v.36 Issue 4

17

Mandatory military service in other nations sparks debate on its usefulness

19 sports

10

Four Dallas poke restaurants make for bittersweet dining

views

news

INSIDE 3

Forensic investigators share professional experiences with class

life

A LOOK

Los Angeles Rams favored to win the Superbowl over controversyplagued Patriots

split. an investigation into the

impact of divorce on students, pages 12-14

graphic by Sumner Wooldridge

Eagle Edition • Episcopal School of Dallas • Feb. 1, 2019 • Vol. 36 • Issue 4

2

news

EAGLE EDITION

FEB. 1, 2019

Dallas Farmers Market offers community opportunity to support local vendors GRAPHIC BY | EVELYN ZHAO INTERVIEWS BY | AVA BRENNAN

“

There’s such a giving spirit and sense of camaraderie in the Farmers Market—you get to know people in a place of business, and it’s also fun getting involved with your community.

DAWN EATHERLY

JOSH CHABRIA

FRESHMAN DEAN

SOPHOMORE

Favorite thing: My favorite thing about the Farmers Market is the variety of unique shops and restaurants. I’ve been going to the Farmers Market for over 20 years. It is a fun thing to do on a beautiful Sunday morning.

Favorite experience: Grab a local coffee, and walk around. [The Farmers Market] has really changed over the past few years. It was once rows and rows of fresh produce with vendors giving samples [and] sticky sidewalks. Now, new restaurants and shops have moved in. I love trying new places and seeing creative artists selling their products.

What to buy: My favorites include Stocks and Bondy, where you can get fresh stocks for cooking at home, Rex’s Seafood or NAMMI—they have the best Vietnamese dishes.

Why it’s important: It is important to support regional farmers. I like that everything is seasonal, and they offer organic options.

Favorite thing: I like how it’s a place for friends and families to gather for a meal, retail shop and grocery shop [for produce] that comes straight from real farmers rather than corporate farms.

Why it is important: It’s important to support the Farmers Market because it [embraces] small, local farms and farmers.

Favorite memory: I enjoy talking to random people. [The vendors and other customers] are so nice and [are always] in a good mood because they are doing what they love.

What to buy: There are cool, family-owned restaurants, and I always enjoy trying new places during my lunch break after working.

Experience: I worked at Bullzerk as a sales associate, and I had a lot of fun chatting with other vendors and farmers who were selling their products and produce there. It was really cool to see the regular customers come in and become friends with others who work in the market sometimes, I even got free products.

Kate Flanagan Junior

”

KATE FLANAGAN JUNIOR Favorite thing: I enjoy the Farmers Market because I’ve had a lot of really positive experiences there. I think it’s very entertaining to see local businesses that you wouldn’t normally see in a storefront.

Favorite experience: My cousin has a charity where she sells mistletoe in the winter to benefit the North Texas Food Bank.

What to buy: I love buying strawberries there.

Why it’s important: There’s such a giving spirit and sense of camaraderie in the Farmers Market. You get to know people in a place of business, and it’s also fun getting involved with your community.

Favorite memory: I helped run a stand to sell mistletoe last year, and it was a lot of fun to interact with people and [help] a great cause: feeding people.

While we were down there, a guy passed by with a cart of strawberries, and I complimented his strawberries because they looked great, and he gave me a huge, free carton of strawberries.

WILLIAM HARGRAVE SENIOR Favorite thing: It’s interesting to see market forces in action and to notice what each vendor does to set their product apart. Having access to fresh, local ingredients really improves the quality of the final product. It’s also kind of fun to see if you can haggle with [farmers] and see if you can get the prices lower—that’s something you can’t do at the grocery store.

Favorite experience: The last time I was at the farmers market, I bought honey and blackberries.

What to buy: I needed some honey and some blackberries, but I’ve bought okra to fry as well.

Why it’s important: Going to the farmer’s market is a great way to support local producers and businesses. This is good for the local economy and reduces carbon emissions by abbreviating the supply chain. It’s also a good source for buying high-quality products.

news

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

Diversity conference provides learning opportunities in Nashville

MAKING A MARK Seniors Emma Viquez and Alison Herring complete a case study involving fingerprinting and other mechanisms used in investigative services. Forensics teacher Donna Hull took over the class this year. “I love the science used to solve crime,” Viquez said.

“It’s fascinating, I love that forensics allows me to learn and apply real forensic techniques, such as finger printing.” photo by Blair Batson

BY | MELISSA RIVERA Six students and four faculty members attended the National Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 in Nashville, Tennessee.

At the event, students discussed all cultural identifiers: age, ability, race and ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and gender.

SDLC encouraged students to develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. When the group returned, they addressed the Upper School during Chapel to discuss what they learned.

“At SDLC, you build the skills to become comfortable in your own skin and to remain the most authentic version of yourself, despite what others may think,” sophomore Tamia Tolbert said. “At the same time, you are exposed to so many forms of diversity, and because of this, you learn to be accepting of others and their differences.”

This year’s mantra was “listening to the grace note” and “finding harmony among cacophony.”

“In the cacophony, or chaos, of our world, we need each other,” Tolbert said. “It’s important that we take the time to understand, appreciate and respect one another. By doing this, we’ll find the power to put our differences aside and unite.

Unity is the grace note, and together, we’ll find harmony.”

As students attended their classes at SDLC, faculty members attended separate ones. Director of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Elizabeth Goatley, AP Physics teacher Matt Varvir, Director of Community Service Learning Courtney Phelps and Mathematics Department Chair Maggie Ferris attended the People of Color Conference.

“It’s done a good job of making sure I work with students in such a way that everyone is given the same opportunity as much as

possible,” Varvir said. “And to be aware when some students might feel singled out.”

This was Goatley’s second year attending the conference.

“Some students found their voice,” Goatley said. “Some have learned new concepts which they can bring back to ESD, some students have been able to identify themselves in a way that they weren’t able to identify themselves before.

Sometimes, the greatest thing is to be able to put words to what you’re feeling, and most of our students feel that they are able to leave the conference putting words to the experiences that they feel, allowing them to be able to articulate that to their friends and their teachers when they get back.”

When the students returned from the conference, they ate lunch with Head of school David Baad, Head of Upper School Henry Heil, Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba and several other administrators to discuss their experience at the conference and talk about what they would like to bring back and incorporate into the school’s culture.

“I don’t know what’s going to come out of it,” junior Selam Mekbeb-Gillet said. “It was good to see that they were willing to listen because I haven’t been in that situation before.”

On Jan. 16, the students spoke to the Upper School faculty at a meeting and expressed their concerns about the school and discussed what needed to be changed.

“A lot of them were nodding and really paying attention while we were talking,” senior Alejandra De La Cruz said.

“We were speaking up about our experiences, and a lot of teachers really, truly cared.”

Two days after, a chapel talk was given by the students where they talked about what they learned at the conference.

“We succeeded in presenting the message that we wanted to present,” Tolbert said. “But it is up to the community whether or not they want to be receptive of the message.”

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Senior Melissa Rivera, junior Selam Mekbeb-Gillett, sophomore Tamia Tolbert, senior Ale de la Cruz, junior Nick Harapanahalli and senior Kennedy Banks take a group photo on the last day of the conference. The conference offered classes for students and faculty to discuss culture and diversity. “I feel like going was a good thing for me,” Tolbert said. “With my brother and sister leaving, I feel like I now have three new big sisters and a brother.” photo courtesy of Elizabeth Goatley

3

Forensics transforms curriculum to incorporate more real life situations

Case studies, speeches from investigators offer students chance to learn about future professions BY | VICTORIA WILLOX

T

his year, the forensic chemistry class underwent modifications to incorporate speakers who utilize forensics at work into the curriculum, allowing students to learn from professionals.

Upper School science teacher Donna Hull is well-versed in biological and geological sciences, but when she volunteered to teach forensic chemistry, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. After researching the subject, she realized the only way to gain in-depth knowledge of the material was through experiential, immersive learning. She introduced a variety of labs and added speakers who use forensics at work in different ways.

“None of [the science teachers] have actually worked in the [forensic chemistry] field, and to really understand it, you have to speak to someone who has done this kind of work,” Hull said.

“One of our first speakers was a forensic psychologist, and he evaluates people for sanity and insanity, so he had some very interesting stories to tell.”

In addition to the speakers, Hull incorporates case studies, so students can apply the information they have learned in class. The studies also teach students about the mistakes and advancements in forensic technology.

“It’s a lot of lab work,” Hull said. “There is some crazy stuff that crazy people do. The people you read about are shocking, and you realize people like that really do exist, and you have to be careful.”

Senior Lauren Marks took in forensic chemistry during the fall semester. Going into the class, she did not know much about the subject.

“I decided to take forensics because I’m obsessed with crime and wanted to see the science behind it,” Marks said. “It’s

deeper than an episode of ‘CSI Miami’ or ‘Criminal Minds’—you can’t just discover things. We learned to type things like blood or hair and to recognize things that are out of the ordinary. It really helped me to become more well-oriented with the subject.”

During the fall semester, six speakers shared their experience with the class, including, a former CIA and FBI worker Tracy Walder. Walder was involved in many high-profile cases, including the search for Osama bin Laden. While working in the FBI she searched through a suspect’s trash to find incriminating evidence.

“A person’s

“

I DECIDED TO TAKE FORENSICS BECAUSE I’M OBSESSED WITH CRIME AND WANTED TO SEE THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT.

from member of the Dallas Police Department Rebecca Kerr. Kerr is a crime scene investigator who works the night shift and uses forensic chemistry in her role. “[Kerr] is so kind, but all of a sudden, she’ll say something that is like ‘Whoa, you really saw that?’” Hull said. “She said the worst shift to work is the evening shift when everyone gets home, and the stress of the day just blows up.”

Former arson investigator Donna York, who now runs a fire station in Fort Worth, spoke to the class about how fires spread through a building and the science behind how arson is identified and analyzed. “[York] talked about a case study we did where a man was accused of setting fire to his house and killing his three children about 50 years ago,” Hull said.

“Because people caught on to how important it is to study how a fire can spread, we can now prove he didn’t set that fire, but sadly, he was executed for it.”

The speakers shed light on difficult questions the class was presented with and brought their experience and photos to discuss with the students.

“It was amazing hearing about the speaker’s stories and experiences,” Marks said. “You can’t ask a textbook a specific question, but the speakers will give you a credible answer.

They did a good job showing us how what we were learning was applied in life and how you could actually make a career out of it.”

Forensic chemistry was a new challenge for Hull and the students in her class, but she was able to come away with newfound interest and a greater understanding of how to utilize the sciences she was already familiar with.

“It’s been a lot of learning for me because it takes things I know like serology and blood typing and pulls it all together in a totally different way,” Hull said.

“It’s the ultimate application of science, and it changes people’s lives, so how can you not be fascinated?”

LAUREN MARKS

garbage often tells you a great deal about what’s going on in that household,” Hull said.

“There was a couple from China that lived in the [U.S.] for more than thirty years but was suspected of sending U.S. cloaking information to China.

[Walder] searched through their trash for six or more months everyday until finally finding one piece of paper with incriminating information.”

Hull tries to connect the speakers’ jobs and experience with in-class labs and lectures, so students are fully immersed in the material and given a chance to put their skills to the test.

“Based on [Walder’s talk], I found a lab exercise called “Garbology” that we did,” Hull said. “I got a few teachers to collect their garbage, taking out the food and real junk, but all the papers, wrappers and things they had thrown away during the course of the week were brought in. The students went through that and tried to find out about the teachers based on their trash.”

The forensic chemistry class also had the opportunity to hear

4

news

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

Third annual film festival debuts original content

Program’s national award-winning film, “The Art of the Perfect Brew” showcases BY | GRACE KNUDSON

F

ilm students and alumni presented 15 projects at the third annual film festival on Jan. 18 in the Bray Theater.

Starting in 2015, film teacher Bobby Weiss started the film festival because the film program did not have an event to share their work with the school’s community. At the festival, rows of film posters stacked on easels fill the Frank Center hallway, along with a red carpet that leads to the theater.

“The film festival is one of the most exciting evenings for the film program every year,” Weiss said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to showcase all of their hard work.”

After the film festival last year, students created films throughout the spring and fall until the 2019 festival. If a student wants their film to appear in the festival, they submit it to Weiss for approval.

“It’s another opportunity for of the Perfect Brew.” the students to realize [that] there “It’s fun to have a fresh is going to be a lot of people audience because they see it seeing the film, so it has to be from a different perspective and the highest quality possible,” have various reactions,” senior Weiss said. “It’s a goal to reach and film student Grace Boyd for.” said. “We can show our films in At the festival, students shared class, but my classmates see the their collaborative film for behind-the-scenes. While the All-American High we do share our films at School Film Festival the Independent School in New York Association of the City, NY, “The Art of WE WANT THIS NOT ONLY TO BE FOR THE STUDENTS the Perfect BUT [ALSO] FOR PARENTS, ALUMNI AND OTHER Brew,” MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. a dark comedy about brewing tea. After receiving a Southwest Arts Festival, only theme, the students wrote the students involved in fine arts get screenplay in Dallas and flew the opportunity to see the films.” to New York City where they Boyd, director of “The Art were given 72 hours to shoot and of the Perfect Brew” and edit the film. They received an producer of the film festival, has Honorable Mention for “The Art participated in the program since

“

BOBBY WEISS, FILM TEACHER

freshman year. Along with “The Art of the Perfect Brew”, she also directed “Oh Solitude,” a film about a girl escaping technology by finding peace in the wilderness, which was shown at the film festival. Preparation for the festival included contacting alumni that were enrolled in the film program, structuring a timeline for the event, placing posters in the Frank Center and finalizing films.

“Even though you just get to sit down and watch the film, a lot of work went into the event, the video you are watching and the production behind it,” Boyd said. “Weiss has been so helpful [throughout] this process; he works so hard, does a lot of work off the clock, stays after school, comes early in the morning and responds to our emails readily.

Most of us wouldn’t know what we are doing without him.”

The film program is still growing. Weiss and his students continue to find new film-making techniques.

“We try to reach out to as many people as possible because this event is fueled by people inviting others,” sophomore Sam Curtis said. “It’s not really a huge event yet because it is brand new.”

Over a hundred people attended the event, including members of the student body and parents on the Fine Art Network board. Before the event started, there was a photo booth and concessions.

“The film program wants to keep refining the film festival and continue to let people know that this is one of the premier events in the community,” Weiss said. “We want this not only to be for the students but [also] for parents, alumni and other members of the community.”

news

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

in

1

BRIEF Alumni offer advice at college info panel

Youth and Government competes in Austin From Jan. 24 to Jan. 27, Youth and Government students competed in their last conference of the year in Austin at the YMCAsponsored State High School Conference.

At the conference, Junior and Vice President of the club Nikash Harapanahalli became the first student from ESD to win a state Youth and Government office.

Harapanahalli was elected as the Chair of the State Affairs Forum. “[Getting elected] was amazing,” Harapanahalli said. “My hard work was a small factor in what I achieved, it was the people who elected me. I am now a member of a diverse group that makes up the administration, and we’re ready to shake things up.”

Around 1,200 students took part in the Youth and Government State Conference.

“The Episcopal School of Dallas stood out in a positive way,” club sponsor Mark Oglesby said. “Youth and Government allows students to fully express themselves and use their voice.”

SYDNEY REZAIE

AP art seniors present four years of work

Seven alumni from the Class of 2018 on Jan. 10 held a panel to share their personal experiences in college with current seniors.

The panel included Emma Cabrales, Southern Methodist University, Matt Jones, Villanova, Alexa Lutz, Loyola Marymount University, Aly Molubhoy, University of Texas at Austin, Emilie Owens, University of Texas at Austin, Izzy Siragusa, George Washington University and Sophia Stener, Columbia University.

“It helped to be reminded that your freedom also means having to schedule in time to do work,” senior Grace Boyd said. “Hearing all of the graduated seniors’ stories painted a picture of what my college experience could look like next year. It made me excited to think about living with my friends 24/7.”

The alums discussed what they would have liked to know their senior year, the difference between state and private schools and how ESD prepared them for college.

“It was interesting hearing from alumni from a variety of colleges,” senior Mckinley Lawson said. “It reminded me to not let ‘senioritis’ take over this year because a lot of them [had a] rough transition [from high school to college] because they forgot how to study.”

Seniors shared their art work at the AP art show, “Kaleidoscopic,” on Jan. 31.

This was the first of two AP Art Shows this year, which provide seniors taking AP art the opportunity to project their portfolios in the Bray Theater and share the inspiration behind their artwork.

“As a photographer, I view life from a lens,” senior Gianna Pope said. “I like the idea of a kaleidoscope because my work is different and always changing—it resonates with the title of the show.”

Visual arts teacher Charlotte Chambliss, sculptor and design teacher Dane Larsen, ceramics teacher Barbara Brault and photography teacher George Fiala helped seniors finalize their pieces in preparation for the show and choose what artwork students should display in the gallery.

“This is the students’ moment to shine,” Chambliss said. “Most people know that these kids are in AP art but have never seen their work. The [students] get to show everything they have done.

It’s a great celebration for these extremely hard classes—they’re every bit as hard as any other AP and require personal motivation that may not always be there.”

SYDNEY REZAIE

GRACE KNUDSON

FURNITURE & DECOR

Deans from three colleges hold panel The fifth annual College Guidance Deans’ panel on Jan. 28 provided question and answer opportunities for Upper School families and juniors interested in the college admissions process.

Deans from the University of Richmond, Southern Methodist University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took part in the panel. Director of College Guidance, Chris Gonzales, planned the panel to provide information on small, liberal arts colleges, mid-sized, private colleges, and large, public colleges.

“We want to make sure we’re bringing deans from universities that students are interested in,” Gonzales said. “The deans meet our students and have lunch with some faculty and seniors. They tour the campus and leave with a better understanding of how great ESD is.”

The panel spoke to juniors during the school day and to families in the evening.

“We wanted the students and parents to hear how the universities did things differently and similarly,” Gonzales said. “It translates into more favorable admissions decisions for our students because [the deans better] understand our culture.”

RALEIGH TOLEDO

2

3

4

5

ORDER IN THE COURT At the Youth and Government state conference in Austin, sophomores Anna Strohmeyer, Judah Powell and junior Bryan Jones compete on Jan. 26. Strohmeyer and Powell were on the Appellate court, while Jones was a judge. “I had a lot of fun, not only with my friends but also the new [friends] that I made,” Powell said.

“Every year is always a different experience, and I can’t wait for next year.” photo courtesy of Mark Oglesby COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE On Jan. 10, Class of 2018 members take part in the Senior Alumni Panel in the Bell Theater. At the panel, alumni provided advice about college and discussed their own experiences with the seniors. “It was good to have [the panel] because it discussed some of the cons of college, which are never really talked about,” senior Bella Scott said. “[The alumni] were really honest.” photo by Ava Brennan IN FOCUS During class on Jan. 25, senior Gianna Pope readies her work leading up to the AP Art Show. Pope’s portfolio focused on documentary photography about her mother suffering from cancer. “My students put a lot of work, time and effort into their projects,” photography teacher George Fiala said. “It takes a lot of emotional courage to complete this project.” photo by Blair Batson A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE At the College Deans’ panel on Jan. 28, the representative from Southern Methodist University, Rod Jackson, discusses aspects of college. The evening panel was open to all Upper School families. “It was helpful to listen to both student and parent questions answered by the deans,” junior Kate Flanagan said. photo by Ava Brennan

6

7

EAGLE EDITION

FEB. 1, 2019

Romantic comedies prove good distraction for upcoming Valentine’s Day

“

Having a wide range of models for yourself is important...

You have to know that every person is unique and comes with unique strengths and gifts.

Merredith Stuelpe

”

Upper School Counselor

10

Oscar predictions have “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the lead

Beauty

Pampering used for self-reassurance, not to conform to societal expectations BY | LIESL SMALL

and using student discounts, Marks spends less time and money. She gets her lashes, nails and eyebrows done along with massages.

Similarly, junior Jade Donahue gets her hair dyed

“

I’M NOT THE KIND OF PERSON WHO WOULD WANT TO IMPRESS OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF IT MEANS SPENDING MONEY TO IMPRESS OTHERS.

organized and confident.”

After getting eyelash extensions for GRA homecoming her PHIC junior year, BY | VICT Marks ORIA WILL fell in OX love with how they looked.

“They looked so cool, and it’s so easy to wake up in the morning and just leave,” Marks said.

“I don’t have to spend money or time on mascara, and it looks really natural if you get them done right.”

By planning her appointments within a span of two to three days

life

the price of

E

yes closed, laying in a lounge chair at Lux Lash while getting her monthly eyelash extensions, senior Lauren Marks fell into a deep daydream and began to mumble words that sounded like gibberish.

New technological advancements like plastic surgery, online makeup simulations and Photoshop bring about new societal expectations.

Skinny models—who are often Photoshopped—are put on a pedestal, making their figure the ultimate goal. In a Jan. 24 poll of 241 students, 49 percent of students said they spend between $20 and $75 on beauty per month.

However, several young women pamper themselves for their own self-reassurance and for stress relief, rather than to fit within society’s narrow beauty definitions.

Marks, along with other women, believes that society has no influence on her beauty routine.

“I definitely [pamper] for myself,” Marks said. “I’m not the kind of person who would want to impress other people, especially if it means spending money to impress others.”

Marks has been getting her nails done, eyebrows threaded, eyelashes extended and body massaged for a few years now. For Marks, it provides an outlet for de-stressing and relaxing.

“I’m not a girly girl, but I love taking care of myself and pampering myself,” Marks said. “Whenever I’m really stressed, I love feeling put together because it makes me feel more

8

Poke is the new fad, but several dishes fail to hook the taste buds

LAUREN MARKS

roughly every two months. She doesn’t dye it to impress others but rather to switch up her look every once in a while.

“I dye it for myself,” Donahue said. “I get bored and

decide to change. I get these impulses to change, but some of them were mistakes, obviously. I’ve been red, pink, blonde, brunette, strawberry blonde and platinum.”

Men also experiment with different forms of self-care as well.

Freshman Kai Robinson uses face masks monthly to clear up his skin.

“I don’t feel pressure [from society], I just [use face masks] for my own self-benefit,” Robinson said.

“I don’t feel

judged, but I also don’t worry about what people think of me.”

Sophomore Eddie Salinas gets his hair cut every two to three months at a high quality salon called The

Village Barbers.

“I would rather spend $30 to $40 to have a haircut that looks nice and lasts for months rather than have a haircut that doesn’t look good for half the price,” Salinas said. “I don’t feel any pressure from society. I just want to take care of my hair.”

According to a study

done by The Dove Global Beauty and Confidence Report, only one in four women living in the U.S. feel confident in their own bodies.

Upper School counselor Merredith Stuelpe believes that the societal pressure to be “pretty” has increased substantially within the last few decades because of the entertainment industry.

“If you look at high schoolers or adolescents, their biggest goal or step they want to achieve at this point in their life has to do with identity,” Stuelpe said. “When they are constantly confronted with different messages about how they should look, what the perfect person looks like or what the most beautiful person looks like, then it’s going to take a toll on their own identity. They are going to question who they are and whether or not they’re good enough, so they begin to question their own identity.”

Stuelpe’s advice for teenagers is to always remember that everyone is unique and that there is so much to learn about people when you dive past physical appearance.

“Having a wide range of models for yourself is important,” Stuelpe said. “Yes, it’s fun to look at social media and magazines and Instagram, but you also have to take your models from all different types of outlets. You have to know that every person is unique and comes with unique strengths and gifts.”

12

percent of girls spend $150 to $250 on beauty services per month

26

percent of girls spend $75 to $150 preparing for school dances

49

percent of girls’ parents pay for all of their beauty services according to a Jan. 24 survey of 241 students

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

7

Reel

Love Romantic comedies provide Valentine’s Day entertainment BY | AVA BRENNAN GRAPHIC BY | MADISON WILLOX

“The Proposal”

“I Feel Pretty”

“Sixteen Candles”

“Grease”

“10 Things I Hate About You”

“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”

Determined to maintain her position as an executive book editor, Margaret Tate, played by Sandra Bullock, blackmails her assistant Andrew Paxton, played by Ryan Reynolds, to marry her to avoid deportation.

Andrew insists that if Margret promotes him to editor and publishes the books he has been working on for years, he will agree to their “marriage.” To learn more about each other, Margaret and Andrew travel to Andrew’s hometown Sitka, Alaska, and meet his family.

After realizing how close Andrew is with his family, she gets on Andrew’s boat and speeds away. This movie is filled with many scenes that consistently made me laugh, making it my favorite of all six.

Reynolds and Bullock compliment each other perfectly, making a great duo. My favorite scene is when Bullock dances in the middle of a forest to a rap song. I have nothing negative to say—it is a well done romantic comedy.

Although the movie had some cute and flirty scenes, overall this is one of the worst films I have seen. The humor was dry and not funny at all. Amy Schumer’s talent was not on par and her slapstick physical comedy did not add anything positive to the film. Also, Schumer’s love interest was hardly in the film, which made it difficult to believe they had an authentic relationship.

Even though Schumer is one of my all-time favorite actors, this movie did not live up to my expectations and did not portray a positive message.

The overall message of this film is that a woman must transform herself for a man to feel pretty, when in reality, a woman should feel beautiful in her own skin. The saying “skinny makes you more beautiful” is not a healthy message for young girls.

The message should be that as long as you are healthy and comfortable in your own skin, that’s when you should “feel pretty.”

“Sixteen Candles”, starring Molly Ringwald, follows Samantha on her 16th birthday after her friends and family forget it’s her big day. Instead of being focused on her family’s sudden amnesia about her birthday, Samantha obsesses over getting the attention of an attractive senior boy— almost as much as Kanye obsesses over himself.

Although this movie made me laugh, the film did have obvious racist undertones apparent in their inclusion of the character Long Duk Dong, a foreign exchange student from Asia who is bewildered by American food, goes by a terrible nickname, speaks with an overly exaggerated accent and is introduced in each scene with a gong sounding in the background.

Excluding this stereotype, the movie is filled with lots of uplifting, quirky scenes and is refreshingly relatable. I rewatch this movie because of the humor and authenticity of the characters.

This classic movie of a good girl falling for a bad boy is filled with great sing-alongs and fun dancing scenes, although, the “changing yourself for a man” message is not acceptable to send to young teens. Many scenes are filled with sexist, dated remarks and raunchy song lyrics. The behavior of the T-Birds is grossly misogynistic and hyper masculine, which causes harsh gender roles to form within the movie. Another controversial storyline is that of Rizzo, a member of the pink ladies, who displays low self esteem causing her to feel like she needs to get a boyfriend.

The characters are consistently unrealistic— they portray a gang-type group that race cars every single day, and the girls have to deal with issues often at the hands of their boyfriends. Overall, yes, the love story is fun and flirty, but the plot doesn’t portray current societal values.

Although this movie is filled with amusing and romantic scenes, the overall message is not my favorite. The developing storyline contains a boy who is paid to take a girl on a date, which is not a positive message to young teenagers. No woman should be “bought” or have to be “bought” to have an enjoyable time with someone. On top of this, I was unable to appreciate Patrick and Kat’s relationship because it was based off of a shallow, self-interested bet rather than love. This film is full of cliché scenes such as when Michael recites Shakespeare to Mandela to win her affection or when Patrick serenades Kat in the stadium with Frankie Valli. Yes, the main couple ends up falling in love at the end, but the turbulence in their relationship throughout the movie was not worth it to me. While rom-coms are supposed to be unrealistic to a certain extent, this one crossed the line.

Inspired by her best friend’s dating mistakes, Andi Anderson, played

by Kate Hudson, writes a news article titled How to Lose a Guy in 10 days by driving him away with “the common mistakes woman make during relationships.” At the same time, advertising executive Benjamin Berry, played by Matthew McConaughey, bets that he can make any women fall in love with him in order to make a new business deal. As fate would have it, the pair bump into each other at a bar and select each other for their assignments. This movie remains a favorite of mine largely because of all of the obstacles Andi creates for Ben, which never fail to make me laugh. At the end of the movie, Hudson and McConaughey confess their love for each other, which is sweet but an overused cliché. But, Hudson’s discovery of having people she can relate to was a touching, inventive way to end the film.

8

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

BY | BLAIR BATSON

Predict the flick

With speculation over potential Oscar winners, here are the most deserving nominees Best Actor: Rami Malek

Best Director: Spike Lee

Best Actress: Lady Gaga

Rami Malek’s impressive dedication to becoming Freddie Mercury truly paid off in his spectacular performance in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Malek spent months learning to dance, sing, play piano and guitar and talk like Mercury to ensure his portrayal was accurate. Each concert Malek performs in the movie closely resembles Mercury in both his singing and dance moves. What I find most convincing about Malek’s performance as Mercury is his personality shift as he becomes increasingly famous, thus portraying how excessive amounts of fame immensely impacts people. Mercury was a complex person, and there has truly never been anyone else like him, yet Malek took on the staggering feat of bringing him to life. It takes an extremely gifted actor to capture such a complicated character in a precise, authentic way.

Spike Lee’s portrayal of the true story of Ron Stallworth’s valiant investigation into the Klu Klux Klan in “Blackkklansman” is exceptional. The idea itself to create a movie based on this story is brilliant, as it emphasizes issues such as racism and antisemitism and tells the story of a successful attempt to combat them. I found the scenes involving members of the KKK and their anti-semitic and racist remarks difficult to watch, yet I commend Lee for exposing the extremism of the organization.

While Stallworth was successful in infiltrating the KKK, Lee makes sure to stress that racism and anti-semitism have not been eradicated in America by including graphic, horrifying clips from the 2017 rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, which connected this decades-old story with the current world.

I did not have high expectations for Lady Gaga’s performance. She’s a singer not an actor, but her performance in “A Star is Born” is flawless.

Previous stars who played the same character as Gaga in other adaptations of “A Star is Born” include Judy Garland, Janet Gaynor and Barbra Streisand, so I find it surprising that Gaga landed the part for her first time in the leading role of a movie, yet she nails it.

Her convincing ability to express emotions of anger, happiness and love is shocking. I commend Gaga for stepping into this role, as it is miles outside of her comfort zone. She is known for elaborate clothing and makeup, but her character in “A Star is Born” required a simple, natural look. Though it may be a given, Gaga’s incredible vocals throughout the film demonstrated her versatility as both an actress and a singer making her a solid competitor for Best Actress.

Best Picture: “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Best Supporting Actor: Adam Driver

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams

Every aspect of this film was incredible; the acting, camera work and storytelling. The performances by all of the cast members and the set design was simply outstanding. I went back and watched the original Live Aid concert from 1985 to compare it to the one in the movie, and the resemblance was striking. The stage design and crowd in the movie accurately imitated the actual performance, not to mention Malek’s shockingly similar portrayal of Freddie Mercury. While the spotlighted aspects of the film were magnificent, I attribute much of the movies’ brilliance to the writers. The compelling dialogue of the movie is what allowed the talented actors and actresses to represent both the high points of the band and the struggles they faced, as a cost of their fame, in such a fascinating way.

In “Blackkklansman,” Adam Driver plays a police officer who was required to attend KKK meetings as a part of Ron Stallworth’s objective to infiltrate the hate group.

This role essentially required Driver to play two parts: who he really was, a moral, trustworthy police officer, and who he was undercover–a member of the KKK. Driver played each facet of his character realistically and in a convincing manner. While the plot of “Blackkklansman” is already interesting and relevant, Driver’s performance makes the movie 100 times more worth watching. He never over-exaggerates any of his lines or actions but rather portrays his character practically, which led me to forget he was even acting.

Instead, throughout the movie, his incredible acting made me feel as if I was watching real-life scenes.

Amy Adams plays Dick Cheney’s wife, Lynne Cheney, in “Vice,” which follows Cheney’s political career. Everything about the way Adams played Lynne Cheney was absolutely phenomenal, specifically her mannerisms and facial expressions.

Regardless of the fact that Lynne Cheney was not the most likable character throughout the film, Adams was very convincing in the part, accurately capturing the aspects of Lynne Cheney’s character, such as her ambition, relentlessness when it came to Dick Cheney’s political career and willingness to make detrimental sacrifices in order for him to advance in power at the expense of others.

It was hard to even tell that it was the same Amy Adams from “Enchanted” who was playing Lynne Cheney because of the massive transformation she underwent to play this role.

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

culture

CRASH

LESSON OF THE DAY English teacher Phil Bryan reads a Bible scripture during his chapel talk in September. Bryan has given chapel talks as often as possible throughout his time on campus. “I love the way we think and communicate and the chance we have to formulate new ideas and expand our thinking,” Bryan said. “To be able to work in the realm of ideas amongst people is just to me the greatest thing in the world.” photo by Kate Flanagan

9

CULTURE CRASH is a compilation of significant pop culture events made by life editors Emily Delgado and Victoria Willox that highlight tech news & other short snippets of info regarding important people and events from around the globe.

1 2 3 4

MAKING HER STORY Sandra Oh made history at the Golden Globes as the first Asian host and the first Asian woman to win Best Actress in a television series for her performance as Eve Polastri in the show “Killing Eve.”

COUNTING LIKES

Kylie Jenner’s record of most likes on an Instagram post was broken by a picture of an egg on Jan. 4. Jenner clenched the title after posting a picture of her newborn daughter Stormi in Feb. 2018, reaching 18.6 million likes. The egg reached over 50 million likes, a new world record.

BABY ON BOARD

One year after the birth of her third child, Chicago, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have confirmed that they are expecting their fourth child in May via surrogate. The couple confirmed that baby number four will be a boy.

SO LONG, BOO

Boo, known as the world’s cutest dog, passed away from a heart issue in his sleep on Jan. 18. The 12-yearold Pomeranian had 16 million Facebook followers and appeared on various talk shows. Boo’s owner claims Boo died of a broken heart because his heart problems arose after the death of his best friend, Buddy in 2018.

SHARP CONTROVERSY

5 6

Gillette released its new commercial “We Believe” on Jan. 15, which focused on toxic masculinity in issues such as the #MeToo movement and bullying. While the razor company has received praise for its commercial, some who believe that it shows men in a negative light created the hashtag #BoycottGillette.

BOYS GONE VIRAL

A video of a Catholic school boy smirking in a Native American veteran’s face as he played a traditional song on the drum went viral after it was shared online on Jan. 19. Tension increased after the group of high school boys wearing MAGA hats and chanting their school’s fight song was seen in accompaniment at the rally.

The school is considering expulsion.

Phil Bryan chapel talks inspire The pastor-turned-English teacher finds fulfillment in educating the next generation BY | BLAIR BATSON

S

tanding before the podium in chapel, Upper School English teacher and Sophomore Class Dean Phil Bryan nervously grips the papers in front of him. He wrote his speech several weeks in advance and rehearsed for hours throughout the days leading up to it everywhere, from his car to his office to his deck in his backyard. Once he gets in front of the microphone, everything is ok. He’s comfortable, but these chapel talks are only a glimpse into his previous profession as a minister.

With his bachelor’s degree in literature and master’s in Christian education, Bryan initially planned on becoming an English teacher, but an opportunity to work with college students in a church while getting his master’s degree changed Bryan’s path, leading him to work as a minister for 17 years.

“My original intent was to become a teacher,” Bryan said. “I got sidetracked and started working in churches.

[Working in churches] was fun, [but] it just got less fun over time. I came back to teaching later on down the road.”

Bryan’s first opportunity to teach arose when he was asked to teach a sixth grade Bible class at Grace Academy. From there, Bryan picked up a part-time job at The Covenant School teaching a religion course.

“I’d had my mind blown by some teachers that I’d had,” Bryan said.

“A place where you can really make a difference in someone’s life is [by] being a teacher because you can make somebody learn how to think, learn things they’ve never thought about before and transform the way they understand the world.”

In the summer of 2004, Bryan traveled to Seattle for his friend’s wedding. While there, a friend of Bryan’s, who worked at a predominantly Korean church in Seattle, proposed the idea of Bryan coming to work at this church, so Bryan moved to Seattle.

“What we discovered was that it’s hard to get a group of people who are already in one cultural setting to break out of it,” Bryan said. “It just obviously wasn’t going to work. I woke up one day and said, ‘Wow, I’m really not Korean,’ so it made sense for me to move on.”

Upon returning to Dallas, Bryan took on a job at a bookstore but discovered that this was also not his true calling.

Bryan’s wife is also a teacher, so she reached out to her previous boss at Legacy Christian High School in Frisco to ask if there were open spots for an English teacher. Bryan soon received a phone call from the headmaster of Legacy Christian asking him to teach.

“I thought she was talking about [starting] next year, like an opening in the fall,” Bryan said. “She called me on a Thursday and said, “Can you start Monday?” I walked up to my boss at that bookstore, and I quit. I went out to the store and bought a

“

church, people just keep coming, and you just have to sit there and hopefully put a check in the offering plate, and that really started to bother me.”

After quitting ministry for the last time, Bryan returned to Grace Academy where he taught a variety of subjects before getting a job offer from ESD. “[Teaching] is one human life impacting another human life, and that’s a two-way street,” Bryan said. “I’m transformed by my students at times, and I hope that I am able to transform students as well.

I love the way we think, the way we communicate and the chance we have to formulate new ideas and expand our thinking.”

Sophomore Anna Strohmeyer is currently in Bryan’s class, which has influenced her through its emphasis on discussion and helped her grow as a writer.

“His discussion-based class promotes a higher level of learning and understanding of material more than the more traditional lecture class,” Strohmeyer said. “[His class] has really given me a new perspective on English and literature. The idea [he taught us] that everything you write is an argument helped me because sometimes I find myself summarizing stuff and being too on the fence instead of argumentative.”

Freshman Class Dean Dawn Eatherly has known Bryan since he came to the school in 2012, and they have grown closer through both being Upper School class deans.

“He relates to kids and can give so many perspectives on what you might be studying,” Eatherly said. “He’s a great storyteller, so I’d imagine his class would be one of my favorite classes if I were a student.”

In order to make his classes engaging and enjoyable, Bryan tries to follow the example his most influential teachers set.

“I try to be authentic and genuine with my students and hopefully convey that this is not just a job—this is something that I am deeply passionate about,” Bryan said. “I try not to take myself too seriously, and I hope we can all laugh a little bit at the absurdity of life sometimes.”

I’M TRANSFORMED BY MY STUDENTS AT TIMES, AND I HOPE THAT I AM ABLE TO TRANSFORM STUDENTS AS WELL.

PHIL BRYAN, SOPHOMORE DEAN coat and tie, and I got ready to go teach high school English for the first time.”

While working at Legacy Christian, Bryan was also a minister at churches on the weekends until he realized he needed to pick a profession to pursue fully, leading him to quit teaching.

“Frankly, that was a stupid decision because it made me realize I’ve made a terrible mistake—I’m supposed to be a teacher,” Bryan said.

Bryan disliked the materialistic aspect he observed in many of the churches he worked at and admired the personal growth in students he witnessed as a teacher. “[Churches] begin to get focused on raising money and building buildings, and that doesn’t seem like the model I see in the New Testament,” Bryan said. “When you teach, [students] learn something, move on and eventually don’t need to come to my class anymore. At

10

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

POKE: STORY & PAGE DESIGN BY | JIAYING FU

gotta try them all

Traditional Hawaiian dishes flounder in a culinary sea of restaurants

LOWKEY POKE JOINT 5100 Belt Line Road Ste 868, Dallas 75254 $11.90 This is possibly the least lowkey poke place out of the four.

With clashing themes, mismatched decorations and cringe-worthy poke puns on the wall, this whole place just screams “trying too hard.”

As I ordered my bowl of white rice, raw tuna and seaweed salad, topped with green onions and “shoyou the way” sauce, Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” began to play over the speakers. Her lyrics were spot-on. The mushy, slimy tuna “taught me pain,” leaving a gross aftertaste not unlike the weird, fluoride paste they put on your teeth at the dentist. The “shoyou you the way” sauce, allegedly “a sweet and savory soy base,” just tasted like regular soy sauce—neither sweet nor savory. It’s clear that the seaweed salad is the real star of the show, adding that always-appreciated element of “edible.”

I am all for cultural fusion, but this place is fusing and losing. I can’t help but wince when I glance at the menu. Putting Cheeto dust on any kind of seafood item is gross and unnatural.

As I departed, I was left with one final thought: Thank U, Next.

MALIBU POKE 3888 Oak Lawn Ave. #102, Dallas 75219 $12.99 For the first time, I finally understand why people like raw fish.

Light green, blue, pink pastels complement the modern, allnatural vibe of the store perfectly as succulents line tables and leafy shelfs of ferns line the walls. This is the hidden treasure of all poke stores. It is aesthetically pleasing, has great food and is environmentally friendly—I could live here.

Crisp veggies meet smooth tuna in the savory-tangy blend of the Classic Tuna Bowl, a dish consisting of sushi, Malibu sauce, marinated cucumbers, edamame, red onion, micro radish, chili thread, chive oil and crispy shallot. Although I am not big on raw fish, I could not help but appreciate the freshness of the sustainably fished, sashimi-grade tuna, which was the perfect texture and size. The sushi rice was complemented by fresh flavors and crunchy toppings.

The combination was flawless: the Malibu sauce exemplifies the optimal ratio of tangy to salty; the chili added spice; and the marinated cucumbers provided a light sweetness.

Other poke stores, take note: Malibu Poke is the place to beat.

POKE BOP (LEMMON) 4103 Lemmon Ave., Dallas 75219 $11.85 POKÈWORKS 8041 Walnut Hill Lane Ste 812, Dallas 75231 $11.85 I almost mistook the quaint shop holed up in an alleyway for a modern art museum—the entrance looked like a metal sculpture made of a bird’s nest that got into a car wreck.

The Hawaiian Classic, a bowl of ahi tuna, green and sweet onion, ogo seaweed, cucumber, chili flakes, sesame seeds, roasted sesame oil, Hawaiian salt and Pokéworks classic sauce, is something you can only take in small doses. I just don’t understand the point of the cabbage or the hairy vegetable—they did not add anything to the dish besides a very strange texture. The rubbery, toolarge chunks of tuna were difficult to swallow; however, the rest of the dish was pretty great. The warm rice perfectly complemented the savory sauces, and the cucumbers added a light freshness.

This place is the furthest thing from a bop—it is a cruel and unusual punishment. Never again will I take for granted having a lunch that I don’t want to throw up.

Even before I received the Poké Bop Classic, I was already dubious about the quality of the food—and worried for my health. Watching your server mix the tuna and sauce in a dirty bowl doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

I think I was almost poisoned. As a putrid, expired taste filled my mouth, I was faced with a very difficult internal struggle—to spit or not to spit it out. The rest of the dish, consisting of sweet onion, scallions, hijiki seaweed, cucumber, kaiware, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce and rice, was also terrible. The onions added a stinging, acidic bitterness. The overpowering soy sauce—although almost unbearably salty, failed to drown out the foul flavor of the tuna.

Word to the wise: if you want to keep down your lunch, avoid this place like Lindsay Lohan steers clear of good publicity.

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

the

BUZZ

SLOANE HOPE freshman “This year, I want to support a dolphin affected by pollution.

It’s a cool thing to do, and although my idea may not work out or help the ocean that much, at least I am trying to cause change. I love the oceans, and I love stopping pollution in the oceans. I am also going to stop using plastic bags at supermarkets and use reusable bags because bags can trap ocean animals like dolphins and hurt them.”

11

Resolution solution

From public service to mountain biking, students and faculty share their resolutions for 2019 BY | LUKE MCCABE

SAM LOGAN

sophomore

“One thing I am doing different this year is shaving my head. I just wanted to start the year off fresh with a fresh cut. I am planning on keeping my hair. I just love it, and it’s so much less to worry about. I am faster and more aerodynamic now, too. You know the saying ‘new year, new me?’ Well, I am really committing to it this year mentally and physically to be a better person.”

BIZ NEWSOM

junior

“My resolution is to start mountain biking. It may be odd, but I am doing this because it sounds interesting and because Coach Mike Schneider inspired me. Not to mention, it is a great way to exercise. Maybe I will even join the ESD mountain biking team. All I need to do now is find a mountain.”

COOPER NEWSOM

senior

“Well, I have started going to yoga once a week. I wanted to work on my bad flexibility. It’s stretching, which I need, and it is actually really hard. I’ve been [to a class] just about every week since the new year. I like to go on Sundays, but it is kind of a mix. There’s a place on Lovers near my house called Black Swan. It’s run on donations, so you can pay as much or as little as you want.”

GREG RANDALL English teacher “I heard somebody from the news say, ‘What we ignore, we empower,’ so I suppose my resolution is not to ignore those things I need to speak out about. I just want to speak out so that those in power know my views such as things like the environment. I need to write my congressman and let them know, as one of their constituents, what I think about quite a few things.”

12

center spread

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

separ

Families learn to norms after pa

BY |LAUR GRAPHICS BY | SUM

A

ngrily scratching at notebook paper, junior Alissa Perry* pours every thought and emotion into the page, releasing years of pain from hearing fake promises—“Let’s get breakfast!” or “I’m going to be around more now”—one too many times. When she’s finished, she folds the pages crisply and places them in an envelope labeled “Dad.” She never sent the letter. “[That letter] would have destroyed him,” Perry said. “It said things like, ‘You hurt me, and this is why I’m messed up now.’ I just let all of my anger out, and then, I wasn’t angry anymore. I never sent it because he would have cried, and it would have made a big scene. Sometimes, I feel like if I say something, it will be more work, and then he’ll try and fix it—it’s too late.”

In the U.S., between 40 and 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, according to the American Psychological Association.

According to an Eagle Edition poll of 241 students on Jan. 24, nearly 16 percent of students have divorced parents, and three percent of students have separated parents.

When she was three years old, Perry’s parents divorced, and her father became unreliable. She sees him once every eight months and speaks to him through text messages or phone calls every four months.

“I have seen a therapist since I was eight, and my whole life, I have been told I have abandonment and commitment issues,” she said. “When my dad and I talk, I think, ‘I don’t see my dad at all,’ and he sees it as a checkmark, so he can wait another four to eight months to see me again.”

Perry’s stepdad entered her life soon after her parents divorced. Although she has struggled to connect with him, her sister finds it easy to refer to him as “Dad.” “It’s weird because my stepdad is not my dad, but my dad is not my dad,” she said. “[My sister] and stepfather have a really close relationship. My sister never had [a lot of] time with our birth father, so to her, my stepdad is her dad. [It doesn’t bother me] that she calls him ‘Dad’ because it’s not my place to tell her what to call him. If that’s how she feels, then I’m happy for her.”

Younger kids and teenagers are affected differently by divorce because the level of dependence on their parents vary.

However, for both children and teenagers, knowing that there is a stable home for them to return to is important for their development.

“The parental foundation serves as the launching spot for the kid,” Parent-Teen Relationship Counselor Kathleen Fischer said. “The time that the kid really begins to launch for real is in the teenage years. If there is a divorce, it brings a huge question into the kid’s developmental business.

That [question] is, ‘What’s going on at home? Why is this happening, and did I have something to do with it?’”

Divorce can create doubt in a home that once seemed secure.

“There was this moment when [my dad] came to Dallas,” Perry said. “We stayed in a hotel downtown, and it was like living with a stranger. I had not lived with him in four years, and I thought it was uncomfortable and weird—I felt like I couldn’t go to the bathroom with the door open or eat in front of him because it was so foreign. Sometimes, I envy how people can be so comfortable in their own house and not have to worry about all of that.”

Ultimately, Perry agrees that her parents are happier apart.

According to the Jan. 24 Eagle Edition poll, out of students with divorced parents, 87 percent believe the divorce was the best option for their family.

“Together, [my parents] were unhappy,” Perry said. “Now, my mom is really happy with my stepdad, and my dad has a wife who is good for him.”

For Perry, the inability to know when her father would be there was a source of stress on her in middle school. She wishes her family situation would have been more consistent so that she could have known whose house she would be at and when.

“I was so stressed because [at my dad’s], I was the parent,” Perry said. “I had to throw away all the expired food in the fridge, and I had to make dinner and make sure my sister was fed. Then, I’d go back to my mom’s house, and they would tell me not to be the parent—it was such a weird flipflop. Throughout middle school, I had obsessive-compulsive disorder and stressed all the time. I couldn’t handle getting anything wrong.”

Junior Hazel Hart’s* parents divorced the summer after her

sophomore year. She knew a di didn’t expect it to be while she “My mom pulled me aside in on the first day of summer,” sh she told my younger sister, and because they already knew abou months—they just waited until sister and me] so that it wouldn While the divorce did come a relief that she would no longer argue.

“It was hard to be in the mid might have strengthened my re because I definitely was mad at talk about the other one to me. with that, My relationships hav The divorce has been friendl longer fight. They still spend C for family dinners, but Hart sti have worked out.

“It is one of the friendliest d she said. “I get why they aren’t they were. There are times whe changed and that they would h more years. Even though I und sometimes still hard to cope wi For Hart, switching between challenge. She misses the simp “Emotionally, I dealt with [th it didn’t affect school,” she said during the week can get really schedule because it is all based When she’s in town, I’ll usuall when she’s gone, I’ll stay with when I could be studying or sle the other house.”

Parent-Child Relationships

Family lawyer, Jennifer Harg a divorce affects the children in clients who are open to her gui the children as a means to get “In an ideal divorce situation the legal relationship,” Hargrav still a family relationship, and to show up to sporting events a together and be able to make d children.”

While the children are exper in their lives, parents are also m adjustments.

“It doesn’t always come natur with their kids in the divorce o Hargrave said. “Sometimes, the really destructive one. We know worst thing you can do is invol of the marital relationship. The information. What kids really n loved by both parents.”

Senior Clayton Mulford was officially divorced, but his pare His family and siblings helped process and made sure he didn “[My parents] tried to shield I was a little too young to unde eventually explained it all to m little confusing. They did the b out well overall.”

Upper School Counselor Me keeping children out of the div ideal. Putting more stress on a major life change could cause m “It is really important that [p they are going to speak respectf and that they are always going first and not use the child as a conflicting for the child,” she s When dealing with a divorce the law assumes that both pare their child’s life.

“Some people may enter the husband or my wife was horrib

center spread

rated.

o adapt to new arents divorce

REN EGGER MNER WOOLDRIDGE

ivorce was coming, but she e was in high school. nto the guest room and told me he said. “She told me before d she explained everything ut the divorce for a few school was out to tell [my n’t affect our grades.” as a shock, Hart found it a r have to hear her parents

ddle,” she said. “[The divorce] elationships with my parents t them whenever they would . Now that I don’t have to deal ve gotten stronger.” ly, and Hart’s parents no Christmas together and go out ill wishes their marriage could

divorces I have ever heard of,” t compatible, but I wish that en I wish that nothing had have stuck it out for a few derstand why they didn’t, it is ith.” two homes has been a plicity of living in one house. he divorce] in the summer, so d. “Having to switch houses difficult. We don’t have a d on my mom’s travel schedule. ly stay at her apartment, but my dad. It takes a lot of time eeping to pack and go back to

s

grave, is conscious of how nvolved. She only takes on idance and do not want to use back at a spouse. n, we have simply disentangled ve said. “[Ideally], there is the parents will still continue and cheer on their children decisions that are best for the

riencing a huge transition making life-changing

rally to parents how to deal or what to say to them,” e instinctive response can be a w from therapists that the very lve the children in the details ey don’t need to know that need to know is that they are

ten years old when his parents ents had been separated before. d him through the difficult n’t feel alone. me from [the divorce] because erstand,” he said. “They me, but [for a while], it was a best they could, and it worked

erredith Stuelpe agrees that vorce as much as possible is child already going through a more issues down the road. parents] set the guideline that fully about the other parent to put the child’s interests confidant because that can be said. e where children are involved, ents should be involved in

process thinking, ‘My ble, and therefore, they should

not have access to the children,’” Hargrave said. “Part of what I do is educate them and say, ‘You are going to need to continue to share parenting roles and responsibilities.’ For the most part, we look to find ways to help strengthen the relationship between the parent and the child so that both parents can continue to be involved.”

Hargrave stresses that children should not be included in decision-making conversations about the divorce.

“A client may come to me [and say], ‘My kid was telling me they don’t want to live with the other parent—they only want to live with me, and I recorded it,’” she said. “My immediate concern is, ‘What are you doing asking your kid which parent they want to live with?’ That is totally inappropriate.

Children have a right to not be put in the middle. They should not be the communicator between the parents.”

Long-Term Effects

According to Ph.D. and Associate Professor of Psychology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland Renée Peltz Dennison, because parents are integral role models for their children’s future relationships, children with divorced parents are more likely to get divorced themselves. Divorce potentially makes it harder for the child to learn relationship skills and how to deal with conflict.

“I don’t think I am going to get married,” Perry said.

“When my friends are saying they love their boyfriends, I don’t really believe it. I can love my friends and my family, but in my head, guys aren’t permanent because that is how it has always been. There is a point where I self-sabotage because it’s going to end anyways. A big part of why I don’t want to get married is because I don’t want to have kids and then get divorced and have them go through what I went through because you always want what’s best for your children.”

Contrarily, psychologist at The University of Virginia E. Mavis Hetherington concluded in a 20-year study that the majority of children who are products of divorce succeed.

In adulthood, they lead happy lives, despite feeling sadness toward their parents’ divorce. A divorce does not inhibit their ability to maintain successful relationships.

“Your parents are definitely a model, but I don’t think that because your parents are divorced that means that you are more likely to be divorced because it could lead you to want to work harder to save your marriage,” Stuelpe said. “I do think that, at some point, if you have seen [a divorce] happen, it is definitely in your head as an option, whereas if you’ve never seen it happen, you think that divorce isn’t an option.”

In some cases after a divorce, parents adjusting to their new lives can become more flexible and allowing of their teen’s anger or rebelliousness.

“When some parents are going through a divorce, they become very self-focused, so there could be a period of time where the parent isn’t as in tune to what is going on in the child’s life,” Stuelpe said. “They might let some things slide that they normally wouldn’t.”

When teenagers experience a divorce, they commonly pull away from their parents or emotionally shut down. “[Teens] really identify with their peers more than their parents for the most part, so sometimes what can happen is the teen will go through an extreme pulling away from their parents because they are frustrated or hurt,” Stuelpe said.

“I would say [to the teen], ‘Try to keep an open mind, and allow both parents to be in your life because down the road, you will want those connections with your mother and your father, even though you might be hurt at this time.’”

Fischer has personally observed and researched the way boys deal with divorce versus girls. In today’s society, girls are allowed to show more emotions, such as sadness, whereas boys aren’t. Often, kids act out in an attempt to bring their parents together.

“Among boys, that kind of display of sadness or loneliness is discouraged,” she said. “[These emotions] often show up as anger. Where the girl may be getting the help and the support she needs, the boy often does not.”

Anger often leads to boys pushing people away.

“Boys tend to be taught in our culture that any dark feeling—sad, lonely, rejected, scared—tends to go into a funnel at the top and come out at the bottom as mad,” Fischer said. “Nobody sees that as a kid suffering—they see it as a kid who needs discipline.” continued on page 14

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of those interviewed.

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

13

14

center spread

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

Blended Families

“

As a teenager, you walk that fine line of being open to this new [stepparent] and this experience and taking it slow because it is a new relationship.

Merredith Stuelpe

”

Upper School Counselor

Seventy-five percent of adults who have gotten a divorce will remarry, according to the Step Family Foundation. According to the Jan. 24 Eagle Edition poll, of students with divorced parents, 63 percent have stepparents, and 50 percent have stepsiblings.

“Every family is different, but initially, the reaction from kids tends to go one of two ways. [They are either] really accepting or guarded because they are not sure of what to expect,” Stuelpe said. “When families begin that process, it’s important to talk about [the divorce] and understand what the boundaries are. As a teenager, you walk that fine line of being open to this new [stepparent] and this experience and taking it slow because it is a new relationship.”

According to KidsHealth.org, it is best to take stepparent-child relationships slow because for many of the kids, remarriage ends the possibility that their parents could get back together. Older kids usually have a harder time opening up to a new parent.

“It was weird,” Mulford said. “But [my stepdad] honestly has been a great guy, and he understands how to be a stepdad and not overstep. [He will] be there if I need help. Over the years, I have really appreciated him because he has brought so much good into my life.”

One in three Americans is part of a

stepfamily, according to the American Psychological Association. Ph.D. and psychology professor at the University of Albany Allen Israel has researched how families can be successful, especially in situations related to divorce and stepfamilies. Through his research, he has found that the stability of a family depends on the environment the parents foster within the family.

“It’s hard for any stepparent,” Stuelpe said. “I’ve seen a lot of different situations where the stepparent says, ‘I’m not going to try to be your parent. I’m going to try to be there in addition to your parent, and that’s because we share a house, and this is our family. I’m not your mom or dad, but when we’re together, I am here to support you. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to enforce the rules of the house.’ This is where communication comes in and trying to be as honest as possible about how [the teenager] is feeling, while also respecting that the adults are in charge and making the decisions.”

Another difficult adjustment for many teens with divorced parents is the addition of stepsiblings on top of a stepparent. For Mulford, he and his stepbrother didn’t initially get along because they felt awkward around one another.

“Now that we have grown up more, we have realized that it’s fun to have someone close in age, and we have a

really good time together,” he said. “[My stepsister] is older, and it is good to have an older female figure around because all my siblings are boys, so it’s nice to have her to give advice on girls and all that stuff. They have been really great once I got used to it.”

According to the 2009 Current Population Study Report, around 12 percent of American children under 18 years old living in a two-parent household are a part of a stepfamily.

Freshman Jake Lewis has two biological siblings, one half sibling and three stepsiblings.

“It is really chaotic, but it is also super fun because everyone is getting to know each other, and you get to meet new people,” Lewis said. “My mom just remarried over the summer, and I have new brothers and sisters.”

While a divorce changes the way a family operates, Stuelpe believes that each child will find their role in the new family or situation.

“There are a lot of ways [stepsiblings] can change the family,” Stuelpe said.

“Kids can feel insecure and think, ‘Where is my place in this family?’ and ‘Am I still as important as the other children?’”

Despite these fears, Stuelpe emphasizes the importance of patience.

“Just remember that there is enough love to go around,” she said. “Even though it is going to be hard at first to find your place, you will find it—just try to be patient and honest.”

1 in 5

students have parents that have been divorced or separated at some point

percent of students whose parents are divorced say divorce was the right step for their family

42

87

percent of students whose parents are divorced say their parents fight or don’t get along most of the time

2 in 3

students whose parents are divorced say their parents’ divorce affected their social life in some way GRAPHIC BY | LAUREN EGGER

percent of students whose parents are divorced say their parents’ divorce affected their academic life in some way

63

76

percent of students whose parents are divorced have stepparents

*according to a Jan. 24 poll of 241 Upper School students

16

views

10,000 hours of practice may not make you an expert

17

STAFF STANCE |

Female representation in Congress is a great first step

18

The U.S. needs to be less involved in foreign countries

EAGLE EDITION FEB. 1, 2019

15

Community service hours should roll over, count for service award

T editors-in-chief Anastasia Sotiropoulos & Madison Willox assistant editor-in-chief Sydney Rezaie copy editors Jiaying Fu & Evelyn Zhao design & photo editor Melissa Rivera news editors Blair Batson & Grace Knudson life editors Emily Delgado & Victoria Willox sports editors Lauren Egger & Lauren Weber views editor Alan Benítez business manager John Calvert digital relations Blair Batson staff writers Ava Brennan, Smith Cochran, Luke McCabe, Liesl Small, Raleigh Toledo, Gardiner Vose photographer Riley Breaux cartoonist Sumner Wooldridge adviser DiAngelea Millar MISSION STATEMENT

The Eagle Edition is a student-produced newspaper published seven times a year with the intent to educate in a professional manner and provide a voice for the Community. The Eagle Edition has earned Gold and Silver Crowns from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Pacemaker Awards from the National Scholastic Press Association and Gold Stars from the Interscholastic League Press Conference.

Circulation is 1000 copies, and the student population is 782.

ADVERTISING POLICY

The Eagle Edition is partially funded through advertising. The editorial board reserves the right to refuse ads not in the best interest of our readers. Ads are sold in 1/8 page increments. Please contact the Business Manager: calvertj@esdallas.org.

hroughout the school year and summer, students give up a portion of their personal time to volunteer for an organization they believe in and get community service hours in return. However, next year, the volunteer hours that exceed the amount required to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award during a twelve month period will no longer count; thus, those hours will go unnoticed and unrewarded.

Currently, students who want the award must complete 50 community service hours their freshman year and 100 hours each year following for a total of 350 community service hours.

The future national guidelines force students to participate in community service throughout high school, and harms students who go above and beyond if their time doesn’t fall within the specific time period. Instead of breaking the community service requirement into four periods, there should be an option to complete 350 hours by senior year at each person’s convenience, allowing students to get credit for all the work they do.

Permitting students to complete the hours at their own pace would help students more easily prioritize their activities through allowing a more flexible schedule.

Typically, students who earn over 50 hours their freshman year are committed to the organizations they volunteer at and would likely continue to volunteer at those organizations throughout high school. Many students are volunteering hundreds of hours—how is this fair to not give hardworking students the credit they deserve? The students who

GRAPHIC BY | VICTORIA WILLOX show dedication now wouldn’t be any less dedicated if they were granted more flexibility.

Even if a student were to complete all the required hours for the service award in one summer, it in no way makes the time they spent volunteering less valuable than a student who broke up their hours. One hundred hours of community service completed as a freshman leaves just as much impact on the community as 100 hours completed any other time.

We know this is a change

soundoff

that impacts all students on campus. These national standards were placed quite a bit ago and our school took a long time to comply. We realize it is out of the control of the adults on our campus. But, if community service is really about bettering the community, when the service takes place should not matter because it results in the same thing: an improved community and greater social awareness and empathy for others.

Students deserve to have all their achievements recognized

and accounted for, and schools are at no disadvantage to undergo such a change. All of the volunteer hours should count, regardless of the time frame in which they are completed.

Although the faculty and staff should encourage consistent volunteering so students have the opportunity to demonstrate commitment to an organization, the bottom line is that 350 community service hours are just 350 hours, no matter how they are split, and they should be treated as such.

Five overheard conversations, five funny statements

EDITORIAL POLICY

The staff abides by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the adviser, faculty or staff. This is a student-run publication and a forum for student voices.

All images in the Eagle Edition are student produced, republished with permission, are in the public domain or fall within fair-use practices for criticism and news reporting.

BYLINE POLICY

All articles, graphics, photos, art, columns, page design, reviews or other material produced by Advanced Journalism students carry the creator’s byline with the exception of the Staff Stance, which is the official, collective voice of the Eagle Edition.

Eagle Edition | vol. 36, issue 4 The Episcopal School of Dallas 4100 Merrell Rd. Dallas, TX 75229 eagleedition@esdallas.org (214) 358-4368

“I think she spit in my mouth. I felt a water droplet on my lip.”

– Sloane Hope, freshman

“Scott told me that I used to feed him Purell when I was little.”

– Cleo Neuhoff, sophomore

“Nobody should be offended by this—not even Krispy Kreme .”

– Jesús De Santiago, junior

“I always skip the first two episodes of everything. It’s just a weird thing.”

– Belén Sada, senior

“My son was driving back to Houston and an owl crashed into his car. When he got back to his apartment, the owl was dead and fell to the floor.”

– Marcela Garcini, Spanish teacher

16

views

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

letter from the

letter to the

EDITORS

EDITORS

Dear Eagle Edition,

I had the idea to write after some recent conversations with different people in the junior and senior classes regarding diversity at ESD. While I am willing to acknowledge that ESD still suffers from problems regarding cultural acceptance of different groups of people based on experiences that others have described to me, I also believe that the ESD administration has made good calls, or at the very least, moves in the right direction, to foster an accepting community for all people. That being said, the fact that ESD, with all of its resources, still has more prevalent community issues than many other schools working with a lot less is a cause of concern to me.

My primary critique of ESD is not so much the community issues we suffer from, which is an issue that the ESD administration isn’t at least directly responsible for, but rather the tactics used to appear diverse and accepting to both the student body and the outside world. The specific component of ESD’s diversity tactics that I would problematize are the school’s attempt to appear more culturally diverse than we really are.

It almost appears that certain students of certain backgrounds at ESD are tagged as diverse upon admission and are given different treatment at ESD. This is true in the sense that the majority of pictures ESD posts online or uses on paper always seem to include a student who would fall under the label of culturally/ethnically diverse. A friend of mine theorized that this was no coincidence, and that part of ESD’s strategy to appear diverse was an unsaid rule that all photos (or the majority of them at least) posted would have to feature at least one student who would fall under the label of diverse, so that ESD could avoid the risk of being seen as a “white private school” by the outside world.

Even the appearance of such a tactic is problematic in that we sell a false image of the demographics of the ESD community. The theory of ESD’s diversity rule is non-verifiable as of now, yet there is evidence available to support it, but not enough on either side to create a definite conclusion.

The fact of the matter is that ESD shouldn’t create a false image of its student body—such practices would be misleading and disingenuous, and would act in contradiction to the virtues that the school holds in high regard. If the administration has genuine concerns about the homogeneity of the ESD community, their efforts should be focused on programs to attack the heart of the problem, not expanding our own energy creating diversity quotas and masking the issue. Sometimes the truth hurts, but absent a direct confrontation, complications are destined to arise.

Junior Zan Haq

teamwork involved.

College applications, on the other hand, are a bit less of a team effort. Sure, at a place like ESD, we have entire communities rallying behind us to smash that glaring SUBMIT button with a confidence 15 years in the making. But in the end, it all comes down to you. Your f we could pack senior year into stressful. But newspaper stress is a effort. Your essays. Your transcript.

Your college experience. And that one word, it’d be deadlines— different type than that of college can be intimidating at times. deadlines, deadlines and more applications.

When we ship that final page to deadlines. Small deadlines and While college applications the printing press before the clock big deadlines. College deadlines may pile up into a semester-long hits 11:59 p.m. (or 9:23 p.m., as and project deadlines. And as if endeavor, deadline stress is shortit was last deadline cycle—a new those weren’t enough, newspaper term. We pour over each of our deadlines sneak onto our already publication’s 24 pages with one goal Eagle Edition record!), we’ve got packed calendars. By “deadline,” we in mind: to create a stellar product our staff rallying behind us. There’s aren’t referring to a set date—we’re for our student body—one that both a piece of each of us in there. referring to a week-long event. informs the community and sheds Each of our individual efforts.

Our individual confidence behind Deadline nights consist of light on even the most overlooked the joint product we’re about to scarfing down Torchy’s while of issues. rapidly clicking on pages, Each person adds their own vibe produce. But shipping off a college application has more…uncertainty Photoshopping last-minute to the J-Lab, whether it be in the graphics and making grandiose way they come up with a headline packed behind it.

Halloween’s spookiness was announcements to the entire staff, in a record-breaking .002 seconds such as, but not limited to: or manage to hunt down the culprit unmatched to that of Nov. 1—the nationwide Early Action college “DOES ANYONE HAVE who accidentally left page nine application deadline. But as we sat WILLIAM’S PHONE NUMBER? open. in the J-Lab the past couple issues, WE NEED A QUOTE!” or “IS Maybe it’s how they overwhelmed by the weekends ANYONE ON PAGE NINE? I unapologetically churn out a that lay ahead of us—packed with REPEAT: IS ANYONE ON PAGE controversial column, track down centerspread and supplement NINE? WE LOST PAGE NINE. five sources, spin the ordinary writing—we couldn’t help but IT CRASHED! MAYDAY!” movie review into a RottenIn a constant state of reporting, Tomatoes-esque roast or digitally transcribing, editing, rewriting, sketch a masterpiece in a single photographing and designing, we’re work night. technically always on newspaper The point is, deadline nights— deadline as we inch and eventually despite their aggressive mousesprint toward the release of our clicking and last-minute fixes—are next issue. It’s hectic, and at times, rewarding, and all because of the

I

be reminded that we weren’t in this alone. College apps stop for no one, but the key to finding a balance has laid in ensuring that whatever’s competing for our time has genuinely excited us.

As the decision letters roll in, our possible futures are beginning to present themselves. And despite the excitement, there is a tinge of bittersweetness.

Looking back at what we’ll miss most about our days at ESD, deadline nights are up there—even if we don’t say it enough. They molded us into dedicated people willing to fight for the truth—for what we run. So, deadline nights, this isn’t quite goodbye yet, but it is a thank you.

There’s nothing quite like the sheer joy of lugging our stuff over to the senior lot at an early—trust us when we say early—9 p.m., and we’ll take you over college apps any day.

Although those Torchy’sscarfing, mouse-clicking nights may have added an extra challenge to the first few months of our senior year, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Anastasia & Madison, Editors-in-Chief

Studies debunk the 10,000 hours of practice rule Evelyn Zhao Copy Editor

GRAPHIC BY | EVELYN ZHAO

I started learning how to play the piano in first grade, practically begging my parents to buy a shiny upright, and I absolutely loved the little instrument. I may have been terrible, but at seven years old, I chose to live in my own little musical bubble, clashing and banging discordant notes that I called “music” before I actually learned what notes were.

However, there was one thing I dreaded the most when it came to piano: practicing.

My mom knew I hated practicing and would remind me of this one phrase constantly: “It takes 10,000 hours to reach the mastery of an expert.” Sounds easy, right? Even The Beatles did it, performing around 1,200 times, eight hours a session. Then, they became a world-renowned band.

But this phrase is wrong.

Let’s flash back to 2010— when I first started learning

HOURS piano.

My weekly practice requirement was seven days a week with a minimum of an hour per day. Well, I attempted to practice, but for the majority of the time, I would sit on the bench pondering life.

Every single day, my mom reminded me to practice.

It didn’t matter how I used the hour to practice or what I did. My only goal was to fill the hour. I’ve been playing for almost eight years now, and with the amount of hours per week of practice, it comes to over 20,000 hours—double the amount of time. And no, I’m not a world-class pianist. I’m not even close.

Though I may disagree with this rule because of my hatred toward practicing, science

proves it misleading as well.

A Princeton University study found that practice accounted for only a 21 percent increase in skill set for music and an 18 percent increase for sports.

Psychologists found that while time is a factor in determining your success, whether it be music or a sport, expertise develops according to the way you practice as opposed to the amount of time you put in.

Even Kobe Bryant didn’t become a pro in one night— rather, he set personal goals to improve. For instance, he spent several hours training with the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team, only aiming to make 800 jump shots—time wasn’t a factor; instead, he focused on the quality of his practice.

You may ask about the Beatles, but honestly, performing is not the nearly the same as practicing.

As for me, back in middle school, I eventually moved the clock away from the piano to avoid tempting myself from looking at the time, and now, I can confidently say that I can spend hours practicing without even realizing. Rather than practicing all sorts of random things in one session, I progressed much faster when solely aiming to achieve just one single goal.

Everyone’s definition of practice is different, but to me, it’s no longer a burden.

It can be uncomfortable and frustrating at times, but that just means I’m not wasting my time. I’m actually trying.

views

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

17

compelled

combat?

GRAPHIC BY | ANASTASIA SOTIROPOULOS

PRO: The military teaches valuable skills

CON: Mandatory service wastes money

Carolyn Langford

Brazil. Egypt. Israel. Mexico. Switzerland. These are just a few of over 25 countries that require men and Guest Columnist sometimes women to serve in the military.

While all people in those countries will or have engaged in service for their country, according to Business Insider, less than .5 percent of Americans are currently in the military. This percentage would significantly rise if the U.S. implemented mandatory military service for all high school graduates.

By requiring service, not only would the country benefit from receiving a massive increase in military personnel, but recent high school graduates would also gain the opportunity to live with structure, discipline and responsibility, give back to their country and receive career training before going to college.

PBS reports that the vast majority of students are not prepared for college, and 30 percent of them drop out their freshman year. According to Forbes, gap year programs have increased in attendance by 294 percent since 2010. This data shows the evident need for extra time before college.

My brother, Will Langford, joined the Air Force in February 2018. After he finished high school, he was not socially or emotionally prepared for college. The military was able to shape him in a way my family never could have imagined. He is now excelling in a Russian class and will become an airborne cryptologic linguist. If students go into the military, they can pursue a career in one of the four branches and enjoy college without debt.

The military is regarded as a dangerous career fraught with the potential of deployment and combat. This stereotype is why many people don’t consider joining. However, the reality is that about 80 percent of the jobs are non-combat occupations, according to Military.com. Students could explore occupations in the military that relate to what they want to do later. There are plenty of opportunities.

By offering the unparalleled opportunity for growth and maturity before college, mandatory military service would help our nation and individuals.

Luke McCabe

14

86

percent of students believe that there should be mandatory military service, according to a poll of 241 students on Jan. 24

Implementing mandatory military service in the U.S. would be unconstitutional and detrimental Staff Writer toward our country’s economy and workforce. This forced service diminishes our country’s reputation as a free haven that not only permits but also promotes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The theory of self-determination, which states that volition is key to extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, suggests that citizens forced into military service would be less motivated, which would lead to a decrease in military progress and a surplus of carelessly completed jobs crucial to our country’s safety. We cannot risk our country’s safety for a few extra soldiers.

Cambridge University Press reports that the advancements in unmanned aircrafts and drone operations have grown exponentially in past years, which has reduced the majority of human operations, excluding those requiring highly-trained operatives.

Requiring additional soldiers that absorb taxpayer money without benefiting the country would be disastrous. Without mandatory service, taxes could be better used to further advance drones and unmanned aircrafts in an ever-changing, technologically-dominated world.

Mandatory service would be counterproductive economically and could even cause an economic depression. According to a government study from Forbes, an estimated $30,000 of taxpayer money would be invested per forced individual, adding up to a total of $936 billion on top of our country’s already-massive debt. Mandatory service would also take away a large portion of the 18 to 25 year olds who are needed to refresh the workforce. When these individuals return, their lives will be pushed back, forcing a later retirement age, later completion of college degrees and delayed family planning.

Mandatory military service not only wastes taxpayer money but also hurts the economy and military progress. Forced service should not be implemented out of respect for American taxpayers.

percent of students do not believe that there should be mandatory military service, according to a poll of 241 students on Jan. 24

Women are receiving better representation in Congress, but we still have room to grow

BY | EMILY DELGADO With her left hand placed on Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the Quran, Rashida Tlaib was sworn into Congress on Jan. 3, making her and Rep. Khadra Mohamud the first Muslim women elected into Congress.

After the newest representatives were sworn in early January, the legislative body of the 116th Congress reached a historic increase in diverse representation.

With representatives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortéz, the youngest

woman elected into Congress, Lauren Underwood, the youngest black woman elected into Congress, Deb Haaland, one of the first Native American women elected and many more, women of color are paving the way for future women to run for public office.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, in 2018, nearly 21 percent of Congress representatives were women. According to the Pew Research Center, after our most recent election, female representation in government increased to 24 percent—the biggest jump in female members since the ‘90s.

Although the number of female members has increased, women continue to be the minority in government.

In March of 2017, many were left stunned as former member of the European Parliament Janusz Korwin-Mikke stood

before other members and argued that women are smaller, weaker, less intelligent and deserve to make less than their male counterparts.

Moments later, the Spanish member of the European Parliament stood and responded: “According to your opinion, I should not have the right to be here as a member of Parliament. I know that it hurts you and bothers you that today, women can sit in this House to represent the European citizens with the same rights as you. I am here to defend all European women from men like you.”

Although the election of Jeannette Rankin into Congress in 1916 as the first woman was a grand breakthrough and victory for the future of women in politics, the first woman of color elected into Congress, Patsy Takemoto Mink, wasn’t

elected until 1964.

It is crucial for women to have their voice heard and have a say in the government. Too often, male politicians make decisions over a woman’s rights, which can be detrimental when it comes to the topics such as birth control, abortion and maternity leave.

Because Congresswomen are personally familiar with these matters, they can offer a new perspective that Congressmen may not have considered and help make positive changes for women in this country.

According to a survey of 240 students taken on Oct. 18, 56 percent of students believe that women are not well represented in the government.

A woman in government does not only speak for herself; she speaks on behalf of all women who have been silenced or have had their issues brushed over.

18

HIGHS A+

Cookie craze It’s girl scout cookie season! The delicious treats are flooding through the commons, satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth. Buying these cookies is a win-win transaction because you get to enjoy these treats while supporting the Girl Scouts of America. We wish this season would never end.

A

views

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

SDLC takes on chapel Students who went to the SDLC conference led a chapel this month to raise awareness about diversity at the school and to encourage participation in the event. Students from different classes in the Upper School spoke about their personal experiences in the program.

The best and worst of the month, graded

LOWS C+

Locking it down We have had many fire drills this year and only two lockdown drills.

Although scary, it is reassuring to know that we have affective protocols in place. While both are important, we feel that we need more lockdown drills considering the state of the world we are growing up in.

D+

In uniformity The Upper School has not had enough free dress days this winter. Sure, we got one free dress day for people who carpooled, but it’s not enough. It’s cold and we want the chance to dress comfortably more often in this weather.

A-

Junior jubilee The juniors all got their privileges this month, which was exciting for them.

These privileges include off campus lunch on Friday, leaving early during your study hall if it’s the period before lunch and different color outerwear. The juniors need to use their privileges for good to set an example for the younger students.

D

Parking pains On Jan. 17, many of the new parking spots in the junior and senior lots were closed, making parking difficult. Most of the spots in the senior lot filled up quickly, forcing students to park on the street.

Laba rewarded students who carpooled with a free dress day. However, parking has been a major issue this year and we aren’t certain this will get better.

F

Dangerous and driving Students were seen riding on top of people’s cars by a passing neighbor.

The neighbor then called Laba to tell him about the alleged “hood rides.” Let’s remember, this is dangerous.

B+

Lower school progress The lower school has made great strides in its construction. The roof and walls were put up this month, making it look more complete. While it’s nice to see the progress of the building, we are ready for construction to be over and look forward to seeing the finished product.

Trump’s foreign policy is for the betterment of America The U.S. has been too involved in other countries, it’s time for us to focus on our own issues BY | JOHN CALVERT

I

n the amorphous realm of public opinion, there is little doubt that President Trump is an isolationist or is, at the least, more of one than his recent predecessors. His statements on organizations like NATO and the UN, his coming withdrawal of troops from Syria, his economic protectionism—all of it seems to point toward a commanderin-chief that, unlike most since the end of World War II, is not too keen on America’s role as the “world policeman.”

However, the government’s recent withdrawal from global affairs isn’t uniquely “Trumpian,” but is rather the result of a variety of geopolitical and economic changes that have occurred since the end of the Cold War. The collapse of the Soviet Union has left us without a proper rival. The Russian Federation, though certainly powerful, is nowhere near as substantial as its erstwhile incarnation and is, more or less, a corrupt system of oligarchs and bureaucrats held together with duct tape and nostalgia. The People’s Republic of China has undoubtedly made strides since the 1970’s, but its economic growth, fueled mostly by American corporations, has recently

CALVERT’S

CORNER

slowed down, and the country still has quite a ways to go before it can compete with us in any meaningful way. All the nations of Europe still lag behind the U.S. in terms of GDP, even though roughly 200 million more people combined live there.

The overwhelming superiority of the American military almost goes without saying. After all, of the 21 military aircraft carriers currently in active service across the world, 11 fly the red, white and blue, and the U.S. defense budget, roughly $610 billion, is about as much as the next seven countries combined.

It is understandable that we may want to dial back our international commitments.

The grand military alliances that marked the postwar era are, it seems, obsolete without an evil empire to oppose. The large amounts of money we send to our allies, the resources we dedicate to conflicts across the world and the effort we put into espionage are misused in this ongoing age of hegemony.

Without the threat of communism and with little threat of terrorism, there is no need to involve ourselves with the affairs of smaller nations.

Sure, some may have commodities like oil, but we have—thanks to things like

shale—become a net energy exporter and shouldn’t sacrifice American lives for resources.

Sure, a dictator who abuses human rights may be in power, but all autocracies eventually fall, and, often times, the people we replace him with are worse.

And sure, there may be a million other reasons to stick our nose into some other country’s issues, but we just don’t need to.

The Bush administration was, it seems, the last swan song of the old interventionist mindset. Once the nation recovered from the initial phase of jingoism, public opinion took a hard turn, and people began to oppose endless wars in Middle Eastern countries they can hardly find on a map.

Thanks, in part, to this new mindset, the Obama administration was largely unwilling to involve itself on places like Syria, Libya or Ukraine, and stressed multilateralism in trade.

Trump and “America First” is just a manifestation of how unneeded the Cold War brand of internationalism is and how fatigued the American people are of unending foreign involvement.

Lord knows, we have enough problems over here.

Break-through the new year cultural commentary SOCIAL STUDIES | BY | SUMNER WOOLDRIDGE

20

sports

Mens soccer surpasses rough patch with victories

21

Ligament tear threatens to wreck future Hendrix commit

22

Students learn survival skills from Outdoor Education trip

EAGLE EDITION FEB. 1, 2019

19

GRAPHIC BY | MADISON WILLOX

Taking care of business Sports managers receive athletic credit, learn through hands on experience BY | LIESL SMALL

“

[Managers’] responsibilities include day to day tasks that take pressure off of the coaches plate so we are available for practices and games to do the things that we need to focus on.

Laura Gomez

”

Middle School Athletic Director

O

bserving mens varsity lacrosse practice, junior and manager Annie Walker sees a player suddenly drag his feet to the grass past the scoreboard. She knows what this means. He hunches over to throw up, and she looks away.

As manager, Walker attends all of the teams practices and games as well as completes 30 minutes of daily cardio before practice to gain an athletic sports credits from the athletic department, which is required to graduate.

Sports managers are in charge of preparing for practices by setting up cones, getting water and leading drills. Varsity basketball, field hockey, volleyball, cross country, soccer, baseball and lacrosse offer manager positions and the department hopes to add managers to additional sports.

“It’s not a difficult process, but it’s also about being responsible,” Head Mens Basketball Coach Corey Henderson said. “If the coach feels that they won’t be responsible, then they are not going to manage [that team].”

Henderson and Head Volleyball Coach Laura Gomez believe that being a manager is just as important as being a player. Managers must be accountable and ready to

complete any task needed of them. “[Managers’] responsibilities include day to day tasks that take pressure off of the coaches plate so that we are available for practices and games to do the things that we need to focus on,” Gomez said. “Whether it’s taking stats, managing the score table or filming, coaches are able to delegate these small things that help the game run smoothly to the managers. Having managers to assist helps the flow of my day, which helps the flow of the team.”

After playing on the womens varsity basketball team for two years, senior Caitlyn Henderson decided to

“

is a celebrated sport in my family.”

Many athletes decide to manage instead of play because of previous injuries. The manager position enables them to still support and be a part of a team.

Walker, who has fractured her shins multiple times, chose to manage womens varsity field hockey along with mens varsity lacrosse this year.

“I had to take a step back from playing sports [because of injuries], but I still wanted to be involved in a team,” Walker said.

“I help out with whatever the coaches need from goody bags for the players to stats.”

Similar to Walker, sophomore Emma Jerrier chose to manage womens varsity basketball to prevent further injury.

“I have a ton of lacrosse conflicts since I’m going to a bunch of recruiting camps and tournaments, and I don’t want to do anything that can hurt my knee again before lacrosse season,” Jerrier said.

“Everyone [on the team] is awesome, and it’s super fun getting to hang out with the players.”

Seniors Maggie Lipscomb and Mackenzie Fain-Parish, managers of the womens varsity soccer team, feel very welcomed by the

[MANAGERS DON’T JUST] GET WATER BUT ARE A VALUABLE PART OF THE TEAM. THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE LEARNING LIFE LESSONS JUST LIKE THE TEAM IS.

COREY HENDERSON, HEAD MENS BASKETBALL COACH manage the mens varsity basketball team during her junior and senior year, instead of playing on the court.

“I decided to be a manager because basketball is one of my favorite sports, and it’s been a big part of my life,” Caitlyn said.

“Because my dad is the coach, and my brother plays, basketball

team.

“Obviously, we aren’t on the field, but at tryouts, everyone was telling us how much they appreciated us being there and helping them out and working with them,” Lipscomb said. “We definitely feel like we are a part of the team. We were added to the team group chats and the seniors are talking about team bonding with everyone including managers. We were also able to participate in senior night and got senior gifts.”

In the future, Corey hopes to have managers who are responsible and ready to help consistently on every team.

“If [students] are interested, they just need to make sure they understand that we expect the same amount from [the mangers] as we do our players,” Corey said.

“The team doesn’t function the same without them.”

The school’s athletic philosophy is to teach positive lessons of sportsmanship, respect for one’s opponent, respect for the rules and the ability to win and lose with grace. Although managers are not participating in games or practices, they are learning teamwork and other life lessons, as well as new techniques and strategies through listening and observing. “[Managers don’t just] get water but are a valuable part of the team,” Corey said. “They need to know that they are learning life lessons just like the team is.”

20

sports

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

PUSHING BACK Freshman Mac Rodvold takes control of the ball in a home game against Fort Worth Country Day on Jan. 15. The Eagles won 2-1.

“The season has been great, and we are really becoming a family,” Rodvold said. “I’m looking forward to giving SPC all that I got.” photo by Alan Benítez

Mens soccer improves record, heads for SPC BY | LAUREN WEBER

L

osing only three players from last year, the mens soccer team started the season with a 2-1 win against Fort Worth Country Day. Last year, all but one of the seniors quit at the beginning of the season after not being appointed as captains, leaving the team with a majority of underclassmen players.

Returning as captains this season, senior Arturo Pozo and junior Brodie Burke continue to lead the team. This year, they have focused on rebuilding confidence to prepare them for the more difficult games later in the season, like their rivalry game against St. Marks on Feb. 8.

“The team struggled last

year, but I believe we’re better sophomores and juniors, and the this year,” Head Mens Soccer sophomores have shot up three Coach Mark Gardner said. “The to five inches in size,” Gardner chemistry of the team is better, said. “[I’m] not saying you have to and they feel more confident. be big to be a soccer player, but [The team] was very young last there’s a big difference between year, starting the majority of a freshman boy and senior boy. the year with about The [increased] maturity, size and nine freshmen and chemistry has helped.” sophomores on Pozo and Burke have the field at a worked together to time.”

With 15 OUR UPPERCLASSMEN HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE THIS SEASON BY returning WELCOMING US ONTO THE TEAM AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND players WHAT IT’S LIKE TO PLAY A VARSITY SPORT. who have grown in size act as role models for the new and skill level, along with four and returning players, as well new players, the team started on as encourage the team to give stronger footing. feedback.

“Now, [most players] are “The leadership is good,

“

GRANT JUNGERMAN

and [the captains] really help our team, especially the underclassmen,” freshman Grant Jungerman said. “Our upperclassmen have been really nice this season by welcoming us onto the team and helping us understand what it’s like to play a varsity sport.”

Freshman forward Jungerman, midfielder Mac Rodvold and defender James Click are all new assets to the team. Jungerman scored the first goal of the season against The Homeschool Association.

“A big addition [to the team] is Grant,” Gardner said. “He’s one of the best young players that I’ve ever coached, and that’s no question in my mind. He plays at a level far beyond his years, and he knows the game, mentally

and physically. That was the key thing: How are we going to get the most out of him alongside Arturo? Those are our two most skilled players.”

Gardner has adjusted the formation of the team to fit this group’s specific strengths. He has tried a more offensive lineup with one less defender and an additional midfielder.

On Jan. 15, this formation helped Jungerman and Pozo score goals, winning their first counter game of the season, 2-1.

“As a team, we discovered all the potential that we have,” Pozo said. “Our new offensive strategy was used, and everyone understood their position and responsibility. Winning your first game is important, especially if you are trying something new.”

Los Angeles Rams deserve to win the Superbowl Rams, New England Patriots go head-to-head on Feb. 3 Smith Cochran Staff Writer

Around 54 million people tuned into the American Football Conference championship match with the New England Patriots at the Kansas City Chiefs game two Sundays ago. Everyone who does not live in the Northeast was cheering for the Chiefs, because they wanted to see Tom Brady lose in Kansas City. I was one of those people.

That was not the case as Brady led a winning overtime drive that advanced New England to its third straight Super Bowl. The

Patriots will face off against the Los Angeles Rams. Though the Patriots have more experience than any other team in the league, the Rams will win in Atlanta and cause Brady to lose his second straight Super Bowl.

Anyone who paid attention to the AFC championship can attest that the Chiefs defensive line placed very little pressure on Brady, allowing him to throw for 348 yards. They did not sack him and had a crucial “roughing the passer” penalty in the fourth quarter. The Rams have the best pass rusher in the NFL with Aaron Donald, and he will put Brady in uncomfortable situations.

This will cause more sacks and more bad throws. If Aaron Donald makes an impact, the Rams will stall the Patriots passing and rushing attack.

The biggest headline for Sean McVeigh, the Rams head coach,

GRAPHIC BY | AVA BRENNAN this postseason is the figurative absence of his star player, Todd Gurley. Gurley rushed for 1,200 yards in the regular season, scored 17 touchdowns and was a clear candidate for MVP. But Gurley’s less-than-stellar performance in the NFC Championship game has fans wondering if he’ll return to his MVP form. This performance had him watching CJ Anderson

play crucial moments of the game against the Saints. McVeigh knows he needs his top running back to beat the defensive-minded Belichick, head coach of the Patriots. Gurley will rise to the occasion and rack up over 120 all-purpose yards with at least two touchdowns.

Belichick shut down the electric Chiefs offense with a week of

preparation, and he has two weeks to prepare for the Rams offense.

The timeline will not matter.

The Rams have proven again and again they have the most threedimensional offense in the NFL. Los Angeles will have over 300 yards passing and over 150 yards rushing on their way to sealing the franchise’s second ring. God knows the Patriots don’t deserve it.

sports Commit to this: Part 2

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

Injury did not derail college commitment for baseball pitcher The Eagle Edition finishes its two-part series about injured players and the process they face to continue playing at the university level BY | JIAYING FU TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME Standing in the batter’s box, senior Adam Bland grips his bat, anticipating the pitcher’s incoming pitch in a game against St. Mark’s. Bland has played on the mens varsity baseball team all four years of high school and was the junior team captain last year. “Even when I was a little kid, I always loved going out to the baseball field and playing,” Bland said.

“I’ve continued that passion all the way through my high school career and summer games.” photo by Julia Hicks

EAGLE

EYE

Varsity womens basketball senior captain ELIZABETH KONRADI dominates the court. She has played on the team all four years of high school and plays center.

interviewed by Raleigh Toledo

Q A

Q A

B

atter up. The player spits, hitting the Before making an offer, college ground with his bat. Thud. Thud. coaches will usually send scouts to Winding up, senior Adam Bland gauge the potential of the athlete. gages the direction of his pitch. He Scouts attend showcase games and lunges forward, and the ball flies. Even other games based off of the season as the batter begins to swing, Bland schedules that students email them. realizes that something feels off.

Scouts primarily look to recruit Only later, while getting his arm students for particular positions that checked out by a doctor, would he they need filled, so the students can discover that his UCL ligament had start playing immediately. separated from the bone in his elbow. “[Scouts] look for character—they look It would require surgery. for heart,” Bland said. “They look for “I was very worried [because] I guys who want to put the work in, guys thought my baseball career was over,” who have fun while they’re playing and Bland said. “I didn’t know how bad guys who care about their teammates [the injury] would be until after the and want to win.” operation.”

Potential recruits can go on a In the six-and-a-half months he maximum of five official college visits, was sidelined, Bland went to throwing which is where the college pays for all programs and therapy every week. the student’s on-campus expenses and He missed a large chunk of the transport expenses and assigns them recruitment process, being out for an official. The tour usually includes a whole season the summer of his attending a sporting event and practice sophomore year. and meeting the team. Students are “The [recovery] process is allowed unlimited unofficial visits, never easy for anybody, but if which is where the student would somebody asked me back have to pay for transport when [Bland] had [the and on-campus expenses injury] if he could accommodations handle it, I’d say, ‘Absolutely. 100 [THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS] IS ABOUT STAYING TRUE TO percent,’” varsity WHO YOU ARE, GIVING EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT EVERY DAY AND baseball coach KNOWING THAT ONE DAY, IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. Albert Najera said. “He has the mentality of a guy who themselves. is going to work hard and do what he “I would never recommend making has to do for his dreams.”

In order to motivate himself to a commitment somewhere without having visited [the school] and getting persevere, Bland drew from his faith to an idea of the dynamic of the team remain optimistic. you’re going to be playing for because “I just knew that God has a plan,” that’s the next four years of your life,” Bland said. “I trusted what I’ve been Associate Director of College Guidance taught and what I was being told—that and alumna Elizabeth Clark ‘02 said. something would happen eventually. I Drawing from her own experience just kept telling myself that day in and as a recruited athlete in high school, day out, and everything worked out in Clark leads the faculty and athlete the end.”

“

ADAM BLAND, PITCHER

representation committee, which serves bridge the gap between academics and athletics.

“We’ll talk about any issues that we’re hearing about with student athletes and try to come up with some ideas,” Clark said. “We also present to the faculty often to give them an update on the different issues that we’re hearing about to get their opinion as well. We encourage [students to come] to us with questions and concerns, so we can discuss them in our meetings and work together to come up with a solution.”

For Bland, the recovery process was successful, and he was able to receive a recruitment offer from Hendrix College, a D3 baseball school in Conway, Arkansas.

“The best part [of this process] was getting that offer because it was what I’ve wanted my entire life and is what I’ve worked for,” Bland said. “It was an amazing thing—I can’t put words to it.

It was the best feeling ever to see [the Hendrix coach] and have him tell me that he’s giving me an offer.”

Besides athletics, there are other factors in play in choosing which college to commit to.

“Make yourself a list of the things you want in both the school and the [athletic] program,” Clark said. “If for some reason the program doesn’t turn out to be what you thought it would be or you get injured, would you still want to stay at the school? Would it be a school that you went to because of the school and not just the athletic program?”

After committing, all that’s left to do is keep a steady GPA and continue to play the sport. “[The recruitment process] is about staying true to who you are, giving everything you’ve got every day and knowing that one day, it’s going to happen,” Bland said. “I just want to thank God for this great opportunity.”

21

Q A

Q A

When did you start playing basketball and why?

“I started playing when I was five, and it was because my sister played. I wanted to start playing because I saw how much she enjoyed it, so I joined the Hotshots [basketball] team in first grade.”

How have your injuries affected your basketball career?

“Being out from the team as a captain is sometimes really tough because you can’t be with the girls on the court.

Meeting them off the court is [difficult because it is] a struggle to relate to the girls when they are playing. It’s tough to come back from an injury because it takes a lot of time to get back your strength and skill.”

Do you want to commit to play for college?

“I would commit if it was a small D3 school, but I’m not looking to. I have some offers, but I would only commit if it was D3 or if I decided I wanted to go to that school. It’s less of a commitment to play D3, and I haven’t been as committed to the sport in the past two years as I’ve been in the past. It is probably a better fit for me, playing-wise and strength-wise.”

What lessons have you learned by playing basketball?

“I have learned that when being a captain, you have to be more assertive than just going with the flow. There’s always going to be teams that are better than you, and you have to learn to be better than them.”

22 Outdoor Education offered as an alternative to playing a sport, includes backpacking trip Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

sports

Class camps out at Enchanted Rock for 3 days, learn how to rock climb BY | GARDINER VOSE

T

he annual Outdoor Education backpacking trip to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, where students will camp, hike and climb mountains, will take place from Feb. 10 to Feb. 12.

Director of Outdoor Education Eddie Eason headed the program from 1993 to 1997 and started it again in 2013 to this year. The Enchanted Rock trip is offered to students in the Outdoor Education program and to students who are interested in the outdoors. Seventeen students are going on the upcoming trip.

“Students sign up because they enjoy camping, backpacking [and] rock climbing,” Eason said. “They may not need the P.E. credit, but [they] still want to participate in the program.”

The participating students meet after school on Wednesday to learn outdoor survival skills.

Senior Allison Herring has attended these meetings to prepare for the trip.

“After school, we meet and go through different survival skills that will be useful for the trip,” Herring said. “During the first meeting, we learned how to pitch a tent and use a stove because we are going to be cooking all our own food on the trip. We also learned how to tie knots that will be used to rock climb and rappel because on the trip we are going to rappel down the side of a big cliff. We used these skills to attach harnesses to ourselves and to trees.”

Students in the program practice these skills in different locations around the school.

“We use the empty lots at the end of Montwood to practice building tents and lighting our stoves,” Herring said.

“We also used the rock walls around the quarry to

“

I SIGNED UP FOR THE TRIP BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT IF I’VE OPTED OUT OF DOING RIGOROUS SPORTS FOR THIS PROGRAM, I SHOULD COMMIT TO IT FULLY.

ROCK ON Eddie Eason helps sophomore Katherine Cowser tie a knot as she prepares to climb the quarry wall on Jan. 23. This technique helped the students repel off cliffs during the trip. “We learned how to tie all the different knots we’ll need to use on the trip,” Cowser said. “It was really helpful, they tought us everything we will need to know.” photo courtesy of ESD

program, an alternative to the more-traditional competitive sports, offers students the option to explore the outdoors and learn wilderness survival skills. Sophomore Sumner Wooldridge is going on the trip for the second time.

“I am in the Outdoor

SUMNER WOOLDRIDGE

rappel.”

The Outdoor Education

Text TRAIN to 52886 to stay informed

Education program because team sports are not my passion or strength,” Wooldridge said. “I signed up for the trip because I figured that if I’ve opted out of doing a rigorous sport for this program, I should commit to it fully. I am most excited for rappelling and rock climbing.”

Some students sign up for this trip to experience nature with friends.

“You really experience nature as you walk with the group,” sophomore Mary Cowser said.

“You aren’t ever alone. I liked when we rappelled off the cliff the most.”

sports

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

23

Athlete commits to play soccer as a sophomore BY | SMITH COCHRAN

A

ll Division I college athletes go through a long recruiting process and usually make a decision as an upperclassmen.

Tamia Tolbert made her college decision before she started sophomore year.

Tolbert committed to the University of Michigan last summer, between her freshman and sophomore year, but that was only a small part of her recruiting experience. Womens

soccer coaches are allowed limited contact with recruits before they reach high school. The National Collegiate Athletic Association rules prohibit any kind of contact between players and college coaches except over email, until the player is out of eighth grade and enrolled at a high school.

“From eighth grade to freshman year, the heavy stages of recruiting began, and I narrowed down my choices in the spring of freshman

year,” Tolbert said. “I ultimately made my decision the summer before sophomore year.”

Tolbert’s family is not new to Division I athletics. Her sister plays soccer for Arizona State University and her brother plays football at Indiana University.

“My family has this expectation of working hard in everything we do,” Tolbert said. “My dad, my mom and my uncles all played sports in college. The expectation was my siblings and I would play club sports growing up and go to college and play a sport. Seeing my sister, who also plays soccer, made me think that playing in college is a real possibility.”

Tolbert had many offers from schools around the country, but she narrowed her list down to the University of Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Princeton University and The University of Notre Dame.

“I visited Michigan at the beginning of July, and I ended up committing a week after that visit,” Tolbert said. “I fell in love with the campus. Their facilities are really nice, and it helps that it’s a really good academic school.”

Tolbert plays on a U.S. development team that practices

four days a week for two hours.

The team is year round with a break in January. This elite team helped Tolbert receive national attention for soccer.

“My elite team would go to two college showcases a year,” Tolbert said. “At the games I could see coaches watching or circling the field. It helped for recruiting because the clubs one job is to get you recruited.”

Though Tolbert committing to play soccer for Michigan helps her get into the school, it does not guarantee her acceptance.

“Nothing is set in stone because it’s a verbal commitment,” Tolbert said. “If

in the next two years

“

get into in terms of education,” Tolbert said. “I now have to be conscious of making sure I’m on top of my work. The [Michigan] soccer coach can make it easier for me to get into the school, but they can’t put me into the school, so it’s on me to produce the best grades possible to get in.”

It was no surprise to the womens soccer captain Story Langston.

“She committed so young because she was able to,” Langston said. “Schools wanted her bad enough that they recruited her as a freshman. She didn’t play like a freshman last year, which is why colleges are so interested. She’s so aggressive and not afraid to attack the ball.”

The opportunity to play soccer at Michigan, a public ivy university, is because of her skill on the field, but soccer is more to her than that. Tolbert is using soccer as a stepping stone to get into a prestigious school and receive a diploma.

“When you’re younger, soccer is about winning tournaments and trophies, and as you get older, your morals shift,” Tolbert said.

“For me, it’s using soccer as a platform to get me into a good college to set myself up to getting a good job. As you get older, your reasons for playing shift a little bit.”

I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CAMPUS [UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN]. THEIR FACILITIES ARE REALLY NICE, AND IT HELPS THAT IT’S A REALLY GOOD ACADEMIC SCHOOL.

KICKIN’ IT Sophomore Tamia Tolbert steals the ball during a game while playing for the Adidas All American Elite soccer team. Tolbert wanted to return to the program but couldn’t after getting injured. “It felt great that one of the biggest brands in sports considered me to be one of the top 35 players in the country,” she said. photo courtesy of Tamia Tolbert

TAMIA TOLBERT

I lose my soccer skill or am not living up to their standards, then at anytime, they can decide to take the scholarship away from me.”

Committing to a school as an underclassmen does not make high school any easier.

“It makes it harder because I know that the college I’m going to is such a prestigious school to

Hey, Rodin.

Do you think H.L. will be finished sometime soon ?

Dunno, Rocky.

Maybe we will all be finished sometime soon.

Be careful out there.

24

life

Eagle Edition | Feb. 1, 2019

I N T HE

H

EAT OTS

EMMASUCATO Q A

Q A

How did you first get into acting?

“My mom was really into acting when she was younger—she used to be part of a theater company that traveled to do shows.

I grew up in a musical household. My dad plays piano, and my mom sings and acts. I also had singing in the back of my mind, and I really enjoyed that, so my mom just signed me up for an audition. I haven’t done a play yet, so I mainly do musicals.”

Have you considered pursuing acting as a future career?

“I definitely want to pursue [acting] as a career. I am doing a lot of intensives over the summer and during the school year in New York because I want to go to college for musical theater and pursue my dream of moving and auditioning there.”

Q A

Q A

How do you think acting has impacted other aspects of your life?

Q

“Whenever you’re doing a scene read with someone, you have to be extremely observant with what the other character is doing so that you can respond to their mannerisms. That has helped me because I now consider myself very observant. The theater community is so great, and being with an older cast has made me more mature.”

A

BY | ALAN BENÍTEZ

What kind of person would you recommend acting to?

“To be in acting, you have to be extremely creative. It’s also a place where anyone is welcome, so if you’re the type of person that enjoys singing, and you enjoy making up stories, or even if you enjoy reading and pretending you’re someone else, I would recommend it because you use a part of your brain where there is so much imagination.”

Q A

What are some of the most helpful tips you have received?

“One of the best pieces of advice I’ve been given is that theater companies want to hire a good person over someone extremely talented. If you’re not good to work with, no one is going to want to hire you.”

STAR OF THE SHOW Sophomore Emma Sucato showcases her inner Velma Kelley as she rehearses for the musical “Chicago” in November at the Dallas Academy of Music and Performing Arts.

Her background in dancing and singing helped her land one of the lead roles.

“The community in theater is one unlike any other,” Sucato said. “It has made me a better person.” photo courtesy of Emma Sucato

What was your favorite performance, and who did you play?

“My favorite performance that I’ve done would probably be this last summer. I participated in the performance ‘Hairspray’ here in town, and I played Penny. It was a great one because I have loved ‘Hairspray’ for so long—the movie and the musical—and the people in it are such icons.

The message behind it is great, so being able to share that with other people was amazing, and I really loved it.”

Imagination station

AP ART SENIORS DISPLAY WORK AT NEW DALLAS EXHIBITION BY | EMILY DELGADO

PHOTOS BY | LUKE MCCABE

The Blue Print Gallery hosted its first Dallas Young Artist Exhibition on Jan. 17. Booker T. Washington High School and Ursuline Academy of Dallas were among the 15 local private and public schools that were invited to participate.

AP art seniors Adam Bland, Izzy Gonzales, Story Langston, Scott Neuhoff, Anisa Noor, Gianna Pope, Annie Sawyers and Maddie Tong also showcased their artwork. From sculptures, drawing, photography and ceramics, the fine arts department was well-represented.

Senior Anisa Noor’s pastelpencil self-portrait titled Sundays was included in the exhibit.

“It was really rewarding to see people that I’ve never met before react to our art,” she said.

“Some of the schools that were showcased were art schools but you couldn’t tell the difference between which ones were and weren’t because all the pieces were so beyond our years.”