News that Stands Out
THE KNIGHT TIMES Official Student Newspaper of Episcopal High School
September 2020
4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Class of 2021 faces adjusted testing process
www.ehshouston.org
Volume 35, Issue 2
New Chapel system creates opportunities
Episcopal adapts to new routine by opening up positions for students and faculty alike
EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer COVID-19 has caused a rollercoaster of the unexpected in our daily lives, especially in the college application process, which has been affected drastically. However, colleges have still managed to find ways to reach the Class of 2021 and have adjusted their application requirements to best fit this reality we all face. For example, most colleges have gone “test optional,” meaning that reporting ACT and SAT scores is a choice. In California, all colleges have eliminated the choice—to ask for a score—completely, as an attempt to make that the application process as fair as possible. And, since students’ applications don’t have to report their SAT and ACT scores, the Class of 2021 will also be missing a semester or two of grades since schools switched to pass/
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the religion pillar adjusts to new conditions by opening up new positions and practicing safe schedules. Photo by Claire Frankfort. CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer
Students are preparing to take college admissions assessments. Photo courtesy of Granite Bay High School. fail grading when they went online, which makes it harder for colleges to decipher between students. The college application process has also changed, or revolutionized, the process of marketing their school. Colleges used to visit high schools to hold informative meetings, but these college sessions have now switched to virtual Zoom calls. While these virtual sessions have eliminated the physical aspects of talking with college ambassadors one-on-one, college representatives now realize that they can reach new areas of the country, virtually.
INSIDE Club Fair at Episcopal Episcopal makes virtual adjustments for Club Fair
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International Sports Events Sports organizations around the world invest in safe resumption of seasons
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Features ........................ 2-4 Culture ......................... 5 Special Feature ............. 6-7 Entertainment ............... 8 Knight Shift.................. 9 Opinion ........................ 10 Sports ........................... 11-12
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Episcopal High School as had to make accommodations to all aspects of school life, including Chapel. The community has begun live streaming of Chapel service for those who are unable to be there in person due to capacity limits. Although there are limits on attendance, other participation opportunities have arisen from the changes. Learn more about Chapel on Page 3
Episcopal adapts to new way of campus life CHRIS LAHOTI Managing Editor Episcopal prides itself on developing close student-teacher and student-student bonds. Physical interaction between students helps in the formation of new friendships, and in-person learning is generally more productive than online. This is particularly beneficial for freshmen and sophomores, as they are still new to the school and haven’t received the chance to fully experience class and other activities with their peers due to COVID-19. In the words of Principal Kim Randolph, “Building relationships is what EHS is all about.” Episcopal transitioned from online to inperson instruction on September 8 and has continued to stay open since. Despite the concerns regarding COVID-19, the school has prepared adequate safety measures to minimize the chance of an outbreak. The new changes include sanitation stations around the school, enforcement of social distancing, and wearing masks. Additionally, break and lunch have been relegated to specific classrooms rather than a single location. The protocol is different from the norm, but Principal Randolph is confident in a smooth adjustment.
“All of the new changes at first will be awkward, since our community places a high value on connections,” he states, “but our faculty and has done an excellent job thus far”. Despite the extensive precautions, the threat of COVID-19 looms large. If cases at EHS rise, the school is ready to re-implement Schedule 4 until such time that consideration of reverting back to in-person school is deemed appropriate. Although the SPC canceled the fall sea-
son, winter and spring sports are scheduled to continue. Students have conveyed a positive attitude regarding the return to campus. “It’s so great to be back,” remarked senior Carson Clingman. “I liked meeting my teachers and new classmates in person.” Junior Zack Donovan also expressed his happiness at being back in class, stating, “Being on campus allows me to connect with my friends in a more comfortable environment.”
Students adhere to the new rules and guidelines put in place by the leadership at Episcopal High School. Photo by Leana Greene.
Features ∙ Page 2
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Canvas system unites students Presidential elections loom and staff under a single platform CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer
CONNOR SMITH Opinions Editor As the first two months of school come and go, the EHS community has had a great deal of hands-on experience with new innovations instituted at Episcopal High School, one of which being the use of Canvas. With Canvas now being used predominately across all the departments, The Knight Times wonders how effective the new system has been for the faculty and school events that have been put online. For information about the impact of Canvas, we reached out to the new Director of Educational Technologies, Mr. Kyle Sumrow. One event that was put online because of the pandemic is the widely popular Back to School Knight, when parents have an opportunity to connect with teachers and see many of the school’s classrooms. Instead of having parents come to school, EHS decided to make use of Canvas in order to bring Back to School Knight to the
parents. To make this possible, the school used the conference system on Canvas to enlighten the parents about classes at Episcopal. When asked about how Canvas impacted this event, Mr. Sumrow said, “In the end, we felt like having the parents using Canvas in a way that is similar to their student(s) ultimately allowed parents to have a little look into how their kids are learning online this semester/year.” With only two months into the use of Canvas, the new system has been widely incorporated and useful to both students, families, and faculty alike. One reason Mr. Sumrow believes so strongly in Canvas is that it is a “unified platform” where students “have uniform expectations across their classes in terms of what to expect and where to find things.” With so many improvements made to help students and faculty during these difficult times, the Technology Department and the administration continues to look for more ways to help student life at Episcopal High School.
Canvas provides a unified digital platform for the EHS community to learn and connect with each other. Photo courtesy of claremont.apsva.us.
EHS takes a cautious approach to the fall prospective student events CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer If it weren’t for the coronavirus, Episcopal High School would be welcoming many eighth grade students on campus to take a look at the school. Normally, the school would hold tours, Open House, and other events to show perspective families what EHS is all about, but now the Admissions Office has to rethink the fall semester of exposure. With the safety rule that only students and staff are allowed on campus, it makes it more difficult to find effective ways to publicize EHS. “All of our fall admissions events will be remote,” says Mrs. Carol Wasden, Head of Admissions. “In place of weekly campus tours, there will be information sessions virtually.” Those information sessions will be all virtual and a chance for parents especially to get any questions that they may have answered. “Parents mostly attend the information sessions, but sometimes we will see some kids in there too,” says Mrs. Wasden. “Our third session is completely full -- 50 people.” As well as weekly information sessions, the Admissions Office will also have weekly “eighth grade visits.” These visits will be virtual as well and will be through the different middle schools. Some of
those will include River Oaks Baptist, Annunciation Orthodox School, and Presbyterian. The way that these visits will work is that EHS will show the new virtual tour video on their website to the school and answer any questions. Episcopal is also working on creating an interactive campus map on the website that will allow for anybody interested to look at different parts of the campus without physically being here. While it is not the same as walking through the halls with a student tour guide, the perspective students and parents will get a feel for what the school is all about. Last, Episcopal will be holding coffees with current parents, again virtually. This is a small opportunity to speak with current EHS parents. Mrs. Wasden says that EHS is still working out details for the annual Open House, which usually has hundreds of people in attendance. Ordinarily, Open House is a big night to go around the school, meet teachers, talk with students, and check out classrooms. While the school hasn’t completely worked it out, Open House is, as of right now, virtual. It is an interesting year for the Admissions Office, one that will definitely be challenging. Hopefully, EHS will be able to go back to something close to normal next semester, and maybe students will be able to see the future freshmen walking the halls of the school soon enough.
This is the first in a three-part series on the Presidential elctions. Due to COVID, the Presidential Election has been overshadowed, but with virus numbers going down and November
for Floyd and his family, demonstrating unity and equality. Other big issues mentioned included education and health care. Biden’s plan for health care is to protect the Affordable Health Care Act and give every American access to health care. During the more recent Republican National Convention, President Trump
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (pictured left) will face off against President Trump for the Presidency this coming year. Photo courtesy of aljazeera.com. creeping closer, the election campaigns are ramping up. Recently, the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention took place during mid to late August. At the DNC, there were many speakers throughout the four-day event including former Presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Mike Bloomberg. On the last day, Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris made their acceptance speeches for President and Vice-President nominees. The main issue, it seems, for the Democratic Party is getting President Donald Trump out of office. Most of the speakers over the four days mentioned their dislike toward President Trump. Biden said that Trump has “cloaked America in darkness” and that there is “too much division.” Many Democrats believe this, especially since the Black Lives Matter movement took off after the death of George Floyd. Biden made clear his stance on the movement, particularly after announcing that his running mate is Kamala Harris, a black woman. During Day 1 of the convention, a moment of silence was held
took a rather different route. Unlike his opponent, Trump spoke every night of the convention and it was held in person in Charlotte, North Carolina. Attendees were socially distant outside and some even wore masks. President Trump talked about many of the big issues going on in the nation. Regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, Trump had Senator Tim Scott, a black Republican from South Carolina, speak about police reform. While Biden does not support defunding the police, Trump’s administration wants to create more reform within the system. As President, he signed an executive order aiming to follow the misconduct of policemen all over the nation. “While this election is between Donald Trump and Joe Biden ... it is not solely about Donald Trump and Joe Biden,” said Sen. Scott. In the months to come, the nation will see this election unfold. As of September, Biden is ahead in the polls, although the gap is diminishing. As a result of holding his convention online, Biden lost some votes, but has been able to maintain a small lead.
Above is a USC Dornsife Daybreak Poll on the potential voting trends of 2016 voters in 2020. Observers have also identified six states that could make the difference for Joe Biden and Donald Trump: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona.
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Features ∙ Page 3
Faculty and staff welcome two new members to the team LEANA GREENE Staff Writer Episcopal High School is excited to welcome the latest faculty and staff members, Stephen Wolff and Lauren West, to the Knights Family. Mr. Wolff, who recently joined the Math Department, attended Pearland High School and attended Harvard and Toulouse School of Economics in New England and Los Angeles. He has been interested in mathematics his whole life but really became invested during his graduate years in college. His hobbies consist of distance running, acoustic guitar, and Renaissance choral music, as he was unable to pick just one as his favorite. Mr. Wolff “most look[s] forward to challenging Episcopal students to continually reimagine and create a best version of
themselves and to have them do the same for [him].” Mrs. Lauren West is the newest member of the Communications Office, with two years of experience working in communications as a reporter for the Natchez Democrat. With an extensive educational background in the field, Mrs. West attended the University of Tulsa, earning her bachelor’s degree in Russian studies and history; in addition, she earned her master’s degree in mass communication at LSU. Mrs. West loves to spend her time volunteering with Catholic Charities, tutoring, and helping foreign families adjust to the life in the Americas; she cannot wait to get involved in the EHS community service projects. Looking forward to getting the full Episcopal experience and being able to document it on social media with the students, She also admits to wanting to try the famous EHS lunch.
Club Fair makes changes ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again. Time to sign up for clubs. Episcopal is known for being a well-rounded school, and clubs help keep the student body connected. On September 23 and September 30, students signed up for any club or honor society that they were interested in. It all happened virtually on Canvas to make sure that all students stayed safe and healthy throughout the process. Whether a student or teacher wanted to reinstate an existing club or create a new one, he or she had to fill out an application and send it to Mrs. Lindloff. At EHS, we want clubs to have meaning, which is why the creators of each
specific club answer certain questions like, “How does the club meet the elements of the EHS Mission Statement?” and “What does this club have to offer to the Episcopal High School community?” For both clubs and honor societies, there were certain membership requirements, but no student backed down from the challenge of continuing their club, whether they were in a virtual or in-school environment. Certain clubs help us learn more about a certain topic, some teach us about culture and language, and some are just for fun and for enjoyment, but no matter the type of club, the yearly Club Fair gives students an opportunity to not only learn but to also branch out, meet new people, and enjoy a small part of the many things that Episcopal High School has to offer.
Mrs. West is the newest member of the EHS Communications Office. Photo courtesy of @ehshouston.
Mr. Wolff is the newest recruit on the EHS Math Department this year. Photo courtesy of ehshouston.org.
CRISTIAN MUNOZ Staff Writer
serve these past couple of months. Amy, however, created her own online tutoring service during quarantine called “First Aid Tutoring” with the help of Isabella Fayad and Cassie Stewart, who are also students at EHS. “First Aid Tutoring is a non-profit volunteer organization staffed by communityminded high school and college students who wish to contribute positively in our collective fight against COVID-19,” she shared. In appreciation of our first responders and health care professionals amidst this pandemic, First Aid Tutoring aims to lessen their stress by tutoring their children for free. The “team of volunteer tutors help elementary and middle school student’s complete homework, understand class material, prepare for exams, and create study plans during this time of modified learning.” Amy stated she is passionate about education and ambitious about making a significant impact.
Knights stay active during quarantine While many high school students found themselves anchored to their homes with little to do over the summer, a few EHS Knights saw the down time as an opportunity to serve their community. Senior Max Finkelstein was able to take advantage during the quarantine these past couple of months and form partnerships with both the Nehemiah Center and an organization called Communities in Schools (CIS). Max stated that the organizations helped him “connect” to other students. He began serving at these organizations in the spring and started by tutoring math to students ranging from grades first to sixth. He was able to tutor English and reading skills too. He hopes to continue serving during the school year through tutoring but also hopes to connect with people at EHS who also serve these groups. Senior Amy Williamson was also able to
Episcopal is still offering the opportunity to join many clubs virtually this year, like Project Princess. Photo courtesy of ehshouston.org.
Chapel switches to Livestream BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief In response to COVID-19, Episcopal has created a new hybrid model for Chapel that limits the students’ presence in the space every day. Because of these regulations, Chapel has become a livestreamed virtual event. Its length has been shortened, but in a recent change, four advisories from the same grade will rotate in person on a set schedule (9th grade on Monday, 10th on Tuesday, 11th on Thursday and 12th on Friday). Surprisingly, no matter how limited Chapel has become, many more opportunities to serve as acolytes, ushers, and lectors have arisen. Mr. Bruton and Reverend Callaham recently created the “Student Altar Guild.” These participants help the reverends manage the behind the scenes of Chapel. Another new aspect that has come out of COVID is “Advisory Chapel.” It has been in the works for a few years, but the
coronavirus provided a unique opportunity to start it. “The basic idea is to allow students to have a Chapel experience (whatever that means to them) in the more intimate setting of their advisories,” reflected Reverend Callaham. This program relies on two people from each advisory; a reader who reads the daily passage of scripture and a recorder who is in charge of writing down any prayer concerns. This year will also look different in retrospect to the outside speakers that come onto campus. While some of these outside voices will still speak live in Chapel, others potentially could send in pre-recorded videos for Chapel videographers to stream on Wednesday, which is the fully virtual day of the week. Concerning the option of Senior Speakers, the chaplains hope that seniors sign up to share their testimony in this more relaxed setting. Anyone interested in being a speaker should get in touch with Mr. Binder.
Senior Amy Williamson created her own online, volunteer tutoring service called “First Aid Tutoring” this summer. Photo courtesy of Amy Williamson.
Senior Max Finklestein participated in online tutoring with the Nehemiah Center and Community in Schools Organization. Photo courtesy of Max Finklestein.
Features ∙ Page 4
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
New junior Sam Gonzalez calls Episcopal High School home BAILY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief The Episcopal community is proud to have among its student body many students who have attended school in other countries but still call themselves Knights. Among these students is junior Samuel González, who moved back to Texas this past year. Samuel was born in Houston and his family lived here for four years before moving to Singapore because of his father’s job in oil and gas. He resided in Singapore for eight years, then his father’s job moved again, but this time to Santiago, Chile. His parents are originally from Chile
and all of his extended family still live there, including his mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and sisters. In Santiago, he attended middle school and the first part of high school. Earlier this year Sam and his father moved back to the United States and Houston to get the best opportunity when it comes to schooling. Here, he plans to finish high school at Episcopal and then attend a great college and “create new experiences” in a different country. Something he noted that is very different about Chile and Houston is the weather. Houston weather is extremely chaotic, hot and very humid, whereas Chile is warm all year long but not nearly as hot as Texas.
Sam Gonzalez is pictured playing soccer in Chile, where he resided before moving to Houston. Photo courtesy of Sam Gonzalez.
Underwood Theatre adds an impressive projection system LILY O’GORMAN Staff Writer While students were at home wrapping up virtual learning, the technical crew led by Mr. Paul Revaz was hard at work installing a new cutting-edge projector in the Underwood Theater. What makes the projector such a dramatic improvement is its rear projection capabilities, meaning the image is projected from behind the screen rather than from in front. This rear projection means that no light passes through the back of the screen, doubling the clarity and brightness of the previous projection setup. For comparison, even the images projected for the Spring 2019 production of Fiddler on the Roof were not nearly as bright as the new projector makes pos-
sible. It also allows for presenters to walk directly in front of the projected image without light shining directly on them and disrupting the image itself. Not only is the projector revolutionary, its screen is also massive, spanning an impressive 12.5’ tall by 20’ wide across the entire back of the theater. The entire screen is rigged on a motorized pipe, allowing it to slide out into view with the touch of a button. Another important feature is its multiple connection locations, which help make presenting much more convenient and accessible from different points in the theater. In conclusion, the new innovative projector is an exciting addition to the Underwood Theater and will only help improve productions and presentations in the future.
CONNOR SMITH
CHRIS LAHOTI Welcome to the first edition of a newly established column, Plugged In. This space will play host to our opinions and views of the latest hit video games of each month. Over the years we have both avidly played a multitude of games in our free time and have many opinions about the gaming industry. For this edition, we will talk about one of the most popular games of this month, Among Us. Among Us is your typical murder mystery game where teammates work together to uncover the impostors hiding amongst them. Like the school game Mafia, impostors are designated at random and attempt to eliminate the innocents until they are the sole living members. However, Among Us applies a twist. Instead of idling while the impostors make their move, innocents control their own characters and are encouraged to complete numerous objectives around the map. This provides a sense of urgency to the game and forces the impostors to quickly calculate their actions to prevent a task victory. Additionally, players are granted access to security cameras, sensor logs, and emergency meetings to provide extra information and guide them in their deliberation. Much of the game is spent trying to convince teammates to vote out other
Enjoy this incredibly funny meme. Meme courtesy of Reddit. vices and can be acquired on PC for $5 via Steam or the Innersloth website. Servers are available in North America, Europe, and Asia. We continue to enjoy the game and highly recommend you try it!
Athletics Pillar introduces new field hockey coach to growing program LUCY HOWLEY Social Media Coordinator As a new addition to the EHS community, Coach Paige Moriarty will be serving as a Wellness instructor during the day and as a field hockey and lacrosse coach during the afternoon. Since she is new to Episcopal, we wanted to take the time to find out about her life before moving to Houston and working for EHS to get to know her a little better. Where did you attend college? Did you play any sports at that college? I attended Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and played lacrosse! What do you teach at EHS? Have you had any prior experience teaching? I teach health. This is my first-year teaching, but I am finding it is quite similar to coaching! How do you feel about Episcopal after these first few weeks? My time at EHS has been great so far; all of the faculty and staff have been so welcoming and helpful. This past week was extra special because I finally got to meet all of my students in person after connecting with them online. What are you most looking forward to as a new coach? What sports will you be coaching? I will be helping coach the field hockey and lacrosse programs. I look forward to connecting with all of my players and helping them develop their skillset to compete at a high level.
The Episcopal Theatre Program uses the new projector for rehearsals in the upcoming fall play, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Photo courtesy of Paul Revaz.
members. This is where Among Us shines, as up to ten people can play in the same game and communicate with each other. What often begins as a friendly game to pass the time turns into an all-out debate on whether someone is who they claim to be. Among Us is free across all mobile de-
What do you hope to bring to classroom and field? I hope to bring new energy in the classroom and additional knowledge on the field. All of my mentors at EHS have been
Coach Moriarty will be helping out with both girls lacross and field hockey, and will be instrumental in evolving the sports programs. Photo courtesy of Bailey Junell. so helpful with my role thus far and I look forward to working with them to educate students on and off the field. What is your new favorite thing to do in Houston so far? I have a five-month old springer spaniel puppy and Houston has some great park trails and dog parks that I love taking him to! What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I like to stay active, hangout with friends, and go fishing!
The Knight Times ∙ August 2019
Culture ∙ Page 5
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My Distraction Crib
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Welcome to my entertainment column. Each month I will recommend music, books, and movies. I will create a playlist on Spotify (@sydneykcoward) with my current favorites and new music I have discovered. I change what I listen to quite often. I might be listening to One Direction but then switch over to Linkin Park. This month I put two playlists on Spotify. One is an eclectic playlist of pretty much every genre. I did not create “Aux,” I found it, but it is my go-to when I don’t know what to listen to. I did create “Never Go Wrong,” and it’s more older music. This is my preference, but I know everyone doesn’t like it, so each month I will try to add a variety of genres. These two are my go-to playlists, and other than that, I am an artist-specific listener. I pick an artist and play him or her or them for the day. Below are my Top 10: John Mayer The Grateful Dead The Rolling Stones Arctic Monkeys Jimi Hendrix The Smiths
Belle & Sebastian Wallows Billy Joel The Driver Era I am also a big reader, so starting month I will recommend one book with a small summary. I also listed my Top 5 below. I read pretty much everything, just like my taste in music. Normal People by Sally Rooney Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy * The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1984 by George Orwell Animal Farm by George Orwell
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with Sydney Coward BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief Ahora mismo, la gente en la Ciudad de México está exigiendo que Presidente López Obrador de Mexico renuncie. Algunos manifestantes están preparados y demuestran por las tiendas de campaña que no están dispuestos a renunciar. Estas personas están enojadas con cómo el presidente ha manejado la economía y la pandemia. La protesta es organizada por FRENAAA o la gente contra el presidente. Durante la protesa, todos estaban cantando
“Fuera AMLO,” que es el apodo del President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Originalmente, la gente estaba en la plaza central de la cuidad y solo mudó a las calles porque la polícia lo forzó. Los manifestantes están están preparados para permanecer en las calles por mucho tiempo. Estos campamentos están en el medio de grandes intersecciones y están bloqueando el tráfico. La protesta planea a continuar hasta que se vaya el presidente.
Top 10 movies: The Graduate Draft Day Moneyball Fight Club The Interview Rebel Without a Cause Wedding Crashers Before Sunrise The Hangover Closer
Fashion trends revealed for fall LUCY HOWLEY Social Media Coordinator If you are looking to spice up your closet for the up and coming fall season, I researched the new women’s clothing trends from fashion magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Elle, so you don’t have to. Hopefully, the coronavirus will go away soon so that you have something trendy to wear to important events. I compiled a list of reoccurring themes from these articles, and here are my results. In terms of clothes, many of the items featured asymmetrical sleeves, year-round white dresses, statement collars, cutouts, and fringe. And colored (specifically jewel-toned) leather - lots of colored leather, faux leather, and statement leather. One common theme this season was something called the Whit Stillman Effect, which is a name for a type of ‘80’s rocker
and ‘80’s prep fashion. The clothing under the Whit Stillman Effect included pieces that looked like ‘80s preppy, New York streetwear. Another popular theme was the Modern Equestrian, which featured a more functional version of clothing rich people would wear to ride horses across their fancy estate (horse girl autumn?). And finally, outerwear. Trench coats have been in style for a while now; however, this fall, the trench coats have been accessorized. Shearling outerwear was very trendy this runway season. Onto accessories. The 2020 fall jewelry trends included chains on chains, pearls on chains, unique pearl jewelry, jewel cascades, fringe jewelry, statement/animal jewelry, earring cuffs and arm cuffs, and chunky chokers. The common accessories were harnesses, tight neck scarves, wide belts, long and leather gloves, beanies, wide-brimmed fedoras (sadly), bandanas and headscarves, and oversized hats.
Everything is leather, from jackets to pants to handbags. Modeling for Fendi, Louis Vuiton, and Dior, this trend will definitely be seen this fall. Photo creds vogue.com.
Anti-AMLO protest camp on Juárez Avenue in Mexico City. Photo courtesy of mexiconewsdaily.com.
Slice of π GLORIA NI Guest Writer
follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ ehsmathclub where we not only announce meetings and events but also post math memes on Mondays and more.
Hi! My name is Gloria Ni, and you may remember me as the President of Math Club last year. This year, I am the President of Mu Alpha Theta (Math National Honor Society) Chapter at EHS. I hope everyone is staying safe and having a good start to the year. The Math Club and Mu Alpha Theta are once again extremely excited to host a variety of individual and team math competitions as well as a variety of STEM events; however, this year, many of them will Can you solve this challenging math problem? If you are part be virtual. For all juniors and seniors of Math Club, there will be many more fun math problems who are interested, like this one. Share if you solve it! Image courtesy of Gloria Ni. keep an eye out for the Mu Alpha Theta application process Don’t forget to wash your hands, socially that will be announced soon. It is an elecdistance, wear a mask, feed the machine, tronic application submission process with and most importantly, be one with the a virtual induction ceremony to follow. math!! I hope to see you at the next Math Also, anyone interested in math should Club meeting!
Special Feature ∙ Page 6
Peaceful protesters take to the streets in a show of solidarity for BLM LILY O’GORMAN Staff Writer As the Black Lives Matter movement and its consequent protests sweep across the nation, disturbing and antagonizing coverage focuses on rioting, looting, and violence, which has now permeated the media. New studies have shifted much of the attention to the peaceful protests that seemed to be previously overshadowed and generally ignored in the news. According to Time Magazine, a new report released in early September shows that the overwhelming
Special Feature ∙ Page 7
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
majority- over 93%- of Black Lives Matter protests were, in fact, peaceful. To be specific, this study counted over 2,400 peaceful protests and fewer than 220 violent ones. This statistic demonstrates the extent of the media’s disproportionate focus on the most extreme instances of violence, causing the general population to be misled by not focusing on the majority of peaceful gatherings. Protests across the country featured evocative signs, marches, speeches, and other peaceful demonstrations of support for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Jacob Blake, and countless others.
Some members of the EHS community might have even found themselves at Houston’s large peaceful protest in June, which included an estimated 60,000 attendees and featured speeches by civil rights pioneer Rev. James Lawson, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and members of George Floyd’s family. The media’s portrayal of BLM protests has generally omitted and neglected mentions of peaceful protests and gatherings, and recentering the harmful narrative this omission has created is important to understand the movement that has taken our country by storm.
Violence mars some of the BLM protests JAZZMIN DUNCAN Staff Writer The viral video of the slaying of George Floyd has sparked outrage around the world. His infamous words “I can’t breathe” have been heard by millions, and people are calling for change and justice in more ways than one. The methods of protest around the world have varied. Violent protests are being seen everywhere. Most notably, the protests that began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, immediately following the death of George Floyd.
These violent demonstrations are usually caused by tensions between the people and the police. Tear gas and rubber bullets from police and antagonization from the protesters have been fueling the fire that is the violent protests. These factors typically turn the protests into riots that include the destruction of property and sometimes the loss of life. Along with death, many protesters have lost eyes, had seizures, and suffered second degree burns from tear gas exposure and/or being shot by rubber bullets. Another notable violent protest is that which is taking place in Portland, Oregon. For weeks now, protesters, police, and na-
tional forces have been at odds in a standoff. Similar to the protests in Minneapolis, the federal forces in Oregon frequently use rubber bullets and tear gas to control the actions of protesters. Businesses have suffered from these protests and riots because of looting. People frequently take advantage of the situation at the expense of others by looting. Millions of dollars and years of work have been snatched out from under small business owners as looters spare no one. The actions of violent protests are charged by the passions of the protesters and the stubbornness of the authorities.
Protesters in Los Angeles take to the sreets to expresss their frustration against police brutality and systemic racism. Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Magazine.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo speaks to protesters during the Downtown Houston protest on May 29. The largely peaceful protest stretched from Discovery Green to City Hall and featured over 60,000 people. Photo courtesy of houstonpublicmedia.org.
A protester kneels in solidarity at a march in Beverly Hills. Photo courtesy of Bloomberg.
Sports world responds to issues put forth during protests TINLEY KANE Sports Editor After the near fatal shooting of 29-yearold Jacob Blake, the Milwaukee Bucks sparked a historic strike against police brutality and violence. Shooting guard for the Bucks Sterling Brown had previously been beaten by police, so this felt too close to home for him and the team. Game 5 between the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic was to be played August 26; ultimately, the Bucks opted out - not even appearing for warmups. The refusal by Milwaukee led the National Basketball Association to cancel two other playoff games: the Houston Rockets vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the
Portland Trailblazers. The Bucks senior vice president tweeted that night that “some things are bigger than basketball,” emphasizing the significance of these athlete’s using their platform to advocate topics such as this. Even the women of the WNBA decided to opt out of playing one night as Elizabeth Williams of the Atlanta Dream spoke out to say they would be standing with “our brothers of the NBA.” The Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball were inspired to not play that same evening, and even “Inside the NBA” analyst Kenny Smith proceeded on air to take off his microphone and walk off stage. In total three MLB games were postponed: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers,
During a Chicago Red Stars women’s soccer game, Casey Short (center) kneels by teammate Julie Ertz (second from the left) to protest police brutality and racial inequality. Photo courtesy of NWSL.com.
and Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres. The Major League Soccer games that were scheduled on that Wednesday followed suit as the MLS stated, “The entire Major League Soccer family unequivocally condemns racism, has always stood for equality,” and must take further action on how that should be done. What first started as a protest against police brutality led the NFL’s New Orleans Saints Malcolm Jenkins to protest about systemic racism. The following day, nine NFL teams chose not to practice and cancel team workouts. Teams such as the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Football Team, and New York Jets canceled practice to allow their players to find ways to contribute to the movement and use their platform properly. As many sports and teams postponed their games on Wednesday, the National Hockey League (NHL) continued its chase in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that night, deciding to postpone two games that Thursday and two Friday. In individual sports such as tennis, women’s star Naomi Osaka announced on Wednesday she would not be participating in the Western and Southern Open semifinals that Thursday. Fortunately, enough of the tournament was put on a hold to resume play on Friday and not affect her chances on continuing play. Osaka was thankful the tournament was so courteous as she stated, “They offered to postpone all matches until Friday, and in my mind that brings more attention to the movement.” Osaka made a return to play against Elise Mertens that Friday in the semifinals and eventually won the tournament.
Political parties divided in their stances on BLM CONNOR SMITH Opinions Editor With a growing Black Lives Matter movement and an upcoming presidential election, it’s important to understand where the two main parties side. Before reading this, note that even though the parties have contrasting views on the subject, many Republican and Democratic voters share similar view regarding the protests. As the Democratic Party prepares for the upcoming election, it has made its view of the BLM movement quite clear to the American people. According to the Washington Post, the Party made the BLM movement its main slogan and fully supports the longterm agenda of the movement. During the Democratic National Convention, speakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former President Barack Obama put their support behind the movement with the
intention of wiping out racism in America. Meanwhile, the Republican Party has taken the opposite side and has fought the mainstream media in an attempt to label the BLM movement as a “Marxist movement” funded by the Democrats. President Trump, the Republican Presidential candidate, called the movement a “symbol of hate” and has encouraged voters and politicians alike to put support in the nation’s police force instead of what he calls “violent thugs.” As the BLM movement continues, Democrats have aligned themselves with the goals of the movement, while the Republican Party has fought to paint a negative picture of the protests. With the upcoming elections being impacted directly by racial tensions in America, Republicans are fighting to retain their voter base while Democrats hope to gain voters through support of Black Lives Matter.
On September 21, Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis proposed new legislation that would charge those involved in violent protests with felony level charges. If passed, it would penalize cities that defund the police. Photo courtesy of WSVN.com.
The death of George Floyd in Minnesota began worldwide protests. Violent protesters congregate around a burning fast-food retaurant in May. Many stormed the streets of Minneapolis, inspiring widespread chaos throughout the country. Photo courtesy of click2houston.com.
A call to ‘defund the police’ arises amid protests JAZZMIN DUNCAN Staff Writer This summer, the brutal killing of George Floyd sparked a series of protests throughout the world. Protesters marched in the streets and demanded justice for Floyd along with Breonna Taylor, Amaud Arbery, Elijah McClain, and all other victims of police brutality and injustice. The main call for change from the protesters is to “Defund the Police.” Chants were brought by protesters, including “Take it to the streets, defund the police. No justice, no peace.” Defunding the police is seen as a way to reform communities by decreasing the police departments’ budgets and reallocating the funds into programs that promote education and other factors that are seen to decrease crime. This call for action puts the emphasis on reforming communities from the inside through education and new opportunities rather than policing as an attempt to get criminals off the streets. Education has been found to be one of the main factors to prevent a violent crime. By reallocating funds from the local police, protesters believe that putting that money into programs like community outreach and taking preventative measures to prevent crime is a better way to curb illegal activity rather than simply putting people in jail and expecting them to serve their time and improve their situation once they are released, regardless of their means. Defunding the military is seen as another
means to an end. Many people believe that the military is vastly overfunded, receiving about 54% of all the country’s funding, and that public education is vastly underfunded, receiving only about 6%, according to the National Priorities Project, People believe putting money into education to improve communities is a better idea than pouring
endless amounts of money into pointless wars that have little to no affect on the average American. When this is coupled with the fact that the American school system falls far behind other first world countries, people believe that it is time for a change for the better in the educational system now in place.
Activists painted “Defund the Police” on the street adjacent to the “Black Lives Matter” mural in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy of cnn.com.
Entertainment∙ Page 8
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Disney’s Mulan: Was the The movies you have been premiere sensationalized? waiting for are here this fall LEANA GREENE Staff Writer Disney presented Mulan on September 4, to an anticipatory audience. The movie, directed by Niki Caro, was a live-action adaptation of the original animated Mulan of 1998 directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook. The production cost Disney $200 million, only to be streamed through Disney Plus Premier Access where Disney fans were charged $29.99 on top of the monthly charge of $6.99, but until December 4 when it will become available for every Disney Plus subscriber. Mulan was not all Disney hoped for it to be. The adaptation added a member to the family, sister Hua Xiu, but failed to include major characters from the original, such as Mushu, Little Brother, Grandmother Fa, and the role of General Shang, who is be-
lieved to be the first bisexual character in a Disney film. China only allows thirty-four foreign films to be imported yearly, and though Mulan made the cut, many will not be watching this production. Many controversies have sprung up, leaving multiple people to boycott the movie entirely. Activist argue that the movie lacks true Chinese culture and was too Americanized and modernized for the time it was set. The main reasoning behind the trending #BoycottMulan is because Disney, in the credits, thanked the Hong Kong police, even though they are believed to be unnecessarily brutal to pro-democracy protestors. Putting a spotlight on the situation even more, actress Liu Yifei, who plays Hua Mulan, along with other actors, supported the Hong Kong police, leaving the protestors to add Disney and Mulan to their argument.
CORY KARDESCH Copy Editor
As theaters begin to reopen and are showing movies to the public with health precautions in place, some anticipated films are being released that could have been released months ago. To kick this all off, Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet was the first movie to play in theaters, released on September 3. On September 16, new movie The Devil All the Time starring Tom Holland was released on Netflix exclusively. Out of the most anticipated films, Wonder Woman 1984 will first show on October 2. This movie is a sequel to the most recent Won-
der Woman movie and takes place in the midst of the Cold War. November 6 signals Marvel’s Black Widow, as the plot follows one of the main Avengers. The newest James Bond film, No Time to Die, will be released on November 20, and this movie entails a rescue mission that then leads to the discovery of a new villain. On September 18, Antebellum will be released on-demand only. This thriller, from the producers of Get Out and Us, addresses the racial problems in America. As theaters begin to reopen, more movies will start to appear, but for now, you can look out for plenty of new films coming to streaming services this fall.
Avenger’s Black Widow plans to hit theaters early this November. Black Widow, along with many others, were forced to push back their release dates from earlier in the year to this fall. Photo courtesy of yahoo.com.
Data companies corrupted society with what was The Greatest Hack EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer
Disney’s Mulan premiered in live action this September only on the streaming service Disney Plus’s Premier Photo courtesy of newsopener.com
Virtual platform doesn’t inhibit the fashion during the annual Emmy’s LARA VERSTOVSEK Staff Writer Although the annual Emmys are known for showcasing incredible excellence in the television industry in a live show format, the pandemic meant the awards program would be televised virtually. Though most viewers might have found the setup unusual and believed it would limit the show’s trademark fashion emphasis, many nomi-
Zendaya, pictured with her Emmy for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.” Photo courtesy of yahoo.com.
nees and winners were able to showcase designer outfits and express their highfashion personalities. Two of the most highlighted outfits, coming from the same actress, were worn by Zendaya. First showcased on her Instagram, the outfit was a beautiful purple Christopher John Rogers dress worn with Bvlgari jewelry accents and black Christian Louboutin pumps. Her second outfit was a jaw dropping, custom Armani Prive gown with unique embellishments. Not only did the outstanding actress steal the show with her double outfits, Zendaya also made Emmy history. At only 24 years of age, she became the youngest actress to win the title of “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.” In addition to Zendaya’s outstanding outfit choices, singer-songwriter H.E.R attended the Emmy’s virtually in a custom, bright pink Vera Wang dress. She also took the stage by singing Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U,” honoring important and heavily missed figures such as Chadwick Boseman, Naya Rivera, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Although the documentary The Greatest Hack was originally filmed in 2019, the film has recently resurfaced on Netflix for those interested in the Facebook and Cambridge-Analytica scandal. The film focuses on the power of data and how a data company called Cambridge Analytica came to explore the dark side of social media in the wake of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Originally, social media was used as a tool to bring others together through organizing peaceful protests and sharing pictures with friends; however, the documentary takes an interesting spin by highlighting the power of social media and how it has become an emotional weapon in building up walls in our society today. Additionally, the film emphasizes how Cambridge-Analytica, and other compa-
nies like it, can have up to eighty thousand data points on a single user before they turn eighteen. If this doesn’t frighten you, once a data company can access a single user’s personal information, they can then trace that follower’s following, thus access a new web of users. This documentary makes so many different generalizations that it seems hard to formulate what this really means for rising generations and our society as a whole. However, the show is worth watching because it makes you re-evaluate the control of data and its power in corrupting society’s points of view. The Greatest Hack explains and offers a warning about the misuse of personal data and how it has influenced past elections and might do so with this upcoming election. As a global society, we must band together to understand the harmful effects of fake news and how simply clicking a button can further divide our country.
Professor David Carroll, along with many others in the Greatest Hack, fought to protect his data from Cambridge Analytica. Photo courtesy of wired.com.
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Knight Shift ∙ Page 9
Speaks Out
“What is your favorite takeout restaurant?
CLAIRE LANE “Escalante’s”
ALEJANDRO AMELIO “It would be Pizza Hut for sure”
Cartoon by Zack Donovan.
PhotoJ Photo of the Month BRISA VELASCO “Wing Stop”
JASMINE GREENE “Jax Burgers”
WILLIAM TAYLOR “I would order from Ihop”
JONATHAN BURROUGHS “My favorite place for take out is Chili’s” The Episcopal Knights varsity football team practice witnessed an impressive catch by Beck Howenstine, with the assistance of Jacob Lewis. Photo courtesy of Sophie Martin.
(KT Dot-to-Dot) CIMONE WOODARD “Any place that serves Chinese food”
MATEO BASTIDAS “Thai Gourmet has the best takeout”
KATE LINDON “Boba Tea and Popcorn Chicken”
JAPHETH STORLIE “Outback Steakhouse”
Opinion ∙ Page 10
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Why couldn’t the MLB get it right from the beginning? SYDNEY COWARD Business and Circulation Manager Major League Baseball games postponed due to COVID-19: 45 National Hockey League games postponed due to COVID-19: 0 National Basketball Association games postponed due to COVID-19: 0 The MLB has shown future professional leagues exactly what not to do during this
pandemic. Teams did not enter a bubble and continued to travel for games. The NHL had different phases for reintegrating players into the bubble that tested positive. There were positive test results within the bubble, but that was before games took place. Once all the players were cleared during training camp, games resumed, and there have not been any postponed under COVID-19 conditions. The NBA has the most effective and efficient solution to
play during the global pandemic. Players and staff are being tested daily within the bubble and have received no positive cases in numerous weeks. If these professional sports teams can control the outbreak, why can’t the MLB? Major League Baseball resumed July 23 but managed to have multiple games postponed. The season just passed the halfway mark, but teams are still traveling, and in relation, receiving positive tests. The MLB
Major League Baseball’s post season will be played in specific locations: NLDS at Globe Life Field, Arlington, and Minute Maid Park, Houston; ALDS at Petco Park, San Diego, and Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles; NLCS at Globe Life Field; ALCS in Petco Park; and the World Series at Globe Life Park. Photo courtesy of si.com.
needs to figure this out. Managing to become a model of how to not control cases is something you do not want to be known for. There are rumors regarding a plan for a postseason bubble, but since the whole season was played uncontrolled, this will not be very effective. The system was designed to handle individual positive cases instead of treating the league like one big positive case; that is what the NHL and NBA did. Basketball has more contact than baseball, yet its success rate is higher. The baseball bubble may come for the postseason but should have been developed in July when the season started. Playoff games would be held at predetermined sites, just like hockey and basketball, but this should have been done months ago. The players’ and staffs’ health was jeopardized by allowing them to have access to the public. Discussions of the bubble were addressed in April but were not set in stone because the players had issues with leaving their families. The details have been finalized, but the costs of this given situation are severe. The majority of the season has been played uncensored, so why start now? Major League Baseball is trying to clear their 2020 track record for not handling this situation appropriately by trying to solve the problem when it’s too late. Each playoff round is played at a different stadium, which still forces teams to travel. If you are trying to create a bubble, do it all the way. Every NHL and NBA game is played in the same vicinity, and players are excluded from the general public. Since the MLB has become the posterchild for exactly what not to do, it has been trying to compensate and failed. The NBA has won the prize of “solution of the century.” The NHL closely follows with the same idea, leaving its league as winners throughout this pandemic while baseball has fallen behind. MLB, get it right.
Left-handers are often neglected in many social settings TINLEY KANE Sports Editor As a left-handed person in a right-handed world, I truly believe we are limited; we lefties are being marginalized and kept from reaching our full potential. Since the dawn of time, it has been considered evil to be left-handed; some even considered lefties to be witches. Even the Catholic Church centuries ago declared lefties to be servants of the Devil, basing its beliefs from biblical interpretations and quotations. (Fun fact: the word “sinister” comes from “left” or “left hand.”) Historically, left-handed children had to have their dominant hand tied back specifically to avoid being associated with sin and Satan. Why is the world so against lefties? About 10% of the global population is left-handed and thus represents and minority favor the “evil” limb. In the 1980s research found that our left or right hand is most likely determined before birth, suggesting dominance is determined as early as the eighth week of a pregnancy. Before then, many people thought it was determined by genetic differences between the left and right hemispheres of our brains. Right-handed people think it’s so cool to be left-handed, but I personally think the world is just meant for right-handed people. Do I believe we deserve recognition for being different? Not necessarily, because we do have the privilege of having an International Lefthanders Day, August 13. This isn’t intended to be a lefty using the pity card by any means, but these are some things I notice throughout my everyday life that warrant some sympathy. Simple tasks people do in their everyday lives aren’t quite the same for lefties, and
ultimately, we have to adapt to the righthanded world. School supplies are at the top of the list without a doubt, specifically, binders, spiral notebooks, and scissors. When called upon to take notes, I find the binders and spiral notebooks give my hand, and occasionally my wrist, a friendly jab as I write. Along with notetaking, writing in general for lefties typically gets the side of the hand smudged with ink or lead. Righthanded people’s hand faces away from the ink or lead as it leads on the blank side of the paper. However, in the lefty world, everything is quite opposite as your hand is constantly going over what you once wrote. In recent years, the left-handed community ever so kindly created left-handed school supplies. It has been recommended that lefties even use special left-handed scissors, which make cutting much more comfortable. Pertaining to school, a 2009 study conducted in Demography discovered that left-handed children tend to not perform to the level of their right-handed peers academically. Left-handers showed lower scores in skills such as reading, writing, social development, and vocabulary. Outside of school, when a lefty is seated at the dinner table, it’s not all that uncommon to hit elbows with the person eating next to you. Although these “struggles” are very small, these are just things I notice everyday around me. For most left-handed people, we have learned to live with our “dark side,” and some of us have even adapted through ambidexterity, which could benefit us even more.
The Knight Times Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450 713-512-3400
Head of School Ned Smith
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 Co-Editors Sophie Martin and Karma Elbadawy Photographers Maya Basra Sophia Black Sydney Brooks Craig Choi Lila Henningsen Sydney Kelso Christophe Merriam Mimi Elizabeth Wilson
Editor-in-Chief Bailey Junell Managing Editor Chris Lahoti Copy Editor Cory Kardesch Sports Editor Tinley Kane Opinions Editor Connor Smith Business and Circulation Manager Sydney Coward Social Media Coordinator Lucy Howley Staff Writers Jazzmin Duncan Claire Frankfort Lara Verstovsek Emma Claire White Leanna Green Estefania Lopez-Salas Cristian Munoz Sara Faulconer Lily OGorman
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.
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Sports ∙ Page 11
Professional tennis matches continue with events televised worldwide TINLEY KANE Sports Editor Sports pushes forward as one of five Grand Slams for tennis, the US Open, was just recently held August 31 to September 13, 2020. Annually, the tournament is held in the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center located in New York, New York. In recent months, New York has been considered the epicenter for COVID-19 cases, but the organizers of the tournament insisted the show go on. Typically, the event is a sold-out venue with A-list celebrities in attendance throughout its matches as fans flock to see
the best of the best perform. However, this time around, fans were required to watch the event while it was televised to practice social distancing. Winners included three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka for the women’s division and first time Grand Slam winner Dominic Thiem in the men’s. Many tennis fanatics have come to argue if the tournament should be labeled with an asterisk when historians review this tournament in future years since many of tennis’ elites, such as men’s singles defending champion Rafael Nadal and six of the women’s top ten-ranked players didn’t compete. In the last decade, tennis has been dominated by the older competitors collecting titles, making the US Open this year a
chance for change. Thiem (27) and Osaka (22), part of tennis’s youth movement,
surely didn’t fall short of holding their own against their veteran competition.
For the third time in her career, Naomi Osaka competitvely conquers another Grand Slam title recently against Victoria Azarenka. Photo courtesy of Microsoft News.
Houston sports teams and players join other professionals in Covid-19 challenges CORY KARDESCH Copy Writer Through these difficult times of pandemic and with what seemed to be a steady stream of bad news, the continuation of professional sports seasons was a welcome relief for many sports fans. With the news of sports returning came the MLB announcement that a shortened 60-game season would begin in July, but with health restrictions in place, no fans were allowed inside the stadiums. With their first games in late July, the Astros have fought their way up to second in the Western Division of the American League with a current record of 22-22 (as of Sep-
tember 10). Other than one Astros player testing positive for Covid-19 in late June, the team has had no serious issues with Covid-19. In addition to the coronavirus, the Astros had to start their season fighting the mystic of the cheating scandal from the 2017 World Series season. July was also the restart of the NBA playoff season. The NBA sent all players and teams to Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, to quarantine and complete their year. There is no home-court advantage, no fans, just the players and coaches of 22 teams. The NBA playoffs consist of the teams that qualified in the earlier regular season competing in a tournament. The Houston Rockets had a record of 44-28,
The Texans begin their training with an away game against the Kansas City Chiefs with no fans in the stands. Photo courtesy of The Toro Times.
The Houston Astros continue to play games. Photo courtesy of Houston Chronicle.
leaving them fourth in the Western Division and set to play against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals, which they proceeded to lose in a five-game set. With NFL teams training over the past few months in preparation for an altered season, the first games began on September 10 with the Houston Texans kicking it all off with an away game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Following Covid-19 safety
restrictions, there will be no fans in the stadiums while teams play, which has a major impact on the game. The whole idea of home-field advantage will almost entirely be nonexistent this season. Crowd noise is seen to give the advantage to a home team, but that will look much different this year. Thankfully, Covid-19 has not had any major effects on Houston sports teams thanks to the health and safety restrictions that have been set for professional sports.
NCAA football games forced to cancel or be postponed due to COVID-19 SYDNEY COWARD Business and Circulation Manager College football is back, but not every team and definitely not like it was in 2019. Here’s the breakdown: The Big 10 canceled the season August 11 but continues to remain in the headlines. Frustration has been expressed from coaches, players’ parents, and even President Donald Trump because the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 have started their seasons. Politicians have sent letters to Kevin Warren, Big 10 commissioner, in regard to reconsidering the postponement of the
Texas Christian University is yet to announce a new date for their opening game. Photo courtesy of SB Nation.
season. The Pac 12 closely followed the Big 10 to postpone the season until at least spring because Commissioner Kevin Warren stated that there was “too much uncertainty” regarding the safety of the team. Michigan marched September 5 to protest the postponed season. Many teams were upset with this decision. College football has certainly not waited for the Big 10 or Pac 12 as games started September 5. Fiftyfour teams opted out of this season while other teams are not allowing tailgates. LSU and Iowa State announced fans are not allowed. While Iowa banned fans, Florida announced that only 17,000 fans can attend home games. Many teams postponed their season openers, like Baylor, because of an increase of cases in the area where they were supposed to play. TCU also postponed its opening game but did not announce a makeup date. Games have been canceled and practices have been pushed back due to this pandemic to ensure the safety of the players and staff, but how many games will have to be pushed back and will college football even make it to the championship this year amid COVID-19?
Baylor, like TCU, has postponed its opening game. Photo courtesy of Fansided.
Sports∙ Page 12
Sports Brief CROSS COUNTRY ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer Cross country has been practicing even with Covid-19 and social distancing. Coach Julius Michael has been working very hard to keep the CC team on track. When school was still online, the CC team was practicing at Memorial Park at 6 a.m. Even though health and safety are the top priority, the sports community is still holding meets in the safest way possible. Meets have been downsized this year with only 9 teams and 50 runners in each race. This season is like no other, but the runners have learned what is really important about being a team: staying loyal, being friendly, and having perseverance and determination against every obstacle, and sometimes being a strong and a connected team is all that matters.
The Knight Times ∙ September 2020
Football season kicks off for September CRISTIAN MUNOZ Staff Writer The Episcopal Knight varsity football team opened its 2020 campaign following an SPC championship with a tough loss to the highly ranked Calhoun Sandcrabs 34-14. Entering the game with one of the top offensive lines in the country, comprised of three D1 players, and a handful of returning starters, the Knights were in
the game early and kept it interesting until the fourth quarter. The dedication and hard work the team put in over the summer and preseason under unusual circumstances make the season unique to say the least. With the SPC Championship shelved for the 20202021 campaign, the Knights have been hungry to start the year. “All of these guys have worked hard over the summer to be become better
than they were last year, and that in itself is a huge challenge” said Assistant Head Coach Kary Kemble. Junior Beau Edwards, who plays defensive tackle, says he loves being able to “crush skills.” He also thinks that having to wear a mask while playing football is a bit uncomfortable but is happy to be back at least. The Knights expect to bounce back from the tough loss and defeat Legacy on September 25.
CHEER EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer The Knights cheerleaders have moved outside and have started practicing cheers and dances for this upcoming season. Varsity began choreographing its routine for this semester and freshman and JV teams will start later this week. More importantly, the cheer program has added a new group - Pom. Unlike cheer, Pom is mostly dance-based and will Friday night lights vs. Calhoun. Episcopal varsity football’s defense gets ready for the snap. Photo courtesy of shutterfly.com. perform at all halftimes and games. In a routine, Pom incorporates a specific dance style, technical work, and, depending on the routine, pom-poms. of aces against the opponents. game against Memorial went all the way LARA VERSTOVSEK FIELD HOCKEY As the College Station match was be- to five sets as the team was not ready to go Staff Writer hind them, the girls went into the Fuls- down without a fight. Though it was an exLUCY HOWLEY With the season being put slightly on hear match hungry for competition. Play- tremely close game, the final score was 3-2 Social Media Coordinator hold near the beginning of school, the ing with an unusual rotation, the Knights with Memorial coming out on top. George With tryouts completed, the varsity and Episcopal girls varsity volleyball team has played scrappy and tough with the final Ranch followed, and EHS continued to work hard and play hard with new lineups, JV field hockey teams have been work- been working hard on the court and in the score a disappointing 3-1 loss. Preparing all week and working on spe- though the girls lost 4-1. The EHS team is ing hard to continue improving their skills weight room preparing for future matches. while their field receives an update. Traveling to College Station High School, cific drills, the girls went into the weekend continuing to prepare themselves and gain The two teams have been rotating - one Episcopal fought hard and barely lost as ready to play. Participating in a tournament more skill as more games approach, Those team in the weight room while the other the Knights put up a worthy fight. Senior with Memorial High School and George games will include St. John XXIII, Conpractices on the baseball field until the Sania Petties showed off with her aggres- Ranch High School, the Knights were cordia Lutheran, and Fort Bend Christian new turf field is complete. Seniors Lucy sive serves, piling up a significant number ready to play early in the morning. The first Homeschool Athletics. Howley, Bailey Junell, Mia Schulze, Mimi Wilson, and Helen Young are continuing to build the EHS field hockey culture and are looking forward to playing some possible games against Memorial, St. John’s, or Kinkaid.
Girls volleyball takes on 5A, 6A competiton
BOYS VOLLEYBALL CHRIS LAHOTI Managing Editor Episcopal’s boys volleyball team has continued to maintain consistent effort throughout the new season. Practices have been drill-intensive and heavily focused on fundamentals in order to condition new players and help returning players adjust. The season began with drills for passing, blocking, digging, and hitting, and is now transitioning to other areas of focus, such as position and rotation knowledge. Each practice concludes with four-verses-four or six-versus-six games, allowing players to implement their new skills in a competition-based environment. Coach Hofmeister has also integrated weight training into every other practice. While the normal season schedule has been disrupted, the team secured a training session and practice match with the Houston Stars boys volleyball team on September 17. Additional matches will be based on the availability and protocols of other schools.
Episcopal girls varsity volleyball poses for a picture after relentlesly going down without a fight forcing teams like College Station, Memorial, and George Ranch into four plus sets Photo courtesy Coach Amanda Watts.