Entertainment

F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay

Where are all the shoes? I feel like I can’t find any cool new shoes. I need to buy some new shoes, but when I was looking, I felt like everything looked the same. Where’s the creativity? Where’s the originality? Shoes are an important part of selfexpression, and as a consumer, I feel there’s a lack of fresh releases. Shoes can be culture drivers, and right now there isn’t really one shoe that’s dominating the shoe community. Other than your standard Yeezy or Jordan, there isn’t any one shoe that’s outdoing all the others. Although, a trend I’ve been seeing lately is that more teens are starting to buy loafers and dressy shoes to style themselves. It’s definitely an acquired taste and can’t just be thrown on with any fit; there needs to be a working vision. I’ve been loving Converse lately. The high-top silhouette is chef’s kiss and goes with almost any fit you can think of. They are the epitome of casual, but you can always dress them up or experiment with them. I can’t jump on the platform Converse wave; they’re just not doing it for me. They’re too chunky and to me there’s something really middle school about them, but the classic Chuck Taylor will do it every time. Other than Yeezy, Jordan, and Converse, I don’t really see any new shoes that are wowing me. But that also leaves room for underground companies to make their debut with the fashion world lacking right now. So, it’s a time for anticipation and perhaps excitement for shoe connoisseurs.

The ever-popular green Converse. Image courtesy of pintrest.com.

A pair of white Yeezys for sale. Image courtesy of sneakerfreaker.com.

Colle e Know¿ede ¿ with Mark-Anthony Mey

Hi, my name is Mark-Anthony Mey and welcome to College Knowledge. I started this column in The Knight Times to give students a small insight into prospective colleges in order to help when applying as seniors. While not a heavily-detailed guide, I hope these informative pieces will help those looking for a little more knowledge about college. The University of Texas

The University of Texas at Austin is large public university of over 50,000 students. Located in Austin, Texas, UT is home to an amazing scene of diverse food and music that the students love to take advantage of. Within the university, over 1,100 student organizations are offered, in addition to the very popular Greek life scene. Another aspect of UT that is very popular among students is football. As a member of the Big 12, the Saturday games are large attractions that draw crowds from all over the state to tailgate and support the Longhorns. On the academic side of things, UT has 13 different colleges and over 170 undergraduate majors. The most popular of these include Biology, Informational Science and Liberal Arts and Humanities among others. Additionally, UT has an uncommon smaller student-teacher ratio of 13:1, which is very helpful for students to better connect with their teachers. Regarding admission, being a Texas school UT automatically admits students in the top 6% of their class and is has an overall admit rate of about 32%. Starting for the 2022 admission season, you can now apply on Common App in addition to the Texas school exclusive website, ApplyTexas. Hook ‘Em!

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M is a large public university located in College Station, Texas. Founded in 1876, A&M has now amassed over 70,000 students throughout the 5,200-acre campus. The university has a wide array of student activities, including a small Greek life and military program called the Core of Cadets. Athletically, A&M is home to 20 NCAA Division 1A varsity sports. Included in this is a robust football program, which offers students a fun community-wide experience as part of the SEC. TAMU offers 133+ undergraduate degree programs between 17 different colleges. The most popular majors are Liberal Arts and Humanities, Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medicine, and Psychology. A&M also has two branch campuses in Galveston, Texas and Doha, Qatar, which both offer unique research and learning opportunities. Finally, if you are applying in Texas, you can be granted automatic admission if you are in the top 10% of your class. This does not apply to engineering majors, as those applicants must undergo the same holistic review process as other regular decision applicants. Like UT, you can now apply on Common App in addition to the Texas school only website, ApplyTexas. Gig ‘em!

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS

Staff Writer Este es un tema delicado para mí personalmente. Cerca de 7 millones de venezolanos han dejado su hogar desde 2014 debido a una crisis económica. Muchos han huido al resto de América Latina y el Caribe. La migración se desaceleró a medida de la pandemia de Covid. La pandemia redujo las oportunidades económicas y complicó los viajes. En este momento, unos 150,000 venezolanos regresaron a su hogar en el pico del coronavirus, pero la migración vuelve a subir. Columbia informó que cerca de 650,000 venezolanas ingresaron a sus fronteras entre noviembre de 2021 y agosto de 2022. ¡Eso es aproximadamente 370 millas de caminata! 50% de los migrantes se van por falta de empleo y bajos salarios. 40% afirmaron que es difícil conseguir alimentos básicos como la harina y el arroz. Venezuela sigue teniendo inflación alta y pobreza extrema, incluyendo la falta de agua limpia y electricidad, todos los días en todas partes del país. This topic hits a little closer to homefor me. Around 7 million Venezuelans have left their home since 2014 due to an economic crisis. Many have fled to the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. The migration slowed down as the Covid pandemic cut economic opportunities and complicated travel. At this time, about 150,000 Venezuelans returned to their home at the peak of the coronavirus, but

Your Language Corner

Citizens face economic crisis in Venezuela. Photo courtesy of Venezela Anaylsis.

the migration is on the rise again. Columbia reported that about 650,000 Venezuelans entered their borders between November of 2021 and August of 2022. That is about 370 miles of walking! In present day, about half of the migrants leave due to lack of employment and low salaries. About 40% stated they had difficulties obtaining even the most basic foods like flour and rice. Venezuela continues to have one of the world’s highest inflation rates and sees extreme poverty, including a lack of clean water and electricity, everyday across every part of the country.

Slice of π

Hello, Everyone! This is Bella, secretary of the Math Club. We hope everyone has had a strong start to the year and are enjoying math. We had our first Math Club meeting on Wednesday October 5, and loved seeing all of the math enthusiasts! If you missed signing up for Math Club at the Club Fair, it is never too late to join and become a member. Just contact me via email or Teams, and I can add you to our CANVAS page. We will also have our Mu Alpha Theta induction ceremony on Monday, October 24, in the Alumni Room. With parents in attendance, we will induct 32 new members and have a total of 51 members this year. Our next Math Club meeting is Wednesday November 2, after school in Anderson Lecture Hall. Also, mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 30, when we will host our schoolwide Post Fibonacci Day Celebration. This is an event not to be missed! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ehsmathclub. Also, look at the TVs around campus for up-to-date details and updates on of all of our activities. We have guest speakers and lot of competitions in the near future.

Raigan’s Radio

Kanye West at an award show, Drake’s album entitled “More Life”, and Tyler, The Creator’s album “Igor”. Photo courtesy of bbc.com and en.wikipedia.org.

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey inspires the world of film

ALEX GONZALES

Staff Writer

2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick's magnum opus, has immeasurably influenced the medium of film but also has served as a benchmark for what a film is capable of portraying. 2001: A Space Odyssey breaks the shackles from its epoch and transcends its zeitgeist. The film's trademark is its experiential and avant-garde nature; this is because there is no film like it, and like consuming most avant-garde works, the film is an experience. The plot centers around the discovery of an alien-like monolith, from primeval to technologically advanced stages of humanity, along with the fascinating dynamic of technology vs. humanity as a subplot. The opening scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey begins with an ascension over a planet, gazing into the distance at a star, while Also Sprach Zarathustra plays in the background, a grandiose entrance, to be mild. The subsequent scenes depict humanity from its primitive stage to the development of space travel. These beginning scenes are significant because they portray the central theory of the film itself; this is the film's genius, deriving from its ability to convey simplicity into complexity. The scenes mentioned are simple and bare, but they assemble the beginning of the movie in such a way that flawlessly expresses the phases of humankind. In addition to the unique nature of the film, the special effects in the movie are revolutionary and incomprehensibly precocious; this aids in the mesmerizing nature of the movie and the utter ineffability of this film.

Artists utilize nostalgia through sampling sounds of the past

RAIGAN CLAY Features Editor

Let’s talk about nostalgia. For some reason a lot of young artists prevalent today are obsessed with the sounds of the past. I think they’re trying to recreate a feeling through music. One of the main ways nostalgia shines through is the use of sampling. For example, Kanye West’s song “Bound 2” from his project Yeezus uses a sample throughout that is the underlining of the song. The sample makes that song and arguably wouldn’t be as popular without it. The sample originally comes from the song “Bound” by Ponderosa Twins Plus One (which is a great song by the way). Tyler, The Creator uses this same sample but pitches it higher in “A Boy is a Gun” from his project Igor. But it’s funny in a way. Tyler’s cadence and the structure of the song sounds similar to Kanye’s “Bound 2.” The use of that sample is amazing and goes to show how you can mix an old sound and put a new take on it. A friend once asked me if I liked “Bound 2” or “A Boy is a Gun” better because she knew I liked both Kanye and Tyler, but that’s not the point. My answer was “A Boy is a Gun,” but I said that I felt like there can’t be a “A Boy is a Gun” if there was no “Bound 2” first. It’s one of those things where people say Michael Jordan walked so Lebron could run. [Just an example…] Tyler accurately captured the feeling of the original sample and “Bound 2,” and he made it his own. Drake also does this with his song “Passionfruit” from his project More Life [my favorite Drake album]. Drake was inspired on this song by Michael Franks’ 1983 album Passionfruit. While Drake didn’t sample anything from “Passionfruit,” you can tell when comparing the album and the song that Drake tries to capture the airy and experimental feel of Michael Franks’ work. It’s an interesting trend in music; artists are always longing for the past. I feel it shows artists’ love for the art of music and appreciation for what’s come before them.

Psychological thriller The Silent Patient is a hair-raising must-read

ALYSSA WALL

Staff Writer

The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides, is a psychological thriller novel that is considered “unforgettable” by Entertainment Weekly. The antagonist, Alicia Berenson, is accused of murdering her husband, then slits her wrists. Throughout her trial, she remains silent and, as her sanity is called into question, is sentenced to be locked away in an asylum called the Grove, located in North London. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, has dreamt of the opportunity to work with Alicia and solve her case. He is finally awarded this opportunity and attempts to motivate her to communicate in some way, such as through her artwork. While institutionalized, she paints a haunt-

ing self portrait. This causes a catalyst of vicious attacks and outbursts, shocking twists and turns, and an ending that will leave you “gasping for breath,” as some reviewers stated. The Silent Patient explores the psychology behind several disorders, guilt, and betrayal. Throughout the novel, the author references “Alcestis,” a similar story of a Greek goddess sent to death in Hades in her husband’s place despite her innocence, who refuses to speak again due to her husband’s betrayal. This Greek myth helps the reader to understand why Alicia chooses to remain mute, as she too is a victim of immense betrayal and deceit. As Crimebythebook.com states, The Silent Patient is “immersive and hypnotic” … and “may well be the debut crime novel of the season.” This is a great book to add to your reading list and is guaranteed to keep you up at night. Breathtaking Broadway musicals Funny Girl and Six take the stage

CLARA CRENSHAW

Staff Writer

A new age of modern musicals is quickly taking over Broadway. I saw Funny Girl and Six, and contrary to popular opinion, I’m partial to the classics. Although Six was terrific, it didn’t have the same ambiance as traditional musicals have, and felt more like a concert than a play. Don’t get me wrong, the singing was incredible, but the script was weak and didn’t give the actors much room for sophisticated acting. The only song that evoked emotion in me was “Heart of Stone,” and most other parts of the musical, although entertaining, weren’t very emotionally compelling. The soundtrack, with a modern pop undertone, sounded more like something I would hear on the radio than a musical. Despite the unorthodox genre of the music, the actors in Six had some of the best voices I’ve heard on Broadway. The actors were all unique and brought a different energy to the stage, which is crucial when the cast is only six people. Regardless of my longing for a more in-depth script, I thought Six was highly entertaining, and I would definitely see it again.

Funny Girl, contrastingly, is the epidemy of a traditional musical. It had the beautiful costumes, rigorous dance numbers, and emotional scenes that people associate with Broadway shows. Funny Girl was originally on Broadway in 1964 and starred Barbra Streisand. The showstopping number, “Don’t Rain on my Parade,” is thought to be explicitly written for Barbra. Although it’s impossible to recreate the unique talent that Streisand possessed, I thought Julie Benko (playing Fanny Brice) did a fantastic job and brought a unique perspective to the role. Although it wasn’t recreated perfectly, I loved Funny Girl and appreciate the traditional yet adored features it possessed.

SENIOR BREAKFAST + BLESSING

As a commemoration to the seniors and all the hard work they have done over the years, EHS started the tradition of Senior Breakfast and Senior Blessing. Senior Blessing started for the very first graduating class of Episcopal in 1987. This is one of the oldest traditions at Episcopal still happening to this day. In the early years of the ceremony, rings were blessed and given to the students. More recently they have started letting students bring any object that they want blessed. These items usually hold some significance to the student. As for Senior Breakfast, it was started in 2005 by Mr. John Colello. It is an EHS tradition which serves as a final welcome back for the seniors. The first breakfast started on the first Friday of school. This tradition is just something special for the seniors who will be leaving.

Homecoming king and queen are crowned.

EHS traditions through the years

SENIOR STYLE SHOW

Senior Style Show has been a way to celebrate the graduating class since its premiere in 1988. In this event, both male and female seniors walk across the runway with their classmates and model outfits from various department stores around Houston. With professional styling teams, hair, and makeup, each student looks his or her best and has the opportunity to have some fun. During this event, the graduating class walks a sixty-foot runway in groups, and later, in the grand finale, each student is introduced and admired for his or her high school accomplishments. Although the allure of dressing up and walking down a runway does attract many students, the Style Show additionally allows the community to celebrate the seniors’ last year of high school and all that each student has achieved as a member of the Episcopal community. Because of its exciting, celebratory nature, this tradition has stood the test of time over more than three decades and still serves as an enjoyable event that students look forward to for years.

Seniors strut their stuff at the 1999 style show.

THE CHALLENGER GAMES

The Challenger games, football and basketball events for people with special needs, have been a beloved tradition in the EHS community since 2009. An active member of Students of Service and lacrosse player Andy Hale ‘09, and his mother, Barbra, proposed the idea of hosting and planning Challenger games to Mr. Mike Donnelly in 2009, and the EHS community happily obliged. The games have occurred ever since and have grown to be a loved and anticipated in the Episcopal community. Andy’s brother, Brian, and many others have returned yearly to participate in the games. Coach Donnelly said, “We are thrilled that they want to continue playing and that we get to see them.” The cheerleaders, basketball players, and football players look forward to getting to know the Challenger players and cheering them on throughout the game. The tradition will continue September 14 at 6 p.m. with the football Challenger game.

MIDTERM DESTRESS EHS CHRISTMAS MAGIC

Midterms are a stressful time for everyone. It can be hard for students to get their minds off work when there is so much pressure to perform well. To try to combat the pressure that students are under, the EHS Student Council started the Midterm Destress Week. Their goal for this week is to try to make campus as comfortable as possible and make people feel more at ease. Some of the events were watching movies during lunch, having music play during break, and sidewalk decorating. All of these events were very well received, but the most popular event among the students was the therapy dogs. These therapy/comfort dogs are there for the students to pet and play with to try to get their minds at ease. So far, the Episcopal community has enjoyed these events. With this positive feedback, Student Council plans to keep this tradition going for many more years to come. Many years ago, it was Julia Hall, a former choir director at Episcopal High School, who was the first to make the call to Santa and his elf. Ever since, it has been tradition for Santa and his elf to make appearances around EHS at Christmastime, but their presence is especially recognized at the annual Christmas Sing-Along Chapel. Over many years, Santa’s identity has remained the same at EHS, and only the elf has changed from time to time. Interestingly enough, in more recent years, Santa has borne a striking resemblance to beloved physics teacher Mr. John Flanagan, and his elf to Mr. Eric Avera. Of course, it must all be a great coincidence. Students at EHS are familiar with the spirited Gong Squad, a group of senior boys that set the example for student body spirit in the student section. Knights may wonder, though, how the squad came to be. The Gong Squad was started in 1993 by a teacher whose son was a student. It started with this teacher hitting cymbals together during lacrosse games. Mr. John Colello said, “When we would score a goal, she would bang the cymbals the number of goals scored. If it was the eighteenth goal, she would hit them eighteen times.” Soon after her son graduated, she stopped going to the games to cheer on sports teams. As the celebration gained popularity, students became more involved with the idea of continuing it. A group of seniors went to Colello and asked if they could continue this tradition, but with a gong, at football games. The election of new squad members used to be senior boys choosing junior boys, but now they are elected by faculty in a Q&A style format. This started the tradition of new Gong Squad members every year, Knights known for the spirit and positive enthusiasm they bring to sporting events.

Coffee House is a biannual school-wide event in November and April that brings together the EHS community in the USC through creativity and performance. Beginning in the late 1990’s, Coffee House has been a long-lived tradition that is much loved by students, faculty, and staff alike. Despite its temporary shut down during the pandemic, the event returned last fall with anticipation. The fall and spring occurrences of Coffee House last year were big successes and included performances ranging from graduate Jack Rambo’s “Tequila” to a dance by Madame McArthur’s French III class. This upcoming year, the signature coffee half of the event is looking to return, brought to EHS by A 2nd Cup. This small coffee shop in the Heights, co-owned by Mark and Erica Raggett, not only has amazing brews, but has also worked to bring awareness to human trafficking and helping victims rekindle their lives. During Coffee House of Fall 2019, EHS raised a combined $1,500 from coffee and t-shirts to contribute to this cause. The EHS community looks forward to bringing back Coffee House in full swing this year and continuing to perform and advocate for many years to come.

GONG SQUAD

COFFEE HOUSE BREAK COOKIES

Three senior girls take to the stage at the 1994 senior style show.

GUESS WHO!

faculty/staff edition

Break cookies have been a longstanding and well-beloved tradition at EHS for nearly three decades. Starting in the early nineties, the cookies were originally served to students during lunch alongside break period. This continued until 2014 when the cookies switched over to the morning-only treats students know today. They have since served as a staple of EHS life and a treat to expect after Chapel. Having long been made from Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookie dough, this traditional aspect of the goods has stayed strong since their origin. The few months during which Otis Spunkmeyer’s recipe was not used were short lived, as students were quick to push for the old-fashioned through boycotts. “[The cookies] add another outstanding tradition,” said Executive Chef John Ly, “something the kids look forward to everyday.” The iconic break snacks have long been served by EHS mothers and continue to add a layer of joy throughout campus life.

house in 2011. A student plays drums at coffee -

FAMILY CHAPEL

Every day, the EHS community joins together in the Chapel to worship. However, when Covid-19 hit in 2020, the idea to try Chapel in advisory was proposed. Two years later, Family Chapel is a coveted, student-led tradition at EHS. The program was designed in hopes of creating a “more intimate, participatory model for Chapel,” said Reverend Art Callaham. Family Chapel gives those who feel “lost” in large-group worship settings the ability to study and pray in a smaller group. Another goal of the program was to provide more leadership positions for the student body. This year, the number of leaders has reached up to 250 people. Family Chapel allows students to share leadership. In many advisories, the roles rotate among the group every week. It also grows relationships between advisees. It is a true testament of how talking and praying with peers can form such a strong sense of trust