The Knight Times / October 2022 Issue 3

THE KNIGHT TIMES

Students of Service plan projects for NovemberEHS community comes together

honor founders

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

Founders Day Chapel is a time when the EHS community comes to gether to honor the men and women who founded Episcopal High School.

Many founders attended this year’s service. The Reverend Laurens A. Hall, a founder and Life Trustee, delivered a compelling sermon about the founding of Episcopal High School. His children and grandchildren attended EHS, and he is very proud to be a part of the community. He spoke about the struggles and hardships the founders had to endure and overcome while founding EHS. Despite all the people push ing back on the founders’ dream of an Epis copal school in Houston, they were able to successfully create an amazing school.

In the late 70s, Bishop Benitez decided he wanted to start an Episcopal school in the Houston area. He began looking for loca tions and came across the old Marion Chris tian High School, which would later be come EHS. He bought a part of the property in 1983, and soon after began the remodel ing process. The location where the Chapel would be built was purchased soon after.

Through the nationwide search to find a Founding Headmaster, Reverend Dr. Jess Borg was chosen and hired in 1983. The first Opening Day was on August 14, 1986, and commenced with a flag raising cer emony. All the faculty, staff, and students gathered around the flag poles in the front of the school, which was Furnace Avenue at the time, as the United States, Texas, and Episcopal Church flags were raised.

ALYSSA WALL Staff Writer

“SOS, or Students of Service, is a school-wide

organization which aims to provide relief to many different areas of need in Houston. Some areas of need include hunger, homelessness, education, the environment, elderly care, and health. Each student, when becoming part of the Episcopal High School community, is automatically made a member of this organization.”

more about SOS projects

Page 3

Freshmen experience class retreat to Camp Allen

On October 12, the Freshman Class at tended the annual retreat to Camp Allen. A landmark in the Episcopal experience, Freshman Retreat provides an opportunity for new students to form bonds with their classmates and learn more about their peers.

Camp Allen has long been the place to go for retreats, offering a variety of activi ties, expansive grounds, and verdant scen ery. Alongside these enjoyable options, the Class of 2026 spent the day cycling to dif ferent stations with their advisories. Among the many notable activities, they wrote let ters to their future, senior selves to one day read and look back on who they were at the beginning of their high school careers.

They faced a high ropes courses and sped down zip lines before spending free time mingling out on the grounds. A les son with Reverend Callahan was also of fered during which they explored both their religion and spirituality within their groups. The advisory groups would go on to participate in icebreaker games.

The aim of the day was to foster com munity among the freshmen, while also allowing for an enjoyable experience.

“My favorite part was doing the ropes course,” said freshman Anya Pant, “and getting to know my advisory. The Get-toKnow-You games helped me learn more about their personal lives.”

Every Episcopal student has been through their complicated first year at a new school,

so this opportunity to better connect with fellow freshmen was beneficial. Despite the exhaustion and awkwardness a retreat like this may bring, the experience was shared among all, physically challenging them and creating connections that will carry them through high school.

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

SOS offers students ways to give back to their community

Freshmen Rodney Thomas, Miles Young, and Sela Provenzano gather with their advisory to play Get-to-Know-You games. Photo by Mya Broughton.

Volunteers Valentina Morales, Mary Wareing, Julia Bragg, Vivian Turbidy, and Sarah Margaret Hill help package kids meals. Photo by Alyssa Wall.

Junior Maddox Miner embraces the creativity of photography

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

In the Episcopal Arts Pillar, junior Mad dox Miner shows his creativity through photographic inspiration.

Miner has been in Mrs. Kate Philbrick’s photography classes since freshman year, moving from beginning photo to advanced photo. At the beginning of the school year, Miner spoke to a class about how to become a stronger, more creative pho tographer and how to create photos with more meaning. With the motivation and kindness Miner possesses, he has accom plished his own form of photography and helped his peers in improving their craft. Mrs. Philbrick said that “Maddox is an instinctive photographer; he has the tenacity to find the frame he’s previsual ized through shooting and reshooting if he feels something is not working. He takes pictures outside of class that are not for an assignment because he enjoys the process of making images. He has a good grasp of the software needed in Advanced Photog

Lessons in

OSCAR UMANA Guest Writer/ EHS Spiritual Life Board

When people think about gratitude, they often turn their attention to the successes and overall good that encompasses their life. However, during busy days, it is easy to disregard all the little things that contribute to our livelihood. Dealing with the constant pressures of tests, home work, responsibilities of extracurriculars, and even college applications, we may forget the subtle act of simply appreciat ing. From personal experience, when I am overwhelmed with schoolwork and responsibilities, I tend to always complain and look at the negative. I never take the time to appreciate the tough circumstance itself, nor all the other good things that are happening in my life. This, however, is

raphy and has helped the other students when they’re stuck and while I’m helping someone else.

“Maddox has been in three of my photo classes and he has developed his own aesthetic, which is rare for a high school student. It’s wonderful to see the progress he’s made since his freshman year!”

Mrs. Philbrick has clearly inspired Miner in his success in photography in and outside of Episcopal. Miner said, “I love photography because there are end less possibilities when you put a camera in your hand. With your camera you are capable of capturing a portrait of a friend, a beautiful landscape with wildlife, or you can even create an alternate dimension. However, my favorite part of photography is that no two people see photos the same way. Without a backstory provided, every body creates hir or her own mental story when they view a photo.”

Using photography as a way of express ing himself, Miner takes photos with meaning, causing viewers to think more deeply when considering his art.

Forum offers parents a place to learn about high risk behaviors

MARK-ANTHONY MAY Staff Writter

toms of high-risk behaviors and how to handle such signs if detected.

not the healthy or correct mindset to have.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are told that God’s will is for us to be thankful. Even though all circumstances may NOT be a part of God’s will, we should still be thankful in ALL circumstances because God’s will is for us to be thankful. I en courage us to take a small moment out of our day to step back and value all of God’s countless blessings. Let us not permit the trials and tribulations in our lives to take over. Instead, treat these bumps along the road like another blessing. A practice that I have found to be very beneficial is grati tude journaling, which was introduced to me in Coach Fox’s war fiction class. It has now become a big part of my routine. I encourage you to fit this into your routine too, as it is one of many ways how we can practice gratitude.

In November, there will be two forums put on by the EHS Choices Commit tee that parents can attend to learn about certain topics.

On November 2, parents can hear all about “High Risk Behaviors: Video Gam ing, Gambling, and Technology,” and on November 16, a talk about “Navigating the Holidays: Making it Meaningful and Managing Expectations” is available for those who wish to hear.

These forums provide a safe place where parents can learn about high-risk behaviors and how to better help their kids throughout their high school experience. It also allows parents to create communities among other guardians so they can better communicate with one another and have discussions about specific topics.

By attending these events, parents can gain knowledge about signs and symp

The head of the Choices Committee, Desiree Martinez, stated that learning about mental health is “crucial” because it can be “transformative in parents’ and adolescents’ lives.”

“If we can educate families and normal ize mental health, we can create a more open environment, where students feel especially loved and accepted. Those who engage in high-risk behaviors often face mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and many engage in these be haviors to regulate their emotions,” added Ms. Martinez, who hopes to provide alter nate solutions in managing stressors.

Ms. Martinez hopes that parents can “gain confidence” in being able to have conversations with their teenagers about high-risk activities. She also hopes that parents will be able to identify important signs in their kids and learn how to better support them.

Campus honor societies hold inductions of new members

MARK-ANTHONY MEY Staff Writer

As the new school year is in full swing, many of our honor societies across campus have jumped in with grand plans for the upcoming few months. With fun videos in the Club Fair by Quill and Scroll and the International Thespian Society, many look forward to the new opportuni ties offered by these groups. While not all societies have kicked off their programs quite yet, those that have displayed suc cessful starts with their inductions

The French Honor Society was the first

to begin the year with their September 7 induction of six new members. These students went on to help the officers and other French students in the all-school crêpe sale on September 30 as a part of EHS International Culture Week. This event was the first of many for the upcom ing school year that the honor society hopes to put on in collaboration with its associate organization, the French Club.

The Math Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, kicked off their year more recently with the conclusion of the Club Fair allowing for the first meeting of their prerequisite group, Math Club. They have also got the math competition season

started with Math Madness, a competition EHS has participated in for the past few years. They had their fall induction on Oc tober 24, bringing in many new members to be mad mathematicians.

The Spanish Honor Society launched with an induction September 28. The new members will join current members in ser vice opportunities throughout the upcom ing year within the dominantly Spanishspeaking community of Houston.

The National Honor Society has had a strong start to the year with their fall induction of qualifying seniors with help of the new 2022-23 leadership board. The group has also recently had their Octo

ber chapter meeting where all students participated in repacking toiletries such as toothpaste and shampoo for donation to The Beacon. This year, NHS hopes to continue to serve the community and build leadership at EHS with the help and support of its many new members.

The Quill and Scroll International Hon orary Society for High School Journalists is another of Episcopal’s chapter groups that works to promote leadership and student achievement. With their induction in the Spring, the group plans to work hard with its current members until then to promote and encourage journalistic and scholarly publication achievement.

In one of his exceptional photos, Miner captures the essence of his subject matter’s emotion and beauty. Photo by Maddox Miner.

Episcopal musicians perform at Hauntcert

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

Starting at 6:00 on the evening of October 25, Episcopal held its annual Hauntcert in Underwood Theater. A night featuring the band, orchestra, and choir, this concert will include a vari ety of music surrounding the month of October. This encapsulated well known Halloween tunes to songs from media or even “scary” sounding classical arrange ments. The music program worked hard to prepare and bring forward pieces such as “Thriller” and “Symphony No.5” by Beethoven. Along with music, Hauntcert featured a photobooth.

To make way for Halloween, and ac cording to the show’s theme, costumes were also encouraged. The event has been one of Episcopal’s long running traditions, steadily appearing for the last ten years and instituted even further back in time. It’s an entertaining event for the school community as well as a chance for the musical students and teachers to present, and to play, pieces not commonly seen throughout their typical assign ments.

Pop culture and classic tunes join together to create this truly unique experi ence through a multitude of sounds and

instruments. Pulling from scary classics such as Scooby-Doo, Hauntcert is sure to include well-loved pieces. Episcopal stu dent musicians performed, led by music coordinator Mr. Joe Beam. Choir students lended their voices for a distinctive take

on classics, with instrumentals from two other ensembles to accompany them.

An autumn trademark for Episcopal music, Hauntcert provides an opportunity for all to experience a spooky show this October.

SOS decides leadership for the year

ALYSSA WALL Staff Writer

SOS, or Students of Service, is a school-wide organization which aims to provide relief to many different areas of need in Houston. Some areas of need include hunger, homelessness, education, the environment, elderly care, and health.

Each student, when becoming part of the Episcopal High School community, is automatically made a member of this organization. Through an app called “Helper Helper,” students can access in formation about upcoming SOS projects, register for projects, and keep track of service hours. The SOS leadership team is comprised of many dedicated and engaged faculty sponsors, including Rev erend Holden, Ms. Weigand, Ms. Alcala, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Samson, and Mr. Don nelly. Additionally, the student leadership and cabinets are equally as devoted to the cause. Prime Minister Ava Toubassi and Deputy Prime Minister Layla Younis lead the student ministries in creating service events and promoting the program.

The Class of 2026 takes part in their freshman service project for the year

ANYA PANT Staff Writer

One of the focuses of an education at EHS is students performing service. It is a fundamental part of the Religion Pillar and is reinforced in the school’s mission statement which states, in part, “preparing for meaningful lives in service to others.”

Part of the EHS experience through the Pillar is freshman service, mandatory for every freshman. To get the credit for ser vice, students must complete at least one service project each semester through the Helper Helper app.

In past years, the freshmen have taken class trips to the Houston Food Bank to complete their service. More recently, EHS started service opportunities in smaller groups and at different places so that the freshmen can have a wider variety of service experiences. The sites where EHS offers service opportunities vary. EHS is partnered with organizations such as the Nehemiah Center, Houston Food Bank, Project Cure, and the Humane Soci ety to expose the freshmen to a wide range of service needs in Houston.

The SOS group targets the five cabinets of issues in Houston. These issues include hunger, homelessness, education, environ ment, and animal welfare.

The Ministry of Education, led by manager Nicole Wotring, is responsible for setting up service projects with the Nehemiah Center and other organizations which aim to work closely with children in school or after care programs. The Ministry of Hunger, led by Alyssa Wall, is committed to arranging events at the Houston Food Bank, Kids Meals, and even an upcoming Thanksgiving canned food drive to help in our community.

The Ministry of Homelessness, led by Mali Hogue, coordinates projects with organizations like the Beacon, which provide many homeless individuals in Houston with homemade meals, shower and laundry services, and other needs.

The Ministry of Environment, led by Thompson White, works closely with Buffalo Bayou and the Memorial Park Conservancy to preserve and restore the city’s parks and habitats.

Finally, the Ministry of Animal Wel fare, led by Mark Anthony Mey, vol unteers with The Humane Society and Animeals to work toward ending cruelty, abuse, and overpopulation of animals.

Each of these ministries, paired with our school-wide service organization, work vigilantly toward decreasing the most prevalent issues in our community.

Admissions welcomes families to its annual Open House event

SIMONA KARNANI Staff Writer

Episcopal hosted its largest admis sion event of the year, Open House, on October 26. This event allows potential students to come on to the campus and get a taste of daily life at EHS.

When planning Open House, leaders wanted to make sure they highlighted all Four Pillars in the program. They strive to get the school’s message across through out the night.

The program started in the Chapel where the leaders of the school said a few words and introduced themselves.

After the Chapel introduction, guests were allowed to roam the campus and check out the various activities going on in numerous locations.

To highlight the Academic Pillar, teach ers left their doors open and allowed guests to come in and be a part of their

class. Applicants could get a feel for their academic lives at Episcopal and be in clined to come to EHS to get an education that they will enjoy.

The Arts Pillar had various information booths where potential students could learn more about their arts of interest.

Some arts classes had email lists which provided guests an opportunity to stay in the loop with the Arts Pillar at Episcopal and get excited about things that they could be a part of next year.

In Alkek Gymnasium, each sport had tables set up with information and flyers for guests to take. Coaches were also there and introduced themselves to their future athletes.

Open House is a big event for potential students to see the campus and meet the EHS community. It is the first formal event when Episcopal is put on display and invites close to 1,000 guests on the campus.

Episcopal band musicians have been practicing for the annual concert Haunt cert. Music Coordinator Joe Beam will conduct the perfromance. Photo by Lily O’Gorman.

Some freshmen went to the Humane Society for their Freshman Service. They made bags of dog treats that were handed out at an event later. Photo by Robin Bowman.

Freshmen made goody bags for dogs that were handed out at a Humane Society event. The bags included toys, water bowls, and bag holders. Photo by Sofia Ken nedy.

The Nehemiah Center is part of the edu cation issue and is a place to go to volun teer to teach young children, while Project Cure is an organization that distributes medical supplies to those in need. Fresh man service is an amazing opportunity not just to get service hours but also to meet new people and make new friends.

Slice of π

Hello, everyone, I’m Evan Ringwald, Math Club’s External Vice President, here to share a little bit of news about the Math Club. This semester we are excited to have many activities to give fellow Knights fun and sometimes competitive events. One event underway is Math Madness, a weekly bracket-style tournament that pits our school against others around the coun try. This year we are looking to surpass our standing from last year. Our team of 20 mathletes began with practice, col laboration rounds, and a qualifying round followed by intense elimination rounds. Math Club hosted our first guest speak er, Mr. Kellan Caldwell, who graduated from EHS and is a Wealth Advisor/Finan cial Analyst and owns his own business. He spoke to students about his academic path and answered questions.

Mu Alpha Theta, the National Math Honor Society, had their induction ceremony on October 24 in the Hildeb rand Alumni Center. Family and friends celebrated the 51 members including the induction of 32 new members.

Finally, we are extremely excited for our annual Fibonacci Day event to celebrate everything Fibonacci including the Fibo nacci sequence (1,1,2,3…). Mark your calendars for 11-30 during both lunches. (Since 11-23 is during Thanksgiving break, we are hosting the event a week afterward.) Come learn about Fibonacci and support the Math Club. There will be lots of treats to purchase, as well as games and prizes.

math facts, math puzzles, and memes! And it is never too late to join Math Club! Math Club is inclusive and welcomes anyone interested.

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer

El congreso de México votó para extender la presencia de militares en las calles hasta 2028. La presencia de los militares en público se ha convertido en un tema controvertido. Las tropas siempre han supervisado la seguridad publica por muchos años debido a la guerra contra las drogas que controlan el comercio de México. Pero esta extensión de los militares a la vista del público militariza aún más al país. Los grupos políticos al lado derecho del espectro dicen que esta militarización ha llevado a abusos contra los derechos humanos y ha causado mas violencia. Por otro lado, miembros del partido del presidente argumentan que, sin el ejército en las calles, la población de México quedaría en manos de bandas criminales. El presidente López Obrador se planta ante las criticas y argumenta que su plan no es avanzar hacia el autorita

YourLanguageCorner

rismo sino hacia una mejor seguridad pública.

Mexico’s congress has voted to extend the presence of military in the streets until 2028, making it a controversial topic for all citizens living in the country. Troops have always overseen public security for years in Mexico due to its war against drugs and gangs which control their trade. But this extension of military duties in the public eye further militarizes the country. Right leaning groups say this militarization has led to human rights abuses and further violence. On the other hand, members of the president’s party argue that without the army on the streets, Mexico’s population would be left in the hands of crime gangs. President López Obrador stands in the face of criticism and argues that his plan isn’t to move toward authoritarianism but towards better public security.

Colle e Know¿edge¿

with Mark-Anthony Mey

Houston 20 educates community

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

Follow @ehsmath club on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with all EHS math events, competitions, fascinating Houston has become one of the high est rated cities for sex trafficking in the United States. With the help of Amy Pierce, Laura Davenport, and Jennifer Hohman, awareness can now be brought to people in Houston, especially in high school communities.

The Houston 20 is an up-and-coming organization with a mission to engage students in the issue of trafficking, teach teens how to identify perpetrators, high light the importance of speaking up, and give back through project-based volunteer opportunities.

On the Houston 20 website, its mission states, “We are a growing group of influ ential and committed Texans who formed a movement to advocate for the end of sex trafficking and sex trade in our cities. We support nonprofit organizations providing direct services to victims and survivors,

ending demand, and changing laws!”

Brought to many high schools, such as Episcopal, Bellaire, St. Francis, and Memorial, a junior board has been created with a select group of students from each school. Houston 20 EHS representatives are Emma Dabney, Bella Chramosta, Kendall Blalock, Julia Sherman, Lexie Masterson, Ava Florescu, and Lucy Dav enport. The girls goal is to come up with a project to spread awareness. With the help of EHS, the girls have chosen Mrs. Robin Owens as their sponsor.

Kendall Blalock said, “In order to do our part at EHS, we need to recruit students to help with fundraising and becoming more involved.”

These girls would love the student body’s support in their mission to fund raise and help survivors of sex trafficking.

Check out Houston 20’s website, thehouston20.com, for more information on how these students can make changes through the EHS community.

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.

Oklahoma University University of Colorado

The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a mid-size public university in the heart of Norman, Oklahoma, just south of Oklaho ma City. With just over 20,000 undergrad uate students, the sprawling campus has over 500 student organizations including a robust Greek life and fun clubs such as the Lettuce Eaters.

Athletics-wise, OU boasts strong competition teams across many different sports, including mens and womens gym nastics and the OU football and softball teams, the Sooners. As a member of the Big 12 and soon to be a part of the SEC, the athletic programs are a large part of the campus culture loved by students.

Within academics, OU has a student faculty ratio of 18:1 across its 170 differ ent majors with three additional campuses in Italy, Mexico, and Brazil. Most popular among students interested in Engineering, Communications, Business Management, and Journalism, the University of Okla homa offers unique opportunities across its many fields.

If OU sounds right for you, you can ap ply via the Common App by November 1 for Early Action and February 1 for Regu lar Decision. OU has three supplemental essays in addition to the regular common app essay and is test optional in its holistic application review process for Fall 2023 applications. Boomer Sooner!

The University of Colorado is located in Boulder, Colorado, about an hour outside Denver and has an undergraduate popula tion of roughly 30,000 students. Beyond the beautiful mountainous campus, stu dents take part in over 500 student organi zations including CU Student Government and many major specific clubs and interest groups.

The school is a part of the Pac-12 and has 24 NCAA division titles in sports, in cluding skiing, football, and cross country. In addition to their many collegiate teams, the university also offers intramural sports for those interested in a more casual com mitment.

UC Boulder offers students 90+ major programs among it nine different col leges and several easily accessible minors and certificates for students with larger academic scopes. Some of these majors include Physics, Marketing, Biology, Environmental Law, and Aerospace Engi neering. Additionally, the school has over 100 research centers and institutes that are available to certain students, depending on their major.

If CU Boulder seems like a good fit, you can apply with the Common App by No vember 15 for Early Action and January 15 for Regular Decision. The university has two required short questions and a long essay question. Additionally, they are test optional for this application season.

Sko Buffs!

The Houston 20 leadership board raising support at an event. Photo courtesy of thehous ton20.com.

Why is everyone dressing like his or her Dad? I ask because I was watching Emma Chamberlain’s Architectural Digest, and she was showing her closet and some of her favorite pieces right now, and she showed a sweater vest. She described the sweater vest as how she aspires to dress as a whole. “Someone’s dad or grandpa” in Emma’s words.

It’s a very interesting concept within fashion. I feel like older people are trying to keep up with what young people are wearing right now and younger people are really into thrifting old pieces and drawing inspiration from “vintage” pieces or their father’s closet.

A typical Dad fit you might see on a young person today would consist of straight cut baggier jeans or chinos paired with a cardigan or interchangeably a thrifted button-down shirt. And to top it off the classic white chunky New Bal

F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay

ance’s or some kind of lowkey sneaker. I think it’s a cool thing to see because fashion today just seems oversaturated and overpopulated, and it’s refreshing to see a new take on an old silhouette. But what I love more than Dad fashion is grandpa fashion.

These fits are always fun because it’s always a matter of whether or not the person wearing it can pull it off. The key here is to make sure that the clothes aren’t swallowing you. You wear the clothes. Own them.

Finding little pieces within your overall fit that give nuance to who you are is an important concept that some people forget when trying out this aesthetic.

Waves like this in fashion are why I think bigger brands sales aren’t as popular within the teen crowd nowadays. We’d rather go back in time and make that what’s popular in 2022.

ACL Music Festival takes Texas

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

ACL, also known as Austin City Limits, is a popular music festival for people of all ages held in Austin, Texas. Popu lar among the EHS community, many students take the weekend to drive up to Austin to see their favorite artists per form. ACL is a fun opportunity to see popular artists in a positive and upbeat environment.

ACL has many fun things to do while waiting for your favorite artist to perform, as in trying the food sponsored by many local and larger companies, taking photos at fun signs, or even watching interviews. ACL was hosted the first two weekends in October, at Zilker Park, near downtown Austin. From Friday through Saturday, the festival took place from 10:00am to 10:00pm, with the first performers at 11:00am. Each year the festival has an estimated 450,000 people that attend. ACL had amazing headliners for the 2022 festival: The Chicks, SZA, Phoenix, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Billy Strings, P!nk, Flume, Lil Nas X, Diplo, Wallows, Death Cab for Cutie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kacey Musgraves, Paramore, Zhu, and Marcus Mumford, though there have been better line-ups ac cording to popular opinion.

Wilde’s thriller stumbles into theaters

LILY O’GORMAN Editor-In-Chief

Don’t Worry Darling, Olivia Wilde’s highly-anticipated psychological thriller, polarized audiences across the globe after its September 23 release. With a star-stud ded cast featuring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Nick Kroll, the film sparked mass attention across social media and the press and set a high bar for its success. For many, though, the movie fell flat.

Based on Katie Silberman’s screenplay, the film focuses on the life of housewife Alice Chambers (Pugh) and her husband, Jack Chambers (Styles), as they navigate life in a nascent utopian community, the Victory Project. However, Alice begins to realize things at Victory are not quite what they seem and struggles to come to terms with the insidious reality hidden behind the curtain of deceptive “utopia.”

The film boasts an underwhelming ap proval rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critiques mostly centering on Styles’ disappointing performance and the film’s unoriginal and unabashedly cliché plot development. Vulture.com’s Bilge Ebiri

commented on this, calling Styles a “weak link” who is “not without talent but who fails to give Jack the dimensionality or inner conflict the character clearly needs.” Other reviewers called the plot “sluggish and predictable,” featuring, according to Rotten Tomatoes, a “mostly muddled rehash of overly familiar themes.”

However, the movie succeeded in its cinematography and visually stunning 1950s-inspired aesthetic. Costumes, hair, and makeup, along with exquisite imag ery, work together to offer a curated and cohesive retro atmosphere.

As of October 13, it has grossed $70.4 million at the box office.

Raigan’s Radio

RAIGAN CLAY Features Editor

Recently I watched an interview that Apple Music’s Zane Lowe did with Billie Eilish. In this interview, Eilish talked about her international tour Happier Than Ever coming to a close. Eilish emphasized how much she adores touring and that she doesn’t know what she would do if that part of her artistry was taken away.

Eilish wrote the album before the pan demic and had to postpone the tour due to restrictions. While it was hard for her to go without touring and fan connection, it also gave her unforeseen time to map out things in a really meticulous way that she might not have been able to do had the pandemic not occurred. Eilish said the thought that people know her as an artist but haven’t seen her live scares her because she values her live performances as an extension of herself that she gives to her fans.

While I’ve never been to one of Eilish’s shows, I’ve watched a few on YouTube and her shows are absolutely electrifying. I think something that also makes this tour special for Eilish is the subject matter of the album. She seems to come from a place of healing and true joy for life,

compared tos When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? While both projects are amazing and have won her accolades, Eil ish has said that she thinks she’s peaking with this project.

For Eilish, Happier Than Ever was her walking into a new era of her life and embracing the fame and the joy that its brought but also recollecting on what and who has hurt her. Zane asked Eilish how she feels about the tour coming to its end, and she said she felt a kind of “completion sadness.” Reinforcing that she’s reluc tant for the tour to come to an end, she is grateful for all of the success of it.

Bob Dylan shines in classic album

ALEX GONZALES Staff Writer

Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, Blonde on Blonde, is unanimously hailed as one of the great rock albums of all time. But why? What makes this album unique in Bob Dylan's discography and rock music in general?

First, Dylan harnesses an idiosyncratic sonic representation of rock and folk; there is no other artist at the time when Blonde on Blonde came out who could be mistaken for Bob Dylan. Even in the diverse expressions of the Greenwich Folk Scene, no other artist resembled that sound. Among patrons of this record and others alike, Dylan is distinguishable in rock history not because he had a digest ible catchy style but because he had a Promethean, groundbreaking style that transformed how people listen to rock.

Above being a musician, Dylan is a poet, and this album eloquently captures lightning in a bottle through the mixture of his poetic disposition and clever use of language. “Visions of Johanna” is a no table elucidation of poetry in this album; in the song, Dylan accomplishes what it

means to be a poet but in a unique musical sense, among the kaleidoscope of interpre tations from self-referred "Dylanophiles," Dylan leaves the listener with an ineffable mixture of poetic beauty.

A fitting example of Bob Dylan's clever writing in the album is the lyric "Mona Lisa must have had the highway blues. You can tell by the way she smiles." Akin to the enigmatic nature of the album, the allusion to the Mona Lisa parallels the ambiguous nature of Dylan, which makes him so resemblant to a poet.

Blonde on Blonde is worth listening to not only because of Dylan's clever writ ing but also because of the experience of listening to an artist that singlehandedly crafted both the rock and folk industries.

A$AP Rocky, who happens to be a new father, is dressed in Asics and Kapital. Photo courtesy of highsnobiety.com.

Top, the lineup for the 2022 Austin City Limits.Above, the massive crowds in Zilker Park. Photos courtesy of austint exas.org and edm.com.

Billie Eilish performs songs from her electrifying album Happier Than Ever during her international stadium tour. Photo courtesy of thedartmouth.com.

Olivia Wilde, Harry Styles, and Florence Pugh. Photo courtesy of vulture.com.

Bob Dylan’s album Blonde on Blonde is considered one of his greatest compila tions. Photo courtesy of guitar.com.

Trend Graveyard: The rise and fall of our generation’s fads

Quarantine Trends

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people were stuck at home with a lot of spare time. With people spending more time at home, things like cooking trends to TV shows became popular.

Some of the most notable trends include whipped coffee, cloud bread, Tiger King and the Gigi Hadid pasta. Whipped coffee, which is made from instant coffee, sugar, and hot water, became popular through Tik Tok. After mixing all the ingredients, the coffee has to be whipped until it became light brown and fluffy. It was served on top of ice and milk. Many people started baking bread, but specifically cloud bread, which was a fluffy, meringue type of bread.

Gigi Hadid took to the internet with her viral spicy sauce pasta, which got many people cook quarantine.

Last, Tiger King was released in March of 2022 on Netflix. It followed the life of Joe Exotic, a zookeeper, as he lived a life of murder and mayhem. Most of the trends that started during quarantine have died down by now, but they were everything people talked about during 2020.

Fashion Trends

With social media platforms like TikTok and the accessibility of online retail, nowadays, fash ion trends cycle through faster than ever.

In 2019, the “VSCO girl” took the country by storm. Characterized by scrunchies, puka shell necklaces, oversized tee-shirts, and Hydroflask water bottles, VSCO girls typically drove in white Jeep Wranglers and spoke out against plas tic straws and their harm to turtles.

The “E-Girl” in 2020 had similar short-lived popularity. As the name suggests, this style originated from the internet and took a particular hold on Tiktok. Inspired by Anime and cosplay, E-Girls often flaunt dyed hair, ripped clothing, and experiment with makeup like heart under-eye stamps and heavy eyeliner.

Another fashion trend making a sharp come back is Y2K, a style associated with the late ‘90s and early to mid-2000s. Y2K enthusiasts can be seen with bedazzled garments, low-rise denim, baguette bags, butterfly accessories, and velour tracksuits inspired by icons like Paris Hilton.

Games and Apps

Games have made up an important part of trends for decades, and as technology improves and culture changes, the games people play will continue to change.

Since the introduction of cellphones and apps, games have become more accessible than ever. Starting in the early 2010s, plenty of cheap or free-to-play games came out of Apple’s App Store. Apps such as Subway Surfer, Angry Birds, and Clash of Clans received millions of downloads from across the globe. Some quickly peaked in popularity and then fad ed into obscurity after people lost interest.

Flappy Bird, for example, became incredibly popular due to its simple gameplay and addictive levels. However, over time it became less and less relevant as other games came to replace it, and eventually it was deleted from the app store.

Other games, such as Candy Crush, remain profitable and relevant. Games like this were able to profit off their addictive gameplay by offering paid in-game rewards. Similarly, Minecraft con tinues to hold its number one spot on the podium of building adventure games.

Social Media Platforms

Within the past decade, a variety of content-creating social media appli cations have cycled through the Apple’s App Store’s trending page. The first of these was Vine, which was at the height of its popularity in 2013.

Vines went viral for being short, entertaining, and seemingly random clips. As Vine continued to grow, another video-sharing platform called Musical.ly began to grow in popularity in 2015.

Musical.ly creators usually posted 15-30 second clips either lip-synching or dancing to a popular song at the time, and it very quickly became a form of self-expression for young teens. A couple years later, in 2016, Musical.ly was rebranded and very quickly became TikTok, a similar video sharing app, which was limitless in its content options ranging from singing, dancing, comedy, cooking, makeup, and so much more.

In 2019, TikTok became the most popular app on the App Store and has con tinued its profound impact on youth to this day. More recently, gaining popular ity in 2022, BeReal is the newest social media app, most known for countering filtered and edited images found on other social media platforms.

The app prompts users with a random notification at any time of the day and then users are expected to post their ‘BeReal’ within two minutes of receiving the notification, allowing their friends to see the most mundane and most excit ing parts of their days.

While many apps such as Vine and Musical.ly have declined in popularity, apps like TikTok and BeReal are at the height of their success, and there is sure to be an influx of new apps on Apple’s trending page within the next few years.

Arts, Crafts, and Fidgets Internet Challenges

Crafts and fidgets have evolved and changed over the years. The original craft, duct tape, was a staple in many people’s childhood. Many businesses were made through duct tape designs, and whether selling bows, wallets, or jewelry, duct tape was always a popular craft through out lower and middle school years ago.

After duct tape, the new trend was rainbow loom. People would watch video tutorials to learn how to make complex jewelry and charms out of the small elastic bands.

Slime, a gooey substance made from glue, quickly took over the craft and fidget world. The satisfying videos of slime caused it to go viral and led to online professional businesses to be created. Slime is still popu lar today and continues to be one of the most bought fidgets for older people.

A newer popular fidget that has gone viral are pop its, colorful silicone trays with poppable bubbles. These toys and crafts, along with many others, have impacted the lives of kids and teenagers throughout the years.

For better or for worse, challenges have taken the internet by storm for years, promoting both friendly competition and highly dangerous risk-taking.

Taking us all the way back to nearly the Stone Age is the infamous Cinnamon Challenge, which peaked in 2012 and continued its deadly rampage across the nation for years. One of the deadliest challenges on our list, the Cinnamon Challenge reportedly resulted in multiple hospitalizations and at least one fatality.

Moving forward around two years is the emergence of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a far more wholesome challenge aimed at raising awareness for ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Overall, the challenge raised around $115 million in donations.

Up next was the mannequin challenge, whose popularity peaked in 2016 and skyrocketed the popularity of “Black Beatles” by Rae Srem murd to over 900 million views on YouTube.

Other honorable mentions to jog your memory are the Kylie lip challenge (2015), the bottle flip challenge (2016), and the Tide pod challenge (2017). Looking forward, who knows what wacky challeng es will break the internet next.

Controversies

Fads have come and gone throughout our lives, especially during quarantine when people were yearning for human connection and something to discuss. Entering this perfect formula for debate came the this-or-that controversies. Some of the most famous of these contro versies include Yanny vs Laurel, The Dress, and Wheels vs Doors. Yanny vs Laurel started gaining popularity in May of 2018. It is an audio recording from which the listener either hears the word “Yanny” or the word “Laurel.” The audio nearly tore the internet apart and even attracted the attention of celebrities such as Finn Wolfhard, Ellen DeGeneres, and Liam Payne. Another notable controversy is the col or-changing dress. In a photo was a dress: half the people viewing it said the dress was white and gold while the other half saw blue and black. It was then revealed the dress was blue and black, and the people who saw white and gold were dealing with a trick of the eye.

The most recent debate has been over wheels and doors. Twitter user Ryan Nixon started this debate in May of 2022. This had people all over the internet arguing whether there were more doors in the world or wheels.

White and gold or black and blue?

Opinions

Hate crimes pose an ethical threat to society

ALYSSA WALL Staff Writer

An ethical issue facing our society is whether or not it is appropriate to add sentencing for a crime categorized as a “hate crime.” A hate crime is defined as a crime, typically one involving violence, that is motivated by prejudice on the ba sis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds. Regardless of the reason for the crime, the outcome is the same, so shouldn’t the penalty be as well? In other words, is it morally correct to penalize the perpetrator more for the reason they did the crime?

There are several issues when evaluating whether a crime qualifies as a hate crime: difficulty to prove motivation, distinction between thought and action, and the gen eral public’s support of punishment based on the crime, not the motivation. Proving the motivation behind these crimes is the

factor which decides whether a crime may be “constitutionally protected and inadmis sible.”

The First Amendment may be the hin dering factor of these anti-discrimination laws, as it protects the right to have rac ist beliefs and thoughts, but not engage in discriminatory acts. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment af firms that treating criminals who are mo tivated by prejudice differently from other criminals, even though their crimes are identical, is wrong and unconstitutional. One example given by New York Law School student Natalie Strossen explained how “a defendant who has made repeated, harassing telephone calls [cannot] claim immunity from prosecution because his instruments of harassment were words,” providing a loophole for said verbal abuse, given that no one was physically harmed in the process.

It can be equally as grueling to distinguish

between thought and action, and based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, selecting a victim is not an act but a mental process that is therefore protected by the First Amendment, or the freedom of thought and belief. Similarly, the Enhancement Law, or the ability to add to a felony charge additional prison time to the base term of a felony, proves to be unconstitutional based on the First Amend ment. To assess the public’s demand for hate crime penalties, The U.S. Depart ment of Justice conducted a study which revealed that the general public tends to base the level of punishment on the seri ousness of the offense rather than the mo tivation. Each of these factors lead to the long-standing continuation of this debate, and it is unclear what the consensus may be in varying legislation from state to state.

FTC fails to manage paid sponsorships

JALYNN WOOLLEY Production Editor

In the past ten years, social media mar keting has connected brands and consum ers. But how close of a relationship is too close?

The Knight Times

Episcopal

Bissonnet, Bellaire,

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ISABEL O’GORMAN

Editor

Is cursive writing a relic of the past or a necessary skill?

With the recent movement to teach children typing skills in lieu of cursive writing, controversy over the merit of cursive has divided the world of educa tion. Many suggest that allotting time to teach cursive is not worth it when considering the bounds of a strict cur riculum, yet others assert the benefits of cursive and the importance of personal handwriting, tradition, and separation from the digital world.

Coming from a Montessori education where learning cursive was one of the priorities of our early education, I cannot imagine growing up without this real ity. While this ability has allowed me to write impressive Mother’s Day cards and create a signature, the benefits that come with cursive writing go much further.

Today, psychologists have estab lished that cursive writing lends itself to heightened abilities in the classroom. For example, in a study at the Univer sity of Washington, psychologist Vir ginia Beringer found that cursive writing produced quantifiable positive effects on spelling and compositional skills. By the

same token, a study at the Université de Montréal suggests that cursive students displayed enhanced critical reading and writing skills. Moreover, studies indicate that children could become better writ ers overall with more complex syntax, as cursive allows students to visualize the entire word as one rather than each letter individually.

Interestingly, researchers have recently begun linking cursive writing and alter nate learning, suggesting that cursive benefits students with dyslexia and other learning differences by improving fine motor skills and memory.

Research aside, cursive writing is a necessary skill for children to develop their personal handwriting and uphold a tradition that cannot be replaced with technology. Decades ago, cursive writ ing stood at the pinnacle of artistry and allowed for expression and individua tion. While this no longer is the case, the tradition that comes with cursive writing has hardly been lost.

In an age of increasing exposure to technology at early ages and digitaliza tion, we must fall back on this lost art form to avoid complete reliance on tech nology. Despite the convenience of typ ing, schools must teach cursive as the written word will never lose its power.

Before the creation of apps like Face book, Instagram, and TikTok, the main way companies reached out to their con sumer bases was through generalized ad vertisements on TV, catalogues in the mail, and aggressive emails sent directly to cus tomers. Thanks to social media, compa nies are now able to relate directly to their buyers through short advertisements that users scroll past to continue surfing their ‘explore page.’ Although, since these ads are so dismissible, many companies have taken the bandwagon approach by encour aging customers to invest in their brand by associating the product to celebrities and social media influencers. These sponsor ships blur the line between paid product endorsement and genuine interest in the product, making it difficult for customers to trust these influencers’ opinions.

In attempts at solving this problem, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states that “both advertisers and endorsers must disclose material connections.” Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in a lawsuit.

Despite this statement, the FTC fails to seriously punish violators of this law. Ma jor celebrities such a Scott Disick and Jen nifer Laurence and companies as large as Adidas and Chanel have received warning letters informing them of their breach of the law, but nothing more than that. If ce lebrities and companies continue to avoid serious consequences for their actions, the issue will only worsen, and vulnerable consumers will continue to be taken ad vantage of.

Although it is understandable that it is extremely difficult for the FTC to adapt its laws to the ever-growing, ever-chang ing world of social media, this has been a pressing issue since 2010, meaning the FTC has been given almost twelve years to develop its laws accordingly. Their lack of action in the past decade can be explained by employee shortages and the global pan demic, but mostly it is their lack of recog nition of this pressing issue and its nega tive effects on defenseless, impressionable consumers.

The Knight Times is a product of students in the Episcopal High School newspaper class, who are solely responsible for its creation and editorial con tent. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the Epis copal 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.

A bar graph released by the US Department of Justice represents the number of hate crimes in 2019 and 2020. Photo courtesy of DepartmentofJustice.gov.

Opinions

Russia continues to pose a threat to Ukraine

CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer

Since late February, Russia has contin ued its invasion of Ukraine in an effort to defeat Kyiv. With Putin failing to achieve the quick victory that was planned for the beginning of the war, he has begun to look for various new avenues to escalate the conflict to turn the tables in his favor.

On February 24, a Russian “special mili tary operation” began with the swift inva sion of forces from all sides into Ukraine. The war was launched with the stated in tention of taking the capital with special forces and instating a more pro-Russia government. This plan fell apart, however, after soldiers failed to take the capital and other key cities as quickly as intended, partly due to the underestimated incompe tence of the Russian army and the constant supply of western military technology giv en to Ukraine.

In April, because of the numerous set backs, the Russian army retreated from its encirclement of Kyiv and the north ern front. The goals of the invasion then changed to the occupation of the south ern and eastern half of the country, where many ethnic Russians lived. What once was a quickly evolving conflict with front lines changing everyday has now slowed down to a grueling war of attrition, with both sides trying to tire the other out.

As the advance of Russian forces slows

down from swift massive gains to the slow conquest of small towns, the Ukrainians have taken opportunity of their opponent’s weakened army. Starting in September, Ukraine has staged major counteroffen sives, taking back almost all the land sur rounding Kharkiv and pushing Russia back in Kherson.

Meanwhile, as Ukraine continues to suc ceed in halting Russia’s goals, Moscow has worked to justify the continued involve ment. On September 30, after coercive ref erendums were held in occupied Ukraine, Putin declared the territory to be officially Russian and that he would use all means to protect them. The four territories, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk, to gether with Crimea (annexed by Russia in 2014 for similar reasons) make up around 22% of Ukraine’s total area, similar in size to Ohio. These annexations are all in an ef fort to paint the war as a mission to save the Russian population in Ukraine from perse cution by a fascist Ukrainian government and to reunite the Russian empire. How ever, contrary to the referendums held by the Russian military, polling in areas prior to the invasion show that the vast majority of citizens do not want a reunion with Rus sia, with most wanting to stay in Ukraine with possibly closer ties to Russia, and it is unlikely this sentiment has changed since the war.

Putin has also made numerous threats for nuclear escalation. While an actual use of

tactical nuclear weapons is unlikely, it is still a dangerous risk to take.

In more recent news, a truck bomb ex ploded on the Kerch bridge, damaging it. The bridge was built following the Rus sian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and was made to better connect Russia to the peninsula to further cement it as Russia proper. It was being used as a major sup ply route for troops in southern Ukraine, and its destruction has cut off many nec essary supplies. In response Russia fired several rockets into Kyiv for the first time in months, hitting many civilian structures. One of the buildings hit was the German embassy, sparking tensions over western involvement and possible escalation. Belarus, a key Kremlin ally, has moved its army to its southern border with Ukraine, presenting the possibility of another nation joining Russia’s side in the war. Belarus has already served to aid the Russian army, from allowing them to stage the invasion into Kyiv through their territory and giv ing much of their surplus weapons supply to Russia.

Now, it seems they are trying to find a justification for involvement in the war to continue their support. The Belarussians, however, look unlikely to seriously make a major impact in the conflict, as they are undersupplied and poorly trained. They would likely only serve as a distraction for Ukraine so Russian forces in the south can have a better advantage on the frontlines.

True crime media exploits victims

MORGAN HEROD Opinions Editor

After Netflix released Monster: The Jef frey Dahmer Story, families of the victims spoke out about how watching the series has “retraumatized them” and forced them to relive all the emotions they felt so long ago. Now, many people are realizing just how harmful true crime in the media can be.

Starting in the late 2010s, the ‘true crime boom’ dominated the media, with the re lease of podcasts, shows, movies, and more. As great way to experience a quick feeling of adrenaline, these forms of media have people talking about the moral impli cations of exploiting such horrific events.

After the casting of Zac Efron and Ross Lynch to portray Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer in two Netflix documentaries, the public began to wonder why such “con ventionally attractive” men were selected to portray the lives of some of the world’s most heinous villains. Many were worried that the stories were being “far too glori fied” and that Netflix wanted women to obsess with their “beautified” versions of Bundy and Dahmer rather than focusing on the atrocious crimes they committed.

After the release of such media to the public, the victims and their families often feel exploited. Behind the scenes to every crime, there is a family who must deal with immense pain and trauma, and many do not wish to have their stories shared. With the entertainment industry constantly developing new true crime stories, many families are left with reopened wounds, leaving viewers to question the moral eth ics of such media.

Not only does true crime media leave victims’ families feeling exploited, but it can also have a heavy impact on jurors in a court of law. If someone has only seen a courtroom through a lens curated by Hol lywood, misconceptions about the constant intensity and drama often form.

True-crime media makes each case seem engaging so that viewers will continue to watch. In a real-life trial, this sort of dra matization doesn’t happen, affecting the jurors’ ability to stay focused. This has be come known as the CSI effect, and poten tial jurors are sometimes asked how much true-crime media they have consumed so that prosecutors can gauge how realisti cally they will view the case.

The Lily Pad

with Lily O’Gorman

This October, the Kinder Foundation kickstarted its new, massive Houston pro gram with plans to expand Buffalo Bayou Park with an impressive $100 million do nation to the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan.

The expansion aims to transform and enrich the East End and Fifth Ward neigh borhoods by creating “new bayou parks, trails, housing, cultural destinations, and infrastructure improvements.” Part of Buffalo Bayou Park’s plan also includes a “community engagement process” con sisting of the development of an 18-acre mixed-income housing project which is intended to bring affordable housing to Houston neighborhoods, as well as many other development initiatives. For these reasons, the donation is a whole lot more than merely a “parks donation” – it is a community donation. Investment into green spaces and their development

has far-reaching impacts that supersede their immediate effects; green spaces can transform quality of life and connect oftforgotten neighborhoods to the heart of Houston.

The philanthropic spirit of the Kinders has been highly influential since their foun dation was founded in 1997, as they have donated over $600 million to Houston nonprofits in the past 25 years. They plan to donate 95% of their wealth to charitable causes, an almost incomprehensible sum considering Rich Kinder’s net worth of $7.1 billion.

Noting the importance of donations like that of the Kinder Foundation, Mayor Syl vester Turner said, “This gift is especially noteworthy as it touches on two of the city’s underserved communities–the Fifth Ward and East End. Providing and enhanc ing access from these communities to Buf falo Bayou is particularly important to the

city.”

Moreover, access to green spaces in urban areas is one of many facets of in equality that divides cities like Houston, and this project hopes to minimize that inequality, if only slightly.

Harris County Precinct One Commis sioner Rodney Ellis noted this inequal ity, remarking that “parks and quality greenspaces are essential for all commu nities, no matter what zip code you come from. They improve community health, build social connections, and expand en vironmental safeguards.”

He continued, stating, “The Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan [is] a transfor mational project for communities of col or along Buffalo Bayou who lack access to quality green spaces.”

The project follows a 10-year plan and will gradually begin development start ing very shortly.

Hollywood often glamorizes convicted felons and their deeds. Recently, families of victims have spoken out against the por trayal of such events. In response, many producers have started to focus predomi nately on the criminal and their story rather than putting the spotlight on the victims and their families.

CORRECTIONS

In the 2022 September issue of The Knight Times, the staff failed to include faculty and staff members Meghan Moake and Taylor Russo on the EHS Traditions spread on pages 6-7. We apologize for the omission.

This map shows Russsia’s advances on many Ukranian cities as of October 2022. This includes cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Kherson, and Mariupol. Image courtesy of The Washington Post.

Meghan Moake

Sports

Field hockey brings home championship titleKnight Stats

MORGAN HEROD Opinions Editor

For the first time in school history, the EHS field hockey team brought home the Episcopal Cup championship title. After playing four games against Episcopal schools from all over Texas, the team was thrilled to be able to claim the trophy.

Mia Hodgson 14:52.0

Ella Marino 15:44.2

Sam Marino 16:38.7

Evan Ringwald 17:32.5

On the first day of games, EHS defeated both Holland Hall, 2-0, and St. Andrew’s, 3-0. On Saturday, the team secured the championship after defeating OC Casady.

With a 0-0 tie at the end of the final game, the winner of the tournament was decided in a shootout. Freshman Sela Provenzano scored the winning goal, securing the EHS victory. Goalie Emily Young had many saves and was a crucial part in bringing home the championship title.

Following the tournament, Coach Emily White recognized four players for their outstanding sportsmanship and tenacious play. Janie Thomas, Emily Young, and Provenzano walked away with medals, honoring their commitment to the team, and Cate Crane was named “Episcopal Cup MVP” after contributing greatly to the Knights’ win.

The following weekend, the team travelled to Austin to play in two SPC counter-games, beating both St. Stephen’s and St. Andrew’s. Both victories ensured the team a great start in the SPC tourna ment.

Coach White is very impressed with how the players have been playing and working hard in practice.

Girls volleyball comes back after first set defeat against St. John’s

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

The girls volleyball team continues to work hard and grow the team’s compat ibility in preparation for the SPC Cham pionship.

The whole team’s grit and determination was shown through their match against the St. John’s Mavericks. The Mavericks started on fire in the first set, and the Knights struggled to keep up. St. John’s took the first set 25-15. Captain Emma Poirot said, “After getting down early in the first set, we all came together to reset and focus on our game plan.”

Episcopal quickly came back in the second set and defeated St. John’s 25-13. Going into the third and fourth set, both the Knights and the Mavericks were fired up, but the Knights finished on top with a final match score of 3-1.

The Knights are ranked number 1 in SPC with an undefeated record of 3-0.

Boys volleyball prepares for SPC

JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer

This year’s boys volleyball team con sists mostly of new athletes, with only two starters returning from the previous season’s varsity team.

The team of young athletes worked tirelessly throughout the offseason to improve their ability to perform on the court. Despite the team being comprised of predominantly new varsity athletes, they managed to start off the season with a promising 7-0 record. The boys recently

competed against St. John’s who they beat 3-0, followed by a match against Kinkaid which resulted in a 3-2 victory.

Head Coach Kerry Hofmeister stated that “this is as skilled as any team that I have coached since I have been here.”

Coach Hofmeister is eager to see how the team will perform throughout the 2022 season and looks forward to taking a shot at the SPC title. Although the boys have struggled to compete against teams in the North Zone throughout the past few seasons, the team hopes to overcome this barrier during the conference tournament.

Knights start SPC with pivotal matchups against key rivals

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

The Episcopal Knights football team opened SPC play with an away game against Episcopal School of Dallas. ESD scored a late fourth quarter touchdown to beat the Knights 39-35. The Knights had a three-point lead with less than one minute in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on. However, the Knights came out strong against St. John’s in their next game and demolished the Mavericks 41-7.

This rematch following last year’s game in which St. John’s beat Episcopal for the first time in a couple years was never in doubt. The Knights were not going to lose to their rival again and started the game strong with 21 points in the first quarter. If the Knights make the SPC Champion ship, they will most likely play either Kinkaid or ESD.

The St. Mark’s vs Episcopal matchup led to another case of Knight domination in a 43-14 no-doubter. Sophomore run ning back Carson Fowler and junior wide

Cross country competes at A&M

JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer

After a successful start to the fall season, followed by a series of events in which the team performed favorably, the EHS cross country team continues to im prove upon their collective athletic ability.

The girls team recently competed in the Texas A&M Invitational where they man aged to place fourth, as well as the Bren ham Hillacious Invitational, in which the team pulled off an impressive first place. The boys struggled to compete against their difficult opponents while taking part in these tournaments; however, they still managed to place thirteenth overall at A&M and sixth in Brenham.

The runners have continued to bond as teammates throughout the season, leading to a stronger and more developed team dynamic. Head Coach Julius Michael claimed that “this year’s team is going to be different from last year. Both the boys

and girls are a more cohesive team.”

The team looks forward to building off of last season’s success and potentially achieving another inspiring SPC victory.

receiver, Andre Thompson each scored two touchdowns. Episcopal had 543 total yards with 350 of them through the air.

Emma Poirot serves for EHS Knights at game against Kinkaid Falcons. Photo by Vivian Turbidy.

JP Durand running the last mile at cross country meet. Photo by Emma Freeman.

Susannah Rosof and Mackenzie Allen celebrate after an exciting victory. Photo by Emma Freeman.

Lane Linebarger stays focued at the Homecoming game against Lecagy. Pho to by Maya Broughton.

Sports

Astros put together a memorable postseason with each playoff series

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

The Houston Astros have had a fan tastic season and came into the playoffs as a World Series favorite from the American League. The Astros finished the regular season as American League West Divi sion champions and have a high chance of meeting the New York Yankees, first in the American League East Division, in the American League Championship for the third time since 2017.

During this regular season, the Astros faced off against the Yankees and beat them five times in seven games. ESPN’s Top 25 Power Rankings puts the Astros second in the entire MLB.

This Astros success is due to many factors, but one major factor is the Astros pitching staff. The staff has a 2.90 ERA (second in the MLB) and is led by Justin Verlander, who has had a tremendous season after recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Verlander is a Cy Young favorite this year since he has the lowest ERA in the

Tracking EHS alumni in the NFL Roger Federer announces retirement

ALEX GONZALES Staff Writer

The Episcopal Knights football program currently has three players in the NFL. Walker Little, an offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, began his illustrious football career at Episcopal High School. At EHS, Little was a consensus five-star prospect; additionally, Little was recruited by over 30 colleges prior to commit ting to Stanford University. During his career at Stanford, Little accumulated a co-recipient award for Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year and AllPac-12 first-team honors. In 2021, Little was signed in the second round to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he now plays as an offensive tackle.

Marvin Wilson, also an Episcopal High School graduate now in the NFL, plays as a defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles. Wilson, originally signed as an undrafted free agent to the Cleveland Browns, subsequently joined the Phila delphia Eagles, where he debuted against the Dallas Cowboys. In his debut, Wilson recorded three tackles.

Another Episcopal graduate in the NFL, Jaylen Waddle, drafted sixth overall in the 2021 NFL draft, has already put together an outstanding record. After committing to the University of Alabama, Waddle was named the SEC Freshman of the Year; once drafted, Waddle broke the record for the number of receptions by a rookie, a momentous achievement, to put it lightly. Waddle is an integral asset to the Miami Dolphins and has a promising path ahead.

SIMONA KAMANI Staff Writer

On September 15, 2022, Roger Federer announced his retirement from profes sional tennis at the age of 41 after playing a doubles match with Rafael Nadal during the Laver Cup. He officially ended his career on September 23, 2022, after losing the doubles match.

He had a 24-year career during which he brought home 20 Grand Slam titles and 103 singles titles. During his career, he spent 237 consecutive weeks at the top of the ATP rankings and holds the record for this. His retirement was emotional but not a full shock to most people given the recent injuries and operations he had had on his knee. When announcing his retirement, he said, “I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible.”

During an interview after ending his career, he talked about how he feels complete after losing his last match and his job. Federer mentioned how happy and complete he is after ending his career. Most people expected him to feel some sadness, but he mentioned how ironic it is that he does not.

A picture of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer holding hands and crying on the team bench surfaced on the internet after the match. Federer talks about how that moment was sad, but the gesture was a way of saying “thank you” to each other for his career and accomplishments.

Legends in the tennis world such as Rafael Nadal, Billy Jean King, Andy Rod dick, Roland Garros, and many more had messages for Federer when he went public with his retirement. Federer ended his career by saying, “I would do it all over again.”

The NBA starts preseason highlighting the rookies and seasoned vets

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

This October the 2022-2023 NBA preseason and regular season began.

The NBA Japan Games are a series of two NBA preseason games. This year, the Golden State Warriors faced off against the Washington Wizards. These games bring in a multitude of international fans from all over Japan. In 2019, the Japan Games brought in 55,400 fans in two games. To put that into perspective, the TD Garden, the home stadium of the Boston Celtics, can only fit 19,500 people. The NBA

also had a game in Abu Dhabi with the Milwaukee Bucks facing the Atlanta Hawks.

This year, the rookies to watch for are Paolo Banchero, first pick of the 2022 draft, and Jabari Smith Jr, the third pick of the draft. The second pick of the draft, Chet Holmgren, got a foot injury and will be out for the season. During summer league, Hol mgren averaged 17 points, so it will be exciting to see his future in the NBA.

In Banchero’s first preseason game, he scored nine points for the Orlando Magic, and in Smith’s first preseason game, he scored 21 points for the

Houston Rockets in the same amount of time. The Houston Rockets have a promising future since they have three years where they have two first-round picks.

All-Star Ben Simmons will be re turning to the NBA after two seasons of injury. He will be a new asset to the Brooklyn Nets “dream team,” with Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving. After last year’s post season, the Golden State Warriors will be headed into the 2022-2023 regular season ranked first, with the Celtics ranked second, and the Milwaukee Bucks third.

The NBA will be a great spectacle this year because of these dynasties.

league at 1.75. In Verlander’s last regular season game, he struck out ten batters and lost a no-hit bid in the ninth inning.

NBA vets are ready for 2023 season. Photo courtesy of theringer.com.

Walker Little defends the quarterback. Photo courtesy of Jaguars.com.

Wilson heads to the field. Photo courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com.

Waddle celebrates a touchdown. Photo courtesy of @PFF twitter.

Roger Federer announces his retirement through a heartfelt Twitter message Photo courtesy of indianexpress.com.

Yordan Alvarez, designated hitter for the Astros, has had a breakout season with a 1.019 OPS, the highest OPS in the

MLB. After sweeping the Marineers, the Astros went to the American League Championship Series.

Yordan Alvarez celebrates with his team after he hits a walk-off home run. Photo courtesy of sandiegouniontribune. com.

Speaks Out

Resident Jester

PhotoJ Photo of the Month

Halloween Maze

Cartoon by Lily O’Gorman.

NASH CHICKERING “Butterfingers”

Freshmen show off their class shirts at the Class of 2026’s retreat at Camp Allen. Photo by Lila Henningson.

“What’s your

candy?”

LAUREN PIERSON “Licorice”

EMMA VANDERBLOEMEN “Dots”

MATHIEU GAY “Candycorn”

BENJAMIN DAVID “Nik l Nip”

MADDY BOS “Twizzlers”

EMMA MCFARLAND “Whatchmacallit”

JACOB HICKS “Tootsie roll”

MR. PERAZA

Dums”

MRS. HALL

mints”