V41 Issue 4

EAGLE EDITION The Episcopal School of Dallas student newspaper

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Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 V 41 | Issue 4 4100 Merrell Rd Dallas, TX 75229

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Hearts Under Pressure

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Kline’s Cold Candy

Sixth grader Kline Hardy has created a business of freezedrying Skittles and selling them in the Eagles Nest.

With the introduction of dating apps and the influence of social media, coupled with the complexities of modern relationships, there is a heightened pressure to “win” someone’s affection alongside the fear of losing it. Individuals often find themselves questioning the true essence of love. Pages 14-15

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DJs are on the rise

Senior Jackson Pennington and junior Vaughn Langston talk about DJing in high school.

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the quandary of

Photo by Alexandra Warner

Photo byJuliet Allen, Tucker Robertson and Jay Miller

2 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

News

Racing in New Zealand Jet Bowling '23 travels to overseas to pursue his budding car racing career.

Page 5

Sixth grader embraces entrepreneurial spirit Kline Hardy's freeze-dried Skittles become an Eagle's Nest favorite

By Charlotte Traylor | News Editor

The production line

Clockwise from top left: Sixth-grader Kline Hardy arranges the Skittles on trays. He then places the trays in the freeze-dryer for one and a half hours. Once freeze-dried, he proceeds to sort them into bowls. Hardy packs the Skittles and seals the bags. "After school I will do my homework, and once I am finished, I will heat seal and package [my sktittles]," Hardy said.

Photos by Alex Hardy

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ach time sixth grader Kline Hardy travels to Park City, Utah for vacation, he looks forward to the freeze-dried Starbursts and Skittles at the local gas station. But Kline, not satisfied with enjoying these treats twice per year, now produces and sells freeze-dried skittles. And they are flying off the shelves at the Eagles Nest.

“I told my parents that I wanted a [freeze dryer], but they said that it was too expensive,” Hardy said. “So then I came up with a business plan, and I got the Eagles Nest in on it. [My parents] said, ‘Yes, we'll get you the freeze-dryer,’ and ever since then, I've been paying off the loan I got from [my parents]. I paid it off recently, and now I'm in profit.”

A crunchy, light rendition of the traditional candy, the sweet snack is produced by freezing the water within the candy and removing it as vapor. Hardy began producing his candies in smaller quantities, making only 30 per week and charging $3.75 per bag. But he now produces 100s of units per week because the demand has been at a steady high since the start of his business on Dec.14. As of Jan. 19, Hardy has earned $800 in profit.

“I usually start with low [quantities] for new products to make sure that our customers like it,” Gabrielle Harrington, who is the merchandising and inventory specialist at the Eagles Nest, said.

“But I had a feeling it was going to do really well. . . And it's been very successful for him.”

In response to this success, Hardy has altered his freezedrying process to become more efficient. He also devotes his time to creating and packaging his product after school, with minimal help from his parents or siblings.

“I used to think it took about three hours [to freeze dry the candies],” Hardy said. “But lately, I've been doing it for only one and a half hours, and it still works pretty well.”

Amy Livingston, upper school entrepreneurship teacher, is impressed by Hardy’s entrepreneurial spirit at such a young age. “[Hardy needs to] continue doing what he is doing because clearly, he is doing well with marketing and pricing,” Livingston said. “He should monitor his margins and maybe increase the price in any way to increase the total revenue.”

“

I came up with a business plan, and I got the Eagles Nest in on it. [My parents] said, ‘Yes, we'll get you the freeze-dryer,’ and ever since then, I've been paying off the loan I got from [my parents]. . . now I'm in profit.”

Kline Hardy Sixth grader

Harrington also admires Hardy’s courage and assertiveness in launching his business. He confidently met with Harrington about his business plans and capabilities, and he adjusted his business plan in

response to Harrington’s advice by altering the product’s size and quantity.

“I think it took a lot of courage for him to come in,” Harrington said. “It wasn’t a sure thing that we would carry it, but I encouraged him and am happy to support his business.”

Students have responded enthusiastically to the new product, with the initial batch selling out within five days.

“They are delicious, a very smart idea, and the packaging is pretty,” junior Sophie Stager said.

“The [Skittles] remind me of my childhood,” junior Aubrey Fomin said.

68 Percent of students have tried the freeze-dried Skittles

83 Percent of students enjoy the freeze dried Skittles SOURCE: Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school students

News

February 9, 2024 |

Tension in the 2024 election

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Dignified Transfer Three U.S. service members, Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett were killed in an Iranian drone strike in Jordan on Jan. 28. Thirty soldiers were injured in the same explosion, which occurred near the troop’s resting place.

In fitting with tradition, President Joe and First Lady Jill Biden attended the dignified transfer of the fallen soldiers on Feb. 2. The fallen soldiers arrived at the Center for Families of the Fallen at Dover Air Force Base, where the Biden’s met with their families. During the service, flags were draped over their caskets, and a prayer was recited in their memory.

“They risked it all, and we’ll never forget the sacrifice and service to our country that the dozens of service members who were wounded in recovery now,” Biden said at the National Prayer Breakfast at Capitol Hill.

Fallen soldiers

President Joe Biden attends the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base on Feb. 2.

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/TNS

Military Shake-up in Ukraine Rumors have surfaced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will fire his military leader, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The relationship began to deteriorate when Zaluzhnyi proposed that the war had reached a stalemate, which allies interpreted as a lack of planning from Zalushnyi. Despite these leadership hiccups, Ukraine received a $54 billion financial aid package from European allies on Jan. 31. These funds will support the recent shortages in supplies and soldiers.

“Any indication that there is dissension at the highest levels of decision-making risks signaling that the Ukrainian government is uncertain about the progress and direction of the war,” Christopher Tuck, a professor at King’s College London, said in an interview with NBC News. “This is clearly unhelpful at a time when the government needs to project confidence.”

Managing the War

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi speaks at a press conference in Kyiv on Dec. 26.

Photo by Genya Savilov/AFP/ Getty Images/TNS

King Charles III cancer diagnosis Buckingham Palace announced on Feb. 5 that 75-year-old King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer; he recently received treatment for an enlarged prostate. The king shared his medical condition with the public, hoping to dispel rumors and connect with other cancer patients. In the past, members of the royal family have been more private with their health conditions, so his announcement comes as a surprise. He will scale back his public outings while receiving treatment.

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n Dec. 19 and 28, 2023, respectively, Colorado’s officials and Maine’s secretary of state ruled that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to run for president and does not qualify for the Republican primary ballot in the 2024 election. Both states cited Trump's role in the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as the reason for their ruling.

This became the first time a candidate was deemed ineligible to run for presidency under the constitutional provision, removing him from the primary ballots. On Jan. 17, Maine halted Trump's disqualification, waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling on Colorado and ordering the secretary of state to revisit the issue after Feb. 8.

The 14th Amendment was made to prevent Confederate soldiers from retaking all political offices after the Civil War. Under the insurrection clause, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment keeps the military, federal and state officers, and Congressmen who rebelled against their oath to uphold the Constitution from being able to run for office.

“In one way, I was not expecting it because Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was created in the context of a post-Civil War America, so that was the reasoning behind the 14th Amendment,” upper school history teacher Travis Gilmore said. “Since then, we have not had anyone who could be considered an insurrectionist. So, from that point of view, this could be very surprising and odd.”

However, Gilmore can also see this issue from another point of view.

“It is wholly expected because we live in such an unprecedented time,” Gilmore said. “The oddness and surprise of Jan. 6 can lead you into this mindset to expect the unexpected.”

The 14th Amendment was also intended to prevent former Confederate officials from returning to power if they engaged in insurrection against it. However, individual states may interpret whether or not the clause is referring to the presidency. Only the two states have claimed he is ineligible so far, while in most other states, the challenge remains unresolved, and in California, it has been dismissed.

“The most common thing for people to know about the 14th Amendment is not the insurrectionist clause,” Marc Salz, AP World History teacher, said. “‘No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws,’ This is the vision initially put into the constitution and less directly the Declaration of Independence.”

Some researchers say that on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol and now claim that the postCivil War rule applies to Trump because of his role in 2021.

A group of Colorado voters, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, raised their concerns, wanted to take Trump off the ballot, and claimed that it is justified and necessary to protect

our country's democracy.

After Colorado's supreme court ended up ruling 4 to 3 in favor of taking Trump off the ballot to run, Maine's secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, followed too and removed him from the ballot in Maine.

“If we are going to have an unbiased and rational argument, one way or the other, for whether Trump should be on the ballot or not, it has to be based on the legality of the constitution and what the constitution says and what the best of the interpretation is,” Gilmore said.

As these ramifications could be significant, Trump’s campaign and attorneys are acting fast to try and appeal these decisions to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the 14th Amendment does not explicitly apply to the presidency to ensure Trump is still eligible to run.

“The Constitution has antidemocratic measures in it, withholding majoritarian measures, which are here to protect our democracy,” Gilmore said. “The bigger question is if Trump has done an act of insurrection.”

More than that, Trump’s lawyers claim that the alleged riot in the capital is not severe enough to qualify as an insurrection. They claim that all the former president said is protected under free speech and that he never directly told his followers to attack the capital.

Further, more states may follow if the Supreme Court allows Colorado and Maine to remove Trump from the ballot.

“This is a good way to see federalism in action,” AP U.S. Government teacher Tim Woodward said. “So, as a government teacher, this is a great example of how states can make decisions; the Supreme Court can make the ultimate decision. It's interesting to teach the government in a time where we see content from the class unfolding in the real world every day.”

The Supreme Court agreed to hear Colorado’s case in oral arguments on Feb. 8.

“This affects lots of ESD students,” Woodward said.

“Several will be able to vote in the primary in March, and in the fall, it's good to keep track of who is running and who can run for president.”

State primaries started on Jan. 23, and because Trump holds a wide lead over other Republican candidates, state election officials are encouraging the Court to settle the question about Trump's eligibility quickly. Colorado mailed their ballots on Feb. 12, only four days from the Supreme Court's ruling. The Court has already announced that they will be using a law that was used to charge people who were involved on Jan. 6, 2021.

Gilmore believes people should have more conversations surrounding the issue.

“To be open to dialog with those they disagree with. I would love for this to be an issue for people to honestly and openly engage with each other on it in good faith and listen to the other side," Gilmore said. "There are going to be people, no matter what the Supreme Court decides on this, who are going to be very upset about it, and that kind of anger and betrayal can remove public understanding and debate of the other side. Each side needs to listen to each other and try to understand where the other side is coming from.”

Colorado and Maine remove Trump from ballot; other states dismiss or reject challenge

By Maggie Pickens | Staff writer

Trump removed from ballot

Medical Treatment

Queen Camilla and King Charles III leave the London Clinic on Jan. 29.

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images/TNS

Challenge unresolved Challenge rejected or dismissed Graphic by Easterly Yeaman | Co-EIC Source: New York Times

4 | Eagle Edition

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Break-in at the Berkley's After a man breaks in, sophomore Bauer Berkley protects his home using a BB gun

By Iris Hernandez | Managing Editor

S

ophomore Bauer Berkley relaxes after coming home from basketball practice on a typical Tuesday night on Jan. 23. His parents had left only five minutes ago to get dinner and closed the door behind them, but left it unlocked due to construction workers coming in and out of the house. From his bedroom he sees the front door open and a stranger walking in.

“He stumbled into my house with really long shorts on [and] no shirt,” Berkley said. “So, I go over there because I’m wondering, ‘he might be someone I know.’”

Berkley watched as the man ascended the stairs and headed toward his younger brother’s room.

Now he realizes he doesn’t know this person.

“I grabbed a BB gun, and I walked over,” Berkley said. “I [held] the [BB] gun behind my back [as I walked over]. He went into my brother's room and tried to talk to my brother. When he stepped away, my brother ran away

into a different room and locked himself in it. He then called my mom then 911. I tell [the man] to get out of my house. I’m pointing the [BB] gun at him and dragging him towards the exit of my house.”

Berkley then also called 911— the call dated at 8:21 p.m. The 911 operator told Berkley to stay calm and away from the man and asked him for necessary information, such as his name and address.

“I have one hand on the BB and one hand on the phone with 911,” Berkley said. “The cops finally got there as soon as I got him downstairs. They came in and they tackled him. They were in the area searching for him because he did a hit-and-run before he stole the car.”

It took one minute for the cops to arrive at the scene, and Berkley’s parents raced home after hearing what happened.

“My parents were really freaked out, of course,” Berkley said. “Once they had him in custody, I called my parents, and they rushed over. But, luckily,

everyone was OK.” On the morning of Jan. 31, Berkley and his brother met with the chief of police and other Dallas Police Department detectives for an interview on the incident.

“I talked to detectives and all that,” Berkley said. “It was [about] a 15 minute interview. They just wanted me to restate the story, ask a couple of other questions, and then talk to the chief, who was super nice about it.”

Berkley was also able to meet with the responding officers and thanked them.

“Me and my brother are going to be honored in front of [Highland ParkCity] Council for everything that happened,” Berkeley said. “[It is set for] Feb. 20 at 8 a.m.”

Right after the event, Berkley told a few of his friends about what had just happened. When he returned to school the following day, he was met with questions and shocked classmates and teachers.

Director of Campus Safety Jody Trumble also heard of

Berkley’s story.

“That is not something that most people are mentally prepared for how they will respond to that,” Trumble said. “I think the response to a situation like that is different for everyone.”

In 2023, 2,489 resident burglaries or breaking and entering occurred in Dallas, according to the National IncidentBased Reporting System. About 1.65 million home invasions occur each year across the U.S., which accounts for 66 percent of all burglaries, according to Simple Insurance.

“My biggest thing is to do something, make a decision, and then act on that decision and don’t look back right?” Trumble said.

“That is what they did. I’m proud and thankful that they are safe. I’m proud that they made a decision and they stuck with their decision, and followed through.”

As a law enforcement officer, Trumble has a unique perspective on the situation. She gives advice to anyone who fears a situation like this.

“It is my job to say never put yourself in harm's way if you can avoid it,” Trumble said. “That’s the kind of stock answer. But at the same time, that person had invaded their home, and who knows what would have happened if other action had been taken.

And so, my advice stays the same: whatever you decide to do, do it with everything you’ve got because you can't hesitate, and that is what they did. I just thought it was pretty amazing.”

When an emergency occurs people have a wide range of responses that can be defined as fight, flight or freeze, according to healthline.com, a website about health and wellness.

Berkley had previously thought about what to do if something like this were to occur.

“I never thought anything would actually happen like that,” Berkley said. “It was just kind of surreal.”

Mucciolo Moves Positions After 11 years of working as the administrative assistant to the head of upper school and registrar, Josephine Mucciolo will officially take on the role of the official registrar scheduler and AP testing coordinator starting next school year. Even though Mucciolo has already started this new role, she will hold both positions until someone is hired to fill her current position.

The new position is a job that is being put back into place after having not existed for several years, after a sudden passing of the former registrar.

“So after a while and a lot of persuading, we realized that in the upper school we need someone who will just concentrate on the scheduling and registrar,”Mucciolo said “I think that everyone and the administrators have agreed that we are missing that position, and so since I have been doing it for a while and it's something that I want to do, they asked me to take that over.”

Mucciolo is ready to put all her energy into one specific job as she has been holding many different positions in the school for so many years.

“I love working here because I get to see everybody, and it's a really busy office,” Mucciolo said.

“But I look forward to being able to concentrate on just one thing and do it as well as I can. I just feel that right now,I don't have enough time to concentrate on it, especially with the schedule and to make sure that everyone's schedule is as best as it can be. I feel like I'm just being split up into so many different directions.”

Student Spirit Shines Student Body Week kicked off on Jan. 22. Every year, the upper school Student Council chooses five dress-up themes. Monday was a regular spirit dress day, Tuesday was dress as a favorite holiday, Wednesday was “bring anything but a backpack,” Thursday was “Winter Wonderland,” and Friday the iconic “dress as a generation.”

Freshmen dressed as babies, sophomores as college students, juniors as millennials, and seniors as senior citizens. In addition to the dress days, the student council planned activities throughout the week to celebrate the student body.

“We have a bunch of fun activities planned,” senior Student Council Officer Libby Cuccia said. “[It] is always fun and can help students in the middle of the year not be too stressed.”

Aside from the student council, upper school biology teacher Marissa Infante, Assistant Head of Upper School Max Augé, Clark Family Head of Upper School Matt Peal and Ann and Lee Hobson Head of School David Baad assisted in the week's planning.

While dress up days are usually paused on Wednesday due to Eucharist, ESD students got creative when deciding what they were going to use instead of their backpacks. Students brought sleds, wheelbarrows, laundry baskets, and even suitcases.

“I brought a seed spreader for the themed day, I thought it would just be fun and a good way to get a laugh out of everyone,” senior Caroline Cole said. “This day just brought joy to the upper school and unified everyone together during Spirit Body Week.”

Winter Dance Festivities The annual winter dance took place on Saturday, Feb. 3, at ESD in the school’s Hagger Family Gymnasium. The theme, which was chosen by the Sophomore Student Council, was Movie Mania.

“We chose Movie Mania because it encompasses the creativity of the student body,” sophomore class officer Gianluca Sabella said. “It allows for all types of creative designs and groups whether going by yourself or with friends.”

The class leaders paid attention to giving students as many options as possible to use their creativity and prepare for the dance.

“The theme was perfect,” sophomore Juliet Allen said. “It was broad enough that there was an extensive array of costumes.”

Students dressed up as a wide variety of characters. From “Monsters Inc.” to “The Wizard of Oz,” to “La La Land,” , they showcased their love for the theme. Likewise, the Student Council hired an expensive DJ, called DJ Cage, in order to increase attendance.

“We have DJ Cage and moved the location from the study commons to the Haggar Gym,” Gianluca said.“Hopefully differentiating our winter dance from previous years.”

For Allen, the most enjoyable part of preparing the gym was the decorations: white Christmas lights lit up the path to the gym and a gold doorway curtain hung over the entrance to the gym.

“They fit the theme well and helped to set the mood; the DJ was good and could read the room and choose good songs based on that,” Allen said.

Officer Take Down

Officers hold down man that has just broken into the Berkley residence. "I was shocked because it just set in that some guy broke into my house," Berkley said. "I immediately set my BB gun down so they knew I wasn't going to do anything. I was just in shock but calmed down after a few minutes."

Photos by Bauer Berkley

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

Mucciolo Moves Positions

Mucciolo currently holds both the administrative assistant to the head of upper school position as well as the upper school official registrar.

Photo by Emma Allen

Student Spirit Shines

Senior Caroline Cole shows off her seed spreader turned backpack during Student Body Week.

Photo by Easterly Yeaman

Winter Dance Festivities

Tatum Reynolds, Cate Stephenson, Beau Mcknight, Ryder Sands and Stella Wynne hang out with DJ Cage at his booth at the Winter Dance on Feb. 3.

Photo by Tolly Salz

News

February 9, 2024 |

Four seniors explore self-directed research projects

S

hivani Swaminathan stands at the front of the classroom, ready to teach the AP Chemistry class to prepare for her research experiment.

She presents her slideshow lectures to the class before she sends them into the lab.

Swaminathan is a high school senior.

AP Research, a course students can take after completing AP Seminar, allows students to choose their own topic and conduct research throughout the year, eventually concluding with a 4,000 to 5,000-word research paper. While this is Warner’s first year teaching the class, he has been interested in the Advanced Placement Capstone program for a while.

“A couple of years ago, Dr. Boberg approached me and asked me if I would be interested and willing to become certified to teach the AP Research portion of that program,” Warner said. “We had several people on the faculty that were already certified to teach the seminar piece, but no one had been certified to teach the AP Research.”

Rebecca Brady, chief academic officer, reached out to Warner this summer, informing him that there were four students interested in taking the class. So, Warner took the certification course to teach the class over the summer.

“I got the opportunity to do an online Zoom, week and a half long course that met for three or so hours a day,” Warner said.

“We would have research and homework at night, and the next class, we would do peer review of the work that we had done, and the instructor would give us feedback on our peer review.”

So far, Warner has enjoyed teaching the class. Because the students are required to complete AP Seminar before taking AP Research, he feels that he can help expand the skills they have previously learned.

“They have been taught all of the fundamental skills necessary in their previous course, and then what I get to do in AP Research is to help them learn how to adapt and take their skills and their knowledge kind of to the next level,” Warner said. “I really like the idea of giving high school students who are interested in and capable of doing original research the opportunity to learn to do the skills necessary because more and more colleges and universities, especially in STEM-related areas, are giving students the opportunity as undergraduates to be involved in original research.”

Swaminathan is one of the students in the AP Research class.

For her topic, she is focusing on chemistry, particularly the VSEPR Theory and molecular modeling.

She has begun making plans to conduct research on fellow ESD chemistry students.

“I’m going to be teaching students about VSEPR Theory which helps students understand molecular bonding [and] electron geometry,” Swaminathan said.

“People will have to fill out a basic survey with some of their information, some of their opinions on virtual simulations versus traditional lab materials, and then they will learn VSEPR Theory.”

After teaching the students about the theory, Swaminathan plans to give the students a 10-question quiz and then split the students into either the virtual simulation or physical model group.

“They’ll get to play with [the models] for a bit, and then at the end, they will take the quiz again,” Swaminathan said. “And then I will take all the results and see if anything has changed from before or after the experiment.”

Since middle school, Swaminathan had been wanting to take AP Seminar and Research.

“I would read the course catalog in middle school, and I

thought that AP Seminar and AP Research both sounded absolutely wonderful,” Swaminathan said.

“AP Seminar is a writing and discussion-based course, and I thought that was great. But then [for] AP Research, I was really excited about the prospect of being able to do my own research.

It teaches skills that most students don’t learn until they go to graduate school.”

Senior Charles Liu is also in the AP Research class. For his topic, he is analyzing the difference in mental illness stigma in Caucasian Americans and Asian listeners. To conduct his research, he plans on interviewing ESD students and then doing a thematic analysis based off of the interviews. One thing that Liu enjoys about the class is how open-ended it is.

“We don’t have a very structured syllabus or agenda,” Liu said. “We’re just kind of working at our own pace, but Mr. Warner, once in a while, check[s] in on us and make[s] sure we’re on the right path. I really like the freedom of the class.”

While all four students in the class this year chose STEM-based topics, it’s not a requirement. In future years, Warner would love to help students conduct research on other topics such as history or some type of humanities.

Warner feels that teaching this class will help his students both in the college admissions process as well as in college in general.

“I have always been a teacher who loves to send my students off to college as well or better prepared than anybody else that they’re going to be working with as far as other students,” Warner said. “And so if I can help my students go to college already knowing the basic skills of how to do original research, I think that will give them a leg up, and it also is one of the ways that students can distinguish themselves in the college admission process because there aren’t a lot of high school students who have the opportunity to do original research.”

AP Research allows students to conduct high level research as high schoolers

By Brooke Ebner | Web Editor

A new way of teaching

Senior Shivani Swaminathan tests out her research with the AP Chemistry class on Jan. 31 before conducting her research on regular and honors chemistry students.

"I told Mr. Warner at first that I wanted to do something in chemistry," Swaminathan said.

"And he told me that one area that hasn't been studied very much is chemical education."

Photo by Brooke Ebner

From the Drag Strip to the Kiwi Track

I

n the track where the scent of rubber burns and gasoline are all around, the roar of the loud fast engines overcome anything else. Each car staggers up in front of the start line, ready to take off. There is something in the air that buzzes with excitement in the crowd, and Jett Bowling ’23 gets ready to race in a foreign country.

Growing up, Bowling had an immediate passion for speed and thrill. His grandfather and great-grandfather were former record holders on the drag strip, so racing was in his DNA. An ESD alum and freshman at Texas A&M, Bowling decided to travel to New Zealand in early January and spend six weeks of his second semester of college racing cars overseas.

As a young kid, Bowling begged his parents to let him participate in Motocross with dirt bikes; however, his parents, not impressed with his idea, said no. He gave up on this dream until he was 15, when he pleaded with his parents again and asked permission to start go-kart racing.

He got his parents’ approval this time and his racing career took off.

Bowling gradually advanced his racing career throughout high school, eventually racing cars during his senior year. For Bowling, only a freshman in college, racing is still fairly new to him.

“Being new can be belittling at first,” Bowling said. “But it also means the ceiling is so much higher.”

In his second semester of college, Bowling decided to take part in the competitive and respected Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand. The series has sent 21 racers to Formula 1, the highest level of racing, after

competing in this event.

“To go to New Zealand was almost a no-brainer,” Bowling said. “I’ll be up against some of the best drivers in the world around my age.”

He is spending six weeks in New Zealand, but only five of those weeks will be spent racing.

Each week, the series moves to a different city to race over the weekend. During those weekends, there are various practice sessions and qualifying sessions, paired with three races per weekend.

“It’s a lot of track and seat time, which is tremendous,” Bowling said.

During his free time, Bowling enjoys the country with his family who came along with him on the trip.

Bowling is racing for his team, Kiwi Motorsport and according to them, their mission is “to utilize the ladder system combined with [their] driver development program like no other in existence.” The program monitors the fitness and mental toughness of their drivers. Kiwi Motorsport is dominant in the United States F4 championships, and they are one of the most competitive teams in Formula Regional Americas.

The team has the most wins of any team since the United States Formula 4 championship series has begun. Since Bowling is new to Kiwi Motorsport, it’s his first time racing for them in New Zealand.

“I’m sure they’ll show me awesome things about the local culture,” Bowling said. “Everyone on the team is awesome.”

Bowling is anticipating the last weekend of Feb. 18 because the New Zealand Grand Prix will take place. The Grand Prix is the largest race of the Toyota Racing Series, bringing forth large crowds,

coverage and broadcasting.

Trophies will be awarded to all who place in the race.

“It’ll definitely be a cool scene,” Bowling said. “I have never been to New Zealand, so I am excited to explore the new country.”

In between races and free time, Bowling still attends an online human geography class. However, whenever Bowling gets back to College Station after the race, he will have to pick up where he left off in school.

“I don’t imagine [my classes will] interfere with racing too much,” Bowling said. “It shouldn’t be anything crazy. When I get back to the States in late February, I’ll pick up three half-semester courses as well. Which’ll be quite a grind.”

For Bowling, racing is more than just being physically in shape

and prepared for a race. It's more of a mental challenge.

“Most people don’t understand that racing is almost more mental than physical,” Bowling said. “It’s fun finding what your brain thinks is the limit. I want to see how far I can push that limit.”

Bowling believes that everything put into a race is between him and his subconscious, and if he takes control, he is capable of many great things. Bowling hopes to succeed, learn and grow from this series he is participating in.

He hopes that this will get him recognition to kick off his own racing journey.

“Racing is more than just a sport to me,” Bowling said. “It means a lot to me because it is in my blood, and I love the thrill more than anything.”

Jett Bowling's '23 racing passion takes flight in New Zealand

By Ethan Pham | Staff writer

Zooming on the track

Jett Bowling '23 takes on the race course in New Zealand on Jan. 27.

Photo provided by Bruce Jenkins Photography

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6 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Life

Focusing on health From exercise to diets, the community share the ways they stay healthy.

Page 10

Dare to DJ: The art of mixing music as a high schooler Due to the digital age and more accessible equipment, students have been getting into DJing

By Lauren Shushi | Views Editor

F

or juniors Addison Stibbens and Libby Miller, the objective of attending a high school dance is fairly simple. They are there to enjoy the venue, company, decorations and most importantly: the music. Something that may go overlooked by some, but certainly not by them, is the music that is being played, which often sets the mood and tempo of the night. And no one knows this better than a disc jockey, more commonly known as DJ. “The DJ sets the tone for the entire night,” Miller said. “There is a new kind of entertainment involved with a DJ rather than just walking around and talking with friends. A DJ provides an atmosphere where you can open up, dance with other people and connect over the music.”

Like singing, drawing or painting, DJing is also a form of creative expression. As mixing music transcends age, the popularity of electronic dance music continues and the technology to DJ is accessible and affordable in this decade compared to prior years, DJing is an attractive passion for many.

Senior Jackson Pennington began DJing in the past year after gaining an interest from ESD alum JP Casey ’23 and thinks that DJs play a large part in gaining the attention of an audience in the form of music and enjoyment.

“When you have a DJ [at an event], you're getting good music, but you're also getting live entertainment,” Pennington said.

“When somebody is just playing music on a speaker at a party, you kind of hear it in the background and don’t pay much attention, but when there's a DJ there, it's the first thing that captures your attention.”

While people at ESD are gaining an interest in DJing now, mixing music is not a novel activity. Since the 1930s DJs have mixed and played records for radio stations, and Adrian Cavlan, the co-founder of entertainment company Sound In Motion and in-game DJ for the San Francisco 49ers, recalls a time when carrying countless records and handling equipment was a grand feat.

“Thinking back to my earliest days in DJing, I remember colossal, long load-ins and loadouts,” Cavlan said. “Firstly, this

was before the advent of the Multi-Cart aka Rock N Roller Cart that allowed us to eventually get everything in and out in one load... By comparison, now it’s as easy as punching the song title or artist into a search box in our DJ software.”

Indeed, due to the digital age, it is much easier to download DJing software or find different platforms to pursue the interest.

Junior Vaughn Langston began DJing after watching Pennington and senior Logan Lear DJ, and he believes that new technology has bolstered people’s interest in the hobby.

“

Honestly, DJing is just fun.

Everyone loves music, and when you play a song and hear people in the room go crazy, I mean, it's a really good feeling.

There's nothing like it.

Elijah Garcia

Freshman DJ at the University of Arkansas

“I think advances in technology over the past two decades have made DJing more accessible and user-friendly,” Langston said. “Also, the rise of EDM and DJs in mainstream culture has definitely contributed to a growing interest in pursuing a career or hobby as a DJ… I just started DJing in January, and all you need to start is a controller, a laptop and DJing software like Serato or Rekordbox.”

Looking further and past high school, freshman at the University of Arkansas Elijah Garcia, who graduated from the Jesuit School of Dallas in 2023, began DJing like Pennington during his senior year of high school. Now, he is pursuing this interest in college, with future aspirations of getting paid for gigs.

“My senior year in high school, I got paid to DJ for a grad party, but other than that, I just

do it for fun,” Garcia said. “In my fraternity now, we have two other DJs. One is a senior and one is a sophomore, and the senior is really good. I'd say I look up to him the most because he DJs at sorority functions and gets paid some pretty decent money for it.

When I've seen him DJ he has really good crowd control, and it's always a fun time.”

DJing equipment is expensive, so getting paid to do gigs is helpful. Purchasing new, professional DJ equipment — including turntables, DJ mixers, DJ controllers, headphones, cables and more — at the high end can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $9,000, according to Liv Technical Group, an audiovisual production company.

Pennington, however, believes that to begin DJing, you do not need to spend a lot of money on expensive equipment.

“Right now, I'm stuck on like the lowest level equipment, and I've kind of maxed out what I can do with it,” Pennington said. “But to start [DJing], all you need is a laptop, a $150 soundboard and maybe a speaker, and you'll be good. Some cheap headphones also, but not that much [equipment].”

Likewise, Garcia holds a similar belief for people just getting into DJing; there are many reasonably priced choices for equipment.

“The equipment can be expensive, but there are a lot of affordable options,” Garcia said.

“My controller was around $300, the speakers were another $300, and then I already had my laptop.

Really, all you need to get started is a DJ controller, a laptop and some speakers. The controller I use is a Pioneer DDJ-FLX4, and I use five-inch studio monitors for speakers and my regular school laptop.”

Also, the popularity of DJing among high school students can in part be attributed to the continuous appreciation for electronic music genres, such as “house music” among young people. A 2019 survey by IMS Business Report found that EDM came in third for most popular music genre, only behind pop and rock.

“More people are getting into DJing because this generation appreciates a lot of different types of music,” Stibbens said.

“House music is especially becoming very popular and artists are more known because of different platforms like TikTok or SoundCloud. DJs have a passion for music, and I think they kind of see DJing as an outlet to be creative with their mixes.”

In relation to his passion for DJing, Pennington also mixes music together for tracks to upload on SoundCloud, an online audio streaming platform that allows its users to promote and share audio. In just six months of posting tracks on the app, Pennington has garnered over 43,300 streams combined on his mixes.

“House music is fun to listen to because it combines the feeling of all your favorite songs into one with a good beat and mix of sound,” Stibbens said. “When DJs play house music, it's an unparalleled kind of energy.”

As the oldest genre within electronic dance music, house music originated in Chicago in the early 1980s and, over the past four decades, has become a foundational genre, according to Armada Music, an independent record label. Especially after the pandemic, musicians and listeners alike have found a rise in the genre of house music as an upbeat response to the spread.

“I usually play at high school parties for the most part,” Pennington said. “So [I build a setlist] based on what I like to hear, and that’s mostly house music. And sometimes people complain like, oh, my gosh, it's all house music, but that's what I like to hear, and it sounds good.”

No matter the differences in what kind of music they prefer to play, one thing that every DJ in this article agreed on is that DJing is simply “just fun.” They, and likely many other people gaining an interest in DJing, have come together on the idea that creating a set for a crowd, understanding the music and being the entertainment for people are enjoyable ways to express creativity through music.

“Honestly, DJing is just fun,” Garcia said. “Everyone loves music, and when you play a song and hear people in the room go crazy, I mean, it's a really good feeling. There's nothing like it. I'd say getting that validation from the crowd is a big part of DJing.

That and it's just fun to do.”

58 Sharing the rhythm

Senior Jackson Pennington looks over the shoulder of junior Vaughn Langston in January, getting tips on the soundboard and DJ software connected to his computer. "I started out DJing by watching Logan Lear and Jackson Pennington," Langston said. "So I learned so much from them. My favorite DJ is Mochakk. Love his style, crowd control and music."

Photo provided by Vaughn Langston

48 Graphic by Lauren Shushi

percent of students like seeing their friends or someone they know DJing at a party

percent of students like listening to house music and other forms of electronic dance music

SOURCE: Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school students

Life

February 9, 2024 |

HEARDby theBIRD

“ “

We chose Barbie and Ken super last minute because it was an easy costume and it was one of the only costumes that came in time.

Mckenna Duncan '24

I AM GOING TO GIVE ALL MY FRIENDS TEDDY BEARS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY BECAUSE IT SHARES LOVE AND KINDNESS WITH THE COMMUNITY. Cate Stephenson '26

“All the nominees are really deserving.

I'm excited to see who wins best picture [at the Oscars]; I hope it’s 'Barbie.'”

Greta Solomon ‘26

I'm really excited that Emma “Stone is nominated for best actress. She is such an idol for me because of all her performances.

”

Kate Lewis '27 “I hope [Chiefs] win; as a fan, I am super excited that the Chiefs have gone to 6 AFC championships in a row and are playing in their 4th Super Bowl in five years. It would be amazing if they could add a fourth ring to their franchise.”

Cole Horton '26

55

PERCENT OF UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS THINK THE CHEIFS WILL WIN

32

“Being a fan for a long time, sometimes people wish you the worst, but [they will] play to the end and play their best. I always have hopes, I wish they win.”

PERCENT OF UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS THINK THE 49ERS WILL WIN

Señora Ornelas Spanish teacher

SOURCE: Feb. 5 Eagle Edition poll of 120 upper school students

Compiled and illustrated by Emmy Moss | Staff writer

7

8 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Story captivates audiences, spark ethical concerns True Crime grows in popularity with release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard from prison

By Charlotte Tomlin | Sports Editor

S

enior Addie Click scrolls through her TikTok feed, landing on a video with a clip from a TV show. The scene opens in a hospital, with two doctors chatting.

“Can you confirm her medical history?” One asks.

When the other doctor fails to respond, Click is hooked.

She immediately begins to watch “The Act,” subsequently becoming enthralled with the tragic tale of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the abuse she endured at the hands of her mother.

“I became interested in Gypsy Rose Blanchard after I watched ‘The Act’ on Hulu,” Click said.

“I’m glad she got out of prison.

[With] what her mom had done to her for the entirety of her life, I think she deserves freedom and to be happy. It’s good that she has someone that she loves and feels that she has support on her side.”

Blanchard’s case is truly one of a kind. A victim of Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, a case in which medical diagnoses and symptoms are faked, Blanchard lived the majority of her life believing she had leukemia, muscular dystrophy, vision and hearing impairments and seizures. Her mother orchestrated these illnesses, going so far as to have Blanchard’s salivary glands removed and a feeding tube inserted. Blanchard used a wheelchair for the entirety of her life despite knowing she could walk.

After years of fearing her mother, Blanchard and her online boyfriend schemed and

stabbed “Dee Dee” Blanchard to death.

“Gypsy’s story was so fascinating to me because it was interesting to see how, as she got older, she started to figure out more about her mom and the lies she had been telling her,” Click said. “And [it was interesting] seeing all the doctors that failed Gypsy and believed her mom’s lies about her needing a feeding tube, having leukemia, being younger than she was. They could have done simple tests to prove her mom wrong, but they didn’t.”

Photoillustration by Charlotte Tomlin

After killing her mother, Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in prison. She served eight and a half of those years and was released from prison on Dec. 28, 2023. Click is not the only person to have a newfound interest in Blanchard.

Since her release from prison, Blanchard’s Instagram account has accumulated 4.8 million followers, and her TikTok page has a whopping 1.5 million followers.

“She shouldn’t be treated as popular as she currently is,” Click said. “I think it’s dangerous for people to idolize her because that can spread dangerous ideas.”

Like Click, AP Psychology and Forensic Chemistry teacher Amy Henderson has noticed the increased interest in Blanchard and her unique case.

“The fascination [with Blanchard] is that it’s everywhere and everyone is talking about it,” Henderson said. “Gypsy Rose is all into it, too. She is posting, taking photos, doing interviews.

She’s different in that she wasn’t out to kill anybody; she wasn’t planning and plotting and stalking, and it was her mother [whom she killed].”

Blanchard’s case is unique in that she endured such psychological trauma at the hands of a close family member.

“She went through so much psychological trauma through her mother,” Henderson said. “I think people are just fascinated with how she was able to endure all that, kill her mom, and then now… what is she like? I think people are interested in that psychological aspect: does she have remorse, does she not? Humans

are curious in that question of ‘how could you go through with that?’”

True crime has increasingly become a popular genre for not only TV shows and movies but books and podcasts, too.

According to a Pew Research Poll conducted in 2022, 34 percent of Americans listened to true crime podcasts. Of those who said their most listened-to genre was true crime, 85 percent said they listened for entertainment purposes.

“Sometimes when I’m working out, I listen to the ‘Crime Junkie’ podcast,” Click said. “I mostly watch documentaries on Hulu and Netflix or crime TV shows like ‘Criminal Minds’ or ‘Dateline.’ I can’t watch [true crime] at night. They sometimes give me nightmares.

I watched the documentary about Chris Watts, which was very frightening. And the Idaho murders really scared me because that’s something that could happen to me or my friends in college.”

However, with the entertainment aspect of true crime also come dangers. On Sept. 21, 2022, Netflix released a series highlighting the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. After the release of the show, there was an uptick in infatuation with the murderer, especially on social media. “[Glory] is what a lot of them want,” Henderson said. “They don’t want to be caught; they want that notoriety. They’re narcissistic, they want that glorification of themselves. And then to do these movies, we’re just putting them up there. I know it’s entertainment, and people are really entertained, but at what expense are we glorifying them?”

February 9, 2024 |

Life

Let's talk about...

RESOLUTIONS

‘‘ Slaton Strey '24

If you had a New Year's resolution this year, what was it?

Finley Carpenter:

I did not set a New Year's resolution because sometimes they don't go the right way. I was planning on maybe going without sodas for a month or just trying to eat healthier and spend less money when going out, but I haven’t really been focusing on it.

Slaton Strey:

I want to develop better habits for myself in the mornings, for schoolwork and for the use of my free time. I also want to learn new skills as well and try to dedicate some of my free time which I might spend on doing something less productive, to pick up some new skills that I could use later on.

Bauer Berkley:

My resolution is probably to make sure I keep up good grades in school, keep on studying and keep having a good work ethic.

Clara Tolleson:

My New Year's resolution this year is to stay motivated with my schoolwork and to finish all my homework every night by 7:45.

If you had a resolution, what prompted you to have it?

SS: It had been something that I

had been thinking about, especially with me being a senior who is going

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 Resolutions.

Staff writer Reese Rawson talked with senior Slaton Strey, junior Clara Tolleson, sophomore Bauer Berkley and freshman Finley Carpenter about their New Year's resolutions.

Clara Tolleson '25

into college soon. Some of the social media feeds that I get also feed me some of those motivation-type videos and whatnot. But having skills and knowing what kinds of things you're good at is a great way to market yourself.

Bauer Berkley '26

first month, and so I want to try to be a part of that 5 percent.

BB: I've had resolutions before, and I have been successful in following mine from this year so far.

CT: No, I've had a lot of New Year's

BB: My problem was that I started slacking in school at the end of the year, so I want to stay motivated and keep good grades so I can get into a good college.

resolutions in the past, but this one I've been keeping up with so far.

CT: So, for me, I was staying up to 12:30 every night doing my homework and I only got seven hours of sleep. So, I want to get my work done earlier to get a better night's sleep and then have better days at school.

FC: I feel like in the past, I've just struggled with keeping them and then it kind of lets me down whenever I don’t do them.

Is this the first time you've had a resolution? If so, were you successful in following it?

SS: To be honest, I don't remember

many of my New Year's resolutions.

This is probably the most driven that I've been about any of my resolutions because I've been much more definite about my goals and defining what my success looks like. I'll admit, I've been slacking a little bit with the cold weather and wanting to enjoy that a little bit more than working on myself, but I have a plan set to get back onto that train and get working on it again.

It's difficult because I've heard a statistic somewhere that 95 percent of New Year's resolutions fail within the

If you didn't have a resolution, why not?

To those who have kept their resolutions, what are you doing to keep it going? What is the motivation?

SS: So my biggest piece of advice

or nugget of information for keeping resolutions is consistency, no matter what it is. Finding some way to motivate yourself also helps you keep your resolution. For me, it's been something that I've been more motivated to follow through with, but finding some sort of motivation and finding that thing that figuratively gets you out of bed in the morning is so important. Making sure you stick to that goal no matter how you feel about it keeps me going because you never regret something that you do, you regret things that you don't do.

Finley Carpenter '27

BB: My motivation is to get good grades so I can get into a good college.

Also, making sure that I'm using my study halls wisely and my free time on studying and doing work.

CT: For me as a junior in my second semester, I'm motivated to get into a good college and keep my grades up.

I’ve been working on some study skills so I can be prepared for college.

What habits have you left behind in 2023?

FC: Thinking about myself a lot because I feel like I put myself before my friends and others, and it usually doesn't end up well.

SS: I'm working on negativity and

criticism as well because those are some things that I recognize in myself sometimes, and I would like to clear out. But then also, effectively using my time and trying to remember that this is the best time in my life to learn new things and to learn how to manage myself. I have a bit of a safety net right now because I still don’t have any realworld demands, only school demands, which I have learned to manage. But I can always try to experiment with new things and see if I'm making progress.

BB: Staying up late and procrastinating.

CT: For me, it's staying up late and procrastinating as well.

Legal Eagles soar in the courtroom

O

n Jan. 21, Abby Pickens introduced herself to the judge during a fierce trial held against the engineer of the multimillion-dollar corporation ACE for the death of an entrepreneur.

But there was something unusual about this trial; Pickens, who is a senior, and the witnesses, are ESD high school students.

The mock trial team was created this year to encourage students with interests in law to pursue their passion and give them an outlet to do so. The team, brought forth by Law and Government teacher Adam Walsh, was not a new idea; there has been a national assembly for mock trials for many years. Several schools in the Dallas area have participated in it, but this year was the first time mock trials have taken place at ESD. “This is an existing club for most schools, so the idea in itself was not mine or anyone else's,” Walsh said. “But for [ESD], I came up with the idea to try and bring the program to the school.”

The team meets around twice a month to practice their argument and attends scrimmages or practice competitions to improve their skills. They recently prepared for an actual competition against other schools that took place at The Hockaday School on Jan. 28.

“The team prepares for the competitions by meeting in the mornings, practicing on our own with the materials depending on our roles [witness or attorney], and going to scrimmages with other schools,” senior Charles Liu, who is a member of the mock trial team, said. “I feel excited, and we are prepared as we have all the

materials we need and just need to familiarize ourselves with them.”

At these scrimmages, just like the one at Hockaday, the team can practice their trial without the fear of messing up. The teacher sponsor for each club can give advice, answer questions, and help direct the trial when needed while still allowing the trial to be primarily student-led.

“During our practice session at Hockaday on Sunday, we practiced the plaintiff side of the trial, then the defendant,” Pickens said. “Being in our first year, these practice rounds play a beneficial role in preparing us for the upcoming tournament.”

The team is given a pretend case with a case file and witness statements, and each member of the team has a specific role that they are responsible for learning.

Some students are attorneys while others are witnesses with specific backstories.

“On the team, a couple of people are attorneys who argue the case, take testimony from the witnesses, they’re going to do the objections and the opening and closing statements,” Walsh said.

“There are other people who are witnesses, and so they memorize their parts much like you would in a play, and they give the evidence.”

Each member of the team is crucial to the success of the trial, as Pickens showed in the scrimmage against Hockaday when she stepped into the point of the attorney questioning her witness.

“On the plaintiff’s side [on Sunday at Hockaday], I was one of the three attorneys — our goal was to bring in witnesses for direct examination and later crossexamine the defendant’s witness,” Pickens said. “Additionally, when

9

we shifted to the defendant’s side, my role transformed as I assumed the position of a witness.”

The team is open to anyone who is interested in law or government, even if they have not taken any of these courses.

Junior Ella Ferguson has had a few experiences in trials like this, but nothing near these types of competitions.

“I had done a couple before when I studied abroad in Switzerland, and we did some in my freshman year World Cultures class,” Ferguson said. “But none of it was as intense as this.”

Other students like Liu had no previous experience with being a part of mock trials but still became a part of the team out of interest in law.

“I had no experience; I first became interested in law through my WORX internship when I was able to sit in a court hearing,” Liu said. “However, being a part of the mock trial team and reading the case materials have definitely fueled my interest.”

Also new this year is the course

Intro to Law, a semester-long course taught by Walsh where students learn the basics of law and government, which, as of now, is a separate identity from the mock trial team. However, Walsh hopes to eventually mix the two into one course called Law, which would be available in successive years.

“Honestly, being part of the mock trial team is a very cool experience,” Pickens said. “I’ve developed a deeper understanding of legal processes, effective argumentation, public speaking, and teamwork. ” New clubs, teams and classes like these at ESD have proved important in allowing students to either pursue or find their interests. Members like Liu, Ferguson and Pickens have shown how this team has been an outlet for their interests and path toward their goals.

“I’ve gained invaluable skills from my time on the Mock Trial Team,” Pickens said. “I wholeheartedly encourage others to join the mock trial team next year.”

Mock trial team gives students a perspective on the world of law

By Emmy Moss | Staff writer

Prosecuting the witness

The mock trial team about to begin trial on Jan. 21. "I hope [to better] understand the law career and the legal system while improving my public speaking skills," Charles Liu (standing second from the right) said. "This experience has taught me more about the laws regarding holographic wills."

Photo by Adam Walsh

10 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Community navigates holistic health journey Faculty and students explore various strategies to maintain a balanced lifestyle

By Anoushka Sinha | Staff writer

Back in action

Freshman Jordan Johnson attends lift for her spring season sport of softball. "To stay healthy during the season and off-season, I try to eat healthy," Johnson said. "[I] make sure to show up to lift everyday for softball."

Photo taken by Anoushka Sinha

A

fter three years of playing club volleyball, senior Hannah Davisson was told that she wasn’t tall enough to continue playing the sport that she loved. Davisson set forth, looking for a new activity to fill her time and to stay healthy.

For many athletes, parting ways with their sport can be disheartening, but for Davisson, transitioning away from volleyball led her to a new door into the world of weightlifting. Davisson sought to find a new way to stay active and healthy, adapting her diet and lifestyle to adjust to her newfound passion.

“I wasn't tall enough to continue with club [volleyball], but I still wanted to find a way to be healthy and workout and get in the gym,” Davisson said. “I first started running on the treadmill, and then I realized I wasn't building muscle, so I revisited the gym and decided that I liked it more than just doing cardio all the time.”

As a former athlete and coach, Ann and Lee Hobson Head of School David Baad tries to exercise at least five days a week.

He has recently been using an Oura ring to help monitor his health throughout the day.

“It's been great; for instance, it warned me I was getting sick because it tracks my body temperature,” Baad said. “It also focused me on the quality of my sleep and gives me a very good summary of how much deep sleep, REM sleep, and total sleep I've gotten. I can also tailor my day and my workouts [by the] readiness score, which is how your body is doing on a given day.”

This ring along with his other health practices has allowed Baad to maintain a healthy lifestyle and connect more with his surroundings.

“If I'm able to keep my schedule, it keeps me centered all the way around,” Baad said. “Of course, it's not only your physical health, it is also your spiritual health, you know, going to church saying a prayer. All of that is kind of wrapped up in the emotional health piece. But there's no question that regular exercise, a good diet and feeling good physically make me feel better emotionally and mentally.”

And paying more attention to

her diet, is what Davisson also did. As she began to start weight training more, Davisson focused on her nutrient and protein intake to maximize muscle growth.

“Eating is the most important thing of all if you want to [improve] in the gym, you have to make sure that you're getting enough protein intake,” Davisson said. “That was something that I kind of messed up with at first. I used to be vegetarian, but now I eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight.”

One important part of staying healthy is the types of food you are eating. While there are people with varying diets at ESD, SAGE ensures that all students have a balanced and nutritious menu regardless of their restrictions.

“At SAGE, all menu items are assigned a Spotlight that represents the food’s nutrient density [and] provides nutritional guidance to help community members make their food choices,” senior food service director Rebecca Compton said.

“After our menu is built, our registered dietitians review it for variety and nutritional balance.

This allows every student to choose menu items based on their own values and preferences.”

SAGE has adapted the menu to accommodate the community’s dietary needs by asking for feedback from the community.

They offer numerous options and make new additions to the menu, such as fruit with tajin or yogurt bars, which are available at the dessert table on various days throughout the year.

“We create a varied menu, paying special attention to those restrictions and preferences,”Compton said. “Our registered dietitians ensure we have a balanced mix of options for everyone to enjoy, including those with food allergies. ESD has a fairly large gluten-free population, and that’s why we offer the

Gluten-Free zone. We also offer a vegetarian soup and entrée daily.”

Staying healthy does not just mean focusing on your workout routine, making sure you are eating healthy or staying physically healthy, it also means taking care of yourself mentally and emotionally.

“In terms of wellness, there are eight dimensions, and I [focus] most on the emotional, social, mental, physical and spiritual dimensions,” upper school health and PE teacher and softball program director Mike Schneider said. “People tend to think that if they aren't outwardly sick, then they must be healthy. One could make a pretty good case that healthcare in America is really sick care. They typically only think of their physical health, when in reality there are many other things that contribute to health.”

While focusing on improving their fitness levels, people often find that whenever they work out, their overall health boosts in all aspects, from emotional and mental to spiritual.

“On the days I don't work out, I feel a lot more anxious and less focused, but I feel so focused after my workouts compared to when I come home from school and do homework,” Davisson said.

“My sleep has changed entirely. I can go to bed at 10 p.m. Because working out tires me out, my sleep schedule is super regulated now.”

Staying healthy includes various aspects of a person's daily life, and starting with one part, such as physical wellness, can help develop their wellness and lifestyle in many of the other categories.

“The most important thing is to value your health above everything else. It is what makes everything else you want to accomplish possible,” Schneider said. “If you truly value it, then you will make the effort necessary to achieve it.”

CULTURE

February 9, 2024 |

Life

CRASH W

12 34 TikTok audios

Millions of TikTok sounds go silent, all of which are owned by the Universal Music Group. The UMG is one of the top three music conglomerates in the US, according to the New York Times, as it controls and owns the majority of music artists. On Jan. 30, UMG said in an interview with the NYT that TikTok had not adequately addressed UMG’s concerns over AI-generated music on the platform. Neither TikTok nor UMG could agree on a satisfactory royalty rate, and so UMG took their artists from TikTok.

Hamilton joins Ferrari team

After 11 years with Mercedes-Benz, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton announced that he would be joining the Ferrari team for the 2025 F1 season. Hamilton said in an interview with People Magazine, “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team, and I'm so proud of what we have achieved together.” Although it was saddening to leave his old team, Hamilton said, “I am 100 percent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.” Ferrari and Hamilton are both looking forward to the new 2025 season.

Super Bowl LVIII W ith two close games, the 49ers and the Chiefs are going headto-head in Super Bowl LVIII. Last season's Super Bowl with the Chiefs and Eagles was the most bet on Super Bowl of all time, according to Yahoo Sports, and now stakes are high between this year’s teams. The 49ers have been favored in every single game they’ve played this season; however, the Chiefs have been labeled the fourth best team in the NFL. Bets are being placed, and people are getting ready to see an amazing game.

5

Megan vs Nicki

The queens of rap are at each other's throats. Megan Thee Stallion released her new song “Hiss,” and Nicki Minaj took a lyric personally.

Fans speculate that Megan may have been referencing Nicki’s relationship in a lyric, so Nicki addressed her in a new song. Despite Megan not explicitly stating her name, Nicki dropped a ‘diss’ track “BigFoot” in response. Both Megan’s and Nicki’s fans are questioning why Nicki took the song so personally and if this ‘beef’ has something more to do with Nicki’s personal life and situation.

Women dominate the Grammys During the Feb. 4 Grammys, many fan-favorite artists went home as winners. Taylor Swift made history as she became the first musician to win album of the year four times. Swift also announced at the Grammys that her new album, “Tortured Poets Department” will be releasing this year. SZA was nominated for the most awards this year at nine, including album of the year, record of the year and song of the year. In no surprise, Billie Eilish won the song of the year for “What Was I Made For?” featured in the “Barbie'' movie. As you might have noticed, women swept most of the top awards of the night. As host Trevor Noah put it in his opening monologue, “Speaking of killing it, can we speak for a second about how women have dominated music this year?”

11

Students honor late friend

hen trying to think of a way to honor his late friend Logan Betts, senior Cole Spence thought about what Betts loved. Although Betts was involved in crew and loved music, Spence decided that photography would unite the student body.

Spence organized a contest giving students the chance to submit their photography in efforts of raising money for Family Gateway, a charity organization that Betts was highly passionate about. The winner of the contest received a $50 gift card, and everyone who submitted a photo received a free dress day.

The contest provided a platform for students to showcase their own artistic talents while contributing to a charitable cause. This was achieved in a way that carried on Betts’ legacy and expressed the influence he had on the ESD community. Spence worked with senior dean Marcela Garcini, photography teacher Lynda González and Betts’ advisor Amy Livingston to bring this idea to reality.

“I wanted to do something to honor my friend’s memory,” Spence said. “I took a while to think about it, but I eventually settled on the contest. He loved photography, and I wanted to kind of celebrate that. I also wanted to give ESD students the opportunity to share their work and what they have done.”

When Spence brought this proposal to Garcini, González and Livingston they loved the idea. They all felt that the contest was a thoughtful, fitting concept as well as an opportunity for students to show their talent.

“I definitely feel like this was a beautiful way to honor Logan’s memory,” González said. “I got to know him very well in the short time I had him as a student. He was a very special photography student and person in general.

He was a wonderful person to have in the classroom. The idea that my students are still inspired by his photography and that the ESD community, in general, is inspired by his work to create their own beautiful images is a really beautiful sentiment.”

According to Livingston, she and her advisory were very excited about the idea and provided much support.

“Logan loved photography,” Livingston said. “He was always with his camera. He was always excited to show you the latest photos he’d taken so I think it was a very fitting tribute for him.

As long as I knew him, he was always taking pictures.”

Once Spence’s idea was proposed and Livingston, Garcini and González were on board with the idea, they met to discuss the details. They needed to figure out exactly how the contest was going to look to achieve their goal.

“The four of us met and tried to figure out what this would look

Upper school raises money for Family Gateway in memory of Logan Betts

like, what would be the prizes, and what would be the end goal,” González said. “Obviously the end goal was to try to get as many donations as possible and raise money for the Gateway Foundation.”

They settled on the money going to Family Gateway, which is a foundation that provides services and stability to families affected by homelessness. The program focuses on housing and employment stabilization for parents and education

By Emma Allen | Staff writer stabilization for kids.

“

So it was doing two things that I wanted to do in one contest; honoring my friend and giving an opportunity to ESD students to show what they can do.

Cole Spence Senior

The winner of the contest was junior Josephine Bank. Her photo was picked as the grand prize winner due to the possession of light quality and the portrayal of warmth in a unique moment.

Her photo was taken in Beach Haven, New Jersey, two summers ago. Bank and her best friend have been going sunrise surfing together every year since they were seven years old. The photo pictures her best friend on one of the days they went surfing.

Bank decided to title the photo “Malia,” which means star of the sea, as it is her best friend's middle name. Bank occasionally takes photos and decided to use her favorite one she has taken to submit to the contest with the intention of just helping the Family Gateway.

“I wanted to enter the contest to donate to the organization that Logan supported,” Bank said. “I had no intention of wanting to win; I just wanted to help out. I am very proud of the ESD community for putting this together and donating money to the foundation that Logan supported. I hope we can continue this in honor of him and have more photo competitions.”

A total of $630 was raised with contributions from all participants. Each student's submission equated to a $20 donation. The judges were former ESD photography teacher George Fiala, professional photographer and ESD parent Courtney Graves, and Carol Vig ‘89, who is professional photographer and parent to an ESD alum.

"Malia"

Josephine Bank photographed her best friend while sunset surfing in Beach Haven, New Jersey. The photo won first place in the upper school photo contest.

"We have been surfing together since we were seven years old, and it is one of my favorite things to do. Her middle name is Malia, which means star of the sea, so I thought it was the perfect name for the picture."

Photo provided by Josephine Bank

12 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Arts

Featured Artist Behind the scenes of the tech theater program Page 13

A light comedy, musical gets ready for the stage Spring musical cast prepares to put on "Anything Goes" for the first time at ESD

By Brooke Ebner | Web Editor

T

he upper school musical, “Anything Goes,” will debut in the Bray Theater on Feb. 24. And will run through Feb. 24.

When deciding what production to put on, Performing Arts Department Chair Lauren Redmond took multiple factors into account such as the people she knew would be auditioning and the other musicals that ESD has priorly done.

“I was looking for something lighter and something that was more of a comedy because we’ve done a lot of heavy musicals in the past couple of years,” Redmond said. “We’ve got some specific character-type actors and got some strong dancers, which was actually a huge influence for me.”

This will be the first time “Anything Goes” will be performed at the school.

According to Redmond, this musical is a dance-heavy show. While ESD has put on other shows with a lot of dance choreography, such as “Pippin,” this will be the first production that is considered a tap show.

“There’s one major tap number in this show which happens at the end of the first act which is to the song of the title, ‘Anything Goes,’” Redmond said. “We are having to teach all of the students how to tap dance in order to actually do this production. So that’s definitely unique and special and something ESD has never done before.”

The story is set in the 1930s on a boat crossing from New York City to London. It centers around a woman who is a night club singer, her back-up dancers, a young man who falls in love with a debutante, and a gangster.

The cast consists of 26 students, the most students that have been involved in a production since Covid. In Feb. 2020, right before the pandemic, the department put on the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” which had around 40 students in the cast.

“We haven’t really gained that momentum back because we’ve had to do smaller shows and then kind of slowly build,” Redmond said. “But we’re hoping that we just continue to get bigger.”

With the show being the biggest production since 2020,

“

I was looking for something lighter and something that was more of a comedy because we've done a lot of heavy musicals in the past couple of years.

Lauren Redmond

Performing Arts Department Chair

there are three seniors in the cast who haven’t done a show before in the upper school, as well as some freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

“They’ve never experienced what we do,” Redmond said.

“They’ve never worked with me before, but they’re really enjoying it. I hope that, outside of those seniors, they continue, and I hope that they have a good time.”

Margaret Shirey is a senior in the musical cast for the first time in the upper school and is playing

the role of Evangeline Harcourt, Hope Harcourt’s mom.

“I did musicals at my middle school [St. John’s Episcopal School],” Shirey said. “And I just thought since I have time now and actually really liked the show that we’re doing, I might as well.”

Brayden Girata, a senior in the cast, has the role of Billy Crocker, one of the male leads. While in high school, he has been in two other musicals.

“This is the biggest role I’ve ever had,” Girata said. “I had another pretty significant lead in the one that was canceled because of Covid, so this will be really the first time I’ve performed in front of people on stage with a big role. So, I’m excited.”

Girata also thinks that the comedy in the production makes it a lot of fun, especially due to the fact that it is much lighter than other productions that have recently been put on.

“The ones that we’ve done in the past couple of years have been a bit darker, a bit more thought-provoking, and this one is just funny,” Girata said. “I think that it makes it a fun experience for the cast in actual rehearsal.”

Being one of the few veterans, Girata is happy to see the cast growing in size. He also recognizes how all of the new cast members have caused veterans like himself to step up.

“I think that we definitely want to get more participation, so it’s good that a lot of people are doing it for the first time,” Girata said. “But I think it’s caused the veterans who have been there for a while to really step up and mentor the younger students who may have done it in middle school but not in high school or have been involved in things like choir but haven’t done theater before.”

Thespian Society helps production cast bond

Rehearsal

Junior Jake Infante and seniors Brayden Girata and Margaret Shirey rehearse their lines for the musical. "I think that we have a really good cast this year," Girata said. "I think our cast gels really well and that this show's well suited for everyone."

Photo provided by Lauren Redmond

Kathryn Bakewell is a senior and a member of the International Thespian Society. People can join the Thespian Society by earning enough points through their involvement in different kinds of productions, the number of shows they’ve been involved in and the size of the roles they have had.

“In the past, they haven’t really had a big presence in the theater and part of that’s because of Covid there weren't any productions to help with,” Bakewell said.

Bakewell and other members of the society, Xander Bromberg, Lily Bergman and Brayden Girata, are working to do more this year to help bring the cast members together. The first day, they planned a handshake competition, and the society is planning on a Just Dance competition and lock in for the cast. Bakewell said that being on the cast has allowed her to meet new people from different grade levels.

“I feel like every year I always make a really good friend who I didn’t know before doing the show, and then [they] end up being one of my closest friends,” Bakewell said. “That’s probably one of my favorite reasons for doing it.”

To The Lighthouse

By Virginia Woolf

Review by Abby Baughman | Co-EIC

Often during the coldest months of the year, we hear the same cliche “Today is the perfect day to cozy up by a fire and read a good book.” I think I have found that book.

“To The Lighthouse”by Virginia Woolf is often considered a classic, as it was published in 1927 and contains complex themes and writing.

Classics can be intimidating, and while “To The Lighthouse” is written with complicated language, its 207 pages make the book accessible to read in one day.

The book focuses on the Ramsey family and their friends, consisting of Mrs. Ramsey, Mr. Ramsey, their eight children and the various guests of the family. Set in the Ramsey vacation home on a Hebridean island, “To The Lighthouse” transports readers to the cool beaches of one of the islands off the west of Scotland, offering an escape from the frigid weather of February.

“To The Lighthouse” is ultimately about human thought and interaction. The trickiest aspect of the book is how it constantly shifts perspectives. Within one chapter, the perspective can shift between four characters without making it clear to the reader. I enjoyed this aspect as it made the book more interesting and unique. “To The Lighthouse” is not the type of book where you can “turn your brain off,” but it is incredibly rewarding.

I would argue that there is no traditional plot in “To The Lighthouse.” Different characters have different goals and aspirations, but the book mainly follows the mundane, beautiful lives of the Ramseys and their friends. A chapter might include a few paragraphs about what the characters are doing, like walking on the beach or having a giant dinner party, but the majority of the chapter might follow the internal monologues of a few other characters.

I would recommend “To The Lighthouse” to anyone who wants a challenging read and wishes to be whisked away to a quaint, cozy home full of love.

Arts

February 9, 2024 |

13

Designing Outside the Limelight A look into the Tech Theater program

By Maggie Chein | Business Manager

When the curtains open and the cast of a theater production emerges to work their magic, they are assisted by a collection of hidden figures who often go unnoticed by the audience. The tech crew does all the work behind the scenes of a production to help the actors bring the story to life.

“Tech theater usually refers to everything that goes into a show, except for the actors on the stage,” Lily Bergman, a senior in Advanced Tech Theater and a consistent cast member in ESD’s various productions, said. “That means costumes, lights, set pieces, props, anything you can think of that isn't the physical people and how they're acting on stage.”

Because the tech crew is responsible for so many parts of the show, tech theater students typically pick up a lot of skills over the course of the class.

“We really really believe that you learn best how to do this by getting up and doing it,” Advance Tech Theater teacher Ronnie Watson said. “We spend [a lot of our time] up on our feet and in the scene shop making whatever production we happen to be working on because if we didn't, it wouldn't get built.”

This year’s spring musical is “Anything Goes,” which is set on a 1930s steamship, and Watson has big plans for the set.

“What we're gonna do is build some platforms and extend the stage out about three feet in the middle,” Watson said. “We're gonna paint it to look like it's the back of the ship, so it's like you're watching the play from behind the ship. And it'll be the SS American.”

The ambitious plan for the set is exciting to both Watson and the students.

“I think the set is incredible,” Bergman said.

“There are so many different moving pieces, and it's just such a rarity in that everything is simple, but there's so much of it. There's so many different things to do, and it's gonna be really amazing to see it come to life, the different moving pieces, the different images that it makes, the different illusions it's creating. It's just gonna feel amazing.”

Getting the sets done is a labor of love, and it couldn’t be done with one person alone.

The entire tech crew, including both students in the class and those who participate as an extracurricular, work as a team to get everything done. Starting next year, the tech crew will be able to get a community activity credit for each production.

“It's very much like a sports team,” Watson said. “You've got your teammates that you look out for, and theater is no different. It's nice; it really is like another family.”

The tech crew is looking for more people to help with the set whenever possible.

“If [a student is] not interested in taking the class, an hour is help,” Watson said. “If [you] have an hour to come in and help do something, I will not say no. I'm here all day, every day.”

Heaven's Light

Students used plexiglass pieces painted with a school glue and acrylic mixture to achieve a stained glass effect. The window featured on the two story set for the 2023 production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Setting Sail

Watson and his students mesh the parts of the set they build themselves, like the platforms and walls, with pieces purchased online or pulled from the vast costume and prop collections.

A is for Apple

The set for the 2023 summer alumni production, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," was designed to look like a school gym with basketball hoops and a fake scoreboard.

Miniature Mayhem

Before starting a build, Watson meticulously constructs a mini model of the entire set, complete with tiny props. Shown is a miniature for the upcoming production of "Anything Goes."

In the Back

While Tech Theater builds most of the set onstage, the shop behind the theater provides valuable space for materials. Large tools like table saws are also used in the space.

Gray Galore

The set for the fall play, "The Innocents" used a lot of grays and deep colors to echo the dark themes of the production.

14 | Eagle Edition

Roulette : Relationship

UNRAVELING THE STRAINS OF MODERN LOVE

Story by Valentina Boltchi | Staff Writer, Jamie Henderson | Arts Editor and Sophia Sardiña | Life Editor Illustrations by Wren Tran | Staff Artist

The Psychology of Love

You’re walking down the hall minding your own business, then all of a sudden, your stomach drops, your hands sweat, you begin to stutter and your face flushes; all of this due to one single thing: a crush.

There’s the feeling of waiting for their text back or waiting for them to like you back. Surprisingly, more goes into the feeling of love than just butterflies and nervousness.

In an article published by Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Helen Fishers, an anthropologist at The Kinsley Institute, said that love can be broken down into three categories: lust, attraction and attachment.

For each of these categories, different hormones and chemical reactions in the brain occur. According to Dr. Fisher, the feeling of lust usually stems from the hormones testosterone and estrogen, two of the most prominent hormones in the human body.

However, the sensation of attraction involves three separate hormones: dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine, which is produced by the hypothalamus, is released when we do things that make us feel good, such as spending time with a loved one. Similarly, norepinephrine, often called noradrenalin, causes us to be more alert as it plays a large factor in fight o flight, which enhances our emotions immensely. Serotonin is a hormone that largely contributes to mood, helping to increase emotions.

“A lot of that initial ‘feeling’ is the excitement of attraction,” Merredith Stuelpe, ESD’s associate director of emotional wellness, said. “It’s like somebody is really excited to have somebody they find attractive and that it’s reciprocated.”

Attraction uses the brain pathway that controls our “reward” behavior. This is why the early stage of a relationship is called the ‘honeymoon phase’ as it’s filled with exhilaration and excitement.

“You feel happy, chemically there are endorphins playing a part,” Stuelpe said.

“But also, you feel that sense of safety and excitement, which also is important.”

Although the honeymoon phase may seem When you’r exciting, it doesn’t last forever. The next stage in continuing a relationship is the attachment you really c phase, which is the predominant factor in longterm relationships. somebody.

“When you’re in love, you really care about the best for somebody,” Stuelpe said. “You want the best for them, and you want to know everything about and you wa every day.”

Long-term relationships are often filled everything a with highs, lows, love and jealousy, according Merredith Stue to neuroscientist, Ph.D. and author of “Wired Associate Director of E for Love,” Stephanie Cacioppo. She said in an article published in the American Psychological Association and written by Amy Novotney, that major changes in emotions and feelings during long-term relationships stem from the hormone dopamine. The same brain region that responds when someone becomes addicted to material goods also responds when one becomes dependent on their partner.

In a similar way, oxytocin plays an important role as it is considered the “bonding” hormone as it helps reinforce the positive feelings we have towards the people we love. When we become more attached to a significant other, oxytocin reminds us why we love them.

“When you are first falling in love, it’s more so just a feeling of attraction and chemistry,” Stuelpe said. “But love is a mutual understanding between two people, like ‘I know you, and you know me, and we both know our goals, morals and love for each other.’”

But love in itself is tricky. There are many questions revolving around whether love is a genuine emotion or if it is a biological necessity.

Cacioppo wrote that love is a necessity for our health, just as exercise and food are, that blossoms primarily in the brain.

In agreement, Dr. Lucy Brown, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and professor of neurology at Einstein College of Medicine in New York, used magnetic resonance imaging to prove that love is mainly chemical reactions in the brain.

Brown studied 10 women and seven men who were intensely “in

“

Feburary 9, 2024 |

love” based on their scores on the “Passionate Love Scale,” a 14item questionnaire designed to assess the cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects of love. Those who score in the higher range are deemed as being “wildly in love,” and those who score in the lower range have admittedly lost their affections towards their partners.

When viewing the photo of their romantic partner, participants experience brain activation in the midbrain’s ventral tegmental area, a part of the brain connected to meeting basic needs such as drinking water and eating.

While all of these reactions are taking place, serotonin drops; the drop of serotonin is usually associated with anxiety and obsessivecompulsive disorders. This explains why people in the ‘honeymoon’ phase tend to become obsessed with small details like debating what text to send or where to go on a date.

In another experiment, Brown focused on longer committed relationships, such as newly married couples, to see how the brain activity might expand as a relationship advances. In these studies, Brown found parts of the brain’s basal ganglia, the area responsible for motor control, were activated when they looked at photos of their longterm partner.

Long-term love boosts activation in more cognitive areas of the brain, such as the angular gyrus and the mirror neuron system. In essence, love makes us more mature and more susceptible to change.

“There’s pieces to ‘changing’ for the person you love, people can become more mature,” Stuelpe said. “Relationships are all about the connection and the willingness to love and care for someone, and it’s important to maintain that throughout the entirety of [the relationship].”

Struggles of all Stages

High school relationships are a beyond common cliché, often taking shape under a common narrative of “football captain and cheerleader” or “prom queen and prom king.” We grew up watching these seemingly “perfect” relationships in movies, shows and social media. But the ultimate reality of dating in high school is far more complex than what these clichés depict.

Relationships are filled with ups and downs. However, some may even argue that teen romance is often more complicated than adult relationships. According to a 2013 poll from USA Today, 29 percent of girls and 24 percent of boys have experienced some sort of mental strain or abuse from a romantic teenage relationship. Learning to navigate these relationships as a young, often inexperienced, teen proves numerous challenges.

“I think relationships are made more and less complex by external factors, like challenges as parents, loss of family members or changes in jobs,” Marc Salz, history teacher and sophomore class dean who has been married to English Department Chair Tolly Salz for almost 21 years, said. “Young people hold onto a lot of things that older people start to let go of, like rejection and cliques.”

Modern relationships have continued to overcomplicate themselves more than those of the past.

The use of social media apps such as Instagram, TikTok and primarily Snapchat, which are used as both relationship starters and communication re in love, tools, have become a buffer for teen romance. care about Snapchat’s features, such as the small, color-coded heart that will appear next to someone’s name, You want have more recently become indicators of a possible relationship. A red heart will appear next to your #1 r them, Best Friend when you’re also their #1 Best Friend. ant to know “Yes, we are each other’s number one on Snapchat,” sophomore Eva Kreiser, who has about them. been dating sophomore Charlie Cain since last year, said. “I think it’s a big way for kids our age to elpe communicate.”

Emotional Wellness In more recent years, the terms “talking stage” or “situationship” have also become increasingly used to describe the less serious stage before an actual relationship. The “talking stage” is usually characterized by casual conversation either in person or through Snapchat. It is much more casual and, therefore, less demanding than an actual relationship.

“I feel like [the talking stage is] kind of annoying,” senior Ava Loftus, who has been dating senior Tanner Crispin for five months, said.

“Everybody gets so focused on time stamps, and they lose track of what’s really important.”

This stage is often seen as a way to keep seeing somebody that you like while avoiding the commitment and possible issues of an actual relationship.

However, the talking stage can almost seem more confusing and stressful than anything.

“I think it depends on who you’re talking to,” Kreiser said. “Sometimes it can help in getting to know the person, but it can also make it really toxic.”

Not to mention, some teenagers feel pressure to actually be in a relationship. With high school relationships being so heavily portrayed in the media, whether that be movies, television, or just online, it is easy for many teenagers to think they should be in a relationship. In a Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school poll, 53 percent of respondents said they have felt

pressured to be in a romantic relationship.

But being in a relationship as young adults comes with a great heap of challenges. First off, many of these high school relationships are people’s first relationships ever, so they don’t have much experience to draw from. Additionally, the busy schedule of a teenager can make it hard to maintain a relationship on top of everything else. The pressures of schoolwork, sports, other activities and friends can add challenges as well.

“I think it can sometimes be overwhelming with school and stuff,” freshman Betty Wheeler, who has been dating freshman Curtis Mathis, said. “But I think having a relationship is also fun and doesn’t need to be overwhelming.”

“It’s not too bad, actually,” Loftus said. “We can do homework together, like physics, or our sports. The balance kind of naturally works itself out.”

However, being in a high school relationship can also come with joyful moments and experiences.

“I think it’s really fun to go out to dinner with my family and him,” Wheeler said. “It’s good to have my family and him together, that’s something I enjoy.”

While young romance can be taxing and come with pressures, it can also come with great memories and learned lessons, as our many couples have exhibited.

Social Media’s Role iPhones and social media have forever changed the way people meet and date. Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, as well as dating apps like Tinder and Hinge can influence the pressures teens feel regarding their status and relationships.

A common social media platform, teens on Snapchat send pictures back and forth as well as messages.

“Now there is a lot more interference with social media or other people getting into your relationship because of social media,” junior Libby Miller, an avid user of Snapchat, said. “Back then, people were way less involved, and now everyone’s in each other’s business, which can break people apart.”

Instagram is a popular app where users can share photos or, occasionally, videos with their followers. This app has a feature called reels, which are short videos similar to TikTok. Instagram can also affect the expectations of a relationship.

“I think a lot of people see couples on social media and wish they had a relationship like that, a boyfriend to post with, or even wonder if they will ever have a relationship like that,” Miller said.

The American Psychological Association studied the addictive nature of Instagram and in turn the addictive nature of comparing yourself to those that fill your feed.

“I think that social media only highlights the good moments because, obviously, social media is just going to show the good parts and the happy photos with their significant other,” Miller said. “We don’t usually see the sad moments or fights which portray the relationship inaccurately.

Similar to social media, dating apps have affected relationships and how they form. The dating apps Hinge, Bumble and Tinder are most commonly used.

“Hinge [is the most effective] because it forces you to put prompts, so it shows personality and makes starting a conversation easier,” alumna Amorette St. James* said. “I also like how you must be more forward with sending a like-on hinge.”

To match with another person on Hinge, users like someone’s profile and answer one of their prompts. The other person receives a notification, and if they do the same on their profile, then they can match and be able to message.

“I think Tinder sucks because it feels so primal in a way,” St. James said. “The premise is scrolling through pics and deciding whether it’s hot or not. Just has undertones of being objectified and rated more than any other one.”

On Tinder, users simply look at a collection of photos and a short biography before deciding to swipe left or right for a “dislike” or a “like.”

“There’s pros and cons. I don’t think analyzing dating apps can be isolated from the effects of social media as a whole,” St. James said.

“I think almost all social media platforms can be used as a dating app, and exposure to that many ‘options’ can distort your perception of how many people are potentially a match for you.”

Social media and dating apps have greatly influenced how relationships develop and for some, may exacerbate the pressure and stress related to dating.

“I think our generation is going to have a serious struggle with commitment because we perceive online that there are so many options and that there’s someone better out there than anyone you’ve connected with in real life,” St. James said. “The internet/social media is now, whether we like it or not, a huge part of the social scene of our generation, so it’s only natural that meeting people online is normal.” *Name changed to protect the identity of the source

53 Percent of students feel pressure to be in a romantic relationship

96 Percent of students know somebody in a high school relationship currently

90 Percent of students think social media has affected modern romance

80 Percent of students think dating apps have affected modern relationships

SOURCE: Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school students

15

16 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Views

Random acts of kindness

The benefits of spontaneous thoughtfulness Page 19

Staff Ancestry profiles crack cold cases 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 expresses our opinion regarding genealogy testing and crime-solving

I

n a temperature-controlled facility lies test tubes containing the DNA samples of nearly 40 million Americans who used either Ancestry. com or 23andMe to discover their genetic background and help connect them to unknown family members. Starting at $100, people can send a vial of their saliva to genealogy companies to learn more about their ethnic background and health predispositions. Many users of these sites do not realize that sending a sample of their DNA can incriminate them or a family member in the event of a crime case. According to a Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school students, 46 percent have taken an ancestry test and 45 percent believe that law enforcement should use profiles to solve crimes.

The Eagle Edition staff believes that even though one’s genetic information is private and should be protected with the utmost confidentiality, solving a crime and potentially bringing a victim’s family closure warrants using DNA profiles. We are of the opinion that the FBI and police departments

should be able to use DNA profiles from ancestry websites to help solve crimes.

After nearly 50 years of mystery, the Golden State Killer was arrested in 2018. From 1974 to 1986, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. committed 50 rapes and 12 murders in California and seemingly got away with it. It was not until authorities submitted DeAngelo’s DNA, which was collected at a 1978 crime scene, to genealogy websites like Ancestry.com and 23andMe that investigators could link his genes to his third-cousins’ DNA and find DeAngelo.

This should not be a surprise the this ancestry website users, 23andMe’s website discloses that “23andMe may be required by law to comply with a valid court order, subpoena, or search warrant for genetic or personal information.”

In the Golden State Killer case, investigators used a site called GEDmatch, which created a family tree from DeAngelo’s DNA and profiles from his distant relatives that had used genealogy tests.

Additionally, when one willingly pays for a DNA test, one should be

Illustration by Easterly Yeaman | Co-EIC

aware of the risks associated with that choice.

In an interview with Jerri Williams on her podcast “FBI Retired Case File Review,” former FBI agent Steve Kramer talks about how he and his colleagues used DNA profiling to catch the Golden State Killer after many years.

“The National DNA Index system consists of DNA from generally convicted individuals as well as arrestees from certain states,” Kramer said. “It has, today, over 20 million profiles in it.”

Even with 20 million profiles, however, the FBI was not able to find a match for DeAngelo.

“If you don’t have an SDR profile in the database, then Codis, the software that runs NDIS, comes up with zero,” Kramer said.

“That's what happened with the Golden State Killer case.”

He had never been arrested for the type of crime that requires the collection of DNA, such as murder, kidnapping and assault.

Because DeAngelo’s DNA was not matched in NDIS, the FBI turned to familial searching. In other words, they looked for close relatives of DeAngelo in numerous states, but again nothing came up because none of his close relatives had been arrested and put into the system.

“We talked to the privacy officers and executives at all these different companies and they shut us down,” Kramer said.

Eventually, one company, Family Tree DNA, gave the FBI special access to their database.

They were able to swab one of those matches and use Ancestry. com to connect that sample to closer relatives of DeAngelo.

However, the FBI struggled to get access to these company’s databases as many were afraid of

the public perception of allowing the police access.

For another 1980s cold case involving the murder of Helene Pruszynski, Jesse Still, a user of 23andMe, received an email from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department in Colorado about her DNA being linked to the suspect in the murder. Using her DNA profile, investigators were able to solve the decades-long cold case and identify her distant cousin, James Clanton, as the murderer.

Still hoped that the use of her DNA to bring justice to the case helped the Pruszynski family heal.

“The average person who sent in their saliva sample to figure out some of their genealogy history is not prepared to suddenly get a phone call from the police, ‘Hey, one of your relatives has been involved in a crime,’” ethics professor at Georgia State University Jessica Cino said in an interview with WXIA, a news station in Atlanta, Georgia. “I think a lot of law enforcement agencies are going to be blindsided by this.”

To avoid “blindsiding” either users or law enforcement agencies, companies like Ancestry or 23andMe should implement an opt-in option where users are informed about the possible use of their DNA to identify suspects and then given the choice of allowing their profile to be accessed by investigators. Law enforcement should also continue to need a warrant in order to use profiles from genealogy companies.

Investigative genetic genealogy has the potential to put an end to cold cases and help families heal, so the Eagle Edition staff believes that the possibility of helping a victim’s family justifies the use of DNA profiles.

his frustrations, writing to the Recording Academy, “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”

Drake, a 55-time Grammy nominee and Canadian rapper and singer, quickly threw his support behind The Weeknd, writing in an Instagram story on Nov. 26 of the same year to detail his disappointment at the state of affairs.

“I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after.”

This whole situation and ones like it have caused people to look into a little-understood aspect of the Grammy process: the anonymous committee of voters.

On grammy.com, the explanation of the voters is ambiguous at best and misleading at worst as it states: the Academy's voting members are “all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording” and participate in the nominating process.

As The Weeknd mentioned, this perceived lack of transparency by audiences towards the voting process only serves to undermine the credibility of the awards.

What the committee does and how it makes choices remains fairly private, and the criteria for selecting winners may not always be clear, creating confusion for both artists and audiences.

Despite the critiques, the Grammys’ goal is to celebrate musical excellence, and the awards

can help bolster an artist's career, which is ultimately a good thing.

Winning a Grammy award can bring a lot of positive publicity that skyrockets an artist’s career. The Grammys have been called “sales juicers” that could “vault an album up the charts” or “make a career”

by National Public Radio. A 2012 study by Forbes found a “Grammy Bounce” from winning an award, in which concert ticket sales and producer fees increased by at least 55 percent in the year following the win. For Bruno Mars, his concert earnings increased from $130,000 to $202,000, a positive 55 percent increase, and Taylor Swift’s increased from $125,000 to $600,000, a positive 380 percent increase, in 2011.

As there are many other positive aspects of the Grammys, like the award show garnering around 12.55 million watchers in 2023, according to billboard. com, changes should be made to improve the show for all music lovers. To combat flaws such as bias, the voting process for awards needs to be more transparent and clear to audiences. This would help to fix issues of both commercial bias and other injustices in nominations and awards. Moreover, a thorough review of the nomination criteria should be conducted to ensure a fair assessment of musical excellence across genres.

As someone who loves music, I am hopeful that the Grammys can work to adjust some of their policies now in order to make the award show trustworthy again for all music lovers to come together and celebrate the artists we admire and the progression of the industry as a whole.

A Music Moment with Iris and Lauren Iris and Lauren look at careerdefining wins, shocking snubs and controversial choices at the Grammys

By Lauren Shushi | Views Editor

A

n the 66th annual Grammy Awards passed on Feb. 4, some takeaways are Taylor Swift announcing a new album and being the first to win album of the year four times, SZA earning the most nominations of any artist this year, Billie Eilish winning song of the year for “What Was I Made For?” and many more incredible moments. Though, every year without fail there are choices made about nominees and winners that audiences do not agree with.

It is not a novel topic to question the choices made by the Grammys or other award shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes. Historically, musicians have been snubbed or other contentious moments have happened, causing people to put the integrity of the award show under scrutiny. So, while the Grammys undeniably serve as a platform for celebrating musical excellence, there are inherent flaws within the award show, ranging from issues of commercial bias to a lack of diversity in nominations and winners that demonstrate the long way the show still has to go to properly highlight the music industry.

Each year, the Grammys award musicians of every age and genre.

In 2022, there were 91 Grammy categories, the most discussed each year in popular media being Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Record of the Year, according to grammy. com. The winners and nominees of these categories in the past have caused some to question the integrity of the awards due to reasons like commercial bias.

For instance, researchers have

shown a discernible relationship between genres, songs and artists who receive awards and how commercially successful they have become. For instance, until 1979, the Grammys resisted including rock as a genre that received awards, and rap did not get its own award until 1989.

In the same vein, critics of the Grammys often contend that the award show does not represent the ways music evolves to what people are listening to. For example, during the 2010s, a time in which hip-hop and its influence spread rapidly, according to a 2020 article published in the New York Times by Jon Caramanica, only one non-white artist won a Grammy for album of the year.

Only Bruno Mars winning this award caused watchers to wonder if the Grammys could be trusted to be reflective of what people are listening to.

Likewise, historically bad snubs have caused fans to turn against the Grammys. In 2021, one of the worst snubs occurred when The Weeknd received no Grammy nominations. At the time, the Canadian pop star had broken numerous records with his album “After Hours” being the second most streamed album on Spotify in 2020 and his song “Blinding Lights" being the most streamed song of the year with almost 1.6 billion streams according to Spotify Wrapped 2020. Moreover, he had performed during the Super Bowl halftime show a month prior, causing fans and other artists to understandably be incredulous when he received no nominations.

The Weeknd went to Twitter on Nov. 23, 2020 to express

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Illustration by Iris Hernandez | Managing Editor

New streaming technology makes theaters unnecessary

Movie theaters make the movie watching experience better

By Beau McKnight | Staff writer

T

here is truly nothing like sitting on the couch after a long day with delicious snacks, good friends, and watching a new movie. While being comfortable at home, using streaming services to watch movies is the best way to have an enjoyable cinematic experience.

In addition to being comfortable at home, streaming is much cheaper than going to the theater. The average cost of a movie ticket in Texas is $11, excluding snacks, as opposed to the low cost of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Disney Plus and more. Streaming service subscriptions range anywhere from $6 to $15 a month. In the theater, the 30 to 45-minute ads and film previews session before the actual feature movie starts can be unbearably boring. The $6 to $15 that is paid per month gets rid of these irritating ads that interrupt the movie at the worst times.

According to an article by Business Insider on streaming services, these platforms allow access to thousands of movies and an average of 2,496 TV shows across the platforms listed above. All the movies and TV shows are available anytime for the same low price.

Along with this comes the ability to rewatch favorites over and over again.

At theaters, the overpriced snack selection is limited, and oftentimes, people end up with popcorn scraps and a soft drink, but at home, the options are infinite. The food and refreshments to choose from are typically extremely high in sugars, fats, and calories and do not accommodate the dietary restrictions of many Americans. A large soft drink sells for around $5, a water bottle can cost $4-6, and a small bag of candy can cost $4 at the theaters. All of these items can be purchased for half or less than half the price that they go for at movie

By Iris Hernandez | Managing Editor

concessions at convenience stores or a local CVS. Staying on the topic of food, there are many horror stories about what is found underneath seats and cushions at theaters. Theaters have blatantly told the public that they do not clean their seats, popcorn machines, and soda machines — who knows what might be found.

A study published on Clean Link’s website, an organization that provides resources and information for sanitary supply distributors, discovered unsafe amounts of pathogens in the seats, restrooms and food/ticket kiosks.

Dangerous numbers of bacteria in theaters put everyone at risk for disease, and for the immunocompromised, movie theaters are not an option.

Not to mention, the fight with family members for a spot on the couch is not nearly as difficult as fighting for a parking spot at theaters. Gas prices rising also tie into this argument, as it takes gas to drive to and from a movie theater, adding on even more to the cost of the experience.

From the struggle to find a parking spot to the blabbermouths at theaters, people can sometimes be irritating.

Being able to enjoy (or at least tolerate) the presence of family and friends is a major factor in the enjoyment of the movie experience.

Some films can be complicated and tricky to understand, and it is easy to miss important details in the theater.

At home, if a line or piece of important information is missed, simply grab the remote and rewind.

Another amazing feature of a home theater is the clean restroom which conveniently allows you to not miss a beat, thanks to that handy pause button.

Overall, the pricing, comfortability, and ease of streaming services beats the movie theater any day.

Percent of students prefer to watch a movie at home

A

fter a drive to the theater, paying the cashier, buttering my popcorn, and finding my seat, I know there is nothing better than seeing a movie in theaters. Even as I sit alone in my room, lights off with microwave popcorn in my lap, watching a movie, I long for theater.

The movie theater community is a great addition to the viewing experience. Hearing other people's reactions to the story, the screams of horror, the gasps of surprise and the amazing variety of laughs all create a better, more immersive viewing.

Whether it's a new PG movie or a terrifying horror movie, other people's reactions enhance the experience.

Those reactions are something at-home movies cannot provide. Sure, watching with a friend or family member at home can be fun, but the reactions of a complete stranger cannot be beat.

There is something special about sharing those moments of pure emotion with someone you don't know anything about that is thrilling.

The drive home from the theater is something I cherish. I highly recommend carpooling to the theater with a friend. Sitting in the car and discussing the best, worst and confusing parts of the movie is necessary for me to fully digest the film.

Moreover, one thing the theater always gets right is the popcorn.

Machine-popped popcorn and the artificial butter taste cannot be found on the shelves of a supermarket. Some may attempt to replicate it at home, but it just can’t be replicated. While the popcorn may be a bit more expensive at the theater, I find that it’s worth it, especially when splitting the cost with a friend.

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Expenses are something that might deter even the most avid movie watcher, as the average ticket was $10.53 in 2023, according to Axios, an American news website. But, I have yet to have a movie experience at the theater that wasn’t worth my money.

Streaming platforms are also quite expensive. The average household pays about $48 per month for their streaming services, according to NerdWallet, an American personal finance company. Streaming services often don’t have the newest, most anticipated movies. So, don't miss out on the conversation and head over to the local theater.

Another reason I love going to the movie theater is the fact that I actually watch the movie. Our phones are so easily accessible that it often makes it difficult to watch the movie without interruptions if I’m at home. I wind up with my phone in hand, not paying attention to the movie but using it as background noise. According to a Feb. 5 survey of 120 upper school students, 81 percent of students have lost interest or gotten distracted by their phone when watching a movie at home. When I go to the theater, due to the fact that my phone is on Do Not Disturb Mode, I always pay close attention. At home, there are always so many distractions: pets, siblings, parents and other devices. But at the theater, the lights go down, and the only thing to do is sit and watch.

But most important of all is that the average person cannot recreate the big screen. Watching a movie on a screen that takes up the entirety of my vision makes for a better viewing experience.

I feel like I'm in the movie, a genuine fly on the wall in the scene.

Percent of students prefer to watch a movie in the theater

SOURCE: Feb. 5 poll of 120 upper school students

18 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

SAMOAS

As I drove up to the table, I rushed out of my car to grab my favorite cookie. Full of excitement, I opened the box and ate my first Samoa right there. My first bite brought back childhood memories of coming home from elementary school and rushing to eat my signature after school snack, Samoas. The sweetness of this cookie was to just the right degree, and the coconut base gives the cookie a combination of crunch and chewiness. I usually do not love coconut flavors, but with the chocolate and caramel, the flavors are complimentary of one another.

6/5

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THIN MINTS

TREFOILS

I had never before tried a cookie that crumbled right into my mouth the way this sugar cookie did. This was one of the Girl Scout cookies I had never tried and I had no clue what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised when I bit into it. At first the cookie seemed almost just like any other shortbread, not very sugary, but after my second bite, I tasted the prominent vanilla flavoring. For such a simple cookie, it was perfectly buttery, sweet but not too overpowering, and not to mention the intricate design of it made to look just like the real flower. The whole cookie was a little bit dry for my liking so it lost two points, but overall this is definitely a cookie worth buying again.

3/5

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For being such a simple cookie, Thin Mints are easily one of the best. As soon as the box was opened, the minty chocolate aroma filled my car. The smooth chocolate coating was the first thing that drew my attention. Although this batch was not as minty as I had remembered, the cool mint was still refreshing. The crumbly cookie dissolved in my mouth and left me wanting more. Once I arrived home, I froze the remaining cookies that were in the box and after an hour, tasted one and to my surprise, the flavor changed completely, it was even better. I definitely recommend trying them frozen.

4/5

SCOUTING OUT THE BEST Staff member Beau McKnight set out far and wide in hopes of finding the very best Girl Scout Cookie.

The review focuses on flavor, consistency and presentation.

ADVENTUREFULS

PEANUT BUTTER PATTIES | TAGALONGS

The first thing that caught my eye in the package was the milk chocolate coating that instantly made my mouth water. I have never been a huge fan of peanut butter, but these patties may have converted me. I was surprised to bite into a silky peanut butter filling along with a crunchy base cookie, creating the most satisfying texture. This cookie does not get the hype that it deserves, and dipping it in milk would perfect it. The combination of the appearance and the heavenly chocolate/peanut butter flavors make this cookie a 4.5/5. I definitely recommend it.

4.5/5

After a long day, I came home to a box of Adventurefuls waiting to be opened on my counter and I rushed to the box. Immediately upon opening, the caramel scent filled the kitchen air around me. This was my first time trying it, but man, was I missing out! As I bit into the crunchy chocolate base, I knew this would be one of my favorites. The silky chocolate coated cookie was amazing, and then, when I bit into the softer caramel center topped with a chocolate drizzle, I couldn't help myself but to eat five more.

4/5

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Photos and graphics by Beau McKnight | Staff wrtiter

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The early pressure to choose a path limits students

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s eighth graders, we are asked to choose courses that ultimately dictate a certain “path” throughout the remainder of high school. While I love the classes I’ve taken, I can’t help but wonder about the courses I haven’t yet experienced: Engineering, Business, Wheel Throwing. As a junior thinking about colleges and potential majors, I wonder if the “track” I’ve been on has exposed me to all that I might be interested in pursuing further.

What if I find out during my senior year that I love engineering, but I never took the time to take more computer science classes?

Or what if I discover that my true passion is photography, and there isn’t time for me to explore the field of photojournalism?

Students should be relieved upon making such discoveries as they rule out possible career fields or majors. But making this decision at 16 years old is considered late in the eyes of top college admissions officers.

Top colleges’ admissions officers are searching for applicants with a clear, consistent “passion” throughout high school, demonstrated by extracurriculars, service and classes that align with this passion. Students are expected to determine their career field as they enter high school, to begin curating this themed resume and have the best chance of admittance to a top college.

However, this trend of premature decision-making limits students’ exploration of career fields that should be occurring throughout high school and college.

According to Crimson

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our weeks ago, I started a cold Friday evening by running down the Greenhill soccer field and ended the evening lying in an MRI machine. I, like many other high school athletes, had torn my ACL and was rendered unable to play soccer or any other sport for the rest of my high school career. Despite my inability to walk without a limp or climb stairs without looking like I was taking my first steps, I was in awe of the support from my friends, family and classmates. I received texts and calls of encouragement from both people I see every day and people I haven’t seen in months; it was these small acts of kindness that made my recovery process much easier and more enjoyable.

After getting messages of support, in the days immediately following my injury, I decided that I needed to do some selfreflection as I realized that I do not check up on others as much as I should — I learned how far a simple text message can go. In the spirit of Random Acts of Kindness Day coming up on Feb. 17 and Valentine’s Day, here are the benefits of spreading compassion without necessarily expecting anything in return.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology by researchers Amit Kumar and Nicholas Epley found that givers underestimate the impact of a small display of kindness on recipients. In a series of experiments, ranging from handing out hot chocolate in a park to giving away cupcakes, one trend was consistent across all tests: both performers of the act and receivers were in reportedly

Education, a top college counseling company, “[Colleges] value depth of passion and commitment, and one’s chosen activities should all have a cohesive theme that exemplifies [the student].”

Similar advice was given by Moxie College Counseling, who describe an ideal application with “a STEM spike, [who] might choose to have a STEMrelated internship, take part in math competitions and enroll in advanced STEM coursework.” In order to achieve a commitment to a cohesive theme, one must begin their journey along this track as a freshman. A change of heart or self-discovery of one’s interests in later years interrupts the desired theme. Therefore, it is preferable that a student stay true to their initially chosen passion, funneling students into unsatisfactory majors and careers. According to the Pew Research Center, 49 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with their career, and this number will only climb with the current college admissions expectations.

Further, this mindset pushes the narrative that students are fit for only one career, where students’ futures hold more than one successful possibility. On average, adults change careers three to seven times throughout their working life, according to the University of Queensland in Australia. Exploring a variety of career fields throughout high school and college would prepare citizens for an inevitable career swap and reduce the stigma that a career change is a failure. Such exploration would minimize career dissatisfaction. Students should be pushed to consider a

better moods after the random act.

In another one of Kumar and Epley’s experiments, participants played an economic game in which they were given money to either keep or give to a random person. When a participant received money from another anonymous participant, they would give significantly more money to the unknown participant, demonstrating the “pay-itforward” effect. All that is to say that kindness is contagious and can have ripple effects.

In Christine Carter’s Ph.D. book “Raising Happiness: In Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents,” she found that people over the age of 55 who volunteered regularly are 44 percent less likely to die early — participating in selfless acts of service has a more substantial effect than exercising four times a week.

While volunteering is a great way to give back, the point of random acts of kindness is to make others feel good through small, 30-second interactions. Around campus, I encourage you to make genuinely complimenting another person a daily goal. You can also pay for someone else’s snack at the Eagle’s Nest or help younger Eagles get into their cars during the lower school carpool. Even smiling at someone while passing in the halls can make them feel loved.

The third quarter can be an especially tough time — schoolwork has ramped up, sports are in full swing and spring feels years away. Kindness costs no money, takes no time and can positively impact someone’s day. I love random acts of kindness, and you should Lovitt too.

large breadth of opportunities instead of a singular “dream job.”

Regardless, I understand the shift away from “well-rounded” students in college admissions.

Often, the “well-rounded” student crams arbitrary extracurriculars onto their resume without interest or dedication shown toward such activities. Whereas a student with a clear passion seemingly enjoys extracurriculars if proper dedication is demonstrated. More importantly, these students have a straight path toward success after leaving a university, and they have achieved near mastery in a field by their senior year of high school.

“

Students should be pushed to consider a large breadth of opportunities instead of a singular “dream job."

Inconsistent extracurriculars are merely a sign that the student, like myself, has explored various fields of interest. My expertise in my field of interest may pale in comparison to other students, but this is not indicative of my future success in a career field.

Even after college admissions are submitted, students’ search for a major, including my own, should extend throughout college.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, a third of students change their major

once in college. This change should be a normal process and undermines the value of deciding a major in high school. There are 11 open-curriculum colleges, including Wake Forest University and Brown University, which allow students to enter a field of study without committing to a major. This educational flexibility provides students with a richer educational experience before binding to a specific area of study or career, and this program must expand beyond 11 campuses.

If a change in mindset can not occur in college admission offices, all high schools must encourage freshmen to explore a variety of electives before setting themselves on an exclusive track.

At ESD, students must fulfill half a computational thinking credit, one fine arts credit and half a health science credit before graduation; these credits are usually fulfilled within the freshman and sophomore years.

If one takes four years of journalism or a fine art, the computational credit is waived.

Instead, I think graduation requirements should include half a credit of journalism, half a credit of fine arts, half a credit of health science and half a credit of computational thinking. This solution is far from perfect, as it encourages students to “choose a path” as a sophomore, but it forces students to experience all fields in high school before committing to a track.

The rush to determine one’s future is accelerating within competitive college and high school environments. But, greater patience is much more valuable than assuredness at 14.

Colleges and high schools foster premature career decisions, greater patience is necessary

By Charlotte Traylor | News Editor

20 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Colleges should provide in-person classes Online classes in college inhibit intellectual growth, take away from the college experience

By Charlotte Tomlin | Sports Editor

LETTER from the EDITORS

More sleep and less caffeine is healthier for teens

By Easterly Yeaman and Abby Baughman | Co-EICs

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hen I entered high school and began my college search in the peak of Covid-19 quarantines and online classes, one of my main criteria was to find a school that had “normal” classes. I personally struggled to stay focused during online classes, as I found myself getting distracted by my dog sitting at my feet, my phone sitting next to the computer, and the conversations I was having with my mom when my camera was off. So, you can imagine my excitement as a senior when I’m applying to college right as online classes are simultaneously ceasing to exist.

Or so I thought.

I sat on the phone with one of my best friends and ESD alumna, Callie Hawkins ’23, who is a current freshman at the University of Texas. She was walking me through her spring semester and informed me that four of her five classes were to be taken online.

I was shocked — why should a

school that expects its students to be on campus during the semester offer online classes?

“

Colleges should not offer online classes if their students are expected to be on campus throughout the semester.

Many larger universities, like UT, offer online classes to accommodate their large student populations. I, however, think this is incredibly unfair to the students. Students are expected to be on campus during the semester… now, they’re trapped in their dorm rooms or in the library, struggling to learn at a collegiate

level in an online environment.

Colleges shouldn’t offer remote classes if students are expected to be on campus during the semester.

In order to gain insight into their views of online learning, in 2020, the American College Testing — the organization that produces the infamous ACT test that nearly every junior and senior has to suffer through — surveyed students who started their first year of college in the 2019-2020 academic year during the shift from in-person to online learning. Overwhelmingly, twothirds of the respondents said they experienced significantly increased educational challenges during the shift to online learning.

Additionally, in a report released

by UNESCO in 2023, it was reported that for students all across the world, their learning outcomes stalled or “declined dramatically” during online learning. It also significantly limited opportunities for socialization, which led to many

students dropping out of school or becoming disengaged. These effects are also seen on a college campus, where students can become increasingly uninterested in their classes. Hawkins herself admitted that she did not want to take any online classes because she enjoys going on campus and interacting with classmates. She also, like myself, pays much better attention in an in-person class rather than online.

At many large universities, teacher’s assistants are valuable resources. Instead of asking a professor to teach more class periods than they can handle, a Teacher’s Assistant could teach the class in their place. Especially in larger universities, TAs are a good resource to employ when the demand for the class is more than the available faculty. In order to provide their students with the best education possible, I believe colleges should not offer online classes if their students are expected to be on campus throughout the semester.

Keeping a healthy relationship with sleep

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t is well known that high schoolers sometimes have trouble getting a full night's sleep. Whether that be due to long sports practices, an abundance of homework or a paper they procrastinated until the last minute to finish, sleep can be an elusive feat.

Even as seniors with less homework to do, we still struggle to consistently sleep a full six to eight hours throughout the school week. However, we've recently come to appreciate the feeling of a full night's rest after having turbulent relationships with sleep the last couple of years of high school.

Abby: Throughout my life, I have struggled with sleep and energy. When I was little, I used to stay up late every night and wait for my mom to finish working so she could read me a

bedtime story. This habit started a long pattern of sleep deprivation on weekdays and sleeping for 12 hours over the weekend.

Starting in middle school, my phone and homework became the reason for my dark circles and yawning. I’m the type of student who needs to study for hours and hours to perform well in class, but procrastination gets the better of me, and I end up staying up late. What has helped my overall health is trying to get my work done as quickly as possible.

This year, I have developed insomnia. I have had multiple nights of not sleeping at all, and sometimes, these nights are backto-back. Through this terrible experience, I have learned the value of sleep: I felt nauseated, exhausted, light-headed and I lost my appetite without it. Through

Another Year With My Dearest Friend | By Wren Tan

therapy and medication, I have been able to go back to a seminormal sleep schedule, and my life and health have improved immensely. Sleep is important for high school and beyond, and there is nothing wrong with seeking help if you are struggling.

Easterly: When waking up after a short or bad night's sleep, it's easy to grab a tasty energy drink on the way out of your house. Celsius, Aspire, Red Bull, Ghost Energy, Monster: I can’t say I've tried all of these energy drinks myself, but I do know that they all contain from 80 to 200 mg of caffeine per can.

The first time I drank a Celsius before school, writing down simple equations in math class was hard to do since my hands were so jittery. However, it did help me get over my morning tiredness after not sleeping my

normal seven or eight hours.

I would quickly come to notice over time that a morning Celsius could never replace the feeling of waking up after a good, full night’s sleep. After this realization, I worked much harder to get good rest on school nights, so I never had to replace it with an energy drink in the morning.

It's easy to become dependent on the quick bursts of energy in the morning from a tasty Celsius, Aspire, etc. But it's even better to get a decent amount of sleep the night before and wake up without the need for artificial energy.

Keeping a healthy relationship with sleep and caffeine, especially as a high schooler, is important not just to one's physical health but also to mental health as well, so we encourage you to try it.

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22 Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Dashing dogs dance

Sports

On par with pros Eighth grader Luke Olive goes to internationonal golf tournaments.

Page 25

Boys soccer stages thrilling comeback Coach Phillip McCarthy's team demonstrates resilience and camaraderie on the field

By Ethan Pham | Staff writer

Soccer Showdown

Varsity boys soccer faces off against Kinkaid. The game took place at home on Dec. 2 with senior captain Alex Ramirez defending his opponent. "The Kinkaid game went really well," Ramirez said. "Our coaches were very happy with the way that we put up our defense and just came together as a team and played together. Kinkaid was obviously a tough opponent.

We put up a great fight against Kinkaid." The game ended up in a 1-1 tie.

Photo by Kathryn Bakewell

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he team is relentless and won't accept defeat. Junior Fernando Gomez with the ball, beating and dodging defenders left and right, gets enough open space to put up a shot. Gomez loads his leg and rips it towards the net, but the goalie refuses to let it in, and it bounces off of him.

With the ball deflected in the air, young sophomore Andrew Russell sees it falling towards him. He locks in on the ball, fires his leg, kicks it… GOAL! After crawling back from a 3-0 deficit at the beginning of an away game against Parish on a chilly December night, the boys won the game 5-4.

“It felt amazing getting that shot off,” Russell said, “I felt like I knew it was going to go in right when it hit my foot.”

Upper school history teacher, boys soccer program director and coach Phillip McCarthy had many plans to lead his team through a successful season. At the start of the season, the team struggled to secure a win and could only finish with draws. However, McCarthy didn’t give up on his boys, even in the roughest moments.

In their game against Parish, the team started the game off going down 3-0 in the first few minutes. However, the boys put together a comeback game and walked away with the win.

“We made some changes by bumping [sophomore] Charlie Cain from midfield to defense and letting them know different ways to prevent their attack.

And then people like [junior] Fernando Gomez scored a couple goals,” McCarthy said. “Along with [senior] Daniel Matthys, who helped us get back.”

Towards the end of the game, with five minutes left, Russell shot the game-winning goal. McCarthy was proud of his group for putting together a comeback like that.

The varsity team had 16 players, along with one swing player. However, six of them were freshmen, and many started and played the whole game.

Despite the team's abundance of younger players, they were still competitive. McCarthy argued that freshman Nico Marquez was one of the best athletes in the SPC.“I think, as you're well aware, we probably won the most athletic people in the SPC in Nico,” McCarthy said. “We're trying to lean into Nico’s speed, which is a

great attribute.”

McCarthy also wanted to use more of other freshmen and noticed Michael Goglia’s athletic ability in the midfield game.

“I mean, these guys are freshmen, but they kind of play like juniors or seniors,” McCarthy said. “He has a different personality when he plays. He's very locked in. He's very serious.

When it comes to soccer, I think if I had to use a term he has like snake hips, like he's very elusive and very, very shifty, which is helpful.”

“

I think our passion and our love for the sport could take us far. We have good motivation.

Fernando Gomez

Sophomore Varsity Soccer Player

Soccer has many games throughout the season, sometimes multiple games in a week, and it is hard to prepare for their upcoming opponents in such a short time.

However, McCarthy puts a lot of effort into getting the team ready for their next game. He or another member of the coaching staff will go watch their opponents play and form a scouting report.

“We'll try to set up the team to use our strengths,” McCarthy said. “[Then] we can attack our competition.”

Along with the scouting report, the team watched film every Monday and Thursday. They took 20 minutes out of their big flex to meet and watch their own film and/or opponents film. McCarthy, used his skills as a history teacher, assigning film as “homework” to his team.

“People don't like watching themselves,” McCarthy said.“[But] self-reflection on what they need to do helps.”

Since there is an excessive amount of running in soccer games and practice, the players most likely aren’t putting any weight or building much mass.

Weightlifting is very important to

McCarthy because it is a big part of injury prevention. A big part of the team's success has come from a lack of injury. No one on the team has had any season-ending injuries, which McCarthy hopes can continue to be true.

“We do weightlifting during the year,” McCarthy said. “We've never had an ACL or MCL injury ever in soccer season. And I think Coach Mosley does a good job of strengthening their joints and making sure it's preventing any injuries.”

A goal for McCarthy was to earn the number one seed for the SPC tournament. To get the number one seed, the team must have the best record against other SPC opponents. If earned, the number one seed gets a firstround bye in the tournament at the end of the season. The firstround bye might not seem like a lot; however, it is very helpful.

The tournament has three games in three days which is a lot for just 16 players. With only having 11 players on the field at once, there isn't much rest for the players.

“There's a huge difference.

We're only having to play two games to win a championship or three games in three days,” McCarthy said. “My goal is to try and get that first seed and have an extra day of rest and recuperation.”

Gomez had strong beliefs in the team to go far in the tournament.

“I think our passion and our love for the sport could take us far,” Gomez said, “And even if we're not technically the best, and not physically the best we have good motivation” The team had a chance to compete for the number one seed because of their standout players like seniors Alex Ramirez and Daniel Matthys.

“They are some of the best goal scorers in the SPC,” McCarthy said. “They're very good at creating the space to get the shot up. They each have a finesse shot where you kind of curl it.”

But, the team was at a disadvantage in getting the spot as the number one seed due to the lack of practice time they received. At the beginning of SPC counter games, the squad only had 20 practices left in the entire season. However, many conflicts due to JV soccer games and girls varsity games proved to be a

challenge. Whenever there was a game, the boys’ soccer practice got cut to end at 5:30 p.m. In addition, the darker winter nights affect the length of their practice time.

“Those 17 practices go to 13 on the 14 down as well,” McCarthy said. “So we're always going to be in a crunch of time, so that's an issue.”

Despite the short time they have, the team makes the most of it. The players are very close and have a tight bond. Matthys’ birthday was during the season, and the team made sure to celebrate him. “[On Daniel’s birthday] the boys were going crazy in practice and in group chats celebrating him even if they weren’t that close,” McCarthy said. “I think our team camaraderie is very high. We see a lot of guys celebrating.” All the boys gathered around whoever scores and jumped around to congratulate them. McCarthy was proud of the energy the team brings to the field during games.

Throughout the whole Parish game, the team played with confidence and energy in order to win.

“I think back to the Parish game when we were down three nothing. They banded together,” McCarthy said. “When we win a game like that [especially] when you’re down, the celebrations [are] immense and crazy. So everyone enjoyed each other's company.”

Gomez agreed with McCarthy’s view on the camaraderie and enjoyed the company of younger players on the team this year.

“Yeah, I think there's a lot of young people so it brings a lot of energy to team,” Gomez said, “I think that it really helps the chemistry.”

McCarthy hoped that as the season goes on, the team will continue to bond in games, practice and school.

“As an athlete, chemistry is built by going through stuff together,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy shaped the ESD soccer program into a very competitive team that always has a shot in the SPC tournament.

“This team is very special,” Russell said. “I think we have a really good chance to go far in the tournament this year and hopefully win it all this year.”

EAGLE EYE

Sports

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

February 9, 2024 |

23

Interviews by Anoushka Sinha | Staff Writer and Elliot Lovitt | Copy Editor

MILES BATES

MORGAN AMISON

&

&

QA

QA

How long have you been playing basketball? What got you interested in it?

I've been playing basketball since I was in the first grade. I tried a couple different sports when I was younger, but I really liked the team aspect of basketball and how, even as an individual player, your attitude and your performance determines how your team performs. It's really important to always be on your game so that you can support your teammates.

When and why did you start wrestling?

I first started wrestling in Eighth grade after a REALLY poor season of middle school basketball in seventh grade in hopes of a better fit, something I'm glad that I was able to find.

What is your favorite part of basketball and favorite memory?

I love competing, [so] my favorite part is probably the games. My favorite memory was beating Hockaday in my freshman season because it was the first time that we'd beat them in [a while].

What is your go-to wrestling move?

My go-to move since I first started has been the Cement Job. It's super consistent and enables me to end a match right when I get control of their head. To perform the move I put their head under my armpit and hold their chin with my hand. Then I'm able to punch across their back which sends them straight to a pin, ending the match.

Do you have a pre-match routine?

I don't have one specific pre-match routine; I just do whatever I can to mentally prepare myself for the moment and get warm right before the match.

What are you looking forward to this season?

I am looking forward to SPC because I'm really excited to see what this team has to offer and for us to compete in Houston.

I think [our] biggest competitor is definitely going to be Greenhill. They brought on a lot of new girls this year, but I think we know how to handle them pretty well.

We know their strengths and weaknesses, and we're able to play to that. I think that it'll be competitive.

How do you get ready for games? Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I have to tape my fingers before every game because I've broken them a couple of times. It's not really a ritual, but it is something that I have to do before every game. Sometimes I listen to music before the games.

Tell us about your favorite wrestling memory.

My favorite wrestling memory is definitely this year's senior night when I was able to hit my signature move, the Cement Job, against the biggest crowd I've seen for an ESD wrestling match.

Photos by Charisma Photography

How has the team performed this year?

The team has been performing well this year despite some ups and downs. We're all making sure to get both mentally and physically prepared for SPC, which is coming up soon.

What are you looking forward to this season?

This season, I'm excited to showcase my skills and dominate the 215 weight class in the upcoming SPC tournament.

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!

W

hen the news was announced that Mark Cuban would be selling his share of the beloved Dallas Mavericks basketball team, I was shocked. It seemed like a surprising move, especially in the middle of the Mavericks’ season.

Yet, with further research, I discovered that Cuban had sold the team to a family with strong casino and hotel ties, the Adelson and Dumont families (who run Las Vegas Sands Corp).

According to Cuban, the future of the NBA lies in real estate, hence the partnership with the real estate tycoons. Cuban has high hopes for the possibility of new Mavericks buildings and surrounding infrastructure, as well as the expansion of revenue. However, gambling is not yet legal in Texas, which begs the question of why Cuban would partner with a family that is so heavily involved in the casino industry.

When the news broke that Cuban would be selling his stake, I, initially, was very confused. The Mavs, especially under the leadership of Luka Dončic and Kyrie Iring, have had a great run and might be on the road to the championship. It seemed like an odd time to sell ownership.

However, I began to think back to my internship over the summer with the Dallas Mavs. While throwing around ideas for suites that could be added to the American Airlines Center, we joked about how cool it would be to have a casino in the arena. Now, with the partnership with the Las Vegas Sands Corp, this dream could become a reality as long as gambling is legalized.

For many years, business executives and others have tried to push for gambling to be legalized in Texas.

Miriam Adelson, a prominent member of the family that bought the Mavericks from Cuban, went so far as to pump

$2 million into Texas Sands, a political action committee that donates large amounts of money to state legislatures.

She also donated an additional $1 million to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

It’s obvious that Cuban sees a future in real estate and casinos. But what does this mean for the Mavs and their fanbase? Does this mean gambling and sports betting should be legal in Texas?

Ethan and I both say yes; Gambling and sports betting should be legal. Both provide a great boost to the economy and add a level of competitiveness to games, leading people to be more invested and, in turn, a more devoted fanbase.

According to the California Business Journal, Nevada — which, thanks to Las Vegas, is a gambling hub — generates “hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue each month” thanks to sports betting. Additionally, the University of Michigan’s Journal of Economics reported that more money generated due to sports betting leads to more tax revenue for states. They cited that Illinois and New Jersey have generated over $1 billion in sports betting taxes. Thus, by legalizing sports betting, state economies will undoubtedly benefit.

However, gambling comes with its drawbacks. Gambling can ultimately lead to addiction, which is dangerous in and of itself. But, according to the New Yorker, sports betting is not more dangerous than regular gambling.

Both types of gambling are ultimately created by compulsions — whether you’re betting on a game or a hand of cards.

Just because gambling is illegal doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Texans who place bets are doing so through bookies or offshore accounts.

Therefore, by legalizing gambling,

the government can regulate the gambling industry while also receiving economic benefits.

Despite the risk of addiction for gamblers, legalizing gambling will definitely aid the economy. In addition, the tourism industry in Dallas could majorly benefit from the legalization of gambling. More people would come to Dallas on trips, which benefits the entertainment, sports, hotel and restaurant industries.

Part of the struggle for legalizing gambling comes from the legislation itself. In order to legalize gambling, the Texas Constitution would have to be amended — which would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate, and this is definitely not an easy task. However, many influential Texans have expressed their support for the legalization of gambling, Cuban included. “[I will be] as active as I need to be,” Cuban, when asked about how active he would be to get gambling legalized, said.

“Because I think it’s the right thing for the state of Texas.”

Therefore, because of the benefits that the legalization of gambling would bring to the Texas economy, Ethan and I believe that gambling, including sports betting, should be legalized in Texas.

Sports

February 9, 2024 |

SPC

Winter sports teams head to Houston

S

enior captain Addison Page takes a deep breath before the tipoff. It’s her first basketball game in the 2024 SPC tournament, and, as a senior, she wants her last tournament to be her best.

Most seniors are in the same boat as student-athletes looking ahead to the SPC championships.

SPC will be held in Houston from Feb. 8 to 10. Boys and girls basketball and girls soccer will be competing in the 4A bracket, while swimming and boys soccer will compete in the 3A bracket.

Team sports like soccer and basketball compete in a single elimination model with games for third, fifth and seventh places between losing teams.

Having begun their season by traveling to multiple tournaments, boys basketball is very familiar with bracket play.

“We started out [the season] with this tournament playing against public schools,” senior captain Sean Browne said. “And we won the tournament, so that gave us a lot of momentum going into the year.”

Boys basketball went 19-11 this season, and their three wins in conference play rank them third in the SPC North Zone before the tournament brackets are released.

“Hopefully [we’re seeded] in the top four,” Browne said. “Then the first round is a little bit easier, but I think wherever we’re at, we can beat whoever we play.”

If the team were to have a second chance matchup in the tournament, they would want it to be either Episcopal Houston or Greenhill. “[Episcopal Houston] beat us the last couple years in the tournament, so it’d be nice to get them back,” Browne said.

“And there was a lot of pressure going into the [Greenhill] game and we kind of folded under that [pressure]. We’ve definitely gotten better since then.”

The girls basketball team is also hoping for a rematch with Greenhill in the tournament.

“It was probably our toughest game of the entire year,” Page said.

“But our most fun game was Trinity Valley. We all worked together and made some really nice plays.”

Girls basketball has a small team with only 10 players able to play, but their team size has only brought them closer. They, too, are ranked third in the SPC North Zone and went 8-9 overall.

“The girls basketball program has been struggling with numbers over the years,” Page said. “But our team is really tight-knit, and we have a strong community.”

The girls soccer team, on the other hand, has a 25-player roster.

Their season had its ups and downs, but they finished ranked third in SPC North Zone with a counter record of 2-2.

“Our season started off a little rough,” senior captain Makenna Harvey said. “But these past couple games, we’ve been doing really well. I’m thinking [we’ll get seeded] fourth based on how many wins and losses we have.”

Harvey thinks Fort Worth Country Day would be a good rematch, and she hopes to play them in the tournament.

“We ended up tying that game,” Harvey said. “It was a really good game overall, but we couldn’t score.”

Boys soccer knows a thing or two about tie games. At the end of the regular season, they had racked up a total of six ties to go along with their two wins and three losses.

“[The season] hasn’t gone exactly as we’d hoped,” senior captain Alex Ramirez said. “We’ve had a lot of ties, but even then, our defense has been very strong this season, and we’ve barely let in any goals.”

“

The [SPC] tournament itself is not team-based and is double elimination, so it can be unforgiving.

Miles Bates

Senior Wrestling Captain

Ramirez has a lot of confidence in his defense and the team as a whole.

“Hopefully, we win SPC,” Ramirez said. “I know that’s what every team and every captain goes in saying, but I think our whole team is ready to go in and perform.”

Ramirez believes seeding is likely not going to be in their favor, but he remains optimistic.

“I’m kind of glad we’re going to play the harder teams first,” Ramirez said. “That’s when our legs will be freshest, and we’ll be ready to go in and defend and score.”

The SPC tournament looks a little different for swimming, where individual athlete’s achievements contribute to team awards. It has been a year full of changes for the swim team, but

25

20 24

they’re looking forward to SPC. “It’s the first time actually having practices since my freshman year,” junior captain Jesi Geier said. “And now we’re practicing at the Lake Highlands [YMCA]. Being able to practice and get ready for SPC, I’m hoping that I will do better.”

Three ESD athletes are swimming at SPC: sophomore Sawyer Stuelpe and juniors Geier and Brady Osterstock.

“Brady qualified for SPC in his first season, which is really exciting,” Geier said. “I feel a lot of pride about that, and I’m excited to see how we do. I have high expectations of myself, but since, as a team, it’s our first real season, I’m just hoping that we do pretty well.”

In order to qualify for SPC, athletes must have a time at or faster than a posted SPC standard.

Unlike other sports, which have been separated by division for years, swimming will be separated by 3A and 4A for the first time this season.

Wrestlers also compete individually in a doubleelimination tournament.

“We’ve had a few issues with filling the roster, but I’m confident we’ll have a great postseason at states and SPCs,” senior captain Miles Bates said. “We’ve got solid chances at SPCs, but there are a few tough teams we’ll have to get through first.”

Since many teams that will be at SPC will also be at Prep States, the wrestling team will be able to see who they’ll be up against.

“Our hardest competition is probably St. John’s,” Bates said.

“They’ve got a really strong program with a lot of depth, but we’ve beat them before, and we can do it again.”

Fifteen schools across the region prepare to compete this weekend in the 2024 SPC Tournament

By Maggie Chein | Business Manager Photos by Drew Dundon, Kathryn Bakewell, John Schindel, Jesi Geier and Kristin Doebele

26 | Eagle Edition

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Young golfer shines in international tournament Eight-grader Luke Olive hits a milestone after competing in the PGA Golf Club Invitational in October of 2023

By Reese Rawson | Staff writer

E

ighth-grader Luke Olive anxiously tees off in the final round of the PGA Golf Club Invitational last October in Florida, neckand-neck with an opponent who wants the first-place title as much as he does. Only ahead by two points, he knows that he needs to make another par to win. As he first hits the ball onto the green, he realizes he can close the competition out with one putt. When the ball slowly creeps around the hole and finally falls into it, excitement overcomes Olive as he wins his first international tournament.

Olive’s first experience playing golf was at a summer camp six years ago. From that point on, he knew that golf was his passion. Since then, Olive has accomplished impressive feats, including finishing third in the U.S. Kids Golf Teen World Championship in July and first at the PGA Golf Club Invitational last October. Now, his grit and determination toward the sport have enabled him to participate in golf tournaments nationwide.

“I love golf because you rarely can predict the outcome of what you are going against,” Olive said.

“I make sure to practice a lot since I never know how I am going to perform.”

Olive has competed in various tournaments, including local and out-of-state, usually playing opponents of similar ages. After competing in a few of these tournaments away from home, he has gotten the hang of what to expect.

“When you travel [for tournaments], you get to play two practice rounds right before competing, so I get very used to the course,” Olive said. “I wouldn’t say the international tournaments are harder than regular golf tournaments because when they are local, I can only play the course a couple of weeks before.”

His first international competition was at the beginning of January 2024 when he traveled to Tampa and the Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. He is expecting to compete in several more of these competitions

Swinging into action

Eighth grader Luke Olive swings during the PGA Golf Club Invitational in Oct. 2023. This was his first win in an international tournament. "Throughout the year, there are tournaments all across the country," Olive said. "There have been some local ones, but I’ve never been outside of the U.S. for a golf tournament."

Photo provided by Luke Olive

throughout the year and is already planning on going to Arizona at the end of February. Olive believes winning a tournament like this would look good for his golfing career and display his growth and hard work.

“Winning would show that all my practice paid off,” Olive said.

“In the future, I’m expecting to stick to my game plan, which I usually create in my yardage book during practice rounds, and stay focused on the game to increase my chances of doing well.”

Tournaments at this high level can get stressful due to the pressure to do well. With all of the effort put into preparing for moments like these, golfers want to play to their best potential.

For Olive, he makes sure he has a game plan to follow for the course and sticks to it.

“The middle school team participates in two nine-hole tournaments during the season,” ESD Director of Athletics and Wellness David Tollison said. “The high school team participates in four 18-hole tournaments during the season and the top five golfers compete in the 36-hole SPC Championship Tournament.”

Olive strikes a balance between school and competing in tournaments. Because it is a common occurrence for him to miss school and his teachers understand the circumstances, he can always catch up.

“I usually email my teachers in advance and figure out what school work I need to do when I return,” Olive said. “Sometimes I have to be out for four to five days, which can make work pile up, but I make sure to get it done as soon as I can.”

Olive wants to continue playing golf throughout high school and in college and hopes to eventually become a professional. Although the golfing world is competitive,

Olive believes that if he continues his routine and practice thoroughly, he has a chance.

“Middle school golf doesn't have the same time commitment as high school golf as the team will typically go off-campus for practice one to two times a week and the remainder of the practices are on campus,” Tollison said. “At the high school level, the team practices off campus three to four times a week for about two and a half hours each practice.”

Once he gets to high school, he hopes to win the AJGA Invitational, a tournament that the highest skill level of high school golfers play, as doing so would bring attention to his skill.

According to the American Junior Golf Association, their mission is to facilitate the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

“Playing well or even winning a tournament at that high of a level would be huge for me,” Olive said. “A lot of coaches attend it so having them notice me could open up opportunities for possible [college] scholarships in the future.”

But Olive feels that becoming a talented golfer does not always have to be about skill, but it has much to do with mindset. While he says putting in the hard work and practice is never going to be easy, pushing to do so causes improvement. He also believes that having an inspirational figure to look up to, for him, that person is Jordan Speith, displays that dreams are possible.

“I think working on your short game is most beneficial to improving your overall game,” Olive said. “For someone wanting to pursue golfing [on a higher level], I would tell them to keep working and practicing every single day to get better.”

Super Bowl LVIII brings tradition, triumph Students will celebrate annual traditions while watching the 57th Super Bowl

By Margot Cathey | Staff writer

A

fter a year of anticipation, sophomore Grayson Duncan eagerly gathers with friends and family in front of the TV for the 57th Super Bowl kickoff.

Excitement fills the air as they await the game’s start, teeming with anticipation and ready to immerse themselves in the thrill of the event.

Football fans at ESD celebrate the annual game with their own traditions.

For Duncan, a big football fan, the Super Bowl is one of his all-time favorite games. No matter which teams are competing, he always looks at it as an inspiring game to watch.

“After all the suspense from the regular season, it's awesome watching the best of the best compete against each other in the most competitive game,” Duncan said. “It's also just fun getting together with all my friends and gathering around to watch the game together.”

NFL teams battle it out in the playoffs, with only two teams making it. The Dallas Cowboys, a favorite of many ESD students, had a very successful season, but they lost to the Green Bay Packers after making it to the playoffs, and lost their chance of competing in the Super Bowl. And Duncan, like many Cowboy fans,was disappointed. He believes the loss was hard on both the Cowboys and their many fans.

“I think [our season] started off really strong in the beginning,” Duncan said. ”But we had injuries that set us back, and so then we kind of went downhill from there, and our defense collapsed in the end, which was really disappointing to watch.”

The Cowboys, who have not brought home a Super Bowl

trophy since 1996, usually have a solid regular season, but the team often falls short in the playoffs.

Dallas fans are eager for a win in the future. Sophomore Tatum Reynolds believes that a Cowboys Super Bowl win is inevitable in the next few years, though the team needs to make some changes.

“

After all the suspense from the regular season, it's awesome watching the best of the best compete against each other in the most competitive game.

the game], and it's super fun, and it's a guaranteed great game.”

ESD students enjoy celebrating Super Bowl traditions. It's always a fun day for memories to be made and great football to be watched.

“At the beginning of every Super Bowl game, we like watching the National Anthem, and [we] always time how long it takes,” Duncan said.“We usually pick one team at the beginning to cheer for, and it's really fun to see how everything turns out in the end.”

Many students also make food and desserts to enjoy along with the game.

“We always get a footballshaped cookie cake,” Reynolds

said. “And we decorate it with the colors of both teams competing.

We always have chips and dip and usually have tons of family and friends over to watch the game together. I love watching football, but my favorite tradition is watching the Super Bowl halftime show with my mom and singing along together.”

Student football fans celebrate Super Bowl Sunday in a multitude of ways. Traditions and friend and family gatherings make it a special day for fans.

“Even though the Cowboys are not competing in the Super Bowl this year,” Reynolds said. ”It's always a great game and an awesome game to end the season.”

Grayson Duncan Sophomore

“I mean, a win in the next few years would really be nice,” Reynolds said. “It would be really fun to watch for Dallas fans. I think in order to win, we need to make some adjustments and reinvent the team as a whole so that we can have successful seasons in the future.”

Although Dallas fans didn't get to see the Cowboys competing in the Super Bowl this year, many fans will celebrate America's most-watched game and carry out traditions with family and friends.

“Every single Super Bowl Sunday, I go and watch the game at my friend’s house,” Duncan said. “We've done this for so many years, so I just feel like we always look forward to [watching

Illustration by Lauren Shushi

Eagle Edition

February 9, 2024 |

27

eagledition=crossword

Across: 1: Multiple greetings or male pronoun 2: Topic of page 6 story

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3: Hot chocolate

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4: Author of photo contest story 5: White in French

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13: Take a detour from original plan

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1: Hindu "Festival of Colors" 20: Amazon's "Hey Siri"

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25: British goodbye repeated twice 26: Piece of wood 27: Alternative to coffee 28: What you make when life gives you lemons 29: Mail___ 30: Text shorthand for your or you're 16: Against, opposed to 2: Popular Dallas area publication

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

31: Jelly 32: Class of adhesives, _____ resin

EAGLE EDITION

Last issue's winner: Senior Ava Loftus!

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

Eagle Edition | vol. 41, issue 4

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

Arts Editor Jamie Henderson Views Editor Lauren Shushi Sports Editor Charlotte Tomlin Web Editor Brooke Ebner Social Media Manager Jamie Henderson

Life Editor Sophia Sardiña

Mini Helmet Display Cases ballqube.com

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

MISSION STATEMENT

Staff Artists Cindy Lin Wren Tran

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.

Faculty Adviser Ana Rosenthal

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

Eagle Edition

February 9, 2024 |

FlashkcaB The Eagle Edition's

Each issue, the Eagle Edition staff goes through the archives searching for relevant photos to share with the community. In honor of ESD's retired maroon color, we are using it in our Flashback.

Coneheads

The Winter Dance was formerly called "Sadie Hawkins" or Sadie's for short. In 2016, the theme for Sadie's was "Out of This World," so students dressed up as aliens and various other space-related characters or just wore space related clothing.

Seniors Frank Scardino and Haley Allen rock the cone head look from the 1993 movie "Coneheads."

Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

qSports in Space Freshman Jenna Conn, Garrett Johnson, Garrett Levy and Jenna Levy rep their space-themed sports teams.

Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

"The Claw"

Freshman Michael Colpack, Sophomore Emma Cabrales and freshman Danny Kung pose for a picture in their space themed costumes.

Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

R2D2s

Seniors Bailey Parsons and Meredith Hessel with junior Caroline Durante wear matching R2D2 outfits.

Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

Aliens

Sophomore Ella Kelly, seniors Kate Robinson and Meika Bass, Lauchlin Langston, junior Andrea Salinas and senior Lauren Mills sparkle on the dance floor as characters from another world.

Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

Welcome to the Space Jam

Juniors Rahim Hussain and Ellis Miller dress up in an "Angry Bird" shirt and a Space Jam jersey. Photo from the 2016 Carillon yearbook

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