V41 Issue 3

EAGLE EDITION The Episcopal School of Dallas student newspaper

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Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 V 41 | Issue 3 4100 Merrell Rd Dallas, TX 75229

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Old conflict, new wounds

In the past months, the Israel-Hamas conflict has escalated to war.

With this development, global powers have defined their alliances, college protests have budded, and experts question if there will ever be of a peaceful resolution.

Pages 14-15

@esdeagleedition

Vaccinations

Lack of vaccinations after Covid-19 has implications on children’s’ health.

Page 3

Christmas traditions

A look into community member’s holiday traditions and keeping the Christmas spirit alive for younger siblings.

Page 6

10/07 IS PEACE POSSIBLE?

Illustration by Charlotte Traylor

2 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

News

Increasing Shoplifting A look into the rise of shoplifting and how it effects local buisnesses and teens.

Page 5

Community service ramps up during the holidays School increases service opportunities, creating some in remembrance

By Iris Hernandez | Managing Editor

Holiday Cheer

Seniors Sophia Raveling (left) and Margaret Shirey (right) set out prizes on Dec. 9 for games before children arrive for the Rainbow Days community service event at the United Methodist Church's parking lot. "The prize table next to our station was really great for the kids," Raveling said. "There were a ton of prizes and were mostly fidget toys but they were really nice and were made for all ages." At the event, signs are placed at each station in order to show which games are in Bett's memory. Photos

By Iris Hernandez Graphic provided by Amy Livingston

I

t is a fact that people volunteer more during the holiday season than during any other time of the year. A 50 percent increase in volunteering was observed in November and December, according to a UT Dallas Magazine article. And here at ESD it is no different, 48 percent of students volunteer more during the holidays, according to a Dec. 12 Eagle Edition Poll of 128 students.

Appropriately so, the virtue of the month for December is service. Thus, multiple chapel talks have been centered around past community service projects.

“I wanted to give a chapel talk about service for a few reasons,” junior Joey Bank, who talked about her experience with community service during a recent chapel talk, said. “I felt that it was important to bring awareness to the subject of food insecurities within Dallas and to help the organization that Caitlin and I have been working for.

Numerous teachers have spoken with me about wanting to visit the farm and potentially bring more ESD students to help, which shows that the chapel talk was very effective.”

Her talk was centered around Joppy Momma’s Farm: an organization that has been fighting against food insecurity since 2021.

“We highlighted Joppy because we have been working with this organization for a few years, and I firmly believe that food insecurity is one of the most prominent issues due to the fact it causes so many hardships,” Bank said. “Having a sustainable food source can prevent health problems and is helpful for people who are struggling and can not afford proper medical care.”

This year, economics and business teacher Amy Livingston’s advisory planned a grade-wide volunteer opportunity benefiting Rainbow Days to honor their advisee, Logan Betts, who passed away in April.

“The idea came about from my

advisory when they decided that they wanted to do something this year that remembered Logan and the work he did with charities,” Livingston said. “The day we spent for the junior philanthropy project was at Rainbow Days. So, my advisory [began] to think, ‘Is there something we could do with our advisory, but also with the senior class as a whole.’”

On Dec. 9, approximately 34 seniors volunteered at a Rainbow Days Christmas event. Students set up Christmas themed games with prizes and played with the kids while their parents went Christmas shopping.

“

I decided to do Rainbow days to honor Logan Betts because that was the last community service project he did with his advisory before he passed. I also thought the cause was really nice to make sure these homeless kids had a really special holiday season.

Sophia Raveling Senior and volunteer

“My favorite part of volunteering at Rainbow Days was when a friend and I were running the snowball race station and two girls about our age came up and wanted to try balancing the ping pong ball on the spoon,” senior Sophia Raveling said. “She and her siblings' reactions to winning a prize at the end of the race was so heartfelt and truly made me

love volunteering there when I saw her jumping up and down with genuine joy.”

Cole Spence organized another charity event in Bett’s memory.

A photo contest was created and the school’s community had the opportunity to submit photos from Dec. 1 to 15. There was a $20 per submission fee and all proceeds went to Family Gateway, a place where Betts spent time volunteering.

“I felt that as his friend, I hadn't done anything to honor his memory,” Spence said. “I realized I wanted to create something that the whole upper school could participate in, which wasn't easy to come up with. I eventually stuck with a photography contest to remind everyone what a brilliant photographer Logan was.”

There were four different photo categories: abstract, travel, portraits and nature, all subjects seen in Bett’s work. The winner of each category gets a $25 gift card. “ I had an option for all three categories,” senior Slaton Strey said. “I ended up submitting to Nature and Abstract because two of my favorite photos that I have taken fit into those categories. I didn't feel like the portrait that I had taken was as special as my other two offerings, so I went with them.”

Spence hopes for the continuation of a recurring contest long after the class of 2024 has graduated.

“The thought of this becoming an annual contest really only struck me a couple weeks ago,” Spence said. “I had originally planned only for this year since I am a senior, but I would love if this continued past my time here. I think ESD is missing these school-wide contests that I find so prevalent in other schools, and it would be great for it to continue.

It is not only an activity for people to send their photos too, but it is also going to be a good opportunity for ESD to support some non-profit organizations.”

In addition to the community service for Logan the senior class

has the annual Senior Capstone Project. As a class, the seniors are doing community service for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Students have been given three dates to volunteer, and only one group has volunteered so far. At the SPCA on Nov. 18, students did more than help out. They learned about what the organization does and were given a tour of the facility.

“As a group, we made dog mats with felt for the current dogs in the shelter waiting to be adopted,” senior Charlotte Wilson said. “I think the service as a class does make us more connected as we go through each activity together and as many of us share a love for animals. I believe the SPCA is a great organization to work with as a class, as DFW is a large metropolitan area that sees a lot of animal neglect and cruelty. The SPCA brings to light various issues they attend to that could be overlooked by the average person.”

Another way for students to serve this holiday season is the Angel Tree benefiting St. Phillips Episcopal School. In the study commons, the annual angel tree went up. The angel tree has paper profiles, rather than ornaments, that contain a child who is in need of Christmas presents. Each profile contains their age, likes and needs.

“I have participated in Angel Tree through ESD and my church for around eight years, since the time I moved to Dallas,” senior Brayden Girata said. “I love participating in Angel Tree with my family, often buying gifts together for multiple children at a time and trying to personalize presents for the children we help is always a delight. But, my favorite part is when I get to interact not only with the kids who receive the gifts but those children whose families donate presents, and seeing the unconditional, glowing joy between both parties is utterly fulfilling.”

News

December 15, 2023 |

Alarming decline in vaccinations

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The New Argentinean President After being sworn into office on Dec. 10, new Argentinean president, Javier Milei, promised to give the country an “economic shock.” Argentina’s economy has been suffering through high rates of inflation. As of October, the country’s inflation rate has been 143 percent, according to Bloomberg. Many around the world are eager to see what Milei’s presidency will hold, as his candidacy was unusual. He often wielded a chainsaw at rallies, and said that they are an expression of the country’s feelings towards the government.

He taught economics at university, hosted a television show, and is known for his strong personality and heavy social media presence.

Milei takes presidency

President Javier Milei is greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his Inaugural speech on Dec. 10.

Photo by (Luis Robayo/AFP/ Getty Images/TNS)

Collision in the South China Sea A nautical collision between a Chinese coast guard vessel and a Philippine supply ship occurred on Dec 10 in the South China Sea. China claims the supply ship intentionally collided with the coast guard vessel after multiple warnings. However, the Philippines claims that the coast guard deliberately hit the supply ship, causing major damages. Three days prior to this conflict, the Philippines accused China of firing water cannons at three of its ships. Countries in the region have disputed this territory for years.

South China Sea conflict

In this photo taken on December 23, 2022, Filipino fishermen aboard their wooden boat sail past a Chinese coast guard ship in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Photo by (STR/AFP via Getty Images/ TNS)

Eruption in Indonesia On Dec. 3, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, Indonesia, erupted.

Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any other country, and Mount Marapi is one of the most active. The volcano erupted in a large plume of ash, giving hikers and nearby residents lifethreatening burns. Seventy-five people have been evacuated from the mountain, and 23 people have been found dead. Hiking routes on the mountain have been closed, and officials have banned any activity within two miles of the volcano.

Vast destruction

Mount Marapi in 2017, six years before the most recent eruption Photo by By Dody.bukittinggi Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

P

ublic service announcements, stores and schools encourage vaccination as the flu season approaches. In hopes of preventing the spread of sickness, doctors motivate families to vaccinate sooner rather than later. But despite efforts by the government, organizations and medical associations,national vaccination rates have declined in recent years according to The American Progress.

Along with the Covid-19 vaccine, vaccination rates of measles, mumps, polio and tetanus have drastically decreased around 8 percent according to American Academy of Family Physicians in the past year.

In addition, illness rates have climbed, and there has been an increased number of the spread of diseases. For example, there has been a spread of measles in Washington and some viral spreads of Covid nation wide, with 10.6 percent of cases resulting in hospitalizations according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “[The decline of vaccination rates] is disheartening, a little frightening and frustrating,” school nurse Marcia Biggs said.

“Vaccinations are important to vulnerable populations and protecting them as well.”

According to the Government Public Health Appropriations Book, the U.S. has reported a record high number of measles cases since 1992 which had around 27,00 infected according to the CDC. Recently a measles outbreak in Clark County, Washington infected 71 county residents, which inevitably led to the declaration of a public health emergency.

And although this may not be the same scale as Covid-19, the outbreak cost more than $3.4 million, including productivity loss and medical costs which translates to more than $47,000 per case.

The main demographic that has missed vaccinations is young children. According to UNICEF, 67 million children missed routine vaccinations from 2019 to 2021 globally. According to the American Progress Vaccination coverage decreased in most states among kindergartners for the 2021 to 2022 school year which is below pre-pandemic vaccination rates.

“I don’t think vaccines are really good for you,” Christiana Hayes* said. “My family and I believe that they are unnatural so there is no reason to get it.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the vaccination of children born between 1994 and 2021 will prevent 472 million illnesses, 30 million hospitalizations and more than one million deaths.

According to the CDC, this equates to $2.2 trillion saved in total societal costs, including $479 billion in direct costs.

“I have always thought that vaccines and even certain medicines I don’t use because they are potentially harmful,” Hayes said. “It depends on the person, but I just don’t see vaccines as healthy for our bodies.”

The CDC does speculate some attributing factors to the decline of vaccination rates, namely Covid-19. The pandemic has contributed to access barriers to vaccination through pediatric staff shortages, prioritization of medical resources to elders and adults and distrust of certain vaccines.

Due to the shortage of pediatric staff, it has been more difficult to distribute vaccines in pharmacies and doctor’s offices according to

American Progress. Moreover, the prioritization of older generations has shifted to giving more accessible vaccines to elders.

And with the limited number of newer vaccines, some believe this may make it harder to have these vaccines for younger generations.

“I’ve always been anti-vax even before Covid, so when the pandemic hit it didn’t really change how I thought about vaccines,” Hayes said. “However, I definitely think Covid changed how people thought about [vaccines].”

However, according to American Progress, the main source of vaccine hesitancy is misinformation.

During the pandemic, rumors and inaccurate information about the vaccine’s reliability attributed to people not wanting to get vaccinated. This continues to play a role in the recent flu season as people have become more hesitant to get vaccinated for the flu.

“I think there has been a loss in confidence in the effectiveness of vaccines, maybe due to the misinformation circulating social media,” Biggs said. “I always encourage people to do their own research and make an educated decision that best fits their lifestyle and philosophy.”

Regardless of reasons for the anti-vaccination habits of the US, the unpopularity of vaccines all across the board have decreased.

“Bills challenging vaccine mandates — whether Covid specific or not – have gained a new momentum in the years since the pandemic’s onset,” Droit Reiss, a student at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, said in an interview with American Progress.

New non-medical exemptions have encouraged people to enroll their children in school without vaccination records which also contributes to the decline.

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials stated that 44 states allow religious exemptions, and 15 states allow personal belief exemption, with 13 states proposing new non-medical exemptions as of March 2023.

With more and more people applying for and receiving exemptions, parents have stopped vaccinating their children as it is not a school requirement. Whether an exemption of vaccination is due to personal beliefs, religious reasons or due to economics, doctors and researchers are concerned with herd immunity — when a large percentage of the population is immune from a disease making the disease less likely to spread. This, eventually, provides protection from contracting the disease even for those who didn’t get vaccinated.

“Herd immunity is crucial to preventing the spread of disease,” Biggs said. “As a population, our continued existence and subsequent success depends on building immunity to the wide array of viruses, bacteria and even fungi.”

According to the CDC, high vaccination rates are crucial to protect people from vaccine preventable diseases and to create herd immunity. And during the measles outbreak, with the vaccination rate going down, it weakened the herd immunity causing it to spread.

“The vaccines that are available in the US are proven to be effective deterrents to diseases like measles, ‘whooping cough,’ polio and more and are especially important to the vulnerable populations such as newborn and geriatrics,” Biggs said.

“Infections for these groups can be fatal, so please help support our community by getting vaccinated.”

U.S. struggles with soaring health risks as vaccination rates plummet

Percent of upper school student respondents are fully vaccinated

Percent of upper school student respondents have received only the recommended vaccines

Percent of upper school student respondents have never been vaccinated

By Sophia Sardiña | Life Editor

76 18 6

SOURCE: Dec. 12 U.S. survey of 128 students

4 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Entertainment industry emerges from seven-month strike Screen Actors Guild strikes end, challenges linger

By Valentina Boltchi | Staff writer

A

mericans kept a watchful eye as the backbones of the entertainment industry crumbled for three months.

The Writers Guild of America began their strike on May 2, and was followed by the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike on July 14.

The strikes were prompted by labor disputes with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes major television companies such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon, WarnerBros, Universal and Paramount.

The two strikes resulted in the loss of more than 45,000 jobs, and an estimated $3 billion loss for the economy of Southern California alone, according to CNBC. The strikes eventually subsided on Nov. 9, but they significantly interrupted the American film and television industry.

The lack of agreement on a new contract between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP contributed to the strikes. There were disagreements over streaming residuals, regulation of self-tape auditions for actors and studio usage of artificial intelligence. When major studio’s refused to terminate the use of AI to replace writers and actors, the strike picked up.

“It made sense that the writers and the actors needed to strike because we haven’t seen a strike of that magnitude in quite some time,” Performing Arts Department Chair Lauren Redmond said. “[There were] so many technological changes and platforms being changed on where these artists' work were being showcased, it made perfect sense to me as to why the strike needed to happen.”

Actors and writers targeted major film studios in Los Angeles and New York City. Well-known actors joined the protests and shared their support for the strike, including George Clooney, Jennifer Garner, Kerry Washington and Joey King.

“Being able to see big-name stars come together with extras and background characters re-solidified the bond of the union, from people who earn the least amount of money to people who earn the most amount of money,” Redmond said.

Much of this support came after SAG-AFTRA emphasized the importance of standing in solidarity with the members of the strike until a fair deal is reached for them.

“No member shall render any services, or make an agreement to perform services for any employer against whom the union is conducting a strike, nor shall any

member otherwise violate any strike order of the union,” states SAGAFTRA membership rule 1A. The strike resulted in the suspension of many fan-favorite television and film productions, including “Euphoria,” “Law & Order,” “White Lotus” and “Stranger Things.” Other series were canceled or suspended indefinitely.

The strike came to an official end on Nov. 9, 2023, after days of back-and-forth negotiations between the unions and studios.

The union’s negotiating committee approved the deal on a unanimous vote, and it will continue to go through a series of finishing touches.

“I am very relieved that the strike is over,” Redmond said. “I feel better for our industry, for the actors and writers that can now return to work, this is their livelihood.”

The deal includes a great amount of benefits for workers. A minimum pay increase of 5 percent has been reached, followed by a 4 percent bump on May 2, 2024 and a 3.5 percent bump on May 5, 2025.

Writers were also able to gain significant protection against the use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood. AI cannot write or rewrite literary material, providing writers with a source of comfortability and insurance in their work.

“I am against AI replacing actors and writers,” junior Tessa Cabrales, who is involved in the acting program, said. “Not only does it take away thousands of jobs, it will make the production industry less authentic and impressive” Regarding streaming, a deal has been reached that provides residuals based on viewership.

Viewership is calculated by the hours streamed domestically of the season or film, divided by the running time. This ultimately makes sure actors and writers are properly compensated for their

work based on popularity, as higher popularity shows provide heavy compensation for the studios.

“They are fighting to be paid accurately for all of the work that they do,” Redmond said. “The team of writers should be paid by the episode, not just the series.”

Many concerns have been raised about the quality of television and films after the strike. Some accuse major studios of embracing quantity over quality, producing a mass number of shows instead of focusing on a few very good ones, and believe the excess of production cancellations may lead to rushed filming and releasing.

However, people all over the world are overjoyed as their favorite shows are resuming production.

The writer’s room for various popular shows such as “Family Guy,” “Young Sheldon,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” have returned to work.

“The strike really hasn’t postponed a crazy amount,” freshman and movie connoisseur Henry Swann said. “There are a lot of movies that I was very much anticipating that are still coming out regularly.”

Although production has resumed, the strike has had a huge impact on the lives of those in the entertainment industry.

“This three to four month impact [the strike] had on actors' livelihood is huge,” Redmond said.

“I am very happy because I can see my friends go back to work and do what they love.”

While some shows plan to resume production as soon as possible, like the mega-popular Netflix show “Stranger Things,” some show’s are waiting a bit longer, such as “Emily In Paris.”

“I feel so fortunate and inspired by how the actors fought for their working rights, it was really inspiring to see,” Cabrales said.“I hope that returning back to work will be a smooth transition for all the actors and writers.”

50th Book Anniversary A 50th-anniversary book will be published in late 2024 to commemorate the school’s founding. In 1995, Fr. Swann hired Sylvia Bogard as his executive assistant. Now retired, she is helping with the making of the book.

“My long association with the school, I wanted to lend my firsthand knowledge to help with the 50th anniversary book,” Bogard said.

Bogard jumped at the opportunity to participate in the project and is the acting archivist.

Other people involved in the project are Campaign Manager Carol Bergman, stewardship manager and acting archivist; Director of Communications Julie Clardy, editor; ESDPA Associate Head of School Ruth Burke; Associate Director of Admission Megan Boyd Schroeder ‘09; and Chief Advancement Officer Denis Stokes. Freelancer Steve Parker was hired to design the book, and Cres Mapes was hired to write it.

“Along with our in-house advisory team, we conducted countless hours of interviews,” Clardy said. “This project is a result of years of preparation.”

The book project started last year, and the team has gathered information and pictures since then.

Bogard visits to the school's offsite storage location regularly to find more documentations.

“I’ve enjoyed browsing boxes of memorabilia and pictures from the past 50 years and unearthing ‘treasures’ from the past,” Bogard said.

Clardy hopes to capture how ESD, which started around a campfire with 11 students and a priest in 1974, became one of Dallas's top schools.

AP Research new IRB ESD’s AP Research class has added an Institutional Review Board in hope of benefiting students' research. The IRB helps students determine whether or not their research is credible, effective and reliable.

Professional and academic research institutions rely on IRBs to review, approve and monitor a research project involving humans, ESD’s IRB aims to act the same way.

The board consists of faculty and staff members with different backgrounds. Since seniors in the class plan to conduct research involving human participants, the board must approve the research project first.

“All research that is done in academia has to be approved by a group,” upper school chemistry teacher Walt Warner said. “[They are] responsible for making sure that the research is safe and ethical for participants to take part in.”

IRB members include Director of Emotional Wellness and Learning Support Dr. Cara Holmes, Director of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Elizabeth Goatley and Associate Chief Academic Officer Lindsey Cullins. The board has yet to meet, but is in the process of starting soon. The board has to include members who can confirm the research will be conducted in an ethical and healthy manner.

Students in the AP class appreciate how the research board will allow them to dig deeper into their research and follow a real-life research proposal.

“It is quite a unique experience as only three people are in my class,” senior Charles Liu said.

“Unlike many other ESD classes I've taken, this class is oriented on our independent research and doesn't have a distinct structure.”

No Plastic November No Plastic November, the Environmental Awareness Club challenge, was created for the upper school for the month of November. The goal was to limit the use of plastic at ESD in order to reduce waste on campus and help our environment.

The club kept track of the use of the water bottle refilling stations to examine how many people used refillable water bottles, opposed to plastic bottles. According to the club sponsor, Matthew Varvir, before November, the upper school had been using the water refilling stations approximately 160 times per day. During November, while the challenge was taking place, the school reached an average of 203 refill times a day.

“That is approximately a 27 percent increase, which is good,” Varvir said. “We would have liked to have seen more, but we will gladly take that.”

The results of the challenge did not reach the percent increase required to receive a free dress day; however it qualified for a spirit dress day with an undetermined date. The challenge raised environmental awareness for students, and the club hopes that even without a reward system, the school will continue to be more aware of their plastic usage.

“I would hope that students that started to get into the habit of using them [water refilling stations] this November continue that habit,” Varvir said. “I would love to see it. I’m not holding my breath, but I would love to see it.”

Strike has ended

SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America members take to the picket line outside Netflix in Los Angeles, California on July 14. Actors joined striking writers who had been on the picket lines since the beginning of May. Photo by Myung J. Chun/ Los Angeles Times/TNS

A Brief Breakdown The latest events around the ESD campus— in brief

50th book anniversary

Photographers take photos on Nov. 9 of the first issue of the Eagle Edition for the 50th anniversary book.

Photo by Abby Baughman

IRB for AP Research class

Chemistry teacher Walt Warner and his AP research students discuss topics that students take interest in. The IRB approves these topics to make sure they are safe and ethical.

Photo by Margot Cathey

No Plastic November

Posters fill the hallways of Upper school hoping to prevent the use of plastic in November at ESD. Photo by Emma Allen

News

December 15, 2023

5

Shoplifting increases, retailers ramp up security

U

pper schooler Reagan Leta* walks into Target with their friend in hopes of spreading a fun afternoon. However, their friend begins to carefully stuff their pockets, hoodie and purse with small items like makeup and skincare products. And, to avoid getting caught, Leta’s friend rushes out the store with a copious amount of stolen items.

Shoplifting is an epidemic in the U.S., as retail crime rates have skyrocketed in major stores and cities. Dallas has had the highest reported shoplifting crimes this year, according to The Sun. Dallas shoplifting has increased 73 percent since the start of 2023 and is estimated to continue its growth.

“My friend stole from basically every single store we walked into,” Leta said. “It happened extremely often, and it made everyone within our friend group very uncomfortable.”

Retail stores have become more wary of possible theft as people have posted themselves thieving on social media. Stores have been taking this issue into their own hands by increasing certain security measures with more cameras, employees and locked cabinets.

In addition to these locked cabinets, Walmart has added flashing cameras and alarms if these cabinets are opened forcefully or fail to open with a certain employee key card or password. However, some view these new additions as “over the top.” According to the New York Times, shoplifting has not been that much of an issue and will always exist at a similar severity.

A Walmart in Northeast Dallas has aisles full of locked cases containing items such as men’s underwear, socks, wallets, electric toothbrushes and hair products.

Along with the locked cabinets, they have also placed an employee at the exit to check the receipts of shoppers and double-check their carts.

“When I worked at Walmart we had three different code names when people were seen shoplifting,” Carlos Lawson* a former Walmart employee said.

“One was for tiny items that would be in their hands or pockets, another was for bigger things that they could hide in other objects, and one for a person not scanning an item on self-checkout.”

Lawson also said that they had problems with customers shoplifting at least a couple of times every week or so.

“When we caught someone shoplifting, it was usually selfcheckout and we would have to pause the transaction without the customer knowing,” he said.

Regardless, retail stores are still taking precautions. Target has taken steps to follow Walmart, such as the locked cabinets and cameras around self-checkout. In order for shoppers to receive their items out of a locked cabinet, they must press a button to alert employees. When doing self-checkout, there is a sensor under the bags to weigh the items to make sure it aligns with the total price. If the price and weight fail to match, the register will lock, which inhibits further checkout.

Then an employee is alerted and unlocks the register with their employee ID after checking the items.

“Even with locked cabinets [they] would [steal], and it did become a problem to the point where I stopped shopping with [them],” Leta said. “[They] could afford everything [they] stole, and so people didn’t want to be friends with [them] due to [their] problem.”

Similarly to both Target and Walmart, Kroger has added security gates to curb-pickups to prevent customers from making quick exits with carts filled with stolen items.

Kroger has also gotten on the bandwagon of locked containers and increased cameras.

“The biggest thing is that self-

checkouts don’t really work if you want to stop shoplifting,” Lawson said. “You have two employees watching five to six checkouts. It's easy for people to skip scanning an item and it’s just easy to steal from.”

However, others speculate the actual growth of shoplifting isn’t that big of a dilemma. The New York Times article “Viral Exaggerations” speculates that retailers have the intent of spreading the shoplifting narrative because it portrays poor profits out of their control. Another reason why they speculate that the shoplifting narrative is exaggerated is because of inflation.

But now, most major retailers are beginning to reinforce their items with more enhanced security measures. In malls, strip malls and luxury stores, the use of armed guards and security is more popular. Police have been stationed around the store, primarily at the doors, to keep an eye out for unwarranted and alleged “sketchy” behavior.

Even though shoplifting at ESD hasn’t been too big of an issue, there are measures in place to keep students in line.

“We have cameras around the Eagles Nest, and we keep pumpkin bread, cookies and other treats behind the counter,” Gabrielle Harrington, the Eagles Nest manager, said. “We don’t really have an issue with stealing, it’s just good to keep these precautions.”

However, around nine years ago, there was an issue with some younger kids stealing the pumpkin bread. The bread was originally “self served,” and kids were putting it in their pockets.

“Several years ago, there was kind of a ring of pumpkin bread where kids would steal it,” Harrington said. “That is one of the reasons it is behind the counter so we can see who grabs it.”

Nevertheless, retailers are on the lookout for potential thefts.

According to the Newsbreak, the National Retail Federation estimates the annual loss to Texas retailers around $2.5 billion.

Shoplifting has become a growing epidemic in major cities, and stores have been becoming more wary of the growing issues.

With major retailers locking up expensive items, having armed guards and implementing more alarm systems, retailers are working to reduce the problem.

“Although my friend was never caught and continues to steal, I do wish [they] would stop,” Leta said. “This severity of a problem has serious repercussions and consequences and I wish [they] would come to that realization.”

Dallas stores take extra precautions to theft at bay

By Sophia Sardiña | Life Editor

*Names have been changed to maintain the anonymity of these sources

Stealthy Hands

Over 55 percent of shoplifters begin shoplifting with small hand held items as teenagers. Along with that, only 2 percent of shoplifters get caught according to Refaces.

Photo by Sophia Sardiña

Tensions rise after Eagles' football victory

I

t is Nov. 1, the last Friday night lights of the season and tensions are high as the Eagles prepare to take on their biggest rivals: the St. Mark’s Lions. For the tenth year in a row, the Eagles defeated the Lions. This year the score being 42-21. Despite this victory, ESD administration was disturbed by the penalty the team received for unsportsmanlike conduct during the game and the playing of “Sweet Caroline” on the field after the win.

This rivalry has persisted for many years and has varied in intensity. It has been problematic, from the destruction of both ESD and St. Mark's property to the singing of “Sweet Caroline,” in which words are replaced with explicit language directed at St. Mark’s, to online interactions between students at the schools.

While many students agree that some actions against one another coming from both sides are too much, many see the rivalry as friendly competition.

Sophomore Blake Gubert, an ESD lacrosse and soccer player, sees the rivalry in a friendly way.

“I have a lot of friends at St. Mark's, and I don't think that anybody really hates each other,” Gubert said. “But I think some things cross the line when it comes to the rivalry. So I want to keep that to a minimum.”

Clark Family Head of Upper School Matt Peal, who is a University of Georgia alum, is familiar with school rivalries and the excitement they can bring to a sporting event. However, Peal believes that it is essential to recognize our standing as a highly respected private high school.

“This may be tame compared to other rivalries,” Peal said. “Fairly or unfairly, being a private school of our notoriety does mean we have a higher standard.”

Recent events and incidents have called for a meeting with both

students in our community and administration, as well as a meeting with both ESD and St. Mark’s administration.

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, student leaders in the ESD community met with the administration to discuss recent concerns regarding the relationship with St. Mark’s.

Senior Class President Caroline Bagley, who is a varsity cheer and lacrosse captain, was a student representative at this meeting.

“

I think everyone agreed that a healthy rivalry is actually really good for both schools.

Matt Peal

Clark Family Head of Upper School

“It was definitely prompted by a couple of incidents, like after the [Nov. 1] St. Mark's football game,” Bagley said. “There [was] singing of ‘Sweet Caroline,’ and then also negative interactions on social media.”

After identifying and discussing these issues, they created a game plan to keep our relationship with St. Mark’s healthy in the coming years.

“We talked about having it start with the students, and so just definitely captain's like pushing that and upperclassmen making that the culture of teams,” Bagley said. “They also mentioned setting a couple of standards and boundaries about positive treatment and not going too far when it comes to trash talk.”

Christian Warner, a St. Mark’s sophomore, agrees with Gubert and Bagley. He thinks that the rivalry between the two schools is goodnatured.

“In terms of any malignant behavior, no I don't think there is any severeness in that sense,” Warner said. “But, I would obviously consider it a rivalry because it’s not just like any other competition or game that the two schools play.”

He also said that he has friends at ESD, and the rivalry does not add any uncomfortable feelings between them.

“I hang out with ESD kids outside of school events and it’s never weird at all. I’ve known the guys in my grade from lacrosse so it has always been easy seeing them,” Warner said. “Both schools maintain a healthy balance in my opinion.”

At the administration meeting on Nov. 29, Ann and Lee Hobson Head of School David Baad, Director of Athletics Thad Lepcio, Peal, and their St. Mark’s counterparts, met to discuss the common goals and hopes for the community.

“I think everyone agreed that a healthy rivalry is actually really

good for both schools, and good, healthy competition is good for our kids,” Peal said. “I think our fear is that that competition transforms into really personalized attacks on individuals, and that is what we'd love to shy away from.”

Peal expressed his worries about how times have changed, and social media brings a completely different aspect to the rivalry.

Students at both schools created Instagram accounts to promote tension between the schools before game days. Although they remain relatively appropriate, Peal is concerned about posts being directed personally at students and less at the school as a whole. He also is aware that posts on social media last forever.

“Twenty- five years ago, you'd get mad, and you'd kidnap a mascot or pour rock salt on a football field to [make] the grass die; at the moment, those really sucked, but they didn't have long-lasting consequences,” Peal said. “Some post about some kid… that's inflammatory, that will follow you for the next 20 years. It can impact [your] standing at school and college admissions. It's far different nowadays.”

St. Mark's and ESD rivalry prompts dialogue about sportsmanship

By Beau McKnight | Staff writer

Support at Sunset

Junior Tessa Cabrales cheers with the rest of varsity cheer at a home game against St. Mark's on Nov. 1. "Cheering at the St. Mark's game is always my favorite game to watch and cheer at because of the big rivalry," Cabrales said. "This year was extra special because it was also senior night and we beat the Lions once again."

Photo by Sophia Raveling.

6 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Life

Eagles take flight Sophomores set out to earn pilots' licenses and strive to continue careers in aviation.

Page 8

ESD students keep Christmas magic alive Older siblings help parents and younger siblings spread Christmas cheer

By Charlotte Tomlin | Sports Editor

Deck the Halls

From Left: Junior Cheney Mathes stands with her siblings and decorates their Christmas tree.

"It was so fun decorating the Christmas tree with my siblings," Mathes said. "I look forward to it every year and it really gets me in the holiday spirit." Junior Ella Floyd's younger siblings read the letter that their Elf on the Shelf left for them. "I love watching my siblings try and find the elves because they're always so excited and it's so fun to see who finds them each day."

Photo provided by Cheney Mathes and Ella Floyd.

E

very morning in December, senior Jackson Pennington wakes up to the sound of footsteps pounding outside of his bedroom door, giggles and shrieks from his siblings as they run around the kitchen and living room, searching. They tear open cabinets and drawers, peel back curtains and shout, “Where is he?” over and over again.

Eventually, whether it’s after seconds or minutes of looking, a joyful “I found him!” rises above the other shouts. With six younger siblings, it’s important to Pennington to keep the magic of Christmas alive for his family, starting with the Elf on the Shelf.

“My favorite holiday tradition with my siblings is finding where our Elf on the Shelf, Jingle, is hiding each morning leading up to Christmas,” Pennington said.

“Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to help my parents choose different hiding spots for the Elf.” For Pennington, time spent with his siblings is one of the best parts of the Christmas season and a great time to bond with his family.

“Myself and my older siblings work hard to keep the Christmas magic alive,” Pennington said.

“One activity that I enjoy each year is going with the entire family to pick up a Christmas tree and get hot chocolate afterwards.”

Part of maintaining Christmas traditions and spirit involves encouraging myths and beliefs, like those of the Elf on the Shelf and Santa Claus.

“I have always tried to keep Christmas magical for the younger kids,” Pennington said.

“I found out [the truth about] Santa much later than most kids, and I want to keep them in the dark to give them the same experience that I had.”

Christmas Eve is also a special

day for the Pennington family, a combination of hard work and pure magic.

“It can be hard to keep Santa as a secret, but it’s fun to see how the younger kids are so enchanted by the myth,” Pennington said. “We always watch Christmas movies in the days before Christmas. We watch the “Polar Express” every Christmas Eve. It’s fun to watch the younger kids because they still follow the Santa tracker and believe in the Elf on the Shelf.”

Pennington is not the only student that works hard to keep Christmas special for his younger siblings. Freshman Sloane Everett tries to make sure her younger brother in 5th grade, Tripp, still appreciates the

“

I have always tried to keep Christmas magical for the younger kids. Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year.

Jackson Pennington Senior

holiday season, and the magic that comes with it.

“I don't believe in Santa anymore, but my little brother Tripp does,” Everett said. “We both are always excited to start celebrating Christmas every year.

I make sure he always finds his Elf [on the Shelf], and [I] keep

the idea of Santa a recurring topic.”

Everett celebrates Christmas all month long, enjoying the season and the time spent with her brother and her parents.

“Every Christmas Eve, we eat Mexican food for dinner,” Everett said. “Every Christmas [Day], my family always drives to get hot chocolate and then drives around the neighborhoods with the best Christmas lights. A couple days before Christmas, my brother and I decorate gingerbread houses and cover them in all different types of candy.”

In terms of Christmas decorations, Everett takes the brunt of the work upon herself, with some help from her brother.

“I normally do all the decorating, like putting the lights on the tree, hanging the stockings, and wrapping the stairway in ribbon,” Everett said.

“Tripp likes to randomly help, like hanging two ornaments on the tree. I try to decorate the house as much as possible, watch many Christmas movies, and make sure we always listen to Christmas music.”

Everett’s family is not the only family with special Christmas traditions. Junior Cheney Mathes and her family use the Christmas season to celebrate their faith and the joy of Christmas.

“My family and I go to church every Christmas Eve,” Mathes said. “We look forward to the special evening service every year. It's such a magical mass, and my family and I love going.

Also, my siblings and I love making cookies and putting our carrots [out for the reindeer] every year on Christmas Eve. We always look forward to coming downstairs the next morning to see the eaten cookies and carrots, and the letter left from Santa, especially my little sister.”

For the Mathes family,

celebrating Christmas is a weekslong event, not just on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. “Every year, my siblings and I decorate gingerbread houses,” Mathes said. “We always look forward to going and doing this.

We always have competitions to see whose house/side looks the best. We take our finished gingerbread houses home and decorate our house with them.

Decorating the Christmas tree is a tradition my family and I do together every year. We set up an evening that we will decorate the tree. Unloading boxes of ornaments, we take turns putting ornaments on the tree.”

Junior Ella Floyd has three younger siblings, who try their hardest to stay on Santa’s good side and off the naughty list.

“All three little [siblings] still believe in Santa, so it’s definitely fun to keep them believing,” Floyd said. “On Christmas Eve, little [siblings] always turn on the Santa tracker on TV. On Christmas Day, they always come and wake everyone up as early as possible, usually 6:45 a.m., and we all have to wait to walk downstairs together. The twins have found out about elves, but my little brother still believes. My parents still find creative things to do with the elves every night and it’s still fun for all of us to see what they’re doing.”

Without a doubt, Christmas is a special season for ESD students and their families. It’s a time for connection, celebration and joy.

Pennington values the Christmas season above all other seasons, especially during the time spent with family and friends.

“Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year,” Pennington said. “The whole family is back together, and we all get to spend time together looking at lights, watching movies, and opening presents.”

Life

December 15, 2023 |

HEARDby theBIRD

“ “ It reflects the ESD community because we’re all friends, and I'm chilling with my snowmies.

Gianluca Sabella '26

It's totally changed my hair regimen. I've seen great changes on humid days. [It makes] my hair is perfect for school dances and getting that great blowout look.

Harper Sands '26

“I have six phone cases because I like changing them out for the different seasons, so I feel more festive.”

ES 23 D

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d 20

Sophie Stager '25

Spotif

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“

I listen to Taylor Swift because she covers every genre, and she's such a good singer and really good songwriter and has a song for everyone.

Ava Sjogren '26

Upper School Students #1 artists of 2023

28 Taylor Swift percent said

10 Zach Bryan percent said

4

percent said:

Drake

Compiled and illustrated by Beau McKnight | Staff Writer SOURCE: December 12 poll of 128 upper school students

7

8 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Up in the air: Eagles soar outside of the classroom Aspiring pilots take flight training lessons for pilot's license

By Reese Rawson | Staff writer

Aviation adventures

Sophomore Harrison Teegarden tours an airplane during his visit to PlaneSmart Aviation in Addison on Oct. 28.

"The flight school I am going to is made to be personal," he said. "I am going to have oneon-one lessons instead of a class, one or two times a week after school."

Photo provided by Harrison Teegarden

S

ophomore Harrison Teegarden flies through the Saharan desert, dodging fighter jets and doing flips through sand dunes. He must make quick decisions on where to turn and how to navigate, or else his fate and his jet are doomed.

Although the setting seems real, Teegarden plays video games where he is able to simulate the experience of being in an actual cockpit. Ever since he was a little boy, he knew he wanted to become a pilot and, in a few weeks, these simulations will become a reality when he jumps in a real cockpit.

Teegarden will begin one-onone training sessions after the holidays. His goal is to reach 40-hours of flying time – the minimum requirement to get a flying license. He will also need to pass written exams and attend flight lessons. With his family’s support, he will enroll in these classes and talk to pilots who have been exposed to the world of flying. “[Being responsible] for a vehicle like an airplane comes

naturally to me,” Teegarden said. “I love studying [airplanes and flying] and enjoy watching YouTube videos about it whenever I can in my free time.”

Teegarden hasn’t fully decided what branch of aviation he wants to pursue in the future, but he is leaning more toward commercial flying. Regardless of the branch he chooses, military or commercial aviation, he wants to make a difference and help others.

“Military pilots don't just fight people, they do humanitarian aid and fly to natural disaster sites, kind of like the American Red Cross,” Teegarden said. “For commercial pilots, there's not a lot of obvious ways to make a difference, but I have thought about ways I could [make a difference] like ensuring the safety of the passengers and making sure the plane is eligible for flying."

Hunter Ellis, Navy fighter pilot veteran and father of two ESD middle schoolers, gave a chapel talk on Nov. 10 sharing what his job in the Navy was like and the significance of veterans in America.

Like Teegarden, he always knew

that he was interested in pursuing an aviation career, though for Ellis it was because he grew up in a family of Navy fighter pilots.

After serving the country for over 10 years, he has traveled the world and now is a pilot for FedEx. In his chapel talk, he explained how airplanes, and flying, are such a significant part of the nation.

“Aviation in general, and with the technology that's come with it, has allowed us to view the world from a whole different perspective,” Ellis said. “It has unlocked the world and is such an exciting thing to be a part of.”

Many factors contribute to interest in a pilot’s license. For sophomore Wes Curtis, for example, the movie “Top Gun” sparked his initial interest in aviation, specifically in the Navy.

Curtis said that the movie’s depiction of Navy fighter pilots shows the triumphs and hardships of flying a military aircraft. The pilots’ adventures depicted in the movie give a viewpoint about their daily lives and roles, which viewers might not have been aware of before.

“[Watching “Top Gun”] made me think flying was really interesting and cool,” Curtis said.

“It has made me want to go into the Navy as a pilot, so that is why I want to get my license.”

Curtis has been taking flight lessons since he was 14 years old and will be training until he can get his license this summer when he turns 17.

Since he has been practicing for years, he has learned to cope with the stress that comes with flying an aircraft. For him, the most nerve-wracking part is before taking off because of the amount of effort it takes to make sure the plane is ready and runs smoothly.

However, once airborne, he feels the hard part is done and the pressure disappears.

“Once I’m in the air, it is actually pretty easy for me,” Curtis said. “I find it to be kind of relaxing.”

Flight lessons can get pricey, usually ranging from $149$350 per class at the Pilot Rise Flight School in Fort Worth, but there are alternative ways to get exposure to flying in case someone does not have the means to pay for lessons. Civil Air Patrol, a non-profit organization that serves as a civilian auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force, and many different volunteer opportunities to fly, are all free options to start an aviation career.

Ellis says that aspiring pilots should never give up on their hopes and always follow their dreams.

“Know that even if you don't have exposure to [flying] and want to pursue it in a military capacity, there are great pilots that had never learned to fly until the day they stepped foot in the military,” Ellis said. “I think anyone who's a quick thinker and can adapt easily to the situation around them is most fit for a job like this.”

December 15, 2023 |

Life

Let's talk about...

Christmas

‘‘ Ryder Sands '26

When do you start celebrating Christmas?

Ryder Sands:

I personally start the day after Thanksgiving. I personally love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday, so I can't take away by celebrating Christmas. But I started my Christmas list two months ahead of time.

Ella Ferguson:

We put our tree up and all after Thanksgiving– the night after.

I mean, sometimes I'll listen to Christmas music a little bit early.

Brayden Girata:

I would say for me, singing makes it that I kind of am celebrating Christmas earlier than Thanksgiving.

My family doesn't really do festivities until after Thanksgiving, but I'm definitely singing Christmas music and preparing Christmas music weeks ahead of Thanksgiving. So I'm kind of in the spirit already by the time the holidays roll around.

Curtis Mathes:

Yeah, I start celebrating after Thanksgiving. We got our tree the day after. I think you should celebrate Thanksgiving first.

Do you guys get a real tree every year or do you have a fake one?

RS: I get a real tree. I think

personally the smell of a real tree– I can't really explain it, but it's just so much more festive.

Each issue, the Eagle Edition gathers four ESD students to have a round table discussion about a relevant and timely topic. This issue, the topic is Christmas.

Co Editor-In-Chief Easterly Yeaman talked with sophomore Ryder Sands, junior Ella Ferguson, senior Brayden Girata and freshman Curtis Mathes about their Christmas Traditions.

Ella Ferguson '25

EF: We use a fake tree because personally, our dogs would try to eat the real tree and my mom would always sneeze.

BG: With my family, our sinuses do

not blend well with having a real tree.

CM: We have a real tree.

RS: Where did you buy yours?

CM: I don't know it's like the small place far away.

RS: For a real tree person, you have

to wait until Dec. 5 to get it because if you get it too early, right after Thanksgiving, even though I did get one right after Thanksgiving. But because it dies before Christmas.

So you don't want a dead tree on Christmas, and then your ornaments fall off.

Do you guys have any special Christmas traditions that you celebrate with your families?

BG: My family takes a road trip to Florida every year because that's where my grandparents live and about all my aunts and uncles, all my cousins. So we drove to Florida on Christmas Day. Which means that we actually have Christmas dinner in a random city like Alabama or Florida or every year. I've discovered that Chinese places are open on Christmas and Denny's. Santa comes a day early to my house. We do three Christmas Eve services because I'm the son of a

9

Brayden Girata '24

priest and then we drive off for two to four weeks.

EF: My grandmother has a Christmas eve party. I've been going to it for my whole life. I think it was like the 50th or 40th anniversary last Christmas Eve. She invites her friends and our family friends and all that. It's really fun.

RS: It's not your average Christmas meal. It's taquitos and guac. It's so good. We actually had to plan accordingly because we came late two years ago, and all the taquitos were gone. Now we have to get there two hours early.

BG: My family always gets one extra Christmas light thing every year. We put something different outside of our house or we take something away and add something where that was.

On Christmas Day, does Santa put your presents out or are they wrapped?

BG: This is so controversial.

RS: Mine are all wrapped. I have my

stockings open, but I have all my gifts wrapped. Santa is named on the gift, but we want to get that satisfaction of ripping.

EF: Santa will lay the presents out.

CM: For four kids, Santa puts all the

Curtis Mathes '27

Do you do Secret Santa or white elephant git exchanges?

RS: My friend group did. And maybe

my Bible study group. We're planning on doing one.

EF: I've done some with friends. My parents and uncles and aunts and grandparents all do Secret Santa for each other.

RS: On my mom's side we do a Secret Santa for aunts and cousins.

BG: I personally don't do that regularly. I'll do it occasionally with random groups of people.

RS: Do y'all prefer Secret Santa or white elephant?

EF: White Elephant. It's more entertaining.

RS: It's scary because you don't want to get the bad gift if you give a good gift.

BG: I think Secret Santa is more meaningful because you're personalizing a gift.

RS: I think white elephants are more joking.

BG: Yeah, exactly. It's just a fun topic.

kids presents in a corner of the room.

That way you walk downstairs, and we go to our corners. He doesn't wrap them for us.

Harmonious holiday spirit: A second chance for glory

J

unior Brady Miltenberger, dressed up as a Christmas tree, lifts a harmonica to his mouth and starts to play the first note of the classic Christmas song, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” He sings parts of the song alongside many of his friends in the talent portion of the annual Mr. Christmas Tree Young Life competition.

The Mr. Christmas Tree competition was held on Sunday, Dec. 3. Miltenberger fell short of first place by just one point. This competition is a tradition within Young Life, a Christian centered off campus ministry, in which students from various schools around Dallas compete to be named that year’s Mr. Christmas Tree.

“I remember sitting at the club for our school, and we were just talking about people we thought would be good for it,”

Miltenberger said. “My leader asked me if I'd be interested in doing it, and I [decided] to give it a try.”

Miltenberger was also the ESD representative in 2022 and wanted to try again this year for redemption. Similar to this year’s competition, he got second place, losing by a very close margin.

“Brady volunteered to redeem himself this year and win the title,” Young Life leader Matt Landers said. “He is kind and outgoing and we believe represents ESD and Young Life well.”

The competition has each contestant compete regarding different criteria not only on the day of the event itself but also on days surrounding the competition.

Miltenberger chose to create a video introducing himself and explaining why he is a good candidate.

“Every once in a while, we'll have an all-area club, so around Christmas time, each school [nominates] a contestant, and they decorate the person as a Christmas tree and he walks down,” Miltenberger said. “They get graded off their Christmas tree and how they look when they walk.”

In addition to dressing up as a Christmas Tree, the contestants also have to complete an interview and perform in a talent portion for the rest of the people attending.

“Last year, I danced to a country song and learned to lasso one of my friends,” Miltenberger said. “This year, I played a Christmas song on the harmonica.”

Aside from being graded on the talent, interview and decorating aspects, contestants also earn points based on audience participation. The contenders try

to get as many people from their school to show up to the event and cheer them on.

“I think what caused [me to lose] by one point was the crowd participation,” Miltenberger said. “Our crowd was great and cheered really hard, but St. Mark’s and Hockaday had double the [number of] people than us for obvious reasons.”

Audience participation is one of the deciding factors in the winner of this competition.

If ESD wants to bring back a win, it is important that students show up to support their school’s candidate. After coming so close to winning for two years in a row, Miltenberger is unsure if he will run again next year.

“I don’t know if I will [run next year,]” Miltenberger said. “I think I might pass the torch to someone next year but am not ruling out a return to Mr. Christmas Tree.”

Junior Brady Miltenberger tries again for the Mr. Christmas Tree title

By Anoushka Sinha | Staff Writer

Redemption Season

Left: Miltenberger alongside many of the other ESD members of YoungLife after the Mr. Christmas Tree competition.

Right: Miltenberger playing his harmonica in the talent portion of the competition.

Photos provided by Matt Landers

10 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

The robotics team takes on regionals, state The robotics team overcomes challenges at regional and state competitions

By Brooke Ebner | Web Editor

Constructing the Robot

On Nov, 2, junior Jack Cronin and sophomore Harrison Adams, members of the robotics team, prepare their robot for regionals which took place on Nov. 17 at Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch, Texas. The team was able to secure their spot for the state competition.

Photo by John Schindel

E

SD’s and St Mark’s robotics teams went into the national BEST Robotics Competition, ready to compete against one another. What they thought would be a rivalry event turned out to be the beginning of an earnest collaboration between the two schools.

For the second year in a row, ESD’s BEST Robotics team competed in Boosting Engineering Science and Technology Robotics, an organization where education and innovation regarding robotics are promoted at both regional and national competitions. Last year was the organization’s 30th year.

“It is largely a robotics competition based around the engineering, design process and problem solving,” upper school computer science teacher Dr. Charles Lena said. “There are five different graded categories in the competition itself.”

The graded categories include a robot game, an engineering design notebook, a marketing

presentation, an exhibit and spirit and sportsmanship. All five of these categories together make up the BEST award.

According to Lena, most people spend their time on the robot game. This year, the robot game was medical-themed.

“It’s all focused on a facsimile of the human body,” Lena said.

“We are building a robot which is typically helping surgeons to assist in surgery for the human body.”

During the competition, the team has to build a robot out of the materials they are given. They are allowed to cut some of the materials but not all. The team also is able to make a 3D version of their own materials before the competition.

“Depending on what tasks you perform and how many you perform under three minutes, you get a certain amount of points,” junior team member Vivian Chen said. “Essentially, building the robot is not the biggest part of the competition. The biggest part is writing [the] notebook.”

The notebook is completed

before the competition, and this year, the team’s notebook consisted of 50 pages and included a research paper, brainstorms, models, code and diagrams of their robots.

“Cindy and I drew a lot of the technical sketches,” Chen said. “And you have that [in the notebook].”

“

We are building a robot which is typically helping surgeons to assist in surgery for the human body.

Dr. Charles Lena

Upper school computer science teacher

In the marketing presentation, the team builds their own company. For the exhibit, the team builds a booth similar to a trade show's and prepares an elevator pitch.

The team also participates in public outreach, where they teach various parts of the community.

Some members of the team went to Foster Elementary, where they taught the students basic robotics, and some also gave a chapel talk to the middle school.

Being on the robotics team is a large time commitment. It’s not uncommon for the team to stay late after school, many times until 11 p.m., or even come in during the weekends. The team began meeting on Sept. 26.

At the regional competition on Nov. 17 at Brookhaven College, the team’s robot didn’t go as well as planned, but they were able to qualify for state.

“The robot was where the real perseverance came on,”

Harrison Adams, a sophomore team member, said. “We spent all day working on the robot, which [in] reality [was] supposed to be done by then. We got to victory by scoring points in the end, but it was kind of rough.”

The state competition took place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 at the Fair Park Coliseum. After regionals, Adams thought the biggest thing the team needed to work on before state was the robot. “[We need to] have an idea for the robot, put time into it and [not] get distracted,” Adams said.

“I’d say the biggest thing we can change is just having a design to [ensure] it’s stable and made of the proper materials.”

Despite the robot not going as planned, the team did well in all the other categories at the state level. They even were able to pull off a first place win for their notebook out of all the private schools from Oregon to the South East.

“The marketing team had a successful pitch, even managing to impress a judge who had been there for a while by doing something new and incorporating multiple years of our competition experience,” Adams said. “Our booth was successful. We didn’t beat St. Mark’s, but I think we came close.”

During the national competition, the St. Mark's team approached ESD's team for electronic circuits since theirs was malfunctioning.

While ESD excelled in the notebook, St. Mark's computer aided design robot scored the second highest among all competitors, not just private schools.

"In the end, even though we have a strong rivalry, the teams work with each other in their time of need," Lena said. "And ESD BEST Robotics has much to learn from its rival on Preston Rd."

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CULTURE

December 15, 2023 |

Life

CRASH F

12 34 "Barbieheimer" comeback Margot Robbie, star of “Barbie,” and Cillian Murphy, star of “Oppenheimer,” had a joint interview with Actors on Actors discussing both their movie's success on Dec. 5th. Both, “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” came out on July 21 of this year, many believed that the two would dominate each others’ box office. However, they actually boosted each other’s revenue. “Barbie” ended up making $1.4 billion worldwide and “Oppenheimer” made around $950 million according to Variety. The similarity lies within their directors both Robbie and Murphy discussed. The movies were original productions with each director creating their own story. Both movies were a remarkable success with increasing movie-watching participation and revenue

"The Marvels" falls short

“The Marvels’” box office has been seen as a failure and Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, blames it on a “lack of supervision,” he said in an interview with the New York Times. He also blames the failure on the company making “too many sequels.” He said that the lack of supervision was due to Covid-19 since that was when the movie was shot. It was also noted that the movie needed four weeks of reshoots in order to “fix” the movie. The director of the movie, Tessa Thompson, left for three months in order to work on another project. Regardless of the reason for the movie flopping, audiences and Iger are both unhappy with Marvel.

Squid Games in real life

B ased on the popularity of the Korean show “Squid Games,” a new recent Netflix original show, “Squid Game: The Challenge” premiered Nov. 22. Four hundred and fifty six contestants played exaggerated children's games for a cash prize of $4.56 million.

In the final episodes, there were three contestants left, Mai Whelan, Sam Lantz and Phill Cain. Although neither of the three ever expected to get this far, they all managed to hold out until the final episode.

5

Beyonce's Renaissance movie With a 97 percent rotten tomatoes and a 9/10 rating on IMDb, Beyone’s “Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce” has been a success. Premiering on Dec. 1 of this year, her movie covers her journey and process of her world tour. Throughout the movie, she talks about the highs and lows of her tour.

The purpose of the movie was to focus on the people ‘behind the scenes’ since a four-year tour isn’t an easy project. The film allows her audience and her listeners to get a feel for what goes into making these tours possible.

Selena's new boo There might be a new Hollywood couple arising, with Selena Gomez hinting at a new man in her life. On Dec. 7, Gomez liked and replied to an Instagram account, Popfactions, stating that she was in a new relationship.

The post suggests that she is dating Benny Blanco, a songwriter and producer known for producing songs like “Eastside” and “Lonely.” He liked and replied to various comments and posts in regards to her relationship status, and she also posted a “soft launch” post on her Instagram story.

11

Scouts benefit community

ind a project to benefit the community. Complete endless paperwork and get it approved. Organize and lead the project's execution.

Earn the Eagle Scout ranking before turning 18. And try doing all of these while juggling college applications, fall sports and a busy academic schedule.

Senior Boy Scouts Charlie Neuhoff, Hunt Sands and Wheeler Wood worked hard to receive the rank of Eagle Scouts.

To achieve this, each made a significant contribution to the local community through their Eagle Scout projects.

Neuhoff, Sands and Wood each joined Boy Scouts around the time they entered fifth grade.

“You normally start [Boy Scouts] when you're around 10,” Neuhoff said. “Both my brothers did it, and my dad wanted all three of us to get our Eagles.”

After joining, the first rank boys achieve is Scout, then Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and finally Eagle. Each requires the Scouts to learn new skills and collect a certain amount of merit badges.

“You have to have merit badges which are the extracurricular activities in Scouts,” Wood said.

“And at some point you have to have positions of leadership.”

To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, each of them must earn at least 21 merit badges and plan and lead a service project in the community.

Wood’s project benefited ESD’s sister school, St. Phillips, and took him a total of around six months to complete. “[The project] was building a fence,” Wood said. “I [was] also required to have a certain amount of time in my unit and have a certain amount of participation.”

Before starting the project, however, another requirement the Scouts have to fulfill is paperwork to get the project approved.

“It's just a very tedious job,” Neuhoff said. “The paperwork for your Eagle project — it's a lot of filling it out and sending it to someone and they send it back and say, ‘Hey, here's what you need to fix,’ a countless number of times.”

Sands’ project involved building 10 benches for the Mercy Street community sports complex. Mercy Street is a nonprofit organization that, according to their mission statement, aims to cultivate relationships with inner-city youth through Christian mentorship.

“There's a bunch of fields at Mercy Street Sports Complex, and there's not really a place to sit,” Sands said. “I built 10 Leopold benches. There's four different fields, and [the benches] were placed on the sidelines of the field so people can watch sports and don't have to stand after a long day at work.”

Although the project had its difficulties, Sands was able to teach others how to build the benches and complete the project which benefited the Mercy Street

community. “[The hardest part was] probably figuring out a design,” Sands said. “It was pretty hard since you got to cut the wood at a certain angle. But I learned how to teach others.”

Neuhoff, on the other hand, wanted to contribute to the ESD community, so he collaborated with the Assistant Director of Outdoor Education Eddie Eason to find a project that would benefit the school. Neuhoff continued a project begun by Eagle Scout Andrew Pfaff '21.

“He contacted us probably a year ago [asking] if there was anything around here he could work on and we gave him some things to think about both here and Wolf Run,” Eason said. “We've been pretty fortunate because not just with Charlie but with other Scouts. The last two projects, Charlie and Pfaff, did safety projects, split rail fencing. [Pfaff] replaced an old fence and then Charlie kind of picked it up from there and took it around.”

The project Eason and Neuhoff collaborated on was the building of a split rail fence near the quarry to protect younger students from falling down a steep hill. After getting it approved, Nehoff started working.

“It's right near the outdoor chapel where the chicken coops are,” Neuhoff said. “A lot of fifth graders would go over there to see the chickens and then start climbing down, and that's a really steep drop. So we built a split rail fence to [make sure they] don’t go back there.”

Eason’s role revolved around the feasibility and scheduling aspects of Neuhoff’s project.

“My role [was] pretty simple: to supervise the paperwork,” Eason said. “[For] that part of the project he's got to recruit volunteers from his troop to help him, and he's got to do all the measurements, procure all the materials needed to do it, schedule the time to be here, and then log the work hours.”

An additional challenge for the senior Scouts was their race against time. To become an Eagle Scout, they must complete the requirements before turning 18.

“Boy Scouts in general, [it's hard] sticking with it and staying continuous,” Neuhoff said. “All of a sudden, [I was] almost 18 and I was close. I needed to get it done before because you have to be [under] 18 to get your Eagle.”

Despite the challenges, Neuhoff said his Scout project taught him valuable lessons he will take into the future. “[I] definitely learned to lead by example,” Neuhoff said. “I worked with a lot of ESD kids on the fence, so it was nice that I knew them but they know me so they're kind of more relaxed. So it was more leading by example and saying, ‘Y'all need to do this, but I'm going to do it with you,’ because then if they saw me working, they [followed].”

Senior Eagle Scouts complete community service projects

By Easterly Yeaman | Co-EIC

Scouts get to work

Senior Charlie Neuhoff works with his fellow Boy Scouts on his Eagle Scout project behind the quarry. "It was mainly ESD guys which was super nice because I knew them a little better," Neuhoff said. "There was definitely a difference in working with them over people my age. It was a super great opportunity to get to know them better, and I think I ended up learning a lot from working with them."

Photos provided by Charlie Neuhoff

12 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Arts

Featured Artist Middle school French teacherJoumana Arraj paintings on display in the Gill Library Page 13

On pointe to on stage: dancing through the hurdles Sophomore Evellyn Hargrave balances ballet, theater and faith

By Jamie Henderson | Arts Editor

Hargrave on Pointe

Hargrave, in arabesque en point, during a rehearsal on Nov 15 at the Dallas Ballet Center. "In ballet everything is about alignment and placement," Hargrave said. "You are constantly thinking about closing your ribs, turnout, and keeping your shoulders in line with your hips. In an arabesque specifically, it's all about that equal balance."

Photo provided by Lydia Bear

S

ince age two, sophomore Evellyn Hargave has been dancing. Even though she has done everything from pointe to jazz to tap, she has a favorite.

“I like tap the most,” Hargrave said. “I think it is my strongest area, and it just brings me the most joy because you get to tap to the jazzy music or hip hop. It is just really fun.”

If she does not go to the gym to workout before school, she wakes up at around 8:20 a.m. to try to get the most sleep. Since she is also involved in after school theater, she has to balance rehearsals, when she is in a production, with her dance classes and other obligations such as church and homework.

In the school's most recent fall play, “The Innocents,” Hargrave played Mrs. Grose, the Bly Manoris housekeeper. She also just landed one of the lead roles, Reno Sweeney, for the upcoming upper school musical, “Anything Goes,” which will fill her schedule even more. Lauren Redmond, the Upper School Fine Arts teacher works closely with Hargrave and helps her balance her hectic schedule.

“Just like with any other student with a complicated schedule, we are able to work around it because she is so passionate about it and very talented,” Redmond said. “I am willing to do whatever I can to accommodate her.”

Hargrave is also enrolled in choir and in Redmond’s advanced acting class, which is a yearlong course for people who are passionate about theater.

“I do think that she is very stretched, and I do think that plays a factor in her coursework,” Redmond said. “But I have the luxury of having her in a class she truly is choosing to be in, and I think she does make the effort, and I do have a bit of grace because I understand.”

Balancing dance and theater can be difficult for Hargrave, and most of the time, after theater rehearsal she rolls straight into dance for hours or vice versa. “[It] can be up to six hours total per day or more than nine on the weekends,” Hargrave said.

“The important thing for me is just getting rest whenever I can because with that schedule, it’s

really easy to get burnt out or fatigued.”

She is a part of the Dallas Ballet Center Company and her current schedule can get complicated.

On Mondays, she has regular technique private lessons for ballet, a pointe class, and then “Nutcracker” rehearsal until 9 or 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, she has a variation class until 9 p.m., and because it starts late, she can usually stay for the entire duration of the school

“

I like tap the most. I think it is my strongest areao and it bring me the most joy because you get to tap to the jazzy music or hip hop.

It is just really fun.

Evellyn Hargrave Sophomore

theater rehearsal. She also tries to squeeze in a voice lesson when possible. Wednesday at 5:45 p.m., she has regular technique again and then possibly more pointe classes and then Nutcracker until 8:30 p.m.

Then comes Thursday, which is one of Hargave’s favorite days because she gets to teach and demonstrate for the little ballerinas at 4:15 p.m. Then from 5:15 p.m. until 7:15 p.m., she gets a much-appreciated break spent eating or doing homework before heading to tap. Then she either has a “Nutcracker” rehearsal or another variation class.

“Getting to demonstrate for the ‘littles’ in ballet is so fun to me,” Hargrave said. “It reminds me of when I was their age and I had a demonstrator, and I remember looking up to them so much and thinking how good they are, and it is cool to see the process and crazy to me that I am now the demonstrator.”

On Friday, she has more technique and pointe and variation and then “Nutcracker”

until about 9:30 p.m. or 10:00 p.m.

“Sometimes it kinda sucks because I have to miss out on the football or basketball games and hanging out with friends,” Hargrave said.

She also misses out on her Saturdays because she is at “Nutcracker” rehearsals again from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Every Sunday morning Hargrave sings at church and heads back to the studio for variation practice for 2 hours.

“Both music and faith mean a lot to me and being able to lead in worship in music like singing or playing guitar has really been such a different and good experience in worship and in performing opportunities,” Hargrave said. “When we’re up there we have a whole band, and I have never been able to sing in that setting so it is nice to be able to branch out.”

Balancing all of these activities proves difficult.

“It is easier with rehearsal and ballet, which are things I have to do,” Hargrave said. “The hard part is when it comes to my school work because it is more of a self-discipline thing, and I have to force myself to get it done.”

By the time she gets home everyday, eats dinner and practices or teaches herself guitar, it is almost 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. and only then does she start the typical load of homework that comes with being a sophomore at ESD. Her main goal is just trying to add hours into her day and work ahead as much as possible.

“Ballet is for sure the most difficult, especially with pointe,” Hargrave said. “I have been doing it for five years now.

It’s just a new thing every day and you constantly have to be thinking about the placement of your core, in line with your back, in line with your legs, and using your inner thighs with full turnout. It is hard because if you don’t do it right, you are bound to hurt yourself.” And even though Hargrave has been on the stage for so many years, she is unsure if she wants to pursue ballet after high school.

“I think part of the reason I have stuck with it so long is because I have been committed for so long,” Hargrave said. “I think it would be kind of a shame to go this far and not continue.”

Catcher in The Rye

By J.D. Salinger

Review by Lauren Shushi | Views Editor

After finishing “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, I can confidently argue that this is a novel everyone should read.

Though this novel was written in 1951, the themes of isolation, a fear of growing up and a desire to protect the innocent have endured among readers to this day.

To put my thoughts on this book in a way that the protagonist would: it killed me.

Truly, I had never before read an author who could capture the feeling of disorientation that so many feel in the face of change and growing up. The “Catcher in the Rye,” even though not in the list of ESD’s required reading, remains relevant due to its exploration of the timeless experience teens go through.

At first, I was wary of picking up this novel, as some classics I have tried in the past have been off-putting with their slow pace and convoluted language.

However, this story was told in first-person narration by 16-yearold Holden Caulfield, whose prose was casual, blunt and at times hilarious. He described almost everything as “phony” or “corny” and I increasingly found myself with a fondness for the protagonist. Salinger wrote with this informal language to convey the youth of the narrator, displaying stunning commentary on the human experience through the refreshing perspective of a jaded boy.

As a teenager, an inordinate amount of my time is spent complaining. I felt, at times reluctantly, relating all too well to Holden and his lashing out at the world. That being said, I can also understand why many might not like Holden’s "whiny" disposition, but I think that was part of what made his character so great. His general cynicism and quick-to-anger personality were so recognizable; Holden’s voice just made him seem all the more real to me. I even think it was purposeful in certain moments to be exasperated with the protagonist, as many times teenagers can be self-involved or focused on only the bad things in their lives. Even so, I saw Holden as just a boy who was terrified to grow up, wanting to “be able to stick [certain things] in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.” I loved this book so much because it spoke to thoughts I had as a 16-yearold that I seldom took time to consider before reading, and I think this could be true for others who read it as well.

Arts

December 15, 2023 |

13

Faculty's Inspiring Hidden Talents Joumana Arraj | French teacher

By Maggie Pickens | Staff writer Since childhood, middle school French teacher Joumana Arraj has loved to paint. But her love for art grew when she taught kindergarten at Saint Monica’s Catholic School before coming to ESD in 2013.

“I was sitting with the kids and drawing with them,” Arraj said, “I painted flowers on a piece of paper, and when I folded it, another drawing appeared. That inspired me to continue.”

Painting landscapes and exploring different strokes helps her expand her horizons and creativity.

And it has become her escape, allowing her to have something she enjoys and adding new meaning to her life.

“It is a relaxing hobby and an adventure to start on a blank canvas and end up with a new piece of art each time,” Arraj said. “It adds a new dimension to my life; it enriches it.”

Arraj does not have formal art training, and her background and education are not in fine arts. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and public administration from the American University of Beirut, a master of arts in political science from St. Joseph University in Beirut, and a diploma of advanced studies in international relations from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France.

But Arraj's creativity is not only visual; she finds other ways to enrich her life.

“I write songs and poems sometimes,” she said. “I am working on writing children's books and a novel.”

The book she is working on currently is about her life as a child, but seen through the eyes of a cat. She knows she will want to add illustrations to the book but is unsure if she can do it herself. She might need a children's book illustrator and is looking into it.

She encourages everyone to be creative and find something they love that will help add more definition to their lives in an enjoyable and free way.

“Try to find something that makes you happy, brings you joy and peace as art did for me,” she said.

You can view her work, which is displayed in the Gill Library, until the end of January.

Reflections

“After my trip to Giverny, I was inspired to paint reflections in the water, like Monet” Acrylics 30"x15"

Saisons 

“Fall, winter, spring, and summer on one canvas” Acrylics 15"x30"

Bleus

Mixing colors" Acrylics 12"x30"

Rencontre 

"Peaceful meeting between people of different origins.”

Acrylics 15"x12

 Escaliers

“Working on vertical and horizontal strokes, it appeared to me that it looked like some people were climbing stairs.”

Acrylics 30"x30"­­

 Guerre

“Changing the color palette, the same strokes showed a war scene with some white silhouettes symbolized as hope.”

Acrylics 30"x30"

14 | Eagle Edition

A Jewish Lens

In recent weeks, Erica Abbett, former ESD teacher, has taken advantage of he media following to bring awareness to the Middle Eastern War. While Abbett is n in Middle Eastern Affairs, she has followed the Middle East for the past 15 years a Israel for a semester during college. Abbett sympathizes with both sides of the c distraught by the growing antisemitic sentiment in the nation.

“Anyone who cannot feel sympathy for a kidnapped child, no matter what the or nationality, frightens me,” Abbett said. “I do care about the conflict for its own s far more important to me is what it’s revealed about America and our institutions education.”

She, among many others, is concerned by the destruction of posters of missi Jews across American cities and professor’s hesitance to acknowledge the faul side of the conflict. Misconceptions about Jews and Israelis have also flourished of this antisemitism. The Palestinian saying “From the river to the sea, Palestine w more than a calling for freedom, Jews interpret this saying as a calling for Israel’s Moreover, Israeli Jews are portrayed as “white colonizers” of Palestinians, when J indigenous to the land. This logic contradicts what was said during the Holocaus were not the Aryan type.

Yossi Klein Halevi, a Jewish journalist, author and veteran of Israel, believes th climate of global antisemitism grants Jews the right to a sovereign state. As Ham its attacks, the sacred nature of Israel will disappear.

“There’s an internal reassurance to Israeli citizens that we’re still capable of pr ourselves,” Halevi said in an interview with Ezra Klein for his Nov. 10 New York Tim “If we stop believing that this country can fulfill its historic role of being a safe refu Jewish people, many Israelis will leave.”

The existence of Israel is at stake. Considering this, Halevi is skeptical of the su peace efforts in the future. He argues Palestinians were not receptive to a peace second intifada in Sept. 2000, and this situation has not developed in past years.

Palestinians into Israel is not an option either.

“There was something of that mood in Israeli society, a realization that we can another people, a people that doesn’t want to be part of us and whom we don’t s the identity we were trying to create in Israel,” Halevi said.

Abbett, who is not Jewish, is concerned by the profitability of the conflict: she Hamas leadership can collect funds by mentioning their conflict to global figures leadership is worth $11 billion, according to the New York Post. Although a perma is a long term goal, reducing the death toll of this conflict is an immediate concer

A Palestinian Lens

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

In the midst of the Middle Eastern war, the identity and perspectives of Pales confused with that of Hamas. Amjad Iraqi, and editor and writer for +972 magaz out that Gaza was an entity before Hamas. Therefore, excuses to destroy Gaza a according to Iraqi.

“The Gaza Strip existed before Hamas was established in the ’80. Right now mind-set, that conflation or that excuse of using an armed political group to be a decimate an entire society,” Iraqi said in an interview with Ezra Klein for the Nov. Times podcast. “I think it really needs to be broken down. And a lot of people ab are buying into it.”

Iraqi believes Palestinians efforts to seek a peaceful solution have been poor but the public is not aware of this. Palestinians have pursued nonviolent demons boycotts, such as the March of Return in 2018. In 2005 and 2006, Palestinians at gain traction in the political scene, with little success as the public rallies behind “What Palestinians are realizing is that it’s not about the method,” Iraqi said. “I existence that is deemed unacceptable by the Israelis[Westerners] see us as dis Jewish Israelis as the ones who need to be protected and whose rights need to This reality has influenced the livelihood of Palestinians living in Gaza for deca a state of “violent equilibrium” that favors Israeli security and comfort over Pales needs.

“From the North to the South, most Israelis were able to go about their lives,” in Gaza, the siege is the constant. The structural violence of besiegement is the Considering this inequitable status quo, Iraqi is not hopeful for a two state sol he believes a one state solution is more likely: where Palestinians and Israelis coe one nation, with equal rights.

Maraim Fadel, an ESD middle school science teacher, is unsure if a one or tw solution is best. Fadel has relatives in Lebanon, who are currently threatened by war, she knows people who have been killed in this decades old conflict, and sh and Jewish family in the U.S. Fadel says that, human life is precious and preserv humanity and human rights are key. With strict compliance with international law war criminals are held accountable, Fadel believes a viable solution is possible.

“All people need hope, freedom, and self determination and that is my wish f of all Palestinians [Christian, Muslim and other] and Jewish people in the Holy La I live to witness this peaceful solution when it is realized,” Fadel said. “If internatio adhered to where all Palestinians and Israelis have equal rights, I do see a future two state solution and I pray that comes to fruition in my lifetime.”

Without decisive action, oppression of the Palestinians and lack of safety for persist, preventing expression of the beauty of humanity and coexistence.

“Violence brings more violence and hardens extreme positions. The more lo more the cycle continues,” Fadel said.

In an effort to promote civil discourse about a challenging event that is affecting many in our community, the Eagle Edition decided to dedicate this issue’s centerspread to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In an attempt to portray the complexity of the issue, we have sought out perspectives that provide lenses for contextualization. These lenses are only to emphasize certain concerns; they are not to suggest that all people using this lens will see the issue in the exact same way.

On page 2 of our November issue, News Editor Charlotte Traylor wrote about the conflict’s history; we strongly encourage readers to read the story. We sincerely hope this serves as a platform to promote healthy conversation.

Story by Charlotte Traylor | News Editor, Maggie Chein | Business Manager, Abby Baughman | Editor in Chief and Ethan Pham | Staff Writer Illustrations and layout by Charlotte Traylor, Maggie Chein and Abby Baughman

December 15, 2023 |

A Global Lens

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On Oct. 7, the Islamist political and military organization governing the Gaza Strip known as Hamas, which has been classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department since 1997, launched a surprise attack on Israel. More than 2,000 rockets were launched into the Middle Eastern country and at least 1,500 Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel. The United Nations estimates that roughly 1,200 people in Israel died in the initial attack and approximately 240, including the elderly, young children and women were taken hostage. Since Oct. 7, Israel has continuously bombed the Gaza strip, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, in an attempt to eliminate Hamas. This campaign has resulted in 15,500 deaths in the Gaza strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

“Israel is not really interested in a surgical, on the ground, careful operation,” Upper School history and government teacher Travis Gilmore said. “When you bomb a place like [Gaza], you cannot do it without civilian casualties.”

Since its founding in 1948, Israel has dealt with hostile neighbors and Palestinian terrorist groups like the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Hamas.

Shortly after the barrage on Oct. 7, Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif took responsibility for the attacks in a statement broadcasted on the Qatari Al-Jazeera Network.

“We declare the beginning of Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge,” Deif said. “Today our people regain their revolution, rectify their path, and return to the plan of liberation.”

Historically, many countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, saw the 1948 establishment of Israel as an extension of Western colonialism and responded by refusing to recognize Israel as a legitimate state.

“There is a huge energy dependency that the United States has on Saudi Arabia, and so it’s in the United States’ interest to keep Saudi Arabia very happy, but the United States is also in the place where they have political and economic interest to keep Israel happy,” Gilmore said.

“So these petrol states that are seeing a lot of money coming in from the United States see some value in recognizing Israel. There’s honestly money in it for them.”

Countries that do not recognize Israel as a state are more likely to have released statements in support of Hamas or condemning Israel. The United Arab Emirates, who signed an agreement to recognize Israel during the Trump administration, was one of the only Arab countries to make a distinction between Hamas and Palestine.

“The Ministry stressed that attacks by Hamas against Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza Strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at population centers, are a serious and grave escalation,” the UAE’s’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs published in an Oct. 10 statement on their website. “Civilians on both sides must always have full protection under international humanitarian law and must never be a target of conflict.”

In contrast, Iran referred to Hamas as Palestinians, grouping civilians and combatants together. Hamas has been classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State since 1997. But Hamas’ control over the Gaza strip interferes with aid for Gazans that is provided by the United Nations and other organizations.

“Hamas won ‘elections’ between them and Fatah, who was the other party, [in 2006] although I’m making air quotes with my fingers,” Walder said. “But, I use that in quotes, because I really don’t think that it was like a free and fair election, to be honest…And look, there are Palestinians that support Hamas because they look at Hamas and Fatah as political parties.

And so there are people that support them. It doesn’t make them terrorists.”

In 2015, Hamas was sanctioned by the United Nations for storing missiles and other weapons in schools that had been built by the UN in the Gaza Strip. Because Hamas is a group and not a country, the United Nations cannot sanction them directly and must instead target all of the Gaza Strip.

“Palestine is not a terrorist organization, Hamas is a terrorist organization,” Walder said .

“And so, unfortunately, what ends up happening is [the sanctions] end up hurting the people of Palestine…because [The UN’s] sanctions won’t let other countries do business…and the UN doesn’t give them their allocation of money.”

A College Lens On Dec. 3 The presidents of University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology had a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and the Workforce to discuss recent anti-semetic behavior on their campuses. During the hearing, former UPenn president Elizabeth Magill said that students calling for a genocide of Jewish people was not against the school’s code of conduct. After pressure and protests due to her remarks, Megill resigned on Dec. 9.

“There was a moment during yesterday’s congressional hearing on antisemitism when I was asked if a call for the genocide of Jewish people on our campus would violate our policies,” Magil said in a video posted on UPenn’s website. “In that moment, I was focused on our University’s long standing policies aligned with the U.S. Constitution, which say that speech alone is not punishable. I was not focused on, but I should have been, the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate.”

Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, has a 43 percent Jewish population — the highest of any non-religious university. Some Jewish students felt that the school did not adequately respond to the Oct. 7 attacks.

“Before 2020, universities around the country used to stay silent about everything and just be a place of free speech and free learning,” Tulane senior Sam Schechter said. “But starting in 2020 with Black Lives Matter, universities finally started releasing statements on political, social, racial and ethnic issues. Last year, the university made statements about standing with Ukraine. So, the fact that it took five days [for Tulane to release a statement] was so hurtful to the Jewish students of Tulane; personally this is how I felt because I know people that were killed in Israel, and I am Israeli.”

On Oct. 26, there was a pro-Palestine march on New Orleans’s French Street.

There were around 100 pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters, many of whom were Tulane students. Israeli flags were burned, and two people were arrested.

“What was really hurtful about it was that there’s an issue right now between the lines of hate speech,” Schechter said. “‘From the River to the Sea’ was the first thing this group started saying, and the police on campus did nothing about it. Unfortunately, on that day, Tulane allowed for hate speech and anti-Semitic rhetoric to be spread.”

University College London student Navila Azad ‘27 has been involved in three different pro-Palestinian protests in the heart of London. She has witnessed the protests grow to thousands of people showing up in support of the people of Gaza. While not officially affiliated with any universities, many students from UCL, King’s College London, Imperial University, Regents University and Oxford University have shown up to these protests in support.

“It’s important for us to speak up about these sorts of crimes against humanity because the Muslim community has faced millions of loved ones killed in unprecedented and unjustified wars from the U.S, destabilization of the Middle East, and seeing our neighboring countries in North Africa and South Asia be completely succumbed to the Western world,” Azad said. “The younger generations are now becoming aware of their responsibilities as a human being that will in a few decades time contribute to governments and voting in people in office in an educated way.”

Citizens of major cities throughout Europe have participated in protests for both sides.

However, according to NBC, only 31 percent of people ages 18 to 34 think that Israel’s military action in Hamas is justified.

“Our voices are important and we are fully aware of it; we aren’t afraid to show out for the injustices in the current world because we are afraid that it will continue when we are parted from our youth,” Azad said. “So as a whole, it is important for young people to speak up now because it will always lead to a better outcome of our government’s role in our world to truly ensure peace. We know not to let puppeteers suck up to corporate governance and lobbying for money and profit, all while having their hands painted red from the lives they take in the East for their own gain.”

15

Peacemaking Two peace negotiators, a former Israeli justice minister, and Hiba Husseini, a former legal adviser to the Palestinian peace process delegation, initiated a resolution earlier this year.

Both Beilin and Husseini came up with the Holy Land Confederation proposal, which includes no land swaps but encourages collaboration that allows free movement between nations.

Husseini believes the only option is peace or else there will be lingering human pain and suffering on both sides.

“I mean, our Confederation proposal was called the Holy Land Confederation on purpose,” Husseini said in an NPR interview in early November. “It was really a statement to Israelis and Palestinians and to the world that this conflict can and should be resolved.”

People with extreme views on both sides aren’t satisfied with coexistence, which plays a big role in why a peace agreement has not yet been reached. Husseini argues that the minority who don’t want peace poison the majority who do. Beilin agrees and suggests a way to address those extremists who won’t accept peace.

“It is first and foremost to follow [extremists] to find them and to arrest them, if needed,” Beilin said.

Similar to Husseini and Beilin, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, Sally Abed and a Jewish-Israeli, Alon-Lee Green traveled to New York in November to discuss possible steps towards peace with American conflict advisor Cara Raich in an organized vigil.

Green suggested that Israelis and Palestinians remain where they currently reside. He believes this is the simplest way to start a movement towards peace.

Raich stressed that protests focused on one side’s pain and suffering can prevent any chance of peacemaking because it exacerbates anger on the other side.

“As with most conflicts one feels deeply As with most conflicts one and personally, a binary choice often offers the simple comfort of pro and con, or right feels deeply and personally, and wrong,” Raich said in the vigil with Abed and Green in New York. “The magnetic a binary choice often offers power of false binaries sucks everything the simple comfort of pro that it touches into that paradigm.”

Raich said that with significant conflicts and con, or right and wrong. such as this one, taking a side or opinion will always cause a return to the same pattern Sophia Cara Raich of preventing peace.

American conflict advisor Upper school history, religion and ethics teacher and History and Religious Studies Department Chair Bryan Cupp believes that at the most basic level, the Israelis and Palestinians could try to find common ground.

“Maybe that common ground to be found would be the recognition that each side argues that they have a right to exist,” Cupp said. “So maybe that’s the only place we can start. And dialogue is the recognition by both sides that they have a right to exist.”

In addition to finding common ground, he also said that each side needs to have empathy for the other.

“Empathy helps us get around this idea of shutting others down,” Cupp said. “And shutting others down precludes any kind of any kind of agreement or talk or negotiation.”

Cupp brought up a past example of two countries agreeing on a peace treaty. Northern Ireland was split between nationalists who desired peace with the rest of Ireland and Protestant Unionists who wanted to keep their peace with Britain. This resulted in a large conflict in Northern Ireland, which was a dominant Protestant state, so the Nationalists were often discriminated against concerning jobs and housing. Once the Nationalists protested, they faced a harsh reaction from the government and police. There were around 3,600 casualties in Northern Ireland due to bombings and shootings throughout the 1960’s to 1998.

When each side realized there wouldn’t be an outright winner, they came to a ceasefire.

The two groups began peace talks monitored by United States Senator George Mitchell in 1994. Many of the talks almost fell through; however, the Nationalists and Protestants came to an agreement on April 10, 1998. This agreement is known as Good Friday, and it ultimately allowed people in Northern Ireland to identify as British, Irish or both.

“That’s a good example because it was long lasting, it’s dealing with religion: Catholicism or Protestantism,” Cupp said. “There’s a lot of different elements that overlap.”

Recently, officials from Qatar, the United States, Egypt and Israel have been meeting to discuss hostage and prisoner exchanges. There was a temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel from Nov. 24 to Nov. 30 During this period, Hamas released approximately 110 hostages and Israel Israelis released approximately 240 prisoners, according to the Washington Post.

United States Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken traveled to Israel hoping to help with the negotiations.

“Clearly, that’s something we want,” Blinken said in a New York Times interview in late November. “I believe it’s also something that Israel wants. They’re also intensely focused on bringing their people home.”

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16 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Views

Christmas Sweets Staff writer Emma Allen tries different Christmas themed candies just in time for the holidays. Page 18

Staff Leggings do not keep girls warm enough Stance

The staff stance reflects the opinion of the Eagle Edition staff, and it does not reflect the opinion of the school, newspaper adviser, faculty or staff.

The Eagle Edition advocates for the inclusion of sweatpants in the uniform on days below freezing

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s winter progresses, chillier and windier days come with it, some temperatures dropping to belowfreezing. This extremely cold climate presents a problem for many ESD students, as restrictions on the uniform often leave students feeling cold and uncomfortable throughout the day. While ESD does permit wearing certain additional garments to keep warm, such as approved jackets and sweatshirts, girls, in particular, feel the consequences of these uniform restrictions, as they are limited to only wearing leggings or tights in colder weather. However, many students have found that neither leggings nor tights properly keep them warm, and they feel that sweatpants are a much warmer alternative.

While the uniform is an integral part of the ESD community, allowing girls to wear approved sweatpants on days when the temperature is below freezing, will help preserve the health and comfort of the students during the school day.

Wearing sweatpants under the uniform skirts is not unheard of, as other private schools in the area with uniforms, such as Hockaday and Parish, permit students to wear sweatpants under their skirts during colder days. On the Dec. 12 poll of 128 students, 32.8 percent of respondents said that they feels leggings don't keep them warm enough on cold days. 70 percent of Eagle Edition staff members say that they don't feel that leggings keep them warm enough during cold weather. Additionally, Sweatpants are intended to keep the body warm, while leggings are usually made of a much thinner material. Also, the looser fit of sweatpants allows for the warm air trapped inside to circulate and keep the legs warm, while leggings’ tight fit makes it feel more like a second skin, rather than a protective layer. The leggings simply do not keep girls warm enough during the cold days, making walking

to chapel, classes and the parking lot uncomfortable.

Questions about sweatpants' appropriateness for the uniform have been raised. Eighty percent of the Eagle Edition staff agreed that sweatpants make the uniform less presentable but that they are still necessary, with 100 percent of the staff saying that they agree with girls having the option to wear sweatpants.

50 percent of upper school students said they prefer wearing sweatpants on cold days, while only 12 percent said they preferred leggings. The Eagle Edition believes that girls should be permitted to wear sweatpants when the temperature drops below a benchmark of 40 degrees.

The weather last December averaged a low of 39 degrees, the low temperature, not to mention windchill, was not comfortable for female students even with leggings.

Since Wednesday is a formal day meant for Eucharist, and as a staff we understand this and agree that sweatpants are not appropriate, only leggings would be allowed on those days.

We also suggest, in an effort to stay true to our uniform, that approved uniform sweatpants should be available for purchase through the Eagle’s Nest.

Being cold during the school day makes it difficult to focus. Not to mention the health benefits of wearing warm clothes. Catching a cold or even the increased rates of heart and lung problems due to overexposure to cold weather, as studied by the UK Health Security Agency, is a greater risk during the winter months. Most children develop at least six to ten colds per year, and this number increases for children who attend school, as studied by Boston Children’s Hospital. To ensure the wellbeing of all students, it is crucial that the upper school takes steps in protecting not only student comfortability, but also health.

Warm in winter Junior Sophia Sardiña wears sweatpants on a cold day.

Photo by Abby Baughman

A Music Moment with Iris and Lauren Lauren Shushi and Iris Hernandez discuss the dangers of AI and autotune in the future of music

By Iris Hernandez | Managing Editor

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s I scrolled through TikTok in recent weeks, I noticed a recurring phenomenon.

Content creators belting out songs and fans sending their praise in the comments — the only problem: autotune.

Created in 1989, autotun, a software that digitally corrects vocal and instrumental performances, became popular in Cher’s “Believe.” The robotic sound was a major part of the song. The use of this technology soon became widespread in the music industry. Autotune no longer leaves the voice with a robotic sound, but is able to subtly correct pitch and tone. Currently, everyone uses autotune, even talented singers.

I have no problem with the use of this technology in a recorded track, since it is a way to produce the most polished version of a song. However, when someone is singing live or uploading an acoustic cover of a song, it should not use auto-tune. It feels inauthentic and honestly, it’s kind of embarrassing.

I understand the use of background vocals, as they are often integral to the song, but the main vocals should be coming straight from the singers. Someone lipsyncing and acting passionately while their recorded voice plays is not art.

When someone is singing live or covering a song, I want to hear their voice, not some technologyinfused version that I could have listened to at home. With the exception of artists who use autotune in their style, such as rappers Yeat, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert, performers who don’t use autotune are much more entertaining to watch. Hearing their vocal talents live and seeing how different a song can sound when they change the inflection is so powerful. Live music is a huge part of the human experience, so intertwining it with technology really waters down the experience.

I began to think further about how technology may affect the future of music, specifically AI. A song called “Heart on My Sleeve,” released in April, was written by ghostwriter977 and made headlines for its popularity and possible legal conundrums.

The issue was the fact that it used artificial intelligence voice effects to make the song sound like Drake and The Weeknd, without either artist's consent. It gained popularity on TikTok and Youtube but was soon deleted.

This incident gives insight into what the future of music could look like. Why would producing companies have a person sing their music when a computer could? They wouldn’t

have to deal with an artist’s opinions or give them a share of the money.

The idea of a world like this is deeply disturbing. Music is a very personal creation, so using AI to create music takes away so much of its meaning.

This phenomenon of having AI create fake celebrity covers is not contained to “Heart on My Sleeve” or singers in general.

Hundreds of covers have been posted to TikTok with various celebrities singing tunes that are very different from their brand — Kanye West singing “Hey There Delilah” and Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Barack Obama singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” are ones that stick out in my brain. While these covers were funny and entertaining at first, they soon lost their luster after realizing how this may affect artists. When actual artists cover songs, they often post it to a streaming platform and are able to get money from that cover.

Kelly Clarkson has an entire EP dedicated to covers, the star of the collection being “Happier than Ever” with nearly 36 million streams on Spotify, originally written by Billie Eilish. By creating AI covers, especially of already established artists, takes away from real covers already created. Those 36 million streams likely made her a considerable

amount of money and that money should go to Eilish? If it was created by an AI, originating from a person with a computer, she would not get that revenue. While she wouldn’t have done the work of singing, it is still her voice. She should get the revenue her voice gains, AI-generated or not.

Another important aspect of music is lyrics. To me, lyrics are what take a song from good to great. It elevates the music astronomically. All of my favorite songs are not only beautiful to listen to, but they have lyrics that double as poetry. Artists such as Noah Kahan, Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift and The Lumineers all take their lyrics to another level. But, with the advancements in AI’s writing, lyrics seem to be the next victim of its capabilities.

I fear songs will loose the life and feeling that make them so entertaining to listen to.

Lyrics will become these lifeless robotic things. If you look up ‘AI songwriting generator,’ 14.5 million results are available.

While no charting songs (that we know of) have been written by AI, it is not far from the scope of reality. If this is where the future of music is headed, I am worried.

In a world where technology is integrating into every aspect of our lives, it is paramount that we buy into artists with authenticity in their voices and their lyrics.

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December 15, 2023 |

HEADDAEH

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Museums should return contested artifacts

Artifacts should not be repatriated to their country of origin

Story and Illustration by Lauren Shushi | Views Editor

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lone in the center of Room 24 of the British Museum resides a living artifact frozen in time. There, Hoa Hakananai’a — meaning lost or stolen friend — holds court. Born from the skilled hands of the Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Islanders, this sculpture bears the weight of a stolen legacy after being taken by British explorers in 1868. For the Eastern Islanders, the statue transcends mere artistry and is instead a living embodiment of ancestral spirits. With its distinguishable features such as a broad nose, rectangular ears and a heavy brow, the statue is a powerful representation of those who came before.

It is then all the more tragic that despite a written request for the return of Hoa Hakananai’a in 2018, along with an offer by the Easter Islanders to replace the ancient sculpture with a contemporary piece from their island, the British Museum has failed to return the precious artifact.

Today, many museums around the world contain art and artifacts that were taken from their countries of origin during colonial rule or looted during war. This should not be the case, especially for pieces that have been requested to be returned to their home countries numerous times.

Put simply, artifacts holding significant historical and cultural meaning should be repatriated to their country of origin in order to pay respect to their creator and the cultural roots of the piece.

Among the famous artifacts that have been stolen from their home country is the Rosetta Stone, which was taken from Egypt in 1801 by British troops. Similarly, the Elgin or Parthenon Marbles, which hold a prominent cultural link for Athenians to their ancient ancestors, were taken in 1816 and are currently property of the British Museum. The Benin Bronzes also originate in Nigeria and are some of the most disputed items currently displayed in museums in Britain, Germany and Paris.

Finally, the Bust of Nefertiti, excavated by the German Oriental Company in 1912 from Egypt, has been the subject of requests for its return for decades.

For context, in the late 1600s, the British Empire began expanding their territory

By Reese Rawson | Staff Writer

across several continents, becoming the largest empire in history. Over the span of three centuries, the empire took precious wealth, resources and artifacts from countries around the world from their colonies. Many of these culturally historical and significant artifacts ended up in the British Museum, which was founded in 1753. Although Britain contains the largest amount of stolen artifacts, other countries, such as Germany and France, have also stolen artifacts during a time when there was pride in amassing these pieces for a collection.

Often, museums argue that stolen artifacts are safer in their possession because they have the resources to protect the pieces from damage, while countries in conflict or war might not be able to. However, this line of reasoning does not account for countries who are not at war and are still not getting their artifacts back. This is the case with the Greek government, who has battled for the repatriation of the Elgin Marbles currently residing in the British Museum to no avail.

Another common argument is that repatriation would cause economic loss for museums harboring the artifacts. While this concern is valid, I maintain that it is the home country’s right to have control over their artifacts. According to a 2018 report by the French government cited in an article by the Seisen International School, 90 percent of Africa's cultural heritage is located in the major museum collections of the West. Nations harboring these taken artifacts are also reaping the social and economic benefits of them, which is unjust.

In modern times, it is apparent that the atrocities committed during colonial times were wrong. Everyone can recognize that the imperial control, stolen land and looting that was commonplace from the 15th to 20th centuries was unethical, and there have been steps to correct these mistakes by returning land, sovereignty or otherwise giving compensation. That compensation should include stolen artifacts. Many colonial countries won their independence long ago, and with it, they should be given back the rightful pieces of their history.

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useums like the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, the British Museum in London and the Victoria and Albert Museum, also in London, have some of the most extravagant collections of art and artifacts from all over the world. With millions of pieces on display, anyone who visits can see the history of our planet’s many cultures and eras, including those of Ancient Egypt, Africa, India, China, the Middle East, Mexico and more. Since these museums have artifacts from countries across the globe, some believe that it is morally right to repatriate them to where they came from.

However, I believe museums should not have to return foreign artifacts and should be able to keep them.

With artifacts being displayed in museums away from their home, they are likely to be viewed more than they would in their home country. According to the British Museum website, the museum receives over 6 million visitors a year and attracts people from all over the world.

But countries like Egypt, where many of these artifacts come from, only receive around 2.8 million visitors to all of their museums and historical monuments annually, according to the International Council of Museums.

Historical pieces have more exposure when displayed in highly visited museums such as the British Museum.

While I understand why countries may want their cherished pieces back, they should take into account that the general public will be able to learn from and appreciate world heritage pieces.

With museums all over the world holding artifacts and pieces from different countries and cultures, people do not have to travel far to see these objects. For example, instead of traveling to Mexico to enjoy pieces from the Mayans, they could visit museums such as the Dallas Museum of Art that have pieces from the culture as part of their collection.

Funding is another important topic

36 26

Percent of students believe museum's artifacts should be returned

to consider. World-class museums usually have better endowments. This monetary support helps with the proper maintenance and preservation of the artifacts. The Arts Council in the UK, one of the main bodies that subsidizes museums, announced a £622 million (almost $780 million) budget in 2016.

In contrast, that same year, India set aside only £272 million (around $341 million) for both their arts and culture organizations. Repatriation, therefore, would be sending these fragile pieces into a system where there isn’t enough financial support to ensure the proper care for these pieces.

Shipping these delicate and one-of-akind artifacts has its risks. Pieces can get damaged or even lost in transit, no matter how careful transportation agencies are.

Also important to consider is security.

With better funding comes better protection. Sophisticated security systems help prevent pieces from being stolen.

According to NBC News, on Aug. 21, 2010, Van Gogh’s 1887 “Poppy Flowers” was stolen from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Giza, Egypt. Officials recorded that no alarms were set and only seven of their 43 cameras were working. With the high-tech security of major museums, this might not have happened. The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. pays almost $70 million annually to protect its collection.

Even though there have been robberies in these big museums, it is a lot rarer due to the high funds they implement towards their security and safety precautions.

Home countries should not look at these museums as trying to steal their artifacts, rather, they should look at these museums as international cultural centers that house our world’s most valued historical pieces. It would simply be unethical and immoral for museums to repatriate the artifacts. If home countries care about the fate of their most sacred artifacts, they must remember that they are under the best care and protection possible.

Percent of students think museum's artifacts should not be returned

SOURCE: Dec. 12 poll of 128 upper school students

18 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Staff writer Emma Allen searched for Christmas treats that are not only beautiful, but also delicious. The reviews are based on flavor, sweetness, and visual presentation.

PEPPERMINT BARK

OLD FASHIONED HARD CANDY The variety of colors and designs in this box of old fashioned hard candy immediately caught my eye. Central Market had many great Christmas candy options and when I saw these I knew I should try them. Each different piece had its own Christmas flavor, which consisted of peppermint, cinnamon, cherry, lemon, strawberry, green apple and watermelon. Along with each piece having its own flavor, they each had their own visually appealing design and shape. Out of all the flavors, my favorite was the strawberry.

Although these candies were amazing to look at, I did not enjoy actually eating them as much. The flavors were just okay; however I didn’t enjoy the texture as they were more thick than other hard candies I have tried.

These would be a good choice for someone who loves hard candy.

Peppermint bark is always my favorite seasonal snack. This treat from Central Market had a perfect balance of rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint. The dark chocolate was not too overwhelming as it was lightened up with a thin layer of white chocolate at the top, which I really liked. The chocolate was a great consistency as it had a crisp snap when breaking off a piece of the bark. I loved the flavor of it and the taste really reminded me of Christmas, making it the perfect holiday treat.

CHRISTMAS SWEETS

SANTA GUMMIES Not only were these Santa shaped gummies adorable, they were also delicious. They were on the table at Central Market with all the unique, festive treats. The visual aspect is what originally caught my eye, which made me very excited to try them. The gummies have very intricate details along with bright, festive colors. These were incredibly soft and not too chewy like many gummy candies tend to be. The flavor was fruity and very sweet. I really enjoyed the texture and flavor of these, although I would have preferred them to be a bit less sweet.

CHOCOLATE OREOS Classic Oreos will always be a favorite, so when I saw the Christmas themed chocolate covered ones decorated with red and green at Tom Thumb, I immediately wanted to try them. These tasted like regular chocolate covered oreos with a little bit of an added peppermint flavor. I really liked the way they were decorated with the Christmas colored icing, making them look festive and delicious.

They were a little softer than regular Oreos, which was nice. I really enjoyed trying these flavorful, affordable cookies.

CHRISTMAS TREE CANDIES These cute little Christmas tree shaped candies from Central Market were not only delicious but dangerously addicting. They have a very similar texture and flavor as Sweet Tarts, which I love. The coloring is bright and pretty. They had an ideal amount of sweetness and I liked them a lot as they were not overwhelming with flavor and heaviness. I would definitely purchase these again.

Photos by Emma Allen | Staff wrtiter

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December 15 2023 |

19

Political polarization fractures nation, need compromise

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n the 2016 election, ABC News reported that 41 percent of Americans could not name a single vice president candidate running for election. Just seven years later, the role of the vice president has sneakily become one of the most important roles in the government.

The vice president only casts a vote in the Senate if the vote is tied. In her four years as vice president, Kamala Harris has cast 33 tie-breaking votes. The next highest number of tie-breaking votes goes to VP Mike Pence, at 13. In his two terms as vice president from 2008-2016, Joe Biden cast no tie-breaking votes.

In recent years, the vice president position has become increasingly powerful because of these tie breaking votes. These staggering numbers are a clear sign that our nation has become too polarized — dangerously so.

In the past two decades or so, the American government has become increasingly divided.

Republicans have become more conservative, and Democrats have become more liberal. However, it’s more than just disagreeing on political views. In 2014, 36 percent of Republicans viewed the Democratic Party as a threat to the nation’s well-being, according to Pew Research center. In 1994, only 17 percent of Republicans held this view. Similarly, 27 percent of Democrats in 2014 viewed the Republican party as a threat to the nation’s well-being, compared to 16 percent in 1994.

As a nation, we have become

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too radicalized. ‘Disagreeing’ has developed a negative connotation, and people are not willing to listen to opposing views. In reality, disagreement and arguments is the entire point of our government — there is a reason that there are three branches of government, each with checks and balances over the others. Our government is designed to be inefficient, in order to curb the passions of the people. However, it was designed to be inefficient in specific ways, as long as the members were willing to collaborate and compromise. If opposing parties view each other as a genuine threat to the health of the nation, then it should come as no surprise that our government has narrowly avoided a shutdown twice in the past fiscal year.

In the face of the 2024 election (the first election that many of our seniors will be able to vote in), the prospect of the two candidates being Joe Biden and Donald Trump is disheartening. Both are older, radical candidates that I believe are out of touch with the majority of the country. After all, according to a Gallup poll charting party identification from 1988-2022, 41 percent of Americans identify as independent of a political party, compared to 28 percent for both Democrats and Republicans.

Trump and Biden are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, and not representative of the majority of the country who are moderate.

That’s why I believe that the moderate majority of the country should rally around Nikki Haley

fter Daylight Savings sets our clocks back one hour at the beginning of November, I notice a hit to my mental health, and my seasonal depression returns for another winter. I cannot describe how terrible the feeling is to be driving home after soccer practice just before 6 p.m., and the sky is already dark. However, there is a glimmer of hope during this miserably cold and gloomy season. Like the Head to Head discussed last issue, I come from a Christmas-tree-afterHalloween family. The minute the clocks flip from October to November, I have Christmas music blasting, and the joy of the season lifts my spirits — especially as exams approach. If there’s one thing I love, it’s Christmas.

The holiday season can be a time of high stress with exams, the scramble to buy gifts and being swamped with work yet feeling unmotivated and unproductive. In spite of the stress-causing aspects of this time, I believe that taking the time to enjoy all that the season has to offer makes the holiday crunch time much more bearable. Here are a few ways to bring peace and joy to a hectic few weeks of the year.

For my family, watching Christmas movies is a great way to take a break from exam preparation and homework.

Even though one could predict the ending to any holiday Hallmark movie within the opening scene, behavioral scientist Pamela Rutledge said in an ABC article that the formulaic plot provides “simplistic solutions to all those stressors that the holidays can bring.” From Will Ferrell’s crazy antics in “Elf” to learning the meaning of Christmas in “Miracle on 34th Street,” watching holiday movies boosts dopamine and reduces stress during a time of chaos. Under all the silliness of some holiday movies and the seriousness of others, there lies a common theme: gratitude and love, which are two virtues to live by.

There is no better way to boost spirit than listening to Christmas

and support her bid for president.

With a strong presidential candidate that represents the majority of the country, we won’t have to rely on a vice president to break ties in the Senate.

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If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.

Nikki Haley

Republican Presidential Candidate

Not only is Haley a strong female leader, she is also a well-informed Republican with experience in the government.

When she was governor of South Carolina, their economy flourished — according to her website, at the end of her tenure as governor, South Carolina hit a 15-year low for unemployment rates and saw over $20 billion in new capital investment. Also, while Haley is pro-life, she does believe that abortion should not be a federal government issue. During the Dec. 6 Republican presidential debate, Haley emphasized that she “doesn’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t

music. Something about “O Holy Night” at Lessons and Carols gives me chills and brings a tear to my eye. Professor of Music Therapy at Biola University Ronald Borczon said that singing, especially in a group or choir, promotes a sense of purpose.

Christmas carols also evoke a sense of nostalgia, which builds “psychological and physiological resilience,” according to a 2015 study published in the Atlas of Science.

Baking Christmas treats is another way I take my mind off of schoolwork during the season. Whether it’s a storebought Betty Crocker mix or a decadesold family recipe, baking provides a creative and rewarding moment to breathe amid long evenings spent cramming for exams. A 2016 study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology tested the positive effects of performing a creative activity, such as baking, on 658 participants over two weeks. It found that participants felt more relaxed yet enthusiastic and experienced personal growth when they did a creative task. There are hundreds of different holiday recipes online, so I encourage you to choose baking as a creative outlet and a means of stress relief this season — and get something sweet in return.

Finally, the Christmas season would not be the same without lights.

Every year, I do a carriage ride with my friends through Dallas to marvel at the elaborate holiday setups that some households undertake. In an article in Today, psychologist Deborah Serani explained that the positive feelings toward Christmas lights could result from chromotherapy, color therapy, or simply caused by nostalgic feelings of childhood Christmases.

Regardless of the cause, Christmas decorations and lights greatly influence my love for the holiday. For both non-Christmas-celebrants and those who do celebrate, I hope that you can pause from the chaotic final months of the year every now and then to enjoy the season of peacemaking and joy.

want them to judge me for being pro-life. Let’s find consensus…We don’t need to divide America over this issue anymore.”

Regarding the issue of immigration, Haley also takes a moderate stance. In 2016, when delivering the Republican party’s State of the Union response, she called for the government to “fix our broken immigration system” while also opposing completely open borders.

In the Dec. 6 debate, Haley faced unrelenting criticism from her opponents — a clear sign that they view her as a threat, especially as she amasses money from donors. However, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie was quick to defend Haley, berating Vivek Ramaswamy, saying, “This is a smart, accomplished woman. You should stop insulting her.” If the rest of the moderate majority would rally around Haley like Christie did, the Republican party could see great success in the upcoming election.

Haley attracts moderate Democrats and independents with her views on abortion and immigration, which are decidedly less extreme than her opponents.

For moderate Republicans, Haley’s stance on the economy and fiscal policy makes her an attractive candidate.

After all, as Haley once wisely said, “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” And Nikki Haley is the woman to ask.

Moderate Americans should rally around candidate Nikki Haley

By Charlotte Tomlin | Sports Editor

20 Eagle Edition

LETTER to the EDITORS

Junior Honor Council member's exam advice

By Parmida Zandinejad | Honor Council

LETTER from the EDITORS

What to do over the break once the holiday season is over

By Easterly Yeaman and Abby Baughman | Co-EICs

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Guide to a less stressful December

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ear Editors, For many of us on campus, the holiday season is the most joyful and stressful time of the year. With Christmas being a week from the start of exams, we feel a time crunch and a sense of urgency given that we need to plan gifts for our families, travel, and take lengthy exams all in one short week. This time of year is stressful for everyone; students, teachers, administrators and parents alike. I want to give some tips to help ease the stress that has helped me, especially during my junior year. Regarding exams, the most critical tip is to get started early. Create a study plan on a Google Doc or a planner if you have one — map

out precisely what you will do each day leading up to exams. Be as specific as possible, such as “Redo Chapter 1 Notes” instead of just “Redo Notes,” to help you stay on track. One thing you must include in your to-do list is breaks. Breaks are such a critical component of your day, as taking breaks has been proven to help with the retention of the material. Resting your mind for even a few minutes is essential, making studying more manageable.

Many of us, including myself, get distracted by our phones while studying. Even putting it in a different room doesn’t work for me. So, I take a time-lapse of myself while studying, and if I leave the camera app, it stops the video; it is an effective method

to help me stay focused and is rewarding to watch at the end since I can see how much I got done. Phones are not the only temptation that lingers during exam season —a temptation to gain an unfair academic advantage also becomes prevalent.

Being on the Honor Council since my freshman year, I have understood why students choose to cheat: poor time management.

Especially at a rigorous school like ESD, work piles up, and students become overwhelmed with their workload and desire to succeed, leading to consequential decisions being made. It is understandable to make a mistake, and this school and the Honor Council are simply here to help understand

the effects of these decisions, to teach students about integrity and that a lack of it will have a significantly worse outcome in the professional world, more than just an Honor Code.

To prevent temptations, it is essential to manage time wisely and create a plan to make sure you have time to prepare as much as you want to ensure success. Your fellow students, teachers, administrators, parents and this school want the best for you and to see your success.

We are all in this together. Stay committed, plan, and remember to take breaks! Besides, Christmas Break is in less than two weeks.

I wish you all the best of luck this next week and the Happiest Holiday season!

Combating post-Christmas boredom

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fter all the carriage rides, gift exchanges, Christmas parties, and finally opening presents on Christmas day, the magic of the holiday season begins to wear off, and boredom sets in. Here are some ways we editors combat the post-holiday season low.

Easterly: After opening presents on Christmas morning, my family and I always take the dogs on a walk through the empty neighborhood. The rest of the day and the day after, I make myself busy with my new presents.

Another pastime during the break is that I spend a lot of time watching movies. I'm not one for holiday movies so I usually rewatch my favorites like “Breakfast Club,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Legally Blonde,” “Hunger Games” and many more.

On cold days, my dad will light a fire in our living room and I'll sit by it, cozy up and read. I set a goal

Final Countdown | By Cindy Lin

for myself to read at least one book over the break. Right now, I plan to finish a book I'm reading called “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman.

When I get bored of movies and books, I do crafts. Lately, I’ve been working on friendship bracelets for my friends and an adult coloring book. My mom and I have been building a collection of bookmarks from our favorite bookstore, Interabang, so we plan on making a craft with them over the holiday break.

In addition, as the end of the year approaches, I go through photos from the past year and print them out on photo paper. I’ll then cut them out and add them to my bulletin board in my room. This is a great chance to reflect on the past year and, of course, gives me something to do in all my free time.

When the dogs have been cooped up for too long and the weather isn't too cold, we drive out to Grapevine or another area

nearby for a day trip to hike and sightsee. Grapevine, also known as the Christmas Capital of Texas, has incredible decorations all down Main Street. It's worth a visit if you are missing the holiday spirit after Christmas day.

Abby: In the past few years, I have sat around bored, scrolling through TikTok, but this year will be different. Once exam stress dies down and my extended family leaves Dallas, I have a plan for my free time. I love to make art, but I never get around to doing it. The task always seems daunting and messy, and I am afraid my painting won’t turn out well. However, I have discovered the world of YouTube painting tutorials.

Similarly while scrolling through Pinterest I found simple oil pastel tutorials that I cannot wait to try out. I have already asked for gift cards to Michael’s for Christmas and that combined with

Christmas money will allow me to buy a bunch of new art supplies.

I have other plans than just art. I love to cook and bake, but similarly to art, I never seem to have the time. So instead of relying on my mom, leftovers and food delivery apps, I plan to make my favorite foods. I have saved recipes for homemade pizza and chicken tenders from scratch. I also want to master the infamously difficult macarons.

In order to stay happy and healthy during the break, I am going to make sure I don’t fall behind on the gym. According to Allina Health, working out increases endorphins, causing an increase in self-esteem, better sleep habits and decrease in anxiety and depression.

Throughout the break, make sure you do the things that make you happy and try to spend time with friends and family whenever you can.

Views

December 15, 2023 |

21

22 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Dashing dogs dance

Sports

Taco Challenge Boys lacrosse competes in a weight lifting challenge in hopes of free tacos.

Page 25

Girls basketball takes their play to a global stage Eagles faced the Australian Junior National Team as they take on teams during their US tour

By Elliot Lovitt | Copy Editor

Outback Hoops

Sophomore Tatum Reynolds dribbles down the court in the photo on the left and takes a shot in the photo on the right in the game on Dec. 8 against the Australian Junior National Team. "So far, our chemistry is really good considering we only have had a couple weeks together," Reynolds said. "I think that it will only improve throughout the season."

Photos by Harper Sands

S

enior and captain of the girls basketball team Addison Page walks into the Competition Gym alongside her team for a Friday evening game, and she gets in the zone for the game.

However, this game is unlike any other game of the season — on the other side of the court stands a team from the other side of the globe.

This winter season brought an exciting addition to the game schedule. Hailing from nearly 10,000 miles away, the Australian Junior National Womens Basketball team came to Dallas to play ESD and Greenhill. The team is from Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, and players are 13 to 20 years old.

They are participating in the JL Swish USA Tour, which includes games in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

“The Australian team reached out to me as they do a United States tour every year,” Erma Bryant, the girls basketball program director, said. “I reached out to the Greenhill girls coach since they have been playing them every year, and he said it has always been a good experience for them.”

The team fell short to Australia in the Dec. 8 game, with the final score being 41-58. Senior captain Addison Page believes that turnovers and missed shots cost them the game.

“The Australian Junior National team played as a cohesive unit and capitalized on our mistakes,” Page said.

“They were well coached and conditioned.”

Although, at times, the team had a similar style of play to other teams ESD has competed against, they were accustomed to different rules, which quickened the pace of the game.

“In Australia, they have a 24-second shot clock while we play with a 35-second shot clock,” Page said. “They played comparable styles to other teams

that we have played, hustled up and down the court, and brought a lot of energy to the game.”

The Australian team utilized a full-court press, setting them apart from other teams.

“They were different from teams we typically play just because of how structured they were,” senior captain Morgan Amison said. “When they were guarding, their hands were always on you; they would not let you go or let you get out of their sight because they were just so organized and structured and making sure that they were doing their jobs, and it made them really effective on the court.”

“

Our team's one word this year is 'Grit.' I look forward to seeing how the team implements that word during the season and how they use grit to face some of the challenges that I spoke about.

Erma Bryant

Girls Basketball Program Director

Despite the loss, the Eagles walked away from the game with valuable lessons for the rest of the season.

“Although we did play well, I wish that we had been more confident throughout the game because we are a good team, and we are capable of doing great things,” Amison said. “But I don't think that we've fully realized that or that we believe it at all

moments throughout the game.”

As this winter season rolls around, the girls basketball team faces challenges, as numbers are low and two starters graduated last year. Despite these obstacles, the team is maintaining a positive attitude, and they hope to develop throughout the season.

“There are some clear positives going into the season as well as clear challenges,” Bryant said.

“We have three returning starters who have already shown that they will be huge contributors this season, but we are struggling in overall numbers. We were not able to field a JV team this season, which was disappointing.”

Amison agrees that the small team will pose a challenge this year. However, she is optimistic that the team will persevere.

“Depth is our biggest concern,” Amison said. “We lost a number of personnel, either graduated or not returning, and did not fully replace our bench. Luckily, it is not a problem in reference to in-season games; however, we will likely struggle when the tournament comes around if we cannot adapt to our new circumstances.”

This year, Bryant and assistant coach Evan Hadrick are employing a new philosophy to adapt to the changes in the team dynamic.

“One of our team values this season is to focus on a ‘Push/ Pull’ philosophy,” Bryant said.

“Coaches need to ‘push’ our returning players to get the most out of them while we ‘pull’ the others up to a place where they are comfortable playing at this level.”

The team won two games and lost two games in their seasonopening tournament in San Antonio. Amison was pleased with the team’s overall performance and chemistry, considering that many members had not played together before. She hopes to lead the team to victory during the counter-game season.

“Our loss margins were small

against tough opponents when our team only had six total players at the [Cornerstone Classic],” Amison said. “Personally, I would like to place first in SPC North. Last year, we fell short to Greenhill by a shallow margin and it was frustrating to us all because we knew they were beatable, so I would like to fight for first in the north this coming SPC tournament. I am excited to see what this season holds in store for us because we are playing a number of unfamiliar faces, which is always fun.”

The team also went 2-2 in a tournament in Wills Point, Texas from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1. Amison aims to use lessons learned from last season to maximize the team’s success this year.

“Last year, we learned we are true contenders in SPC and that we can compete with a difficult schedule,” Amison said.

“However, I believe at times, we forgot how to play team basketball because we had a lot of individual talent. So far this year, we have responded well to attempts to implement team basketball, and I believe we are, as a team, more selfless than the majority of our opponents.”

Like Amison, sophomore varsity player Tatum Reynolds has valued the learning curves that come from being one of the few players on the varsity team. “[I learned] not to listen to how someone says something, but to listen to what they are saying,” Reynolds said. “Sometimes, games can get intense, and harsh tones can be used, but you have to block them out and listen to the advice being told to you.”

Despite the low team numbers, the team is focused on working hard during every practice and game.

“Our team’s one word this year is ‘Grit,’” Bryant said. “I look forward to seeing how the team implements that word during the season and how they use grit to face some of the challenges that I spoke about.”

EAGLE EYE

Sports

December 15, 2023 |

Every issue, the Eagle Edition spotlights two athletes that have excelled on the field, highlighting their experience as astudent-athlete at ESD

ADDISON STIBBENS &

QA

What was your favorite memory of the cheer season?

[My favorite memory was] probably the [closing season] St. Mark’s football game.

Afterwards, everyone ran onto the field, and we won, so it was so fun. It was also very emotional because it was my brother’s last game, and that was really meaningful. I loved that I got to cheer for him.

How have you impacted the team?

I was new this year, so I hope I impacted everyone in a positive way. I got voted Most Spirited, which was really fun and sweet. I also know a lot about how football works because of my brother, so I could answer everyone’s questions.

What have you learned about yourself through cheer?

I have learned I am very determined and hardworking. I love to try new things, and I am very competitive. I would get really involved during the games.

What is competition cheer?

We practice from now until January, and then we compete against other schools with a routine we have created [that includes] a dance, a cheer, and stunts and tumbling.

Why have you decided to do competition?

I did it at my old school [Whitewright High School], and the routine is much more complex, and the stunts are a lot better. It is also really fun to be with the team because any girl varsity member is invited to join.

Interviews by Brooke Ebner | Web Editor and Jamie Henderson | Arts Editor and Social Media Manager Photos by Brooke Ebner and Lily Bergman

SEBASTIAN GUZIK &

QA

What are you most looking forward to this season, why?

I am most looking forward to bonding with the team this season and being able to play one last season with the seniors. I am excited to have so many freshmen and sophomores on the team because it gives me a chance to get to know them better and for us to build chemistry for this year and the next.

I am also glad I get to spend time with the seniors before they leave for college.

Why do you love playing soccer?

I love playing soccer because it is a great team sport and brings us all together. I also enjoy playing because my family loves the sport. .

What position do you play and what do you bring to the team?

I play right wing, and I bring a positive attitude to the team. I also bring a big personality and a lot of team spirit. I try [to] bring everyone together and build team spirit.

What is your most memorable game, why?

My most memorable game was when we beat St. Mark’s last year. It was so much fun because they are our rivals and it was a really good game. It was also awesome to see Daniel Sucato score the game-winner by dropping one of their defenders last year.

What are you excited for this season?

I am very excited for the playoffs this year since they will be in Houston, and we will get to go up there and bond as a team.

23

24 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Sports Editor Charlotte Tomlin and Staff writer Ethan Pham join forces to share their perspectives about being student-athletes at ESD. Read their opinions in every issue, or tune in to the biweekly podcast!

O

ver the past few weeks, we’ve watched chaos ensue in the NCAA College Football postseason, with both joy and heartbreak. So, we decided to tackle two different topics revolving around the postseason: the transfer portal and the college football playoffs.

TRANSFER PORTAL: CHARLOTTE After the end of the college football season, every time my phone buzzes with an ESPN notification, my body tenses up as I pray that the headline is not yet another Texas A&M football player entering the transfer portal. Much to my disappointment, it usually is.

On Dec. 4, college football players can officially enter the transfer portal, meaning they can declare their wish to play for another school and other coaches can begin to contact them.

Transferring has always existed in college football, but the transfer portal makes it easier for coaches and players to discuss the possibility of transferring, remaining eligibility, etc.

Prior to recently, players had to sit out for a season after transferring. This served as somewhat of a deterrent, encouraging players to stay at the schools that had recruited them.

However, in spring 2021, the NCAA ruled that players no longer had to sit out a season after their first transfer — and madness ensued. On the first day of the transfer portal opening after the end of the 2023 regular season, nearly 1,200 players entered the portal.

Personally, I think the transfer portal can be beneficial and harmful. Take, for example, Tez Walker. In 2020, Walker committed to play at North Carolina Central University. After a canceled season, Walker transferred to Kent State, where he played in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. After two years at Kent State, Walker transferred to the University of North Carolina — he cited mental health concerns and a need to be closer to his sick grandmother, as his reasons for leaving. The NCAA originally ruled that Walker had to sit out a year, after transferring two times, but UNC fought the NCAA’s decision — leading to Walker being allowed to suit up for UNC in the 2023 season.

In Walker’s case, I think the transfer portal was a good resource. It allowed him to keep playing football, but also prioritize his mental health and proximity to his family.

However, while the transfer portal can be used for good, it can also cause harm. After the 2022 season, coach Deion Sanders accepted a head coach position at University of Colorado Boulder. He left Jackson State University, after three seasons, during which he coached the Tigers to a 27-7 record. When Sanders left for Colorado, he took nine Jackson State players with him. In a program with only 24 players, losing 9 of them is detrimental. After Sanders became the head coach at Colorado, he was vocal about his plans to overhaul the roster — 41 Colorado players entered the transfer portal after Sanders became head coach. On the Pat McAfee show in the spring, Sanders inferred that getting rid of existing players is essential to the success of the program, saying “There is no way we can put new furniture in this

Mini Helmet Display Cases ballqube.com

beautiful home if we don't clean out the old furniture.”

In this case, 41 players left a school that they had committed to spend at least 4 years at, thus being forced to change their education, find a new place to continue to play football, and adjust to being pushed aside during the hype of Sanders’ Colorado era.

This is a situation where the transfer portal could be extremely harmful.

Players are forced out of programs, and it begins a precedent in which coaches rely on recruiting from the transfer portal instead of from high schools. The dynamics of teams will inevitably change, with the constant threat of departure hanging over teams’ heads.

Ultimately, I think that more rules should be imposed in the transfer portal.

The one-year sit out rule should be reimposed for undergraduate students — it creates a deterrent for transferring, and encourages students to stay at the school they committed to. However, losing a year of eligibility can be detrimental to some players. So, the NCAA should offer athletes the chance to gain that lost year of eligibility back, as long as the player hasn’t red-shirted or had a medical restraint. I also think that a legitimate list of expectations needs to be published by the NCAA that allows for transfers, that way athletes aren’t transferring for purely emotional reasons.

All in all, the transfer portal can be used for good and bad, as long as it’s used correctly.

PLAYOFFS: ETHAN Figuring out who gets into the college football playoff is always chaos, but this year it was madness. Five teams had valid reasons to make the college football playoff and the committee made possibly the most controversial decision in finalizing the top four teams. The way the committee decides who makes the playoff is mainly based on teams' records and their strength of schedules. Strength of schedule means that the team played against good teams which shows they can win big games.

This year there were two teams that should have made the playoffs with no questions asked.

The Michigan Wolverines went 13-0 throughout the season and won some big games. They defeated Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa, winning the Big 10 championship and proving they are a legit team. Michigan enters the College Football Playoff as the first seed.

Next, Washington, very similar to Michigan, went 13-0 and had a strong schedule. They played good teams like Oregon, Oregon State and USC. They won the Pac 12 conference defeating Oregon for the second time of the season. The Huskies resume earned them the second seed in the playoff.

The Texas Longhorns went 12-1 and possibly had the biggest win amongst any team of the regular season. The Longhorns traveled to Tuscaloosa Alabama and defeated the Crimson Tide of Alabama which is anything but an easy task. This was a huge reason why Texas made the playoff. However, later in the season, Texas lost to their rival Oklahoma in a close game. Initially, this bumped the Longhorns out of the playoff picture, but after highly ranked teams

lost games and Texas dominated the Big 12 championship, Texas earned the third seed in the playoffs.

Now, this is where the madness begins.

The final two teams hoping to make the playoffs were the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida State Seminoles.

The Alabama Crimson Tide went 12-1 and were SEC conference champions.

Alabama lost to Texas earlier in the season, which put Alabama out of the playoff picture. Later in the season, Alabama won in big games against Ole Miss, LSU and Auburn in the regular season and defeated number one ranked Georgia in the SEC championship. The loss to Texas provided a reason for the Tide to potentially be left out of the playoffs.

The Florida State Seminoles went 13-0 and were ACC champions, however their strength of schedule wasn’t considered strong. Going undefeated and winning their conference championship was the Seminoles' argument to make the playoff over Alabama. Also, their star quarterback Jordan Travis had a season ending injury. This hurt FSU’s shot at the playoff because they were thought as a different team without their quarterback.

FSU was in the playoff picture throughout the majority of the season sitting at the four seed. Statistically, an undefeated team should go into the playoff over a one loss team.

The committee ultimately decided that Alabama would put up a better fight in the playoff than FSU, so Alabama was named the fourth seed.

FSU was heartbroken and disgusted by the committee's decision.

The players, coaches, staff and fans were left shattered.

Personally, I think the committee made the right decision by putting Alabama in. They are a talented team, and have improved since their loss to Texas I think if Florida State made it in they wouldn’t have put up a fight like Alabama would.

However, I completely understand FSU’s argument, going undefeated and winning their conference championship. However, like Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban said, it’s the best four teams that make the playoffs, and I believe that Alabama is a much better team than FSU even with their one loss.

I see a Texas-Alabama national championship, ending with a win for the Tide and Alabama getting revenge on Texas from the beginning of the season.

Sports

December 15, 2023 |

25

Off-season lacrosse competes for a dinner with coach

S

enior Xavier Monteiro struggles in the fight to win an intense tennis match against his teammates on Dec. 5 and his last chance to win the Taco Challenge, in hopes of winning a taco dinner with the boys head lacrosse coach Jay Sothoron. Except, this is not a challenge for the ESD tennis team, it is a challenge for the ESD boys off-season lacrosse team. Tennis matches are just one way that Sothoron uses to form a greater connections with the team.

The off-season challenge, created by the varsity boys lacrosse coach, Jay Sothoron, serves as an off-season point system. The players are put into groups of five or six people and these teams have different challenges every Tuesday and Thursday. By attending the lifts and practices, or winning games and activities other than just lacrosse, the athletes get points, and at the end of the year, the team with the highest amount of points wins.

As a captain, Monteiro believes the challenge is important as a captain and someone who has participated in the challenge for several years.

“I think [the challenge] encourages people to work hard,” Monteiro said. “It builds a brotherhood heading into the season.”

During the off-season, the players look forward to the challenge reward which is a taco dinner bought by Coach Sothoron.

To the athletes, however, team bonding is a greater priority.

“There’s a lot of stuff that goes into the off-season,” Monteiro said. “Hopefully, it keeps us close and gives us a sense of camaraderie and hard work heading into the season and as we prepare for it.”

The team takes this challenge

seriously and holds everyone accountable. The teams include athletes from various grades. The idea is for the players to bond with different members of the team.

“I think it helps the younger guys get closer with teammates they might not have spent much time with before,” Monteiro said.

“It also helps develop a sense of trust between upperclassmen and young players since they are competing together in the taco challenge.”

The challenge is dependent on teamwork, especially for new players, this helps teach them how to work together so they are ready for the season. Freshman Hudsen Young is new to the team and ESD this year, but challenges like this help him and other athletes feel more connected to the community.

“The teams have someone from every grade, so a freshman, sophomore, junior, and a senior,” Young said. “[The challenge] really helps us get closer as a team.”

The challenge involves lots of commitment and hard work as the points are based on attendance and performance throughout the off-season. Each person is responsible for their contribution of points to their team.

“Every Tuesday and Thursday we have a different challenge,” Monterio said. “You get points for it, you get points for attendance at lifts and at the end of the year Coach takes the team with the most points to get tacos.”

The promise of tacos with Sothoron pushes the athletes to earn points for their team and makes each of them excited to show up each day. Many players have shown that this challenge has taught them hard work and commitment. ‘[The challenge] encourages me to work hard [during off-

season],” Sophomore Davis Royall said. “And throughout the time we build a team together.”

Phil Mosley, Director of Sports Performance, is always in the weight room with the boys as this challenge is going on and is able to oversee the effects they challenge has on the players. He has also seen a similar challenge that the football team does over the summer.

“

[The challenge] is something that builds teamwork, competitive spirit, and camaraderie.

Jay Sothoron

Men's Lacrosse Program Director

“It’s not specifically like the Taco Challenge, but in the summer, football [has a challenge] where they have teams and workouts and challenges,” Mosley said. “At the end of the summer there is one champion.”

Mosley believes that these types of challenges encourage teams to get to know each other and push each other before the season starts.

“I think [the challenge] is a good way to build camaraderie in the winner,” Mosley said.

“They’re working out together, they’re pushing each other everyday, they’re around each other so that they are used to that when the springtime comes.

The challenges do not only revolve around weightlifting but also other games that specifically

work on building stronger bonds.

These games include tennis and box lacrosse, which is lacrosse but with fewer players and fewer rules.

“To earn points we play tennis and if you win the tournament you earn points for your team.”

Sophomore Brant Briner said.

Because several freshmen are new to both upper school lacrosse and the challenge, the team’s top priority is to build connections.

“I hope to [form] better chemistry just as a team,” freshman lacrosse player Ryan Cole said. “I hope to get closer with the upperclassmen.”

By creating the “Taco Challenge,” Sothoron encourages the players to train, persevere, and be ready for the lacrosse season in the spring. But Sothoron hopes for the team to have fun as well “[The challenge] is something that builds teamwork, competitive spirit, and camaraderie,” Sothoron said. “I'm excited for the 2024 season. I feel like we came up short of our goal last year, and the guys are hungry to show how good we can be this season. We have 15 seniors, and I think their leadership will show what we are capable of.”

Sothoron did this same challenge when he coached college lacrosse, and he implemented it in 2021. This year, the challenge has been going on since Nov. 13 and has already made an impact on the team.

“It's fun to see the kids compete in something that is not just lacrosse,” Sothoron said. “I think [the taco challenge] is very beneficial,” Cole said. “Going through highs and lows with your team as we are all working together towards a shared goal helps us bring each other closer together. Also just being in the locker room with [the team] makes things light, playful, and easy.”

Taco Challenge builds bonds and brotherhood within the team

By Margot Cathey | Staff Writer Additional reporting by Emmy Moss

Pushing the limits

Sophomore Ryan Tran practices his shooting and form during offseason to be ready for lacrosse.

"I improve my aim and precision during the offseason by shooting everyday," Tran said.Freshman Hudsen Young earns points for his team during a lift on Dec. 6. Points were earned by doing lifts, box lacrosse and tennis tournaments.

The winning team will get a free taco dinner with coach Jay Sothoron at the end of the season in February 2024. "This challenge has taught me hard work and being willing to do anything to make sure I don't slack off," Young said.

Photos by Margot Cathey and Emmy Moss

Team 1 7 points

Team 2

TJ Gatchell '24 Reese Harrison '24 Charlie Neuhoff '24 Eddie Ellefson '24 Brant Briner '26

6 points

Camden Konradi '24 Hunt Sands '24 Tripp Black '24 Jack Provost '25 Davis Royall '26 Hudsen Young '27

Taco Challenge Team Standings as of Tuesday, Dec. 12 Team 3 4 points

Jackson Pennington '24 Parker Hall '24 Xander Nelson '24 Ryan Tran '26 Ryan Cole '27

Team 4 2 points

Xavier Monteiro '24 Ford Prestidge '24 Stephen Swann '24 Connor Kowalewski '25 Ethan Pham '26

26 | Eagle Edition

December 15, 2023

Swimmers embrace group, team grows Swim team implements new practice plan, provides opportunity for winter sports credit

By Anoushka Sinha | Staff writer

Diving into the Season

Jesi Geier dives in the water on Nov. 11, 2023 at the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Natatorium, the first meet of the season. She placed first in the 100-meter freestyle event Photo provided by Jesi Geier

J

unior Jesi Geier hears “Swimmers, take your mark!” as she lines up for her 100-meter freestyle event. Racing alongside swimmers from 22 other schools from all over Texas, Geier took to the water, gaining a lead in the early portions of the race. She maintained her lead for the entirety of the event, and started off the season in first place.

The meet on Nov. 11 in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Natatorium marked the beginning of the 2023-24 swim season, but something is different this year; ESD swimmers now receive a sports credit which is due to their new practice schedule. In the past, since ESD does not have a pool, swimmers practice on their own, now the swimmers practice together off campus, similar to the other team sports.

“I was excited and not necessarily nervous [when I heard we would be practicing,]” Geier said. “But I knew we didn’t have a coach who could help with all the technical things, and I knew that position would fall onto me.”

Currently, the team is practicing at the Lake Highlands

YMCA on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 7 a.m. Lower school physical education teacher Dena Geier, and mother to Jesi, has run the program for the past four years and is working to grow it.

“In the beginning, we didn't do practices because most of the kids swam club already, so they were practicing already, they would just come and we would swim [at meets],” Dena Geier said. “This year, a couple of the kids said they would need to practice. So then I worked for around two months trying to find a place for them to practice.”

With the issue of the practice venue behind them, the team had to adapt to not having professional coaches helping them out during the newly instated practices.

“I've been around swimming for about 15 years, only around my kids, though, so I've never really coached swimming,” Dena Geier said. “The athletes who have more experience are also helping coach the other ones that might need some help. So that's been great too because I love to see them working together and just helping each other out.”

Even though the more experienced athletes help out

others during practice, some of the swimmers feel like they haven’t been able to develop their skills to the fullest extent while also having to balance coaching their teammates.

“

I would love to see the swim program grow to the point where we have enough swimmers to have a full team and enough swimmers to compete in all of the events. We will continue to promote the program on campus, and admissions will inform prospective families that we do offer swimming.

Thad Lepcio Athletic Director

“I do wish that we had a coach [who] has had coaching experience because right now I'm trying to [help] the kids who have never competitively swam before,” Jesi Geier said. “[Meanwhile,] I am also trying to get better myself.”

The program is still a small group, and the need for additional coaching will most likely come as the program grows and more athletes join.

“Coach Geier is doing a great job getting this program started,” Athletic Director Thad Lepcio said. “We might get to the point where we need additional coaching help, and that would

be a great problem because that would mean the program is growing.”

As Coach Geier looks to expand and advertise the team to students throughout all grades, she is also exploring the idea of building pools on campus for some other groups to use, not just limited to the swim team.

“Other teams could use [the pools] for workouts because swimming is so good for your whole body, and it's not weightbearing,” Dena Geier said. “It would be a good combination to be able to get some swim workouts and do off-season stuff for kids. We could also do swim lessons with the lower school, or we could hold summer camps there.”

While there are numerous advantages to having pools on campus for students, the school also has to consider the logistics of building a completely new structure.

“ESD is blessed with wonderful facilities; what we are not blessed with is a lot of free space,” Lepcio said. “If we were to build a pool, where would we put it, and what would we put it in place of? Also, the daily upkeep and management of a pool is both expensive and timeconsuming… far different than your average pool in someone's backyard.”

Even though they are such a small team, the swimmers are still placing high at meets and setting personal bests. The swim team is growing, and the coaches and athletes are all working to grow the team over the next few years.

“I would love to see the swim program grow to the point where we have enough swimmers to have a full team and enough swimmers to compete in all of the events,” Lepcio said. “We will continue to promote the program on campus, and admissions will inform prospective families that we do offer swimming.”

Eagle Edition

December 15, 2023 |

27

eagledition=crossword 1

Across: 1: Non-playable character

9: Count on

2: Doctor

10: Male Greek life abbr.

3: Scrooge's ___ Humbug

11: _____ Mia, here I go again

4: _____ the pot (18 down)

12: Chemistry, Biology e.g.

5: Oscar, Emmy e.g.

13: Five + Five

6: Informal "no"

14: Mammal that floats on back in water

7: Scale used in chemistry

15: Opposite of no

8: Goth

16: National merit scholars scored high on

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2: Underground worker

20: Cat, sat, hat

4: Card put in a camera

21: Host of

10: Slang for "true"

22: H, I, J, K, L _, _, _, _

12: Eye affliction

23: Estimated time of arrival

16: Dog's foot

24: Female married title

17: Nate Bostian, Matt Stroud e.g.

25: "__ phone home"

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18: Movie genre Last Issues winner was: Barrow Solomon!

The first person to fill it out correctly and send a picture to yeamane@esdallas.org gets their name published in the next issue.

EAGLE EDITION

Editors-in-Chief Abby Baughman & Easterly Yeaman Managing Editor Iris Hernandez

Eagle Edition | vol. 41, issue 3

Business Manager Maggie Chein

BYLINE POLICY

Copy Editor Elliot Lovitt

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.

News Editor Charlotte Traylor Life Editor Sophia Sardiña

Arts Editor Jamie Henderson Views Editor Lauren Shushi

Staff Writers Emma Allen, Valentina Boltchi, Margot Cathey, Beau McKnight, Emmy Moss, Maggie Pickens, Reese Rawson, Anoushka Sinha

Sports Editor Charlotte Tomlin

Cartoonist Cindy Lin

Web Editor Brooke Ebner Social Media Manager Jamie Henderson Faculty Adviser Ana Rosenthal

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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: cheinm@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.

Eagle Edition | vol. 41, issue 3 The Episcopal School of Dallas 4100 Merrell Rd. Dallas, TX 75229 eagleedition@esdallas.org (214) 358-4368

Eagle Edition

December 15, 2023 |

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