The Knight Times / January 2024 Issue 6

News that Stands Out

THE KNIGHT TIMES Official Student Newspaper of Episcopal High School

January 2024

4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401

Seniors serve in Houston during Senior Outreach

www.ehshouston.org

Volume 39, Issue 6

Students ease into the school year during Interim Term EHS community starts 2024 taking unique classes

JULIA SHERMAN Production Editor This January, the Class of 2024 performed Senior Outreach during Interim Term.

While freshmen, sophomores, and juniors stayed on campus to ease into the spring semester with unique classes and grade level learning, the seniors had the opportunity to go off campus into various locations to serve the greater Houston community.

Senior Outreach allows seniors to step out of the traditional curriculum and immerse themselves in hands-on experiences that contribute to the improvement of their local community. On the first day back to school, the seniors met on campus for Opening Chapel with the entire Episcopal community and then moved into a presentation about what Senior Outreach truly is.

Following the service and presentation, seniors got to learn self-defense in preparation for college. A variety of outreach opportunities were assigned in various areas, including animal welfare clinics, education, environment, health, homelessness, hunger, poverty, refugees, senior citizens, and women’s concerns. Students served at Hermann Park, Small Steps Nurturing Center, KIPP schools, the Nehemiah Center, the Houston Food Bank, and more.

Senior Outreach also serves as a platform for these seniors to develop important life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem solving. As the students immersed themselves in numerous settings, they gained a deeper understanding of the challenges their community faces and how they can contribute to long-lasting solutions.

The Class of 2024 made it another successful Outreach, while they actively engaged in community service and brought positive change to Houston through the EHS community.

INSIDE Interim Term trips and classes offered Take a look at this year’s offerings

PAGE 4-5 EHS sports during the winter season Check out this successful year so far

PAGE 7 Features ........................... 2-3 Culture ............................ 4 Entertainment .................. 5 Opinions........................... 6 Sports............................... 7

Taft Mohair III, Sai Posey, Nicole Blanco, and Parker Wetmore learned suturing techniques using suture practice pads and hemostat tools in Mrs. Karen Foster’s “So You Think You Can Doctor?” Interim course. Photo by Mrs. Karen Foster.

JULIA SHERMAN Production Editor

“After Christmas Break, EHS underclassmen returned to school on January 4 to begin Interim Term. This week and a half long period allowed students to ease back into school while taking classes that sparked their interest. Concurrently, seniors served the greater Houston community while some students had the opportunity to go on various trips.”

Learn more about Interim Term on Pages 4-5

EHS arts community gathers to celebrate the Pillar ANYA PANT Opinions Editor A Knight for the Arts is an annual event each January that gives the Performing Arts Department at Episcopal a chance to showcase the various projects they have been working on during the school year.

The Theatre, Dance, and Music Programs provide short performances that give students a chance to see what the department has been working on throughout the year and a glimpse into the future. The Dance Program performed a number of pieces from their prior dance concert and a couple new pieces.

Theatre shared a short teaser for the spring musical A Drowsy Chaperone, and the Music Program played a short piece that they have been perfecting this past semester. The Performing Arts Department has worked very hard in order to make this annual event more successful than the last.

This is the third year that Episcopal has hosted A Knight for the Arts in late January. All students were encouraged to come to the event, and Episcopal also encouraged future Knights to come and view potential programs that they could join.

Prospective Knights also had a chance to connect with faculty, students, and directors of the programs.

During the night, there were many interactive portions that helped captivate the audience and helped aspiring artists and future Knights to participate in the event.

Students, faculty, staff, families, and prospective students all enjoyed this years

Knight for the Arts showcase. The event was held at 7:00pm on Friday, January 19.

Impact Dance at EHS performs at the Knight for the Arts biannual event, showing off the dances they have worked on for many hours. Photo by Sloane Wallace.

Features ∙ Page 2

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

Slice of π DR. JOANNA PAPAKONSTANTINOU Guest Writer During Interim Term, some students enrolled in STEM classes such as the Art of Math and Problem Solving – That Puzzle is Really a Math Problem. Students investigated classic mathematics problems, explored their solutions, and learned how resulting discoveries are the foundations that underlie current research and still have a profound impact on current real-world applications in a variety of industries.

On January 27, all Mu Alpha Theta and many Math Club members competed in the University of Houston Math Contest

regarding the subjects of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, PreCalculus, Calculus, Statistics, Physics, Calculator Usage, or Number Sense as well as the SmackDown competition. We had our first Math Club meeting of the semester January 31 to discuss events for the Spring semester.

Keep your eyes open for the next guest speaker happening in February, and mark your calendars for our annual Pi Day Celebration on March 5. It is never too late to join Mach Club and compete in math competitions.

Follow @ehsmathclub on Instagram and Twitter for more Math Club information and updates!

Lessons in

REVEREND ART CALLAHAM Guest Writer Prudence is not a word that we hear very often. Apart from occasionally making fun of someone by calling them a “prude,” I’d guess that few of us can recall the last time that we’ve used, or even read, the word prudence in a sentence. It’s hard to believe that as recently as my grandparent’s generation (early 1900’s), prudence was so common as to sometimes even be used as a first name. I wonder what happened?

The finger-wagging curmudgeon in me wants to say that today’s “kids” have totally turned their back on prudence, that along with related terms like modesty, chastity, and restraint, prudence has been cast aside as the youth of today chase after licentiousness, pleasure, and misbehavior.

That, however, wouldn’t be fair to either the concept or the culture. Prudence is still alive and well today - it just goes by a different name.

“Make good choices!” is something that I hear people taking about these days.

Whether it is a parent instructing a child on how to make selections from a buffet line or a mentor offering a quiet prayer as their protege sets off on a solo adventure,

everyone who has ever felt responsible for someone else’s well-being has always hoped that his or her charge would make “good choices.” They’ve hoped that their loved ones would be prudent.

Prudence is the virtue of making good choices, of weighing options, of taking the long view. Though it has too often been locked into a connotation of sexual morality and/or meeting other’s expectations, the concept itself has much more to do with process than it does with outcome. Prudence is thoughtful, discerning, and patient, and it’s something that more people excel at than we tend to give credit. Make good choices, friends.

Photo courtesy of breadoflifevoice.com.

Forrest Place Cafe enjoys popularity Construction on new arts building among large number in community

restricts movement on campus MORGAN HEROD Co-Editor-in-Chief Over Christmas Break, Episcopal started construction on a new project, a building on the west side of the Convent, attached to the Fine Arts wing. The Visual and Performing Arts Center, or the VPAC, will be a two-story building with an increased amount of space for all art mediums.

“Depending on its configuration, the space will hold up to 325 patrons for various performances,” said Dean of Arts Mr. Paul Revaz.

It will also include studio spaces for all Studio Arts, including drawing, painting, mixed mediums, and ceramics. For bigger projects, such as large sculptures, there will be an outdoor patio workshop. The second floor will be reserved moviemak-

ing and publications classrooms, as well as a video and audio production studio for both programs. The dance studios will be renovated and expanded, as will the photography classrooms and darkrooms.

Construction for this building is expected to take about 18 months, with time after allowed for transitioning into the space. This new area will benefit the Arts Pillar in many ways, but the greatest feature is that it will bring all the arts closer together, allowing classes to share “time and expertise.” The VPAC lobby is a large space that will adjoin classrooms and performance venues together, increasing accessibility and visibility of the arts.

The new building will enhance the original Convent, which has been used for EHS art programs since its opening in 1983, and the Convent will be remodeled.

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer Whether you’re in the mood for a freshly baked croissant or piping hot lattes, the Forrest Place Café is EHS’ number-one spot to stop, take a break, and enjoy a refreshing snack. Ideas surrounding the café first appeared after the student body and faculty imagined a place where the EHS community could enjoy top-quality refreshments without leaving campus.

Amongst those pushing for this was the Class of 2017’s student body president Forrest Pressler, the café’s namesake.

Pressler, looking for a way to leave his mark on EHS, spearheaded the research and presentations that led to a campus café. Thanks to his relentless voice, the Forrest Place Café finally materialized in 2018. Five years later, it’s still a prime example of the impact students can have

on campus.

The Forrest Place Café’s opening marked a change in EHS’ culinary experience. The once-simple establishment has seen immense success within the community. The menu continues to expand, with its most recent addition, boba milk tea.

However, a couple of items stand out as fan favorites. The iced caramel latte and chocolate chip muffins are currently the café’s most popular items. This may be up to change, though, as new items are in the works. Like the campus store, the Forrest Place Café operates as its own entity, separate from the cafeteria, despite the close cooperation between staff members.

Miss Vanessa, Mr. Gio, and Mrs. BorgesPanini are common faces who work just over the counter, preparing the delicacies that many students enjoy daily. Their skills are integral to the café, which is itself an important staple of EHS life.

Longtime Episcopal football Coach Steve Leisz retires MORGAN HEROD Co-Editor-in-Chief After 18 years as the head football coach at EHS, Mr. Steve Leisz announced immediately following the Knights SPC Championship win on November 4 that he would be retiring from the position. After that emotional night for all, Coach Leisz has spent the last few months reflecting on the astounding career he has had.

Walking away proud, Coach Leisz won the last dual and individual wrestling matches he coached as well as the last football game. He is proud to have started the Gong Squad and the tradition of singing the school hymn after every football game, a favorite in the community.

He exits with an overall record of 12949-1 in football and a conference record of 72-24-1. Over the last ten years of his

leadership, that conference mark was 376. He has coached over 70 college football players, five High School All Americans, and three NFL players. Additionally, he won the Texas Association of Sports Officials Sportsmanship Award five times.

Making the decision to leave it all on the field for a final time did not come easy.

He remarked, “Coaching is in my blood; it has been my whole life,” but taking a new job on campus played a “big role” in making the decision.

He says he will miss his time with the players, pre-game in the locker room, and building men of character.

To the new head coach, Coach Leisz offered these words of experience: “Outwork your opponent, be honest with the players and coaches, and hold your players accountable and push them to do great things on and off the field.”

Coach Steve Leisz leaves behind a distinguished career of coaching at Episcopal High School. Photo by Sloane Wallace.

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

Culture ∙ Page 3

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HOT TAKES

SRA. TORIELLO Guest Writer Nuestro 2024 comenzó de una manera muy especial. Quince estudiantes de EHS, el Sr. Sumrow y yo, tuvimos la gran oportunidad de estar en Puerto Rico, la isla más pequeña del Caribe, durante la segunda semana de Interim Term. ¿Necesitamos de un pasaporte o de una visa para poder ingresar al país? ¿Necesitamos de un plan de llamada internacional para nuestro celular? ¡No! Como Puerto Rico es un territorio no incorporado de los Estados Unidos, podemos visitarlo o incluso vivir allí tal como podemos hacerlo en cualquier estado de nuestro país. Además con la conveniencia y facilidad de tener el dólar estadounidense como moneda local.

Desde el avión nos sorprendimos con el verdor de sus montañas y el calipso y turquesa de sus aguas. La isla cuenta con casi 300 millas de costa y casi la misma cantidad de playas, muchas de ellas preservadas en su estado natural, a las cuales solo se puede llegar por mar o senderos naturales. También se encuentra El Yunque, único bosque tropical en el Sistema Forestal de EE.UU. Puerto Rico compite como país individual en los concursos de Miss Universo y las Olimpiadas.

Aunque en Puerto Rico, el español y el inglés son los idiomas oficiales, nos encontramos con que no toda su población es bilingüe y, a la vez, hay personas que hablan una mezcla de ambos, spanglish.

Los taínos (nativos de la isla) la llamaron Borikén. De ahí que en la actualidad, los

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The Weeknd in one of his most recent music videos. Photo courtesy of theweekend. com.

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Trilogy, which consists of his songs from House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. Tesfaye mentions he is ready to “kill The Weeknd” as he is ready to move from the traumatic past that brought him to make music with the alias.

Tesfaye mentioned, “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd. This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say.”

It has been predicted that his new album will have something to do with the horizon, as the has already come out with After Hours and Dawn. As The Weeknd takes on his deserving place at the top of the music industry as well as taking on his new name, fans worldwide are awaiting his new release, which is sure to be a cultural phenomenon.

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Known for his iconic take of pop and R&B style music through a wide lens, Abel Tesfaye, commonly known as The Weeknd, has finally reclaimed his deserving status as the number one ranked musician in the world.

The Weeknd went into 2024 with the announcement of his new album, which is yet to be revealed but will complete the trilogy with Dawn FM, released in 2022, and After Hours, released in 2020. Sadly, this may possibly be the last album of Tesfaye as The Weeknd. He has teased that this new album will be related to rebirth, referring to leaving his artistic title behind and moving on from pain and regret, which represent his past two albums.

Diving deeper into the history, he did the same thing in 2011 with his album

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with JULIA SHERMAN

puertorriqueños también usan el término boricua como su nacionalidad.

Our 2024 started in a very special way.

Fifteen EHS students, Mr. Sumrow, and I had the great opportunity to be in Puerto Rico, the smallest island in the Caribbean, during the second week of the Interim Term. Do we need a passport or visa to enter the country? Do we need an international calling plan for our cell phone? No! Since Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, we can visit it or even live there just as we can in any state of our country. Also, it offers the convenience and ease of having the US dollar as the local currency.

From the plane we were surprised by the greenery of its mountains and the calypso and turquoise of its waters. The island has almost 300 miles of coastline and almost the same number of beaches, many of them preserved in their natural state, which can only be reached by sea or natural trails. There is also El Yunque, the only tropical forest in the United States Forest System.

Puerto Rico competes as an individual country in the Miss Universe pageants and the Olympic Games. Although Spanish and English are the official languages in Puerto Rico, we find that not all of its population is bilingual, and at the same time, there are people who speak a mixture of both - Spanglish.

The Taínos (natives of the island) called it Borikén. Hence today, Puerto Ricans also use the term Boricua as a nationality.

with ANGELINA FERTITTA

In recent years, major film studios such as Disney have adopted a pattern for continuous reproduction of live-action versions of classic animated movies, which is a strategy that has proven to be quite lucrative for these companies. It has, though, ignited debate among fans.

The Lion King remake, which was released in 2019, has collectively grossed more than $1.6 billion and is Disney’s

The reimagined, live-action of Beauty and the Beast. Photo courtesy of disney. movies.com.

most successful remake. Disney has also recently reimagined the classic stories of Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Mulan, and countless others.

While there is an allure to seeing the movies from childhood come to life again in a more modern light, there are valid arguments for why the studios should consider stopping this trend. First, the constant reimagining of the classic films withholds any originality and creativity.

Instead of creating something new or innovative, the remakes weaken the uniqueness that made the classics so good in the first place.

Also, the overreliance on CGI in these films takes away from the traditional artistic values that made the classics so great and creative. On top of this, there is quite a challenge that comes with the remakes of meeting or surpassing the expectations that were set by the original films. There is much more room to fall short and cause disappointment amongst fans.

Last, I feel that the number of liveaction remakes is too much and can cause viewers to become less enthusiastic about new movie releases as it is becoming predictable and gives the impression that they are lacking original ideas.

by Clara Crenshaw With awards season approaching, it’s time to consider the delightful new trends and occasional disappointments that will grace the red carpet.

Celebrity stylist Holly White boldly predicts metallics to dominate as the biggest trend of 2024. According to her, “If there is a time to shine, it’s on the red carpet. Metallics will reign and Spring 2024 will bring some modern silhouettes to the runway that will give this somewhat consistent trend a contemporary and updated look.”

In addition to metallics, the forecast suggests an increased presence of white and off-white on the carpet, influenced by the Spring 2024 runways of Prada, Valentino, and Acne Studios. 2024 is also expected to bring forth more contemporary menswear, featuring playful accessories such as glasses or hats, moving away from traditional suits and bowties. Stylists foresee a shift toward more intriguing silhouettes, veering away from the conventional gown.

Post-2024 Golden Globes, held January 7, new trends emerged while old ones made a comeback. Alongside metallics,

the bold red color was a standout trend of the evening. Celebrities like Florence Pugh, Heidi Klum, Barry Keoghan, and more adorned themselves in red gowns of various shades. Another notable trend was the simplicity of black and white outfits.

Elizabeth Olsen, Jennifer Coolidge, Daisy Edgar Jones, and others opted for neutral black and white ensembles, showcasing timeless elegance on the red carpet.

Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey at the Golden Globes red carpet. Photo courtesy of thedailybeast.com.

Special Feature ∙ Page 4

Special Feature ∙ Page 5

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

Interim Term 2024

Elective Classes

Grade Level Learning Freshmen

Sophomores

This year, ninth graders delved into the theme of civil discourse in their Grade Level Learning class. The objective was to teach students the art of generating respectful conversations and nurturing an understanding of constructive communication. Mastering this skill is crucial for freshmen as they progress through their next three-plus years at Episcopal and will prove to be especially beneficial beyond their time at EHS.

Similarly, Tenth Grade Level Learning aimed to equip students with the tools to cultivate a welcoming community and culture at EHS. The class placed a particular emphasis on embracing EHS’ motto of kindness and highlighted the schools zero-tolerance bullying policy.

After this class, students should be prepared to handle conflict maturely and safely as they navigate high school.

Seniors cleaning at Hermann Park

Mr. Storlie’s Tags To Murals

Juniors In their final year of GLL, the juniors began to tackle one of the greatest challenges they will face in the coming year: college admissions.

Students received a crash-course in the process of preparing to apply for college. They were given the opportunity to research colleges, read example college essays, and look over transcripts of former college applicants. The goal of this course is to make the looming threat of the college application process less overwhelming.

Interim Term is an extremely beloved time of year. The two-week period after students return from Christmas Break but before classes resume marking the beginning of the spring semester, EHS offers an incredible opportunity for students to pursue their interests outside their normal academic classes through various enriching and unique elective classes.

After indicating some of their particular areas of interest during the fall semester, students are assigned two elective classes to attend each day before they wrap up the class with a culminating project that demonstrates their understanding of the material. Some of the most popular Interim Term elective classes at EHS include “Money, Money, Money,” “So You Think You Can Doctor?” and “Love is Hilarious.”

Mr. Mike Hodgson’s ‘Money, Money, Money’ teaches students how to invest, save, and manage their money. The goal of the class is to prepare students for managing their finances in the future and aims to teach students how to make their money work for them.

Mrs. Karen Foster’s “So You Think You Can Doctor?” more commonly referred to as Mini-Med School, serves as a crash-course for students who have an interest in pursuing a career in medicine. In this class, students learned the basics of medical terminology, medical testing, and surgical skills.

Last, Mr. Bob Matthew’s ‘Love is Hilarious’ allows students to examine various romantic comedies spanning decades to study the creation of this genre of film through an analytical lens. In this class, students learned to analyze the basic structure of a romantic comedy and were even tasked with writing an outline of their own creative story.

Seniors EHS’ seniors spent their time during Interim Term making a meaningful impact throughout Houston. Engaging in community service projects and volunteer initiatives, these seniors demonstrated a commitment to leaving a positive mark on the broader community. Most students spent their time volunteering at various schools in need across the greater Houston area while others devoted their service to organizations such as the Houston Food Bank and The Beacon.

Mrs. Foster’s Mini Med School

Seniors volunteering at The Houston Food Bank

Mr. Avera’s Lego Robotics Course

Opinions ∙ Page 6

Opinions

Missing luggage plagues air travel SIMONA KARANI Staff Writer Most travelers are aware of the risk they take when checking a bag. After handing off luggage to the attendant, its safety is put in their hands. However, in the last year, lost luggage has become a more prominent issue in travelers’ lives. In 2022, the amount of lost luggage reached a high, with about 26 million bags being reported missing. This was double the amount lost in 2021. After the pandemic, bag losses increased due to the increase in staffing shortages, which fueled the conditions for bags being delayed.

The most common cause for lost luggage is the mishandling of bags between connecting flights. The more stops and connections a trip has, it is more likely bags will be lost. Other reasons include incorrect tagging at check in and damage to the label. The routing label can get damaged if it is oddly printed or gets ripped off, causing the staff to not realize what bag is messed up in a room full of them. When a passenger is checking in, attendants have typed in the wrong destination code, which causes the bag to be sent to a different airport than its intended destination. Human error can cause staff members to load luggage onto the wrong plane, but most of the time when this happens, staff realizes it and is able to reroute the luggage. After check in, luggage is sorted by flight and destination to

ensure that the bags get on the right plane.

The sorting of luggage is usually done by a robot or workers. What tends to happen is that humans don’t have enough time to move the bags onto the aircraft, and robots make mistakes when placing the bags in the wrong storage containers.

Travelers are trying to find solutions to combat the problems airlines are throwing at them. It has become way more common for travelers to put apple air tags or tile trackers on their luggage to make it easier to locate their belongings using Bluetooth.

If the situation were to come around where a traveler did lose his or her luggage, it is advised to file a claim immediately with the airline and keep in contact. According to the US Department of Transportation, airlines are required to compensate passengers for verifiable losses that occur from the delay. These fees would be received only once a bag was deemed officially lost.

In October, a Swiss Airlines plane arrived in Spain without any luggage on board.

Passengers were reported to be waiting for their luggage for over two hours, but their bags never came. After arrival, the staff still didn’t tell them where their bags were or why they were lost. Other examples inlcude IndiGo leaving 37 bags behind in Hyderabad and when LATAM sent a child’s bag to Uruguay.

The future is near in bag safety as airlines are working to provide a better success rate for fliers in 2024.

Irrational fearmongering against GMOs falls flat in face of truth CAROLINE JOHNSON Staff Writer In a world where health is often prioritized and people have become selective about the quality of ingredients that make up the products they buy, genetically modified produce is often replaced by organic produce in grocery stores. While the natural looking packaging and ‘organic’ labels make the non-GMO produce look much more appealing, there are no reasons that make organic produce any better than fruits and vegetables that contain GMOs. By definition, genetically modified (or bioengineered) foods are made from organisms that have had changes made to their DNA. Although the description appears daunting, most genetically modified foods are only edited in order to continue being available to customers looking to purchase the food. For fruits like bananas, their long history involves varieties going extinct, leading to worries of the same tragedy occurring for other types of the organism.

Prior to the 1950s, most people purchased and ate Gros Michel bananas. Unfortunately, a soil fungus that causes Panama disease swept through crops, causing the bananas to no longer be viable for sale.

After this event occurred in the late 1950s, the Cavendish banana took its spot as the main variety exported, remaining that way to present day. More recently, after a second type of the Panama disease threatened the Cavendish banana crops and their multibillion-dollar industry, scientists solved the problem by genetically modifying the fruit. After the bioengineering, genes in the bananas are able to produce fungusfighting proteins that defend the plant from threatening fungi. Additionally, a second method of genetic modification that was able to protect Cavendish bananas was put into place. Proteins from fruits that are resistant to the Panama fungus were injected into the genome of Cavendish bananas, al-

lowing them to fight off the virus. That process creates something called a transgenic fruit. This procedure has created many common fruits, such as varieties of apples, potatoes, squash, and pineapple. Without bioengineering, species could have gone extinct, leading to many of the fruits and vegetables usually seen in stores being unavailable.

While there is evidence that backs up the claim that GMOs in produce are not harmful, such as a study done by Purdue University that stated that there has never been data indicating that the consumption of GMOs is bad for human health, many argue that genetically modified ingredients can cause allergies and cancer and negatively impact the environment. However, the FDA has disproved these, even going so far as to say that genetically modified produce often has more health benefits than organic produce. Even if the proof that GMO produce isn’t harmful doesn’t sway the stance of those who prefer organic produce, the drastic difference in price points obviously favors bioengineered fruits and vegetables. Organic produce can cost up to 50% more than produce containing GMOs. In a typical grocery store in Texas, a pound of organic strawberries costs around $5.70 (or $0.36 per ounce) and a pound of GMO strawberries costs about $4.14 (or $0.26 per ounce). While the difference in price may not seem dramatic, the money adds up. It is apparent that these additional costs are far too great in exchange for the perceived benefits of organic produce.

Although the world has made it seem like organic produce is a far superior option to genetically modified produce, GMOs have allowed beloved fruits and vegetables to avoid extinction and become the healthier option. Don’t waste money and time at the grocery store searching for organic produce, instead, consider turning to the bioengineered fruits and vegetables for a more reliable and cost-efficient choice.

US carries out strikes on Houthi rebels CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Copy Editor As the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to rage, the fighting has spread throughout the region. Most recently America has responded to Houthi strikes in the Red Sea with its own missile strikes on Houthi targets. This latest string of attacks demonstrates the complicated web of alliances that have dragged the entire region into Gaza’s conflict.

First, some context would help. The Houthis are a rebel group in Yemen founded in the early 2000s. Hussein al-Houthi was a religious leader who began attracting Yemenis to his doctrine. Ideologically, they are quite vague, and aside from anti-Western and Islamism, they vary a great deal.

Nevertheless, they have demonstrated a restrictive view on expression and women’s rights and have forced the small remaining Yemeni Jewish community to flee.

The Yemeni government’s failure to combat Al-Qaeda and resolve corruption created an environment for the Houthis to sweep into the capital and take power. After President Hadi came under attack from rebels, he escaped to Aden and then to Saudi Arabia. Yemen remains divided between Houthis and pro-government forces.

It is useful to understand Yemen’s civil war as part of a broader cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia over influence in the Middle East. In the case of Yemen, Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government, while Iran supports the rebel Houthis. The Houthis, Iran and Hezbollah make up what is known as the “Axis of Resistance” that opposes America, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Saudi Arabia has intervened to support their ally against the Iranian proxies through air strikes. This intervention is quite controversial for the indiscriminate nature of the bombings, often targeting civilian infrastructure, and has been instrumental in creating one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.

America is a traditional ally of Saudi Arabia and supported the Saudis’ intervention. This time, however, the recent string of attacks is closely tied to Iran’s national interests. Hamas’ attack on October 7 has been speculated to be a part of an Iranian plan to alienate Israel from its Arab neighbors to prevent an alliance between them and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis signaled their support soon after by firing missiles at Israel. These missiles were shot down by Israel before reaching their targets, including via aerospace rockets, notably making this attack the first case of space warfare.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean; this is a chokepoint through which ships must travel between between Europe and Asia. The Houthi government attacked and hijacked ships there to pressure states away from supporting Israel.

However, the Houthis’ attack has only served to provoke the United States. As part of a broader regional escalation of the Gaza War, President Biden authorized air strikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen. So far, the attacks have been relatively small scale and only limited Houthi capabilities, but as the region continues to heat up with bombings across Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, as well as pressure Israel, time will only tell how far America will get entangled in this war.

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

The Knight Times Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450 713-512-3400 Head of School Mr. Ned Smith Associate Heads of School The Rev. Tyler Montgomery Mrs. Evelyn Cambria Principal Mr. Antonio Avalos Dean of Arts Mr. Paul Revaz Visual Arts Chair Mrs. Kate Philbrick Publications Coordinator Mr. David Framel Editors-in-Chief Morgan Herod Jalynn Woolley Managing Editor Clara Crenshaw Production Editor Julia Sherman Copy Editor Campbell Richardson Opinions Editor Anya Pant Sports Editor Thompson White Staff Writers Izzie Song Alex Gonzales Liz Burke Simona Karnani Angelina Fertitta Caroline Johnson Vanessa Reed Porter Miller Photojournalism Instructor Mr. Japheth Storlie Photojournalism Editors Vivian Turbidy Jules Weinstein Photographers Avalon Bell Libby Davis McKenna Foteh Emma Freeman Kennedy Greene Kate Malta Morgan Maxwell Sophia Shin Sloane Wallace

The Knight Times is a product of students in the Episcopal High School newspaper class, who are solely responsible for its creation and editorial content. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the Episcopal Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff. Published ten times a year, The Knight Times is a non-profit educational tool. The staff encourages the submission of letters, editorials, and story ideas from the community, but reserves the right to edit and/or use said articles.

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

Sports

Sports ∙ Page 7

Boys basketball fights through adversity in SPC divisional matches THOMPSON WHITE Sports Editor On an nine-game win streak, the Episcopal Knights boys basketball team is on track for a successful season and a deep run in SPC. The Knights are currently 20-7 after beating St. Andrews 70-42 and St. Stephens 78-39 to mark the end of their regular season matches.

The regular season was successful; however, senior manager Nick Gebhard remarks that “there were four close games against worthy opponents (St. Francis 50-49, Argyle 65-61, Dawson 69-64, and Lamar 67-61) that [the Knights] lost…It still keeps [him] up at night.”

These losses seem to have struck the right nerve for the Knights. Afterward, the team has shown determination to finish close games, beating Jordan 66-64 and Manor 74-71 in tight situations.

On January 16, the Knights started their SPC divisional season. These matches are the sole determinant of the standings for the SPC tournament.

Reigning team MVP Justin Begg said, “There is no doubt that EHS will ride this momentum into SPC competition.”

He proved it with a 76-33 win against Awty International. In a poor performance to the SJS mavericks, the knights lost 5871. The team hopes to bounce back and play Kinkaid on 1/23.

Swim team dives into 2024 CAROLINE JOHNSON Staff Writer The EHS swim program has high hopes for its 2024 season as the teams dive into the upcoming year. New to the team, a notably high number of freshmen swimmers have joined veteran members this season. These additions to the program should help EHS score victories at the meets.

One of these ninth graders, Ryan Lyda, said, “I really like swimming because it can be an individual sport, or it can also be a sport you can do with other people.

You get really close with the people on the team, and you can form amazing bonds.

I have met so many great people through the school’s swim team, and I love swimming with them at practices and meets we

go to on weekends. My favorite events to swim at the meets are the relays because we get to work together as a team.”

These meets, which occur about every two weeks, allow students to exemplify the hard work they put in at practice. With a variety of events that allow students to compete as individuals or in groups, EHS swimmers can face off against other great swim programs from local schools, such as fierce competitors from Duchesne and St. John’s. While not many meets have taken place so far this season, Head Coach Max Peraza will continue to train the team in order to prepare for upcoming divisional competitions.

Overall, Episcopal’s swimmers have made great progress this year, and they have promising things in store for the future at all of their practices and competitions.

Grapplers continue to improve VANESSA REED Staff Writer Following a successful 2023 campaign, the wrestling team nears the Prep State Duals with confidence.

With the help of new head coach Chris Potter, longtime program assistance Tom Estus, and former Knights looking to help the team succeed, the wrestlers started the season strong. A high finish in last year’s SPC stands as mark for this group to surpass.

This year, the team’s goal is to improve every single day, not only in practice but in competition. Coach Potter’s hope is that individually, each wrestler becomes the best version of him or herself.

So far, the season has been a learning experience for everyone. The coaches are very proud of the attitudes and work ethic of the student-athletes, and each wrestler is embracing the program’s emphasis on positive attitudes and comradery. Although young, they are learning through experience and are consistently rising to the challenge. The team is preparing to dominate SPC through hard work and repetition, challenging themselves to not accept “mediocrity” but instead to develop a belief in themselves.

With seniors Hayes Dodson, Jimmy Guzman, and Thalia Vogelsang; returning seasoned veteran underclassmen; and the rest first or second year wrestlers, Coach Potter is encouraged about the years

Jakeel Registe dunks with authority against Houston Home School. Registe has been a key asset to the Knights’ success. Photo by Mr. Charles Holt.

The dream team is ready for SPC PORTER MILLER Staff Writer

O’Neal will be continuing her basketball career with the Florida Gators.

Girls basketball has started the season on a winning note, playing hard and striving for success – along with some amazing comebacks.

With SPC season underway, Head Coach Chelsea Bass and her assistants Mike Kramer, Hannah Schaible, and Chief Achilefu are working hard to keep the girls in line and stronger than ever. New to the team and the only freshman on the roster, Rylee Poindexter is making her presence felt with motivation and skill.

During practice, the girls are working to perfect their defense, getting ready for the last of the regular season schedule, including the SPC championship, and hyping each other up to bring in positivity during this crucial time of the season.

Recently, the Knights opened up the SPC schedule with a victory over St. Stephen’s 55-28.

Seniors Me’Arah O’Neal, Emrie Holt, Ava Grove, and Daphne Melton are approaching their last few weeks on the court but will finish stronger than ever.

Junior Chloe Hollis drives to the hoop against the West Brook Bruins. Hollis has battled injury and continues to dominate. Photo by Mr. Charles Holt.

Youthful team has one goal in mind PORTER MILLER Staff Writer Girls soccer is continuing a great season with five wins, five ties, and no losses.

With SPC games beginning, the girls have impressed with noteworthy game performances, namely a big 5-4 comeback win against Lake Travis High School and big victories over Duchesne 8-0 and St. Andrew’s 11-0.

Head Coach Rachel Stelter is doing an amazing job keeping the girls in shape and

ready to dominate for their next games.

Each practice, the girls work with an obvious motivation while perfecting their impressive skills.

Four seniors are about to depart from the Episcopal soccer program, including Jalynn Woolley, Lizzy Randall, Blake Olivier, and Hania Kusinski. College commitments to continue playing have already been announced for half the group. Olivier will be attending TCU in Fort Worth, and Hania Kusinski will soon be attending Stevens in New York.

Boys kick off year with big wins VANESSA REED Staff Writer

Zach Berlin prepares to pin his opponent. Berlin is a three-year varsity member and continues to showcase his expertise on the mat. Photo by Sloane Wallace.

After ending last year with an SPC Championship after dominating zone play, the Episcopal boys soccer team is starting off the new year strong.

With a new season, the goals remain the same as the team competes for an SPC title. According to Coach Travis Smith, they have a strong chance this year to be in the mix again.

Each week presents a different set of challenges depending on several factors,

such as weather and opponents, but the team recognizes that all of it helps them improve and ensures growth. This year, the teams’ greatest strengths are balance and cohesiveness. Although they are young overall, with eleven seniors having graduated last year, they work well as a team and are motivated to improve every single day.

With SPC around the corner, the team is preparing to make it to the championship by being better every game and turning their attention to the conference tournament once they get there.

Knight Shift∙ Page 8

The Knight Times ∙ January 2024

Speaks Out “What is the number one item on your bucket list?”

Prints Charming

Cartoon by Izzie Song.

ELIZABETH BRANTLEY “Go to outer space”

SEBASTIAN GUERRA “Win an SPC title”

KENDAL THOMPSON “Skydiving”

TRIP SULTON “Volcano diving”

PhotoJ Photo of the Month

As a part of Interim Term, a group of Episcopal students traveled to Spain and Portugal. They visited Lisbon in Portugal and Seville, Cordoba, Evora, and Granada in Spain. Pictured above is the group at the UNESCO world heritage site of Evora, one of the many sites they visited in Spain. The trip took place from January 4-12.

Photo by Ms. Stephanie Colson.

KEELY CARR “Meet Taylor Swift”

DREW NOBEL “Go parasailing”

EMMA DABNEY “Backpacking with my friends”

ALEX AMELIO “Skydive”

MS. HERNANDEZ “Walk the Pacific Crest Trail”

MR. DECKER “Go to the Ryder Cup”

Celebrity Sighting

If you’ve recently taken a trip to the movie theatre, you may have seen “The Boys in the Boat,” starring British actor Callum Turner. His blonde hair and facial features bear a striking resemblance to Episcopal’s own senior, Josh Horn. When EHS students entered the cinema to see Turner’s familiar jawline and tousled haircut while he portrayed a young rower during the Great Depression, it was almost as if their classmate was on the screen before them. Although he denies starring in the film, the resemblance between Horn and Turner is too uncanny to deny.

Besides their appearances, both exhibit a love for sports, with Turner portraying many athletes during his acting career.

Likewise, Josh is a dedicated multi-sport athlete, competing on EHS’s varsity boys volleyball team this past season. As the facts are too apparent, it seems as if it was actually an EHS student starring in all of those films. Even though he currently has no acting credits, if Josh is spotted on a Hollywood set one day like Callum Turner, don’t be surprised. Until then, if you see him in the hallway, don’t hesitate to say “Hi” to our local movie star.