The Knight Times / February 2023 Issue 7

Class of 2023 comes together for annual retreat

On March 6, the senior class will come together to end their senior year with a reflective day-long adventure.

With a busy and stressful senior year, the Senior Retreat at Camp Allen will allow seniors to decompress and pause during the burdensome yet essential year they are experiencing. The purpose of this retreat is for seniors to begin reflecting on their EHS experience as they move closer to graduation. This allows them to be mindful of their tenure at EHS and what they accomplished and intend to accomplish in the future.

Mrs. Courtney Lindloff, Activities Director, believes that the Senior Retreat is valuable because “everything [seniors] have known is about to change, in a very real way. Whatever [seniors’] plans are for the summer and for the next academic year, they will no longer be EHS students. The hope is to help our seniors begin to process this enormous change, both collectively and individually, through activities, discussions, talks, and bonding.”

At the retreat, Hutch Coward will give a speech to his fellow classmates to honor the hard work and dedication every student has demonstrated over the past four years.

Without a moment to pause during applications, standardized tests, and worrying about their future, seniors can have difficulty plotting a time to reflect and be mindful of their time at EHS, making the Senior Retreat a perfect spot in their busy schedules to slow down and take it all in.

Boys soccer brings home SPC Championship

The team earns title of 4A SPC Champions

Actors grace the stage with popular musical

Welcome to the future of tech

the Greenhill School in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, February 11, wrapping up the end of the boys’ 2023 SPC season. Photo by Aileen Paredes.

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer

Senior Yousuf Saeed commented, “I’m beyond grateful to have had a group of such genuine, hardworking teammates with me this season. After last year’s heartbreak, we all knew going into the season what we wanted. We put our heads down, worked at it tirelessly, and did it. We brought it home.”

Learn more about the SPC Champions on Page 10

EHS helps the community with annual day of service

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

EHS held its second annual day of service on February 4, during which students, faculty, and parents devoted their time to organizing food at the Houston Food Bank.

Around a hundred participants spent their day packaging, weighing, and sorting goods to be sent off to areas of Houston dealing with food instability. The boxes they helped make are to be shipped out to low-income families and schools, and the primary job of the volunteers was to guarantee the safety and quality of products.

Houston Food Bank has long worked with Episcopal thanks to its ability to accommodate the large number of students looking to do service. In a state where 20% of its children experience hunger, this non-profit organization seeks to do more than ship out food. They focus on nutritional education and job-training as well in hopes to establish long term food security within Houston families.

EHS students are a part of this mission, even past the annual service days. Opportunities with the Houston Food Bank are available on Helper Helper, an app used by Episcopal’s service achievement program to help bring forward opportuni-

ties across the Houston area. To promote this day, members of SOS, Students of Service, helped drum up support and advertise to their peers. The day itself set forward with the intentions of being a community activity, not exclusive to those well versed in service. Families of students were invited as well as EHS faculty members to create a shared experience.

Dan Murphy, a co-director of SOS, helped

organize and supervise the event. “I feel like its maybe a lot to ask, but once you get there and do something. You realize you’re sacrificing a tiny little bit for people who are less fortunate,” said Mr. Murphy.

Since service is such a vial and important aspect of the Episcopal Community, many more chances like the annual day of service are soon going to be available to all students at EHS.

Mamma Mia brought to life

Sophomores Ava Black and Sophie Marshall pack waters at the Houston Food Bank.

Photo by Vivian Turbidy.

ALEX GONZALES

Staff Writer

Varsity boys soccer celebrates its first SPC win since 2019 after beating EHS rival the Kinkaid Falcons 1-0. The championship game was played at

EHS Onstage production of Mamma Mia! debuts shortly

CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer

EHS Onstage will have its final big production of the school year with Mamma Mia this March. In the USC during Chapel on Thursday, March 2, the crew will hold a brief teaser to give the whole school audience a taste of the musical. The first public performance open to all will take place the next day on Friday, March 3, at 7:00pm, with food provided. There will be additional performances on Saturday, March 17 at 7:00pm and a daytime matinee performance on Sunday, March 4, at 3:00pm. Tickets for attendance are completely free.

Following the production of Puffs and prior to Julius Caesar, the auditions for roles were held last year on September 24. Students presented their talents through singing, dancing, and acting. Roles were announced the next week after consideration.

The plot follows Sophie (played by Meredith Kinzel) a young woman awaiting her marriage to her fiancé Sky (Calder Tribble) at a Greek island resort owned by her single mother Donna (Lydia Berckley). Sophie never met her father, so she secretly invites three possible candidates, Sam, Bill, and Harry (Ethan Lahoti, Harrison Goytia, and Mark-Anthony respectively) to her wedding, but she cannot keep it secret for long as her mom quickly finds out. The other casted roles include Donna’s old friends Tanya and Rosie (Kyriaki Postolos and Tallulah Berckley), Sophie’s friends Lisa and Ali (Carina Garza and Olivia Jameson), Sky’s friends Eddie and Pepper (Mathieu Gay and Miles Patterson) and Father Alexandrios (Henry Harkins). Along with ensemble there are

collectively 47 EHS students participating in the production.

Starting with music rehearsals in December, it has been a long journey for all involved, from learning the play to becoming more familiar with the inner workings of theater. For some freshmen this is their first musical production at EHS, making this a very special moment and exposing to them the opportunities offered by the school’s Theater Program and Arts Pillar. For seniors this is their last performance at EHS, giving them a chance to look back on their experiences throughout the plays and look to the future of possibly continuing to perform.

George Brock, Theater Program Coordinator, regarding the play, said, “Mamma Mia! is a lot of fun for audiences. It is still playing in London where it was first produced in 1999 and has since been produced in over 50 countries. There have been various supporting events including Mamma Mia! The Party at O2 in London, where for as little as 100 pounds, you can eat, drink and soak up the sounds of ABBA performed live on the set of the film in an immersive theatrical experience. You can go on a walking tour of Leister Square with a cast member and belt out the tunes at the top of your lungs. If you really love the show, you can travel to the Island of Skopelos and see the sights from the film version. In short, Mamma Mia! is not just a musical, it’s a phenomenon. So come see your fellow students take the show that started the phenomenon to new heights the first weekend in March!”

Brock, as well as Performing Arts Chair Garmon Ashby, Kristina Burgess, Paul Revaz, Jay Berckley, and plenty of other people have been a large part of this production.

Auction offers exciting opportunities

MORGAN HEROD Opinions Editor

An important EHS tradition, the annual school auction has one goal: to raise revenue for the school’s budget. It supports the greatest cause of all - EHS. For 38 years, the support received has allowed students to participate in classes within the Four Pillars - academics, arts, athletics, and religion; build lasting relationships with the caring and committed teachers; and get exposed to opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. Proceeds are also “essential” to the operation of the Financial Aid Program.

This year’s auction took place on February 24 in the Hildebrand Athletic Center.

The theme was “The Greatest Knight.”

There were many entertainers that performed for the guests at cocktail hour. During dinner, participants were able to play a game called Heads or Tails. This offered lots of excitement and engagement. One exciting lot that was purchased was a trip to Africa for fourteen days. Other

winners were rewarded with Diamond Club Astros Tickets, paintings, and tickets to Cody Johnson’s Rodeo show. Other getaways and experiences were offered to give families a lifetime of memories. Involvement from EHS families is crucial to the event. There are many ways to increase involvement, like becoming a volunteer. There are many committees that require help from volunteers, all the work beginning in March.

Led by Auction Chairs Rebecca Martin, Cara Michael, and Mindy Rippstein, this year’s volunteers worked over the summer and into the fall and winter. Anyone can get involved, and everyone is invited to help. All are welcomed to the auction luncheons, as they are open to the entire EHS community.

The success of the auction depends on the willingness of the EHS community to get involved. If you would like to help support EHS’ great mission in the future and help students continue to stand out, you can contact Auction Coordinator Mindy Loper.

Slice of π

Hi! My name is Daphne Melton, and I’m the treasurer of the Math Club this school year. We had another busy month full of events!

Over 50 Math Club and Mu Alpha Theta members competed in the U of H math competition. Thank you to everyone who came to hear our guest speaker who spoke during both lunches about her path to becoming a computer scientist.

Coming up from March 3-5, we will have 10 juniors and seniors compete in the annual M3 (Mega Mathworks Math) Challenge. The two teams will each spend 14

consecutive hours to create a mathematical model to answer a real-world problem. This is a very exciting and grueling event.

Save the date for our annual Pre-Pi Day Celebration in conjunction with the International Day of Math that will take place on March 9 during 5A and 5B. Get hyped, come hungry to eat and learn, and bring a friend! It’s going to be a big and fun event.

To stay up to date on all things math, come to our next Math Club meeting on March 1 in Anderson Lecture Hall right after school and follow @ehsmathclub on Instagram and Twitter.

Special arts classes require applications and auditions

LILY O’GORMAN Editor in Chief

Episcopal is well known for its Fine Arts Department–with classes from ceramics, dance, and moviemaking to, you named it, newspaper, there’s just about nothing you can’t do on the grounds of this campus.

Some students, though, who want to go above and beyond in the arts, opt to take special, exclusive application/audition only arts classes. These classes offer more advanced and curated opportunities for students to hone their craft in both the visual and performing arts.

On the performing arts side, the Dance Program offers multiple audition only classes: Advanced Dance, Repertory Dance, and IMPACT Dance Ensemble. Each has differing prerequisites, with some classes requiring participation in the fall dance concert, preseason training, or performances at pep rallies.

EHS Onstage, Episcopal’s renowned theater program, similarly provides an exclusive opportunity for student actors with its MASQUE Acting Ensemble. The class consists of only upperclassmen, and emphasizes leadership in the Theater

Program, writing and performing original material, and perfecting specific acting skills.

On the visual arts side, there is a wide-ranging buffet of classes. To start, Portfolio Development offers students the chance to build a portfolio of original art in preparation for college applications or other arts opportunities beyond the Episcopal Campus. ETV, Episcopal’s advanced moviemaking class, allows upperclassmen to write, direct, and produce their own short films, music videos, documentaries, and more.

Students in photojournalism (PhotoJ/ Team Photo) take crucial photos of school events, sports games, and more for use in The Hexagon (yearbook,) the school website, The Knight Times, and other schoolwide publications. Finally, in the Publications Department, two rival classes battle for dominance: yearbook and newspaper. The Hexagon produces an incredible award-winning yearbook each year, focusing on graphic design, deadline management, and page layout skills. The Knight Times, the school newspaper, creates a paper each month, emphasizing journalistic writing skills, interview and research, and deadline management.

EHS Stagecraft students work on set design of the upcoming spring musical Mamma Mia! Photo courtesy of Mr. Charles Holt.

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.

through her altruism

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

Madison Schultz is a senior who has found herself contributing to nearly every area of EHS life.

A natural leader, Madison was nominated to take on a role usually occupied by a faculty member. In charge of running Student Senate meetings, organizing emails, and planning what’s next for the senate, it would be an understatement to say Madison helps a great deal with the student body.

University of Southern California University of Georgia

The University of Southern California is a large private university located in Los Angeles, California. Its 21,000 undergraduate students are split between the school’s urban downtown campus and northeastern LA campus. Well known for its academic prestige and student-centered learning programs, the school is a hot option for those seeking the West Coast atmosphere.

USC is a strong research institution with a shocking 23 schools for both graduates and undergraduates alike. Ranked this year as the 25th university in the nation, the school prides itself on its strong blend between the easy-going lifestyle of LA and a challenging academic curriculum. The school’s most popular majors are Business, Communications, Computer Science and Biology, all run on a semester term. With its Los Angeles hub, the school also features a robust arts program, fostering a great way to build connections within the creative industry while earning a degree.

Beyond the classroom, most students take part in athletics, fraternities/sororities, or the band. The school also offers dorm residential communities which can help incoming students to build friends. USC has a low admission rate of 12% and offers Early Action and Regular Decision. They are test-optional for the next applicant cycle, and you can apply on the Common App. Fight On!

The University of Georgia is a large public university located in Athens, Georgia, an hour away from downtown Atlanta. It has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 students who are brimming with the Bulldog spirit. The school is often talked about for its stunning campus, lively college town, and spirited athletics. UGA has a large research program that encourages undergraduates to partake in, along with many study abroad opportunities across the globe.

With a student teacher ratio of 15:1, the school diligently tries to foster strong academic relationships throughout its programs. Georgia is often applied to by students seeking a degree in Biology, Finance, and Psychology, along with those seeking a strong Veterinary program for graduate school.

Outside of class, students are involved around the campus and town of Athens, which is noted as one of the best college towns in the US. While football is a big part of campus culture, most students also partake in Greek life, student government, and intramural sports with a number of other clubs and organizations run through the campus’ Center for Leadership and Service.

If you want to live the Bulldog life, you can apply with Early Action or Regular Decision on Common App. The school has a 40% acceptance rate and requires test scores from all applicants. Go Dawgs!

EHS students inducted into NHS

ANYA PANT Staff Writer

The National Honor Society is a prestigious high school association made up of only the highest achieving and hardest working high schoolers in America. The National Honor Society is not like a club where everybody is welcome; only select people are invited.

The requirements to be in the National Honor Society are a 3.7 grade point average, at least 20 hours of community service to a nonprofit organization, and being a student of outstanding value that upholds the Episcopal High School codes of honor and dignity. At Episcopal High School, the decision to induct members into the honor society might be affected by discipline violations.

The inductions into the National Honor Society come in two waves, the spring induction and the fall induction. The fall induction is usually reserved for seniors, and the spring induction is almost always for juniors. The spring induction was held Tuesday, January 13, at 6:30pm in the Underwood Student Center. This was an induction ceremony that honored both the juniors and the seniors. There were 87 juniors inducted into the honor society, all who met the standards and will strive to uphold them throughout senior year. The seniors in this ceremony were honored by

getting a stole to wear with their graduation robes. The stole is only given to the seniors in National Honor Society who retain a 3.7 grade point average by graduation. In total there were 87 juniors and 75 seniors honored.

The National Honor Society is an amazing organization to consider joining for upcoming juniors. National Honor Society provides numerous service activities but also provides leadership opportunities. In National Honor Society, you have a chance to be president, vice president, historian, secretary, and so on. For any upcoming juniors and sophomores, the National Honor Society would be a good opportunity to keep in mind.

“I love leadership, and leadership is something that’s innate to me,” Schultz commented.

She describes her work with the senate as captivating and an opportunity to connect with everyone.

Another form of leadership Madison has taken on is the formation and running of the EHS Baking Club alongside friend Caroline Wendell. The two, who both love baking, decided to bring the activity to EHS through creativity and passion. So far, the club has organized a bake sale and plan to host numerous activities, including a Valentine’s Day sale and an end of the year cookie party. They’re also working on releasing an online cookbook to allow the entire EHS community easy access and participation in a variety of baked recipes.

Besides her helpful presence within EHS, Madison is involved in numerous

activities outside of school which she finds enjoyable. Coming from a musical family, Madison has recently taken up piano, even writing her own music despite playing only by ear. Her father played keyboard, while her mother was a concert pianist, so an affinity for the keys seems to be natural. She showed off her skills during EHS’s Coffeehouse, playing alongside faculty members and bringing quality music to the USC. However, this is not the only place in which Madison has brought her melodies. She’s also started a trend of open piano within Underwood Library.

Madison says, “I think music has an effect on the student body because [it’s] something that brings people together to express themselves.”

Besides piano, Madison exercises her love for the environment outside of school grounds. Not only is she a part of her local gardening club, but she’s also taken the time to do her own research on the potentially harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation. Her appreciation for the environment has led Madison to apply to a multitude of colleges majoring in environmental engineering.

With all of this on her plate, Madison “[does] feel stressed like most teenagers.” When asked how she handles this, she replied, “My main outlet is trying to delegate things to other students. I try to make anything that’s stressful into something I can enjoy.”

Reflections...

with Dean Colello

Looking back over your years at EHS, who are some of the former faculty and staff that left a lasting impression on you and why?

Dr. Borg (Founding Head of School) – Dr. Borg gave me my start at EHS as the Dean of Students and allowed me to help create the current EHS Culture and Traditions.

Clinton Carbon (Arts Pillar Head/Asst. Head of School) – Mr. Carbon was a fellow Hoosier and became a great friend and my “go-to” person when I first began and during my tenure at EHS.

Alland Mairena – Alland was the founding maintenance supervisor. He lived and breathed EHS 24/7/365 and would help anyone/everyone with any campus maintenance concern.

Dick Phillips – Coach Phillips taught

the EHS community how to act with class, humility, and sportsmanship on and off the athletic field.

Ned Becker (Head of School) – Mr. Becker realized the work and time I put into EHS and rewarded me for this effort, always telling me to go home and play some golf during the summer months.

Dub Brooks (Chaplain/Asst. Head of School) – Dub was a calming source on campus and he had a special way to make each and every person feel safe and cared for.

Marty Bastian (Chaplain) – Marty is a great friend that championed my son throughout JohnPaul’s time at EHS.

All the above had one very important trait – Community of Family, treating everyone like family and not labeling them.

EHS senior serves environment and community

Madison Schultz often plays the piano in the USC during lunch and break. Photo courtesy of Madison Schultz.

Episcopal’s National Honor Society is sponsored by Mrs. Ray and Dr. Luu.

Photo courtesy of NHS.

Lessons in

DR. PHUC LUU Religion Faculty

“You should go to confession. It’s good for you,” one of my classmates encouraged when I was a graduate student at a Catholic university. He knew I was not Roman Catholic but perhaps thought that I could use a bit of confession. For those of us not part of a Roman tradition, or any kind of Christian tradition for that matter, confession might seem very foreign. What are some ways people could participate in confession that can be equally meaningful? The word itself offers some hints. Coming from the Latin word, “confiteri,” confession can mean “to acknowledge” or “to reveal” or “to disclose.”

There are many secrets we can keep to ourselves. Even though some of these need not be made public, many of these can burden us and leave us with a heavy heart. This is where a listening ear can be extremely helpful. Priests, pastors, and counselors can sometimes be an outlet for all the heaviness that we hide in our hearts. Other times we need a good friend or even a parent to provide that kind of support. This kind of confession can be seen in James 5:16: “Therefore confess

your sins to one an-other and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” I have two or three friends who have been on the receiving end of all my worries, heart aches, and pain (hopefully, I reciprocated for them). The reason I can do this is that trust has been hard earned through our own trials and tribulations.

Recently, mental health counselor Beth Luvisia wrote on the subject of selfdisclosure. She describes self-disclosure within “the process of getting to know another person” and is “characterized by a reciprocal sharing of personal information.” Sometimes, this is a natural process and other times awkward and not done appropriately. When the latter happens, it can lead to embarrassment and damaged relationships. Counselor Luvisia lists reasons why one may not be open to self-disclosure, such as fear of “abandonment” or “rejection,” “trauma,” or even “loneliness.”

Whatever the reasons we might not be able to share about ourselves, it is important to know the person, the situation, and depth of the friendship in order to minimize damage to ourselves and others. In these ways, may we find that confession can both free our souls and bring us healing.

C’est officiel, les taxis volants vont débarquer à Paris. L’annonce a été faite au Salon du Bourget. Trois groupes font s’associer pour envoyer les Parisiens dans les airs de la capitale, Airbus, ADP (Aéroports de Paris) et la RATP.Le projet est soutenu activement par la région Ilede-France. il faut concevoir et produire les nouveaux engins volants, imaginer la gestion du futur trafic aérien en basse altitude au-dessus de l’agglomération parisienne et réaliser les nouvelles installations qui accueilleront les futurs taxis du ciel, le

tout avant la cérémonie d’ouverture des JO 2024 !

It’s official, flying taxis are coming to Paris. The announcement was made at the Paris Air Show. Three groups are joining forces to send Parisians into the air in the capital, Airbus, ADP (Paris airport) and RATP. The project is actively supported by the Ile-de-France region.

We must design and produce the new flying machines, imagine the management of future air traffic at low altitude above the Parisian urban areas and build the new installations that will accommodate the future taxis of the sky, all before the opening ceremony of the Olympic games 2024!

F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay

RAIGAN CLAY Features Editor

Recently, while I was scrolling the feed on my TikTok “For You Page,” I came across a video in which a content creator was talking about the concept of buying fake pieces of clothing or shoes. His take was that he would never do it, and it devalues fashion in its entirety to buy fake pieces that aren’t of any real value.

I agree with his take in that buying fake clothing almost inevitably defeats the purpose of what I think fashion is. It takes away an element of character and storytelling. And because everything is so “instant gratification” these days, we struggle with the idea of waiting and maybe saving up to

buy clothes that we desire.

Fast fashion has killed authenticity and originality. Something to take into consideration is the societal push for people to buy these fake things. Was it ever that deep? Why are we willing to spend hard earned money on fake goods for the sake of fitting in and hoping for an edge of superiority over others.

As teens who don’t really have a large store of revenue, it might be viable to spend our money on things that can at least give us a good story. There’s something really cool about maybe looking up to a designer and finally saving enough to buy a pair of shoes you’ve wanted. Now you have a story behind how you got it and what it means to you. To me that is an important part of fashion.

IZZIE SONG Staff Writer

February is Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements and historical contributions of Black Americans. While people like Harriet Tubman or Malcom X often take the focus of this time, the person who began this tradition was Carter G. Woodson, a historian.

Dr. Woodson dedicated his life to mentoring young scholars and studying black history. The Harvard graduate co-founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) alongside Jesse E. Moorland. Their mission was to research and share the history of Black Americans. In 1926, the organization sponsored a week dedicated to black history which took place in early February. This eventually led to the hosting of many celebrations and lectures across the country.

The week evolved into Black History

Month, in part thanks to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Gerald Ford was the first president to officially recognize Black History Month, and since, every president has followed.

Each month pertains to a certain theme, with 2023’s being “Black Resistance,” focusing on the battle against past and modern oppression. From the 1950s sit-ins and boycotts to the Haiti revolution and recent protests, this month’s theme seeks to highlight the many ways discrimination has been opposed. Among these, common activities, and the way they’ve been used to uplift black communities, are discussed. For example, music genres like gospel and rap have been used to speak out against oppression and spread knowledge on racial issues to a large audience.

By addressing the past, Black History Month promotes a progressive future. This celebration serves as a reminder that black history is an integral part of America’s history as a whole.

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer

Iconic idols stand as symbols of Black History Month: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and Barack Obama. Photo courtesy of time.com.

A penitent woman prays to God, representing the confessions Dr. Luu discusses. Photo courtesy of tyndale.com.

The new Olympic 2024 logo and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, symbolize next year’s Olympics. Photos courtesy of wikipedia.com and paris2024.org

Fake Gucci shirts, Louis Vuttion shirts, and Golden Goose sneakers are highly popular dupes. Photos courtesy of graziadaily.co.uk and realstyle.therealreal.com.

Sunday, February 5, Crypto.com Arena hosted the 65th annual Grammy Awards. This is the first Grammys that promised a sense of normalcy after all the Covid interrupters. All the biggest stars were present, but surprisingly, this year’s Grammys felt mundane and boring compared to years past, while the most anticipated Grammy honor seemed a safe bet.

The performances weren’t anything to rave about, either, and the show overall just lacked character. While watching the awards show a little closer this year, I realized just how many awards the televised show leaves out of the program. Viewers get the traditional Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Album but not Best Urban Contemporary Album. After years of watching the same lineup, it just gets a little redundant.

I also realized that within each of the categories (that are televised at least,) the same artists are being rotated, and they seem to be taking turns winning one of the awards. I understand some artists deserve to be nominated for various awards, but at what point is this all a popularity contest? And about what’s relevant and easily digestible to the public?

The Grammys lose a lot of their credibility sometimes because often it seems like The Recording Academy goes the

Raigan’s Radio

easy route and isn’t consistently giving awards to artists that push boundaries and who are making projects that deserve to be credited for their artistic value. A classic example: The 61st Grammy Awards, Travis Scott’s Astroworld gets snubbed by Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy Astroworld was arguably one of Travis’s best albums and is held in high regard within the rap community. That album has become part of Travis’s legacy and is looked at as a cultural reference. Can we say the same about Invasion of Privacy? (Just food for thought.)

When it comes to Album of the Year, one of the most anticipated music awards, I question whether the Grammys is even a viable reflection of the music community’s beliefs. This year’s award went to Harry Styles’ Harry’s House. Notably, it was up against Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Adele. It was very controversial for Styles to win over these great projects for what some would call an artistically safe project.

So, as a community, I think it’s important that we start to be more meticulous when we define what the characteristics are for an Album of the Year.We should be more concerned with what makes a project worthy of this grand title we spend the whole year waiting to award.

Houston hosts iconic Rodeo The Lakehouse entices readers

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

From February 28 through March 19, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is coming back to NRG with stellar performers. The Rodeo’s mission is to support Texas youth, showcase Western Heritage, and provide year-round educational support within the community. This event also promotes agriculture by hosting a family-friendly experience that not only entertains the public but also educates.

The Houston Rodeo has given more than $575 million to the youth of Texas and Education. It has been a Texan tradition since 1932, and grew to be the most wellknown, worldwide rodeo that people from various countries attend.

The Rodeo holds the World Championship Bar-B-Que contest, which will be on February 23-25.

Tickets went on sale January 12, with prices starting at $20.

Chris Boleman, Rodeo President and CEO said, “we are thrilled to welcome back so many talented artists, including some fan favorites such as Houston rap legend Bun B, who will be taking the

stage alongside some additional iconic Southern performers. The level of talent we have in this lineup will get the fans excited, like Texas’ own Parker McCollum, who is helping us kick off this 2023 star lineup on Opening Day.”

Other performers to be featured are the Zac Brown Band, Jon Pardi, The Chainsmokers, Turnpike Troubadours, Luke Bryan, and Machine Gun Kelly,

Tuesday February 28 is the official opening day of the Rodeo. The event draws attendees for things other than music, though, such as carnival rides and games, livestock shows, and great food. Rodeo Houston also celebrates important groups and events on specified days, like Armed Forces Appreciation Day, Black Heritage Day, First Responders Day, Community Day, and Go Tejano Day.

The Rodeo is sponsored by many large companies like Coca- Cola, Miller Lite, Ford, Mattress Firm, and Reliant Energy.

The livestock portion of the Rodeo offers many different fun Texas traditions, such as bull riding, Mutton Bustin’, steer wrestling, women’s barrel racing, and more. The parade prior to each night of competition is worthwhile. Check the Rodeo website for more information.

JALYNN WOOLLEY Production Editor

Kate Morton tells a captivating and enchanting tale in her novel, The Lakehouse The book follows two young women of two different centuries, their stories woven together by the mystery of a disappearance.

The novel opens with a young Alice Edevane, a peculiar girl determined to defy the pressing expectations of a young girl of high standings in the early twentieth century. The story then flashes to present-day Sadie Sparrow, a curious detective currently attempting to escape the mistakes of her past in the recluse county of Cornwall. It isn’t until Sadie stumbles upon an old lakehouse buried in the woods and Alice’s idyllic life is torn to shreds by her little brother’s sudden disappearance do the two girl’s stories finally snap together.

Morton’s masterpiece of a novel is filled with twists and turns that no one will see coming and will have readers hanging on to the very last word. Her beautiful character construction and rich, lyrical description perfectly set the scene for a

compelling mystery novel. Her attention to detail paired with her ability to paint a picture make the novel a delight to read.

Kate Morton’s The Lakehouse is a must-read for lovers of mystery, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction. Her clever construction will have you falling in love with her characters as she seamlessly blends the stories of two girls who would otherwise have nothing in common. The novel’s unpredictability is arguably its most attractive facet as readers hang onto Morton’s every word as the unsettling history of the secluded lakehouse unfolds.

Film buffs do not anticipate any surprises among Oscars winners

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

With the 2023 Oscars approaching, the question of who will win the major three awards, Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress haunts the world of film lovers. Everything Everywhere All at Once, produced by Daniel Kwan, Jonathan Wang, and Daniel Scheinert, is a front runner for Best Picture and is predicted to dominate the award show overall with 11 total nominations, the most of any film. This movie is chaotic and messy while being meaningful and detailed. The story line of the multiverse is full of twists and turns, but the deeper meaning of the movie and the mother/daughter subplot is what makes it so captivating. Although Everything Everywhere All at Once is a front runner, it is up against tough

competition, including Elvis and Top Gun: Maverick

The Best Actor Award is also filled with tough competition, but Austin Butler in Elvis and Brendan Fraser in The Whale are top contenders. Butler and Fraser have won and been nominated for multiple awards for their performances in the films, such as the Golden Globes Best Actor (Butler) and Critics Choice Best Actor (Fraser).

Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian women to be nominated for best actress, is predicted to be a shoo-in for the award. She played Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Her biggest competition is Cate Blanchett from TAR, but Yeoh is still expected to win.

After being nominated, Yeoh gave a “thank you to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for this opportunity. I will forever cherish this moment.”

From the top, clockwise, Adele on the red carpet celebrating her newest Grammy win; Harry Styles singing As It Was; Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne after their God Did performance. Photos courtesy of instyle.com, notjustok.com, and people.com.

Michelle Yeoh stars in A24’s highest grossing film ever produced by the film company. Photo courtesy of a24films.com.

Kate Morton’s The Lakehouse is an excellent read for your winter collection. Photo courtsey of goodreads.com.

How Artifical Intelligence is transforming the world

Robots in the Future

Our future holds many unexpected changes, one being new advances in the technological world. More specifically, the rise of more advanced robots.

Those who work in technology predict that in the future, robots will be able to use natural language and communicate verbally, interpret conversations, and have improved fine-motor skills and movement. Although not fully human, they could present themselves as if they had their own human emotions reflected in facial expressions and shape, like a smile. In 2050, interacting with robots will be second nature to us. It’s almost certain that in the coming years, the average person will own robot vacuums and even automated lawnmowers, which is hard to wrap our heads around. Robots will surround us on the streets and in public, but also in our very own homes.

What about jobs and the workforce? Devices like AI robots and machines will help boost productivity and be crucial for many current jobs. Those who are hesitant to adopt new technologies like these will almost certainly fall behind competitively and head down a decline. It could be possible that surgeons could use a remote-controlled arm to operate on a patient from many miles away, or an art teacher could use similar devices to instruct students in drawing or painting from a distance. New technologies could also mean certain jobs will no longer need to exist, causing a possible increase in unemployment.

Simply put, whether new technologies evolve that look like WALL-E or R2-D2, there are very high odds that they will be welcomed with open arms. Robots, the rise of AI, and machine-learning technologies represent the dawn of the next Industrial Revolution. Oren Etzioni, CEO of Allen Institute for AI, points out, “The speed, power and breadth of [this] technology’s impact across society will be unprecedented.”

Facial Recognition

Facial identification technologies have been around for a long time. They are crucial for police departments around the world and have been used to apprehend criminals with only descriptions of their faces. While these technologies are not new, Deepface pushes the boundaries of facial recognition further than they have ever gone before.

Deepface was one of the most recent AI accomplishments of Meta, the company that created the Metaverse and the Oculus Virtual Reality Headset. Meta is a branch of Facebook that focuses on technology, helping people connect, find communities, and grow their businesses. Deepface is a new facial recognition device that is said to be one of the most accurate to date. Not only can it identify people, it can also identify facial expressions, age, gender, and race, all from one photo.

Deepface works by using a system that contains four modules. The four modules are 2D alignment, 3D alignment, frontalization, and a neural network. The image is passed through these modules in this exact sequence and a 4096-dimentional feature vector representing the face is created. To identify people, six fiducial points are used. The points are two eyes, the tip of the nose, and three points on the lips. Just these six points are enough to correctly identify a person. After the points are logged, a 2D image of the face is generated. In the third step, a 67 fiducial point map is applied on the 2D image to create a 3D image of the face. This program makes facial recognition more powerful and more accurate than ever. Systems such as Deepface can also be used for ulterior motives too. In a trend called “Deepfaking,” people are plastering generated images of celebrities and other people in videos. This trend has caused many false rumors to spread on the internet.

ChatGPT: The New Way to Connect and Communicate

With the advent of technology, the way we communicate has changed dramatically. From the days of snail mail and landline phones to instant messaging and video conferencing, we are now able to connect with people from all over the world in real-time. One such platform that is making waves in the world of communication is ChatGPT.

ChatGPT is a new app that allows users to connect and communicate with each other in real-time. The app is designed to provide a seamless experience for users, with features such as instant messaging, voice and video calls, and the ability to share photos and videos. It also allows for the creation of groups where users can communicate with multiple people at once. This makes it an ideal platform for work teams, families, and friends who are spread out across different locations.

ChatGPT has already gained a lot of traction, with users praising its ease of use and user-friendly interface. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices, and it can be downloaded for free from the app store.

In conclusion, ChatGPT is a game-changer in the world of communication. With its emphasis on privacy and security, and its user-friendly interface, it provides a new way for people to connect and communicate in real-time. So, if you’re looking for a new way to keep in touch with friends and family, or if you want to improve your work communication, give ChatGPT a try.

(This entire article was written by ChatGPT by entering the prompt “write me a 250-word newspaper article about chat GPT”).

Robot Influencers

Throughout history, the world has gone through incredible technological advances. Now, in the era of AI and virtual reality, these advances are being taken to a whole new level.

What’s known as a “Robot Influencer” is a fictional, computer generated ‘person’ who has real istic characteristics and personalities. A virtual influencer is a digital character that is created using computer software. The character is given a personality, and the person will then act on social media as if they are the influencer.

Miquela Sousa, a real-life robot influencer, has become a global superstar, and has even been recognized by TIME Magazine as ’25 Most Influential People on the Internet. A 19-year-old robot, she lives in LA, and is active on all platforms of social media, including Instagram, Discord, and Youtube.

Miqeula is controlled by Trever McFedries and Sara Decou, the co-founders of Brud. Created in 2016, Miquela has gained 2.8 million followers on Instagram and has modeled clothes for Chanel, Burberry, and Fendi. She earns about 8,000 dollars per sponsored post. In 2020, Miquela signed with CAA, and was estimated to earn over 10 million dollars from the partnership. It appears brands are especially attracted to these virtual bots because they are “unproblematic,” controllable, and pose no threat to companies. It has been said that Virtual Influencers captivate three times higher engagement than a human influencer.

The Metaverse

The metaverse is a shared virtual space where users can interact with each other and digital objects in a seemingly real and immersive environment. The concept of a metaverse has been popularized in science fiction, such as the movie Ready Player One, where humans use a VR headset to enter a virtual world to escape the slums of the real world. In this movie much of society’s economy is influxed through the metaverse. However, this fiction is rather quickly becoming a reality with recent advancements in technology such as virtual reality and blockchain.

Currently, the metaverse is mainly used for people to “teleport” people to a digital world to play games such as Roblox, Fortnite, and Sandbox. Here, people interact with a customized avatar

According to technologists, the metaverse will quickly expand greater than just the gaming world and allow users do everything from buy land to even get married to other digital avatars.

In the future, the metaverse could provide a foundation for various industries in education, commerce, and entertainment. The metaverse could possibly make a new environment for children to learn in pandemics, helping friends and family interact without long distance boundaries, or participate in buying and selling virtual goods and services.

The metaverse represents a new frontier in human digital interactions and experiences. While the concept of a metaverse may still seem far-fetched, the technology necessary for its creation is rapidly advancing. The future of the metaverse holds virtually endless possibilities, and it will be exciting to see how it evolve and impacts our lives in the coming years.

AI Generated Art

AI generation within the last years has developed from generating blurry photos to almost indistinguishable from real photos. But as image generation technology improves, the question as to how much of a threat it poses remains unanswered.

The first instances of computer generated graphics were in the early 1950s with basic shapes created with algorithms. In 1973, Harold Cohen programmed AARON, a collection of algorithms capable of producing simple drawings. Then a 2016 paper by researchers tried to reverse image to text description software to create photos based on descriptions. Machine learning algorithms allowed these programs to develop over time by their own and quickly learn from online datasets to build connections. Nowadays, software such as DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Imagen, and other programs offer a very accessible platform to generate accurate and detailed photos based on user inputs. With these new developments, however, have come controversy over possible problems. One of the biggest potential threats is to artists. Even as automation began, creative jobs like those of artists and writers were seen as safe from replacement, built on the assumption that there is some intrinsic creative ability that a computer cannot replicate. And while there is still room for improvement, AI has shown its capability to reproduce art that is in some cases to a similar degree of quality to a human produced drawing. Artists could risk losing their careers as art becomes increasingly easy to produce without them. There is also the threat of deepfakes and other photo manipulations to create misleading videos or photos, possibly being used to spread rumors or even propaganda.

Algorithms

The constantly evolving digital society we live in thrives off the mathematical construction of algorithms. Algorithms are sequences of mathematical instructions used to solve problems.

Although algorithms have recently gained much attention, they have been applied throughout the world for decades. Mathematical algorithms are used to help search engines rank web pages, airlines to organize flight schedules, brands to generate marketing campaigns, and so much more. Simply put, without algorithmic equations, our modern world would not be able to function

In recent news, algorithms have been applied to various social media sites to sort through the massive amounts of content that exists on these platforms to promote content each individual user is most likely to engage in. Each social media site has constructed its own equation to serve their consumers with posts that are going to pique their interest. On sites like Instagram and TikTok, the algorithm presents you with posts relating to specific accounts you have previously shown interest in, things your friends have liked or reposted, and the relevance, or trendiness, of the post. TikTok is well known for its algorithm that completely ignores the relevance or popularity of the post to provide each user with what they will find the most interesting. This business model has made TikTok one of the most successful social media sites currently in use today. There is much dispute about the new role of algorithms in providing user-specific content on social media platforms and in product promotion. Some users would rather that the content they are being served coincides with their interests, while others are uncomfortable with the idea that a computer is recording their data even if it could be potentially beneficial to them as a user of that platform. Regardless, in this day and age, it’s almost impossible to avoid these mathematical algorithms that serve as the foundation of the Digital Age.

Advances in Technology

These days, technology is flying at the speed of light. It’s hard to imagine that just 16 years ago was the birth of the first touchscreen iPhone. If you look at how much the iPhone has advanced in the past 16 years, one can only imagine what has happened in all different areas of technology recently.

Scientists are making new breakthroughs every day in medicine, genetics, climate change, cybersecurity, astrophysics, artificial intelligence, and numerous other areas, starting with debatably the most controversial one, AI. Humans have found more ways to harness AI than ever before. Programs like Chat GPT, Deepface, and Meta are being popularized, ushering in a new age of interaction with AI programs like never before.

Another area that has had huge changes recently is medicine. The invention of genetically modified pigs could possibly be the savior of thousands of people. In addition, the genetic modification tool CRISPR has made leaps and bounds. Going from the lab to healthcare clinics, it has begun moving into common genetic diseases such as high cholesterol.

These are just small examples of how advanced technology has really gotten recently. Improvements are being made in all areas of life and sometimes go unnoticed. Life is changing all around us faster than the blink of an eye, and it’s more important now than ever to stay current on what’s happening around us.

TikTok ban faces pushback

LILY O’GORMAN Editor In-Chief

Amid recent bills proposing state TikTok bans, fears of a nationwide ban have emerged among the app’s millions of American users. However, the fact is, a national ban will never happen–it is unrealistic, impractical, and most significant to lawmakers, unconstitutional.

This argument is not meant to underplay the security risks TikTok’s parent company ByteDance poses, because the risks are valid. Specifically, TikTok has raised red flags about stealing its user’s information and potentially pushing propaganda and misinformation on its “For You Page” through its elusive algorithm. In a hearing last November, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the app’s risks “…include the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control data collection on millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for influence operations if they so choose” (NPR).

However, there is simply not enough tangible evidence of information theft for lawmakers to prove that TikTok threatens national security. In 2020, Trump attempted to shut down TikTok in the U.S. with an executive order but was blocked by multiple federal courts whose judges called the shutdown an “arbitrary and capricious” overstep in authority, and one that inhibits freedom of speech. Similarly, recent pushes to instate a national ban will undoubtedly face backlash from its 113.25 million

American users and First Amendment. In a similar case in 2017, Packingham v. North Carolina, a bill proposed to ban sex offenders from social media was deemed unconstitutional because, as the majority described, “to foreclose access to social media altogether is to prevent the user from engaging in the legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights.” Though this case obviously does not deal with sex offenders, the same line of thinking applies. Social media outlets are an arena for the exchange of ideas and opinions, and enacting bans is a slippery slope that will be near impossible to navigate regardless of how noble lawmaker’s intentions may be. This does not mean TikTok will go unrestricted forever, though; there are certainly ways to curtail its potential security risks besides enacting a nationwide ban. For one, more targeted, specific bans are far more likely to pass. For example, 27 states thus far have banned TikTok from government devices on account of security concerns.

First Amendment expert Kevin Goldberg of the Freedom Forum Institute argues that the government should, as a first step, force TikTok to be more transparent about where its user’s data is stored to continue allowing American users to download the app. As an alternative solution, Golberg additionally suggested that the FBI “require… divestiture of some foreign ownership” of the app. These approaches, though not perfect, could be a few methods of demanding answers from the company directly as opposed to an outright ban–a ban that would, frankly, never pass.

Unions making a return in US

CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer

In April of last year, the Amazon JFK8 warehouse, following a five-day vote, became the first Amazon warehouse in the United States to unionize. This marked a major victory for the Amazon Labor Union and a huge steppingstone in revitalizing America’s declining labor movement.

Worker organization has long been an aspect of labor in America since the beginnings of industrialization. Previous modes of production were replaced with the efficient assembly line, and the maintenance of machinery became increasingly dangerous for employees. A new class of tycoon industrialists took advantage of the government’s lack of regulation to keep wages and working conditions poor. At times the government even collaborated with business interests to suppress worker collaboration. For example, because of poor treatment of coal miners, skirmishes broke out between the workers and mine operators, ending in the first ever deployment of a bomb on US soil against striking workers at Blair Mountain.

However, by the turn of the 20th century, a more political labor movement took shape in the form of the Progressives. Later, the desperation brought about by the Great Depression led many workers to turn to unions after the passing of various legislation, giving greater freedom to unions. In 1933, FDR signed the National Industrial Recovery Act, allowing employees to organize and bargain freely. By 1960, nationwide union membership had peaked at around 30%.

A variety of factors would contribute to unions’ declines in the following decades. Unlike in much of Europe where entire industries were unionized together, each factory had to be voted on separately. A growing undercutting of American production

by competition from other countries led to the collapse of many once heavily unionized industries particularly in Rust Belt cities like Detroit. Work stoppages via strikes fell 97% between 1970 to 2010. America had never truly developed an explicit labor party like in European states, and over time both parties lost interest as the free market was encouraged.

The effect of this decline is clear. A comparison of union membership and earnings inequality shows a strong connection between the two, with the fall in membership correlating to a steady rise in inequality. While the minimum wage has technically increased since its introduction, with inflation and increases in productivity considered, it has actually stagnated for the past decades. The once strong labor movement that brought many rights now taken for granted, such as a mandatory two-day weekend, is relatively unimportant in today’s modern economy.

This weaking has been taken advantage of by large companies. Amazon has been under scrutiny for quite a while now for its poor working conditions. In late 2021, there were two cases of employees not being allowed to leave their workplace despite tornado warnings, leading to the collective deaths of twelve in Kentucky and Illinois. Amazon was working hard to suppress pro-union sentiment, such as the mandatory distribution of explicitly antiunion employee training videos.

Recent years have shown the first union growth in decades. In 2022 alone, union petitions increased by 58%. Between 2018 and 2019, almost half a million people took part in strikes. Still, there is a long way to go in the process of achieving worker solidarity in negotiations, but with a new attitude toward organized labor and greater accessibility to organization through social media, the future of the American labor movement seems promising.

GMO

concerns based mostly on superstition

ALEX GONZALES Staff Writer

Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450

713-512-3400

Head of School Ned Smith

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David Framel

The rise of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has affected a skeptical public in the past decades, specifically its use in foods. Apprehension when considering buying foods with GMOs is prevalent and stems from a psychological bias toward leaving foods in their essence.

Artificial modification of foods between species leads many to believe characteristics of what the food is mixing with will make it taste like the latter, an false preconception; since DNA stays DNA whatever its source, mixing tomato and fish DNA does not make the tomato taste like fish.

One hypothesis to the internal human aversion to GMOs is the supposition of psychological essentialism. According to psychologist Susan Gelman, we conjure a picture of concepts through notions of what the essence of that object is. In other words, as a child, when we develop ideas of what a “lion” is, for example, the lack of a preschooler’s knowledge of scientific concepts leads the child to form clouded ideas about the essence of a “lion.” As a result, humans often carry amorphous judgments about specific concepts that themselves empty and don’t analyze the parts of an object but rather the entity standalone.

Psychological essentialism segues into GMOs because people are biased against the DNA mixing of two species because they believe their broad assessments of these species’ essence carry over. One might consider that mixing the DNA of a scorpion’s DNA and corn might taste like a scorpion, but as highlighted, this doesn’t follow, and instead, this example has its application in making cereal crispier.

Surrounding the GMO discussion is a largely scientifically illiterate population relying on their gut senses of what seems natural to them, but even though this imbues much of the debate, legitimate concerns about the consequences of growing GMOs play a role in the equation.

One concern about GMOs is the excessive use of glyphosate (Roundup). Roundup is liberally sprayed onto fields of crops that are resistant to weed killer, which can create toxic runoff due to overspraying. In addition to the Roundup problem is the monopolization of Roundup-resistant seeds, which creates an unhealthy agricultural market dynamic and disproportionately hurts average farmers, encouraging monopolistic behavior.

These negative aspects of GMOs have less to do with the GMOs themselves and more with the extensions of their use. GMOs are essential in aiding hunger and lack of food and yielding more crops to nutritionally deficient areas.

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The Non-GMO Project verifies products are GMO-free. Photo courtesy of pccmarkets.com.

Qatar’s kafala labor system exploits workers

JALYNN WOOLLEY Production Editor

On December 2, 2010, the Congress of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) came together to make one of the most important decisions of the decade: the location of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Twelve years later, it can be inferred that this decision is one that should have been made by taking into consideration each nation’s capacity for this international tournament and its previous human rights allegations.

On that day in early December, officials from around the world gathered to finalize the location of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as nations including the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Qatar were listed on the ballot. Soon after, it was announced that Qatar would be the first Arab nation to host the World Cup, and while this was an amazing feat at the time, as new information has come to light about the Qatari labor system officials are beginning to regret this irreversible choice. At the time of the decision, the nation of Qatar had been labeled as a “high risk” location as it lacked the infrastructure to house such a tournament and the nation’s intense heat would make it difficult for the cup to be held in the summer as it previously has been.

Due to these pressing challenges, both the FIFA Congress and the governing body of Qatar have had to adapt accordingly. It was decided that the 2022 World Cup would be held in the winter months to avoid Qatar’s summer heat and Qatar’s government began to re-construct the country in preparation for the tournament. It is estimated that the Qatari government invested $220 billion in order to build the airports, hotels, and stadiums necessary to host the cup, and mainly relied on foreign labor to complete the construction.

For many years now, Qatar’s economy has become entirely dependent on foreign labor due to their kafala labor system in which the laborer is dependent on their employer for their entry into the country, their residence in the country, their employment, and their eventual exit of the country. According to Vox, 90% of Qatar’s workforce are migrant workers enrolled in the kafala labor system. Under the system workers face abuse, wage theft, uncompensated injuries and deaths, and extremely poor working conditions.

In 2021, Guardian revealed that 6,750 migrant workers in Qatar had died since Qatar’s position as the host country was announced in 2010. Qatar quickly combatted this information claiming that only 37 of those deaths were due to World Cup related projects, and that many of the work-

ers died from old age or of natural causes. Although, the International Labor Organization (ILO) claims that this statistic is a vast underestimation as the Qatari government did not include any deaths induced by respiratory failure or heart attacks.

Many of the 32 teams participating in the tournament have decided to speak out against this clear violation of human rights against FIFA’s wishes for the teams to ignore politics and “focus on the football.”

The Danes have gone as far as to wear an all-black uniform to protest Qatar’s human rights record.

In response to the allegations against them, the Qatari government pledged to protect harsh labor in high temperatures, limit working hours, and improve conditions in worker’s camps. Despite being given 12 years to right their wrongs, the Qatari have done nothing more than make false promises for the future and have done nothing to stop the horrible injustice that occurs within the very walls of their nation every day.

The controversy behind Qatar’s position as the host country of the 2022 FIFA World Cup is the perfect example of how far a nation will go to insert itself into an international competition in search of wealth and recognition and how quick the world is to turn a blind eye to the injustice behind the nation’s borders.

Special education absent in America

ISABEL O’GORMAN Managing/Copy Editor

Education is one of the core priorities of our nation, yet many children with special needs fail to receive the necessary resources and support to succeed in their education. While society has come a long way in accepting the principle that every child deserves an equal opportunity to seek out and experience education, this was certainly not always the case.

In the early 70s, activists like Evelyn Deno pushed for change and pioneered the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975. This regulation ensured that children with disabilities, however severe, would have the right to a free, appropriate public education. But is it really that simple?

Despite the progress made with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, children with special needs continue to face numerous barriers to accessing quality education. In the last decade, there has been an uprise in individuals who assert the public school system’s failure to remedy the serious educational injustices that individuals with special needs and their families continue to endure. One of the most significant challenges afflicting these systems is a lack of funding, limiting the ability of institutions to provide their students with adequate resources, hands-on support, and specialized services. Under the same token, many public schools face limited access to technology, which explicitly impacts special needs students as many require particular technology for communication and effective learning. Moreover, due to difficulty obtaining certification, high burnout rates, low pay, and general lack of support, the shortage of qualified special education teachers only exacerbates the problems and places a disproportionate burden on the student’s parents.

The Lily Pad

Record oil and gas profits in 2022 foretell large companies’ increased reluctance to switch to greener energy options and send climate change countdowns ever closer to the “point of no return.” This month, the “Big Five” (Exxon, Chevron, Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies) released their annual results from the 2022 calendar year, and in doing so, revealed a massive spike in profits. This spike was likely due, at least in part, to the massive increase in demand of oil and gas since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In total, the companies racked up approximately $200 billion in profits combined, meaning all five companies saw historically record profits. The frontrunner, Exxon, made a whopping $55.7 billion last year; to put it in perspective, that’s $6.3 million per hour.

Importantly, and relating to this column specifically, the companies are under fire for keeping their prices at record highs to prioritize profits at the expense of average Americans. Claire Moser, deputy executive director of Climate Power, calls the $400 billion profit “a number

with Lily O’Gorman

we’ve never seen before, and one that was built off the backs of working families who were victimized by oil and gas executives’ greed.” President Joe Biden agreed in his State of the Union address on February 7, calling the profits “outrageous” and suggesting that companies should have used other methods of generating shareholder value, namely share buybacks, instead of raising gas prices.

Worst of all, after reporting $27.7 billion in profits, BP announced that it will be rolling back its climate goals made in 2020.

Two years ago, the company promised to cut production by 35% at a minimum by 2030. This year, they rolled back that number to 20%. BP’s chief executive, Bernard Looney, added fuel to the fire by referring to BP as a “cash machine” while finance chief, Murrary Auchincloss remarked “it is possible that we are getting more cash than we know what to do with.” Climate activists would suggest putting some of that money back into clean energy alternatives.

Justin Worland of Time Magazine commented on BP’s sustainability turnaround, stating, “beyond the obvious, BP’s highly

publicized shift offers a good lesson about a core challenge facing efforts to decarbonize so long as oil and gas remains hugely profitable, corporations will continue to produce it.” Put briefly, climate activists can only push oil and gas companies so much – if profits keep skyrocketing, activism is not their top priority. Climate expert Kate Blagojevic called the company “another fossil fuel giant mining gold out of the vast suffering caused by the climate and energy crisis.” General Secretary of the TUC put profits in perspective and called on higher taxes for companies, stating, “as millions struggle to heat their homes and put food on the table, BP are laughing all the way to the bank.”

Things will likely change with the implementation of policies like last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, renewable energy will continue to become cheaper, and thus more attractive to oil and gas companies. Hopefully, this shift happens quickly–if not, the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (as well as the future of the planet) remain in jeopardy.

Due to many of these factors, many parents turn to private schools, seeking out a system that more effectively manages the diverse needs of each student. One such institution, The Arbor School, welcomed Episcopal seniors during Senior Outreach. I was lucky enough to participate in this experience and was able to work closely with students who faced unique challenges yet remained resilient and eager to learn and grow. This determination inspires me to advocate for equal access to education for all students, regardless of their abilities or access to private education.

Since the world’s future depends on our children, it is our responsibility to ensure that each student can reach their full potential. We must understand that education is not a privilege limited to the few but a fundamental right that must be upheld to achieve an equitable and thoughtful society.

Correction:

The Knight Times recently misidentified a student in the Speaks Out column that appeared on Page 8 of Issue 6. The individual, Sean Thompson, was identified as Deshaun Thompson. The Knight Times strives to maintain accurate information in its role as a teaching tool and instrument of journalistic integrity and recognizes an ethical responsibility to promptly correct all factual errors, large and small. We encourage you to contact us if you think you see a mistake.

The FIFA World Cup brings attention to the abusive and extrenuating conditions of the kafala labor system in Qatar, where workers are exposed to extreme heat, poor living conditions, and endure violent treatment. Image courtesy of Vox.com.

Girls soccer secures third-place title

JALYNN WOOLEY Opinions Editor

From February 9-11, the EHS girls soccer team fought relentlessly in the 4A Southwest Preparatory Conference Tournament and scored a third place finish.

On Thursday night, entering as third seed of the tournament with a 7-1 record in SPC play, the team started with a 3-0 win against the Episcopal School of Dallas. They then advanced to the semifinals where they faced off against rival St. John’s. After scoring a miraculous goal in the last couple minutes, the girls tied up the game and took St. John’s into overtime. After two quick 10-minute rounds of overtime, St. John’s scored a last-minute goal and won the game 2-1.

The girls did not have much time to mourn their loss as their time in the tournament had not come to an end. On

Boys soccer recaptures SPC title

Saturday morning, the girls faced another tough battle, this time against Kinkaid. After regulation play ended in a 1-1 tie, the girls entered a round of overtime and secured the third-place title after finishing the game 2-1.

After making history last year and being the first ever EHS girls soccer team to make third place in SPC, the girls were hoping to aim for another record-breaking title, but Coach Stelter and the girls are excited to work hard to break new records next winter season.

This year, the girls built a special bond, but the team is especially sad to say goodbye to seniors Elle Abaza, Ava Gonzales, Ella Marino, Mia Tuckwood, Kara Seade, and manager Ava Muslih. The team is expecting some great new talent to join them next season, and they will hopefully help to carry the team into another amazing season.

Swimmers break personal records

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

The Episcopal Knights swim team had a successful SPC tournament. Two members of the swim team made it to the finals: Meredith Frasier and Taylor Morris. Frasier, a junior, placed third in the 100-meter backstroke, and freshman Morris placed fifth in the 100-meter breaststroke. Although only two swimmers made it to the finals, many of the team members dropped personal times and had

productive relays. After the tournament, Coach Shaun Flood said, “Overall we had a good performance and look forward to next year with so many young talented athletes.” Losing three seniors, the swim team and Coach Flood are excited to see the new talent joining them next year.

Annika Haug, a junior who started swim this year, said, “It’s been such a great and successful first season with the EHS swim team. Everyone was so welcoming and gave it their all. We can’t wait for next year.”

Individual wrestlers crowned SPC champions, team earns third place

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

The varsity wrestling team finished its season strong with three wrestlers placing first in the SPC Winter Tournament.

Head Coach Steve Leisz said, “Yesterday was a great day to be a Knight wrestler! As a team, we were very close to second place - two points out - and given the fact that we were missing four weight classes and placing first year wrestlers at four other weight classes, it makes the accomplishment even more outstanding.

“This group of 10 wrestlers performed at the highest level we have seen from them all season, and we are incredibly proud of every one of them. What a great way to end the season.” Outstanding

wrestlers Lane Robinson, Jimmy Guzman, Thalia Vogelsang, and Ben Sanders all finished the season winning first place in their weight class while Madden Morgan finished in second place in his weight class. The Knights have been working hard for their success this season, and the four champions qualified to represent Texas at the Prep Nationals.

Coach Leisz added, “There is so much commitment put into wrestling. So, when that wrestler wins the match to become an All American, State Champion, or just watching a new wrestler win that first match, there is nothing like it.”

The Knights’ hard work and dedication paid off as they had a great end to their season and are looking forward to a successful season next year.

ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Staff Writer

After a difficult loss last year in the SPC championships and a fifth-place finish, the boys soccer team came back with a vengeance and won it all against the Kinkaid Falcons.

The team starts the tournament with St.

The team moved on to the finals against a familiar foe: Kinkaid High School. This game was extremely close until sophomore Kaden Martinez scored. The Knights’ defense kept the Falcons off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest and held on to a 1-0 victory.

Most of the soccer team is comprised seniors, making this moment bittersweet for many of them but definitely a great way to

Andrew’s and closed out The Highlanders chances of moving on with a convincing 3-0 score. Two goals came from senior Kadin Castillo, who holds the record for most goals scored in a single EHS soccer season, and the final third goal was compliments of Tomas Gomez, a sophomore.

Next, the boys met Dallas Greenhill, the first team the Knights lost to last year. The boys fought hard and worked together against the Hornets to end the game in another 3-0 win. Kadin Castillo scored another two goals, and senior co-captain Yousuf Saeed chipped in the third.

Boys basketball earns 2023 SPC Runner Up title

CLARA CRENSHAW Staff Writer

After a successful season, the EHS boys basketball team returned home from the SPC tournament in Dallas with the runner-up trophy.

During regular season SPC play, the boys dominated, only losing to Houston Christian, who they would later meet in the finals of the tournament. Along the way the boys beat two of their biggest rivals: Kinkaid and St. John’s.

Going into the SPC tournament, the expectations for the Knights were high after winning the tournament last year. The Knights started the tournament strong with a convincing win over the Episcopal School of Dallas 65-44.

They continued this streak with a hardfought, closer contest against St. Mark’s, 63-58, to make it to the championship game.

The championship game was intense and went into double overtime. Houston Christian came out on top 81-78, but the Knights put up a good fight in the battle.

Junior Justin Begg said, “Throughout this year we had many ups and downs, but we always managed to push through and never quit on each other. No matter the outcome, we will always be family.”

end their four-year journey at EHS. These boys have truly acted as mentors for the young talent on the team, preparing them for hopefully many more SPC championship wins soon.

Saeed commented, “I’m beyond grateful to have had a group of such genuine, hardworking teammates with me this season. After last year’s heartbreak, we all knew going into the season what we wanted. We put our heads down, worked at it tirelessly, and did it. We brought it home.” Now, the SPC trophy for 4A boys soccer is back home where it belongs.

Knights capture girls SPC Runner Up in basketball

JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer

The girls basketball team had an excellent performance at SPC and displayed exemplary athletic ability, placing Runner Up in the conference. The tournament took place in Dallas at The Hockaday School, where the athletes tested their abilities by competing against other highlevel athletes.

The girls started their second-place finish against Hockaday, who they handily beat 67-45, before then moving on to compete against Greenhill. The results proved positive for the Knights as the girls pulled off an incredible 58-45 victory.

In the championship round against Houston Christian, the team struggled to keep up with their highly skilled opponents, and after an incredibly close game, ended up losing with a final score of 71-60.

Regardless of their unfortunate final result, the girls displayed incredible skill and comradery which allowed them to perform capably.

The girls basketball team is currently looking forward to the next winter season where they plan to further improve upon this season’s exceptional results.

Senior team captain Lane Robinson faces off against his opponent prior to his match Photo by Kennedy Greene.

Senior Connor Kuenstle closed out his high school career with a hard-fought SPC win. Photo by Mya Broughton.

Spring Sports

Softball continues its domination

JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer

The EHS Knights’ softball team has begun looking forward to a promising spring season as they begin their training this semester. The girls have commenced the start of the spring season with routine preseason practices intended to prepare them for their upcoming games. This year’s team features both younger athletes and veteran players; as a result, the upperclassmen have stepped up as leaders, and the freshmen have risen to the challenge of learning from their peers. The returning players to watch out for are Emma Poirot, Allie Williams, Kate Hale,

Boys lacrosse shoots for state title

Reagan Moriarty, Gianna Lewis, Avery Knupp, Annie Jones, Bella Woodcox, Casey Rendon, and Townsen Thomas.

The team faces a packed schedule with a calendar full of weekly games and the occasional tournament. The athletes will continue to focus on improving every aspect of their performance as they near the peak of the spring preseason.

The EHS softball team began their training early in the spring semester, hoping that this year will provide them with the opportunity to be recognized as the exceptional athletes that they are. As the season progresses, the group of athletes intend to place highly at SPC and potentially bring home a first-place trophy.

Golf drives off in first tournament

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

The Episcopal Knights golf teams are excited to showcase their skills on the course after months of preparation.

One of the biggest challenges for high school golfers is “adapting to the unique demands of the sport,” sophomore varsity golf member Jack Hartman reflected.

the golf teams spend countless hours perfecting swings and the short game to attain the skills necessary to maneuverer around the course.

Track and field athletes train with SPC title as goal

JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer

With the beginning of the 2023 spring athletics season, the Episcopal Knights track team is looking forward to a promising year of successful events.

Although the team graduated a considerable amount of varsity seniors last year, the coaching staff is confident that the talent pool will continue to expand and bring in new runners who are full of potential.

After beginning their training on January 30, the athletes displayed exemplary resolve and commitment by braving the intense cold temperatures during practice. The team has a schedule full of upcoming competitions that will allow them to establish themselves as formidable opponents. The coaching staff believes that this year’s group of rising talent and returning athletes will make for an excellent season and potentially bring home an SPC title. The athletes hope to continue improving their skills as they enter the peak of the spring season and plan to perform highly throughout the semester.

This season the varsity boys golf team consists of talented players such as Jack Hartman, Henry Crain, James Carter, Jack Oren, Wilhelm Olsson, Bradley O’Donnell, Jackson Conner, and Dylan Katz. The girls golf team final roster is not set yet since their first tournament will be on March 1 at the BlackHorse Golf Club. The boys first tournament was on February 13 at the Strake Invitational.

Both teams are motivated by the same goal, which Girls Head Coach Meghan Moake emphasized is to “win SPC.”

THOMPSON WHITE Staff Writer

With the 2023 EHS boys lacrosse season coming to a start, the Knights lacrosse team is thrilled to begin the season they have been preparing for throughout the school year. With nine seniors graduating from last year’s squad, the Knights have 12 seniors eager to play one last season.

Four notable seniors who will continue their lacrosse skills in college are Jackson Hearn, committed to Gettysburg College, ranked 8 in D3 Lacrosse; Connor Shanley and Drew Haffner, both committed to Florida Tech Institute of Technology; and Senator Flood, committed to Southwestern University.

Last season, the Knights finished with a loss in the Class A state playoff semifinals to Lake Travis 10-7. This year, Hearn says the Knights are on their “revenge tour” with hopes to finally bring home the Class-A State trophy and “restore the peace.”

This season the Knights have 22 regular season games, and on February 14 the Knights started the schedule against Stratford and won 15-2. The most electric games this season will presumably be against the Knights rivals, such as St. John’s and Kinkaid.

Save the date for March 24 at St. John’s at 7:00 to watch St. John’s lose to the Knights. If you are hoping to watch Kinkaid lose to the Knights, come to the EHS fields at 7:00 on March 28.

Coach Colson joins girls lacrosse

MORGAN HEROD Opinions Editor

The girls lacrosse team will have a new look this spring. Joining the program is Head Coach Stephanie Colson, who is excited for her first season at EHS.

Coach Colson has many goals for her first season as head coach. She wants to build a strong team dynamic that is welcoming but also holds high standards for the players. She also hopes to win as many games as possible while having fun on the field.

This season the team will work hard to achieve their goal of being SPC champions. However, Coach Colson hopes that her players leave the season with skills to help them succeed later in life, happy memories, and an urgency to play next year.

Maintaining a positive team culture is critical to any team. Coach Colson expresses her gratitude for her great staff and her “fierce but loving” teammates. She

Episcopal athletes commit to NCAA

ALEX GONZALES Staff Writer

At the recent NCAA Early Signing Day, the EHS Athletic Pillar honored six athletes who have made their college decisions. Among those are Emily Young, Mia Tuckwood, Adam Katz, Connor Kuenstle, Conor Shanley, and Drew Haffner. The seniors schools and sports of choice are as follows: Emily Young, University of Louisville, field hockey; Mia Tuck-

wood, Lehigh University, soccer; Adam Katz Davidson College, baseball; Connor Kuenstle, Lehigh University, soccer; Conor Shanley, Florida Institute of Technology, lacrosse; and Drew Haffner, Florida Institute of Technology, lacrosse.

These seniors have put a lot of efforts into their decisions so it is rewarding to see their choices finally materialize. The signing day also serves as a milestone for these EHS students’ athletic careers and the payoff of their years of hard work in their respective sports.

believes that her players have come into the program with a good understanding on what it means to be a good team member. To build on that knowledge, they will continue activities for team bonding and positive talk.

The team likes to play games that offer a challenge, which helps improve communication and overall team play. She hopes that her players will figure out how to work with each other and build the competitiveness.

Baseball ready to showcase the team

JULIA SHERMAN Staff Writer

This upcoming spring 2023 season, the varsity baseball team is looking forward to a successful campaign. With Head Coach Matt Fox and Assistant Coach Matt Uekert, the boys have a good shot at winning SPC.

The Knights are led by a strong group of veterans, including seniors Adam Katz, who plays first base and pitches; steady third baseman Andrew Thornton; and sure-handed Baron Dichoso, who plays center fielder. In addition, Coach Fox has woven a strong youth movement into the fabric of his team. This young group is

led by Miles Young, a hard-hitting freshman who also offers strong defense at second base.

Returning varsity player Ethan Bozeman said, “The varsity boys are really looking forward to this season, especially after how last year ended with us placing as runners up in SPC, losing to Kinkaid. I’m really excited to play against Kinkaid and St. John’s this season. All the returning players have been working day in and day out for this year. We are really excited to start this year, and our goal is to get back to SPC and bring back the trophy.”

The Knights are working hard to keep up their record as the number one seed going into the SPC championship games.

Matthew Farris uses his cannon to throw to the infield. Photo by Emma Freeman.

Senior Jackson Hearn returns for senior season. Photo courtesy of Thompson White.

From left, Townsen Thomas, Allie Williams, Emma Poirot, Kate Hale, Reagan Moriarty, and Gianna Lewis. Photo courtesy of vype.com.

Girls lacrosse huddles after the game.

Photo by Vivian Turbidy.

Senior Paige Champion practices her golf swing. Photo by Amelia Novotny.

Speaks Out

“If a movie were made of your life, who would be cast to play you?”

Resident Jester

PhotoJ Photo of the Month

Celebrity Sighting

With the icy weather taking over Texas, it’s hard to tell if we’re at EHS or stuck in the movie Frozen. Rob Britton certainly adds to that confusion with his uncanny resemblance to Frozen’s Kristoff. From the blonde shaggy hair (recently removed for a cropped look), to the flushed cheeks, it’s almost impossible to differentiate the two. Their facial structure is almost the same. Their slope of the jaw and point of the chin is indistinguishable. Although Rob lacks a singing reindeer best friend and ice queen sister-in-law, his resemblance to Kristoff is so striking that it makes us question if they are long lost brothers. Photos courtesy of frozen.disney.com and by Julia Sherman.

Cartoon by Lily O’Gorman.

WILL ANDREWS “Chris Pratt”

Sophomores Grace Gray and Nadia Jett perform a science experiment. Photo by Kennedy Greene.

PALMER POPOV “Blake Lively”

BENJAMIN DAVID “Chris Pratt”

QUINN MORGENROTH “Saoirse Ronan”

BRADY REED “Joe Exotic”

CALLAHAN BAKER “Blake Lively”

TREY SNELL “Jack Black”

ALYSSA WALL “Selena Gomez”

MR. DUNCAN “Calder Tribble”

MRS. CLARK “Rihanna”