The Knight Times / December 2022 Issue 5

THE KNIGHT TIMES

Students gather at Advent Chapel

MORGAN HEROD Opinions Editor

Since the 1980s, the Episcopal community has been gathering in the Benitez Chapel every December to honor and celebrate Christmas. A beloved tradition, Advent Chapel continues to hold the title for “Best Episcopal tradition” to many students and faculty.

The lighting during this service holds a meaningful symbol, yet many people do not know the significance. At the beginning, the space is very dim. As the end approaches, additional candles are lit, and when the story of Jesus’ birth is read aloud, the Chapel is brightened by all the lights in the building. This beautifully represents the way Jesus “bans” the darkness in our world and in our lives.

The preparation that goes into this service is vital and greatly appreciated. The music the EHS choir sings is rehearsed weeks in advanced, and they play an important role in making the service feel special. The readers and acolytes spend many hours practicing their scripts and ensuring that the processions go as planned. Those who are a part of the Altar Guild decorate the Chapel and make sure all the “little details” are taken care of.

Advent Chapel is a tradition that EHS holds with pride because it represents the strength of the EHS community. It is the time Knights recognize the place they have built and show their love for families and friends. A week before finals, it is a special opportunity to dedicate one hour to a central story in the Bible, and to honor the hope and happiness the Christmas season brings before break.

EHS dancers channel their passion onstage

2022 Fall Dance Concert: Rhythm and Rapture

SIMONA KARNANI Staff Writer

“The concert showcased a variety of styles, ranging from jazz, contemporary, and hip hop to pointe. It also featured a dance with live musicians. EHS Dance worked with guest artists from prestigious dance studios. They worked with Oliver Halkowich from the Houston Ballet, Dwain Travis and Risa D’Souza from the Houston Contemporary Dance Company, and Terri Wright from the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.”

Learn more about The Fall Dance Concert on Page 2

2023 seniors strut the runway at Style Show

ISABEL O’GORMAN Managing/Copy Editor

On December 3, the Class of 2023 took to the runway for the Senior Style Show. A long-lasting tradition, the Senior Style Show has been a way to celebrate the year’s graduating class since its premiere in 1987. In this event, male and female seniors walk across a 60-foot runway with their classmates and model outfits from various department stores around Houston. This year, the event featured brands such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Orvis.

To accomplish such an exciting event, models are assigned to various runway scenes and arrive at the Grand Ballroom at 6:45 a.m. to eagerly await professional styling, hair, and makeup. Immediately following the show, families and students celebrate the event’s success with a luncheon.

Fashion Event Producer, Lenny Matuszewski, Jr., has overseen the EHS Senior Style Show for over thirty years. He notes that “each year, families and friends gather to watch EHS seniors walk the runway in a high energy, professionally-produced fashion show. All EHS seniors experience the process of being fitted for their fashion show outfit, rehearsing their choreography,

blocking their scene in the fashion show, and having hair/makeup and grooming applied by Houston’s leading beauty experts. The result is an exciting, upbeat, feel-good experience that creates a lifelong memory for every EHS senior as well as their families and friends.”

As one of EHS’s most beloved and unique traditions for over three decades, the Senior Style show serves as a fun, exciting milestone for each graduating class that will continue to bring joy to the Episcopal community for years to come.

Left to right, Seniors Ellie Bos, Davis Crain, and Lily O’Gorman strut their stuff at the Senior Style Show, sporting formal wear by Dillard’s. Photo by Bella Marquez.

Mali Hogue ‘24 performs an intricate dance piece after months of preparation for the Fall Dance Concert. The 2022 show, Rhythm and Rapture, was performed in the Underwood Theatre on Friday and Saturday night. Photo by Peter Hutcheson.

New concepts brought to EHS in Rhythm and Rapture

SIMONA KARNANI Staff Writer

EHS Dance brought the Rhythm and Rapture Fall Concert to the Underwood Theatre for two nights. The EHS community came out to support the dancers for their two shows on December 2-3 at 7:00 p.m. The dancers began working on choreography in August during dance preseason and have been rehearsing since then. Some dancers have even rehearsed multiple times a day.

The concert consisted of ten dances split by an intermission. Mrs. Kristin Burgess and Ms. Karen Pfeifer worked together to choreograph a variety of styles of dance to showcase every dancer’s best ability. Mrs. Burgess was excited to put on a show and said, “They created a dynamic show with everything from a ballet pointe piece to an energetic jazz piece to even a piece with live music.” EHS Dance worked with all grades and dance levels to incorporate them into the showcase.

The concert showcased a variety of styles, ranging from jazz, contemporary, and hip hop to pointe. It also featured a dance with live musicians. EHS Dance worked with guest artists from prestigious dance studios. They worked with Oliver Halkowich from the Houston Ballet,

Dancer

environment of EHS dance, saying, “No matter who you are and whether or not you spend hours in the dance studio or you’ve never danced in your life, everyone is extremely welcoming and accepting of new dancers.”

ETV thrives with students’ love for moviemaking

ALEX GONZALES Staff Writer

ETV is an advanced moviemaking elective that allows a great deal of creative freedom and development for students of moviemaking. Prerequisites for the couirse are moviemaking or animation and an application process. Applicants must be at least juniors.

The class produces two compilation episodes of short films, music videos, documentaries, experimental films, and animations. The creative sandbox that ETV provides to students allows them to hone their skills to create a more skilled product.

The most recent ETV episode played at 4:00 p.m. in the Underwood Theatre, with Anayla Wilson as producer and creative directors Sophie Shapiro, Harrison Goytia, and Isabella Massaro.

The ETV show consisted of an exciting music video, a football hype video, and a personal film highlighting a grandparent. The ETV show also involved a wide variety of media, allowing for audiences to have a wide selection of movie genres.

Lessons in Slice of π

ETHAN LAHOTI Guest Writer

REV. ART CALLAHAM Chaplain

Though I was a pretty good student in school, I’ll confess that I really hated to “study.” The notion of reviewing my notes, reworking problems, and rereading texts bugged me. “Learn it right the first time” was my mantra.

As I’ve aged, my approach toward study has changed. I’ve learned that my former understanding was naïve and shallow. What I called “study” is probably better styled “review” and is both helpful and even necessary to synthesizing information and preparing for assessments. Moreover, the true nature of study often requires the student to re-engage materials repeatedly to develop understanding.

A popular question among my students is, “Chaplain, have you read the whole Bible?” The simple answer is, yes, multiple times. Similarly, I’ve read Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Herbert’s Dune, and

Coupland’s Generation X, several times as well. I think my younger self would be appalled. “Why don’t you move on?” he might ask. And the answer is that I have.

Rather than simply reviewing for a test, study is an engagement, a relationship between you and an idea on the page, ideas expressed in film, beauty captured in art are all fixed in time by their media. We, on the other hand, are moving, growing, and changing. Therefore, every time we study, we are different. We have different experiences, beliefs, and values. Revisiting topics, concepts, and ideas in the light of our own growth unlocks new understanding. This is why so many religious people spend their whole lives returning to the same sacred texts.

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that the goal of the religious life is “contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere, to study and share with others the fruits of your study.” I think this is good advice not only for a school community, but for all.

Midterm review and destress

ANYA PANT Staff Writer

Midterm review and testing weeks are here, and with them comes stress and anxiety, which the Episcopal High School Student Council tries to tackle with midterm “destress.”

It can be difficult for high schoolers to get their minds off work when there is so much pressure to perform well. Midterm destress takes place during Midterm Review Week. It was implemented by the Student Council to try to decrease tension and pressure that most students feel about midterms.

The Student Council tries to make the campus as comfortable as possible during this period of high pressure. The activities include chalk drawings on the sidewalk, movies during lunch, and playing music

during Break. All these events are well received, but by far the most popular event is the therapy dogs.

The Student Council brings in therapy dogs for the students to play with to reduce some stress. The students at EHS enjoy getting a break from the stress of midterms and having something lighthearted to look forward to during school.

With this positive feedback, the Student Council plans to keep this school tradition alive for many years to come. When asked about the effects of destress week, freshman Avalon Bell said, “Midterms can be very stressful as an incoming freshman, and Midterm Destress Week sounds like a fun way to take my mind off the upcoming midterms.”

In the grand scheme of things, Midterm Destress Week is a fun, lighthearted tradition to make students more comfortable during an otherwise stress-filled period.

Hey, everyone. My name is Ethan Lahoti, and I am serving as your Internal Vice President of the Math Club. On behalf of the Math Club and MAT, I would like to thank all who have attended the meetings, participated in the events, and competed in the contests.

This year, we participated in eight weeks of Math Madness, a national bracket competition. We also had four teams compete in HiMCM, an international math modelling event and we are awaiting the results. I want to give a huge congratulations to the 30 mathletes who took the AMC 10/12 national math exams with a special recognition to the top five scorers for each exam. The top five scorers for AMC 10 were Craig Ringwald, Bella Chramosta, Matthew Kan, Aidan Murphy, and Adam Choi. The top five scorers for AMC 12 were Dylan Massaro, Ava Gami, Evan Ringwald, Sarah Yates, and Grayson Maki.

Also, I want to thank everyone who attended both of our guest speakers who shared with us in the Innovation Space

1 what they do and answered questions about future careers involving math.

Of course, our schoolwide Post Fibonacci Day Event would not have been possible without everyone’s support! It has been a busy semester and we are planning even more amazing events for next semester. Be on the lookout for more guest speakers and our Pre Pi Day celebration.

If you are interested in competing, please let us now as there are many more contests. Finally, I want to wish everyone happy holidays filled with lots of joy and MATH!!! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ehsmathclub so you don’t miss any math news!

Reflections...

The events I think of are Canine Follies, Garage Sale, Chili Cookoff, and Culture Fest.

Canine Follies was the precursor to the Auction. It was a full day of celebration at EHS in the Spring. Students brought their dogs and paraded them around the campus. We had relay races, auction items, great food, and Houston Area personalities. The Auction replaced Canine Follies.

Garage Sale was the Junior Class Fundraiser. The event took several months of item collection, sorting, set-up, and thousands of hours of parent/student volunteers. The sale took place the Friday- Sunday, during the first weekend of November. The sale raised between $50,000 - $85,000. Unfortunately, be-

with Dean Colello

cause of the Houston Development boom, we are no longer able to find “Big Box” buildings willing to give us the space for several months.

Chili Cook-off was an annual event that featured homemade chili cooked by students, parents, faculty, and staff. Awards were handed out in several categories and plaques given to the winners. Each group would decorate their table and offer other food to accent their chili creation. Most of the chili was edible, there were occasions where the chili, made by students, was definitely “buyer beware.”

Culture Fest was another annual event that involved the entire EHS Community. Groups would select a country and decorate their area with accents to reflect that country’s culture. Each table also had food specific to the country’s origin. Most groups also dressed their country’s attire.

What are some of the events EHS used to hold that are no longer practiced, and what did they entail?

Dwain Travis and Risa D’Souza from the Houston Contemporary Dance Company, and Terri Wright from the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

Julia Lang performed in the concert and talked about the inclusive

Sophomore Grace Bauch and other dancers in Release, a pointe piece choreographed by dance teacher Mrs. Kristina Burgess. Photo by Peter Hutcheson.

Artists shine in Visual Arts Exhibit

The annual Visual Arts Exhibition is an opportunity for students in studio and media arts programs to display their work. Featuring over 200 students, many who have multiple works honored, it is a judged exhibition. Awards, certificates, and honorable mentions will be presented in a reception following the show.

Most of the exhibit takes place in the Brown Building as well as the Art Gallery in the USC. However, other pieces can be found in the library foyer, the Trotter Academic Building, and on multiple wall display units scattered across campus.

Showcasing art is part of the curricular objectives for many classes. Often, specific areas of the exhibition have themes assigned by the teachers of the courses. Students from all grade levels taking different levels of classes can participate. Advanced classes are available to juniors

and seniors because they have been working on building a portfolio for college, and it is a huge honor to be able to display their hard work and dedication throughout their four years.

Students are granted creative freedom when designing their projects around the given prompt. It is a great way for them to be able to channel their inner creator and explore new topics and mediums in unique ways.

A lot of the work featured is special to the student that created them. A mixture of 2D and 3D paintings, drawings, collages, mixed mediums, sculptures, ceramics, photography, and some film selections are displayed. Every medium of art takes on different styles of approach and explore many great techniques.

It is crucial to support and acknowledge the hard work that goes into creating such art. By asking questions, one can understand the significance behind the piece and why it is important to the artist.

JULIA ZICHY AND POEMA SUMROW Guest Writers

être pas les mêmes idées. Mais en totalité, EHS voudrait célébrer la culture française.

Polo captures the interest of three competitive Knights

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

Though the Episcopal Athletic Pillar, and the SPC for that matter, lack a polo program, that hasn’t stopped EHS athletes Katie Graham, Caroline Lile, and Clare Bogart from pursuing the sport, and all are recognized as fantastic players.

Polo is a ballgame played on horseback. The sport is played by two opposing teams with the goal to score goals using a wooden mallet to hit a ball into the opponent’s goal. Clare Bogart has been playing polo since she was very young when her father taught her.

All three girls have been playing in this year’s Women’s Polo Tournament, which is the largest of its kind in the world. It consists of 90 women playing in four different flights. The girls recently played in the Farish Cup Division, on November 18-20. Lile’s team took the lead and finished first in the Farish League. Bogart and Graham played on the same team and placed second out of five different teams in the flight. The girls have worked for these honors since polo is a competitive and impressive horse sport to master.

Bogart said, “My dad grew up riding and later got into polo. He played intercollegiate polo at A&M and has played

ever since. I’ve been playing in tournaments, two to three a year, for almost five years. I love playing polo and it’s such a great experience. Polo is a team sport, but it’s a unique relationship that I share with the horses.”

Graham grew up barrel racing in Colorado, and soon moved on to play polo in Houston. Graham reflected, “I’ve been riding horses since I was five years old, but I didn’t get into polo until around two years ago. I started playing at the Houston Polo Club, and I also play at Horsegate Ranch. My trainer is from Argentina and that is where we get all our horses.

“One thing I love and find interesting about Polo is that it’s a coed sport, so I get to play with guys and girls from all over the world. I also find it interesting that usually three languages are spoken on the field during games; players will be yelling in Spanish, English, and French all at once during a match.”

Lile has also had a long history of riding horses, which eventually inspired her to try polo at a young age.

“I started riding when I was 8 years old at the Houston Polo Club,” Lile said. “My trainer encouraged me to try polo around fifth grade and I’ve been playing since. I enjoy getting to play with people of all ages and creating a bond with my horses.”

Avec la nouvelle saison d’Emily in Paris, il y aura une grande variété de réactions des deux côtés de l’Atlantique en Décembre. Beaucoup de Parisiens ont répondu qu’ils trouvent Emily in Paris ridicule et un fantasme inauthentique de ce que Paris représente comme ville. Plusieurs Français croient que l’émission donne l’image que son personnage principal, Emily, est comme une “messiah” pour ses collègues Français qui voudraient partager la sagesse indésirable. Néanmoins la compagnie des comédiens aussi ne représente pas la diversité de Paris, car les musulmans et les noirs, qui font une grande partie de la communauté Parisienne, ne se présentent presque jamais. Les États-Unis ont fait une idolâtrie complète de Paris avec des images que Paris est plus-que parfait, propre, et magique. L’image présente beaucoup d’exceptions pour les touristes quand ils voyagent à Disney, et en arrivant, sont souvent déçus par la fumée de cigarette et les rues pavées sales qui font de Paris : Oh Paris, c’est plus compliqué! On peut toujours acheter des jolis souvenirs de la Tour Eiffel, voir des films comme “Midnight in Paris,” et manger des croissants avec l’idée que ça c’est comme ça qu’on existe; mais, si on demande aux Parisiens, c’est sûr qu’il vont nous dire que les Parisiens évitent la Tour Eiffel, ne mange pas de croissant pour le petit déjeuner, et ne porte pas de bérets.

Il y a certaines évidences de l’interprétation de la culture française sont évidentes dans notre école. Le thème pour notre “cotillion” est une célébration d’une nuit à Paris. Nos élèves vont porter des vêtements français et prendre des photos qui ressemblent à une nuit sous la tour Eiffel. Et comme c’est meilleur d’emmersifier la communauté dans les autres cultures, les idées ne sont pas toujours accepter par les français. Donc, célébrer la culture française est progressive pour les Américains, mais les Français n’ont peut-

Accompanying the new season of Emily in Paris will be a variety of reactions on both sides of the Atlantic. Many Parisians have responded that they find Emily in Paris ridiculous and an inauthentic fantasy of what Americans think Paris represents. A lot of French people believe that the show characterizes the main character, Emily, as a messiah for her French colleagues who she wants to share unsolicited wisdom with. However, the piece of media doesn’t represent the diversity of Paris either, like the Muslin and Black populations in France, which make up a large part of the Parisian community and are hardly ever represented in the show. The United States creates a completely ideological view of Paris by making it look more than perfect, clean and magical. The image presents a lot of exceptions for tourists who travel to Disneyland. Once they arrive, they discover cigarette smoke in the air and the dirty, cobblestone streets that define Paris: Oh Paris, it’s complicated. People can buy beautiful souvenirs from the Eiffel Tour, watch movies like “Midnight in Paris” and eat croissants, pretending that this is how all Parisians live. But if we asked them about their realities, they wouldn’t hang out around the Eiffel Tour, routinely eat croissants, or wear berets.

There is evidence at our school of an American interpretation of French culture. The theme for our cotillion has been dubbed “a Night in Paris,” aiming to celebrate the chicness of French nightlife. Our students will wear French-themed clothes and take photos that resemble a night under the Eiffel Tour. By immersing oneself in a foreign culture, they may discover it to be the best way to learn about the nuances of internationality. While this display of Parisian culture may not be exactly paralleled by reality in France, EHS aims to celebrate French culture for what it is.

Colle e Know¿edge ¿

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 Michigan is a large public university with two campuses nestled in the bustling town of Ann Arbor. The beautiful campus is home to roughly 33,000 undergraduate students who enjoy the busy and robust life buzzing throughout the community.

Housing a NCAA Division I football team and ice hockey team, Michigan is not one to shy away from competition. With intermural sports offered for all students, the school is definitely built for those teaming with school spirit.

Don’t be fooled, though. Michigan places a strong focus on academic rigor with top rated programs in engineering, computer science, languages, and theater. Overall, they offer 130 undergrad degrees with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio.

The University of Alabama is a large public institution situated in the green acres of Tuscaloosa. Home to about 32,000 undergraduate students, the school is known for its loud and proud football team and southern hospitality, providing a thriving campus environment for its students.

As a member of the SEC, Alabama stands for competitive football games among its many other well-respected sports teams. As a student, it is very easy to get all game passes for most sports on an annual basis.

Academically, Alabama is popular for marketing, business management, communications, and education majors among its total 69 majors and 23 broad fields of study.

Arc de Triomphe. Photo courtesy of National Geographic Kids.

Clare Bogart, Katie Graham, and Caroline Lyle are actively involved in the sport of polo. Photos courtesy of Mrs. Danya Bogart.

3D art winners accept certificates of recognition at the Visual Arts Exhibit ceremony. Photo by Mckenna Foteh.

F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay

The epidemic sweeping the fashion world is … “heroin chic.” The New York Post says that “booty is out, and heroin chic is back.”

Heroin chic is the body type that lacks curves and naturality. The unspoken narrative being pushed by the media and public is that girls look their best when they’re at their smallest. This toxic trend has potential for even further damage on especially young teens and adults developing into their bodies. This notion that the beauty standard must change often or be one specific form is extremely toxic and often creates anxieties and body dysmorphia within women.

Heroin chic is especially a scary trend to me because it pushes the idea that to be accepted and desirable within society, you must change aspects about yourself and even lose weight. And the trend is called heroin chic because when people became addicted to heroin, they lose excessive amounts of weight to the point of looking underweight and sick. This “trend” not only glorifies the tiny shape but takes it to the level of even looking ill, which is completely unhealthy and often comes with girls thinking that they need to eat less and workout more. Ultimately, the trend is toxic for developing minds and bodies.

Celebrities like Khloé Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, and Bella Hadid come to mind when I think of “heroin chic.” There

is even speculation surrounding whether Khloé and Kim got their Brazilian butt lift surgeries reversed to fit the heroin chic trope. The problem is celebrities this big are often culture drivers in society. In a way they can deem what’s cool and what’s not, and unfortunately set toxic beauty standards. As a member of the modeling industry, Bella Hadid has been directly exposed to this notion of skinny

Raigan’s Radio

RAIGAN CLAY Features Editor

Should rappers be allowed to say whatever they want in their songs? To me, the answer is yes, in accordance with freedom of speech. Music is an art form and should not be something that has to conform to society’s standards. So why are rappers’ lyrics being used against them in the court of law?

Monday, May 9, rappers Young Thug and Gunna were arrested on 56 charges including violating RICO, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which means alleged crime leaders are charged with taking responsibility for crimes they ordered to be committed by others in the organization. According to Britannica, since 1970, the act has been used extensively and successfully to prosecute thousands of individuals and organizations in the United States.

Young Slime Life (YSL) is a record

label Young Thug owns and runs. Prosecutors believe that YSL is an organized crime ring or involved in gang-related activity.

The issue here is the courts are allowing Young Thug and Gunna’s music to be used to find them “guilty” of their crimes. At what line is freedom of speech taken away? Using their lyrics to find them guilty doesn’t necessarily support any of the charges against them.

The courts are reaching for anything they can in the hope of putting these two black creators away, which isn’t just. Black creators have dealt with this for years. If art and entertainment are being created for the world, it is desirable and tolerated, but society is quiet when things like this arise, and it affects these artists’ personal lives.

The justice system owes these rappers a fair judgement, and the fact that they are using their lyrics in a criminal case just isn’t right.

is better and having to conform to those ideals held among that community. During Paris Fashion Week in October, Bella closed the show at Coperni wearing nothing but undergarments, and the designers spraypainted a dress onto her bare body, and that was what she walked in the show with. It was like her body was the thing being put on display, romanticizing her small shape.

Sequel to Black Panther satisfies

MEY

Noteworthy and enthralling, the long-awaited sequel to Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, recently took box offices by storm, breaking annual Billboard records across the globe. Despite the loss of lead actor Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa) in 2020, Marvel Studios continued the franchise through a shift of focus to other members of the character’s family and their actions in a world without him.

The movie focuses on Shuri, T’Challa’s younger sister, and her shelter from grief within the world she knows. Change once more hits hard and fast, and Shuri must work with her mother, Queen Ramonda, and General Okoye to neutralize threats soon to be plaguing Wakanda and discover hidden secrets along the way. With many twists, turns, and heart-wrenching moments, the story is one you can’t look away from.

Longtime fans of the Marvel franchise seem to support the storyline direction the studios took in creating a sequel without the established protagonist, greatly appreciating the work the entire movie crew put in to honor Boseman’s memory and Wakandan story.

As the conclusion to Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universes, moviegoers rushed to the theater in past weeks and established it as the seventh top grossing film in 2022 with over $675 million in ticket sales. The movie’s success can be attributed to the hard work put in by production and post-production teams along with the easily observable personal connection returning members have to the series and characters.

Overall, the film’s stunning sets, detailed costumes, beautiful musical score, and powerful scenes satisfied viewers globally.

Eugenides’ novel meditates on youth

JALYNN WOOLEY Production Editor

Jeffery Eugenides’ Virgin Suicides is an exquisitely crafted book that unravels the beautifully eccentric and unique personalities of the five Lisbon sisters as the boys of their past investigate the reason for each girl’s untimely end.

Although at first glance, one can assume that the story’s tale is an exposé of the oppression of creative and individual expression that occurred behind the Lisbon family’s very walls, when really the story reveals how much the devastating events of one household can have a reciprocating impact on the community that surrounds it. Eugenides’ debut novel explores

femininity and proves the importance of freedom of choice in the development in any young child’s life.

While exploring an extremely dark central theme, the author’s timeless tale reveals the struggles of adolescence as each sister attempts to grow and develop in a household in which they are restricted.

Young readers can often find themselves relating to the sisters as they begin to tackle many of the same struggles in their developing lives. It is through these shared moments that they learn that life’s obstacles can lead to personal development when presented with the correct outlet for one’s frustrations, and how one bold decision can devastatingly impact the lives of loved ones.

Bella Hadid emulates the Heroin Chic archetype high end labels are currently enamored with. Photo courtesy of cnn.news.

Young Thug and other prominent rappers are under investigation for crimes alluded to in their lyrics although lyrics are not evidence of their guilt. Photo courtesy of complex.com.

Author Jeffery Eugenides explores adolescence, gender, and heartache in his debut novel, Virgin Suicides Photo by Ulf Andersen.

Kim Kardashian, American socialite, unintentionally promotes the negative self image of many young girls due to her unattainable figure Photo courtesy of glamour.com.

MARK-ANTHONY

Staff Writer

Controversy heats up Qatar World Cup

CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer

With the start of the World Cup, millions across the globe watch their country compete in one of the biggest international sports competitions. However, as the games continue into to the finals, the Qatari government has come under criticism for their human rights violations. Many of the Arab states on the Persian Gulf have grown incredibly wealthy from oil, Qatar included, which allowed them to build many extravagant buildings. The Burj Khalifa, for instance, the tallest building in the world, was constructed in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and financed by the country’s enormous oil fortunes. More recently, with Qatar being chosen as the host country by FIFA for the 2022 World Cup, six new stadiums had to be built. Over $220 billion have been spent, making this the most expensive World Cup to date. The Qataris have been part of very little

Opinions

of the construction of these stadiums, however. Most of the native Arab population have skilled government jobs financed by the nation’s oil profits and are treated with preference in the workplace. Instead, most of the construction had been by immigrant workers, primarily from South Asian countries such as India and Bangladesh. Many of these workers come to Qatar and other Gulf States to make money for their families and go into large amounts of debt to afford the work visa and travel.

Upon arrival, their passports are often confiscated by the companies to trap them in the country, a common practice in the Gulf States. Wages can be withheld from the workers for months at a time, causing the foreign workers to go further into debt. These workers become essentially slaves, forced to continue working for only about one dollar an hour, most going to paying off increasingly high debt, and unable to leave.

Most of these practices are illegal under Qatari law, but the government of Qatar turns a blind eye in most cases to avoid intervening. Worst of all are the conditions migrant workers have gone through during the construction. An investigation by The Guardian found that out of the two million migrant workers, over 4,000 could die due to lax safety by the end of construction. But blame does not lie only with Qatar.

FIFA has a long history of corruption, and the 2022 Cup is no exception. Every four years countries can make their bids for hosting the World Cup, and a committee is responsible for deciding where would make the best host city. Qatar was not the obvious choice for host, with the country not even having half of the required stadiums at the time of the vote, alongside the before mentioned migrant workers’ rights issues, poor treatment of women and gay people. Even the environment is awful for sports, with the desert nation often reaching temperatures as high as 104 degrees.

Fortunately, FIFA has tried to reform to avoid future scandals. A new system for country selection has been established, where instead of a small group of 22 executives voting, all 211 member nations will vote. Still Qatar will most likely get away with its human rights violations for the foreseeable future, because if it remains a powerful supplier of oil, they will have the influence to prevent any serious opposition.

Media skews expectations of romance The Lily Pad

with Lily O’Gorman

All soccer aside, the 2022 World Cup was, in more ways than one, nothing short of a disaster. The event seemed to make headlines again and again over its 29-day run, most notably sparking controversy over the Qatari government’s highly problematic stance on human rights and LGBTQ+ issues. On an environmental level, the World Cup seemed to follow suit with its pattern of unaccountability, leading many climate experts to dub the event a “climate catastrophe.”

This year’s World Cup has gathered the attention of climate experts for a multitude of reasons; its complex and intensive AC systems, its reliance on desalination for water supply, and its taxing construction requirements have placed incredible stress on both local and global resources and ecosystems.

How is it, then, amid these issues, that FIFA claims that this year’s World Cup is “fully carbon neutral”? Good question.

As it turns out, many environmentalists have agreed that FIFA’s claim is a lie fabricated by the organization to feign concern for the planet and lure consumers and fans into a state of complacency.

The metrics by which FIFA evaluates its own sustainability are not credible, firstly, because they are not measured independently. How can we possibly trust a corporation to score itself accurately when we know a “positive” score is always in the corporation’s best interest?

According to the official FIFA sustainability release, Qatari government entities, namely the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), place their stamp of approval on these bogus claims. Does this corroborate FIFA’s sustainability aspirations, though? Not really.

This environmental debate would not be the first time in the 2022 World Cup that the Qatari government has released misleading information to save face. The government has been under fire since reports revealed the deaths of hundreds of migrant workers

who died during the construction of World Cup stadiums. The government, it seems, attempted to conceal the extent of these deaths, at least partially.

According to The Guardian, “Where statistics have been provided, there are inconsistencies between the figures held by different government agencies, and there is no standard format for recording the causes of death.” They add, “embassies in Doha and governments in labor-sending countries are reluctant to share the data, possibly for political reasons.” This coverup plan highlights a dangerous pattern in the Qatari government’s credibility and calls into question the accuracy of their sustainability initiatives.

Mass sporting events like The Olympics have seen pushback under a similar pretense, with experts such as Martin Muller of the University of Lausanne stating “The Olympic Games claim to be exemplars of sustainability, aiming to inspire sustainable futures around the world. Yet no systematic evaluation of their sustainability exists.” The World Cup, like The Olympics, places itself at the pinnacle of environmental innovation and, yet, consistently fails to accurately quantify the progress it so flagrantly boasts of.

So, what is the danger, really?

Greenwashing can be defined as “disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.” As stated by Jules Boykoff of Scientific American, greenwashing, as seen in The World Cup, “blunts the reality that sports mega events are shape-shifting vehicles for global capital that leave indelible marks on cities, ecosystems and our collective future.”

Amid much larger-scale issues of environmental concern, it is understandable that The World Cup’s sustainability seems trivial and insignificant. However, events so largely viewed, attended, and supported have massive responsibility as precedentsetters for generations to follow.

ALYSSA WALL Staff Writer

In the popular television series, The Vampire Diaries, the main female character is in a love triangle with two brothers: one who is “safe” and provides her with a calm, steady love and another who is “exhilarating” yet unpredictable and undependable. She chooses the latter, craving a love that keeps her on her toes with consuming passion, despite the pain he causes her. In social media, I frequently see memes and posts that romanticize “overprotective” men who dictate every move their girlfriends make. Life seems to imitate art: with this romanticization of toxic and unstable relationships, is there a correlation in what seems to be an increase in the number of people with manipulative partners and corresponding sadness and depression?

Another common example is portrayed in one of the most admired romantic movies ever made, The Notebook. As stated by the Daily Titan, in the beginning of the film, Noah asks Allie to go on a date with him and climbs onto a Ferris wheel while it is turning and jumps into her seat. Even though she consistently declines, he refuses to take no for an answer, and instead he dangles from the bar of the Ferris wheel until she agrees to go out with him. Although many idealize this as a romantic and charming gesture, this is clearly the embodiment of toxic and manipulative behavior. This skewed romanticization of calculated and destructive behavior in relationships leads many younger viewers to believe that a steady, gentle, and reliable love is unattainable and perhaps undesirable when compared to a consuming, unstable passion.

Celebrity or Instagram famous couples similarly portray themselves through social media as being in seemingly perfect relationships that eternally remain in the honeymoon phase. No one wants to post about the hardships they face or the negative aspects of their relationships. In fact, it is typically the couples who constantly post that are the most dysfunctional. Ultimately, media of all kinds influence younger people to set unrealistic standards and compare themselves and their relationships to false ideals of love.

SPC Sports

Boys soccer team shows early signs of SPC dominant play

LILY O’GORMAN Editor In-Chief

The EHS boys soccer team has had an explosive start to their season with a 2-1 record as of November 28. With a 1-0 win against The Village School, a 7-0 win against St. Thomas Episcopal, and a tough 2-1 loss against Central Catholic, the team has seen highs and lows which they expect will prepare them for intense competition leading up to the SPC tournament in April.

Yousuf Saeed, one of the team’s senior captains, stated, “We have a very strong team this year. With the talent and amazing coaches our team has, I’m sure that as long as we use each other, our team will go very far. I’m confident that with the

right mindset, the trophy is coming home this year.”

With 11 seniors on a roster of only 23, the makeup of the team surely lends itself to a highly experienced, driven, and dedicated mindset.

Head Coach Travis Smith commented on this unique quality, stating, “It’s the most senior-laden team in my time at EHS. With that perhaps comes bigger expectations.”

He went on to discuss the team’s vibrant and united mindset, stating, “In terms of energy and collective team spirit, it’s also one of the best teams I’ve been around at EHS. The team is very close and connected.”

The team hopes to see continued success and support from EHS fans in the following months of games.

Swimming and diving teams anticipate making a splash

JAKE BERLIN Sports Edtor

The EHS swimming and diving team has continued training diligently for its winter season following the cancellation of its first scheduled tournament against the Village School. The unexpected cancellation of this event has presented the team of athletes with more time to sharpen their skills through arduous training and daily practices.

The team is seasoned and well trained, consisting of predominantly senior

athletes with a small selection of dedicated juniors and sophomores. Under the leadership of the elected senior captains and Head Coach Shaun Flood, the team expects promising results and a high-ranking in the upcoming SPC Championship that is to take place on February 10.

The swim and dive teams compete simultaneously at the same tournaments while participating in separate events. This year’s set of divers are an exceptionally skilled group of athletes who are bound to yield success throughout the rest of the season as they partake in upcoming events.

Texas High School Jamboree hosts talented Knights squad

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

The varsity girls basketball team recently participated in the Texas High School Jamboree, an annual tournament, that took place on November 26 in Fort Bend. Competing against Bellaire High School, the girls lost 57-42 in a game that pushed them to reach out of their comfort zones.

Usually a jump-shooting team that works the perimeter, the Knights were forced to score in the paint as their normal

tactics were halted. The girls subsequently decided to experiment with lay ups and inside shots. The lessons learned at the tournament proved impactful, as the girls went on to beat St. Agnes 41-37 bringing their recrord to 3-3 at press time.

Emily Burke, a core player, notes that her teammates have been doing a great job at communicating among each other and with the coaches. Now that the season is just beginning, she looks forward to upcoming SPC games along with team bonding.

Wrestlers secure early wins

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

This winter season, the Knights wrestling team started the year with two wins in duals against George Ranch (60-18) and Klein Forest (47-24).

Assistant Coach Tom Estus is looking forward to a successful season and said, “Our four captains - Jimmy Guzman, Lane Robinson, Ben Sanders, and Thalia Vogelsang - are all ranked very highly in their weight classes in the state for private schools, and Jimmy is a two-time return-

ing state champion, having won the state tournament as a freshman and sophomore. Rob Britton is off to a great start and won his weight class at the Northside tournament.”

The Carlos Malina Tournament at Northside High School, right before Thanksgiving Break, was a successful tournament for the team. Vogelsang, Guzman, and Britton all finished first in their weight classes. The wrestlers were back on the mat soon after break, having matches versus Bellaire, Strake, and Northside.

Boys team enjoys three-game streak

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

The Episcopal High School boys basketball team got off to a shaky start this year with two losses to two great teams, but have since rebounded and are on a threegame win streak.

The Knights first games were against Fort Bend Elkins, which led to an 84-39 loss, and Bellaire, a 64-49 loss. Having learned from the first two games, the Knights started to pick up momentum and beat St. Pius 71-56, with junior Justin Begg leading the team scoring with 44 points.

The Knights kept this momentum going and beat El Campo 65-42 and Silsbee 6959, but lost to Dobie High School 59-79. The Knights basketball team looks like it has a lot of depth and is led by Begg, a junior who is a shifty ball handler with a great, playmaking shot and smooth finish at the rim.

The Knights will face Stafford on December 20, which will be a challenging opponent for the Knights, but anything is possible with this team.

Soccer kicks into high gear

JALYNN WOOLEY Production Editor

The girls soccer team has had a great start to its season after earning a 2-1 win over Bishop Lynch and 1-0 over St. Agnes.

Starting the year against two challenging opponents, the girls proved their hard work and dedication last season and off-season work they did on their own was well worth their time.

Unfortunately, Head Coach Rachel Stelter announced that she would be taking some time off due to her health, but Coach Bryce Reynolds was ready to take her place until Coach Stelter returns for the start of the SPC season in January.

Coach Reynolds, familiar with the girls after serving as the varsity assistant coach for the 2021-2022 season, just returned from playing professionally in the Netherlands, but is excited to rejoin the coaching staff for another great season.

Sophomore Tomas Gomez works the ball to a teammate during varsity soccer action. Photo by Libby Davis.

Sophomore Cullen Witt fights for a loose ball during home action. Photo by Mya Broughton.

Jackson Adams squares up with his opponent, looking for an advantage. Photo by Libby Davis.

Nations unite with the start of World Cup 2022 in Qatar

JALYNN WOOLLEY Staff Writer

After four years of anticipation, 32 teams across the globe are currently competing in the 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup that is being held in Qatar, with games taking place from November 20 to December 18.

The international tournament opened with Ecuador’s 2-0 defeat of the host country and was soon followed up by the US team’s 1-1 draw with Wales on Monday and Argentina’s upset loss to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The World Cup’s 2018 champion, France, made its return in their opening game against Australia on November 22 and earned a 4-1 win as they compete for another international title.

Some of the most anticipated games of the tournament included England’s face

off against the US, which ended with a 0-0 tie on November 25, and the match between Mexico and Argentina that ended with Argentina’s 2-0 win.

Each of the 32 teams was split into eight groups (Groups A-H) and entered the competition in order of international ranking. Once the competition began, each team earned three points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. The two highest scoring teams in each group will enter the knockout stage until the final match on December 18.

After another four years, the next World Cup will be held in 2026 with match locations distributed across North America, including host cities Dallas and Houston. In addition, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place in 2023 in host country New Zealand where the Women’s US team will fight to defend its 2019 title and aim to earn its third consecutive win and fifth FIFA title overall.

EHS alumnus serves as Houston Rockets marketing assistant

RAIGAN CLAY Staff Writer

Denman Kane, EHS Class of 2018, after four years at Birmingham-Southern College, finds himself back in Houston, working for the Houston Rockets organization.

Denman characterizes his experience at EHS with fondness as a journey of growth. Denman grew up coming to football games in middle school with his brothers who attended EHS, so the Episcopal culture was nothing new to him.

When Denman was at EHS, he played basketball for the Knights and continued the sport into his college years. He says from his time on the team he most valued “all of the relationships [he] made with friends, coaches, and teammates [he] will never take for granted.”

Denman’s love for the game of basket-

ball and the team aspect of that environment prompted him to pursue a career in communications for a sports team. Denman works as a marketing assistant for the Rockets and the Toyota Center in downtown Houston. His department handles marketing, youth basketball camps, and draft parties.

When asked what a typical day at the Rockets organization is like, Denman said, “One day I could be finalizing contracts with facilities for our youth basketball camps, and the next day be in Lake Charles for Rockets training camp with season ticket members and the players. I like the variety and that every day is a chance for something new to occur.”

Denman has endured the transition of playing basketball and being on the court to the logistics side of basketball. He says he carries the lessons he learned on the court, like “having mental toughness,

FBS teams vie for playoffs

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

The college football playoffs will start December 31, and on December 20, the four teams playing in the tournament will be announced.

Second-seed Michigan will almost certainly make the playoffs after destroying former second-seed Ohio State 45-23 on November 26.

The Georgia Bulldogs also have a very strong likelihood of making the playoffs, but first they must go through LSU, who recently lost to unranked Texas A&M.

Georgia is projected to win the college football national title, but Michigan has a great opportunity to win the title after their great performance against Ohio State. What makes Georgia so great is their physicality and depth as a team. Almost all their start-

ers are either four or five stars. Michigan, on the other hand, also has great depth, but what separates them from Georgia is Blake Corum, who is arguably the best college running back in the nation.

Third-seed TCU currently has an undefeated season, and if they win the Big 12 championship against Kansas State (which they beat 38-28 earlier in the season), TCU will end up in the playoff party. The fourth spot right now is a little bit of a toss-up, but many people believe that either fourth-seed USC or fifth-seed Ohio State should make the playoffs.

Ohio state lost to Michigan 4523; however, until the fourth quarter, Ohio state was down by only 3. USC, led by Heisman favorite Caleb Williams, has had a phenomenal season and recently took down a ranked Notre Dame team. USC must beat Washington in the PAC-12 championship to secure its spot in the playoffs.

keeping your teammates accountable and being persistent on what you want to accomplish in whatever path you decide is best for you” at the forefront of his job.

“The department I am in right now has that ‘team’ aspect, and so those life lessons definitely prepared me for where I am now.”

When asked if he could give any words of wisdom for potential sports or communications students at EHS, he said, “The more you are humble, kind, and easy to talk to, the harder it will be for someone to turn you away. You are going to be surrounded by and dealing with all different kinds of people. Learning how to stand your ground and keep in mind what’s important can be a big key.”

Astros make moves in free agency

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

With the end of the 2022 season, the Houston Astros face competition in pursuit of Justin Verlander’s free agency. Coming off one of his best seasons and securing his second World Series championship ring with the Astros, there’s no guarantee he’ll return. Verlander stated early on that his decision would be primarily financially-dependent. Verlander has asked for over $40 million annually, surpassing what Astros owner Jim Crane will be most likely willing to pay.

Verlander said, “I’m going to be in a situation where the market will dictate this, and we’ll see what happens. Obviously, there are other people that are interested. Jim (Crane) understands that.”

If he doesn’t end up with the Astros, possible contenders include the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, and the Texas Rangers. The Mets are probably the top contender for Verlander, as owner Steve Cohen has been known to pay the most and is one of the wealthiest men in baseball. With Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt entering free agency this year, the Mets could use Verlander.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a logical option as they’re potentially losing Trea Turner in free agency and, being a strong contender to win the World Series

next year, could use Verlander’s skill. The Yankees are also a logical option, but less likely than the Mets based on the money. Nonetheless, the Yankees possibly lose Aaron Judge this year, and getting Ver-

lander would put him with a former Astros teammate, Gerrit Cole. Last, the Rangers is probably a long shot, but after last season’s big spending on infielders, they’re expected to have another year of paying big for their rotation.

Although Astros fans are hoping Verlander ends up in Houston, it’s unlikely considering the mass of teams looking at him and willing to pay more.

FIFA World Cup 2022 favorites including Lionel Messi, who is yet to win a World Cup, and England’s Harry Kane. Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Denman Kane is working for the Houston Rockets. Photo courtesy of LinkedIn.

Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander may not stay another year with the Astros. Photo courtesy of The Guardian.

Heisman favorite Caleb Williams finds the endzone. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times.

Speaks Out

Resident Jester

PhotoJ Photo of the Month

Celebrity Sighting

Cartoon by Lily O’Gorman.

RICHARD AGYEMAN-YEBOAH “Ben and Jerry Dunks”

WILEY LIPPINCOTT

KARA THOMAS

CONNOR KUENSTLE

EMMA POIROT

The Knights

diving

competing,

meet at St. Thomas. Photo by Vivian Tur-