The Knight Times / November 2020 Issue 4

News that Stands Out

THE KNIGHT TIMES Official Student Newspaper of Episcopal High School

November 2020

“Knights STAND UP for Civility”

4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401

www.ehshouston.org

Volume 35, Issue 4

Annual Alumni Day moved online

Seniors meet with former Knights who work in various professions

BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief Due to the recent stress and tension stemming from the election season, a Statement of Civility has been posted in all classrooms around campus. The slogan “Knights STAND UP for Civility” was crafted by various faculty, students, and staff along with Reverend Beth Holden, Reverend Art Callaham, and Mrs. Ayesha Spooner. It stands for being “Supportive, Thoughtful, Aware, Neighborly, Dependable, Unified, and Proud.”

“We didn’t want this election to divide us as members of EHS and as members of God’s family,” Reverend Holden stated.

“We can and should certainly have differences of opinion about politics, but Christ told us to love our neighbors. In fact, Christ told us to love our enemies! As passionately as we might feel about the candidates we support, we cannot allow those feelings to induce us to attack each other in any way.”

Similarly, Reverend Callaham created an Election Season Prayer Guide that was used in Chapel from October 21 through November 11. In the guide, a page with a prayer represents each day along with the history of the prayer. The prayers varied, from those specific to “elections, those who influence public opinion, the President, Congress, our Country, for the human family, for guidance, times of conflict, peace and in thanksgiving for the nation.”

The final prayer, A Collect for Independence Day, which was read on November 11 prays that “we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace.”

This Election Season Prayer Guide and the Statement of Civility have proven to be successful in fostering love and care no matter people’s opinions and beliefs. It has caught the attention of other schools and organizations across the nation, including other Episcopal congregations in our Diocese of Texas.

Reverend Holden stated, “In standing up for civility here, EHS is standing out in our broader community! It has been a good example of how we have the opportunity to be beacons of God’s light to the world.”

INSIDE Community and Inclusion Woodard twins commit to Howard University for volleyball

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Thanksgiving Uncertain times make for a unique holiday experience

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Features ........................ 2-4 Culture ......................... 5 Special Feature ............. 6-7 Entertainment ............... 8 Knight Shift.................. 9 Opinion ........................ 10 Sports ........................... 11-12

The Senior Class gathered together around campus to virtually join various panels conducted by previous Knights during Alumni Day. They joined from locations such as the gym, cafeteria and Anderson Lecture Hall. Photo by Mr. Mauro Gomez.

EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer

Alumni Day, which occurred on November 18, is an annual event that allows seniors to connect with EHS alumni who work across various professions. This unique opportunity was an excellent way for the Class of 2021 to learn about potential professions. This year the event moved online, but the students were still able to learn and interact.

Learn more about Alumni Day on Page 2

Virtual Open House proves a success CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer Open House looked very different this year for Episcopal High School. Even with a pandemic in their midst, the school still needs to bring in a new, ready-to-learn Freshman Class of 2025.

In past years, EHS would host close to 500 prospective students and their families, telling them about the academics, athletics, arts, religion, and student life on campus. The Admissions Office usually has its Knight Ambassadors in formal uniform ready to greet each and every person that walks on campus, holding doors for them with a smile on their faces.

Now, Director of Admissions Mrs. Carol Wasden and Associate Director Mrs. Ayesha Spooner had to completely rearrange the event. This year, the Open House was completely virtual. Kicking things off, Senior, Alena Haney, greeted all of the families and shared a little information about the school. Afterwards, prospective students and their families were able to break off and go to any class of their choice. Much like in-person, the families got a chance to decide what and who they wanted to see.

For example, a football player would most likely have chosen to meet with a football coach, but a painter may have wanted to

talk to a teacher in the Arts Pillar. There were also some students answering questions as part of a panel and giving a virtual tour of the school.

Although it was very different, the Episcopal Open House went very smoothly, and the school is looking forward to hopefully greeting them all in person soon.

Faculty and students greeted perspective families by sharing stories and answering questions about the school. Photos courtesy of Carol Wasden.

Features ∙ Page 2

The Knight Times ∙November 2020

Presidential race concludes with Biden’s electoral college win CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer The United States of America has spoken. After months of turmoil and unrest, the country chose their 46th president, Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris. This election is one for the books.

It was filled with lawsuits, “fraud,” and civil unrest. Not to mention, Harris will be the first black woman in a position to that degree. With all of that being said, I am sure that the nation is thankful that these past months are finally over.

In the days preceding the election, many were getting ready for what some people called a “second civil war.” Obviously, our nation has proved to be better than that, and, from what I know, there is no second civil war. But even so, stores across the nation prepared for the worst.

Stores lined up down Sixth Avenue in

As Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris is now the first black and female vice president-elect in U.S. history. Photo courtesy of cnn.com.

New York City were covered in plywood, as well as stores in Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Washington D.C. The country was completely on edge. Election Day came and went, but there was still no answer. Over the four days that followed, there were many memes that mocked how slow that states, specifically Nevada, was counting up its votes. There are still some states that have yet to send in their final results.

Over many days each state tallied its votes, whether mail-in or in-person. The big swing states that were watched closely were Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, and a few others. The state that eventually won Biden the election was Pennsylvania with 20 electoral votes. This year’s election had record-breaking voter turnout, coming in at over 161 million American voters, and 74 million of those were Biden’s, which leaves 87 million.

As many would imagine, President Trump is not thrilled about Biden’s triumph. Trump and his administration have filed roughly a dozen lawsuits, mostly in swing states where Biden’s win was narrow (for example, Georgia’s votes were 49.5% to Biden and 49.3% to Trump).

They deemed the election fraudulent, and in some cases, demanded the counting of votes to stop. While there has been some evidence suggesting that there was, in fact, some form of fraud, there is very little that the Trump administration can do to turn the election around now, although they are trying their best.

For many in the nation, it is sad to see President Trump leave office. Fortunately, our country is a democracy, and to be a democracy is to be able to vote for what you believe. The country voted, and in the end, many have to accept defeat. It will be interesting to see what Biden does over the course of his presidency.

Side note: Most presidents get a limit of two terms. Because of Biden’s age, he will most likely be a one-term president.

Maybe Kamala will have to do a lot of the job? Only time will tell.

Virtual Alumni Day guides Class of 2021 into the next part of their lives EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer Every year, Episcopal High School hosts Alumni Leadership Day so that seniors get a better look at what is ahead after high school. Helping coordinate the event, Mrs. Ashley Long provided a perspective on how the day will unfold.

This is Episcopal’s sixth year for Alumni Leadership Day. The Alumni Council wanted seniors to have an opportunity to hear about different job opportunities and explore different career availabilities before heading off to college. Additionally, the council wanted a chance to give back and interact with students, so both sides benefit greatly.

EHS alumni are able to talk about their professional and personal journeys since graduating from EHS. This also gives seniors opportunities to check out a field that they may not know much about. It could be as career confirming as determining that yes, the senior wants to be a doctor. With COVID-19 still in play, Alumni Leadership Day will mostly be virtual this year. However, on November 16, K. Knox Nunnally, Class of 1997, will be on campus to speak in Alumni Chapel, but the other alumni panelists will join via Teams on November 18.

Episcopal sends out a request to all its alumni to participate. Over the years, the school has had several repeat alumni

because they love the event. After ALD, a survey is sent to seniors about what they liked and ways to improve the day.

Based on previous senior recommendations, event coordinators have reached out to specific alums. They had a request for a veterinary doctor last year, so this year Dr. Bianca Kirkland, Class of 2006, will participate on the Medicine and Science panel. Seniors are divided among alumni through a survey on which they get to select the top three panels they would like to attend. Each panel has between 15-30 seniors.

With the event being virtual, a large group of out-of-town alumni will join via Teams. Raleigh Wooldridge, Class of 2013, and Matt Baker, Class of 2006, will be joining from Washington, D.C.; Cesar Lovo, Class of 2011, from Chicago; and Class of 2005’s Spencer Evans will tune in from Providence, Rhode Island.

Fifty-five talented alums with jobs like an actress who has been on Broadway and television, a federal prosecutor, an anesthesiologist, a senior analyst in Aerospace and Defense, and many more.

The goal is for the Class of 2021 to learn that they have an inspiring network of alumni with a vast amount of depth and breadth to call upon. EHS wants the seniors to walk away with answers and hope they will begin to formulate questions about the next steps and what is ahead in the years to come.

After months of debate and campaigning, former Delaware Senator Joe Biden won the presidential race. Photo courtesy of cnn.com.

LEANA GREENE Staff Writer Episcopal Knights Cimone and Bria Woodard will continue their academic and athletic careers at Howard University after having officially signed letters of intent on November 8.

Initially, the Woodard twins verbally committed to Texas A&M University their sophomore year, but the summer of 2020 gave Cimone and Bria a lot of time to think about the most meaningful paths for their futures. Living through COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement, and one of the most controversial electoral debates in history, Bria and Cimone “wanted to be in an environment with people more like [them].” They wanted to continue their family’s legacy and came to the decision to become the fifth generation of their family to attend and graduate from a historically black college and university.

Around mid-July, the twins became obsessed with Howard University. After creating a good relationship with the volleyball program’s coaches there, it intrigued the girls even more. Having family who live in the District of Colum-

bia, Bria and Cimone recognized many of the benefits going to the university would provide for them and began to lean hard toward committing to Howard.

Cimone began to play volleyball in the fourth grade, and Bria, after having watched her sister enjoy the competitive atmosphere, joined her sister and fell in love with the sport as well. Soon after, the twins had offers knocking on their door, not just for one Woodard but both, while only in middle school.

Cimone and Bria will not only be Division 1 volleyball players, they are active in the community and well-rounded students who will be role models for many girls as there is more to the girls than athletic prowess. While Bria takes AP courses in English, Spanish, Biology II, and Statistics and is part of Repertory Dance, Cimone can be found in English, Spanish, Psychology, BC Calculus, and Spanish Literature and performs in Orchestra.

Never really pressured by their family to keep up good grades and thrive in sports, the twins maintain their competitive personalities by competing with one another and encouraging the other to be her best self.

Senior twins Cimone and Bria Woodard will be continuing volleyball at Howard University. All of us at Episcopal are excited for them and their future. Photo courtesy of Cimone Woodard.

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

Features ∙ Page 3

EHS community welcomes new girls soccer coach Rachel Stelter LUCY HOWLEY Social Media Coordinator As a new addition to the EHS community, Coach Rachel Stelter will be serving as the head of the girls’ soccer program.

Since she is new to Episcopal, The Knight Times took the time to interview her on 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?

In 2015 I graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina. I majored in Psychology and was a member of the women’s soccer team. Soccer at Davidson truly embodies what it means to be a STUDENT-athlete. You have the demands of a Division 1 athlete (30+hrs/week), while also balancing a rigorous course load.

How do you feel about Episcopal after

these first few months?

coaching staff (Field Hockey & Track).

After my first visit to Episcopal, I knew I wanted to be here. This feeling has only grown since I accepted the position as the head coach. The community here is truly amazing and I am honored to be a part of it. I am definitely still adjusting to everything that comes with a new job, but I am starting to get my bearings. I don’t get completely lost when I walk around campus and finally park my car in the right spot.

What do you hope to bring to the field?

What are you most looking forward to as a new coach? What sports will you be coaching?

I am most looking forward to the relationships I will make as a new coach.

Now that I am retired from my playing career and at the start of my coaching career, I am eager to grow and learn as much as possible. In addition to my role as the program head for girls soccer, both Coach Edmonds and Coach Coleman graciously allowed me to join their program’s

Soccer has given me lifelong friendships, taught me how to put a team before myself, given me some of my toughest challenges as well as moments of pure joy.

I want to give these girls an opportunity to experience this as well. Yes, all of the girls go to Episcopal, but they come from so many different walks of life. I hope they learn how to work together as a team, that every single person on the field has value, and to believe in themselves. Through coaching, I aim to empower and advance the lives of these girls both on and off the field.

is a facility here in Houston called ipadel that I now frequent.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Anything outdoors (especially sports), take my dog on adventures, visit coffeeshops, spend intentional time with my community worshipping God/studying Bible, play games (especially Settlers of Catan).

What is your new favorite thing to do in Houston so far?

During quarantine my friends and I were looking for socially distant activities and we discovered the sport “padel.” It is a cross between tennis, ping pong, and racquetball and I am OBSESSED. There

Photo courtesy of Girls Empowering Girls Camp.

Are birria tacos worth the hype? Students create own course MICHAEL McGINNIS Guest Writer Over the past few months, a new food trend has begun to circulate through my Instagram and YouTube feeds. The new trend, Birria tacos, quickly caught my interest due to a unique eating experience.

over the world.

As soon as I took my first bite, it was pretty obvious that they were incredible.

Everything about the tacos was absolutely delicious. The meat was succulent, the tortillas were fresh and crispy (unlike artificial taco shells), the tacos had a nice stringy cheese pull, and the consommé was on a different level of goodness. In fact, the consommé was so indescribably good that you can order it as a soup.

Overall, these are some the best tacos that I have ever eaten, so I highly recommend that you go and visit Tacos El Bigote to try their Birria tacos. Not only is it better, but it is cheaper than places like Torchy’s Tacos or Whataburger. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Photo courtesy of the Houston Chronicle.

For those of you who don’t know what they are, Birria tacos are filled with stewed meat (normally has cheese as well) and are served with a rich and spicy consommé for dipping. I was incredibly curious about how they might taste, so I decided to head to Tacos El Bigotes on Gessner to see if they were worth the rave reviews that they were receiving from all

through EHS study program

Among the many courses offered at Episcopal, the Independent Study course allows students to pursue their own interests in whatever field they choose.

This semester, two students, Alena Haney and Haley Hammer, are participating in this program, studying literature through playwriting and analysis of one’s favorite author.

Stemming from her junior research paper, Alena Haney became interested in political players, and it was this interest that influence her desire to write a Shakespearian play based on the blackmail of Wyoming Senator Lester Hunt. With such a unique topic for an independent study, Alena has been able to design her own course revolving around her research. This unique program has allowed Alena to fol-

low her passions in playwright within the school environment.

Coming from a love for literature, senior Haley Hammer uses the independent study program to study the many novels of author Gabriel García Márquez. Similar to Alena, Haley also enjoyed junior research and credits the English project in influencing her decision to use her independent study for literature. Throughout the course of the semester, Haley hopes to write a twenty-page final paper demonstrating how solitude affects people and how power relates to isolation and loneliness.

While the independent study program is a relatively little pursued course within the Episcopal curriculum, it provides students with the means of realizing their passions and ideas. When asked about the program, both students highly recommended the course, as they both enjoyed diving into a specific subject matter that isn’t provided at EHS.

Senior Haley Hammer studies Márquez’s work in her independent study course.

Photo by Alan Ross Photography.

Senior Alena Haney analyzes Shakespeare’s works. Photo by Alan Ross Photography.

Photo courtesy of Colombia Rentals.

Photo courtesy of SlideShare.

CONNOR SMITH Opinions Editor

Photo courtesy of Tacos El Bigotes.

NEHS fosters student interest in language, literature, and writing CHRIS LAHOTI Managing Editor The National English Honor Society (NEHS) is an organization dedicated to promoting interest in literature and highlighting both students’ and faculties’ accomplishments in the field of English.

Founded in 2005, NEHS has grown to support hundreds of local chapters throughout the U.S., and Episcopal High School is fortunate enough to have one of its own.

Episcopal has undertaken special involvement with NEHS, currently boasting over 102 total members. Under the guidance of faculty sponsor Elizabeth Kechejian and president Max Finkelstein, the society displays a service-oriented approach to the enrichment of English

not only within the school community but in conjunction with other organizations around the Houston area.

NEHS has already accomplished several service projects, with the most notable ones including creating a virtual library of recorded children’s book readings for Communities in Schools of Houston, hosting a special interview about the nuances of written translation with writer and teacher Kimi Traube of Columbia University, and donating over 400 children’s novels for Books Between Kids.

With plenty more projects and interesting events on the way, NEHS is ready to encourage students’ passion for both English and service.

If interested in applying for next year, please contact Ms. Kechejian at bkechejian@ehshouston.org. Application notices will be sent out in the spring.

Features ∙ Page 4

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

New teacher joins EHS community and takes charge of new pom team CRISTIAN MUNOZ Staff Writer New to Episcopal High School is Ms. Jordan Butler. Ms. Butler says she enjoys working with kids and especially loves to help and see people improve. She teaches one biology class and three conceptual physics classes apart from serving as a junior class advisor and managing the Pom Team. Read on to find out more about our new addition to the faculty.

Ms. Butler was born in San Angelo, Texas, and spent about eight years of her life there because she was a military brat and was always on the move.

She attended San Angelo Central High School in San Angelo, Texas, where she also went to college at Angelo State University.

Ms. Butler has two undergraduate degrees - a B.S. in physics with a minor in mathematics and a B.A. in communications.

She realized she enjoyed working with kids when she found teaching kids in college fun.

Ms. Butler says she chose EHS because it stood out to her because it was the most inclusive and open private school and because everybody was just nice.

She enjoys having more opportunities than before since it is such as big city compared to where she grew up.

Ms. Butler says her favorite thing about teaching is being able to help students and see them improve. She teaches biology and conceptional physics.

Something new that Ms. Butler has started at EHS is the pom team, which is a drill team similar to cheer, but it focuses more on dancing.

In her free time, Ms. Butler enjoys playing soccer and practicing dance. Also, she enjoys cleaning because it makes her happy.

Senior Gwen Diaz addresses pageant career and service BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief Gwen Díaz, a senior at Episcopal, has participated in pageants since her freshman year. These pageants have allowed her to travel the state and country. Likewise, through pageants, she has become involved in local community service operations such as Pets Movement and Medical Bridges. She has even launched a social media platform “Self-Love isn’t Selfish,” which focuses on Mental Health Awareness and the importance of selflove.

Some of the awards and titles she has won include: National America Miss Texas Jr Teen (2018, 4th runner up); National America Miss Pearland Jr Teen (2018, City Queen); National Heart of America Miss Texas (2019); Miss Pearland Teen USA (2019); Teen Universe Southeast Texas 2020 (regional title); Teen Universe Texas (2020); and Teen Universe USA Nationals (2020, Placed Top Ten) Currently, Gwen holds the state title of Teen Universe Texas 2020. She was crowned this past May and says it has been “an incredible experience full of

endless opportunities.” Just last month, Gwen and her family traveled to Orlando, Florida, where she competed in the Teen Universe USA Nationals. Gwen represented the state of Texas and competed against representatives from every state.

She placed top ten among all participants, an extremely impressive feat in the pageant world.

Gwen Diaz says, “I love to do to pageants because it combines everything I love: fashion, modeling, connecting with others, community service, and because it allows me to promote my message of self-love with my platform.. Through pageantry, I have had endless opportunities.

I have had lots of photoshoots, I judged my first pageant, I am involved in local community service with the Rescued Pets Movement and Medical Bridges, I have launched my social media platform “SelfLove isn’t Selfish. Being Teen Universe Texas 2020 has impacted me in ways I never imagined.

I have learned so much about myself through my journey that has changed me for the better. Teen Universe Texas has taught me confidence, self-improvement, resilience, and self-love.”

How one sophomore began writing a memoir at only 15 TINLEY KANE Staff writer Sophomore Bennett Welsh has quite the story to tell.

Through experiences in what has been a relatively short life, Welsh is working on a memoir of his early childhood. The memoir highlights various anecdotes but is basically “a story about fishing stories from my childhood - birth to present day - that have in no small way shaped the man I am and intended to become,” Welsh stated.

The memoir’s inspiration? His father.

“My dad mostly pushed me to make something like this, but the idea of a leather-bound work was mostly my own.”

Though just a teenager, Welsh recognizes fishing’s impact on his life and that it has been a major contributor to the valuable life lessons he has learned, educational moments he intends to carry with him into adulthood. His passion for the hobby has served as an escape for him in times of stress.

When asked if his memoir is complete, he didn’t hesitate to answer that the book is “one hundred percent a work in prog-

ress.”

Only time will tell when these reflections can be finalized, if ever. As for what Welsh plans on doing with his work moving forward, is publication in its future?

Memoirist sophomore Ben Welsh. Photo by Alan Ross Photography.

“I honestly don’t know about publishing it; I guess if people like it enough.”

Dance Program gets creative in preparation for fall concert LILY O’GORMAN Staff Writer Each fall, the EHS Dance Program puts together a spectacular dance concert presented in the Underwood Theater, highlighting the hard work and talent of EHS dancers. However, like everything

dance pieces were filmed outside the walls of the Underwood Theater in the parking garage, the grass in front of the library, and even in the seats of the theater itself.

New elements were also added with the flexibility of locations, like colored powder which was used as a prop in one piece.

Even with new safety rules and regula-

Top, the dancers perform Freedom, a piece choreographed by Dance Coordinator Ms. Kristina Burgess, about working for equality. Above, Colors by choreographer Karen Pfeifer, was performed with colored powder. Photos by Kristina Burgess.

Senior Gwen Diaz has participated in pageant shows since she was a freshman.

Photo courtesy of Gwen Diaz

else this year, the dance concert has required creativity and flexibility on the part of dancers as well as faculty as they come up with resourceful ways to share their talents with the community.

Instead of a live performance, this year’s concert will feature dance pieces filmed individually to promote adequate social distancing and the safety of all involved.

Additionally, this new system allows for some creative elements that have not been possible in the past. For example, some

tions, this year’s dance concert has found ways to maintain the entertainment value and creativity the EHS community has grown to love. From new locations to new props, this concert has risen to the challenges of the year and is an exciting event to look forward to.

In the words of Ms. Burgess, the dance program coordinator, “sometimes different isn’t so bad.”

The concert is titled Convergence and is set to release in early December.

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

My Distraction Crib with Sydney Coward There is no playlist this month. No book recommendations. No movie review.

Just 350 words of my insistence that you watch or listen to Krystal and Saagar, hosts of Rising on The Hill.tv.

On June 3, 2020 the hosts of Rising, an American daily news and opinion series, were featured on The Joe Rogan Experience. Wait! I know, Joe Rogan. Some profanity, but listen to it before you dive deeper into their show. It is a little outdated at the moment but still is relevant to today’s political climate.

Krystal Ball is ultra-liberal, while her co-host Saagar Enjeti is uber-conservative.

How can this possibly work? I don’t know, but this is how it should work. Yes, of course they argue, disagree, and fight, but in a mature and respectful manor. You don’t see Krystal throwing her cup of hot coffee on Saagar when he compliments Trump. This is how political conversations should happen. Krystal will share her opinion, and most importantly, how and why she has been influenced to think this way. Saagar will come back with a respectable counter-argument. A “that’s very interesting, but I have to disagree and here is why” will be shared before his valid explanations as to why he believes

what he does.

Both co-hosts recognize they differ in opinions and build off one another.

Krystal and Saagar share knowledge from opposing points of view that, traditionally, cannot be accessed from a single source.

In some cases, they go into detail about how their opinions were changed because of each other’s point of view.

The hosts do not limit themselves to 280 characters but extensively analyze current political topics in an open discussion, with room for respect and admiration. In my opinion, this type of respectable, mature discussion is critical in today’s political climate where the loss of respect is has its consequences.

Many times my friends have texted me a politically-related question, and my response has always been a derivative of “I will not let this be a 280-character conversation, but I would love to talk in person to share opinions.”

Another way to educate yourself on the different views of each party, if Rising on The Hill.tv is not your thing, is to engage with media that differs from your political beliefs. Find out what the other side has to say, and do it with an open mind. You may be surprised.

Multiple genres of music feature quality releases LEANA GREENE Staff Writer November has brought albums from many chart topping artists from every genre, like NLE Choppa, Kodak Black, Trippie Redd, Elton John, and Miley Cyrus.

Starting the month was NLE Choppa, releasing his album From Dark to Light on his birthday, November 1. The twentyeight-year-old Memphis rapper began to receive recognition after his song “Shotta Flow,” but as of now, he plans to end his lyrics of violence. NLE Choppa practices “369,” writing down three things in the morning that he wishes to accomplish, then again six times in the afternoon, and finally nine times at night. He hopes this method will help with his next steps to affirmation and positivity on his future musical productions.

Bill Kahan, more commonly known as the twenty-three-year-old Pompano Beach rapper Kodak Black, released his newest album Bill Israel on November 11. This eleven-track album features various top chart artist such as Tory Lanez, Gucci Mane, and Lil Yachty.

“Ain’t nobody did it how I’m doing it,” Kodak said in an interview with The Source; this cannot be more accurate because of how Kodak Black is currently serving a 46-month prison sentence in Miami after being arrested during the Rolling Loud Music Festival.

Trippie Redd released Pegasus (Deluxe) Neon Shark on November 13. The twenty-one-year-old Canton, Ohio rapper originally released Pegasus on October 30, but decided to take a different spin on the songs and feature various hip-hop and

R&B artists. Trippie Redd gave the album its title because he feels “everybody [is] scared of [him] like a shark or something, like they keep their distance,” so he decided to give them a reason to be scared by creating a top selling album.

On November 13, seventy-three-yearold Elton Hercules John released Jewel Box. Elton John has been a long-time mu-

Miley Cyrus’ album Plastic Hearts talks of a new start. Photo courtesy of PitchFork. sical influence for younger artists, many who have created covers or had collaborations with the legendary rock artist. Jewel Box consists of his past hits, comparing them to the jewels of his career. The album is comprised of eight CD’s, each with fifteen plus songs.

Miley Cyrus released Plastic Hearts on November 27 with RCA Records.

The 2018 wildfire that burned her house inspired Cyrus to begin this album.

“Nature did what I now see as a favor and destroyed what I couldn’t let go of for myself,” she said.

Plastic Hearts features twelve songs, including covers of “Heart of Glass” by Blondie and “Zombies” by The Cranberries, which have already become hits on TikTok.

Culture ∙ Page 5

Spanish Corner

Protestas en Peru sobre el impeachment BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief Protestas en Perú surge por el impeachment del Presidente Vizcarra.

En Lima, la capital del Perú, protestas han surgido sobre el impeachment del presidente Martín Vizcarra. Algunos manifestantes están enojados con el congreso del Perú. Piensan que es “un golpe de estado” para derrocar al presidente.

Presidente Martín Vizcarra asumió el control de la presidencia en Marzo de 2018. Sin embargo antes de la presidencia, él fue el senador de el region sureño de Moquegua. Mientras era senador, fue acusado de negociar contratos del gobierno por sobornos.

También, el año pasado disolvió el congreso. El Señor Vizcarra argumentó que los politicos estaban obstruyendo

sus prioridades de anti-corrupción. El enero pasado, el Perú eligió a un nuevo congreso. Mientras que este ayudó a resolver algunas tensiones, el gobierno todavía estaba enojado con él. El congreso peruano votó previamente para impugnar al presidente el 18 de septiembre, pero no tuvo éxito. Ahora mismo, votaron para impugner al presidente y logró. El próximo orador del congreso peruano, Manuel Merino, asumirá la presidencia hasta abril del próximo año, cuando se elija al próximo presidente.

Esta votación ha llevado al país a la agitación, ya que Perú está lidiando actualmente con una severa recisión económica debido a la pandemia de la Coronavirus.

En protesta de esto, cientos de personas se reunieron fuera del congreso de Perú.

La policía ha utilizado el agua y los gases lacrimógenos para ayudar a repeler a los manifestantes.

Protestors in the capitol of Peru march down the streets in anger regarding the impeachment of their president. Photo courtesy of BBC News.

Slice of π

ZACHARY DONAVAN Guest Writer Hello, Knights! I am Zack Donovan and I am the social media coordinator for Math Club. Before I get into anything else, it is my obligation to remind every reader to follow @ehsmathclub on Instagram and Twitter if you have not done so already. Also, you can still purchase a Math Club mask. Just scan the QR code on the board in Dr. P.’s room, A130, and pick up your mask on the spot. It is also never too late to join Math Club. We have had two virtual meetings this year and have competed in the Texas Math League contest at each meeting.

On November 4, four teams consisting of four juniors and seniors participated in the HiMCM International Math Modeling Competition. This competition provided

the students with a chance to get realworld experience with mathematics and apply critical thinking skills beyond what is possible in the classroom. Teams met up of their own accord to plan and execute their ideas for the project, which was submitted two weeks later on November 17. Most groups commented on how much fun the competition was, and junior competitors cannot wait to compete again next year.

Although with heavy hearts we could not celebrate Fibonacci Day as we did last year, we hope all members of the EHS community got a chance to do some math over their Thanksgiving break. We wish all students good luck as the semester comes to a close. Be on the lookout this coming semester for all the events, competitions, and goods Math Club will be offering.

Special Feature ∙ Page 6

Special Feature ∙ Page 7

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

Thanksgiving looked different in 2020 Charlie Brown takes 2020 hit Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade looked nothing like years past SYDNEY COWARD Business and Circulations Manager

TINLEY KANE Sports Editor

As if 2020 wasn’t difficult enough, now the Charlie Brown-themed holiday shows have pivoted, and with it, tradition has been broken.

For the first time in almost six decades, the Charlie Brown holiday episodes will not be airing on local television networks, most specific to this time of year, the Thanksgiving special.

The family tradition of watching Charlie Brown on ABC will be different this holiday season after Apple TV+ recent deal with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions. The subscription service will stream “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (1973) and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965) on its platform exclusively.

The programs will be for free on Apple TV+ for a limited amount of time, then families will have to pay to keep their tradition alive.

In times of uncertainty and with the holiday season just around the corner, the classic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade once again make its return, though somewhat modified.

As Mayor Bill de Blasio stated, “It will not be the same parade we’re used to,” though the show must go on. What differentiates the 94th Annual Parade from years past?

Typically, New York City streets are flooded with thousands of people watching the parade floats fly above them and marching bands play in formation, with millions more viewing from home, but this year the event was televised only.

The routes through uptown Manhattan ending in Midtown were adjusted to have the floats displayed in front of the Macy’s

Charlie Brown brings back memories, but America will not be watching on ABC this year. Above, Image courtesy of imbd.com.

Below, image courtesy of cnet.com.

flagship store located in Herald Square. As for the people who usually handle the floats, anchored vehicles replaced them, but fear not. The entire parade did not, though, consist of robotic machines handling the course of the parade as performances still occurred though pre-recordings.

Maintaining social distancing protocols, local talent in New York gathered for a two-day shoot to pre-record footage for the event. Unfortunately, this meant that any out-of-state performers such as high school and college marching bands were not permitted to perform until future parades.

Another tradition not included this year, one upsetting to attendees, was the balloon inflation that occurs on Thanksgiving Eve. It has been an ongoing tradition since 1994 as inflation teams and parade officials prep the enormous balloons before the big day.

NBC aired the parade on November 26 from 9 a.m. to noon EST.

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer One of the most traditional Thanksgiving meals is turkey. Here is an easy, no fuss Thanksgiving turkey recipe to try next year.

You will need…

• 1 12-20 lb turkey • 1 onion, peeled and chopped • 1 lemon, cut in quarters • 1 oz of fresh rosemary • 1 oz of fresh thyme • 1 oz of fresh sage • Salt and pepper to taste • A few tablespoons of butter

The infamous Macy’s Tom Turkey that rides down 5th Avenue is seen last year with pilgrims on the top. This year, he was seen differently. Photo courtesy of bhg.com.

Mickey Mouse and his crew have been flying in the parade for many years. The left image shows Donald in the 1900’s, and rght is Mickey just a few years ago. Times have changed! Left. Image courtesy of disneyparks.com. Right, Photos courtesy of myQ105com.

Shoppers this year missed the typical Black Friday events CORY KARDESCH Copy Editor This year Black Friday and Cyber Monday will look different compared to past years, with many businesses struggling through this time of hardship.

Black Friday usually brings in large crowds that businesses rely on for a large amount of their yearly profit, with customers eagerly getting ready the day before sometimes. Black Friday is a way for people to purchase items, usually on sale, to get ready for the winter holidays.

Understanding safety protocols amidst the coronavirus, companies need to avoid the giant rush inside their stores, which ultimately leads to the downfall of shoppers and profit. Walmart made the tough decision to close their stores on Thanksgiving, which ends the long tradition of kicking off their Black Friday sales on the holiday.

Few retailers have made public decisions on how they will handle Black Friday this year, but it will mostly likely consist of curbside pickup, with stores not filling their inventory with as many items to avoid hundreds of

people packed inside their stores.

Cyber Monday, seen as the biggest online shopping day, follows Black Friday, with its own great shopping deals, but this past year, online shopping has become even more relevant compared to past years. This year, one could expect way more competition with retailers releasing new options for online shopping, such as Walmart Plus, which should compete with Amazon this season.

This year, Cyber Monday might be bigger than Black Friday, but will still include the same deals with painless online shopping.

These crowds were significantely reduced to almost nobody this past Black Friday day. Photo courtesy of matchwatch.com

First, let the turkey come to room tempera ture.

Then, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Next, remove the neck and giblets from the inside cavities of the bird (if they aren’t already removed).

Then, season your turkey with salt and pepper and stuff it with the lemon, onion, and herbs.

Next, use your fingers to spread the butter over the outside of the turkey.

Once your turkey is all prepped, roast it at 325 degrees F for about 13-15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees.

Finally, cover the turkey in foil and allow the turkey to rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving.

Once our turkey is done, we will need to prepare a side dish, and what says Thanksgiving better than sweet potatoes and marshmallows! You will need…

Constantly stir for about 10 minutes. Let it come to a boil and wait until it thickens.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, cut them “hot dog” way and cut them into 1-inch cubes.

Then, boil the potatoes for about 5 minutes.

Once they finish boiling, place the potato pieces on a baking dish and pour the syrup on top.

Then, place the lemon slices on top and bake for 35 minutes.

Once they finish baking, top them with marshmallows, and place them back in the oven.

Bake them at 400 degrees F for another 10 minutes until the marshmallows puff and turn brown.

Once you have your delicious turkey and potatoes, you are all set for a great Thanksgiving meal! You can top your turkey with a nice cranberry sauce, a lime butter sauce, an apricot sauce, or more herbs and butter.

Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family, and even during these difficult times, at least you can use these recipes to enjoy a memorable meal with the people you love.

• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (plus more for the baking dish) • 1 cup of light brown sugar • 3 ½ lb sweet potatoes • 1 lemon, sliced (remove the seeds) • 3 cups of marshmallows The Rockettes are photoed last year in the front of the parade. Due to COVID, all performances this year were pre-recorded over two days. Photo courtesy of timout.com.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar and a ½ cup of water.

Even if someone doesn’t like turkey, it is a must on Thanksgiving day. Photo courtesy of tastesbetterfromscratch.com.

Safe Thanksgiving gatherings encouraged across the U.S. LILY O’GORMAN Staff Writer

Every year Americans look forward to getting down and dirty in stores across the nation, fighting for TV’s, clothes, etc. Many stores missed these crowds this year, and hope for a better turnout in the years to come. Photo courtesy of nudatasecuriy.com.

The turkey recipe that will be needed for Thanksgiving ‘21

Want to celebrate Thanksgiving this year without risking the health of your family or yourself? Maybe you should consider holding a Zoom Thanksgiving! Like almost every other event this year, this Thanksgiving certainly requires a level of creativity as travel and large gatherings are generally discouraged by health officials to promote social distancing. Zoom Thanksgiving is a creative option gaining the praise of thousands as a safe alternative to a traditional family meal. Here are some suggestions to help make your Zoom Thanksgiving organized, fun, and most importantly, safe.

1. Designate a host To ensure that your meeting is orderly and prepared, assign an outgoing family member or friend to host and lead the dinner. This will help organize the meeting and encourage the flow of conversation.

2. Decorate and dress nicely Although your Thanksgiving meal might

be virtual, it’s still Thanksgiving! Making your space welcoming and festive will set the tone for the entire meal. This meal also provides a fun excuse to dress up, which helps the event feel genuine (this includes changing out of your sweatpants).

3. Find a way to continue your family’s traditions Whether your family traditionally watches the Thanksgiving Parade, football, or takes a family photo, there are ways to continue these activities virtually. Apps like Airtime are perfect for streaming videos in a virtual setting, and a simple screenshot can help commemorate your unique family dinner.

Additionally, if your family usually cooks dinner together, everyone can log on and cook their own meal with the company of their family through the screen.

4.Activity suggestions To avoid the monotony of sitting in front of a screen, activities that can be done virtually will help spice up your dinner. From a recipe swap and scavenger hunt to a centerpiece competition and charades, there are activities that everyone can enjoy as a family.

Safe Thanksgiving is a must in 2020. Some families were socially distanced outside,circled around a backyard while others went completely virtual. Image by Lili O’Gorman.

Entertainment∙ Page 8

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

Saturday Night Live faces massive backlash with start of 46th season SYDNEY COWARD Business and Circulation Manager Saturday Night Live, America’s comedy staple, has successfully completed 45 seasons, but the 46th season has been met with negative major news headlines.

It is a known fact that historically Saturday Night Live has never been politically correct, with sketches the last few seasons focused on picking at the President.

Saturday nights would not be the same without Alec Baldwin perfectly performing an impression of President Trump or Jim Carrey posing as Joe Biden, but many people want the show to change.

Guest host comedian Bill Burr’s opening monologue got things started. His

very controversial introduction sparked anger across America and faced serious backlash.

Many people thought his monologue was “misogynistic” and “obnoxious,” but another opinion was that he stayed true to his comedic style with his politically incorrect jokes. Producers of SNL had to approve his monologue, so it’s not like he sabotaged the show with his classic humor. Burr’s monologue definitely separated itself from others, but did it stray from SNL’s running theme of being politically incorrect?

Adele was the host for the October 24 episode of SNL which featured an African tourism skit, starring Kate McKinnon and Heidi Gardner, that received major

backlash. Very suggestive, the skit was an advertisement promoting travel to Africa for newly-divorced women while shirtless African American men walked with women on their shoulders in the background.

Many fuming Twitter users expressed their distaste for the sketch, calling it “inappropriate,” “objectifying,“ and “not funny.” Much of the hate was aimed

toward Adele because she was unable to contain her laughter.

Keeping SNL’s track record in mind, is this backlash appropriate in today’s world, forcing Saturday Night Live to change its approach, or is it nonsense because they have been doing this for almost 46 years?

Viewers should know politically incorrect jokes can be expected, but will this be the end?

Adele is unable to contain her laughter during the pegged “tone deaf” skit. Kate McKinnon and Heidi Gardner were able to keep control, but found it very hard as there co-actor was struggling. The three women were advertising Africa as a perfect get away vacation for new divorcees. Photo courtesy of popculture.com.

Bill Burr’s monologue managed to make half of America ticked off, going back to SNL’s traditional roots of humor. Photo courtesy of today.com.

CONNOR SMITH

A year later, Mandalorian is back CONNOR SMITH Opinions Editor After a full year of waiting, Star Wars fans can finally rejoice with the second season of Mandalorian coming out this November. After a surprising season finale, which introduced the famous dark saber into the television series, lead director Jon Favreau continues to excite fans with the story of a Mandalorian, played

by Pedro Pascal, and The Child, commonly referred to by fans as Baby Yoda.

Without a doubt this season will continue to impress fans and encourage more television shows from the Star Wars universe.

Chapter 9, the first episode of Season 2, started strong, adding to the western theme of the first season and introducing new characters, as well as bringing back old acquaintances. One of these new characters, Cobb Vance, comes directly from the comic books wearing the famous armor of Boba Fett. This episode was the

strongest start anyone could have asked for, incorporating both exciting action and the great storytelling for which Star Wars is known.

Chapter 10 strays away from the western influences, this episode crash-lands Mando onto the icy planet of Maldo Kreis. Here, fans watch Mando and his passenger get attacked by giant Krykna creatures, which take influence from the popular ‘Alien’ franchise. This episode brings a new level of fear and tension to the franchise, showing how deadly Star Wars can be.

With Star Wars being my favorite franchise of all time, I couldn’t ask for a better start to the second season of Mandalorian.

With remarkable settings, interesting stories, and high quality production, The Mandalorian continues to be one of the best shows on TV, and I highly encourage anyone with access to Disney + to give the show a try, even if you skipped the first season.

The Bachelorette opens with different look, but the drama remains the same CLAIRE FRANKFORT Staff Writer For all of the diehard fans of the Bachelor, Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and the new Bachelor: Listen to your Heart, I think it is safe to say that we all have our opinions about the new 40-yearold bachelorette, Clare Crawley. Let me first just say that she started out pretty solid, except for the fact that she has been on the show four times already (I mean, give it up already). I’ll even say that I was warming up to her. Then (do I even dare say his name), Dale Moss walked out of the limousine, and everything blew up.

To catch everybody up, Dale and Clare basically had a secret love going on during the three weeks that they knew each other. They snuck off during group dates, talked one-on-one constantly, and Clare even thought about him during dates when he wasn’t there. She basically made up excuses to let perfectly fine men get sent

home because all she wanted was her “future husband.”

Now that we are all on the same page, the most surprising part of it all is that they got engaged… after only knowing each other for three weeks. Scrolling through Instagram after watching Episode 4, I saw a comment that read, “Dale, blink twice if you’re okay.” Exactly. The nation wouldn’t be surprised if he was trapped into a proposal. Obviously, I, along with everyone else, hope that they work out, but I don’t think anybody will ever hear the words “I love them as a couple” come out of my mouth.

Thankfully though, Tayshia Adams was there to take over. She, along with four other men, joined the show mid-season to pick up where Clare left off. This has never happened in Bachelor history. Having a bachelorette leave the show three weeks early was something new for Chris Harrison to deal with. But let me say, this is definitely the most dramatic season yet.

CHRIS LAHOTI With 2020 being the so-called year of gaming, it’s only fair for one of the most popular franchises, Assassins Creed, to bring a new game to the market. Assassins Creed: Valhalla, which released this November, has proven to be a step in the right direction for Ubisoft, highlighting the video game company’s immense improvement in its game design.

In all honesty, we weren’t planning on trying out any new Assassins Creed titles, as the change in gameplay that came with one of the newer releases, Assassins Creed: Origins, led to a substantially more mundane and redundant experience compared to the older games like Black Flag.

However, the Viking theme of Valhalla sparked our interest, so we decided to give the series another go. Upon finishing the story mode, we understood how the action-filled combat and strong campaign allowed this game to sell thousands of

copies on launch day.

One of the most interesting parts of the game is the nonconformist approach to the Assassins Creed franchise. Eivor, the game’s protagonist, does not behave like previous characters. Rather than emulate the more conventional traits of assassins, like secrecy and subtlety, she embraces the rough bluntness of the Vikings.

Valhalla adds to this by both introducing many new mechanics and building upon previous game design, all while weaving one of the best stories in an Assassins Creed game since Black Flag.

If you are a fan of this franchise, you will without a doubt enjoy Assassins Creed: Valhalla. The intricate settings, unique story, and strong mechanics provide hours and hours of captivating gameplay. You can experience this masterpiece on any of the next gen consoles, as well as Xbox 1, PlayStation 4, and PC.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise dropped a new game, making 2020 more bearable.

Photo courtsey of youtube.com

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

Knight Shift ∙ Page 9

Speaks Out

“What is your least favorite Thanksgiving food?”

CHLOE STYLES “Green beans”

JACK McKINNIE “Cranberry sauce”

Cartoon by Zack Donovan.

PhotoJ Photo of the Month

MYA BROUGHTON “Black-eyed peas”

WADE ARNTZEN “Stuffing”

MARK-ANTHONY MEY “Cornbread”

CHLOE SONG “Cranberry sauce“

Junior Colby Gay works his way through the Kinkaid defense on his way to a big gain, courtesy of the Knights offensive line. Photo by Sydney Kelso.

(Celebrity Look-Alike) CORI McBEAN “Sweet potatoes”

DR. ANNA SAIKIN “Gravy“

RAFFI GROSS “Yams”

COACH JULIUS MICHAEL “Pumpkin pie”

History teacher Mr. Zach Schwarz and award-winning actor Dave Franco share striking similarities. Their matching warm smiles make for an indistinguishable pair. Photos courtesy of ehshouston.org and Seventeen Magazine.

Opinion ∙ Page 10

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

How dividing the police force benefits communities JAZZMIN DUNCAN Staff Writer The current form of policing in America is antiquated and long past the need for repair. The current system puts unnecessary stress on both the citizens and police departments. Dividing the current responsibilities (i.e. traffic stops, violations, domestic disturbances) of a single police department among multiple different branches would be more efficient in the long run, economically and socially.

The first branch would consist completely of machines. According to the ACLU of New York, in 2019, 13,459 people were stopped due to traffic violations, 66 percent of them being innocent. This overflow of people unjustly stopped could be limited by adding a more efficient middleman - automation. The world of technology is in a position now that the task of traffic ordinance can be partially carried out by machines, relieving both the police of their responsibility of monitoring roads as well as drivers from the stress and lost time of being stopped. A similar, already functioning system would include that of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in the city of Houston that identify and fine drivers who violate the rules of the HOV lane. To elaborate, new systems that function similarly to the HOV lanes are well within the realm of possibility and can be

modified to function as a form of ‘policing’ the streets without the need of officers.

Traffic violations such as speeding can be detected by the proposed system, and the offender could be fined within seconds by an unbiased ‘robot,’ saving time and potential emotional or physical distress.

The second branch would be dependent on the first as it would consist of state troopers who would respond to certain cases that an automated system couldn’t handle. For example, if the automated system detects multiple offenses in a certain time span that indicate the presence of someone driving under the influence, a state trooper would be called in to properly defuse the situation and level a fair punishment to the offender. State troopers would function as a backup to the automated system, as they would only become involved when a situation needed to be immediately resolved or when someone’s life is in danger. Any situation that requires human reason or intervention would be the responsibility of the state troopers.

The third branch would be the closest to the current system. This branch would include a more communally controlled ‘task force.’ This so-called task force would handle domestic disturbances. Cases like domestic abuse, public disturbances, and robberies would be handled by this task force. Because of the smaller nature of this ‘department,’ the saved money from hiring fewer officers could go into educa-

tion of the task force, properly equipping them to handle circumstances that require de-escalation tactics and giving them the proper means to properly evaluate crime scenes. The smaller nature of this branch would also allow for higher salaries for the participants. The task force would also be able to more easily form connections to the community that they monitor as their smaller size and collective essence would aid in winning the trust of the people, im-

proving the relations between law enforcement and those in their charge.

The separation of responsibilities between three branches, automated traffic monitors, state troopers, and communally controlled task forces would relieve officers of the many responsibilities they hold, while also improving their performance through proper, comprehensive education, and strengthening bonds between them and their respective communities.

The current form of policing is outdated and in dire need of reform. Officers, as well as their constituents, suffer from the outdated surveillance system. Photo courtesy of thehill.com.

Sabermetrics: How baseball analytics changed the game SYDNEY COWARD Business and Circulation Manager Baseball cards: Hitter’s home runs, average, and RBIs; pitcher’s ERA, won-lost record, saves, and strikeouts. All of this is on the back of a card. The old way.

Sabermetrics: The analytical description of in-game events with greater accuracy and predictions of players’ future actions.

The new way.

Clearly, sabermetrics is the more accurate, logical way to analyze sports, baseball particularly, but the debate between old vs. new has risen, splitting baseball fans in half. Baseball is built on tradition and nostalgia, so many fans disregard the adaptation of the century.

Others recognize how this is the smarter choice for front offices and encourage the transition in programs. Organizations have taken the step forward into the computer era of baseball, but they have overstepped - it has gone too far.

Rays up 1-0. Blake Snell is just pushing past 70 pitches, 48 of which were strikes.

Nine of the eighteen hitters he faced, he struck out. The baseball world was going crazy as the 2018 AL Cy Young winner was utterly dominant in Game 6 of the

numbers were from games incomparable to this one. Cash was worried the lefty would mess up, but it was he who did. Stephen A. Smith called this an “inexcusable decision,” and it was that exactly. Enriching the “athletes vs mathletes” debate, analytics has gone too far. Stop using calculators rather than players and eyes.

Analytics is based on what has happened in the past to more accurately predict what will happen in the future, rather than using the back of a baseball card. Cash used history and past numbers to determine the switch, completely disregarding what was evident - Blake Snell was on fire. You cannot remove him. Although Cash wanted to remove him before he made significant mistakes – understandable - this was not the time to do it. Analytics had gotten Tampa Bay this far, so, of course, management would continue to heavily rely on them, but this is a prime example of how it had gone too far.

The analytical revolution has taken over, playing a big role in decision-making, but it’s time to stop and evaluate the war path it has created. Yes, more information is never a bad thing, but since when has indefensible evidence, seen using eyes, been completely disregarded? Broadcaster Louis Riddick stated that the “marriage be-

with what numbers were generated from a computer and go back to the roots of the game. The identity of baseball is slowly eroding because of computers, so go back to the basics because that is the only way to save the game. Save the game - don’t eat, sleep, and breathe computers. The old way may not be efficient enough, but it’s safe.

Use information technology produces but

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

Even MLB umpires are the subject of analytics. Image courtesy of bu.edu.

2020 World Series. Despite being on another level, Snell was removed after 5 1/3 scoreless innings.

Head Coach Kevin Cash messed up big time. The numbers told him not to let Snell face the lineup for a third time, but those

tween subjective and objective” is the perfect balance and is what needs to be produced. How do we get there? Continue to use computers because no human can produce information that accurate, but USE. YOUR. EYES. Stop being so obsessed

blend it with traditional methods, found off the back of a baseball card, to form a starting line-up and make pitching changes.

Computer: “Blake Snell has never lasted this long in a regular season game and had a good end result.”

Eyes: “Yes, but at what point this season has he produced numbers like this? This is incomparable to regular season games.”

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 Leana 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 ∙ November 2020

Sports Brief

BOYS FOOTBALL CRISTIAN MUNOZ Staff Writer

The last half of October was an interesting one for the Knights football program, highlighted by a 26-7 victory over rival the St. John Mavericks at the John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium at the University of Houston.

With the game the players say they were able to create many memories: playing in a Division 1 college stadium, using the local college team’s locker room, and earning the win against a Maverick team that gave the Knights a battle. Sophomore quarterback Chase Jenkins performed well in the contest, scoring three touchdowns, and senior Jaquon Marion earned another on a big night of rushing. The Knight ground game was solid behind a seniorheavy offensive line that has drawn the attention of opposing defenses all year.

The defense did well and came up with some key stops, especially on a potential game tying drive, which the unit turned away. The Knights ended their season with tough loss against rival Kikaid, 2714.

CHEER AND POM EMMA CLAIRE WHITE Staff Writer The Knights cheerleaders have found ways to cheer on the football team this year despite COVID-19’s impact on the student turnout this year. The cheerleaders created a practice schedule where several teams practice cheers and dances outside while the remaining teams continue to learn choreography for the season. Just like every other team, practicing outside in masks has been tough, yet the cheerleaders have managed by taking constant water breaks and cooling off in the shade.

More importantly, the cheer program has a new section called Pom. Unlike cheer, Pom is mostly dance-based and will perform at all halftimes and games.

In a routine, Pom incorporates a specific dance style, technical work, and—depending on the routine—pom-poms. While on the sidelines, Pom sits in a specific order and has pom-pom choreography which aligns with the band chants. Both Pom and Cheer highly anticipated the game against Kinkaid—Episcopal’s most competitive rival.

Varsity Captain Morgan Garrett says that she “loves cheer and the bond between my teammates warms [her] heart.”

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TINLEY KANE Sports Editor As the 2020 season came to an end, the girls’ varsity volleyball team had an overall record of 8-6.

Games against Houston Christian and another rematch versus St. Agnes unfortunately had to be canceled as the season drew to a close. Though they were given limited playing time at the end, the girls managed to get a win in late October against John Cooper, 3-1.

According to Maxpreps, the girls managed to place first overall in District 7, otherwise known as the Southwest Preparatory Conference, going 2-0.

Highlighting some stats, the seniors made sure to go all out in their final season as Knights, leading in all five game categories. Cimone Woodard was top of the leaderboard in hits and blocks, Sania Petties in kills and aces, and Camille Hanna in assists and digs.

Sports ∙ Page 11

Cross country works hard despite COVID cancellations CORY KARDESCH Copy Editor This year, athletic programs and their schedules have been very different with Covid-19 causing major events, such as SPC, to be canceled, but the cross country teams prevailed.

Head Coach Julius Michael gave a recap on the season that saw a strong boys team, with John Bruton as the top runner with a new 5K time of 17:14, as well as new runners such as Harrison Witcher, a golf player who fortunately decided to run this year, who ended up being the third best runner on the team with a 5K time of 18:18.

Returning runners such as Carson Hicks, Henry Kinzel, and J.P. Durand worked extremely hard throughout the long summer and this season to improve their times as well. Additionally, newcomers Constantine Matthews, Henry Smith, and Sam Marino contributed highly to make the boys team perform well this season.

“With all these young runners, the future looks great for the boys team,” said Coach

Julius Michael.

The girls team had top runners returning after finishing runner up in SPC in 2018 and 2019 and a chance to win it all, but Covid-19 prevented the annual championship. The team had big wins against 5A and 6A schools, such as Brenham, Grand Oaks, and Magnolia, wins against private schools at Alpha Omega and Covenant Christian, and added two second place team finishes.

The team was led by top freshman runner Julia Newman, who won three meets and finished in the top four in the other five races this season. The girls completed the year at Tomball with a second-place finish with Julia Newsman second, Lucy Holden sixth, Ella Newman tenth, Isabelle De Bruyker eleventh, Shepherd Gregg sixteenth, and Elizabeth McLauchlin thirty-first.

“With only two seniors on the team,” said Coach Michael, “the girls should be one of the top private and public school cross country teams in the Houston area,” and both cross country teams have very high hopes for next season as well.

Head Coach Julius Michael shows off his Halloween spirit during practice by running in his pumpkin costume. Photo

by Mimi Wilson.

Field hockey celebrates field with successful Senior Night owner of the best field hockey field in the South. The girls got to play on the field for the first time on Senior Night, then fought hard against St. John’s a few days later, and finally defeated Awty in a 5-1 blowout in their last game on November 7.

In order to honor the field, the EHS Board set up a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Field Blessing to officially open the latest installment to the Athletics Depart-

ment.

Senior captains Lucy Howley, Mimi Wilson, Bailey Junnel, and Helen Young got to cut the blue ribbon with giant scissors after Coaches Shelly Edmonds and Emily White thanked the generous donors who made this incredible achievement possible.

The field hockey program is on an upward and its future looks bright.

Senior captains Lucy Howley, Mimi Wilson, Bailey Junell, and Helen Young celebrate the finish of the brand new turf field. Photo by Mr. Mauro Gomez.

Junior Chandler Black takes her shot against the Pride Field Hockey club.

Photo by Lila Henningsen.

LUCY HOWLEY Social Media Coordinator Although there was no SPC tournament this year, the girls varsity and JV field hockey teams finished the season strong with a few games and scrimmages.

After much anticipation, the brand-new NCAA certified water turf field was completed this month, making Episcopal the

Boys volleyball finishes short season with high energy LARA VERSTOVSEK Staff Writer As fall sports slowly come to an end, the boys’ varsity volleyball team also wraps up its shortened season. The Knights played a total of seven games, against St. John’s, Awty and Kinkaid; three of those being successful, dominating wins (Awty 2 and Kinkaid 1).

Lone senior Jacob Dixon was a fouryear starter as libero and a two-time all-SPC player. He brought a ton of energy and passion to the program and will be greatly missed, especially for his competitive spirit and rock-solid defense.

Although the season was shortened this year due to corona, “I am very happy that we were able to get in a season during COVID,” Head Coach Kerry Hofmeister.

“Many times leading up to the season, I was unsure if we were going to be able to pull it off, but it was great for the guys that we did. Parents and players alike were flexible in making this season happen. As a coach, it was tough missing out on some of the program’s expectations, but overall it was a positive experience for everyone involved.”

As for next year, Coach Hof is looking forward to bringing back almost the entire program. The team has a very strong class of juniors returning, supplemented by a couple of excellent underclassmen that have a chance to be special next year.

Everyone in the program is keeping his fingers crossed that the Knights will be able to travel again next season. Their trips to other SPC schools are a highlight of the boys’ season, and everyone missed those opportunities this year.

Senior Jacob Dixon digs a perfect pass during a home game against St. John’s. Photo

by Sydney Kelso.

Sports∙ Page 12

The Knight Times ∙ November 2020

New coaching staff for girls soccer gives cultural reset for the program BAILEY JUNELL Editor-in-Chief The girls soccer program is starting fresh this season. With the addition of a new head coach, several new assistants, and many returning players, the program is excited for what this year will hold. As of right now, the soccer SPC tournament is still the same as previous years and will be hosted in Houston.

The girls welcomed new head coach Rachel Stelter and new varsity assistant coach Haley Hansen, goalkeeper coach Jane Campbell, varsity assistant coach Paige Moriarty, and JV assistant coach Maya Hoyer. They join the team’s returning staff that includes Stephanie Booker and Ashley Saunders.

The team is led by seniors Audrey Reed, Sophia Reed, Heather Schoen, Isabelle De Bruyker, Mimi Wilson, Bailey Junell, and Annie Powell. Along with many other strong players, the girls are hungry for an SPC victory this year after a tough SPC run in 2019.

Many difficult and trying games have been scheduled for the upcoming months.

The team began their season on Friday,

November 13, defeating Second Baptist 8-0. Likewise, they had a challenging game against rival St. John’s the following Tuesday. This game was a historic 1-0 win for the girls as they have never defeated St. Johns in recent history. The impressive single goal was scored by Sophomore Elle Abaza as the team and crowd were estatic.

Even with senior captain Heather Schoen receiving a red card in the midst of the heated game, the knights stayed locked in

and pulled out the victory. Directly after the break on December 2, they play other rival Kinkaid.

Speaking with head coach Rachel Stelter, she believes there will be a “shift in culture in the girls soccer program that will be greatly benficial for years to come. I can’t wait to see how it pans out.”

With this newfound momentum, the girls feel unstopable. The first girls soccer SPC title feels just within arms reach.

The program wishes goalkeeper coach Jane Campbell good luck as she journeys with the US Womens National Team for their upcoming camp in the Netherlands.

Photo by Coach Rachel Stelter.

Diving into swim’s 2020 winter season ESTEFENIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer Now that fall sports are coming to an end, the Episcopal swimming and diving team is getting ready for a new season.

Due to COVID-19, not many schools have found places to train, but luckily, EHS has a great workout room and a pool to practice in at the Bellaire Aquatic Center.

The official season started November 2 and ends in February during the SPC tournament. At the moment, SPC will still take place, but it is understood that things can change in the next few months.

The swimming and diving team is now practicing after school Monday through Friday. It has also been a challenge to find swim meets to compete in, but the team does have a few meets on the schedule, including those against St. John’s and Kinkaid.

Overall, many changes will be made, including limited spectators, social distancing, and wearing a mask all the time unless a swimmer or diver are in the water.

Boys wrestling gets prepped Girls basketball sets course for an uncertain few months to first SPC title in 32 years JAZZMIN DUNCAN Staff Writer The Episcopal High School wrestling program is moving forward with a level of uncertainty regarding its season. Due to the potential spread of COVID-19, sports similar to wrestling that involve heavy contact are being questioned due to safety concerns.

The Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) is currently reviewing and contemplating the details of the season. As of right now, regular season tournaments and non-SPC counter games will move

forward, but only by choice at Episcopal High School. Plans for the annual end of season SPC competitions and tournaments are still undecided; however, the SPC hopes to have an answer as soon as possible, according to Chris Gunnan, Chair SPC Board of Directors, and Commissioner Bob Windham.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the wrestling season, all other winter sports are planned to continue as usual with their annual competition. The wrestling program will remain optimistic about its upcoming season during these uncertain times.

With purposeful scheduling, boys soccer will play the best to be best LEANA GREENE Staff Writter The Episcopal boys varsity 2020 soccer team has started its season on a good note; as of now, they plan to procced with a Winter SPC season and expectations to be a part of the championships being held in Houston.

Senior Mateo Bastidas will hold a significant leadership role as captain this year, as will all of the seniors on the varsity team. The Knights have nine returning starters , primarily these seniors, who are collectively eager, optimistic and ready to compete against rivals Kinkaid and St. John’s.

The boys’ main rival out of conference, San Antonio Central Catholic, who they played in the 2019 campaign with an unfortunate outcome, are the team they plan to beat this year, hoping to redeem themselves on December 18 on Episcopal’s Simmons field.

This challenging season will require the Episcopal Knights to deal with a level of adversity that they have never dealt with in previous seasons. Head Coach Travis Smith believes it is important that they “embrace these new challenges with the right attitude and stay committed to controlling everything that [they] can control.”

LARA VERSTOVSEK Staff Writer During the off season, the girls varsity basketball team kept up with its skills and workouts four to five times a week.

They have had a consistent group of girls coming to these practices who are not in fall sports, but due to limited gym space, they have not been able to go on the court as much as they would like. Nevertheless, the girls use Saturdays as an open gym day and are excited to get on the court full time during in-season practices and games.

The team’s three seniors, Lizzy Afseth, Eva Del Frate, and Gwen Rippeto, have stepped up their skill level and support as leaders during all preseason workouts.

The team is also extremely excited to have senior Courtney Davis back from completing her fall season with the EHS girls

varsity volleyball team.

Assuming nothing is canceled due to COVID, the Knights will have a total of 25 games before SPC. They are competitively looking forward to crosstown rivals Kinkaid, St. John’s and Houston Christian specifically. Regarding the Southwest Preparatory Conference, it will be in play as of now, unlike the fall season. Last year, the basketball team finished strong, finishing third in the SPC championship.

With the entire team coming off great momentum, this year the girls are continuing to focus on their big-time goal - winning SPC. The SPC board will evaluate the safety of play on a month-to-month basis. Episcopal High School is thrilled to be hosting the tournament, so everyone please come out to support the Knights. The seniors are excited for their last season and potentionally earning an SPC title .

Girls varsity basketball team takes a group selie together after their first game and win of the season against Second Baptist. Photo courtesy of Gwen Rippeto.

In a year of reloading, boys basketball works on cohesion CHRIS LAHOTI Managing Editor After a strong season finish last year, the Episcopal High School boys basketball team is hoping to add another SPC win to its record. Tryouts for both junior varsity and varsity teams were held on November 7, and the varsity athletes played their first games against Port Arthur Memorial High School, Bellaire High School, and B. F.

Terry High School this month.

Coaches Wayne Jones and Johnathan Kwok are dedicated to developing players’ individual abilities and team cohesion, as well as improving the overall effort and leadership displayed on the court. Current practices focus on ball control, shooting, rebounding, and passing, among other skills, and the teams hope to refine and expound on their existing strategies.

Both the team roster and complete

competition schedule can be found on the EHS website under the Athletics tab. If permitted, make sure to go and support your fellow Knights on the court. The boys started off their season winning 6651 to Port Arthur Memorial. The Knights managed to keep a steady lead on the Port Arthur till the fourth quarter when the Titans decided to catch up. This season is a bit different for the Knights, being required to wear masks even during their

games. Although this may be a challenge, this certainly won’t stop the boys from erning an SPC title.

“I expect our team to be the best they can be,” said Coach Jones. “That has always been our virtue. We don’t base our expectations on winning and losing, we base it on potential and growth. We are a young team, [and] we will incur challenges, and those challenges will hopefully lead to the growth that we desire.”