You Up Day. Everyone had the opportunity to write a message on a balloon and give it to a special person who lifts them up daily.

The main goal of the week is to normalize being kind. Kindness costs us nothing and is something we should always strive to show others. Small acts of niceness can have a big impact on another person. These acts can be as simple as holding the door for someone behind you, sitting with someone who is alone at lunch, or sending a thank you note to a teacher who was gracious during a hard time. The goal of this week is not to teach people how to be kind, but rather, remind everyone of its importance.

INSIDE The Radish makes its triumphant return Looking for the real news? You’ll find it here.

PAGE 5 The End of the Lenten Season Easter Sunday ends the season of repentance

PAGE 3 Features ........................

Culture .........................

Entertainment ...............

The Radish ................

Opinion ........................

Sports...........................

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The EHS Class of 2022 gathers in front of Lake Coffield and poses for a class photo during the Senior Retreat to Camp Allen on March 7. The seniors spent a day enjoying each other’s company and continuing to build lasting memories that they can fondly look back on as one of their last experiences before graduation in May. The annual retreat marks the bittersweet close of their final year at EHS. Photo courtesy of ehshouston Instagram.

KATE FREEMAN Staff Writer

On March 7, the Class of 2022 had the privilege of going to Camp Allen for Senior Retreat. At the outset, seniors turned in their phones, broke up into advisory groups, and rotated through various activities. Among the many undertakings was pavilion games that included interactive ice breakers.”

Learn more about The Senior Retreat on Page 2

Future Knights welcomed to the EHS community YANA SHARMA Staff Writer With the school year coming to an end, and summer slowly approaching, seniors are getting ready to prepare for their journeys to college while eighth graders are preparing to make their appearance in high school as freshmen. In recognition of this important step into secondary education, Episcopal High School held Knight Celebration, an event exclusively for students who have been accepted to the school.

The event was held Wednesday, March 23, and has been in preparation for a few months. Admitted students came on campus to see what life at Episcopal is like and understand that Knight Life.

During this event, students were able to learn about different aspects of Episcopal and its Four Pillars.

Students were given the opportunity to interact with the faculty and present Knights to get a glimpse at the academic, athletic, and arts offering that can be enjoyed as a Knight.

There was one feature that will distinguish this year’s Knight Celebration from previous years - a gift pickup. This year, admitted students were able to choose a gift to pick up in the Underwood Library.

Student volunteers were also present to welcome the admitted students and to extend Episcopal friendship and convey a feeling of community. Families of potential future Knights were also in attendance with their children to see the school environment for themselves.

The future Knights were so excited at the prospect of attending Episcopal in the future and were exposed to the various

facets of EHS culture. There were plenty of future Knights who appeared thrilled to welcome the Class of 2026 to EHS.

The Knight Times Editor-in-Chief Connor Smith mans the Student Publications table along with other yearbook and newspaper staff during Knight Celebration.

Photo by Chris Lahoti.

Features ∙ Page 2

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

Moving Forms showcases student choreography JALYNN WOOLLEY Staff Writer After months and months of hard work, the EHS dancers are excited to return to the stage in the Spring Dance Concert, Moving Forms, tonight, April 1, 2022, at 7:00 P. M in the Underwood Theatre.

Performing choreography created by students, the dancers began rehearsals in late January but have been preparing mentally since the dance concert in the fall. The dancers exemplified dedication and commitment during after-school practice every day and even rehearsals on weekends.

Sophomore Lili Shore says she is “so excited to perform again and show what the students have created and spent so much time on.”

Lili, heavily involved in the production of the concert, performs in five dances and even choreographed one of her own.

She was excited at the chance to lead her fellow dancers in her own choreographed routine and is extremely proud of the end result.

Mrs. Burgess says the student dancers are most excited to perform in front of the family and friends, especially the seniors, as it is their last dance concert and will definitely be the most memorable for them. It is also one of the first EHS traditions that they will experience for the last time before graduating in late spring.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for students from seventh to twelfth grade, celebrating their creativity. We’re excited to announce the EHS winners in this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

WRITING: Honorable Mention Recipients The EHS dance team has been rigorously preparing the past few months for this year’s concert. Photo courtesy of EHS Dance Program.

She and fellow EHS faculty dance instructor Ms. Karen Pfeifer cannot wait to see the choreographers watch their creative projects unfold after so much time spent perfecting the routines, and they hope the dancers will feel the same pride they feel as they watch their students perform on stage.

Mrs. Burgess recognized all student

choreographers, including seniors Kendall Altstadt, Caterina Cruces, Charlotte Kinzel, Caylon Mike, and Eliza Thompson; juniors Lydia Berckley, Kendall Blalock, Raigan Clay, Olive Martin, Aileen Paredes, and Mattie Pincu; and sophomores Ashley Bloome, Emma Shoppa, Lili Shore, Alexandra Sonsino, and Jules Weinstein.

Seniors continue tradition at Camp Allen KATE FREEMAN Staff Writer On March 7, the Class of 2022 had the privilege of going to Camp Allen for Senior Retreat.

At the outset, seniors turned in their phones, broke up into advisory groups, and rotated through various activities.

Among the many undertakings was pavilion games that included ice breakers.

Librarian Ms. Jennifer Succi said, “It was cold, but it was fun to see the kids playing and working together. I never knew so many kids were into Pickleball!”

On the low ropes course, the advisories played team-bonding games such as transporting teammates from one platform to another using only two pieces of wood while team members were either blindfolded, muted, or had no handicap.

During high ropes, seniors had the option to zipline, rock climb, or do the leap of faith where they climbed to the top of a large poll and jumped to a horizontal bar hoping to catch it. They also watched the

student-led skits that each advisory filmed earlier that week.

Three senior speakers addressed the Senior Class: Arissa Jokhio on the past, Blake Stanley on the present, and Abigail Klinkerman about the future, and the day

ended with a Chapel service led by Reverend Art Callaham.

After a 10-hour day, the Senior Class felt grateful to have spent a purposeful day together and were able to further forge a bond before they graduate in May.

For me, one element that classifies someone as a “Houstonian” is attending the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

This event brings people from across the state of Texas to enjoy great entertainment, tasty food, invigorating carnival rides, and highly competitive events.

This year, The Knight Times was lucky enough to speak with Vice President of the Houston Rodeo and Episcopal Board of Trustees member Mr. Duncan Underwood.

Mr. Underwood first started working with the Rodeo in 1998, where he soon found a spot on the World’s Championship Bar B Que Contest Committee. After fourteen years, he found himself chairman of the committee and then became one of the 18 vice presidents that oversaw the 110 committees that run the Rodeo.

Jazzmin Duncan Brooks Edwards Claire Fortney Blake Hodgson

Lauren McGinnis Lily O’Gorman Hannah Rose Connor Smith

Silver Key Recipients Bella Chramosta Brooke Crabtree Claire Fortney Blake Hodgson

Lucy Katz Lily O’Gorman Connor Smith George Traylor

Gold Key Recipients Mac Bechtol Eva Misso Naya Rheumtulla

ARTS Honorable Mention Recipients

Seniors Sam Gonzalez and Quinn Charlton took part in the ‘Leap of Faith’ during the high ropes course activities at Camp Allen. The boys set pull up records of 14 from Sam and 13 from Quinn. Photos by Lauren McGinnis.

When it comes to Rodeo, think about volunteering CONNOR SMITH Editor-in-Chief

Scholastic Art & Writing

Like other chairmen, Mr. Underwood achieved this position by volunteering for one of the many committees that work the Rodeo, and he recommends everyone to volunteer next year.

As previously mentioned, there are 110 different committees, ranging from Ranching and Wildlife to the Corral Club, so Mr. Underwood encourages volunteers to find which one fits best.

“Do some research on the committees that you may want to join to see which ones would be a good fit. Some committees are very hard to get on, so it always helps to know someone on the committee you choose.”

Along with BBQ contests and bull riding, Mr. Underwood cites the economic impact the Rodeo has on the Houston area as one of his utmost reasons for participating. The total economic activity surrounding the Rodeo is close to $400 million, with the event also able to provide nearly

$22 million in scholarships for Texas youth.

“The scholarships that are granted to Texas youth are very important to the kids. Some of them would not have had an opportunity to go to college if it weren’t for the scholarship they received from the Rodeo,” said Mr. Underwood.

With the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cancelled last year, many Episcopal students were excited to be able to participate in the festivities this past month.

Senior Taylor Cross was especially excited when she found out famous DJ Marshmello was performing this year.

Along with watching him and other singers perform in NRG Stadium, she enjoyed eating fried cookie dough and spending time with her friends at the carnival.

“Overall, I think everyone should go to the Rodeo at least once in their lifetime!”

Taylor said.

And you can always volunteer!

Kenneth Bent Audrey Black Julia Bragg Mya Broughton Giulia Calabrese Kaia Chambers Cate Crane Sriya Dev Sarah Margaret Hill Sophie Kanarellis Ella Marino Amber Marshall

Lauren McGinnis Elizabeth Minton Aidan Moore Caroline Nelson Lauren Pearson Mattie Pincu Evan Ringwald Jack Schaefer Lauren Standley Layla Younis Chloe Zagorski

Silver Key Recipients Keya Arora Nicholas Hankamer Mia Bhatia Lila Henningsen James Carter Lauren McGinnis Zoe Chang Elizabeth Minton Adam Choi Joshua Shipley Nicole Citardi Henry Smith Karma Elbadawy Lauren Standley McKenna Foteh Gold Key Recipients Kathryn Bragg Sydney Brooks Craig Choi Karma Elbadawy

Lucy Holden Abigail MacRory Evan Ringwald Jules Weinstein

The Knight Times ∙ February 2022

Features ∙ Page 3

Creative writing prepares next STUCO begins student election prep volume of Light and Shadow ISABEL O’GORMAN Staff Writer

RAIGAN CLAY Staff Writer The annual student-produced Light and Shadow magazine is a collective body of work displaying EHS faculty and students’ writing as well as art.

The Light and Shadow coordinators are faculty advisors Ms. Emma Tsai and Ms. Kate Philbrick. For the 2022 edition of the awarding winning anthology, the theme was “place,” anywhere or anything in life that is of value. The EHS community was encouraged to go beyond simply the setting of a location but depict it as the center of an experience.

Members of the EHS community submit short stories, personal essays, poems, and creative nonfiction not exceeding 600 words and all varieties of art, including photographs. They can only submit a maximum of three pieces total.

Light and Shadow is one of the oldest traditions at EHS and is part of the Arts Pillar, allowing contributors to fully embrace their artistic abilities. The magazine also caters to the kind of student that may be heavily involved in other pillars and uses arts as a pastime and hobby.

Light and Shadow allows everyone an opportunity to be creatively unfiltered in a non-committed format. With the theme of place this year, students and faculty had a broad avenue on which to operate. One of the great things about having a theme is that it allows the magazine to display many different interpretations off one single idea, which can be a really enlightening and a beautiful thing.

Ms. Tsai said, “Light and Shadow features student creative writing and artistic expression, giving our writers and artists a place to be recognized and see their work in print.”

After several semesters of Covid interruptions, how will Student Body and Class Officer elections occur for the upcoming year? According to Mrs. Courtney Lindloff, Director of Activities, “Student Body elections will be a hybrid of in-person and video speeches, and Class President Elections will take place in-person.”

Compared to the entirely virtual elections for the Student Council Officer positions last year, this shift allows a partial return to normalcy and a more significant

were due March 31, and the video speeches are due on April 4. Some of the criteria for applicants include a minimum GPA of 2.5, an active membership in Student Senate, and no honor or discipline violations within the year of application. This month, the school will vote on the applicants by email; after the results are tallied the following afternoon, the winners will begin their work in their respective positions.

There are many Student Council opportunities, such as Student Body President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Parliamentarian and Class President. Along with supporting and representing the student

EHS Student Council leadership encourages student involvement with annual STUCO elections. This year’s officers have the option of seeking re-election if they are underclassmen. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Courtney Lindloff.

The creative writing class begins to review poems, short stories, and other varieties of art for the Light and Shadow magazing. Photo courtesy of Ms. Tsai.

LEANA GREENE Production Editor The Episcopal community has come together once again to spotlight not only seasonal Chapel services toward the origin of Black history but also cuisine, literature, and highlights in the Daily Knight.

EHS recognized and celebrated Black History Month with a special Chapel speaker, biographies of little known but important Black figures in the Daily Knight, an African American Read-In sponsored by the National English Honor Society (NEHS), decorations and a special lunch event in the USC, as well as a special Chapel service on Black Excellence planned for the end of March.

Anayla Wilson ’23 spoke in Chapel about the meaning of Black History Month to her and how it is a time she always looks forward to. On February 23 during 5A and 5B, Food Service collabo-

Junior Anayla Wilson spoke in Chapel about Black History Month and the importance of honoring Black culture.

Photo courtesy of EHS Instagram. rated with Diversity in Action to bring “The Taste of Soul Food and Motown

Plus Hits” to students, faculty, and staff, and NEHS decorated the space with excerpts and quotes of poems by Black authors as well as biographies of important Black figures. This meal included smothered pork chops, fried chicken, corn

“But it is people like Ruby Bridges and the Little Rock Nine that remind me that it is my right to seek and attend certain schools in pursuit of an education that best fits me.”

- Anayla Wilson ’23 bread, mac and cheese, green beans, peach cobbler, and much more.

In the library, NEHS sponsored a read-in of children’s books written by African American authors about identity, including Hair Love written by Matthew Cherry and Vashti Harrison. Cailen Graham ’22, Mya Broughton ’23, Tiara Gordon ’24, and Jasmine Greene ’22 read to the audience and led a discussion. The African American Read-In is a national initiative to expose students to African American authors during the month of February.

Each week of the month of February, the Daily Knight spotlighted Black leaders, with each week focusing on a different pillar—academics, arts, athletics, and religion. One notable leader was Bishop Michael Curry, the first Black bishop of the Episcopal Church.

Black History is American History. Even though Black history is widely celebrated this one month out of the year, Black History Month serves as a good reminder to celebrate the contributions and examples of Black American leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes, and champions all year long.

connection between the school-wide audience and the applicant.

With the fourth quarter of the semester underway, it is already time to elect Student Council officers for the 2022-2023 school year. The applications for positions

body, these positions are valuable leadership experiences. From problem-solving to raising school spirit, Student Council members can explore their involvement at Episcopal and add to the overall community.

The walk from Ash Wednesday to Easter: Our Lenten journey CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer Lent is a 40-day period preceding the celebration of Jesus’s resurrection on Easter.

The season is kicked off by Ash Wednesday. Following Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday is a day for self-reflection on our own mortality. Students had the option of having a cross of ashes placed on their forehead symbolizing the verse “for dust you are and to dust you will return” from Genesis 3:19. Palm Sunday is day 35 of Lent and celebrates Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, along with beginning Holy Week. Good Friday is the second to last day and commemorates the crucifixion of Christ and is a time of grief.

Lent ends with the holiday of Easter, which is technically not part of Lent and is in remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave.

Lent is traditionally a time of repentance and self-denial. Forty days comes from various references to the number in the

Bible, such as the 40 years the Jews wandered in the wilderness and the 40 days Jesus fasted.

Fasting is a common practice among Christians wishing to train their own selfdenial. Historically, fasting was a very strict practice of abstaining from most if not all foods, but there is more variety of interpretation, ranging from more strict abstentions to modified fasts from specific negative or indulgent behavior.

During Chapel many changes to the liturgy occur - some obvious, some more subtle. Instead of the normal dictation of psalms, more are sung in Chapel. Psalm readings are made simpler and more meditative to reflect the time of mediation and self-reflection.

The color purple can be found everywhere. The color is traditionally associated with penance and royalty, symbolic of the biblical narrative of Christ’s crowning as king of heaven following his resurrection.

The cross represents the sacrifices Jesus made for us.

Christians celebrate Lent to remember Jesus’ 40-day fast in preparation for his crucifixion on the cross. Photo courtesy of Macedonia United Methodist Church.

Culture ∙ Page 4

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

MORGAN HEROD Staff Writer

r ne or

El carnaval de Barranquilla es una celebración de todo lo que significa ser colombiano. Esta festividad ha ocurrido por mas de 100 años. Su lema es “Quien lo vive es quien lo goza”.

Las calles de Barranquilla se llenan de baile, hay fiestas en las calles de la ciudad, y también hay celebraciones de música tradicional. Durante esta celebración, puedes escuchar música como la cumbia, el porro, y la puya.

Este carnaval comienza el sábado anterior del Miércoles de Ceniza con La Batalla de Flores. Después, La Gran Parada ocurre ese domingo. El Festival de Orquesta ocurre el lunes y el carnaval entero se termina ese martes. Barranquilla esta ubicada en la costa caribeña de Colombia y los que viven allí tienen unas vacaciones de cuatro días para poder ir y celebrar con sus amigos y con sus familias en el carnaval.

CLAIRE FORTNEY Guest Writer

NHS Class of 2023 Spring Inductees William Juden Adam Saler Katz Emily Ellen Keenan Estefania Clara Lopez-Salas Shreyus Loyalka Grayson Maki Ella Grace Marino Olive Patricia Martin Madison Belle Massiatte Lawton Patrick McLemore Madison Renee McLemore Alexander Christian Mehnert Mark-Anthony L. Mey Eleanora Francis Mitchell Finley Estelle Mitchell Isabel Maeve O’Gorman Lily Elizabeth O’Gorman Aileen Amalia Paredes Carter H. Peeler Martha Ann Pincu Emma Jane Poirot

Slice of π

Hello, lovely Episcopal High S students.

My name is Elena Small and I’m the Director of Women in STEM Lectures for the Math Club! Here’s the latest and greatest math news.

This March we hosted our annual schoolwide celebration of (pre) Pi Day, the International Day of Math and Einstein’s birthday - March 14 (3.14). As always, it included math puzzles, a bake sale where we sold treats and most importantly, pies!

A big thank you to the House of Pies for their generous donation of delicious mini pies and the $20 House of Pies gift card that the Math Club raffled off.

Math Club and Mu Alpha Theta continue to have monthly meetings and participate in the Texas Math League. We are still awaiting the results of the 14 consecutive hour M3 math modeling challenge that two

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Social Media Coordinator

Barranquilla’s carnival in Colombia is a celebration of everything it means to be Colombian. This festivity has been going on for over 100 years. Its slogan is “Whoever lives it, enjoys it”.

The streets of Barranquilla are filled with dancing, there are street parties and masked parades, and there are also celebrations of traditional Colombian music.

Some music you might see is the cumbia, porro, and puya.

This carnival begins on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday with La Batalla de Flores (The Battle of the Flowers). It’s followed by La Gran Parada (The Great Parade) on the following Sunday. The Orchestra Festival is then held on Monday, and the final day of the carnival is Tuesday.

Barranquilla is located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, and those living in Colombia are given a four-day holiday, so they all can celebrate the carnival together.

Whether you read the trilogy or watch the series, Shadow and Bone enchants

NHS inductees. Photo by Ms. Lauren West.

Elle Jolie Abaza Kiera Elise Adzgery Jack Phillip Anderson Keya Arora Lydia Berckley Jacob Thomas Berlin Audrey Black Matthew Martin Bosarge Bella Francesca Bourlon Elizabeth Grace Cabes Olivia Lou Chapman Hutch Warner Coward Andrew David Crabtree William Walker Deyo Sophia Elle Espinoza Olivia Caroline Forque Ava T Gami Agustin Garcia Jillian Elise Greely Chandler James Hollis Jessica Horton

C sh ni pa

On February 16, many juniors and seniors were inducted into the Episcopal High Sschool chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS), an important group of students who play a vital role in the Episcopal community.

NHS strives to recognize students who go above and beyond in academics, character, leadership, and service. Any member of NHS is a role model to all EHS students.

To receive an accepted application, you must maintain a GPA of 3.7. Juniors who qualify apply in their spring semester, and seniors who are applicable apply in their fall semester.

Members hold themselves to high standards and always try to make good decisions, no matter how hard it is. Breaking the honor code or discipline Code of Conduct will put their status as a member at risk. Additionally, those a part of NHS are considered leaders in the EHS community.

They can show their leadership through sports, clubs, or the arts. Participants are also encouraged to show leadership within the classroom by helping other students and teachers. This leadership experience throughout high school will be shown on their application.

Most importantly, members are required to exemplify the importance of serving the community by actively partaking in service projects. Participating in a wide variety of projects is highly encouraged, and students must have at least 20 hours, or four hours per semester of service between their time as a freshman to January 1 of their junior year. Once inducted, they must sustain a commitment to service.

Members must participate in NHS projects, events, and meetings. Not attending required events will jeopardize your future as an NHS member.

NHS requirements and standards can be found on the EHS website, under student activities, clubs, and societies.

Congratulations to all those inducted.

S ur Yo

NHS inducts new members

Jonathan Dungan Redding Hannah Reese Rose Anastasia Gayle Rushing Catherine Marie Russell Madison Elizabeth Schultz Poema Sumrow Ruby Sophia Theriot Jane Rebecca Thomas Andrew William Thornton Ethan Toh Ava Day Toubassi Oscar Armando Umana Grayson Lynch Van Gundy Cooper Prentice Vining Rowan Vogelsang Alyssa Wall Andrew Harrison Wallace Elizabeth Anne Weeden Bennett Brown Welsh Nicole Clara Wotring Julia Pavlina Zichy

teams competed in. In addition, we also had mathletes represent the Academic Team in MATH, placing sixth among the Conference 4A schools (based on size of school).

Congratulations to our top four scorers in order: Ava Gami (who established an EHS individual mathematics record), Chris Lahoti, Cooper Vining, and Carter Peeler.

Be on the lookout for events happening in April such as Math Club Officer elections, a guest speaker, and a field trip to the MFAH to see the M.C. Escher exhibit, “Mental Images,” which connect to mathematics and various branches of science.

Once again, we thank everyone for helping make our Pi Day Celebration a success, especially the House of Pies for their generosity. Don’t forget to follow @ehsmathclub on Instagram and Twitter for math memes and interesting math news.

If you’re an avid Netflix fan or spent any time looking at Twitter or Instagram over the past year, you might have noticed a surplus of people raving about the new hit fantasy show Shadow and Bone. Or, you might have heard me encouraging anyone and everyone in earshot to check it out. And yes, this does count as a book review because the show itself is inspired by a book. Multiple, actually.

Leigh Bardugo first published Shadow and Bone in June of 2012, and I read the entire trilogy in December of 2016, a little over six years ago. I distinctly remember sitting in one of the chairs in my living room and blowing through all 1334 pages in a matter of days, but, to be fair, it was winter break and I had the time. ,Published during the dystopian era of The Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone embraces the trope of a simple girl who comes from nothing and suddenly harnesses an abundance of power, but with multiple twists and turns that set it apart from other young adult novels.

For starters, it’s set in a world inspired by tsarist Russia, and its magical system is perfectly complex yet easy to understand. Within the first few pages, protagonist Alina Starkov and her childhood best friend Mal Oretsev, who have joined the army together, are attacked on a boat traveling over the demon-ridden Fold, a shadow-like sea of darkness which divides an already war-torn country. In the middle of the fray, Mal is gravely injured and Alina discovers a dormant power she never knew she had, saving not only her friend’s life but those of the entire regiment. However, in saving Mal, Alina is torn away from him, whisked away to a special palace school designed to train Grisha - the word for those born with powers such as hers.

Now, the plot of Shadow and Bone may seem glaringly simple at this point. Alina trains to master her powers, saves the day,

and gets the guy. However, I’m promising that there’s much, much more to the story.

What I didn’t know going into the novel series was the true depth of the world Bardugo had created, and I found myself enjoying well-written side characters, such as privateer prince Nikolai Lantsov and stubborn wind-summoner Zoya Nazyalensky, more than I enjoyed Alina, Mal, or the mysterious leader of the army, the Darkling (played by Ben Barnes in the Netflix show).

Yes, the series has its tropes, but Leigh Bardugo embraces those cliches while introducing well-written characters who make the trilogy unlike anything I’ve ever read before. If you’ve read the books, watch the show, and if you’ve watched the show, read the books. If you’ve done neither, I recommend heading to Barnes & Noble as soon as possible.

Called The Grisha Trilogy, Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising follow Alina Starkov who discovers long-hidden powers and is swept away into a fantasy world of opulence and mystery. Image courtesy of imdb. com.

The Knight Times ∙ February 2022

Entertainment ∙ Page 5

A Very Secret Service now streams in America on Netflix CONNOR SMITH Editor-In-Chief I have been unable to find a fun comedy show for some time. That was, until, I stumbled upon a new series added to Netflix earlier this month. The French comedy-drama series A Very Secret Service, created by Jean-François Halin, blends satire and comedy into the entertaining lives of agents in the French Secret Services during the height of the Cold War. The series follows the life of André Merlaux, who is mysteriously accepted into the French Secret Service by Colonel Mercaillon and watched over by operations director Moïse. As Merlaux learns what it means to be a spy for an emerging Great Power country, he finds mentorship from the dirty cop Jacquard, the insane workaholic Calot, the hopeless romantic Moulinier, and the deadly Ms. Clayborn.

One of my favorite things the show does is mix satire into complex themes and issues that affected the world during the 1960s. Repeatedly, viewers see the French agents as having a superiority complex against emerging countries and movements. For example, the first episode shows the agents avoiding talking to

three emissaries from the African state of Dahomey who desire independence. The show pokes fun at French imperialism in Africa as well as French influence across the globe with a satire all people can laugh at and enjoy.

Another concept that is made fun of is 1960s French culture. During this time, France experiences a period of counterculture which grew into the Feminist Movement and modern working culture. The show makes fun of French traditionalism by using comedy to show how the French work culture and society experienced difficulties because of these new ideas. One example that stood out to me occurred when a group of French agents refused to send a captured Nazi back to Germany to stand trial because they wanted a “Nazi Bonus.” This theme of monetary bonuses based on dark events in world history shows the backwardness of the old French working culture through satire.

A Very Secret Service is one of my favorite comedy-drama shows of all time.

With deep, emotional characters, satirical and dark comedy, and a strong cast of actors, the show is a must-watch for anyone interested in a comedic series with dark historical undertones.

The two season French series A Very Secret Service has made its way to American Nextflic streaming. Photo courtesy of Critics At Large.

“Pushin P” has exploded on social media, American rapper Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, more commonly known as Yung but with some confusion. What exactly is Pushin P? Gunna took it upon himself Gunna, has blown up the music industry to clarify: “Risking your life to feed your and every social media platform with his family is P. Jumpin’ ‘n a person beef or new song “Pushin P.” Born in College Park, Gunna was raised by his mother and four older brothers who encouraged his music career at a young age of fifteen.

He attended North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences. The name, Yung Gunna, was born in 2013 when his first mixtape Hard Body was released.

Rapper Yung Thug took Gunna under his wing and started him in the record company YSL Records.

In October 2016 his mixtape Season released with higher numbers than anticipated. He followed not even a year later in May of 2017 with Season 2, which gave The latest social media debate, “What is P and what is not?” him the respect he has heated up conversations among youth. Only Gunna can needed to continue answer this riddle. Photo courtesy of Interiew Magazine. his music career. He situation when you dk wats goin’ on not continued to create music, releasing Drip P” (Dexerto). In EHS terms – giant cookor Drown 2 in 2019 and Wunna in 2020, ies during break are Pushin P but wearing both hitting Billboard 200 records.

The 28-year-old rapper recently released non-Episcopal outer gear is not Pushin P. What to expect next? Rumor has it his third studio album DS4Ever this JanuGunna plans to release Drip Season 4 ary with guest artists Future, Yung Thug, 21 Savage, Drake, Kodak Black, Lil Baby, sometime in 2022, including definite colG Herbo, Chris Brown, Yung Bleu, Chlöe, laborations with fellow rappers Future and Yung Thug. and Roddy Rich. The most popular song,

F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay

with CONNOR SMITH and CHRIS LAHOTI For the last two years, one game has gotten eight awards without even coming out. Published by FromSoftware, the recently released action role-playing game Elden Ring has won The Game Award’s Most Anticipated Game Award for two years running. Now that the game has finally been released on consoles and PC, gamers across the planet now have access

A new standard of video gaming has taken place, Elden Ring has broken records. Photo courtesy of Game Stop.

to this highly anticipated game, but does it hold up to the hype?

In short, it does. Elden Ring continues the already popular Souls genre by mixing challenging activities with intense combat and an enthralling story. In my opinion, it is the story the game contains that kept my attention. The world known as “The Land Between” was heavily designed

by George R. R. Martin, known for the immensely popular book series Game of Thrones. His guidance allowed for an immense open world dense with lore and unique stories.

Speaking of the open world, Elden Ring is the first game in the genre to incorporate this concept into its linearlevel design. While many studios strive to add an open world to their games, very few achieve this goal. I believe Hidetaka Miyazaki, Elden Ring’s video game director, easily blended the intense actions and experiences of the Souls game with a beautiful open world. Whenever we got angry at a certain person or felt underpowered for an activity, we were easily able to find peace in exploring the open world.

While the last couple of years have been up and down for video games, we believe Elden Ring marks a turning point for gaming. A new standard has been set for gameplay and game design, a standard we hope will impact the gaming world for the next couple of years.

There’s been a growing call recently in mainstream fashion for body inclusion and the appreciation of all body types as represented to the public.

For years fashion, and especially runway fashion, has been represented by the typical body type: average to tall height, slim figure-limiting curves, and complimentary facial features. Designers and brands have pushed this image of perceived beauty to the public, thinking it would appease the masses. But consumers expect more, especially among Generation Z, who are willing to break the norm within fashion and to push brands to show versatility and people who “look like them.”

It’s common sense that the average consumer would be inclined to buy something on a model who looks like him or her.

This is what brands fail to realize.

Some of the top brands like Victoria Secret, Adidas, and Yves Saint Laurent are making breakthroughs in terms of body positivity and embracing a healthier culture within their brand. Bringing these brands press that is either good or bad drives people to talk and have real conversations about the brand, inevitably bringing them more success.

Fashion itself has always been depicted as transformative and an art form that has shifted and changed throughout time.

Body positivity and its message is helping to introduce a new wave of beauty and art.

The fashion connoisseurs and allies of body positivity find solace and beauty in this new reset within the fashion community.

Voices have been heard in the fashion industry and body inclusive photos has been placed on front pages as they deserve. Photo courtesy of Campaign Asia.

Page 6

THE RADISH

Page 7

THE RADISH

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022 In an April Fools Day demonstration of creativity, The Knight Times proudly presents The Radish, a collection of news stories that failed to meet the final cut - in both quality and fact-finding.

(HOUSTON) The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Education called a joint emergency press conference Monday to publicly denounce the practices of a Texas private high school teacher and his distribution of so-called “reward stickers” that they claim pose a two-fold risk in an educational setting.

Citing recent EPA studies and pending litigation involving the National Education Association, visibly angered EPA administrator Darlene Alexander condemned the distribution of student reward stickers as “probably unsafe and highly suspect.”

At issue are the pressure sensitive acrylates on the back of the stickers that “are mildly toxic to mice when consumed in volumes over three pounds” and the “sheer ludicrous nature of handing out stars and smiley faces that motivate and acknowledge high school students in a blatant effort to win favor over his colleagues.”

The target of the agencies is history teacher Alan Bradshaw of Bellaire, Texas, who has a fourteen-year teaching record of what one unnamed official called “a series of reprimands.”

“The offender has, on numerous occasions, practiced early childhood curriculum in a secondary institution while seeking outcomes that are less about learning history and more about winning students over to protect his livelihood.”

Scientific analysis of the reward stickers has been inconclusive, but EPA medical professionals point to one study in which squamous cell carcinomas of the skin were reported in mice treated topically with four to five gallons of the acrylic acid that makes up the stickers’ adhesive.

“These young adults don’t know any better,” a flustered Alexander iterated. “They accept these stickers and litter their bodies and laptops with them in celebration, unaware of the potential dangers.”

NEA spokesperson Claude McGivens spoke out against what he called Bradshaw’s “aggressive campaign to gain student appreciation to keep his job.”

Bradshaw was not in attendance at the confer-

ence, but a large crowd of students adorned with colorful stickers featuring fruits, vegetables, and animals lined the halls of the Houston Office of Public Affairs to demonstrate their support of the embattled teacher.

Ethics turns into two-semester course Dr. P achieves her vegan agenda (USA TODAY) One hurdle each senior must jump over to graduate from Episcopal High School is Ethics. With many students shuttering at the thought of quickly writing essays about different ethical dilemmas, the Religion Department has decided to alter the curriculum to respond to students’ fears. To do this, however, the department has decided to make the executive decision to make the Ethics course two semesters long.

Starting in 2022-2023 school year, seniors will now dedicate both semesters to Ethics. The Religion Department, chaired by Mr. Dan Binder, believes this adjustment will positively impact the lives of students. One of the struggles in the curriculum, the faculty believes, is the difficulty in teaching such a broad range of information in a tight time span. By adding an additional

semester to the course, students now have more time to work on reflection papers and achieve a greater understanding of philosophy and ethical ideas. However, the department has cited that this schedule change will make some aspects of the course harder. For starters, the class will have a full midterm-style test like other subjects in December, and students will have to learn two extra units on John Locke and Confucius.

Religion teacher and National Honor Society advisor Dr. Phuc Luu is excited to take on the challenge of teaching extra periods of Ethics in the coming years.

When asked about the change, he said, “I’m happy to join my colleagues in teaching philosophy to EHS students. I believe next year’s seniors are in for a treat.”

Daily advisory returns, but at a cost (NPR) For the first time since early 2020, Episcopal High School returned to its pre-Covid, traditional block schedule, but all of that is about to change. The school has decided to hold student advisory every day, like the 2020-2021 schedule,

EHS history teacher Mr. Alan Bradshaw offers up reward stickers to students who pass by his room. The inspirational decals provide affirmations that students claim are a highlight in their day. Photo courtesy of Chris Lahoti.

“He’s just the best,” said one student, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation and what he called “sticker envy.”

Another student, pointing at her arms and shirt and their array of brightly-colored decals, added, “Look at me... I’m somebody...thanks to him.”

It’s not known what, if anything, will be done in response to the federal uproar, but talk of a dismissal is beginning to gain traction.

Get ready for mandatory handbook quiz (BELLAIRE) Will Dr. Brad Telford’s new student This quiz is an attempt to deal with those regrettahandbook quiz transform the community? ble trends. If there are tears and shrieks of agony?

It has come to the attention of the EHS adminisWorks for me!” tration that the student body seems to be neglecting The school will hold mandatory review sessions the specific guidelines agreed upon by signing the weekly during the summer to sufficiently prepare student handbook. To combat this growing crisis, the student body for this rigorous assessment.

Dr. Telford has just announced his plan to set aside These Teams meetings will occur at the student’s his duties as English Department Chair and all choice of either 10 p.m. on Fridays or 6 a.m. Satother responsibilities to focus his efforts entirely urdays. For details about other test-prep options, on confirming compliance with the student code. contact Mrs. Courtney Lindloff.

He will issue a mandatory, multiple-choice quiz over the entirety of the student handbook, beginning with the Class of 2026. According to the writer himself, this ground-breaking and innovative development might be the most challenging assessment issued at Episcopal; to pass with the mandatory 100%, he recommends students study well in advance of the new year.

Dr. Telford warns that the quiz will feature precise details, dates, page numbers, measurements, and deeply-personal faculty information. Highlighting the importance and intent of this quiz, Dr. Telford states that “the latest research indicates that teenagers are Seniors Daniel Thompson and Zack Donovan review the handbook as far too happy and possess they prepare to take a test draft of next year’s handbook quiz. Photo by far too much self-esteem. Chris Lahoti.

With advisory meeting daily next year, students are reportedly happy to give up their break period. Photo courtesy of Corey Kardesch

and as a result, Break and the 10-minute passing period will be shortened. .Director of Student Activities, Mrs. Courtney Lindloff, said, “Taking away a measure of Break time will provide the fantastic opportunity for advisories to spend more time together each day.”

Advisory is a core component of EHS, giving students the opportunity to bond on their first day as freshmen and offer “a place where students can receive support not only from their advisor but also their fellow advisees.”

“By increasing the time together, it can only get better,” beamed an enthusiastic Lindloff.

As for the challenge of fitting a daily advisory period into the long-standing block schedule, it was understood that only a few options were available. Shortening class periods and Chapel time were off the table, but Break and the extended passing period offered the perfect option. Both will be cut in half to ensure adequate advisory time. Break snacks, as well as cookies, will still be provided, but students will find themselves having to sacrifice their free time to enjoy these delicious treats.

Lindloff noted that “this change was based on feedback from the students who miss having advisory each day this school year.”

(SCIENCE DAILY) Linear Algebra teacher and Math Club sponsor Joanna Papakonstantinou, or Dr. P, has recently begun a campaign to make school breakfast, lunch, and break 100% vegan and “cruelty free” on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Having been vegan for several years now, she claims to know the mental and physical health benefits of an animal-free diet.

“Students perform better without meat in their systems, especially in math courses,” she claims.

Papakonstantinou plans to spearhead this plan and not stop until every one of her demands are met.

Specifically, she would like all egg, honey, meat, and dairy products to be purged from the Episcopal kitchen for these designated days to ensure a completely sterile, animal-free cooking environment.

Collaborating with Student Council and cafeteria staff, Dr. P hopes to achieve her goals by the end of this school year. Furthermore, until the new food policy is implemented, she plans to hold daily question and answer sessions on the vegan lifestyle to allow students a peek into the near future.

This plan is not without opponents, however. A small group Dr. P fostering friendships. Photo of students by Chris Lahoti. who call themselves the Alliance Against the Anti-Meat Agenda, or the Quadruple As, are challenging Dr. P’s campaign. It seems their efforts, although valiant, have not had any noticeable effect on the progression of the vegan meal plan.

Dr. P will be hosting her final informational session in her classroom during 5B lunch on April 4. She will be sharing facts about the health benefits of being vegan and the overall environmental effects of meat-eating.

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of overt infatuation with random phrases and purposeless dialogue like “I want that one, Mommy” and “It’s yum like paper.” We’ll never be able to look at him the same. Ever.

Joining him this season are career TV extras Bob Matthews as the prescription pad and Emma Tsai as second disgruntled patient from left. The doctor will once again be operating on past successes as longtime rival Mark Mitchell reprises his role as physician’s assistant Constance Malaise. Season 10 will make Doc McStuffins look like Plutarch’s Lives in comparison. Miss it at all costs.

Hall monitors to protect social order (FOX NEWS) As the student body elections approach, the Student Council has announced a new program at Episcopal High School. A group of Hall Monitors has been chosen to maintain order in hallways and make sure students get to their classes before the bell. Starting April 1, the Hall Monitor Department falls under the control of the Executive Board, consisting of the class presidents and co-vice presidents.

Monitors possess certain authorities reserved only for them. These authorities include but are not limited to the ability to issue citations, temporarily revoke student ID at the school store, and be informed of Honor and Discipline Council case hearings. All monitors will carry the student handbook at all times to keep track of various dress code violations. Any serious violations of the official EHS guidelines or Code of Conduct will be reported directly to the Honor Council for review.

Along with the hall monitors, the department will recruit special students to record any disorderly behavior in classes. These secret monitors will not be identified to their fellow classmates and are selected outside of class. There is no application process to join the Hall Monitor Department, as all members have been pre-selected by the Council.

These selected secret members will also be expected to regularly monitor students’ activity outside of school both on social media and at non-school

events.

Regarding the response of the student body, a poll was conducted by the Student Council Senate of a small sample. The poll found over 110% support for the new department, with one student having voted twice due to their overwhelming enthusiasm.

(CNN) In one of the more shocking events on a school campus, computer science teacher Mr. Alan Duncan has recently expanded the computer science department to include a more lucrative method of instruction. Starting next year, a select few AP Computer Science students will receive the chance to begin their own cryptocurrency mining journey, providing the school approves the purchase of several new graphics processing units,

application-specific integrated circuits, and various other computer hardware for mining.

When questioned about the necessity of such a move, Mr. Duncan responded that he wanted to “expand [his] students’ outlooks and illustrate the possibilities that come with understanding both complex math and programming.” He hopes to show his students the practical applications of the knowledge they’re currently acquiring.

Students will spend hours before and after school monitoring their progress, and weekly meetings will be held to discuss both blockchain theory and mining strategies. Earnings will go toward funding field trips and discussions with several STEM focused companies as a supplement to in-class teaching.

As to which currency the students will end up mining, the choices lie between Bitcoin Gold, Litecoin, or Ethereum. If the initial launch is successful, Mr. Duncan is hopeful for a multi-currency operation. Eventually, he would like to establish an elective class focused on it.

Never in Episcopal High School history has a program dedicated to crypto mining been in construction. This marks a new development in the school’s academic history and serves as a great reminder of the financial and career-related possibilities that come with the eager pursuit of knowledge.

New restrictions on phone use will Episcopal head volleyball coach block cellular access for students goes to team USA CompSci class mines for Bitcoin (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED) Episcopal High School head girls volleyball coach Amanda Watts has been a part of the program for the past decade and has announced that this will be her last year at EHS. Coach Watts has not only been a faculty member and coach but also an EHS parent in her time. She brought home two SPC titles for the Knights community, but now Watts hopes to continue her volleyball career with the United States National Volleyball Team.

The Women’s United States Volleyball team is a force to be reckoned with. With the 2021 record of 30-7, team USA dominated the competition in tournaments across the globe. Overall, Team USA is ranked first worldwide, so Watts is excited to give her all! She first found out about the opportunity on the coaching staff when Olympic gold medalist and head coach Karch Kiraly reached out earlier this year. Kiraly expressed his interest in having Watts join the USA Women’s Volleyball coaching staff, specifically focusing on and aiding their middle blockers.

When asked about the transition from high school to a nationally leveled ranked team, Coach Watts said, “I could not be more thrilled to represent Team USA and continue to coach the sport I love.” She “will always bleed blue and be proud to represent [her] Episcopal family on the big stage.

It’s Knight Time!!”

(MSNBC) Thanks to recent studies on the negative effects of cell phone use in schools, Episcopal High School administration has announced new regulations surrounding student technology on campus for the 2022-2023 school year.

This new policy will consist of firewalls on cellular data for all student devices, meaning cellular data will not work on campus and students will only be able to access the internet through the school Wi-Fi. To use Wi-Fi, however, students will have to pay a weekly, monthly, or yearly subscription. Each subscription will come with an allotted number of “Wi-Fi minutes,” and students will be charged directly to their student account for all WiFi minutes exceeding their pre-paid subscriptions.

Administrators will also honor student seniority in this new policy, with senior Wi-Fi packages costing the least and freshman Wi-Fi packages costing the most. All money raised from these subscriptions will go toward buying personal typewriters for all students in an initiative to minimize laptop use, transition away from technology, and reduce screen time. Furthermore, administrators tell us that recent studies have shown that working on typewriters increases focus and productivity by large margins. Because of these studies, they have revealed that once enough money is raised to provide all students with typewriters, student assignments will be typed solely via typewriter and submitted as hard copies.

While they know they will likely receive backlash from students, administrators stand by their

new policy, noting that it will greatly improve student focus and productivity in the long run.

““We’re excited to roll out

Knightnet later this year as we think it’ll help students focus while also creating a pretty sweet pot of money for the school. For at least the first 12-18 months, students who enroll can expect data speeds roughly the same as a dial-up connection from 1998. We hope to bring those speeds up to 2002ish levels by 2027. From there? Who even knows.

“

Numerous state agencies looking for teacher removal over stickers

- Mark Mitchell

(Junior Class Dean)

EHS students are happy to spend their free time, under Mr. Duncan’s watchful eye, mining crypto for EHS. Photo courtesy of Chris Lahoti.

To make sure all students are following school guidelines, student Hall Monitors will begin to patrol hallways in search up various violations.

Photo courtesy of Gabe Oderich.

Opinion∙ Page 8

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

Minnesota teachers demand justice CONNOR SMITH Editor-in-Chief The pandemic has put stress on every American, but the most affected have got to be teachers. With many schools abruptly closing throughout the last year and teachers having to adapt to changing conditions, many educators have begun to wonder whether they can have it better.

In March of 2020, the St. Paul Public School District in Minnesota was threatened by a strike from the St. Paul Federation of Educators. The TwinCities Pioneer Press reported that this strike would have affected nearly 30,000 students if a deal wasn’t made to cap class sizes, guarantee raises, and increase mental health support.

Now, almost two years later, the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers has begun to strike for nearly the same reasons.

Starting on Monday, March 7, nearly 3,000 teachers and support staff went on strike calling on the city for better pay, smaller class sizes, and better mental health support for students. The president of the federation told the press, “We are on

Minnesota teachers take to the streets in protest. Photo courtesy of ABC News.

strike for safe and stable schools… we’re on strike for our students.”

Many teachers have decided to strike to achieve better mental health for students.

Experts say that nearly $90 million of federal COVID-19 relief was spent to fund mental health programs for students and teachers alike. Along with mental health, teachers on strike say better pay is required for schools to go back in session.

The state of Minnesota achieved a whopping $9.25 billion in surplus at the end of 2021. Teachers and union leaders have asked for the state to use this excess money to fund teachers and education programs, which they say will ultimately benefit the students.

The Associated Press reports that the teachers’ request would cost roughly $166 million annually, so is it that hard for the state to respond to these demands? A mixture of long-distance learning and intense conditions under the COVID-19 pandemic have put stress on everyone in the public school system. I know students and teachers who have undergone multiple mental health issues over the past two years and would wish for these terms to be met.

Teachers are, in my opinion, the most important group of working Americans this country has. Teachers spend countless hours dedicated to their students, trying to find ways to further learning, all while budget restraints and unnecessary regulations cripple the United States education system. Why do states and government leaders continue to dismiss teachers and insult them with harsh working conditions and low pay? Elementary and high school education is one of the most important aspects of society.

I hope this strike will lead to a greater acceptance of support for the millions of teachers struggling in public school systems around the country.

HOT TAK ES

With Jazzmin Duncan

Bratz dolls are better than Barbie dolls.

Bratz dolls are a staple in the lives of millions of children born in the early 2000’s, as is Barbie. However, Bratz have recently been repopularized, along with their style - a feat that Barbie hasn’t quite matched.

The classic Y2K clothing and makeup Bratz dolls, basically pioneered in the doll world, has become the standard among youth in 2022.

Bratz dolls are not only more aesthetically pleasing than Barbie dolls, but the media produced on their behalf was unmatched.

Fashion Pixiez, Rock Angels, Fairy Tales, and Desert Jewels did more for youth culture than every episode of “Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse” combined. The only toys that rival Bratz dolls are Monster High Dolls, but that’s entirely different.

Some would argue that Bratz dolls set an unrealistic standard that’s unhealthy for little girls, a standard that Barbie is trying to reset. To that argument, I would say that Barbie is the blueprint for unrealistic standards. They are merely trying to repair the damage they did a long time ago. Sure, they may be super diverse now with dolls of all kinds, but that’s nothing that Bratz hasn’t done.

Bratz didn’t need controversy or multiple scandals to know that they needed to be inclusive. Furthermore, Bratz dolls provide a sense of fantasy with the makeup and exaggerated features that Barbie dolls just can’t. Barbie dolls are struggling to keep up, unsurprisingly so. It’s time for them to move over and make room for a new best seller.

Barbie and Bratz have been at the center of fashion-doll related superiority debates since Bratz was created in the early 2000s. Photo courtesy of NY Daily News.

The Lily Pad with Lily O’Gorman

Amidst the very imminent and pressing military threats to Ukrainian lives following Russia’s invasion last month, scientists have been pointing to environmental fallout that could pose longer-term dangers to the Ukrainian population. Fighting between Russia and Ukraine in the Donbas has persisted since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, and has set a precedent for what environmental damage could look like for the rest of Ukraine in the years to come. With flooded mine shafts across the region, toxic chemicals have begun to infiltrate the region’s water supply - just part of a threat to the region that could be “more deep and dangerous than Chernobyl,” according to Ukrainian scientists. In the past, Russia has, as Wired puts it, “wielded [the environment] as a weapon of war” in the Donbas and is likely not hesitant to do the same in the rest of Ukraine.

Today in densely populated areas of Ukraine like the capital city of Kyiv, Russian forces have taken to the brutal shelling of waste repositories, industrial facilities, and civilian homes. Gregory Barber of Wired calls this “an extension of what we’ve seen in the Donbas” and fears that “as the Russian military gets more desperate, the environmental damage will not just be collateral, but a tool of force against Ukrainians.” In February, Russian missiles hit a radioactive waste disposal facility in Kyiv and an electrical transformer in Kharkiv. In response, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) Director General Grossi warned that

“these two incidents highlight the very real risk that facilities with radioactive material will suffer damage during the conflict, with potentially severe consequences for human health and the environment.”

With heavy shelling, like we are seeing in Kyiv among other cities, comes heavy air pollution - pollution from explosives, missiles, and tank rounds filled with heavy metals and asbestos from debris. Ukraine was one of the latest countries to ban asbestos, doing so in 2017, having imported over 40,000 tons of it between 2009 and 2015.

With this high level of carcinogens infiltrating the atmosphere, soil, and groundwater of densely populated areas, soldiers and civilians are facing a unique cocktail of chemical inhalants whose health effects are far more unpredictable and dangerous than what we have seen in the past.

Mary Prunicki, the director of air pollution and health research at Parker Center for Allergy Research at the Stanford University School of Medicine, warns that Ukrainian survivors could experience health issues similar to survivors of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. She further explains that “Ukraine would be somewhat similar, only in some areas you’d be dealing with old factories –metallurgical type factories – which would be even worse.”

Moreover, the safety of nuclear power plants and reactors is of serious concern during wartime, as they produce around half of Ukraine’s power. According to Wired, nuclear experts worry that “the difficulty of keeping reactors running with

adequate staff and safety protocols in the middle of a war zone” could have serious ramifications that could lead to meltdowns, fires, explosions, and the release of radioactive material. There is no doubt that these power plants are efficient, but they require constant and precise management and maintenance - maintenance that may not be possible in the midst of a national emergency.

The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine has already accused Russian occupiers of “detaining the personnel of the Chernobyl NPP station, not allowing them to rotate, as required by technical safety rules.” Furthermore, it warns that “all responsibility

for nuclear and radiation… lies with the [Russian] invaders” and states that “[the Russian invasion of nuclear plants] is one of the most appalling threats to Europe today.” The Ministry has further stated that this Russian occupation - a direct violation of Article 56 of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions - “could turn into another world environmental catastrophe.”

Ukraine’s priorities are not, and should not be, on environmental issues during this time of emergency and immediate danger.

However, it is crucial that we monitor them and, when the fighting is over, do not forget about the very serious impact they have and will have for years to come.

Current conflict in Ukraine not only presents immediate danger but also longterm environmental and health risks to the Ukrainian population . Photo courtesy of Wired.

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

Opinions ∙ Page 9

Opinions The Knight Times Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450 713-512-3400 Head of School Ned Smith

Russia-Ukraine conflict shocks the world; unrest and uprisings ensue Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have reached an all-time high as the Russian military continues advancing into Ukrainian territory. This invasion has lead to chaos across the globe, including increased gas prices and universal political unrest.

Photo courtesy of The Times of Israel.

GABRIEL ODERICH Staff Writer On February 24, 2022, the unthinkable happened in Europe. One developed European nation invaded another. A scenario that was long thought to be buried deep within the annals of history has reemerged into one of the biggest threats to global peace since the end of the Cold War. Russia’s Vladimir Putin decided to lead his country into an invasion that would benefit neither it nor the people of Ukraine.

Military strength is proving to be more valueable than ever. Photo courtesy of leftvoice.org Putin made his ambitions clear, calling the collapse of the Soviet empire “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century”. He questioned the sovereignty of not only Ukraine but every country that has a large ethnic Russian population, and stated that “tens of millions of our fellow citizens and countrymen found themselves beyond the fringes of Russian territory,” according to NBC news. It was after this speech that Putin acted upon these words and ordered a “special military operation” into Ukraine, which has become a fullscale invasion of a sovereign nation resulting in 3,000 deaths between both sides in

the short span of five days according to congressional officials. Unfortunately, it seems that number will only rise.

Luckily for the Ukrainians, it seems as though the assault on their nation is falling far behind what Russian expectations were prior to the conflict.

“Analysts believe Russia had expected to make far more gains and, crucially, to face far less resistance from Ukrainian forces and volunteer fighters as they attacked various towns and cities in the north, east, and south of the country,” according to a CNBC article. This resistance has allowed Ukraine to hold not only Kyiv but every single major city in Ukraine except for Kherson as of two weeks into the invasion, according to the BBC. However, the city of Mariupol, in the south of Ukraine, is currently encircled by Russian forces; according to a deputy commander of the Azov military unit of Ukraine’s National Guard in a post on Azov’s official Telegram page, “Mariupol cannot be lost” and “[it] is the last city that prevents the creation of a land corridor from Russia to Crimea.”

Ukraine is facing extremely long odds, but it seems that if its fierce resistance continues, the war may become too costly and risky for Putin to continue.

Russia did not only face fierce resistance to the invasion from Ukraine but rather from most of the international community. The sanctions that have been placed on Russia are unprecedented and have effectively crippled the Russian economy with interest rates increasing from “9.5% to 20%, the introduction of tough capital controls, [and] the closure of the stock market,” according to The Guardian. The Russian ruble has fallen in value by a third compared to the US dollar as well, and

People in both Ukraine and Russia have begun protesting and pushing for peace between their respective governments. Photo courtesy of aljazeera.com.

“

Stop calling it war. For war implies fault on both sides. It is an invasion where [Russia] is the aggressor and the people of Ukraine are the victim.

”

- Abhijit Naksar (Goodreads.com)

as of now, continues to fall. Estimates from the Centre for Economics and Business Research say in two years the Russian economy could be 14% smaller than it would’ve been had Russia not invaded Ukraine. Put simply, “jobs will be less. there will be shortages of imported goods.

Savings will be worth less” (The Guardian). Some Russian banks have also been cut off from SWIFT, effectively cutting them off from the international financial system, which harms their ability to operate globally, according to the Financial Times. Beyond these sanctions on the country of Russia, several Russian officials have also been sanctioned personally, including Vladimir Putin.

While Russia has faced incredible adversity due to Putin’s aggression, the rest of the world remains worried about the new precedent that has been put in place. A prime example of this change in European politics came with the announcement that Germany will inject “100 billion euros” into their armed forces and will be raising their annual military budget by a third to meet the NATO target of 2% of GDP going to defense, according to Bloomberg.

Germany had long been resistant to military spending, and for decades had been below this target; their increase in spending represents a fundamental shift within Europe. According to a YLE poll, over 50% of Finnish people now support joining NATO for the first time in the nation’s history. Polls found similar results in Sweden, according to NPR. Finland and Sweden have long been neutral countries, with neither joining NATO even at the height of the Cold War. Putin has brought forth a new era in Europe, and it seems as though Europe and the West stand united against a magnitude of aggression that was once thought to be in the history books.

Associate Head of School Nancy Laufe Eisenberg Principal Kim Randolph Dean of Arts and Innovation Jay Berckley Visual Arts Chair Kate Philbrick Publications Coordinator David Framel Photojournalism Instructor Japheth Storlie Photojournalism Editors Karma Elbadawy Lila Henningsen Photographers Wade Arntzen Syndey Brooks Mya Broughton Olivia Chapman Mckenna Foteh Isabella Goytia Lauren McGinnis Amelia Novotny Jules Weinstein Co-Editors-in-Chief Chris Lahoti Connor Smith Production Editor Leana Greene Opinions Editor Jazzmin Duncan Copy Editor Lily O’Gorman Sports Editor Cory Kardesch Social Media Coordinator Estefania Lopez-Salas Staff Writers Gabriel Oderich Morgan Herod Jalynn Woolley Isabel O’Gorman Yana Sharma Jake Berlin Kate Freeman Campbell Richardson Raigan Clay

The Knight Times is a product of students in the Episcopal High School newspaper class, who are solely responsible for its creation and editorial content. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the Episcopal Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff. Published ten times a year, The Knight Times is a non-profit educational tool. The staff encourages the submission of letters, editorials, and story ideas from the community, but reserves the right to edit and/or use said articles.

Opinions∙ Page 10

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

Sports Your Monthly Sports Brief

Girls lacrosse focuses around team development MORGAN HEROD Staff Writer

Boys Lacrosse

Colin Bennett - 20 goals, 6 assists, 26 Total PTS Jackson Hearn - 30 goals, 25 assists, 55 Total PTS Drew Haffner - 14 goals, 14 assists, 28 Total PTS Jack Schaefer - 17 goals, 2 assists, 19 Total PTS Ryan Gatto: 127 saves, 10.6 saves per game

As of March 21, 2022

Softball Thomas Townsen - 0.595 AVG Emma Poirot - .385 AVG Allie Williams - 0.303 AVG Gianna Lewis - 0.294 AVG Lily Tanner - 0.275 AVG Anne Jones - 0.255 AVG Camille Walker - 0.200 AVG Total - 0.271 AVG

RECORD:

8-5

As of March 25, 2022

Night, when all the seniors will be recognized for their industriousness. This night is very special, not only to the seniors, but to the entire team, and the program is excited to honor such impactful players that have made a huge mark on their coaches and teammates. They also look forward to their games against Kinkaid and St. John’s.

Boys golf displays consistent effort in Lost Pines event GABRIEL ODERICH Staff Writer

Above, Mackenzie Allen and Ainsley Snell, and right, Hannah Rose. Photos

by Mr. Mauro Gomez.

RECORD:

8-4

Coach Moriarty and assistants Coach White and Coach Scharping would love to recognize this year’s seniors and all their hard work.

“Margaret Ann Krieg, Kate Freeman, Kate Teagarden, Samantha Hoover, Mac Bechtol, and Morgan Rippstein come to practice every day ready to work hard and lead the rest of the program,” says Coach “Mo”. “We are proud of them and look forward to seeing what they accomplish throughout the season.”

In practice, the team is constantly focused on one thing: getting better. Once the players step onto the field,

The varsity girls lacrosse team has many goals for the 2022 season. The focus is to grow stronger as a team every day.

Improving stick skills, field knowledge, and “lacrosse IQ” is an important aspect in developing a successful team, and after four weeks into the season, the standards are rising each day. As they continue practicing, skills are improved and mastered, making the level of play quicker and more competitive.

“Watching our players improve is really exciting and rewarding for our program,” says Head Coach Paige Moriarty.

lacrosse is the only matter at hand. It is an opportunity to forget about the problems of the day and compete with friends. For an hour and a half, the team runs through drills and scrimmage one another to mock game like situations so that they can meet their goals and get better.

On April 12, the team will go up against Houston Christian at 5:00 at home. This is of great significance because it is Senior

The varsity boys golf team has continued to find success as the season continues. Sophomore Jack Oren shot an impressive 164 over the course of two days during the annual St. John’s Invitational on March 7 at Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop, an especially impressive feat considering the difficulty of the Lost Pines course, one of the hardest in the Austin area.

The team continues its practice regiment in hopes to improve over the course of the season; the players can often be found at the EHS campus on the putting green working on their skills.

Golfer Cory Kardesch gave some insight into the workings of a golf swing. He mentioned the importance of maintaining eye contact with the ball, leading with your non-dominant hand, and attempting to shift weight. The senior describes Coach Wayne Jones as being a passionate and great leader and someone who has no doubt helped Cory improve on his overall game and become a leader on the team as a senior.

Track and field continues to smash records in preparation for SPC JAZZMIN DUNCAN Opinions Editor Beginning their season with a bang, both the boys and girls Episcopal track and field teams have obtained substantial success both in the SPC and the general Houston Area. Across all events, the Knights have been able to dominate, maintaining their title as champions.

At the St. John’s Maverick Relays, sophomore Sam Marino broke the school record in the mile by nearly two seconds, the record set previously by Will Worthington in 2016.

Senior Carson Hicks, a distance runner, shared his pride for his teammate. “He’s, like, extremely talented, and we are all super excited to see what he can do next, on and off the track,” he explained.

This broken record only adds to the series of distance victories this year; both the girls and boys teams broke the 4x1600m school record only weeks prior. Despite the perceived independence that each athlete has in track, everyone maintains strong bonds, even across events.

Junior thrower Grayson Maki shares his pride in the team. “We have had a really good start to the season. There have been some bumps in the road, but I think we’ve made significant progress as a team and as individuals.”

The team has attempted to branch out beyond the SPC, competing against 6A public

schools to give the athletes perspective and push themselves beyond their perceived limits. Team members have most notably competed at the Strake Jesuit Crusader Relays and the Stafford Spartan Relays.

Caylon Mike, who ran at both meets, shared her outlook on the team’s performance: “We had a good time for sure. It’s

nice to see where we are compared to the other girls who run in the other conferences.”

For the remaining meets, which include Texas Relays, one of the largest meets in the state, the team hopes to continue to break records and deconstruct barriers between events and districts.

Will Citizen and DeVonte Taylor. compete in a hurdle event Photo by Mr. Mouro Gomez.

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

What do the players say?

Caldwell Graham ’22 Boys Lacrosse “This season has been a testament to the hard work and dedication of our coaching staff, who have made every effort to put us in positions to succeed.

I truly believe we can have the best record this program has seen since 2010 and capture a city title. No matter what happens, or how the season ends, these past four years in this program have given me some of the best friends and memories that I could ask for. I’m so grateful for everything this program has done for me, and I am very proud to have been a part of it.”

Mac Bechtol ’22 Girls Lacrosse “So far our season has gone really well.

We’ve played hard and held our own against some really good teams, and we’ve got a couple wins under our belt that felt really great. We’ve had a lot of tough games, especially as a program that’s still growing, but we haven’t let the challenge beat us. Our team has gotten so much closer, especially after our Spring Break trip to Universal, and I’m so lucky to play with this group of girls. I’m really excited for SPC and to finish our season strong, and admittedly a little emotional about the end of high school lacrosse approaching.”

Sports ∙ Page 11

Sports

EHS baseball team starts season with high hopes for SPC victory JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer The EHS varsity baseball team has had an encouraging start to their spring season, starting the year with a 3-2 record.

The team started the regular season with Lutheran South Academy, whom they beat 11-7, followed by decisive wins over Santa Fe (6-3) and Dawson (9-3).

A few tough opponents followed, as the boys fell 10-0 to Lake Creek High School and 10-6 to Lamar.

When asked about his outlook for this year’s team, Head Coach Matt Fox

claimed, “Our rivals think we are down because they know who we graduated last year. I think they just don’t know us yet, which is a really fun place to be.”

So far, the team has lived up to its own expectations after a dedicated off-season of preparation. The previously seniorheavy team lost most of its star players from a year ago, but this year’s group of young athletes has already proven themselves and are worthy of attention.

Coach Fox admitted that the unproven team would experience growing pains as they develop; however, the team has shown that it can handle adversity and learn from their mistakes.

The baseball team puts their hard work to use during a scrimmage at the beginning of the season. Photo by Lauren West.

Tennis team bounces back from difficult start to year ISABEL O’GORMAN Staff Writer

critical experience from matches this year more than previous years. For example, Episcopal and The Met hosted a varsity invitational tournament less than a week into the season. This event included count-

the tone for our season in terms of early practice and participation between other schools. Continuing through the year, we are so excited to develop our tennis through experience in similar matches and tournaments.”

With more gameplay than ever, will this year’s EHS tennis team be one for the books?

The EHS tennis team is lucky enough to have a unique and long-lasting As the season continues, partnership with the the team keeps pace as Downtown Club at The both JV and varsity tennis Met to utilize the impresattend more matches than sive facilities and courts. ever before. This increased As Assistant Coach Evan cross-school practice has Harris describes it, “Havand will undoubtedly ing access to a high-end improve the athletes’ skills facility like The Met is a and prompt valuable learnprivilege for us, and we ing experiences in the form treat it as such. It’s a stateof competitive play. Coach of-the-art facility with topHarris notes the excitement notch pros, ball machines, associated with the future and fitness equipment.” for this season, stating that Quinn Charlton goes in for a hit at practice. Photo by Isabella Goytia.

The tennis season has be“this season we have more gun to heat up this month as the coaches less athletes and many schools, including matches scheduled than in previous years, and athletes participate in matches and John Cooper, Kinkaid, St. John’s, Awty, so we are excited for those. Coach Succi tournaments against other schools. PreviHouston Christian, and St. Thomas. Acand I are especially excited to watch the ously impeded by Covid, the tennis team cording to JV Select athlete junior Maddi- more seasoned players take up leadership has the opportunity to practice and gain son Newman, “This tournament really set roles on the team.”

Girls golf squad debuts season with new coach and players JALYNN WOOLLEY Staff Writer With the start of the spring season, girls golf played in its first tournament at Blackhorse Golf Club on February 2 with a group consisting of nine varsity players.

Head varsity girls coach Meghan Moake is excited to introduce new JV coach Ms. Tennessee Hill and to emphasize all that she has already done to help build and strengthen the program, specifically taking on a team of fifteen JV golfers who have their first meet April 6 at Sharpstown Gold Course.

Coach Moake recognized sophomore Amelia Novotny for all her hard

Charlie Hartman ’22 Boys Golf

work and dedication. She had a fantastic season last year and will lead the team as the number one golfer this year, which is commendable for any player, especially a sophomore. She will be looked to to lead the team to finish in the top three at SPC. As always, the players are extremely excited for their team trip to Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop, Texas, hoping to bond with their teammates and have fun together playing the sport they all love.

Varsity has their next meet April 12 at Quail Valley Golf Course, and the golfers would love to have support from their fellow classmates as they achieve success and meet their goals over the course of the season.

Amelia Novotny practices her golf swing outside of school. Photo courtesy of Amelia Novotny.

“Expectations were high as the 2022 EHS golf season approached. Finishing in second place behind Kinkaid last year, our goal for this season was to win SPC. When the much-awaited first tournament came around, nerves were high as much was expected from this year’s golf team.

Despite not securing a victory, the team had success throughout the first couple tournaments. With only a few tournaments left before SPC, we are sharpening our games everyday. Come April, we are excited to compete in the SPC tournament and hopefully bring the championship trophy to Episcopal.”

Knight Shift∙ Page 12

The Knight Times ∙ March 2022

Speaks Out

Resident Jester

“What is something legal you would make illegal?”

LIBBY DAVIS “Having tests the day before a break”

JAKE MOULD “Sports practices in 100 degree weather”

Cartoon by Lily O’Gorman.

PhotoJ Photo of the Month LEILA ELSERAG “Chemistry”

CAMERON BASRA “Smacking when you eat”

GRACE KANT “Making online subscriptions hard to cancel”

JAMES CARTER “Driving under the speed limit”

EHS Onstage performed the musical Chicago: High School Edition on March 4-6.

Photo by Lauren McGinnis.

The Triumphant Return of

Celebrity Sighting

SOPHIE KANARELLIS “The brand Supreme”

MS. EMMA TSAI “Back-to-back meetings”

BLAKE STANLEY “Eating pizza with a fork”

MR. ALAN DUNCAN “Teen cosmetic surgery”

Back by popular demand, we bring you Celebrity Sighting. Like the McRib, this will likely be for a limited time only, but you never know. And how fitting that our featured look-a-like is the most featured EHS community member to appear on Celebrity Sighting, Mr. Alan Bradshaw, pairing up with celebrity doppelgangers like namesake Alan Rickman and Superman III cyborg Annie Ross.

In Celebrity Sighting revisited, we find the humble history teacher paired with our 37th President, Richard Milhous Nixon, who famously said in Bradshawesque grammar, “I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn’t what I meant.” Photo by Kate Freeman and photo courtesy of wikipedia.org.