Culture

Creative writing prepares next volume of Light and Shadow

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.”

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 collaboPlus 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

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. 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.

Junior Anayla Wilson spoke in Chapel about Black History Month and the importance of honoring Black culture. Photo courtesy of EHS Instagram. “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

STUCO begins student election prep

ISABEL O’GORMAN

Staff Writer

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

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.

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 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

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