V38 Issue 6 by Eagle Edition

2020/21

V38 No. 6 4100 Merrell Road Dallas Texas 75229 214.358.4368 Friday, May. 14 2021

EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS STUDENT NEWSPAPER Biden’s first 100 days are evaluated

Staff reviews frozen yogurt shops

Biking surges in popularity

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Changes to pandemic, environment, immigration and social equity policy a part of Biden’s agenda

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Best yogurt in Dallas tested in preparation for summer, six fro-yo places come out on top

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Freshman uses biking as an outlet, way to connect with friends and business venture

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Refashioned. A shift and surge of fashion interest has increased during the pandemic due to social media and availability of online stores, pages 12-13

Illustration by Grace Worsham, Alexandra Warner, and Callie Hawkins

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BIDEN FACES REVIEW AFTER 100 DAYS IN OFFICE Story by Easterly Yeaman and Kristin Doebele Staff writers

fter officially publishing 38 executive orders, according to the Federal Register, President Joe Biden has made many changes during his first 100 days. Most of his executive orders pertain to COVID-19 policies and equality. In his inauguration speech, he focused on ending the climate crisis, eliminating racial inequality and LGBTQ+ discrimination, immigration policies and stopping the spread of COVID-19. THE PANDEMIC According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention, as of May 12, approximately 263 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to the American public, more than double of his promised 100 million. Additionally, a total of 334 million vaccines have been distributed nationwide. One incentivization for receiving the vaccine is that the federal government is providing the vaccine “free of charge” to anyone residing in the U.S., regardless of their immigration or health insurance status. To some, stopping the spread of the virus is a pressing matter. “Overall, as of now, COVID-19 is the most important issue to focus on,” sophomore Sophia Ukeni said, “because of the millions of jobs that it’s taken away from families, minorities especially, and the thousands of citizens of the United States that it’s killed.” While making progress in terms of vaccinations, Biden emphasized that all executive public health decisions will be made based on science and the recommendations of the CDC and public health officials. Biden promised and intends to fully use the “Defense Production Act” to ramp up production of masks, face shields and other personal protection equipment so that the national supply of personal protective equipment exceeds demand and the nation’s stores and stockpiles are fully replenished. Biden, along with the CDC, encouraged people to continue to wear masks, but things are changing for those who are vaccinated. While masks are still required on all forms of public transportation and in many businesses, those who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks outdoors, except when in large gatherings. “Because of the nature of our federal system of government, there is only so much the national government can do related to health policy without a Constitutional amendment,” government teacher Kiley McAbee said. “I think masks have helped, but there’s only so much a federal mask mandate can do without consistent policies stateby-state.” More regulations regarding travel require anyone entering the U.S. to

present a negative COVID-19 test upon traveling into the country. While not required, it is recommended that one self-quarantine for 14 days after entering the country from international travel. Evaluating President Biden’s first 100 days in office, a Washington Post-ABC News poll published on April 25 revealed that 64 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the pandemic so far. THE ENVIRONMENT After his inauguration, one of Biden’s first actions regarding the environment was re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement. Rejoining this accord means that the U.S. pledges to reduce emissions by submitting a nationally determined contribution. An NDC outlines the actions each country will take in the following year to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. “Even though just rejoining [the Paris Agreement] may not necessarily seem like a huge deal, I know that because [America] has rejoined that organization we can start making some change,” sophomore Bridget Wang said. On his first day in office, the White House reported that Biden also made an “executive order to protect public health and the environment by restoring science to tackle the climate crisis.” The order called for agencies and departments to review all actions made since January 2017 to make sure they are in line with the administration’s new climate initiative. Biden also established the National Climate Task Force whose job is to head up the Biden-Harris Administration’s approach to the climate crisis. According to the official White House website, the main goal is to “meet the demands of science, while empowering American workers and businesses to lead a clean energy revolution.” “I’m personally in favor of more climate regulation, but there’s again only so much progress that can be made without consistent policy across administrations,” McAbee said. “Time will tell if the Biden administration can get their plans through Congress.” In Biden’s order on tackling the climate crisis, he emphasized the urgency to engage globally in the fight against climate change. Concerning foreign policy and national security, effects on the environment will be taken into consideration. The order also highlights the importance of a “government-wide” approach, meaning that all departments and agencies should work and act with the environment in mind. Biden also invited 40 world leaders to the Leaders Summit on Climate which took place on April 22 and 23. The White House reported that the goal was for America to “rally the rest of the world to step up, mobilize

finance, spur transformational innovations, conserve nature, build resilience, strengthen adaptation and drive economic growth for communities.” CNBC reported that Biden’s $2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill, named The American Jobs Plan, incorporates policies “installing thousands of new electric vehicle charging stations, funds to build energy-efficient homes,” and “constructing new electric power lines.” According to The Washington Post, 52 percent of Americans approve of the bill, while 35 percent are opposed. “I think having an infrastructure bill is a good idea if they’re trying to improve the environment and reduce emissions,” freshman Barrow Solomon said. “But I don’t think the Paris accords will have a positive effect because the quotas the countries are expected to meet are too low to make a difference.” In addition to helping reduce emissions, another goal of the bill is to generate jobs and replace pipes in communities that lack clean water. “It creates jobs to upgrade our transportation infrastructure. Jobs modernizing our roads, bridges, highways. Jobs building ports and airports, rail carters, transit lines,” Biden said in his address to congress on April 28. “The American Jobs Plan creates jobs replacing 100 percent of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines so every American can drink clean water.” IMMIGRATION A few of Biden’s first acts as president included proclamations and orders regarding immigration. One of the orders commissioned the redirection of funds for border wall construction. This also incorporated pausing all work on the wall, though the Biden administration will restart construction to fill in gaps and install technology to secure the border. “I kept my commitment and sent a comprehensive immigration bill to the United States Congress,” said Biden. “If you believe we need to secure the border, pass it, because it has a lot of money for high tech border security. If you believe in a pathway to citizenship, pass it. There’s over 11 million undocumented folks, the vast majority here over staying Visas. Pass it.” Biden made another executive order on “restoring faith in our legal immigration systems and strengthening integration and inclusion efforts for new Americans,” according to the White House website. The order requires departments to review regulations, policies and other documents relating to immigration. “I feel like Biden’s policies toward immigration, especially around children, haven’t improved their

percent of students think Biden has made a positive impact

percent of Americans approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president

percent of students think Biden has made a negative impact

percent of Americans disapprove of the way Biden is handling his job as president

percent of students said they knew a fair amount or a lot about Biden’s first 100 days in office

Source: May 10 poll of 158 students and April 18-21 Washington Post-ABC News poll of 1,007 U.S. adults

situation much during his presidency,” Ukeni said. “I think he’s offering equity but only for citizens.” BBC reported that as of March 21, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents were holding more than 15,500 unaccompanied children in custody. And The Dallas Morning News reported that as many as 2,300 migrant children, mainly from Central America, are being held at Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, “There are a bunch of kids that are all sleeping under tin-foil blankets,” Solomon said. “That shouldn’t be happening.” The Post-ABC poll showed that 37 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s handling of the situation in the U.S.-Mexico border so far. SOCIAL EQUITY While he was campaigning for president, promoting and establishing racial equality was a major issue of Biden’s mission statement. Back in January, Biden signed four executive actions in an attempt to address racial discrimination and promote racial equality. These executive actions include initiatives that urge the Department of Justice to end the use of private prisons. “Private prison systems have been benefiting off the incorporation of racial profiling,” Wang said. “I don’t think anyone should be judged based on their race.” Additionally, Biden promised to “reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to tribal sovereignty and consultation,” and fight xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Biden also promised to create a safer environment for the LGBTQ+ community, especially the youth. One inclination of Biden fulfilling this promise is when he signed an executive order titled, “Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free From Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.” This act ensures that students do not face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. As a nation, a slight majority of Americans approve of how the president has been doing his job during his first 100 days in office. The Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 52 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s job so far. “While it may not be fair, the first 100 days is a tradition we’ve had for a long time. I don’t personally think it holds any great significance, but since it’s become traditionally significant to the American people it’s worth giving some attention to,” McAbee said. “Presidents feel a lot of pressure in their first 100 days to get as much of their policy passed as they can, but I don’t believe voters always remember those first days when it comes time to judge the entire term at the ballot box (or after).”

Photoillustration by Easterly Yeaman

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May 14, 2021

ADDIE CLICK, FRESHMAN

ELLIOTT MCCABE, SOPHOMORE

EMILY YANCEY, JUNIOR

HENRY HOBSON, SENIOR

“My favorite memory from the quarry is when I was in fourth grade when I came with my class to visit the middle school. We got to see all the turtles and the geese, and I thought it was the coolest thing. After that we learned all about the animals in the quarry.”

“It’s always so cool to see how the color of the water changes in the quarry with the changing weather and seasons. I also love seeing turtles and fish messing around in between classes..”

“I like when our Spanish class goes out to the quarry to do class work because it makes the work more enjoyable. The quarry is so calming and just staring at the water. Going back inside is my least favorite part of class because I could sit there for hours.”

“I love quarry activities. My favorite memory from the quarry was definitely watching the physics boat race last year. It was so fun being with the whole school and the event in general was just super entertaining. ”

CAMPUS QUARRY 1964 ESD had not yet acquired the land for our campus

CAMPUS QUARRY 1979 ESD builds the schoolhouse commons by the quarry

CAMPUS QUARRY 1997 Football field and stadium built Photo provided by Christopher Hess

Quarry levels fluctuate, posing threat to wildlife School community raises concern for the dramatically changing quarry water levels By Maddy Hammett Copy Editor

erhaps the most revered spot at school is the campus quarry. Throughout the year, water levels in the quarry have been fluctuating leaving many community members concerned and confused about the status of its greenery and quarry-related activities. Upper school biology teacher John Gallo believes that the water levels fluctuating are a product of evaporation in the summer months and a deluge of rain in the Spring. Permaculture club believes that the extreme falling water levels can be attributed to the absorption of the water from the crack in the quarry limestone. Regardless of the reasons, the dramatic fluctuations can potentially affect campus greenery and wildlife. “My take is that the water level depends mostly on the rainfall amount and the quarry surface evaporation rate,” Gallo said. “You may realize that supposedly there is a limestone base under the mud bottom of the quarry. Since the surface soil moves a lot in this part of Texas, I guess there may be cracks in the limestone due to land surface movement. If that’s true, then I guess some water could also seep down through the bottom. It’s impossible to know this for sure though.” The school quarry has a long history as the school and the community has been built up around this spot on campus. And yes, the water levels fluctuating arguably could be attributed to shifting limestone that was

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originally used to make concrete for club member Christopher Hess the city of Dallas. said. “This water then just enters the “The quarry has a very long state’s groundwater and aquifers. history,” outdoor educator Davis The school has talked about putting Felder said. “There is a limestone pellets in the quarry that would find deposit in the quarry. People saw the crack and seal it in for this to this as a business opportunity to dig stop.” the rock out and use it as concrete. Heavy rains during spring They then used seasons result the concrete to in flooding in build roads in this the quarry that neighborhood in the past has around the school posed a threat to and all around campus greenery. Dallas as well. They Permaculture then dug so deep club has taken THE OVERALL that eventually they new measures QUARRY hit the water table to prevent the and struck water flooding from WATER LEVEL IS which made the having such a quarry fill up.” large impact on SIGNIFICANTLY The limestone the campus’s plant base for the quarry LOWER THAN WHEN health. has been shifting, “The pipe from I STARTED AT ESD 40 which water from which some students believe the street exits YEARS AGO has taken a large from Montwood toll on the quarry [Road] and lower water levels leading Eddie Eason, school carpool line to an even bigger to the quarry tends Director of Outdoor Education drop than ever to gush out water before. Measures during a big storm, have been taken leading to erosion to prevent the and no plants dropping water being able to grow from becoming there,” Hess said. a hazard to the “To slow down the quarry’s wildlife and quarry-related water flow, we have built a ‘check activities. dam’ that prevents the water and the “The quarry has a leak in the pollutants entering the quarry too bottom somewhere which is why the quickly.” water level goes down after a while Permaculture club works to without rain, not all of it is from keep campus greenery thriving evaporation,” senior permaculture throughout the year. Despite

challenges faced during especially rainy or dry months, the club has been able to set up a dam system and intentionally choose plants that would thrive in conditions of the fluctuating water levels. “By putting in [our] dam, the water can enter the quarry more slowly, and we have already seen progress with plants growing downstream,” Hess said. “We also are currently sourcing rock to make more dams that could make growing native plants in the quarry more feasible. Obviously, the quarry water’s edge will always fluctuate as with any body of water, and we took that into account when choosing plants. We have four plants that are on the water’s edge that can tolerate fluctuating water levels and will hopefully grow and make a difference in the future.” Despite measures being taken to mitigate the water level disparities from the crack in the limestone, the water in the quarry will continue to decrease as years progress. Over the past 40 years, the quarry levels have dropped a significant amount. “The overall quarry water level is significantly lower than when I started at ESD 40 years ago,” Director of Outdoor Education Eddie Eason said. “The development of the Merrell campus, both buildings and athletic surfaces have greatly decreased the amount of ground absorption. Pumping water into the quarry will be a short visual relief, but the water will eventually drain into a low water table, think of a pool or bucket with a crack in it. The water will eventually escape.”

ESD affinity for quarry life Led by Outdoor Educator, Davis Felder, fishing club fishes in the campus’ quarry. Students find the activity to provide a relaxing break from school work and the club has made many students rather fond of the campus quarry. Permaculture club revolves solely around the quarry. The club members pride themselves on the work they have put into the protect campus greenery and the aid they have provided in controlling quarry water levels. This past year, teachers have been using the quarry as a place to provide students with mask breaks. The grassy area in front of the quarry now has become a place where students can relax and practice social distancing. Events ranging from alumni luncheons to fifth grade-senior buddy holiday events have taken place around the quarry. The community holds a special place in their hearts for quarry activities and the scenery the quarry provides. This is a spot unique to campus life and has been integral to a multitude of students experience at school.

CROSS BORDER CONFLICT

GIRLS SCHOOL BOMBING IN KABUL

COVID CATASTROPHE IN INDIA

After weeks of rising tensions between Israelis and Palestinians over decades-old land disputes, there was a police raid at the alAqsa mosque in East Jerusalem on May 10. The raid, which wounded 330 Palestinians, led to nearly 500 retaliatory rockets towards Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli military spokesman. In response, the Israelis have launched over 130 airstrikes impacting large amounts of the population. This is the worse IsraeliPalestinian fighting in the past seven years.

Over 80 people were killed on May 9 in an attack on primarily Hazara girls ages 11-18 in Kabul, Afghanistan. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, however, the government blames the Taliban as they have a history targeting Hazaras and being opposed to education for women. This is the third attack in the past year on Hazara women and outrage has grown as the government’s failure to maintain security for these women is becoming more evident.

India is now recording over 400,000 COVID-19 cases daily with a positivity rate of 36 percent, up from last month’s three percent. Lifesaving oxygen and medicine is running out, hospitals are overcrowded and patients are being turned away. India was in lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic but then opened up, disregarding social distancing measures and mask-wearing which led them to the current state of catastrophe.

Photo by Abhishek N.Chinnappa/Getty Images/TNS

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Vaccines increasingly sought by community Immunity becomes more available through vaccination, allows many to shift towards normalcy By Abby Baughman and Elliot Lovitt Staff writers

s of March 29, Texans 16 and older are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, many upper school students are being vaccinated. Starting in July 2020, PfizerBioNTech began conducting clinical trials on children to test the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. In trials with participants 16 and older, the vaccine proved to be 95 percent effective. On May 10, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 and up. Pfizer has declared that it is 100 percent effective in early clinical trials with children ages 12-15. At press time, Dallas County reported that over 51 percent of those 16 and older have received at least one shot, and 39 percent of people in Dallas County are fully vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine guarantees children with the virus will not be symptomatic and the chances of hospitalization are slim to none. A May 10 poll of 158 upper school students, revealed that 72 percent said they would receive the vaccine if given the opportunity. These numbers coincide with the Feb. 17 poll of 131 students where 72 percent of upper school students said they would get the vaccine if given the opportunity. Freshman Brooks Searcy, along with 3 other upper school students, took part in the Moderna vaccine trial for children ages 17 and under. She wasn’t nervous before getting the vaccine. However, she felt anxious because the participants of the trial were required to have their blood drawn. Since it was a trial, Searcy might have gotten the placebo; however, she is confident she did get the vaccine. “I definitely got the vaccine, not the placebo,” Searcy said. “I haven’t completed the whole process yet, but for our first visit, we signed some paperwork, got our blood drawn, and then got the vaccine. After you get the vaccine, you have to wait for an hour before you can leave. The first visit took about three and a half hours.” The main side effects after the first shot are fatigue, headache and a fever. For the Moderna vaccine, the second shot is administered 28 days after the first dosage. The second shot is given four weeks later to maximize the effectiveness of the

The more people in our community who get vaccinated, the better. Henry Heil Head of Upper School

vaccine. “The second visit was a lot quicker,” Searcy said. “We had our checkup, then got the vaccine and waited [for] an hour after.” The symptoms of the second shot are usually more noticeable. After the first dose, the recipient’s immune system starts making spike protein antibodies and the immune response happens slowly. Then, four weeks later, after the second shot, the immune system recognizes the spike protein from the first shot and triggers a stronger immune response which typically causes more side effects. According to the CDC, most people who get the vaccine will have moderate to no side effects, but Searcy felt sick after the second shot. “I threw up after both of my shots,” Searcy said. “My arm was red and swollen for about three to four days after, and I could not lift [my arm].” According to the CDC, 23 percent of people who receive the Moderna vaccine experience nausea or vomiting, and 14 percent experience swelling at the injection site or arm. Sophomore Eleanor Vig received the vaccine shortly after turning 16. One of her motivations to get vaccinated was the exemption from school issued quarantine. The school requires quarantining for two weeks after exposure to COVID-19. However, vaccinated students are not required to quarantine. Moving forward, as more students get the vaccine, less upper school students will be quarantined from school. “Two weeks after I get [the second shot], I’ll be exempt from quarantine,” Vig said. “It’s going to be very beneficial for me because I learn better in person.” Unlike Searcy, Vig did not participate in a trial and received the vaccine through an appointment. She did so at a CVS pharmacy, which shows available time slots for appointments on their website. She

received the Pfizer vaccine as it is the only vaccine offered to her age group. “My mom booked the appointment through CVS, and it was really easy to get. [They were] really organized with how they gave me the vaccine,” Vig said. In addition to CVS, the chain stores H-E-B, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Kroger and Walmart, among others, have the ability to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas. But some students don’t think children should receive a vaccine. “I think that everyone should get vaccines except children,” freshman Barrow Solomon said. “[They] shouldn’t be getting the COVID-19 vaccine right now since there’s other people who need them more [or] who are elderly and older [with] preexisting conditions.” As more students and faculty get vaccinated, the schools’ COVID-19 rules are bound to change. The first major change was made on March 23 when one way hallways, stairways and bathroom passes were decided to be no longer needed. “The more of a chance of us having to quarantine, the more we have to think about the restrictions,” upper school head Henry Heil said. But the percentage of vaccinated students is not the deciding factor in loosening up restrictions, rather the amount of people who should be quarantined. In other words, the amount of students who are required to quarantine is dependent on how many students have the vaccine. “We don’t plan on making everyone vaccinate,” Heil said. “We think there will be 10 percent of our students that won’t get vaccinated next fall.” At the moment, no student, faculty member or parent is required to be vaccinated to be allowed on campus. The vaccine is optional for both this year and next year.

Another change implemented as more people get vaccinated, is that classes are not routinely on Google Meet. On April 15, Heil sent an email to the upper school students about new policies with COVID-19 restrictions. “Starting on Monday, April 19, we will no longer routinely offer Google Meet in classrooms,” Heil said. “The exceptions to this change are [to either be] pre-approved by the administration to learn remotely long-term, or on schoolissued quarantine. The hope is that students… finish the year in a fashion that resembles ‘normalcy.’” Student response varied after virtual learning ended for majority of the community. Vig supported the decision, as it promotes fair learning environments for all students. “I think that the school made a good decision on taking away Google Meet because some students might

MOVING FORWARD Students begin to receive the vaccine as Pfizer has approved it for people 12 and older. Moderna’s vaccine was approved for people 18 and older. Photo illustration by Elliot Lovitt

take advantage of Google Meet,” Vig said. “Like let’s say they have a test or quiz that day and they decide they want to be online.” Some school programs this summer will require participants to get vaccinated. For example, Students Shoulder to Shoulder, a service trip program affiliated with the school, is requiring children to get vaccinated in order to attend programs both domestic and international. Even though the majority of the student body is not eligible to receive the vaccine at this time, inoculation will help control contagion at school. “The more people in our community who get vaccinated, the better,” Heil said.

percent of students have been vaccinated or plan on receiving the vaccine

Source: May 10 poll of 158 upper school students

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May 14, 2021

Derek Chauvin found guilty on three counts After the public murder of George Floyd, the Minneapolis police officer is tried By Katherine Mote News Editor

econd-degree murder: Guilty. Third-degree murder: Guilty. Second-degree manslaughter: Guilty. As the trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin played out over the past month or so, activists and citizens alike took to the streets once again fighting for justice over the murder of George Floyd. However, the reason for the trial was to prove that unnecessary deadly force had been used against Floyd, and the 12 jurors, who deliberated for just over 10 hours, acknowledged that with three charges, which he will receive sentencing for on June 16. The death of George Floyd, on May 25, 2020, initiated protests around the country as the video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck circulated the Internet. Upper school American government teacher Kiley McAbee said it’s important to realize what the trial was really about. “It is not a trial about George Floyd and whether he’s guilty or innocent, but it’s a trial about officer Derek Chauvin and whether he committed this crime and to what degree,” McAbee said. “The state has been presenting its case against Chauvin, but also some states allow the prosecution to bring witnesses to attest to the humanity of the person so the jury can hear more about the person.” Having witnesses attest to Floyd and his character certainly assisted in both the expedition and assessment of the veracity of the events. Two witnesses, Floyd’s sister as well as an acquaintance from Minnesota,

took the stand to talk about Floyd as becoming traumatized that this is the part of a unique Minnesota trial rule way our county is allowed to treat called the “spark of life” doctrine. black people.” “It’s certainly clear that they’re That video is what led to so much going to use [the fact that there were accountability within the police trace amounts of drugs in Floyd’s department and a public hearing. system,] and show that the people The power of video in Chauvin’s trial who were filming and nearby were and how much it has changed the making the officers dynamics from past feel like they were courtroom proceedings fearful for their lives,” involving police was McAbee said. “ I don’t immense, especially HOW MANY think those things as the conversation TIMES HAS THIS of departmental or have any pertinence to the case, and it’s national police reform OCCURRED, especially interesting is necessary. to hear multiple health “I don’t know if it HOW MANY professionals say that will lead to any kind [drugs] had nothing to of general overhaul,” VIDEOS CAN do with his death. He McAbee said. “It YOU POSSIBLY appears already that died from losing his breath or asphyxiation, there have been, on and I think their case is SEE? a decentralized level, pretty weak.” lots of precincts and Kiley McAbee, The defense used cities who have either US Government teacher examples of what a instituted immediate reasonable police reforms, but in terms officer would do. It of on a national level, I stated that Chauvin acted reasonably don’t know.” and how the “situation is dynamic In early March, The House passed and fluid” and “can change second the George Floyd Justice in Policing to second.” The defense lawyer also Act which bans choke-holds and said that “the nine minutes and would end qualified immunity for 29 seconds ignores the previous 16 police officers. Qualified immunity is minutes and 59 seconds” of time a precedent that gives police officers the police officers spent with Floyd broad protections against lawsuits. before the situation escalated to The bill will also create a national murder. database of police misconduct and “I think the trials have require federal law enforcement desensitized people to the murder of officials to use body and dash black people,” sophomore Cren Boyd cameras. said. “Last year I remember watching “I think the American police the murder of George Floyd and department is a long way from

Derek Chauvin’s convictions: Second-degree unintentional murder Third-degree murder Second-degree manslaughter.

change. However, I do think that the trials are opening up some people’s eyes to the severity of the injustices committed against black people,” Boyd said. “I think that they will help show that real change is needed if we want our country to be a civil and peaceful place.” The conversation grew into one that has been ongoing since 2013 with Black Lives Matter and police brutality as a whole. With the flame of movement that came with this police encounter, it prompted

public figures and other citizens to share their opinion and keep this conversation going to create real change. “How many times has this occurred, how many videos can you possibly see? You would think that it’s obvious to the rest of the country that this has happened a lot,” McAbee said. “It seemed like they had never been paying attention and this kind of opened up a conversation that unfortunately seemed to not really be happening.”

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Texans react differently to mask mandate lift

inbrief

By Kara Dross, Web Editor and Satori Griffith, Photo Editor

Prom is happening for upperclassmen Prom has been confirmed for the juniors and seniors. The junior class moms and the school’s administration planned a COVID-19 safe prom to provide the upperclassmen with an in-person event. Prom was a priority this year, and it is one of few events that did not get cancelled this year. It was

disappointing for the 2020 seniors that prom got cancelled last year, it would have been their last senior event before graduation. “We were all so excited to come back from spring break and have prom the following weekend,” Lily Baughman ‘20 said. “Since it was so close after spring break, all of the girls had already bought dresses and gotten them hemmed. Prom was rescheduled multiple times, so our hopes kept getting lifted only for it to be canceled in the end. We were all so grateful that we got to have a prom our junior year, though, so it wasn’t as disappointing for us as it was for high school seniors at other schools who never had a prom.” Prom will be held on the school’s tennis courts on Saturday, June 5. The invitation went out to junior and senior classes in late April. In recent years, prom was held at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in downtown Dallas. Having an outdoor venue this year will help maintain and limit the spread of the virus, and will also be easier for contract tracing. “[It will be good] to feel some sense of normalcy while dancing with my friends,” senior Cleo Neuhoff said. “Prom this year is an exciting thing for the juniors and seniors to look forward to, and it will provide them with one last event all together. I’ve looked forward to prom for so long and I’m so excited that it’s going to happen.”

DURING HEALTHIER TIMES The class of 2019 was the last grade who enjoyed an in-person prom. Usually, prom is the last event besides graduation that the grade can all be together. Photo provided by ‘19 parent.

By Kate Eastin

A new spin to senior dog day On April 7, the senior class walked their four-legged friends during the first senior dog day parade before school for 15 minutes. Sixty seniors brought one dog to participate in the parade and some dogs dressed up in college outfits, bow ties and other costumes. To begin the parade, seniors assembled into lines and walked around the perimeter of God’s Front Lawn. After two laps, participants and their dogs stopped for a group picture. Senior Hollis Wood looked forward to bringing her dog to

MEMORABLE MOMENTS Class of 2021 seniors walk their tailwagging friends around God’s Front Lawn during the first senior dog day parade. Photo by George Fiala.

school since she came to ESD as a freshman. Wood brought her 3-year-old Goldendoodle, Boogie, to school with her to join the parade. “[The school] has changed things this year because of COVID-19,” Wood said. “Dogs have had accidents in past years, so all [students] were required to bring a poop bag and remain outside instead of bringing the dogs into the classrooms [like previous years].” In the past, seniors were allowed to bring their dogs to school for the day, but a parade was suggested instead for this year. “This [year] is the first year that we have had a ‘parade’ [because] having [dogs] in the buildings and hallways was really not a good idea,” assistant head of upper school Jeff Laba said. “Over the course of seven or eight years, we had concerns from some teachers and parents of students who were allergic or very afraid of dogs.” For future senior dog parades, Wood recommends making this event similar to the way it has been organized in past years, but with some adjustments. “I definitely would want the dogs to stay all day and change the classroom dynamics,” Wood said. “Maybe the classrooms can be outside and the dogs [could] sit with the students [during] class lessons and try to carry out the day with these changes, but with your dog by your side instead of having a parade.” Laba said that while it was fun to see all the dogs in the parade, the most memorable moment was the look of pride on the seniors’ faces. “It is always fun to share something you love with others,” Laba said. “Having a chance to introduce their dogs to their teachers and classmates brought smiles to their faces.”

By Tessa Stephenson

School offers in-person summer courses This year, summer school classes will start on June 1 and conclude on Aug.6, with classes varying in size, length and credits given. Most summer courses for upper school, such as American government, ethics and health, will run from

SUMMER OF LEARNING The courses offered during summer school can be found on ESD’s website: esdallas.org. Check out the website if you are interested in enrollment.

June 1 through July 2, while other classes, like Mobile Apps, will be held from July 6 through 30. AP Computer Science teacher Jerome Mitchell, who will be teaching the Mobile Apps Development course, said that his summer class size tends to vary, but he would estimate he gets around five to eight students on average. “Everyone has to take Mobile Apps, but if you’re not into computers and programming then yes, this should be something you can kick back to summer school,” Mitchell said. “I have not yet had trouble making my class. As long as [the class] is meeting the minimum, which is typically about three to five students, then we consider that a full class.” Junior Chase Kennedy chose to take health during the summer before the beginning of his freshman year at ESD. Kennedy took health the last three weeks of June 2018. “I chose to take health just to get that high school credit out of the way,” Kennedy said. “So for the rest of high school, I have one less thing to check off my list - which is in my opinion a huge advantage.” But some students feel that summer courses take time away from their summer and that they go from finishing final exams into summer school without a break. “However, the pro of getting the health credit out of the way ultimately outweighs the con,” Kennedy said.

By Spencer Hutchinson

s of March 10, Texas’ of students out of 158 said they will statewide mask mandate continue wearing masks even when it has been lifted, allowing is not required in a store or restaurant. businesses to operate When the news that Eatzi’s would at full capacity. The decision was be mask-optional came out, students made public after Gov. Greg Abbott who were regular customers of the announced he planned to loosen food market were suddenly faced the COVID-19 restrictions in Texas. with whether or not they would Despite health officials still strongly continue supporting the store. emphasizing the need for face masks “I typically eat at Eatzi’s at least to contain the spread, Abbott said once a week, which is why it was his decision was based around the incredibly disappointing for me need for businesses to have more to come across the ‘No Masks customers. Required, God Bless America!’ sign “Too many Texans have been last time I was there,” said junior sidelined from employment Nancy McGinley*. “I still decided opportunities,” Abbott said during to go in and scope out the area, a March 2 statewide announcement checking to see if people were while speaking to the Lubbock actually not wearing masks and if I Chamber of Commerce. “Too many felt comfortable enough to grab my small business owners have struggled mac and cheese. There were about to pay their bills. This must end. It is six people in the store and half of now time to open Texas 100 percent.” them were not wearing masks, so I At the time of the announcement, immediately walked out.” less than nine percent of Texas With this news, McGinley’s residents had been fully vaccinated, frustration grew to the point where according to Johns Hopkins she decided to no longer support University data, as well as the state Eatzis while their store is mask averaging around 200 deaths per optional. Like McGinley, 30 percent of day. Critics said Abbott’s decision students in a poll of 157 total students, to loosen restrictions was made too taken on May 10, said they do not feel soon and the executive order was comfortable entering a mask optional dangerous for the store or restaurant. state. Critics of the “I refuse to give my decision included business to a company President Joe Biden that disregards the who said Abbott lives of the 45 percent I REFUSE TO GIVE had made a “big of Americans that are mistake.” considered at-risk for MY BUSINESS According to complications from TO A COMPANY a poll taken on COVID-19,” McGinley May 10, out of 157 said “Although students, 48 percent THAT DISREGARDS there are more and do not support Gov. THE LIVES OF THE more people getting Abbott’s decision of vaccinated each day, lifting the state wide 45 PERCENT OF there are still many mask mandate. who are either too While 40 percent scared to get it or who AMERICANS are in favor of lifting do not have access to Nancy Moore*, the mandate. it.” upper school student With the mask After trying to reach mandate coming to out to Eatzi’s Market an end, businesses & Bakery through around Texas were numerous emails, visits faced with the to the sore and calls, no decision of determining whether or one replied to our many requests for not they should require face masks in an interview. their stores and restaurants. But Eatzi’s decision to be mask“I think businesses allowing people optional has not hindered their to choose if they want to wear a mask business. Instead, it attracted many is a good thing,” said junior Christina people who share a similar mindset Polk*, “It makes it feel like things are around mask regulations, considering getting back to normal. I also feel as everyone in the store was not though it will bring in more business wearing one. Unlike Eatzi’s Market for some stores and restaurants. Lots & Bakery, Trader Joe’s, a grocery of businesses have been struggling store with several locations in the during the pandemic, so this could DFW area, is still requiring their staff help. ” and customers to wear masks upon Large businesses including Target, entering the store. Central Market, Home Depot and “I do not want to support a Uber also said they will continue company that is okay with taking to require masks despite the lifting the risk of spreading the virus of the mandate. On the other hand, and potentially hospitalizing or businesses in Dallas such as 24 Hour killing someone,” McGinley said, “I Fitness, La La Land Kind Cafe and obviously do not like wearing a mask, Eatzi’s Market & Bakery said they will but it is not a hard thing to do. Masks be mask-optional moving forward. work.” In the May 10 poll, 58 percent *Names have been changed at the request of the student

A MASKLESS MEAL Local restaurant Eatzi’s does not require masks on the principle of empowering one’s “freedom of choice.” This stands out in contrast to many Dallas restaurants that responded to Gov. Greg Abbott’s mask mandate lift with a “no mask, no service” mentality. “After I snapped a photo to make fun of later, the sign made me leave immediately,” junior Carolyn Langford said. “I would never support a business that doesn’t support the safety of its customers.” Photo by Carolyn Langford

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May 14, 2021

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art world social scene

ESD’S OWN TARANTINO: FILM STUDENT SAM CURTIS

By Charlotte Tomlin Staff writer

n room F-203, the world flips upside down as students become directors, friends become costars and ideas become reality. Courier-font decorated scripts fly off the printer, table reads are regular and rented monkeys make an appearance every once in a while. Scripts are passed from hand to hand before a table read, while specific lines are highlighted. In the Intro to Film class, students learn how to use the film equipment, how to correct lighting, learn to write stories and scripts and discover how to make visually appealing and engaging films. Senior Sam Curtis, coincidentally the student who rented a live monkey for a film, has been a part of the world-bending film class for four years. Valuing comedic aspects in his films, Curtis has made eight films throughout the upper school. “[I] began making amateur films as soon as I had access to a camcorder,” Curtis said. “I have wanted to tell stories since before I can remember.” Curtis has portrayed stories through film since childhood and plans to continue his passion through college and beyond. He will attend Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television this fall and plans to major in film production. “My dream job has always been to be a film director on a risky blockbuster production,” Curtis said. “Or the executive at a creative studio. My favorite director is Christopher Nolan; just to meet him would make my year, but to work with him would, without exaggerating, make my life’s ambitions complete.” The “risky” line of business would be fitting for Curtis, according to Bobby Weiss, Curtis’ film teacher

who has been teaching at ESD for seven years. “Sam takes risks by writing stuff that’s difficult to shoot, and then actually doing it,” Weiss said. “[He] is one of the few students in the past years that worked with real actors and did a casting call [to find] the right people.” Called a young Quentin Tarantino by Weiss, Curtis has a unique writing style that sets him apart from other young filmmakers. “His writing skills are something that comes along once every blue moon,” Weiss said. “He’s very smart and clever about the way he writes. [His films are] so funny. It’s like [watching] people having these intimate, funny conversations amongst themselves, and you really, as an audience member, feel like you shouldn’t be there watching it.” Curtis has made many films with creative storylines, whether it’s a search to find an elusive finch or a film where burglars can’t seem to get their story straight. While Curtis has used hired actors in his films before, his fellow students have also been featured as actors and crew members, such as seniors Christopher Hess, Aidan Cox and Braydon Giangiulio. Curtis’ films describe a variety of different situations, with titles varying from “Beyond Protein” to “The Mythic Golden-Breasted Finch.” “My favorite part of filmmaking is being on location and witnessing the jaw-dropping experience of seeing your idea become a reality,” Curtis said. “Every crew member and actor was amazing in each of my films.” Curtis’ many projects in filmmaking provide a springboard

to continue his passion in college. Although he’s one of a few seniors majoring in film, Curtis’ writing style sets him apart. “Sam is an incredibly motivated writer,” Weiss said. “His writing style is incredibly unique.” Although Weiss praises Curtis’ filmmaking abilities, Curtis remains always humble. “It’s hard for me to pick a favorite film of my own,” Curtis said. “As a filmmaker, I’m hardly proud of my previous work. And [I] choose only to look ahead to knocking it out of the park with the next.” Curtis said that he has yet to find a definitive signature technique,

but he wants to take old myths and legendary stories and translate them into a modern-day short film in the future. Many of his films draw inspiration from movies and artists around him. His favorite genre of film, action/adventure comedy, inspires his ventures. “The Nice Guys starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling is up there in my top choices,” Curtis said. “The type of comedy, fearless screenwriting, and retro 70s style in the film hit the nail on the head for me.” However, the definition of a film that knocks it out of the park, according to Curtis, has many qualities that put it over the top.

EDITING IN ACTION Curtis edits his film “Shellshock” using Adobe Premiere Pro. “It’s fun to see how he works by breaking those stories down into shot lists and storyboards, and then goes out and gets the footage,” film teacher Bobby Weiss said. Photo provided by Sam Curtis.

“My ideal film has a meaningful story with a clear theme to assert, fascinating characters who develop logically from beginning to end, an airtight plot with no wasted time, and a game-changing innovation, style, or cinematography,” Curtis said. “Not to mention, a film is only as strong as its third act; the ending should close out all loose ends in a satisfying way.”

Some community members opting to learn virtually face difficulty this year By Elisabeth Siegel Life Editor ith the sudden shift away from the classroom nearly a year ago, seven students and faculty chose to learn or teach remotely out of concern of COVID-19, facing the challenges of isolation and online communication. Sophomore Neel Mallipeddi decided to learn remotely the entire school year to protect his family, specifically his grandparents, who were temporarily living with him. “Generally, I just wanted to be safe,” Mallipeddi said. “We’re so close to the vaccine, so why take any chances before everybody has them? As soon as I get the vaccine, I’m probably coming back to school.” Remote students face many difficulties while learning from home, whether it is difficulty communicating or staying focused. According to a May 10 poll of 158 students, 92 percent of students have difficulty focusing while learning remotely. “Sometimes a teacher focuses more on the kids physically there, and they have slightly more freedom to ask questions,” Mallipeddi said. “There are times where you have to keep reminding the teachers to show the board or show what they’re doing and sometimes even that doesn’t get us an opportunity to see that. Also, it’s a lot harder to focus when I’m

home, especially with my parents have an incredible online program also working and being on calls in the being followed in a very systematic background.” way because not everyone can be Many teachers have realized that successful like that.” learning at home has not created a Professional counselor and former suitable learning environment for Eagle Edition editor Ashley Kuehne some students. ‘93 has seen a stark Spanish teacher rise in anxiety and Marcela Garcini depression for has noticed students due to the effects of isolation and fear SOMETIMES A remote learning of the pandemic. TEACHER FOCUSES on students, Online learning, reinforcing the according to MORE ON THE KIDS need for in-person Kuehne, is more school. difficult for children PHYSICALLY THERE, “[People] have with attention different learning challenges or AND THEY HAVE styles, so you unideal family SLIGHTLY MORE have kids that get situations. really distracted “Even with the FREEDOM TO ASK or kids in their changes for inbedroom [all day], person learning, QUESTIONS. which doesn’t [students] are create a very good missing a big atmosphere,” component of Garcini said. “I school for that Neel Mallepeddi Sophomore think the teaching age group, which in the classroom, is socialization the socialization, and community,” the whole process Kuehne said. “I of learning cannot be replaced with think some students who were maybe online learning. It’s human contact bullied at school or who already had and the opportunity to come [to] severe social anxiety have done a little talk and approach your teacher. bit better with homeschooling, but We can’t replace that, even if you I think that’s a really small majority

of students… When we’re online all day with this constant stimulation, our brains get no breaks whatsoever, so I’m really challenging people to build in time where you get off media, walk around, and change your environment.” “You have to be very flexible and dynamic,” Garcini said. “I prefer to have a fully engaged class. I especially think about the kids online because they spend so many hours on the screen. You see the learning and projects that you have to grade, and you have to evaluate. I know that they are working with me and I see whatever they’re producing.” Students were not the only ones attending school from home, a few faculty members chose to teach remotely. Chemistry teacher Walter Warner decided to teach from home for most of the school year. He spent last summer taking courses on how to be a more effective online teacher and offered extra help sessions on Google Meet for his students. “I intentionally tried to help students get to know me better as a person, which they would have been able to do pretty easily if I had been in the classroom with them every day,” Warner said. “I expanded my knowledge and my skill set when it comes to finding a wider variety of learning devices to help

students before the pandemic last year. Teaching online allowed me to individualize some assignments for kids, which I never focused on that much last year. I hope to continue that in the future when everything’s back to normal again.” Sophomore Kate Battaglia, one of Warner’s students, attended school in person while communicating with him on a large screen in the room. “Despite a lot of the technical difficulties we had getting the Google Meet to work, he was a great online teacher because he did the most to try and simulate that in the classroom with online whiteboards,” Battaglia said. “His class is very engaging and he brings a lot of personality and excitement to class. The extra help was really nice because he would individually help us solve problems that we didn’t grasp.” The technology department equipped all classrooms with large screens, cameras and special applications to assist with lesson sharing for remote learners. Teachers teaching remotely share their screen via Google Meet or use an online whiteboard. “It’s a privilege when you have a school that has provided all the resources that they have,” Garcini said. “Technology became really important for us.”

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Effort put into in fine arts electives varies

Students and teachers question whether students put more effort into core or fine arts elective classes By Ben Guerriero Staff writer

I THINK PEOPLE ASSUME ELECTIVE CLASSES ARE AN ‘EASY A’ BUT GENERALLY THE STUDENTS TAKE ELECTIVE CLASSES THAT INTEREST THEM. Brenda Hatter, Fine Arts Department Chair

his past April, the Fine Arts Network board hosted the Student Art Week, where music and art were displayed around the school. Many of the students who displayed their art throughout the week were excited about their peers noticing their dedication to their electives. To these student artists, elective courses hold value. Some students take electives so seriously that they take any opportunity to showcase their work with the community. “I gave my advisory’s chapel talk during Fine Arts Week without really planning to, and some friends and I created our own arrangement of ‘The Rainbow Connection’ by the Muppets and spent a lot of time rehearsing and perfecting it,” senior Sumner Wooldridge said. “I’m glad our performance was sandwiched in between so many other fantastic arts-based chapels because it really forced me to realize how much I missed celebrating the arts as a community through live performances. But not all students take their elective courses as seriously. In a recent upper school student poll sent out on April 12, 55 percent of respondents said that they only put “some” effort into their elective classes and nine percent went a step further to say that they put zero effort into their elective classes. Some of these students said that they only take elective classes because they are required to do so as part of their upper school credit requirements. “Core classes are more important to one’s future because one needs to use those courses in real life,” freshman Houston Jones said. “Electives are generally easier and core classes require more work.” Elective classes, however, are required and hold weight when it comes to a student’s GPA. Electives allow students to explore, open up and show their hidden talents. According to Academic Dean Eric Boberg, elective and core classes have the same potential for one’s future. “Elective courses are those that students select, whether it be Computer Science or AP Art History,” Boberg said. “Many students spend a considerable amount of time in elective courses, and many elective courses are very rigorous and include AP courses and courses that require considerable time outside of the school day.” Even so, some students are still more dedicated to core courses. “I try harder in my core classes because I will use them in my life, and they matter more towards my GPA,” freshman Baker Madans said. “Even if it’s an easy A, I’ll still try harder in it compared to an art class.” Opinions from students vary, but the majority of students believe that they need to try harder in their core classes because it may help them more later down the road. Thirty-four percent of students try just as hard in their fine arts classes as their core classes. “These [fine arts] classes get students that are curious about art, other students are very into it

because they like creating and many other students that take the class for many reasons,” upper school drawing, art history, and studio art teacher Juan Negroni said. “Sometimes this will determine the amount of effort they put on it.” Regarding grades, some students say that their electives are easy. A May 10 poll of 158 students showed that 35 percent of students think electives are easy A’s. And some teachers think there is a reason for that. “I think people assume electives classes are an “easy A”…but generally the students take elective classes that interest them, and they feel a connection to, which usually equates to success,” middle school 3D art teacher and Fine Arts Department Chair Brenda Hatter said. “My course, for example, requires students to do research, proposals, and written reflection, on top of the actual task involved in the project.” However, 56 percent of students polled believe that electives are challenging and evoke their emotions. Especially during this time of isolation, students showed an increased lack of effort in their elective classes because of increased stress and complications. Also, with the year coming to an end and exams coming up, students are thinking about their electives less. “This year has presented so many challenges— especially when students must unexpectedly quarantine,” Hatter said. And this sentiment permeates into the lower grades. Middle school English teachers Jill Remaud, Adina Richman and a teacher who asked to remain anonymous agreed that students have invested less effort into their elective classes. “In my opinion, students try harder in their core classes, probably because they’re more demanding in terms of weight—amount of grades taken, the weight some grades have over others, like ‘major’ and ‘minor’ and the weight of core classes on the GPA [honors vs. regular],” Remaud said. But she also said that “fine art elective classes, by definition, are to encourage the creative side of the brain; therefore, they’re more laid back and less stressful.” But some students underestimate the difficulty of elective classes, according to another teacher who asked to remain anonymous, and they believe elective classes are solely a requirement for graduation. Although students’ opinions spread across the charts, teachers, mainly those in the arts, agreed that their electives are meant to be challenging and fun at the same time. They all said students should try because they care, not because they are required. “My students learn quickly that the photography classes at ESD are fun and interesting, but also require discipline and time involvement,” photography teacher George Fiala said. “My students have to put lots of critical thinking, time and effort into their work to get a good score.”

Page design by Gina Montagna and Emily Lichty Editors-in-Chief

life

May 14, 2021

thebuzz

A day to remember Students and faculty look back and talk about their favorite day of the school year

By Taylor Turner Staff writer

“My favorite day of this school year so far has been Career Day. It was really fun to see how everybody dressed up as a different career and all had their different reasons why they wanted to dress up like that. The spirit week was really fun because it gave students a day to express themselves and the things they liked.”

“The snow days because we haven’t had snow in a while and it was really fun to have a week off of school and to just play in the snow. I like that we got a full week off of school because it was good to have downtime and relax. Despite the power being out, it created an opportunity for family bonding time. I was excited to experience snow with my sisters for the first time, creating a snowman with my sister and dad and, of course, [taking] Instagram snow pictures.”

“The best day of the school year so far would be the Junior Ring Ceremony. It was nice to watch all of my friends that I’ve grown up with since Beginners be called up and receive a ring to symbolize us graduating next year. It’s crazy to think that next year is our last year at ESD, and it’s amazing to watch how far we’ve come.”

“The senior dog parade because it was really fun to have all of our dogs there and to get to see everybody’s dogs. They were really cute and really fun. It was also really fun because it was the first time we ever really had a senior tradition finally happen. It was a lot of fun and it was good to be with everybody.”

“The day we returned after Labor Day when all the students came back on campus from being remote for the first couple of weeks [was my favorite day this year. It was a good feeling, and it was good to finally see everybody live and in-person to get that sense of community back that you don’t normally get when the whole school is remote. It’s that sense of community that matters.”

Alex Ramirez,

Madison McCloud,

Grace Macchia,

Monse Rodriguez,

Todd Kessler,

freshman

sophomore

junior

senior

history and speech & debate teacher

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Vacation plans resume amid vaccine Families comfortable with summer travel, while others are not

By William Custard and Olivia Hohmann Staff Writers

or most people, summer is usually a time to hang out with friends, relax and travel—but since last year, with the advent of COVID-19, everything changed. Travel was either restricted or pretty much canceled. Most of the travel industry, especially airlines and hotels, suffered terribly. However, this summer, declining COVID-19 cases and increased vaccine availability is encouraging many in our community to return to travel, while others continue to choose not to. According to a May 10 upper school survey of 158 students, 90 percent of students plan on traveling this summer, compared to 78 percent of students who traveled last year. For freshman Patrick Adams, the pandemic ruined his plans to get out of Dallas for a new change of scenery last year. “We had planned on going to Hawaii, but because of COVID-19, we were unable to go anywhere,” Adams said. “COVID-19 completely canceled our plans for last year and possibly this year as well.” The Adams family is still deciding on whether or not it is safe for them to travel this summer. They are concerned about contracting the disease, as Patrick has underlying health conditions. If they do travel, they want to make sure that they feel comfortable and safe. Many other families feel the same way about traveling, they need a guarantee that everything will be okay. Similarly, math teacher Chris Northrup’s original travel plans were also ruined by the pandemic last year, but he did not let that stop him from enjoying summer and finding a safer alternative. “I drove to see my family in Baltimore,” Northrup said “We were all really careful and it was great to

see everyone. I also drove to several state parks around Texas and went camping. It was perfect to be out in nature and away from people. This allowed me to feel safe from COVID-19.” Like Northrup, many others wanted to travel but did not want to risk their safety. During the start of COVID-19, the passenger volume on U.S. airlines was down 53 percent and later bottomed down to 90 percent. And Northrup was one of hundreds of thousands of people who did not fly last year. “Last summer, things were pretty scary with COVID-19, so I wasn’t comfortable flying on a plane or being in close quarters with anyone else,” Northrup said. “This means that any travel I did was done by walking, biking or car.” Visiting nearby areas alone allowed Northrup to drive home daily, sleep in his own bed and then go on another adventure the next day. He hopes that he will get to travel more this summer and explore more of Texas, like many other members of the community. “I’m planning on traveling more this summer than last summer,” Northrup said. “Things seem to be a lot safer and people seem to be respectful of others in terms of distancing and so forth.” Although COVID-19 is still prevalent, there are more than 15 times the amount of people flying this time of year compared to last year. According to Forbes magazine, AirBnbs are expected to grow by 37 percent this year. However, many people still do not feel comfortable getting on a plane, due to the crowds and the close quarters. There are also people that although they have been vaccinated, still feel that it is their responsibility to stay off of airplanes and public transportation. They

are doing this as they do not want to transmit the disease or put other people at risk. While sophomore Bryce Hill normally travels often over the summer, she did not plan as many trips last year. However, her family still decided to travel to Tennessee and Telluride, and she was able to attend camp. Popular summer camps for students such as Camp Waldemar, Camp Greystone and Camp Longhorn will be resuming operation this summer after being restricted due to COVID-19. According to the same student survey, 17 percent of students attended summer camp, while this year, 75 percent of students will be attending. “I go to Camp Longhorn and normally it is three weeks, but it was shortened to two weeks because of COVID-19,” Hill said. “Although it was shortened, I was still grateful to

go and have fun.” But Hill plans on traveling again this summer. Her family has not finalized their travel plans, but they have a couple of ideas. “We are hoping to go to Hawaii if travel restrictions are lifted,” Hill said. “And so far, camp is scheduled to take place this summer.” Freshman Will Grogan had big plans to travel to London, New York and Vienna last summer but all of his plans were put to a halt. This year, however, they are planning to travel. “Because of the COVID-19 preventative measures taken by the government and restrictions placed, my family determined it was better to stay off airplanes and stay in the country,” Grogan said. “We will travel this summer no matter what because of increased COVID-19 vaccinations in and around the U.S. and because of more lenient CDC guidelines in

A TRIP TO REMEMBER Ninth grader Patrick Adams in Rosemary Beach, Florida in June of 2019. The trip was the last time Adams and his family traveled. “While I was there, it was definitely really nice” Adams said “and I look back at those times and hope that we could get back to normal so that vacations like that were possible again. Photo provided by Patrick Adams

travel.” Grogan’s current plans include going to California, Austria, Switzerland, England and Italy for several academic summer programs and vacations. “Hopefully this summer everyone can be flexible and expect the possibility of their plans changing. I also hope everyone can be prepared for the worst if they have to stay home” Grogan said.

life

May 14, 2021

Story by Iris Hernandez and Simran Malhotra Staff Writers Graphic by Emily Lichty Editor-In Chief

The Eagle Edition staff travelled to a variety of frozen yogurt shops across Dallas to fill their bowls with the best yogurt, toppings and fruit in town. Here are the shops that passed the test.

YUMMYLICIOUS FROZEN YOGURT has the most eccentric flavors of any frozen yogurt shop in Dallas. Flavors such as avocado, tamarind and cheesecake stand out, and their multitude of toppings seem endless. I decided to get pomegranate and raspberry sorbet with strawberries and raspberries on top. The sweet raspberry and tangy pomegranate flavors were both prominent, with neither flavor being too overpowering. The strawberries and raspberries were an ideal addition to the fruity bowl. Yummylicious follows all COVID-19 safety guidelines and even gives out gloves in the self serve station. To rival I Heart Yogurt’s intricate wall design, Yummylicious has an Instagram wall: fake green ivy covering the wall with burgundy flowers spread throughout. Their store is filled with warm colors and dark lighting, giving it a home-like feel, and the employees were incredibly nice as well. They have many stores but the ones close to campus are the Greenville Ave. and the Snider Plaza locations. I strongly suggest Yummilicious to anyone looking to try some new with intriguing flavors.

After going to I HEART YOGURT, I can truly say “I heart it.” The well-known frozen yogurt shop in Inwood Village has become a longtime favorite, reminiscent of childhood for many. They also have a location on Hillcrest Ave. in Dallas and on Coneflower Dr. in Garland. Their interior design features cool chairs and a contemporary bamboo wall, which creates a clean aesthetic to match their chilled products. Their prices are based on the weight of the amount of yogurt the customer gets, and it’s a selfserve restaurant, allowing customers to have full control over their yogurt. They follow COVID-19 safety guidelines with spaced out tables, outdoor seating and a plexiglass division that separates customers and the toppings. Their variety of classic flavors pairs well with their multitude of flavorful toppings. My personal favorite consists of a mix of chocolate and cookies and cream yogurt topped with cookie dough, Oreos and a wafer stick. Both flavors of yogurt shine through, while the soft yogurt and crunchy toppings contrast each other nicely. I Heart Yogurt has something for everyone, including fat free options, and is a great place to try the classics.

THE COUNTRY’S BEST YOGURT, more commonly known as TCBY, is a good place to get a variety of sweet treats, but their specialty is frozen yogurt. The small store on Mockingbird Lane gives off an old-fashioned aesthetic. They have a variety of flavors and both fruit and candy toppings to add to the yogurt. I had an orange flavored yogurt with pineapple and mango on top. It reminded me of an orange push pop on a hot summer day. Although the yogurt was packed full of flavor, the fruit was not fresh. This would be a fun place to go during the hot summer months, and it stands out from the other stores by having a convenient drive through. The staff was very nice and gave generous servings. TCBY is a great place to go when looking for a homey, traditional feel. They have three locations throughout the DFW area, one on Mockingbird Lane, one in Irving, and one in Lincoln Village in Fort Worth.

TAPPY’S YOGURT has an exquisite variety of frozen yogurt flavors. I opted for a mix of New York cheesecake and birthday cake, which created a burst of flavor as each unique taste merged to create an extraordinary new flavor. What makes Tappy’s Yogurt stand out is the extravagant selection of toppings, making the yogurt even more distinct. My yogurt serving was covered in boba, chocolate chips and drizzled with chocolate. The staff was genuinely kind and, upon knowing I was writing a review for the paper, they offered me a sample of every flavor I wanted. The shop is bright and colorful and has a fruit theme as it is decorated with numerous fruits all over the place giving it a nice tropical vibe. They have only one location in the metroplex and it is located on MacArthur Blvd. in Lewisville.

YOGURT ZONE has a small selection of flavors, but the topping bar makes up for it. I decided to go for two simple flavors mixed into a hybrid: cookies and cream and cheesecake. Both flavors paired up well as they complemented each other. The yogurt has a good flavor on its own, but would be incomplete without the many toppings available at the store. I covered my frozen yogurt in toppings including mango and strawberry boba, lychee jelly, chocolate chips, sprinkles and topped it off with butterscotch and chocolate syrup. The store, decorated with floral motifs and greenery all over, gives off a natural feeling. Yogurt Zone is an overall cute little shop with a variety of flavors and toppings, all at a reasonable price. I went to the Main Street store in Lewisville, but they also have two stores in Irving; one on MacArthur Blvd and another on West Airport Fwy. Like many other yogurt shops, MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT offers a variety of flavors and toppings. I settled for a simple flavor, birthday cake, which had a distinctive taste on its own. However, my serving would not have been complete without the rainbow of color of toppings I chose, including boba, marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate drizzle and marshmallow syrup. I appreciated that all of the toppings were individually wrapped to maintain pandemic safety. Menchie’s had an interesting perspective to their shop as it was set in a circular floor plan, starting from the yogurt and ending at the cash register. Price wise, Menchie’s was more on the expensive end and wasn’t totally worth the price due to the undistinctive flavor. There are several locations in the area: on State Highway 121 in Euless, on W FM 1382 in Cedar Hill, on Colleyville Blvd. in Colleyville, and on Village Green Drive in Allen.

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STYLE SWINGS O By Callie Hawkins | Sports Editor, Alexandra Warner | Views Editor, Grace Worsham | Life Editor

Always late, fashionably. As sophomore Annabelle Heppner hops out of bed and begins her morning routine, she brushes her hair and her teeth and splashes her face to wake herself up a bit. The first thing she picks out for her outfit is her shoes. From there, she builds her outfit for the day. Today she decides to choose some distressed jeans and a graphic tee that match well with her shoes. She applies concealer and eye make-up to complete the look and on her way out the door, she grabs a purse that matches the color of her blue tee to perfect her monochrome look for the day.

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nts tude least s f o at ent perc xplored lothing e fc have styles o ndemic o tw e the pa sinc

THE RISE OF TRENDS DURING THE PANDEMIC NEW TRENDS, STYLES AND IDEAS RISE WITH THE HELP OF SOCIAL MEDIA during the pandemic and have changed the way many have shopped, dressed and viewed fashion. With more time to surf the Internet and social platforms, many have explored new styles of clothing, sparked new trends, increased their online shopping and found creative ways to sell their clothes. Out of a May 10 student body poll of 158 students, 58 percent of students believe that they shopped more online during the pandemic. “I feel like [social media shopping ] has definitely increased during the pandemic,” sophomore Annabelle Heppner said. “People have been getting more creative on social media as they have more time to focus on that now.” Many found time to clean out their closets and others became interested in their friends’ clothes, which prompted some to start selling clothing through Instagram accounts. Sophomore Sally Tomlin and her friends joined the trend by starting their own account to sell clothes they no longer wanted. “Girls in other grades at ESD had similar accounts, and [my friends and I] all really liked the idea and their clothes and were inspired by them,” Tomlin said. “So, we decided to try it on our own.” Instagram clothing accounts have been quite successful as people have been convinced to both buy and sell clothes. Twenty nine percent of students have shopped from these accounts and eight percent have created their own. “People have found themselves being influenced by social media with both online shopping and the idea of selling their own clothes to make money,” Tomlin said. “A lot of our clothes have been sold to people all around Dallas, and the money I’ve made from selling clothes has given me enough to shop for the newer clothing trends.” This trend was seen among adults as well. Chemistry teacher Anneke Albright found a new way to acquire new clothes by purging her closet and swapping clothes with her friends. “Me and my friends have always swapped clothes, but we have definitely done it the most during the pandemic,” Albright said. “I purged my wardrobe and have four friends here wearing some of my stuff, and I even saw one of them wearing my pants the other day. I probably wouldn’t have done that without the pandemic.” A new fashion statement originated during the pandemic. Masks. Hundreds of name brand stores, such as Urban Outfitters, Target, Levi’s and Rag and Bone started to sell masks both online and in store. Particular designs for masks have become popular including embellished and novelty print face masks. Even Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, has an extensive collection of masks that include bright colors and patterns that she has mainly purchased from a boutique called Donna Lewis. She has not talked much publicly about her masks, but Donna Lewis, from the boutique, said that Pelosi’s chic idea has influenced others. “Anyone that loves Nancy wants these masks,” Lewis said during an Oct. 2020 Insider interview. “It really has become a fun accessory in a tough time. I have people who come in here and say, ‘I saw this on Nancy, and I love it.’” And Heppner also pays attention to the masks she wears. “I have definitely seen a trend of face mask fashion recently,” Heppner said. “I have seen some really cool monochromatic [clothing outfits] with masks to match. I have also noticed that the early 2000s [fashion] has come up again, which I think is really cool.” Heppner is not the only one who has noticed a resurgence of trends from the past decades, Albright also feels that the fashion trends are coming back. “I have been seeing things from the early 2000s and ‘90s, like monochromatic lounge wear, AKA a juicy couture sweatsuit,” Albright said. Others have not only explored past years fashion trends, but have tried out different uses for various clothing pieces. This has been seen through creating various styles with one bikini top or tying scarves or bandanas to wear as shirts. These ideas have spread and become popular with the social media platform TikTok. “I think people have been so bored in their house that they are coming up with new ways to wear things,” Albright said. “I have seen trends online like skirts as tube tops or two bikini bottoms becoming a top.” With the emerging trends and increased media fashion, some have begun to shift or alter their styles. Heppner, for one, has decided to change her style and try out new pieces of clothing. “My style definitely shifted in the pandemic to what I would call street style,” Heppner said. “I am really into pattern jeans and crop tops.” In contrast, Albright’s style has remained the same. “I haven’t changed my style since the pandemic and I haven’t seen students changing theirs either,” Albright said. “There are the occasional students, but I think when students and teachers get the chance to dress comfy they will.” Whether style has changed or not, some, including 35 percent of the students polled, have been dressing up more to go out or putting more thought into outfits. “I’ve definitely started caring more about buying clothes for certain events since I don’t get to go out much during the pandemic,” Tomlin said. “Now that we are able to go out, I pay closer attention to what I’m wearing than I ever have before, and I actually really like it.”

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OF COVID-19 THE EVOLUTION OF FASHION

THE GROWTH OF ONLINE SHOPPING

1974: THE YEAR OUR SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED. TIE DYE GALORE, ANKLE length dresses, vibrant, patterned trousers, with accessories like feathers and beads. One could say that things have changed quite a bit since then. Fashion constantly changes and develops new styles, techniques and innovations. This evolution always adds to the status quo or is reinvented from past generations, and since the pandemic, students have recognized a swift shift in style. “Fashion evolves,” upper school Spanish teacher Marcela Garcini said. “The fashion just goes and comes back, and in 20 years when you are working, you will see the fashion you are wearing now [come] around again, just like I have.” During the pandemic, students and other teens throughout the country experienced a surge in the interest of fashion. Sixty six percent of the students surveyed have experienced this interest themselves. “I would say that during quarantine last year was when my switch in fashion really started,” junior Emily Yancey said. “I saw a lot more types of clothing than just what I wore because I had more time to spend online and I kind of acquired my own taste of style.” And some of the interest in fashion comes from influencers they look up to. “Emma Chamberlain is a big influence of fashion for me,” Yancey said. “I’ve been watching her since I was in seventh grade, and I have seen her fashion develop over the years. She planted a seed in my head, and I’ve just started loving fashion since watching her.” Large amounts of spare time, as well as boredom and the influence of social media, allowed for this burst of fashion interest. The availability and advertising of online stores increased, which lured many shoppers during the pandemic to try new things from different stores and experiment with their style. “I just started watching YouTube videos and reading about different designers and brands, and just got more into fashion as a culture during the pandemic,” sophomore Jake Kelton said. “I would say that I really didn’t have much of a style before the pandemic, but during [quarantine], my friends and I started shopping more and started experimenting with different types of outfits.” Fashion is not only about clothes and accessories, it is also about hairstyles and an overall look. “Changing my hair has been a big thing for me,” upper school Arabic and French teacher Laila Kharrat said. “A lot of people are commenting and noticing how different I look. With the pandemic, there hasn’t been anything special or different except for this.” Kharrat is not alone, she is one of many whose personal style changed over the pandemic. Kelton, who started paying more attention to fashion and culture, also changed his style. “I would 100 percent say my style has changed from years before,” Sophomore Jake Kelton said. “One of the things I have focused on is putting a little effort into every part of my outfit and thinking about how it looks as a whole and not just one category like shoes. One of the other biggest things I’ve learned since I was younger is where to wear certain outfits and what scenarios to dress up for, before I didn’t really have any radar on that.” With this maturity comes individuality and confidence in one’s outfits. Yancey experienced it first hand. “I would say that I mostly just wear whatever I like,” Yancey said. “I think that my style has changed mostly because of, one, I have been able to find more things that I like and, two, just being confident and wearing whatever I want and not really caring what people think.” The continuous evolution of fashion and style brings back trends such bright colors, track suits and flare-bottom jeans that are resurfacing in recent fashion. The poll revealed that 63 percent of students have noticed this resurgence. “All of the fashion that you guys are wearing now, I think that we had it, but it has taken a twist and different meaning,” Garcini said. “The jeans you wear today with the holes, we wore them before. We have other things from our generations that are now coming back and y’all are wearing now Capri pants, jeans and other things.” The changes in fashion from even just decades ago are so dramatic, but old trends are still very much alive or have come back. People of influence and designers have immense control over popularity and one homage to an old trend could bring decades of style back. “I think that fashion is always evolving, when certain trends or people come into the scene things always change a bit,” Kelton said. “But in terms of the evolution of fashion I think it’s pushed by designers and artists to come up with the pieces that push things forward.

THANKS TO THE LOCK-DOWN, A NEW BUSINESS MODEL STARTED. When the pandemic closed clothing and jewelry stores in March of 2020, businesses were left struggling as customers were not able to shop in-person. According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stores like Ralph Lauren were down 66 percent in June of 2020. Because no one knew how long the pandemic protocols would last, stores were forced to get creative in advertising their clothes and accessories, whether it was creating online stores or promoting on social media. “I had all of this inventory, and with the way shipping happens around March 12, I was fully shipped for Spring,” Merry Vose, owner of Dallas’ boutiques Cabana and Canary said. “All of a sudden, all weddings were cancelled, people were wearing sweats at home [and] no one was getting dressed up to go anywhere, so I was stuck with a lot of inventory that I couldn’t really sell.” While some popular stores such as Cabana and Canary struggled to sell their inventory towards the beginning of the pandemic, when stores were shut down, almost a quarter of Americans chose to spend money on athleisure. Stores like Lululemon and Nike have grown tremendously during the pandemic. In November, Lululemon reported a 94 percent growth in its third-quarter as shoppers spent more money online. Some smaller jewelry businesses like Jeny Baker Designs were also lucky enough to have a good year. “I feel like I was kind of lucky [and] I had a great year in sales [where] I actually made more money in 2020 than I did in 2019,” Baker said. “What changed was how people bought [my jewelry] because now most people are buying online.” Although many stores had online businesses previous to the pandemic, some businesses were forced to focus and rely on their online stores in order for customers to continue to shop their products. Putting effort into the online stores allowed students to shop while in person stores were closed. “I did have an online store prior to the pandemic, but it was never my primary focus because I just love being in the store,” Vose said. “I was so lucky that we had invested in this [online store] because it really was a big part of our survival. There weren’t customers in the store, but we could focus on getting everything posted online and making sure our website was up to date.” Similarly, Baker also had an online store prior to COVID-19, and has noticed a massive increase in online sales, as online shopping has grown tremendously during the pandemic and teens have bought from her online store. “I have had to up my subscriptions on my website [and] go to the next level of payment because I have been getting so many orders,” Baker said. “Some people pick up the jewelry from my house while others ship it and sometimes, if they are down the road, I’ll just drop it off. I have stuff for the mailman everyday.” Social media platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram have become more popular in the use of advertising clothes for businesses and stores. Since social media is commonly used, especially amongst teens and students, companies have been posting videos or pictures of clothing items on social media to try and interest shoppers to buy their products. “I did these cute videos where I would get on [Instagram] and talk about our new arrivals and the videos became very popular,” Vose said. “They had swipe ups that would take you right to our website and you could purchase the piece if you liked [it]. People have commented how they made people feel positive during [COVID-19]. It wasn’t necessarily print advertising, but we did amp up our advertising budget with digital advertising because people were ordering a lot more off the web and our web sales really increased a lot.” With Baker’s smaller Jewelry business, she decided to work on advertising on Instagram as it has helped her gain more sales, even during COVID-19. “I have definitely been working a lot more on my social media platform,” Baker said. “If I advertise or do a post on Instagram showing the latest jewelry I’ve made, I generally will have a website sale or someone will DM me for at least one to two things.” Before the COVID-19 pandemic 59 percent of students shopped online. Although stores and businesses have now opened 48 percent of students have started shopping online more since the pandemic started. “I started shopping so much more when everything was locked down because I didn’t have anything else to do,” junior Nia Bethea said. “I still shop online most of the time [because] it’s just so much easier not dealing with people in stores, or driving around when I can find everything I need online.” Because of the sudden change to everyone shopping online, this will most likely become a permanent change for future shoppers. From a Goldman Sachs research report, in 2019, around 10 percent of luxury merchandise was bought online, and after COVID-19, 25 percent of luxury merchandise were now bought online. Goldman Sachs forecasts that by 2026 the luxury industry should be up at 30 percent. Along with promoting businesses on social media and focusing on online stores, the clientele have been a major influence on stores and want to help support by shopping online. “I have a very loyal clientele, people that shop with me season after season, and even though they weren’t necessarily going somewhere, people were shopping just to support our business,” Vose said. “They knew that when everything [was] lifted, they wanted us to continue to be in business. We fared pretty well because of this super supportive clientele.”

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life

Pop culture trends changed during quarantine Social media platforms, especially TikTok, influenced teen trends and creativity since the beginning of the pandemic

CULTURE CRASH is a compilation of significant pop culture events made by Life Editors Grace Worsham and Elisabeth Siegel that highlight tech news & other short snippets of info regarding important people and events from around the globe.

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Hogwarts won’t be the same

Helen McCrory, an English actress known for her role in the Harry Potter franchise as Narcissa Malfoy, passed away on April 16. After a long and hard battle with cancer, the star died peacefully at home at the age of 52. Her husband, Damian Lewis, tweeted on the day of her death, “...she died as she lived. Fearlessly.” J.K. Rowling, author of the seven Harry Potter novels, also posted on Twitter, calling her “an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who’s left us far too soon.”

Twitter rewind

Chrissy Teigen, cookbook author and social media influencer, returned to Twitter 23 days after announcing her decision to deactivate her account. Chrissy tweeted that “it feels TERRIBLE to silence yourself,” and that she decided to “choose to take the bad with the good.” She announced that she came to terms with the fact that there will always be haters and that her Internet friends are worth staying connected to.

The split we all saw coming

Alex Rodriquez posted a collage of photos of Jennifer Lopez paired with the song “Fix You” by Coldplay. After fans speculated a possible split between the couple, the duo announced on April 15 that they have decided to go their separate ways, but look forward to remaining friends, supporting each other and doing what’s best for their kids. The couple has been engaged for the past two years but finally decided splitting up was the best option.

Social media to Hollywood

TikTok star Addison Rae explores new projects and opportunities and said that she is eager to try new things. Rae has produced a clean makeup line, a popular podcast with her mom and the beginnings of an acting career. She recently finished filming “He’s All That,” a remake of the 1999 film “She’s All That.” The star is also attempting to break into the music industry with her first single titled “Obsessed.”

By Elisabeth Siegel Life Editor

t the beginning of remote learning, sophomore Bridget Wang scrolled through TikTok and watched dancing and DIY videos while her Zoom classes played quietly in the background. Over a year later, she still observes pop culture trends on social media reflecting the political and global climate around her. Like many teens around the globe, Wang has embraced new ways of expression through fashion, music, dance and social media during the pandemic. Social media platform TikTok allows people around the world to share videos from 15 seconds to a minute. Since modern popular culture is mostly aimed at younger generations, the app’s young audience is responsible for many of the 2020 challenges, dances and memes. “I know TikTok got really big over quarantine and over that period of time a lot of trends spread through that kind of social media instead of the usual Instagram or Snapchat,” Wang said. “[Trends] pop up and are really popular for a hot second and then everyone sort of moves on. The 2016 whip and nae nae was the biggest thing and now we’re in 2020, people are still growing and creating new dances.” But Wang is not alone, junior Mary Grace Altizer used TikTok during quarantine a lot more than she had before. A video that she posted on her account accumulated 3 million views and gave her more than 28,000 followers. “That made me not really make videos anymore because I was kind of self-conscious to post, but I still spend way too much time on the app every day,” Altizer said. “TikTok is definitely a big part of pop culture and Gen-Z culture. I can definitely see TikTok being used in the media a lot more.” And fashion has also been a topic on TikTok during the pandemic. Curtain bangs, tie-dying clothes and even the color green exploded in fashion popularity after the beginning of COVID-19 lockdown. Teens on TikTok showed off fast fashion brands such as Shein in haul and lookbook videos. “Especially during the lockdown, I saw people do a lot of cool stuff like cutting shirts and stuff like that,” Altizer said. “Green also got really popular on TikTok, especially sage green but just green in general. It personally made me like green more because before I had never thought about wearing green. A lot

Taylor strikes again

Taylor Swift’s re-release of “Fearless” hit No. 1 in the U.K. on April 16, earning Swift three No. 1 U.K. albums within 259 days, a new record. The Beatles originally held this record by having three albums go No. 1 in 364 days. Swift said that she has begun re-recording her older music, and it has proven to be creatively fulfilling. She also said that she has many surprises in store.

Farewell Philip

The Duke of Edinburgh, more widely known as Prince Phillip, died on April 9 at the age of 99. Prince Philip had been hospitalized multiple times in recent years, with his most recent hospital admittance in February. Due to COVID-19, the funeral was not a state ceremony but was broadcasted live. Buckingham Palace has come out to say that the prince’s death was not COVID-19 related and that both he and the queen had been vaccinated.

Photoillustration by Elisabeth Siegel

of my friends got curtain bangs.” going to be even more TV shows and Like fashion brands, many new seasons soon,” Heppner said. famous musicians’ content was “I’m super excited to watch them, promoted on social media instead of even though I’m not quarantined.” through their usual performances TikTok users began to create at concerts and festivals. For singer content that promoted shows, Doja Cat, 14.2 million videos were responsible for many show’s made of her song “Say So” due to popularity among teens. it’s viral dance circulating during “My brother and I got into ‘Tiger quarantine. King,’ but we only watched a few “Music and dance has definitely episodes, and then I just kept up been a great way to relax during all with it on TikTok,” Altizer said. the chaos of the world,” sophomore “I started watching ‘Bridgerton’ Annabelle Heppner said. “I know because of TikTok, too. I saw people a couple of my favorite singers are raving about it. I probably wouldn’t dropping new albums this year have started watching either of because of quarantine and also those shows without TikTok. because they are finally allowed to Following the plot and the drama work in a studio now. People had on TikTok is really interesting.” time to think But TikTok is about their music, being used for more which definitely than just for fun has helped with and entertainment. I KNOW TIKTOK their creativity,” Along with the The app app’s recreational GOT REALLY BIG has also given content, many users a platform for used the app for OVER QUARANTINE many smaller more serious issues. artists who have In 2020, Victoria AND OVER THAT had time during Hammett ‘17 started PERIOD OF TIME the pandemic to posting videos work on their art. sharing her political A LOT OF TRENDS They are able to opinions, and promote their now her account SPREAD THROUGH creativity while has about 729,600 earning money followers and 53.8 THAT KIND OF through the million likes. TikTok Creator “It is our SOCIAL MEDIA Fund, a program generation’s INSTEAD OF THE made by the app version of the town to pay their users. hall,” Hammett USUAL INSTAGRAM “Quarantine said. “We’ve seen definitely has politicians and news OR SNAPCHAT. helped with outlets turning to creativity because social media in I’ve seen a lot of order to speak to Bridget Wang, smaller musicians sophomore the people directly. on TikTok,” It bridges the gap Altizer said. “It between the people has become a in power and those creator forum they serve.” that can be judgmental sometimes, According to a May 10 poll of but it’s been really good for the 158 students, 37 percent of students arts community to have that. I’ve posted political content on social seen different types of music get media during 2020. While some popularized on TikTok like the may think that it is a temporary Sea Shanties, pop music, and some trend, Hammett believes that social acoustic stuff. It’s been a great media will remain a permanent creative outlet.” fixture in the political landscape. Along with music, many TV “I am not sure if TikTok, shows have offered a dose of Instagram or Twitter specifically escapism during the pandemic. will last forever, but if they In March 2020, “Tiger King” and become obsolete, other forms “Outer Banks’’ took the world by of social media will take their storm, and by March 2021, many place,” Hammett said. “I think people streamed shows such as the everyone in politics has really “Queen’s Gambit,” “Bridgerton” begun to recognize the power that and more. social media has, especially in “People are finally able to get out recent elections and social justice now and film, so there’s probably movements.”

May 14, 2021

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The opinions expressed in this section of the Eagle Edition do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper staff, school, adviser, faculty or staff.

SCHOOL SHOULD MANDATE COVID-19 VACCINATION

uke University, Brown University, Syracuse University and California’s public universities, among others, have released statements announcing that all students and faculty must be vaccinated to be allowed on their campus’ this fall. These universities, in an attempt to ensure regular campus life for the 2021-2022 school year, are becoming key players in the incredibly polarized debate over whether or not schools possess the ability to make these decisions over their campus community. Similarly, the Eagle Edition believes that in order for the school year to be closer to normal next year, the COVID-19 vaccine should be required for everyone over the age of 16 before returning to campus next fall. This school year has been filled with uncertainty, anxiety and disappointment in the community. Now, with the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines being so readily available to the public, there is a beacon of hope for this once seemingly never-ending pandemic. For our community to have the privilege of gathering in large groups and returning to the normalities of pre-pandemic life, the student body and administration has to make an effort to mitigate cases by receiving the vaccine. Some schools have allowed exemptions of the vaccine requirement for individuals with medical or religious reasons. Undoubtedly, this exemption would be implemented in our community as well. Nevertheless, even with these few exceptions, if enough students get vaccinated before we return in the fall, herd immunity can be achieved. Recent studies reported on by the Wall Street Journal found that with 70 to 90 percent of the community receiving

Photo by Maddy Hammett the vaccine, herd immunity can be achieved. If a student or community member is unable to get the vaccine before the fall, we suggest such individuals be required to wear masks daily and take a monthly COVID-19 home test, which is expected to be widely available and reasonably priced by then. These measures should mitigate the potential spread of the virus. At the University of California San Diego, the administration plans to have students on campus at 100 percent capacity in the fall. Students enrolled at the school that have not received the COVID-19 vaccine by then will be required to participate in frequent testing. The idea of these requirements is to incentivize students to get their vaccine and in turn, ensure a healthy, safe environment for the entirety of the

students

speak out

community. We believe that the school should implement frequent testing for non-vaccinated students, similarly to the policy set in place by UC San Diego. Colleges and schools have long required students to be vaccinated for other infectious diseases before enrolling. In a survey of about 100 four-year institutions issued by National Public Radio, nearly all required at least one vaccine for enrollment. For instance, the MMR vaccine, which combats measles, mumps and rubella, was required at 87.5 percent of campuses surveyed. The notion of requiring shot records for academic enrollment is not unprecedented. We believe that the COVID-19 vaccine should be added to the list of required vaccines. Everyone should still be required to wear masks on campus

in the fall. The truth is that COVID-19 has not been eradicated, and until we reach the point in time where it is, measures must be taken to ensure the safety of individuals who may be at higher risk of contracting the disease. We understand that this pandemic has been difficult for the community. The challenges provided by social distancing and mask-wearing have taken an immense toll on the community. Returning to school in person next year is vital for the students’ mental health. We understand that going to get the vaccine can be an inconvenience to some, but the safety of the community is worth it. We ask that for us to have a school year free of the frustrations that have accompanied the pandemic, the school should issue a required vaccination mandate.

“Honestly I’m willing to get the vaccine if it means I don’t have to wear the mask next year. If that means that for a normal year to happen I have to get the vaccine, that’s something I’ll do.”

“My opinion is that it should be optional. Most people will get the vaccine anyways, but I personally think that if you don’t want to, you shouldn’t have to. It shouldn’t be forced. “

“I think it should not be required for those who might not be comfortable getting it because some are still worried about the side effects. I think for next school year it should be optional.”

Callie Hawkins

copy editor

business manager

cartoonist

news editor

photo editor

faculty adviser

managing editor

views editor

web editor & communications director

sports editor

Carolyn Langford Kara Dross

Maddy Hammett Katherine Mote

Source: May 10 poll of 158 students

FRESHMAN LOGAN LEAR

Katheryn Bakewell, Abby Baughman, Lily Bergman, William Custard, Kristin Doebele, Kate Eastin, Brayden Girarta, Ben Guerriero, Iris Hernandez, Olivia Hohman, Spencer Hutchinson, Elliot Lovitt, Simran Malhotra, Christian Rockamore,Tessa Stephenson, Charlotte Tomlin, Taylor Turner, Miles Wooldridge and Easterly Yeaman.

Emily Lichty & Gina Montagna

percent of students plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine or have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine

SOPHOMORE CAMILLA RIVERA

This issue’s staff writers

life editors

SOPHOMORE ASHER HOODIS

MISSION STATEMENT

editors-in-chief

No.

Elisabeth Siegel & Grace Worsham Alexandra Warner

Sloane Hope

Satori Griffith

Sumner Wooldridge Ana Rosenthal

The Eagle Edition is a student-produced newspaper published six 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: hopes@esdallas.org.

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. 38, issue 6 The Episcopal School of Dallas 4100 Merrell Rd. Dallas, TX 75229 eagleedition@esdallas.org (214) 358-4368

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In the April issue of the Eagle Edition (V38, No.5), an article was written about diets popularized through social media, one of which was a vegan diet. In the article, it was noted that people that follow a vegan diet tend to lack important vitamins such as A, D and K2 because these are primarily consumed through meat. As two individuals who have adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet (history teacher Amy Livingston in 2018 and history and speech & debate teacher Todd Kessler at the start of this year), it should be noted that this could not be further from the truth. Most leafy greens such as kale and spinach are packed full of vitamins such A, C and K, while Vitamin D is best absorbed through sunshine. The article also criticized soy products by falsely identifying them as a cause for an increase in estrogen, especially in men. This is another myth as soy foods contain phytoestrogens which actually help promote heart health, and fight off certain types of cancers, and have been shown to restrict estrogen levels rather than increase them. What was not mentioned in the article are the natural benefits that one can reap from transitioning to a whole foods plantbased diet. For starters, this type of diet, which is void of processed junk food, meat and dairy, is the only diet in the history of the world that has been clinically proven to reverse the effects of heart disease, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. On top of that, eliminating meat and dairy in one’s diet, while increasing your consumption of natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains, has been shown to help reduce inflammation throughout the body, thus opening up one’s your arteries for greater blood and oxygen flow to one’s your muscles,one’s your joints and even one’s brain. This, in turn, enhances your daily energy levels, boosts metabolism and optimizes focus levels throughout the day. Through no coincidence, many people that switch to a plant-based diet also see a reduction in their cholesterol, body fat, anxiety and stress levels while their productivity skyrockets. While most diets such as the Atkins diet or Keto diet fluctuate in popularity from year to year, people that switch to a plant-based vegan diet tend to consider it a lifestyle more than just a nutritional plan to meet temporary goals that they have set for themselves. For this reason, clinical studies such as the Loma Linda University study have shown that vegans tend to live significantly longer than those who follow a meat and dairy diet their whole lives. While the percentage of Americans who follow a plant-based diet is still relatively small, it is worth a try if you are looking to increase your energy levels, reduce or eliminate any type of chronic pain, speed up the recovery of muscle soreness or simply want to reduce the likelihood of developing a serious disease throughout your lifetime. As many vegans would argue, the effects can be truly life changing. Sincerely, Amy Livingston and Todd Kessler, history teachers

Mistrust in vaccines is traced to social media

Carolyn Langford Managing Editor

Dear Eagle Edition,

Millions of Americans have forgone COVID-19 vaccination in response to online speculation

ocial media has created a dangerously ignorant platform for the anti-vaccine movement’s population to grow and fearmonger Americans by spreading misinformation. The Center for Countering Digital Hate’s October report openly excoriated popular social media platforms for allowing antivaxxers to amass millions more supporters amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as vaccines have become widely available. According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 69 percent of Americans plan to get the vaccine. Although some hesitancy can be attributed to the seemingly rushed nature of the vaccine, the logic used is faulted and perpetuated by fake news. Many point to immediate side effects, the unknown of long-term effects and the conspiracy that the government has intentions to tamper with vaccines. Also reported by Pew, 46 percent of people reporting no plans to get vaccinated justify their decision because of “past mistakes in the medical system” and 42 percent report a “sense that they don’t need it.” Only one third of those reporting of not getting vaccinated for COVID-19 regularly do not get vaccinated for other viruses and diseases. This increase in distrust is a result of lack of proper education. According to a May 10 poll of 158 upper school students, 66 percent of them believe there are not enough readilyavailable resources to educate themselves

Miles Wooldridge Staff writer

about the safety of the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as research centers like Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic, published “myth versus fact” breakdowns to promote education and eliminate misinformation. Vaccine support during the pandemic also showed a difference based on political affiliation. While 83 percent of Democrats plan to or have received the vaccine, only 56 percent of Republicans plan to do the same, according to the Pew Research Center. Sixty-three percent of students agree that Democrats are more likely to receive and be in support of the vaccine. The same upper school student poll found that 72 percent students plan to or have already received their COVID-19 vaccine. Forty-eight percent of those who do not plan to receive a vaccine are refraining from getting vaccinated because they are nervous about long-term effects. Though not all long-term effects of the vaccine can be confirmed definitively, many of the popular rumors circulating are proven to be false, according to numerous prestigious research centers. The most widely believed rumor is that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will affect women’s fertility, which is entirely false. The vaccine works by encouraging the body to create copies of the spike protein that is found on the coronavirus’ surface, which teaches the immune system to fight the virus that has the

specific spike protein on it. The rumor arose from a disinformation campaign that claimed the spike was the same as syncytin-1, another spike protein that is involved in the growth and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy. The author asserted that the vaccine would cause the immune system to fight syncytin-1 and affect fertility. According to Johns Hopkins University’s report, 23 pregnant women participated in the trials of the Pfizer vaccine and only one suffered a miscarriage—that woman had received a placebo. Both Pfizer and Moderna were created using a process that has been in development for years so that vaccine development could begin immediately in the case of a pandemic —in that sense, the process was not rushed, but it was conducted on an overlapping schedule to gather data as fast as possible. COVID-19 vaccines containing mRNA allow a faster approach than other vaccines, especially since it has been in development for almost two decades. Circumstances such as Johnson & Johnson’s recall after only six patients had blood clots out of 6.8 million should show the extreme precautionary measures taken in an effort to produce safe vaccines. Americans need to ensure that the decision whether or not to receive a potentially lifesaving vaccination is informed by educating themselves outside of social media.

The American Rescue Plan will not rescue Americans Tax hikes and increased debt are building up the government’s power without fulfilling promises to the people

axes and debt are boring words. They are usually words that are ignored or thrown around carelessly. Unfortunately, these are also words that have a profound effect on the economy and consequently, on the state of our lives. So when an “infrastructure” tax policy has us stealing money from our economic future, then maybe there should be more public concern. One of the things that makes modern American politics so hard to follow is the back-and-forth policy making of the last few administrations. The Obama administration taxed corporations at a staggering 35 percent of their annual profits, which companies could avoid by simply relocating their corporate headquarters. The appeal of a country like Ireland or the UAE, havens with 12 percent and zero percent corporate

tax rates respectively, was too much to resist. American consumers were unaffected, but the U.S. itself received a pay cut. This is because of the popular strategy of spreading headquarters across the globe and paying lower rates to multiple governments rather than all to the U.S. Companies like Apple and Pfizer have Dublin offices and save billions. In 2014, U.S. companies’ investments made up a third of Ireland’s GDP, but that meant hundreds of billions of dollars leaving the U.S. Tax revenue to the government and the need for an American workforce both dropped. It was then the Trump administration’s job to coax multinational corporations, and their profits, back to American soil. With the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 by the Trump administration, the top corporate tax rate was cut to 21 percent, and companies were once more incentivised to create jobs for Americans rather than off-shore assets and labor. It also cut taxes on lower income earners, especially benefiting those in the $40,000 to $80,000 range. America’s economy was at a record height; however, due to COVID-19, monetary transactions were limited to the absolutely essential, thousands of small businesses were forced to shut down and millions were laid off, especially in the harshest lockdown states. Now, as the country readjusts, the Biden administration is reversing everything that made the TCJA work. So far, the president and Congress have found ways to spend trillions of dollars that we do not have, causing extreme debt. The government is spending more dollars than has ever conceptually existed in all of human history, and they are mostly inventing it out of thin air. For context, Trump set a record $4 trillion federal budget, which was already far too much. Biden’s plan, as announced in only 100 days, totals over $6 trillion. Stimulus checks and other federal giveaways included in bills (HR 1319, S.Con. Res.5) branded as an infrastructure and economic revival will hyper-inflate the dollar and are building up debt. Despite her background as a Berkeley economics professor, United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s plan to start paying for the amassing debt is based on the popular “tax the rich, then redistribute” mentality that is backed by no solid economic theory.

The problem with raising corporate taxes is that consumers and employees end up taking the blow, not the corporations. A large business can simply raise prices or lower wages on employees to keep their profits up, or they can leave the states, as in the Obama years. Ultimately, this means less competition, higher prices and fewer jobs. Yellen’s most recent proposal involved forced taxation by all countries in the world, which our government would have no influence over. So, what is the best way to fix the broken tax system? It is incredibly simple: stop federal interventionism. Lower taxes on all income brackets and cap government spending. Otherwise, money will be wasted. It would be unreasonable to expect members of Congress to know where quantities of money this large are being directed. After a year of economic collapse and debt, Biden begs the question: is more spending really the best option? No.

44 percent of upper school students remain indifferent to the issue of corporate tax rates Source: May 10 poll of 158 upper school students

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May 14, 2021

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Is looking up to influencers on social media a positve or a negative?

Illustration by Kara Dross

Brayden Girata Staff writer

Pro: Positive Influence

Over half of the world’s population uses some form of social media, according to the Pew Research Center, and there are a variety of influencers that people idolize on these platforms. If so many people practice social media around the world, looking up to influencers must be a positive trend, right? People can spread healthy ideals as an influencer across social media. For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, popular influencers posted links to the CDC website to encourage people to learn more about the disease. In the fall of the 2020 presidential election, many influencers posted information on how to vote, and encouraged followers to do so. Influencers, including Caspar Lee, a popular Youtuber and investor, and Chiara Ferragni, the creator of the Chiara Ferragni clothing line, have recently been posting links for COVID-19 vaccine appointments so everyone can stay safe from the virus. According to Smart Social, a website meant to educate people about digital citizenship and social media safety, social media is a great outlet to fight bullying and body insecurity. Similarly, Forbes reports that social media can increase teen awareness, spreading knowledge about different issues and complications that teenagers face. Smart Social also explains that social media can create healthy debates about different topics. Social media creates a platform for people to debate healthily on who they are going to vote for in an election as well as other topics, from who should win MVP in an NFL season to whether you should put cereal or milk into your bowl first. Influencers will often voice their own opinions and encourage others to consider a variety of opinions to make the most informed decision. People can spread healthy habits on social media while also debating differing opinions. Influencers of social media also exemplify maintaining a healthy body and mind. For example, renowned actor and comedian Amy Poehler created the account “@ amypoehlersmartgirls” to provide information and spread awareness about issues young women and men face in society. Megan Jayne Crabbe, a popular influencer and advocate for women’s rights, created the Instagram account “@bodyposipanda” to draw from her past experiences with confidence. Finally, Tanya McFadden, the founder of the account “@tatyanamcfaddenusa” works to give others confidence in their bodies who have physical disabilities, as she is in a wheelchair. With accounts such as these, social media spreads positive messages and social awareness. Painted Brain, an organization committed to forming solutions to mental health obstacles, said that social media can inspire positive lifestyle changes. Also, the Harvard School of Public Health published an article that reports looking up to social media influencers can be positive for someone’s mental health and well-being. Social media influencers spread these ideals and help everyone around them become more positive in their everyday lives.

percent of students say their social media use increased during COVID-19 lockdowns

Kara Dross Web Editor

Con: Negative Influence

The day starts the same: wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast and of course, check social media. I wonder what _____ is doing right now? You bring yourself to their Instagram story, where you find that your favorite influencer is on a luxury vacation in Mykonos eating fruits on their villa’s balcony. Today’s society has become immersed in the lives of influencers, but often without realizing how harmful their fascination can become. Although some influencers are recognized for using their platforms to spread positivity and awareness, most of them post the sugarcoated version of their lives on social media instead. While this might appeal to some of their followers, this glossed-over lifestyle creates false realities for many people, especially younger teenagers and children. Celebrities and influencers’ main job is to entertain their audience, not to be role models for people. When we see things through a screen, there is no way to navigate what is real and what is not. From a young age, social media can steer children and teenagers to believe they need to act, look, eat and dress a certain way. Though this could promote healthier lifestyles, this also can create damaging effects on children and teenagers. By looking at almost seemingly flawlesslooking pictures online, followers begin to question why they don’t look the same. In a May 10 poll of 158 upper school students, 43 percent have found themselves comparing themselves to influencers online. Research shows that a teen’s body image is created by a collection of factors, one of the largest being social media. In the “Ideal to Real” survey conducted by the Today Show, results showed that 80 percent of teenagers compare themselves to what they see online from influencers. On top of that, several celebrities have been recognized for digitally retouching their pictures. Discontent in one’s appearance can often lead to mental health struggles, which is why it is so crucial for people to remember not everything online appears as it is. Celebrities can also be noted for promoting unhealthy and reckless behaviors online. In many cases, children or teens learn these behaviors through watching their favorite influencers. While children should not be exposed to these kinds of behaviors, there is little way for parents to predict what someone might post on social media. Constant exposure to negative behavior online can harm children and create habits that they will carry on during their lives. Today, influencers have a prominent effect on children and teenagers, from how they act to what products they buy. Although influencers can shape favorable habits, they are often known for creating ruinous behaviors and producing false expectations about how one should look or live. Looking up to influencers today is very dangerous for one’s self-assurance and should be discussed more with children and teenagers.

percent of students think influencers set unrealistic standards on social media Source: May 10 poll of 158 upper school students

Tips and tricks to ease exam upcoming season

F Kathryn Bakewell Staff writer

or many students, final exams, which begin on May 18, are just around the corner. Knowing what to study and how to study can be one of the most overwhelming parts of the process. After reaching out to several different students all in different grades, I have accumulated three tips and tricks that work best for these students when they prepare for exams. These techniques might help you as well: Location, location, location: It is incredibly important to find the right place to study as it sets the atmosphere for the studying process. Many students suggested that studying in a bedroom is not a suitable place because work life should remain separate from home life. Two students suggested that studying in a coffee shop or even a quiet table separate from a bedroom can be helpful because the environment is a neutral space. The University of California, however, conducted a study proving that there is no, “single type of study environment optimal for all

students.” Despite what this study has shown, ESD students have found studying outside of their bedroom to be the best place for them to be productive. Senior Stella Foreman finds that studying in coffee shops works best for her because “it is nice to have the motivation of other people working around me and not have the distractions I have at home.” Preparation: After finding an environment to be productive in, move on to focus on the studying process. Whether using notecards, a Quizlet or study guides, it is important to be organized. When studying for a class it is critical to begin with the hardest topic or topics from the beginning of the year, this might give you more time to dig deep into the concept, saving the easier topics for the end. When beginning a new topic, it’s crucial to have a game plan for time management when the section being studied is complex. Review notes, re-read pages, make Quizlets and revisit old slideshows—these are some of the best places to start when stuck on

what to do next. Junior Mary Grace Altizer said that even though making note cards is “laborious, writing everything from your notes, textbook, etc. out on notecards ingrains the material in your head.” Time management comes first before anything else while studying to make sure that all topics are thoroughly covered. Night Before: You have finally made it to the night before the exams and you have reached the pinnacle of stress. This is the time to take a break and mentally prepare for the exams. Do something creative and fun to get into a healthy, fresh mindset before entering the exam rooms. You have spent a few weeks preparing for the final exam — get some rest so that each exam receives all the hard work that went into preparing for it. Exam preparation is different for everyone, so finding the right steps that work for you is crucial when getting ready for an exam. Remember that no matter what grade you receive, your hard work will not go unrewarded. Good luck, Eagles!

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Many students were skeptical about the possibility of having a prom this year due to the pandemic, but the news of a June 5 prom came as a relief. Many jumped online to find the perfect dress or suit to wear to the dance. The event will be held outdoors and on campus with pandemic safety guidelines in place.

FANTASTIC FILMS

EAGLE VICTORY

On April 30, the fifth annual film festival took place in front of the chapel and featured a number of films created by students. The festival gave students an opportunity to present their work in front of an audience. There were 17 featured films and around 110 people in attendance.

The varsity girls lacrosse team beat Southlake on April 25 naming them the district champions. The stands were filled with cheering students dressed in camo. It was a notable opportunity for students and parents to gather safely and show their school spirit.

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FAREWELL SPEECHES For the last few weeks of the semester, several senior advisories gave chapel talks where they reflected on their time at ESD. Each advisory picked members they felt represented their advisory the best. It was a memorable time for the seniors and gave them the ability to represent their advisory to the whole school. PUT A RING ON IT On April 15, the junior class received their senior rings, an event that many of the students look forward to each year. There was doubt as to whether everyone would be able to attend the ceremony in-person in the chapel, however, with safety precautions and mask enforcement it was able to take place. Parents were able to live stream the event. At the end of the ceremony students gathered outside, showed off their rings and took pictures.

TRAFFIC JAM Afterschool, students parking in the junior parking lot usually exited through Gate 8. An email from Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba was sent out in early May stating that Gate 8 would be locked to help the flow of traffic move more smoothly. However, preventing students from exiting Gate 8 has created traffic in the carpool line and annoyance to students leaving at 3:45 p.m. DELAYED DATES AP exams that were supposed to take place on Thursday, May 6 were pushed back to Monday, May 10 to accommodate students who observe the Ramadan holiday. As a consequence, the seniors’ last day of school was pushed back as well. Seniors last day of classes will be on Monday, May 17, instead of Friday May 14.

editors Blair Batson and Evelyn Zhao

THE BEST TO THE WORST OF THE MONTH, RANKED BY THE EAGLE EDITION STAFF PROMPOSALS

the

f it wasn’t for my eighth grade advisor’s persistence, I never would have joined the newspaper. Toward the end of the year, every week and at every conference, Mrs. Remaud––my advisor––pushed me to join the newspaper. Eventually, I reluctantly added it to my schedule knowing that I would drop it on the first day of school or join the yearbook. Staying at school until midnight, the long hours and not having a study hall (if I wanted to be in a Fine Art) was not at all appealing. Although journalism meant giving up drawing, painting and photography––things I had always been passionate about in middle school––I made the sacrifice when I discovered my passion for writing feature stories and designing meaningful graphics. It was also the ability to be a special voice for the school community that intrigued me to continue to seek the journalistic truth. Throughout my four years on the Eagle Edition, I learned that newspapers required an abundance of grit, sacrifice, selflessness, teamwork and empathy. For me, one thing to remember above all else, was to always soundly defend my stance with backed up sources. There will be those who question the veracity and truth in your reporting, but I stood up for myself as a virtuous journalist and proved the transparency in my stories. Over time, I found that this newspaper was my home, my safe space to express my inner thoughts and opinions. Yes, this might be a huge cliche, but the newspaper became my outlet to speak out, to finally use my own voice to address worldly and community matters and advocate for social justice. And as a relatively quiet freshman, I would certainly not be as outspoken as I am today if it weren’t for all the leadership experiences I acquired having joined this staff. I was able to decide what

kind of leader I wanted to be, using my own personal strengths and my introverted ability to listen––something I had previously seen as a weakness––to my benefit. To segway, I want to thank our loyal readers. To the entire upper school student body, thank you for consistently reading the Eagle Edition every month, even if you were going to glance through an issue just once. It’s okay, we aren’t completely offended seeing crumpled up newspapers in the trash can. Though most people were just going to read the newspaper one time, I don’t regret all those late nights staying past 10 p.m. to finish designing pages or

LAST HOORAH! by Sumner Wooldridge

writing last minute stories. Each time, I know I did my job as a journalist when people come up to me proud of their personal story being told or excited just to learn a new interesting detail about a classmate or faculty member. But even then, the satisfaction of accomplishing something is already good enough for me. While the seniors of V38 are venturing off to the next chapter of their lives, I am confident that we left the Eagle Edition in the best hands possible. I cannot wait to see it continue to blossom and leave an impactful, lasting legacy on future classes and staff members. -Evelyn Zhao

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May 14, 2021

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By Katherine Mote News Editor

Taylor Swift and other artists deserve the rights to their own music

usical artist Taylor Swift has released nine studio career. Without their financial help, as well as connections and albums. Her first six albums were released under the networking, they open the artist up into mainstream music management of Big Machine Label Group, which was allowing them to gain popularity much faster. However, because then acquired by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings LLC, many small artists are inexperienced, they often sign contracts along with all of their recorded music assets. This sale included to record labels that don’t benefit themselves, sometimes forcing Swift and her, at that point, entire career of music. Because Swift them into decade long relationships with the possibility that their never owned the rights to her own music, the revenue from all of music could be sold without them knowing. Swift was a young her albums was going to management that did nothing to support naive artist from Nashville and the music industry took advantage the creation of her music. This entire agreement was unfair to of her as it does hundreds of other musicians. Swift because of the effort she put into her music, the amount of “Scooter Bruan bought out all of Taylor’s old albums with time she spent trying to buy the rights back and how before she Big Machine Records creating a huge controversy between could do so, they were sold out from under her. people who supported Scooter and people who “I think artists deserve to own their own supported Taylor,” sophomore Mackenzie Brooks music, especially ones that write their own said. “I think that this was nothing but malicious songs and record it,” upper school choir teacher and was an act out of pure greed considering that Joe Snyder said. “Both Taylor Swift and Dolly Taylor had no knowledge that he was going to buy Parton are good examples because they fought her out and was not notified whatsoever.” as both women and performers to keep their The selling of masters and the acquisition of “I LIKE HOW SHE property.” companies happens all the time; however, in this CARES ABOUT THE Swift had been seeking to buy her master case, Taylor, nor the other artists signed to Big from Big Machine for years before Braun came Machine Records, were notified of this change and ART AND NOT THE into the picture. By owning the masters, she didn’t know who would soon own their masters would’ve had control of how and when her and have control of their profits. Scooter Braun MONEY ENOUGH work would be used, as well as royalties and is known as a mega manager, having creative other incentives. Swift created all of this music control over tens of wildly popular musicians and TO STAND UP TO starting from age 15 with all the original lyrics celebrities. THE LABELS.” and ideas coming from her, so why shouldn’t Along with the re-recorded albums Swift she have full ownership of her creative work? released were additional “From the Vault” songs. Jake Kelton, A majority of mainstream artists are signed These are songs that she wrote when the original sophomore musician to a label because it makes it easier to kick recordings came out. While rerecording was start their careers early on. Most mainstream Swift’s only option, if it weren’t for the secrecy artists and their masters are owned by whoever from her old management she would have had the financed, in most cases a record label, the original rights of her own music and never had to creation of the track. While Big Machine go through this legal hardship. Records kick-started her career, they should On her new recording of her album “Fearless,” have never constrained her into a contract the Vault songs include features from Maren where she didn’t own her own work. Morris and Keith Urban. These songs were never officially “The main benefit of a record label is [that] they give access recorded with her old management, therefore, she owns all the to resources that you didn’t have before,” sophomore Jake Kelton rights to them. said. “Record labels give you access to better studios, better “The labels make music too much about business and less producers, they can get you better features by networking with about the actual art [and] they don’t care about what is actually agents and other labels, along with getting you featured on other good,” Kelton said. “I think that early on Taylor wanted access artists’ albums. They also give you access to increased promotion to the resources a label had to offer and she had no idea that she when your song comes out to propel the sales and if you are big would become this big and the ownership of her masters would enough, they can even finance tours.” become so desirable. I’m sure that takes a lot of courage and I like While ultimately being part of a record label is the artists how she cares about the art and not the money enough to stand choice, they assist in the early parts of the formation of their up to the labels.”

The original “Fearless” record which was released by Big Machine Records in 2008

The new “Fearless” album was released by Universal Music Group in 2021

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May 14, 2021

THE VIEW FROM 5’2

Photo illustration by Carolyn Langford

Hong Kong needs your attention

US and UK need to become more involved in Hong Kong’s fight for democracy By Gina Montagna Editor-in-Chief HONG KONG IS FACING A CRITICAL BATTLE for their democracy. A battle they should not be facing. At least not for another 27 years. Hong Kong faced a series of riots lasting from 2019-2020 that protested China’s extradition law that would allow China to prosecute Hong Kong citizens in a Chinese court. However, these protests have become much more as Beijing slowly infringes on Hong Kong’s rights to democracy, and the United States and United Kingdom stand idly by. Hong Kong was British territory until 1997 when it was given to China with a promise of Hong Kong’s ability to maintain its democracy for 50 years. Hong Kong established their Basic Law, a short constitution, that promised citizens freedom of speech, assembly, a representative government system and an elected Chief Executive. However, in 2017, China chose the current Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, a Beijing supporting patriot who has claimed to listen to the public but proposes bills suggesting the opposite.

There was widespread criticism of her placement as Chief Executive, despite her being the first woman elected to the position. This was one of the first instances of Chinese infringement on Hong Kong’s democracy and should have been immediately met with global action rather than sideline opposition. Various of the rights listed in the Basic Law have been revoked, limiting people’s power to speak out against the government. The United States has a long history of opposing communism and was usually quick to get involved when a communist power threatens democracy. The US was involved in both the Korean and Vietnam War in attempts to contain the spread of communism and maintain a degree of democratic influence. What is different now? Hong Kong, a democratic city-state, is being directly attacked and silenced by a communist regime. Similarly, Britain was the holder of Hong Kong for so many years, yet it has slowly limited its interactions with Hong Kong and abandoned the citizens to deal with

an unjust government and constrained rights. The protests in Hong Kong should be of interest to the US and Britain as it is an economic powerhouse that creates millions in profits and holds some of the best of global technology. The United States and the United Kingdom need to get more involved in Hong Kong. Now, with Biden as president, the US has a responsibility to establish better foreign relations and make sure that other countries are not acting unjustly. There needs to be action or negotiation taken to aid the people of Hong Kong in retaining proper democracy until 2047. By simply beginning to reach out and establish better relationships with China, the US and UK can come together to create a negotiation to protect Hong Kong from being dominated. Britain, who once had a more direct relation with Hong Kong, has taken some steps to react to China’s regime. After Lam recently passed a law now allowing citizens of Hong Kong to leave the city, many citizens panicked. Being restricted to the city that is now under a majority

of Beijing’s rule frightened many, particularly as the government now has the power to limit ships and planes flying in and out of the city. Britain reacted by offering a plan to citizenship to any Hong Kong citizens who could make it there, allowing them to seek asylum and quickly and safely attain residence in a free country. Although this allowed many Hong Kong citizens to move to Britain and escape the big brother-esque communist regime, Lam’s new legislation has made most citizens fear even attempting to leave the city. This is not enough. Recently, Carrie Lam passed legislation that reduced the Legislative direct elected seats to less than half of what it once was. Within this legislation, Lam also stated that candidates running for office of Legco must be “patriots’’ and fulfill certain requirements that display loyalty to the country. This means that not only is Hong Kong’s democracy taken away seat by seat, but the government has become increasingly “patriotic” and loyal to Beijing, meaning there is not a true representation of the Hong Kong people. The citizens of Hong Kong are being trapped into a malicious communist regime where their rights and democracy are slipping away. It is the job of both the United States and the United Kingdom to pay more attention to what is going on in China and take action to protect democracy. In the past, the United States got involved in multiple wars to protect Korea and Vietnam from falling to the grasp of communism. This situation is no different. The US does not need to go to war against China, but government and national acknowledgment and possible negotiation of the situation would create significant pushback that would aid the Hong Kong cause and draw global attention to a growing problem. More people around the world need to focus on what is going on in China, as it is a threat to democracy and demonstrates how easily China can exert its political and military power, which is risky in a world of competing superpowers. By aiding in the protection of Hong Kong’s democracy, not only are the United States and Britain bringing danger to the citizens of Hong Kong but also to the citizens of the respective countries because of the possible increase in Chinese power if they became true holders of Hong Kong. It remains the duty of the US to acknowledge and protect democracy, and the citizens of Hong Kong are quickly being enclosed into a communist regime that will not only take away their rights but trap them within the city without any chance of escape.

Social media increases body insecurity Quarantine, more time on social media leads to unrealistic expectations

By Sloane Hope Business Manager

hen looking into the mirror, what do you see? Your answer probably has something to do with your age, gender and the social media you keep up with. In the past couple of years, a greater emphasis has been placed on body image than ever before, undoubtedly because of increased social media usage. According to DoSomething.org, a youth-led website dedicated to making change, 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies as a result of what they see on social media, yet only 5 percent actually have the socalled “perfect body” that is being pushed through the various media outlets. More needs to be done to ensure that the ideal body type is attainable through healthy eating and exercise so that girls and women aren’t inadvertently harming themselves in trying to achieve unrealistic expectations for their own bodies. There are many upsides to living during the age of the influencer, however, in certain aspects, the bad seems to outweigh the good. It can be very easy to forget that the influencers of social media are often paid to peddle products, diets and lifestyles. They want to make you think that in purchasing the products they endorse, you can begin living the ideal lifestyle they create on their social media, the keyword here being create. No one is able to see the hours these people put into photo shopping, editing and retouching every aspect of their online persona to be the person other people want to be. They are absent mindedly putting other people in harm’s way by lying to them and making them believe more people naturally have the “ideal” body than actually do. During the lockdown, the obsession with body image only seemed to get worse. According to Digital Commerce 360, a website that tracks trends in technology and social media usage, a Sept. 16 poll of 4,500 people, 72 percent of people reported their time on social media had increased during the pandemic. A May 10 survey of 158 upper school students found that 94 percent believed their social media increased during COVID-19 lockdowns as well. While many might think that the lockdowns resulted in a decrease in activity, social media helped in fostering the opposite as the lockdown and social media seemed to promote exercise

and healthy eating habits, especially among younger age groups. Fad workouts like the Chloe Ting Summer Shred challenge promoted activity and exercise that both helped overcome the boredom and stagnation of lockdown. Unfortunately, these workouts soon became obsessive and started promoting body image in the wrong way. A May 10 survey of 158 upper school students found that 47 students felt their view of their body image changed in a negative way during the pandemic while only 27 students believed it changed for the better. It is one thing to promote healthy lifestyles and exercise, but when it becomes obsessive and turns into a mechanism for pressure, things start to get dangerous. Under-eating has long been a dangerous side-effect of eating disorders, even those that are on the more minor side. It is often forgotten that each individual needs different amounts of food to get through the day. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says that your age, gender, energy expenditure, dieting behaviors and hormonal status are among the many factors that determine one’s caloric intake and how much they should be eating everyday. We have no way of knowing how much anyone else needs to eat everyday, but we do know how much our own bodies need to get through the day and provide all the right tools to heal and prepare us for the next day. It is also important to remember not everyone is necessarily eating as much as they should be, which is just another reason not to determine how much or what you eat based on what your peers or people around you are eating. Only you know what’s right for you and how to listen to your own body. Finally, another important factor to take into consideration when looking at your own body is the fact that genetics play a large role in what you look like. Healthline.com says that research has proven that certain genetic factors and variants affect where body fat is stored and, therefore, the shape of everyone’s body. The Yale Scientific Magazine says that countless research trials have proven that humans are unable to target certain areas of their bodies when trying to decrease fat and therefore are unable to alter the shape of their bodies past a certain point. In other words, no matter how much work you put in to make your body look like someone else’s, your body is not going to fully change. Yes, you can lose weight and get rid of excess body-fat, but the true shape of your body comes down to genetics and is therefore out of your hands. More education like this is paramount to teaching girls enough about their bodies to encourage them to lose weight the healthy way and to look at their bodies in a more positive, educated way.

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SOPHOMORE VARSITY SOFTBALL PLAYER IS CHALLENGED BY THE SPORT Aside from playing softball on the varsity softball team, sophomore Edie Dahlander plays the guitar and performs in theatre. She has played softball since fifth grade and started playing at ESD in seventh grade.

Photo provided by Giselle Montagna

What makes softball special to you?

What is your favorite thing about being a catcher?

“I think, for one, you don’t have to run a whole lot which is good because I have no stamina, so I think that’s what that’s part of the reason why I gravitate towards it so much, but also it’s very much a mental game. I know all sports are very mentally engaging and challenging, but I think softball challenges me like no other sport does; I think because you only have three or five chances when you get up to the plate.”

“My favorite thing about being a catcher is how much influence I have on the game. I guess that puts a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but I think that’s part of the game and part of the fun. It’s because it challenges me and also builds relationships with the pitchers. Those bonds are things you make for life. Also, I get to talk to the umpires, so that’s pretty fun.”

What’s your favorite part of the team?

What has softball taught you about yourself?

“My favorite part about the ESD softball team this year is how everyone is there for each other and cheering each other on. I think that’s really important in team settings.”

“I think softball made me realize my potential. I’m somewhere where I never thought I could be. I can achieve my goals, and I can do things; I can face my fears and I can do things that I never thought I could. Softball taught me how much I love being on a team and challenging myself.”

Interview by Lily Bergman Staff writer

Rangers Stadium reopens at full capacity

On Opening Day 2021, Globe Life Field opened up to 100 percent capacity for awaiting fans By Charlotte Tomlin Staff writer

or over a year, Texas baseball Nicholson, an avid baseball fan, said. fans have waited with bated “Without a full crowd, sports are a lot breath to see when they more boring, and they just feel weird.” could enter Globe Life Field And with the vaccine becoming to watch their favorite Rangers more accessible and more people play once again. The first time the begin to get inoculated, fans are Rangers played in their new home, becoming more comfortable with which was in 2020, the stands held larger crowds as capacity increases. only cardboard cutouts of fans, a “I feel like it was a good sign that result of COVID-19. However, the things are getting back to normal Texas Rangers announced that they as people are getting vaccinated,” would allow 100 sophomore Jack percent capacity Crofford said. “It is for Opening Day important that things on April 5, 2021. like this happen Globe Life Field because it is the has a maximum opening day.” capacity of The Texas Rangers I FEEL LIKE IT WAS A faced off against the approximately 40,158 spectators, Toronto Blue Jays GOOD SIGN THAT spaced out over for Opening Day, in seven different which the Rangers THINGS ARE GETTING seating levels. fell 6-2. Masks were Different required and social BACK TO NORMAL, stadiums across distancing was the country have encouraged, but different rules for Jack Crofford as the game wore sophomore capacity levels. on, some fans took Fenway Park, off their masks. the Boston Red Even with the low Sox stadium, is enforcement of rules, only opened to 12 many people would percent capacity. like to attend the Mercedes Benz games if given the Stadium, home to chance. the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta FC, is “I don’t really care about [Texas] opened to 100 percent capacity. The Rangers games,” Crofford said. “If I Rangers have faced both praise and was given a ticket though, I would criticism alike for their decision to go just to witness and be in that open Globe Life Field all the way up. atmosphere, despite the risk.” “I think it is a poor decision,” Fans that are not comfortable Director of Outdoor Education Eddie returning to games still show support Eason said. “This has the potential through television and games online. to be a COVID-19 ‘super-spreader’ if “I watch the Rangers a little bit people don’t follow the rules.” on FOX Southwest,” Eason said. Many fans are optimistic about the “However, I bleed Dodger Blue and return of packed stands and feel that watch them on my MLB season the opening of Globe Life Field is a package even though the games are turning point in the Major League late.” Baseball’s COVID-19 protocols, In order to make most feel coming one step closer to the return of comfortable going to games again, normal games. a sense of safety has to be created “I think it’s a great idea [to open by enforcing rules and taking safety the stadium],” freshman Collin precautions. However, fans are still

skeptical about returning to the games. “I do not think a lot of enforcement is going on and from what I see on the TV screen, very little, if any mask wearing is taking place,” Eason said. “So I’d say that is a big no for making safety a priority.” But fans who have been to Rangers’ games in the past miss the atmosphere that was interrupted by COVID-19 and support the decision to open up the stadium. “I’ve been to a game before,” freshman Collin Nicholson said. “I went with a few friends and we had a lot of fun, especially because we all played baseball at the time.” Those who attended the Opening Day game enjoyed the experience, and relished in the ability to be back in person for sporting events. “You know it was fun, everyone was really glad to be back,” sophomore Jack Massey said. “[The Rangers] haven’t been able to play a game in a few years.” Rangers Opening Day broke records as the largest crowd in attendance at a U.S. sports game since the beginning of the pandemic. Over 38,232 people attended the game, and health care workers were offered free tickets, although those tickets were not counted in the final attendance count. Opening Day was deemed a sellout event. “It was the first game for pretty much everyone since COVID-19,” Massey said. “People were excited [and] did not seem nervous because [they] were excited to finally see a baseball game.” Massey was one of the 38,232 people who attended the game in high spirits, his first major event since the COVID-19 closed many major events. According to Massey, the environment was “super fun and exciting.” The new stadium excites the fans furthermore than the re-allowance of fan attendance.. The Rangers’ previous home, Globe Life Park, had a maximum capacity of 49,115. Globe

Life Field measures about 400,000 square feet larger than Globe Life Park, however. Arguably the biggest change between the two stadiums is the retractable roof that was installed in Globe Life Field. “The new stadium is beautiful and will serve as a good home for the Rangers,” Massey said. “The two stadiums have two different feelings: Globe Life Park has a classic, outdoor baseball stadium feel and Globe Life Field has a newer and more modern feel.” Junior Kai Robinson, a season ticket holder, attended the World Series this past fall and was one of the attendees of the Opening Day Game. “Opening Day was filled with [so] much excitement,” Robinson said. “Everyone was happy to be back

HAVING A FIELD DAY Sophomore Jack Massey and his father Todd attend the Texas Rangers’ opening day at the new Globe Life Field on April 5. “The atmosphere of the new stadium was great, I can’t wait to go back,” Massey said. Photo provided by Jack Massey

watching Rangers baseball in person.” In the fall, the Rangers sold seats to their game in a checkered pattern to help stop the spread of COVID-19. However, at the Opening Day Game, every seat was filled. And many fans are elated. “I have already attended many games since Opening Day,” Robinson said. “ I plan to attend more over the summer.”

sports

May 14, 2021

Biking grows in popularity, freshman thrives Freshman Slaton Strey’s biking hobby and business have inspired his friends, school biking program grows By Carolyn Langford Managing Editor

elmet secure and shoelaces tight, freshman Slaton Strey mounts his bike to meet friends for a ride in Highland Park. From mastering how to operate his bike to performing jumps with homemade ramps, Strey tests his limits in the world of mountain biking. “It wasn’t until after the tornado that hit my house in 2019 that I started genuinely mountain biking,” Strey said. “I was really excited about it and started getting into riding small things around the neighborhood. When I got my current bike, that was the kickstart of it all. I started going to trails with my family, and I progressively got better and better.” As Strey started to devote more time to biking, his friends began to notice his all-consuming hobby. Amidst social-distancing guidelines, Strey’s friends turned to him at the beginning of the pandemic to learn the fundamentals of mountain biking, and Strey was more than happy to oblige. “He has this contagious passion for biking that makes other people want to do it too, and he loves talking about it––everything he does is biking, biking, biking,” freshman Will Grogan said. “During quarantine, we didn’t want to be locked up, and being outside was one of the only things we were allowed to do. [Our] parents didn’t want to be driving around, so biking was the way to get places. It became a normal thing that we would go biking every day after online school. Slaton would always decide where we would go.” Throughout the summer, Strey and his friends continued to mountain bike, exploring parks and trails and learning new tricks. Strey even took several of his friends on a trip to Spider Mountain, a bike park near Austin, Texas. “I definitely influenced a little bit of [my friends’ interest in biking],” Strey said. “When I moved into the neighborhood, [my friends] were

not big into biking. I got together with them and asked to go biking. We ended up finding a bunch of cool places to bike. I taught them a bunch of stuff, and as they learned and grew to be better, they started teaching me stuff. Everybody in our friend group has gotten new bikes since, so we’ve all been able to ride updated stuff, which was a cool visual representation of the impact this has made on us.” After mastering how to maneuver his bike for months, Strey was inspired by the mechanics of the bike itself. “I lived near a bike shop, but sometimes it’s just not very easily accessible,” Strey said. “[Working on your own bike] is a fun way to connect with it. I want to be an engineer, so understanding how something mechanical works is something that really interests me.” Getting to know his own bike and learning how to repair common bike problems fueled the founding of Backyard Bike Repairs, Strey’s one-man repair business to help his community with their bike issues. “I made my business because it was a great money-earning and experience-building opportunity, and a way for me to connect with families in the community,” Strey said. “As of now, the business is operational, but hasn’t gotten as much traction in the past few months. This summer, I am planning on putting out posters around my new neighborhood to raise awareness.” Strey’s passion for biking and influence on other freshmen has extended to the school’s program, which grew in popularity this year. The mountain biking team, led by Physical Education Chair Mike Schneider and Assistant Director of Outdoor Education Davis Felder, meets several times a week during the fall trimester in exchange for a sports credit. “We have some students that are in the class to receive graduation

credit, but we also have lots of students that ride bikes on weekends or on holiday when they go near mountains,” Felder said. “I recommend this class to anyone that might be interested in learning or getting better at a sport that you can do for the rest of your life.” The program was able to reach new heights this year with Strey’s help. “If Slaton had not joined this year, it wouldn’t have been nearly as active,” Grogan said. He really took initiative––we built jumps and a trail system. He really took on a leadership role in the mountain biking program. When we went to Harry S. Moss Park, he took the lead there and helped people out when

they couldn’t get around very well. It was really fun to see him feel so passionate about it.” With the newfound traction of the program, there is potential for expansion. The freshmen that spearheaded the program this year encourage those interested in biking, with or without experience, to get involved. “It was a small group of kids this trimester, and I think that growing this program and raising more awareness would be awesome to help us get to even more places,” Strey said. “I want to compete, but Dallas is not necessarily the place for competition. Growing the program could absolutely change

that though; we could get more sponsorships, or have more meetings to be able to go out and do stuff like that at a trail system.” Since the program’s founding in 2016, members have perfected how to transport bikes, the best places to ride and developed plans to expand, according to Felder. The freshmen hope their passion will encourage new members to join next year. “It’s really fun to be able to learn something new from it,” Strey said. “Going out and finding new things to ride and new places to ride really starts to grow your skill level. It’s something that you can easily continue getting better with over time.”

TRAILBLAZERS Freshman Slaton Strey blazes through the woods on his mountain bike, practicing jumps at every chance he can get. Over the summer, Strey took his friends to Spider Mountain, pictured above, where he experimented biking on an innovative trail system. “They transformed a ski lift to work with bikes, and it’s all downhill,” Strey said. “It’s my favorite place to bike and I am already planning to go back this summmer.” Photo provided by Slaton Strey

Imposter Syndrome in athletes on the rise As the phenomenon becomes more prevalent, student and counselor offer advice on how to cope By Sloane Hope Business Manager

ver the past 20 years, the country has witnessed the rise of collegiate athletes; however, also on the rise is the number of student-athletes that feel undeserving of their spot at their respective universities. These athletes are experiencing imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is characterized by an inability to accept one’s own success or feeling undeserving of certain aspects of their life and can affect anyone, not just athletes. Author John Graden wrote a book on Imposter Syndrome and says that it can be best described as an “underlying feeling that you are not as smart, skilled, or talented as people think you are,” and furthermore, as “a dread that people will find out you are faking it,” even if you’re not faking anything at all. According to Forbes, around 70 percent of people experience imposter syndrome, which can happen to anyone at random times throughout one’s life. In many instances, imposter syndrome occurs among high achievers who experience it when they do not meet a high goal or standard they have set for themselves. Recently, the syndrome has been growing among collegiate athletes, many of whom feel they don’t deserve to go to top colleges after being recruited to play sports there. Upper school counselor Meredith Stuelpe believes that athletes have probably been feeling like this for a while, and are now able to identify their feelings with a term, making it seem like more students are feeling this way than ever before. “Now, we have language to talk about this feeling of being uneasy, self-conscious, or like you don’t fit in or you don’t belong,” Stuelpe said. “I think now that we know there’s a

term for it, people are more likely worried about feeling the effects to identify with it, which is why of imposter syndrome, mostly due it’s probably starting to seem more to the rigorous selection process prevalent.” that her college goes through when Another recent occurrence that selecting athletes to recruit. may be contributing to this feeling “I know for Boston College, and is the 2019 college admissions many other colleges too, your high scandal when parents used their school GPA plays a big role in the wealth to influence officials to recruitment process,” Knudson grant admittance for their kids to said. “Most coaches are required to prestigious universities. This scandal make sure that the athletes they are included high school students posing recruiting have a certain cumulative as student-athletes high school GPA. to get into certain So occasionally, top-tier colleges. an exception will “I think [the be made where a scandal] definitely C+ student gets shed light on the recruited because “I’M NOT WORRIED they’re just that different ways students get into good, but if that BECAUSE I KNOW more prestigious happens, the coach colleges and will have to end up THAT I HAVE SO universities,” Stuelpe recruiting an A+ said. “It could be student that isn’t MANY PLACES TO that athletes that as good as some of did put in the work the other athletes GO IF I NEED HELP.” and dedication they’re looking at so to the sport are that the cumulative hearing about GPA will stay where Grace Knudson, these instances it needs to be.” senior and scandals In terms of and beginning to the fairness the question themselves recruitment process and their worth.” presents, Stuelpe Psychologist said that excelling Suzanne Imes at a sport and emphasized this getting in for that point when talking to Karen Steger, a reason is no different than a student student-reporter at the University of excelling in other areas of the college Missouri. application. “In our society, there’s a huge “There are so many colleges out pressure to achieve,” Imes said. there that there’s a right school for “There can be a lot of confusion everybody as well as a multitude of between approval and love and reasons why certain kids get into worthiness. Self-worth becomes certain schools,” Stuelpe said. “One contingent upon achieving.” person might get into college because Senior Grace Knudson committed they have high test scores and are to row on Boston College’s crew team good at taking standardized tests. this past October and said she is not They might not get the best grades,

but they excel in other areas that those respective colleges value. Everybody has their own strengths, and a school needs people with all types of academic standing because they want a rich community with a variety of things brought to the table.” An area of concern that has been gaining attention is the one about student-athletes committing to schools with academic rigor that is too much for them to handle. Many are worried that these students get to college unaware of how difficult these universities will be and are crushed underneath the weight of trying to balance a tough curriculum and strenuous practice. However, Stuelpe believes just the opposite. “I think a lot of people, not just athletes, have difficulty adjusting to a rigorous academic college, but I honestly think it’s easier for athletes because they have a structure in place and a support system they can go to,” Stuelpe said. “Most of these athletes have pretty rigid schedules they have to stick to and resources they are given that most other students aren’t. They also have their teammates that they can identify with and go to for help whenever they need it.” And Knudson agrees. She feels prepared and ready for those exact reasons. “I’m not worried about next year because I know that I have so many places to go if I need help or am having trouble in any way,” Knudson said. “I know I’m going to have access to academic tutors, athlete study areas, teammates that have had the same professors, and stuff of that nature. I also don’t think coaches at many colleges would just put you on the spot and throw you into your first year without knowing that you’re going to succeed and providing the tools to do so.”

Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome In terms of overcoming the feeling of a lack of self worth and appreciation, professor of educational psychology Dr. Kevin Cokely of the University of Texas at Austin recommends doing little things everyday to help yourself remember all the things you succeeded in and did well every day, like recording in a journal or diary, “Do that over the course of a week or a month and look at all those instances in which you’ve gotten good feedback,” Cokely said in an interview with Karen Steger on October 15. “[it will help you remember] where you’ve been told you did a good job and done something well.” Psychologist Susan Albers recommends getting ready for the feelings imposter syndrome brings on and to deal with them accordingly. “Be ready for those feelings, observe them, be mindful of them and be ready with a response,” Albers said in a February 24 interview with the Cleveland Clinic. “If your mind says, ‘I don’t know what I’m talking about,’ remind yourself that you know more than you think you do and are capable of learning.” Major Nicole Miner, who formerly instructed at West Point Military Academy, suggests planning out your success and mapping out each situation as you would have it turn out. “I’ve used this a ton in my career,” Miner said in an interview with Jessica Bennett of the New York Times. “Before confronting a naysayer, I would conduct a mental rehearsal to make sure I was clear and firm. Self-talk then helps me stay under control and in the ‘right’ mindset for the situation. Your confidence doesn’t have to come from just experience, otherwise we would never try things for the first time.”

eagleedition

episcopal school of dallas |

May 14 , 2021

Recognizing the Class of 2021’s college commitments

178 colleges and universities applied to 460 acceptances to 140 colleges and universities $12,327,870 in scholarship money

Source: ESD College Guidance