PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESSICA SAVAGE
SENIOR SPORTS After years of dedication to their respective sports, senior athletes commit to colleges all around the nation. p19
thursday, february 12, 2015
|
e HoCkaDaY SChOOl INSIDE HATS OFF TO HAARTS The new program celebrating the arts and sciences will take place on Feb. 18 p6 A RUN TO REMEMBER Hockaday Alumna will run from San Francisco to Baltimore in seven weeks 2015 TREND PREDICTIONS Staff member Faith Isbell predicts some of the 2015 trends
p8 p16
THE PERFECT DAY News editor Charlea Lamb makes a plan to guarantee you your best day ever p20
11600 Welch Rd. Dallas, Texas 75229
|
Volume 65 Issue 4
|
news p2 features p7 infocus p12 arts & entertainment p14 sports & wellness p18 perspectives p21 photoessay p24
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
D HoLinG oN tO traDitiOn The Fourcast examines Hockaday girls’ perceptions on traditional values and how they have evolved in the last 50 years. Now, as we become more progressive, girls modify their traditions in order to preserve them. p12 PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY ERIN THOMAS AND ASHNA KUMAR
I
n a room of over 200 Hockaday students, alumnae, parents, board members, faculty and staff, the future of Hockaday may have been changed forever. On Jan. 31, members of the Hockaday community took part in Visioning Day, an all-day program intended to discuss and determine Hockaday’s goals for the next five years. Guiding prompts for discussion included “By 2020, Hockaday will be…” and “what must be accomplished in order for the vision to be achieved?” Cathy Murphree, assistant head for academic affairs and provost, said she and the strategic planning team, members of the Hockaday community appointed by the strategic planning committee that consists of all trustees, have been working since April 2014.
Vision continued p4
Surgery and Service Overseas
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANNA BUFORD
Envisioning the Future
Hockaday junior returns to Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic
A
fter visiting the Dominican Republic twice, junior Anna Buford is once again packing her bags and heading for Santo Domingo to log more time in the operating room. Buford, an aspiring orthopedic surgeon, will be pulling on scrubs and tying her hair back this spring break, from March 8 to March 15, to
BONDING TIME Junior Anna Buford meets and bonds with students from the local elementary school in Santa Domingo observe more surgeries at a free clinic. “I’m so excited to go back,” she said. “It’s my favorite place
to be because I feel like I am working for something I really believe in.”
Buford continued p9
02
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
NeWs Hockaday Students Get Published
Rainbow Alliance Introduces Club Forums Rainbow Alliance creates new method of sharing LGBTQA information through forums.
Trent continued to p6
PHOTO BY GRACE ZACARIAS
D
uring Hockaday’s first Day of Service in 2013, Dr. Tererai Trent inspired Hockaday with her story of unlikely educational achievement, perseverance and determination to better the schooling in African communities. And Hockaday’s mission to educate and empower women moved Trent in return. “Hockaday girls have become my own giants,” Trent said. “Ever since I spoke at Hockaday, they have been in my heart.” Just a year after having Trent speak at Hockaday, the school has done a number of things to try to remain connected with her, including community service that directly benefits her foundation, Tererai Trent International. And the initiatives have worked. Through Tererai Trent International, Trent is advancing a “community-wide literacy boost” by means of an after-school reading program. “We want to encourage the culture of reading within the community,” Trent said. To continue the thriving partnership, Trent asked Hockadaisies to get involved. After Trent’s visit, Lower School art teacher Shelley Hampe created illustrations inspired by her story. Hampe and Director of Inclusion Community Tresa Wilson worked together to compile the illustrations to read like a children’s book and gifted it to Trent to thank her for her visit. “Dr. Trent was touched by the gift and months later contacted me to see if there was a project that we could work on together,” Hampe said. “It took some time, but with the help of Mrs. Wargo and Ms. Wilson, this opportunity to have the Hockaday girls work alongside [Dr. Trent came about].” Beginning this year, students selected through an application process will work under the mentorship of Hampe, Wilson and Trent to write poetry and create illustrations that will eventually come together as a children’s book that will appeal to children globally. And Trent is allowing the students to take ownership of the book’s content. “I am leaving it up to Hockaday girls, who are the authors of the book,” she said. But she revealed a goal she hopes to achieve through this book: “I would like the book to help young readers make an emotional connection with the world around them and learn about empathy and compassion for others.”
S
ince last November, The ries concerning LGBT issues. Upper School administraUpper School Head John tion has been helping the Ashton and Assistant Upper Rainbow Alliance find a School Head Elizabeth Jones, way to distribute information supportive of LGBT education about various lesbian, gay, bi- and conversations, suggested an sexual and transgender issues alternate mean of communicaand topics to the Upper School tion for this information. community. “We want to give students Together, they wanted to find a teaching and learning space a way that would allow for con- where they can discuss these topversation and provide an ade- ic, seek understanding and ask quate environment for dialogue. questions,” Jones said. Senior Laura Nagy, Because a newsletPresident of the Rainter does not allow for bow Alliance, sugcommunity conversagested a newsletter to tion and is available to not only educate the all, Jones and Ashton Upper School students, suggested a forum as a but also to foster a welway of educating and coming community supporting the comfor the LGBT students munity. It was a model It's at Hockaday. Ashton had used suc“Really, what we’re cessfully in the past information trying to prevent is the Rainbow Althat we need with misinformation,” Nagy liance, formerly called said. “The most harmto be talking the Gay Straight Alful thing to the LGBT liance, when the stuabout. cause is people not undents wanted a broadAssistant US Head derstanding what this er conversation. Elizabeth Jones means and why it’s imThe Rainbow Alliportant that we repreance was not the only sent it.” club to have these conSophomore Auversations with the drey Black drafted a newsletter administration. In the past, the last November which consisted Human Rights Committee also of definitions about sexual ori- wanted to send out a newsletter entations and gender identities, focusing on its theme of human tips about how to stand up for trafficking and refugee rights. people, representative art and Similar to the Rainbow Alliance, blurbs about breaking news sto- Ashton worked with the girls in
E-PUBLISHING A Rainbow Alliance newsletter would not allow for an adequate environment for dialogue.
“
order to find a different way of communicating important news and information in an educational and safe manner. And the Rainbow Alliance hopes that he can do the same with their club. “We have a large [LGBT] community, and they deserve to be represented because they are just as much a part of Hockaday as [everyone else],” Black said. On Jan. 21 the Rainbow Alliance and the Upper School administration agreed on a date for the first Rainbow Alliance Forum which will be held on Feb. 26 during Conference and lunch in Clements Lecture Hall. Director of Service Learning and Rainbow Alliance sponsor Laura Day was involved in the planning of the forum. “The solution was to put it in an educational spot, or capacity, as opposed to on a newsletter,” Day said. “[And] to put it in a space where you can have a conversation or ask adults or ask people who know what’s going on.” It will cover basic topics, specifically focusing on definitions of sexual orientations and gender identities. “We are going for a definition-heavy forum,” Nagy said. “Definitions about different sexualities. People are less aware
Alliance continued p6
HOCkABrIEFs Hockaday recently kicked off its Habitat for Humanity build with St. Mark’s School of Texas on Jan. 10. This year, the Habitat home is being built in partnership with Laquita Royal. Originally from Houston, Royal has lived in Dallas for 28 years and was encouraged to apply after acting as a Habitat volunteer herself. Royal will be moving into the West Dallas home with her daughter, Gabrielle, and her grandson. Weekly construction on Royal’s home occurs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday until Feb. 28. Students receive 10 hours of community hours as an individual; however, students who bring a parent receive 15 hours. Elizabeth Michel, head of communications on the Community
Service Board, commented on how “huge” the volunteer turnout has been. “It’s great to see so many people excited about something that is so good for the community,” Michel said. There will be a final house dedication on Feb. 28, and both Hockaday and St. Mark’s communities are invited to attend and celebrate with Royal’s family. “It’s so touching to hear from the family and see them become homeowners,” Michel said. Sign-ups for the remaining Saturdays are available on x2VOL. Faith Isbell Staff Writer
NEWS: Charlie Hebdo Attack / Page 5 •
HATS Off to HAARTS / Page 6
PHOTO BY MASON SMITH
STUDENT LIFE Briefing
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 03
NeWs
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Political Dynasties The Fourcast explores families in politics both in the nation and in the Hockaday community
N
ow just a year away, the 2016 presidential election has started to become a topic of interest as high name politicians are being watched closely for candidacy announcements. Among the potential candidates are Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, names that the American public have seen in the headlines for many years. This election brings with it the question of the existence of political dynasties in America and whether or not the control of the government belongs only to a small few. Brother of
PHIC
GRA
senior Claudia Hammond, Ron Hammond, who has worked closely on three Texas state elections, attributes this to the political system itself. “It’s not an oligarchy, no, but the system needs to be reworked,” Hammond said. “Because of political action committees and the other methods of funding, we are going to be seeing these powerful families in power. They have certain advantages that other candidates don’t.” U.S. Government teacher Tracy
Walder goes even further to say that name recognition in America is essential to a candidate's success. “Since the birth of our nation, I believe there have been political dynasties. Simply by having a two-party system, we make it almost necessary to have some sort of name recognition or else the candidate will not receive funding from donors,” she said. “[Voters] tend to feel comfortable with a 'brand name' candidate who is familiar to them.” At Hockaday, the dynasties are less obvious, as sisters often follow in each others footsteps more out of similar interests and aspirations. Senior Charlsea Lamb and her sister sophomore Ellea Lamb are one example. Both runners and active participants in Hockaday’s student council,
the Lamb sisters can be viewed as a prominent Upper School family. As Student Council President, Charlsea attributes her drive to succeed to the household she was raised in. “My dad is a lawyer, so he has always been very interested in politics, so from a young age, my dad and I have talked politics and policy a lot. So when I got into high school, I realized that Student Council President was one way of being responsible for change,” she said. “I felt like having two parents who are highly educated and successful meant that I, too, had to push myself to do as much as I could to continue that legacy.” She, however, does not believe that in any supposed "political family" that success is a birthright or guaranteed fact. “If you are taught from a young age that something is really important to your family,
then you grow up doing it. So that’s probably what is happening with the families we see,” she said. “I don’t think their name necessarily defines who they will be or what they will accomplish, but the way they were raised obviously influenced them.” Watching her sister take the same path she did, Charlsea said that despite what it may look like from the outside, siblings have no advantages in the Hockaday community. “Just because I did these things doesn’t mean it’s any easier for her to do them. She still has to work just as hard and go through the same or even different obstacles to achieve everything she has,” Charlsea said. Ellea echoed this sentiment and said, “she just happened to come first, but my interests have always been mine, and it doesn’t make what I do any less important or easier.” Junior States of America club President and senior Jessica Kong believes that on a national scale, whatever advantage well-known candidates might have can be broken by an active voting population. “I think that if the number of young voters increases, we will see a lot of change,” she said. “We are pretty under-represented in the government, and I think if our voices are heard that could swing the vote.” F Avita Anand Business Editor
AN H CH
RA
A BY S
Plastic Bags Replaced in Dallas
B
eginning Jan. 1, 2015, the city of Dallas is requiring all shoppers to pay an environmental fee of five cents for every non-reusable bag they purchase at grocery stores in what is called the “Carryout Bag Ordinance.” According to Frank Camp, Dallas’ managing director of the office of environmental quality, this decree comes after months of debate within the City Council. The original idea was to implement a similar initiative to the one the city of Austin implemented—a legislation banning paper and plastic single-use bags, which began on March 1, 2013. But the Dallas City Council decided on a nickel fee per bag instead of a complete ban. Environmental Science Teacher Kirsten Lindsay thinks this ordinance was more for aesthetic purposes rather than environmental ones. “Dallas still has a way to go in order to be considered a green city,” Lindsay said. Not all stores in Dallas are charging the five cent environmental fee per bag. Central Market and Whole
Foods, for example, claim that their bags are recyclable and reusable and therefore are not subjectable to the environmental fee. The Park Cities, Pleasant Grove, Garland, Richardson, Plano, Irving, Carrollton, Duncanville and many other cities adjacent to Dallas are not charging the environmental fee. A U.S. government study conducted in 2008 found that the United States population used about 102 billion polyethylene retail carrier bags that year. With a U.S. population of approximately 304 million in 2008, that worked out to be about 335 bags used per person that year. “We hope that [the ordinance] will reduce the costs associated with the use and distribution of single use bags and also reduce the cost associated with cleaning them up,” Camp said. Lindsay believes that the spirit of the rule rather than the rule itself might prove effective. “It might make people think about the bags they’re using,” Lindsay said. “It’ll help them realize that a lot of those bags actually end
up going to the landfill.” As it turns out, Hockaday has another reason to have green as our school color. With a paper, plastic and battery recycling program, Hockadaisies have a big role in keeping Dallas clean. According to Housekeeping Director Carolyn Hoke, Hockaday alone saves about 1,200 pounds of paper a year by recycling, and Hockaday’s automatic lighting system conserves unmeasurable amounts of electricity. “Hockaday definitely plays its part in conserving,” Hoke said. “But there’s always something else you can do.” Camp suggests carpooling to improve Dallas’s air quality, while Lindsay suggests bringing a reusable bag to the store. Whether carpooling or recycling, the end goal is, as the City of Dallas said, “building a greener city.” F Amanda Kim Staff Writer
ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH CHAN
WaRd Feb. 12-14 SPC Championships in Houston
March 2, 11:45 a.m. US StuCo Installation
March 9-13 Spring Break
March 26-28 ISAS Fine Arts Festival
Feb. 13-16 Winter Break
March 4 US Exam Review Day
March 17, 2:45 p.m. Founder’s Day Assembly & Reception
March 31, 2:45 p.m. US Orchestra Assembly
Feb. 18 , 11:45 a.m. HAARTS Assembly
March 5-6 US Exams
March 20, 4 p.m. New Student Social
April 3-7 Easter Break
Feb. 21, 8 p.m. Winter Formal
March 8 Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 21 Habitat for Humanity Dedication, Hockaday Benefit
April 13 Day of Promise
04
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
NeWs
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Envisioning the Future Members of the Hockaday community came together to form strategic plans for the school.
“[Visioning Day] came out of all these issues that we wanted to bring to a large group of people,” Murphree said. “We didn’t want to just create a well-written vision that got stuck up on a wall and never used again...We did this to create a meaningful, forward-thinking vision that will really motivate the school.” In order to help make the day a success, Hockaday’s strategic planning team spoke to other independent schools, who have previously worked at forming new visions for their institutions. “When we talked to other schools, most of them mentioned Christina Drouin, who does independent strategic planning,” Murphree said. “She does vision planning for a living.” Drouin joined the Visioning Day strategic planning team as a consultant and helped organize and lead the day’s activities. In preparation for the event, Assistant Head of Upper School Elizabeth Jones noted that she was impressed with the amount of student interest. “We hit full capacity on students,” Jones said. “And we had such diversity in terms of how long the girls had been [at Hockaday] and their mixed extracurricular interests.” And beyond solely student interest, Director of Communications Susan Brower ’92, a member of the strategic planning team, noted the event almost reached the maximum number of participants before holiday break. “The amount of people we had was a true testament to the Hockaday community,” Brower said. “People saluted the effort and really wanted to be a part of it.” Visioning Day began promptly at 8:30 a.m. with speeches by Drouin and Eugene McDermott Headmistress Kim Wargo. After the welcomes and introductions, everyone was split into groups of around 10 people and sent off to different areas of the school. In her speech, Drouin inspired those in attendance with these closing words: “when is the best time to plant a tree?
Ten years ago. Go vision.” Groups spent the morning contemplating the future of Hockaday and, using these ideas, drafted a vision statement that they would then present to the rest of the groups before lunch. Despite the encouraged free reign discussion at the event, there was a great deal of organization and pre-planning involved. The strategic planning team developed five strategic drivers: Optimize the Student Experience to Fully Achieve Mission, Advance Faculty Excellence in a Changing Environment, Build an Authentically Diverse Community, Leverage Both On and Off Campus Opportunities to Maximize Learning and Assure Institutional Sustainability—all of which were given to each group in order to properly drive the conversation. In group four, the discussion focused primarily on how to make Hockaday a less stressful place for the students. Stephanie Farquhar, who graduated from Hockaday in 1999, remembered that as a student at Hockaday it was easy for girls to get weighed down in the relative importance of a test or project grade, but in the long run, “girls need to realize that that isn’t the end of the world,” she said. “[Hockaday and the community] need to be building toward the whole life, not just life at Hockaday.” Along the same lines, she also noted that it’s important for girls to feel safe when taking risks. “We need to create a safe place to fail and to learn and to grow,” Farquhar said. Senior Barrett Smith also attended Visioning Day. In her group discussion, she voiced a concern about athletics. “Athletics is often forgotten here. It’s very removed,” Smith said. “And there are few people that ever cross not just that boundary to athletics but any boundary. People are very isolated to certain things.” After lunch, the individual group discussions shifted to answer the second question: “what must be accomplished in order for the vision to be achieved?” With Visioning Day completed, the next steps include
PHOTO BY ALEXIS ESPINOSA
Vision continued from p1
STUDENT VOICE Senior Madalene Danklef speaks to faculty, alumnae and parents about her vision for Hockaday in 2020. reviewing the results, including vision statements, goals and strategies and then coming up with a plan for Hockaday. The strategic planning team is tasked with this project. “[The strategic planning team and I] are going to come up with a final vision statement, which we will then take to the strategic planning committee,” Murphree said. “If they approve it, it will then go to the Board of Trustees.” Brower said that Visioning Day was an undeniable success. “The conversations were lively and full of enthusiasm and energy,” Brower said. “What stood out to me most was that people weren’t limiting their imaginations. Anything was possible, but they were still making sure that the idea of the whole girl was woven through everything.” As a member of the administration now, and a former Hockadaisy, Brower has a unique perspective. Remem-
bering her etiquette classes and her time with former English teacher Pat Saxton and Spanish teacher Marcela Gerber, Brower is certain that she wouldn’t be who she was today without Hockaday, a fact that makes her so excited to be part of the strategic planning process. “I’ve only worked here for six months, but I was a student here for 13 years. My time here was the most essential experience I could have had to become a successful adult,” Brower said. “I learned all of those core values that are so critical in defining who you are.” Brower added that coming back and working at Hockaday has given her much more of an appreciation for what both the students and the faculty go through. Smith, who hopes that Visioning Day will produce change, also recognizes what Hockaday has done for her.
“I’ve learned confidence at Hockaday. If I was a freshman, I never would have signed up for this Visioning Day because I wouldn’t have thought that my voice mattered,” Smith said. “Hockaday teaches you to voice your opinions, and it gives you opportunities to take initiative.” Looking forward to the visioning process, Brower offered her own perspective about Hockaday’s future. “By 2020, Hockaday will be the primary choice in independent school education based on the experience we can provide the girls,” Brower said. “Hockaday continues to evolve. It’s almost beyond comprehension to imagine what Hockaday will be like in five years because it changes so rapidly every day. But, Hockaday was great when I was a student, and it’s great now.” F Alexis Espinosa Editor-In-Chief
Earthquake Shakes School Earthquakes awaken a lack of emergency procedure in Hockaday protocal
T
he ground shook 11 times in less than 27 hours on Jan. 7 as a series of earthquakes disrupted the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The earthquake occuring at 3:10 p.m. was the most widely witnessed at Hockaday. Junior Jasionna Terry was sitting in the hallway when the earthquake occurred. “It did not scare me, but it was unexpected; out of nowhere the floor started shaking,” Terry said. Within a few minutes, students and teachers began asking questions about the cause of these unusual happenings. Dr. Marshall Bartlett, head of the science department, provided a session to provide answers. “Right now, it’s unclear as to why [the earthquakes are] moving eastward as well—that doesn’t follow the oil and gas development lines,” Bartlett said. The arrival of these numerous earthquakes, ranging up to a 3.6 magnitude, revealed a hole in the Hockaday Security System. Director of Safety and Security Karyn McCoy contacted
the Emergency Management Department in Dallas and received a draft of earthquake plans. “Texas is not experienced with earthquakes. We need to inform ourselves,” McCoy said. Since Nov. 1, 2014 over 26 earthquakes have occurred in Irving, according to CBS News. These earthquakes are only creating minimal damage. Hockaday receptionist Elsa Vela experienced frustrating damage from the Jan. 7 earthquake. “In the kitchen, the ceiling has slightly moved where you can see cracks and the floor in one of the rooms has cracked,” Vera said. “I called [the insurance provider] right away because I noticed damage.” Vela spoke with a handful of insurance providers, who stated that they currently offered no earthquake coverage in Texas. These insurance providers explained they would need more information on the cause and extensity of these earthquakes to add coverage to policies. Southern Methodist University has placed 22 seismom-
eters in the Irving area with hopes of getting new data on the cause of Texas earthquakes as they occur. At press time findings showed that at the center of recent earthquakes, there is a two-mile fault stretching from Irving to West Dallas. The Hockaday Security Department plans to get information to the advisories regarding earthquake procedure. McCoy explained that the most important part of staying safe during an earthquake is remaining calm. The Texas Department of Public Safety recommends getting under a sturdy table and holding onto the table legs. If in a car, the Texas Department of Public Safety suggests finding a clear spot to stop and wait until the shaking ceases. More earthquake information, alerts and notifications can be found on the American Red Cross Earthquake App. F Austria Arnold Staff Writer
F
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 05
NeWs
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
YOUR WORLD TODAY: A look into the worldwide effects stemming from the Charlie Hebdo attack
Charlie Hebdo Attack Raises Concerns A recent attack in Paris on the offices of Charlie Hebdo has widened religious tensions and stimulated global protests.
The morning of Jan. 7 commenced three days of terror in Paris following an attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly French magazine. Gunmen Cherif and Said Kouachi killed a total of 12 people and accredited their violent actions to avenging Prophet Muhammad, who is revered by Muslims as the final messenger of God. But this was not the first threat against the magazine. In 2006, Charlie Hebdo gained infamy in Muslim countries after publishing a front-cover image of Prophet Muhammad sobbing into his hands, with the caption “Mahomet débordé par les intégristes" (“Muhammad overwhelmed by fundamentalists”). The remainder of the paper contained 12 cartoons of the Prophet, which produced an onslaught of disapproval from Muslim individuals. Although the French Council for the Muslim Faith sued the weekly magazine, the court ultimately sided with Hebdo. Exercising its freedom of press, the paper continued to print caricatures of Muhammad, despite growing resentment from Muslim communities. In Nov. 2011, the front page of an issue, headlined “100 lashes if you don’t die of laughter,” displayed a sketch of Prophet Muhammad and jokingly requested him to serve as “guest editor” of the paper. The following day, the Charlie Hebdo offices were firebombed. Later in the same year, the website was hacked after presenting yet another cartoon drawing of the Prophet, this time portraying him as gay. In the recent Jan. 7 issue, a cartoon created by editor Stéphane Charbonnier noted that France had not yet experienced any terrorist attacks. “Still no attacks in France,” reads the title. “Wait! We have until the end of January to give our best wishes,” says the man in the drawing. A mere five hours after the issue was released to the public, Charbonnier and his coworkers were shot.
PHOTOS BY MIGUEL DISCART (TOP) AND FREDERIC LEGRAND (BELOW)
What Happened
Center: An example of one of the Charlie Hebdo magazine covers that sparked controversy and the attack on the morning of Jan. 7. Top: Heads of state unite to support France after the attack.
Why It Happened According to AP Comparative Religion teacher Steve Spencer, the attack could be attributed to the longstanding animosity between French and Muslim communities, but is not a byproduct of religious tensions. “The conflict is really between historical groups associated with Islam, like the Ottoman Empire, versus the domination of the Church in Europe,” Spencer said. “The Islamic empires in the 11th through 14th centuries were prominent, wealthy and prosper-
ous, and medieval Europe was looking at them in envy.” Eventually, Europe rose to power as well, resulting in both political and economical power struggles, which had little to do with the respective religions of each empire. In fact, Spencer believes that people are quite surprised when they learn about the similarities between the basic teachings of Christianity and the
fundamental values of Islam. President of Model United Nations and senior Aneesha Bandarpalle hopes that the recent events in Paris will bring the true ideals of Islam to light. “Majority of Muslim people are kind, everyday people,” Bandarpalle said. “I hope that because this has happened, it’ll open people’s eyes to see that majority of Muslims are not
radicals like the terrorists were.” Ever since France became a colonial power and first started controlling parts of North Africa, an increasing number of Muslims have immigrated to the country. But the integration of the two cultures has not been easy. Upper School French teacher Catherine Berryman, who was born and raised in France, has recognized a growing cultural rift between the French and Muslims. “A lot of the young people who grew up in the suburbs somehow don’t assimilate into the French society,” Berryman said. “They have a hard time getting into the school system and getting a job, and I think they’re feeling resentful. This creates a big imbalance.” Spencer, too, noted that most individuals who are born into the North African Muslim community of France live in the poorest parts of town and are therefore unable to become “full-functioning, prosperous members of the society.” While the French government has tried to change this by forcing companies to hire Muslims and removing pork items from school lunch menus, the efforts have not necessarily been effective. According to Berryman, many of these Muslim citizens find other means of survival and as a result, end up in prison, where they are introduced to violent ideas. “That’s what happened to one of the [Kouachi] brothers; that’s how he became an extremist,” she said. The Daily Mail reported that the attackers were most likely trained by the Yemenbased Al Qaeda group, who claimed responsibility for the killings through a publicly released 11-minute video. Without much governmental and societal support, the gap between French and Muslim peoples may only continue to grow. Spencer agrees that these immigrant Muslims have a right to be angry with their circumstances, but Islam is not a religion of anger. “There are so many misconceptions,” Spencer said. “It’s based on complete ignorance and a total lack of understanding of the teachings and tenets of the religion. Muhammad promoted such a different kind of attitude; he was opposing those oppressive, discriminatory, hateful kinds of behaviors.”
What’s Happening Now French citizens took to the streets on the night of Jan. 7 to pay respects to those killed in the attack. As an act of solidarity, social media users around the world began tweeting “Je suis Charlie,” translated “I am Charlie,” to display their sup-
port as the search for the attackers continued. On the contrary, various peaceful protests, some turned violent, have broken out in African and Middle Eastern countries against Charlie Hebdo, as the newspaper continues to print images of Muhammad. CNN reported that the deadliest protest took place on Jan. 21 in Niger, where 10 people were killed and multiple homes and churches destroyed. Ten days later, anti- Charlie Hebdo protests in Kabul, Afghanistan resulted in violent confrontations between police and demonstrators. Since the protests could grow more violent with each image of Muhammad that Charlie Hebdo releases, the question of “how far is too far” must be addressed. Both America and France strongly believe in their values of free speech and freedom of the press. Although Berryman “felt attacked, just like the French did,” she believes that the magazine has a right to express its opinions, despite the danger and risk. “I think they play a role in French politics,” she said. “You have the right to not buy the newspaper if you don’t want to see it. It’s not an easy yes or no question because clearly, there are some repercussions.” According to Bandarpalle, these repercussions could include increased tension between religious communities, but she remains hopeful that time will heal all. “In reality [this event] probably will worsen the gap,” she said. “But at Hockaday, we talk so much about feminism and women getting all of their rights -- that’s kind of what I’m thinking about -- it’s a process and it’ll hopefully happen eventually.” While Western countries such as the United States are granted certain freedoms, Spencer believes that individuals can use their words as tools and therefore create less animosity between cultural and religious groups. “I think it’s perfectly legitimate that people should criticize those [drawings] that are racist or discriminatory,” he said. “But people should not be killed over it.” Recently, the magazine reported that it will not release its 1,179th edition on Feb. 4, which was the scheduled date. In fact, new editorin-chief Gérard Biard has not yet set a date since the staff needs time to deal with grief, fatigue and overexposure to media attention that has resulted from the attack, according to NBC News. F Inaara Padani Copy Editor
Number of People Killed in Terrorist Attacks on January 7, 8 & 9 in Paris
12
Total number of people killed in the Charlie Hebdo attack on Jan. 7
5
Number of people killed at a Kosher supermarket on Jan. 8. The deceased included four hostages and the hostage-taker.
2
The two Kouachi brothers were killed on Jan. 9 after police found their hiding place.
3
Total number of police officers killed during the three days of terror. One of the officers was female.
Source: BBC and CNN News
06
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
NeWs
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Tipping Your HATS Off to HAARTS HATS Off to HAARTS, a new program celebrating both the arts and sciences, will take place on Feb. 18
Alliance continued from p2
go [forward],” Black said. in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of space to go [forward],” Black said. Still, the forum is a step forward for the Rainbow Alliance. “I’m excited about the forum,” Black said. “I’m hoping that the forum will be a stepping stone for other things [because] I think that any community benefits from recognizing its internal diversity and treating each individual equally and respecting their identity.” While the decision has
about different romantic attractions, the spectrum of attraction, and the medical and psychological side of what it means to be gay.” A second forum will take place in April covering transgender issues and information. And even though the forum now exists, the Rainbow Alliance strives to find a way to make a newsletters happen. “Hockaday has taken a lot of steps that I think are definitely in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of space to
HARD HATS Susi Marzuola ‘78 teaches an architecture class to a group of students. which he believes fosters immense creativity. And, according to Spence, HATS Off to HAARTS will open young women’s eyes to more possibilities in career fields. “Women can do anything,” Spence said. “I think the fact that we have got a young alumna who is leading her team at the NASA space center—she’s been involved with some of the space shuttle launches—the fact that she just graduated 10 years ago from Hockaday, and she’s doing that, I mean that’s amazing. It’s amazing.” Bartlett agrees, claiming that Hockaday has been successfully fulfilling its objec-
tive to inspire girls to pursue careers in science. He cites from the 2014 Young Alumnae Survey sent to the classes of 2008 to 2013 that approximately 40 percent of Hockaday girls have pursued careers in STEM. While he finds that “there is room to grow,” he hopes that alumnae pursue their careers in creative, rather than technical, ways and witness the connection between the humanities and the sciences. “I know that all of these women on this panel will directly attribute their education at Hockaday as where the seed was planted,” Spence said. “[The belief] that they could do
anything they want to do. Spence has bright hopes for the future of HATS Off to HAARTS, believing that it will grow and expand to focusing on other career fields as well, such as gaming, media and law. Spence said, “I see in Hockaday’s next century, the next 100 years, this program continuing to grow and continuing to spotlight the strong alumnae, women who are out there using their Hockaday educations and making a mark on the world.” F Catherine Jiang Sports&Wellness Editor
been made to host forums for the rest of the 2014-15 school year, both Jones and the Rainbow Alliance hope to make them a tradition. “I think [the] Rainbow Alliance this year is made up of an incredibly strong, passionate and dedicated group of students,” Jones said. “My hope is that the conversation continues to live outside of the space that we have reserved for it on Feb. 26.” F Erin Thomas Web Editor RAINBOW PRIDE The rainbow flag has been is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride and LGBT social movements since the ‘70s.
Trent continued from p2 Wilson emphasized that a prevalent theme she hopes to be found in the book is empowerment, specifically in females. “It’s about becoming great women who know that they can do anything and everything, whether it be stretching yourself or creating something you never thought would be possible,” Wilson said. Students will help through every step of the process—from brainstorming, writing and illustrating to marketing and accounting. “Through research, the girls working as marketers will determine the best methods in advertising the product,” Hampe said. “During this process, accountants will have to make sure the team stays on budget to maximize the profits [which will then be donated]...” The book will be sold at Hockaday, in Africa and hopefully, as the program grows, in other parts of the world.
PHOTO BY LUDOVIC BERTRON , NEW YORK , WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
a “wealth of experience in different backgrounds.” HATS Off to HAARTS was also created in honor of Hockaday’s STEAM initiative in addition to the opening of its new science center. “I think we also recognized that this new, fantastic and fabulous facility that the girls have, the faculty have, with the science center was such a great opportunity for us to expand the program and focus on more than just art,” Spence said. “With the STEAM initiative being such a strong focal point of what Hockaday is focused on and what’s important to Hockaday. [HATS Off to HAARTS] just seemed like a natural fit.” According to Spence, only focusing on the arts was limiting. “Of the 6,500 women out there in the alumnae association, there are so many women who are doing amazing, fascinating, remarkable, world-changing things that we want to spotlight them, not only to the Hockaday community but particularly to the current students.” According to Marshall Bartlett, Ph.D., Chair of the Science Department, connecting the arts and the sciences has been a Hockaday objective for several years now. This objective has manifested itself in the Centennial Center plan of combining the science and arts buildings and the STEAM initiative, at the center of which promotes creativity and pushes students to view their education more holistically. Bartlett hopes that the HATS Off to HAARTS discussion panel will not only focus on the arts and the sciences, but also on the connection, the “creative nexus,” between the two disciplines as well,
PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY SPENCE
H
ockaday Alumnae in the Humanities, Hockaday Alumnae in Technology and Science and Hockaday Alumnae in the Arts have joined forces in a new program called HATS Off to HAARTS. Inspired by Hockaday’s entrance into its second century, HATS Off to HAARTS’ inaugural event will showcase distinguished alumnae and will take place on Feb. 18 as “A Celebration of the Arts and Sciences.” “We recognized that in Hockaday’s second century we wanted to rebrand and grow the program and expand the boundaries of what we were going to be able to do with it,” Director of Alumnae Relations Amy Spence said. “The second century was the perfect time to start that.” In previous years, HAH, HATS and HAARTS alternated throughout the year as separate programs. HATS Off to HAARTS, however, will celebrate both the arts and sciences, bringing HAH, HAARTS and HATS under one umbrella. “I think this makes it more connective and more cohesive,” Spence said. “I think students also have the opportunity to really get a stronger grasp on what our alumnae are doing when they’re all together with one program as opposed to spread out at different time periods.” This year, HATS Off to HAARTS will present a discussion panel that features four distinguished alumnae in different fields: interior design, architecture, project management and engineering. The alumnae, Adrienne Akin Faulkner ’81, Susi Marzuola ’78, Dealey Decherd Herdon ’85 and Abbie Ryan ’05, represent, according to Spence,
Proceeds will directly benefit the Matau Primary School in Zimbabwe. Primarily, it will go towards increasing afterschool reading opportunities for children and aiding Trent’s goal for communitywide literacy. Money will also be put towards constructing a cafeteria at one of the community’s primary schools. “The cafeteria will provide nutrition to 1,050 hard-working primary students,” Trent said. “For many of these children, this will be their most significant meal of the day.” Hampe and Wilson received over 50 applications from students who wish to collaborate in this project. They hope to announce their selections today and will begin to lay out dates for production. The goal is to have the book published sometime in 2016. Hopeful for the outcome of the book, Trent said, “I know Hockaday girls will make the magic happen.” F Sydney Yonack Social Media Director
07
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
ffatUres Hockadaisies Plant Seeds All Over the World
FeatUReD
With alumnae living in all 50 states and over 40 countries, the Hockaday community extends farther than 11600 Welch Road.
SOPHOMORE STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Norway 3 Canada 14
Spain 4
Jamaica W.I. 2 Haiti 1
Mexico 126
Venezuela 1 Nigeria 1
Honduras 2 Ecuador 2
Italy 7
Switzerland 3
Guatemala 3
El Salvador 1
France 6
South Korea 38 Turkey Greece 3 1
Republic of Malta 1
Paraguay 1
Japan 15 Pakistan 1 Saudi Arabia 5
China 46
Taiwan, R.O.C. 18 Thailand Vietnam 13 1
Australia 11
Indonesia 2
Argentina 1
New Zealand 2
ALUMNAE TAKE ON THE GLOBE Numbers represent number of alumnae living in each country.
GRAPHIC BY MANISHA RATAKONDA, PHOTOS BELOW PROVIDED BY MARIANA PICKERING, AILSA MILLER AND JOAN GASS
Netherlands Lithuania 1 1 Austria Belgium Moldova 4 2 1 Serbia Germany Sweden 1 14 United Kingdom 4 79
Source: Alumnae Office
Spread across the world, Hockaday’s approximately 6,500 alumnae have made the school a global institution. Director of Alumnae Relations Amy Spence sees how Hockaday has prepared students to succeed on a global scale. “Hockaday women have the confidence to take risks in life and try things they might not normally do,” Spence said. “There are no opportunities in the world that are too big or small for alumnae to pursue.”
1 Mariana Pickering ‘00
Cavriago, Italy
A
London, England
L
iving in London is not Ailsa Miller’s first experience living abroad. In fact, Miller moved to Dallas from Scotland and entered Hockaday as a fifth grader in 1996. She then became a boarder after her parents moved to London during her sophomore year. After graduating in 2004, she attended the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she studied International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy, and, although not indicated by her study choices, began to pursue a career in journalism. “I knew I wanted to work in magazines or newspapers, and my brother, who works for the BBC, recommended international relations [instead of] journalism, as it’s more highly regarded in the U.K.,” Miller said. After starting with an unpaid internship at Tatler, a British fashion and lifestyle magazine owned by Conde Nast, the company who also owns Vogue and GQ, Miller worked her way up the company to her current position: Fashion Associate. “Everything!” Miller said, in regards to the differences between Dallas and London. “The weather; the fact that a lot of my London friends have never learned to drive; the fact that we don’t have Target over here. They have just opened a Chipotle, though.” Miller believes that her experiences at Hockaday, especially as a boarder, prepared her well for living abroad. “I felt fully capable of living alone and far away by the time I got to college,” Miller said. “At Hockaday, we are all taught to think and act independently.” Not only does she feel this way, but Miller’s colleagues have noticed this as well. “I actually brought my boss to Hockaday when we were in Mexico for a shoot and had a layover in Dallas, and she was blown away by it,” Miller said. “She said that she could tell instantly that my independent way of thinking and confidence at work was something that was instilled in me by the school from a young age.”
3 Joan Gass ‘08
Lagos, Nigeria
H
ockaday lifer Joan Gass has lived in India, Tunisia, Uganda and, more recently, Lagos, Nigeria. Gass, who graduated from Yale University, double-majored in International Development and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies. After graduation, she decided to live abroad in order to use her development skills internationally. Now, living in Nigeria and working for Bain and Company, a management consulting firm, she is helping a Nigerian bank reach out to potential customers, especially those who may not be familiar with formal banking. She focused her career path on SubSaharan Africa because of her aim for social justice. “We have enough resources in the world to ensure that every child has an education and enough food to alleviate extreme hunger,” Gass said. Moving to a foreign country requires a lot of adapting — something Gass has learned to do. “I think a lot of expats come into a country with ‘their way’ or ‘the right way,’ but if there’s not a deep understanding of the cultural context or local leadership, efforts will be futile,” she said. While living abroad, Gass has enjoyed meeting inspirational leaders in the communities. “Whether it’s LGBT activists in Uganda or youth leading grassroots education projects, their commitment and the visible transformation they make is incredibly energizing,” she said. Gass attributes some of her experiences at Hockaday as motivators that led her to work in Africa. “Through the Hockaday debate team, our coach encouraged me to explore the question of how much privilege I received through the ‘lottery of birth,’ and the corresponding and even more difficult question of how to ethically act on that privilege,” Gass said. “For me, the international exposure at Hockaday, combined [with] an emphasis on critical self-reflection, has fundamentally shaped who I am.” F Megan Phiilps Features Editor
FEATURES Hockaday Alumna Trains for a Cause/ Page 8 •
Austria Arnold Staff Writer
A Day in the Life of Jessica Kramer/ Page 10
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALLYSON GUBA
lthough Mariana Pickering is now living over 5,000 miles away from Dallas, Hockaday has always been a large part of her life. “I was a "lifer" in every sense of the word. My mom, Mrs. Camp, the Head of the World Languages Department [World Language Department Chair Lisa Camp], brought me around even when I was an infant,” Pickering said. “So you could say I was kind of born into Hockaday.” After 14 years at Hockaday, Pickering graduated in 2000. She went to undergraduate school at the Architecture School at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, spent a couple of years in Los Angeles and then went on to pursue her master’s degree in Architectural Science in Sustainable Design at the University of Sydney in Australia. Before moving to Australia and later Italy, Pickering was no stranger to international travel. “I had studied abroad in Copenhagen and Florence when I was in college, and I travelled a lot every summer,” Pickering said. While in Sydney, Pickering met her husband, also an architect, who suggested that she join him in returning to his hometown in northern Italy after they completed their studies. She took his offer. Six years ago, the couple opened Emu Architetti, an architectural design and consulting firm. Pickering, who calls herself a “Texpat,” meaning an American expatriate from Texas, has used her time in Italy to explore. “I think what's great about living in Europe in general is that you can see a whole range of cultures without traveling very far. I can spend a weekend in Paris, another in Prague, or I can even get a completely different Italian experience by heading down south for a few days,” Pickering said. For many, living in another country could be daunting, but that is one of Pickering’s favorite parts about living in Italy. “It is very, very challenging to live in another country, and I'm someone who needs to have that challenge,” Pickering said. “There is always something to test your ability to adapt.”
2 Ailsa Miller ‘04
It only took sophomore Allyson Guba under a year to record and edit her eight-song album that appeared on iTunes on Jan. 21. Guba has been involved in musical theater since she was eight-years-old and loves to be on stage. She decided to take that passion and talent into the recording studio to create a demo of songs. “I wanted to be able to have recordings of what I sound like at 15,” Guba said. “We didn’t really plan to put it on iTunes.” Guba spent days singing and perfecting a number of songs. The entire production process took longer than she had expected; however, the producer, Paul “Pappy” Middleton, was able to give her tips and advice along the way. “Singing in a studio is very difficult compared to [singing] on stage because you can hear everything, and there is no room for a little mistake,” Guba said. She currently takes dance, voice and acting lessons at the Dallas Conservatory. In addition, she takes private lessons when preparing for auditions or other roles. These roles vary widely as Guba has been in over 15 musicals, including “Peter Pan” and “Annie.” Guba spends approximately four hours a day during the week practicing her craft and six hours practicing on Saturdays. She is currently preparing for a musical theater showcase that her dance studio is producing. The long hours of preparation often help Guba create a bond with her castmates. “A lot of my close friends are ones I have made through my studio or my shows,” she said. Guba hopes to begin acting for different television segments. She also hopes the demo will attract the attention of an agent who can help her find new roles. She aspires to be on Broadway and admits having difficulty choosing a favorite musical. Guba tries to take a trip to New York City when possible so that she can see different Broadway shows. Check out her music on iTunes under Allyson Guba. Each of her songs cost 99 cents. Her voice is sure to improve anyone’s day. F
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
08
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
ffatUres
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Swinging for the Green Middle School student gives back by raising money “fore” local Dallas hospital. without her right hand and has been a patient at Scottish Rite Hospital, the tournament is her way of giving back. The Hospital has provided her with the prosthetics that enable her to play violin and support her both physically and emotionally. Since she was already family friends with the family of Ben Sater, who created KidSwing in 2003, participating in the program was an easy decision. “My dad had a connection with the father of the patient who started KidSwing, so it’s kind of a way our family connects and comes together,” Doan said. In order to receive donations, Doan contacts potential sponsors with letters, phone calls or even in-person visits. Doan said she relates her experiences at Scottish Rite to that of others. “I just try to connect with as many people as I can and share my story and the story of the hospital,” Doan said. Kelly Doan, Charlsie Doan’s mother, agrees that her story is inspirational for potential donors. “[Donors] see this child who wants to help a place that helped her,” Mrs. Doan said. “She has always spent time giving back to others with her time and energy, in addition
to her fundraising efforts, and people recognize that.” Although she has already raised a substantial amount of money for the hospital, Charlsie Doan takes her mission to give back to the hospital even further: she usually brings in another $90,000 every year from big companies to cover the costs of the KidSwing event itself. “I find interesting companies and present to them,” Doan said. “It’s always pretty fun.” And Doan can see the results of her hard work. The money raised from KidSwing has funded the renovation of Shivers Park, which is located right outside the hospital. “It’s awesome […] that anyone, even non-patients, can visit. It’s really neat,” Doan said. KidSwing has also helped fund a camp for preteens with hand differences, the Special Prosthetics department and Scottish Rite’s Movement Science Lab, which the wife of Middle School teacher Darin Jeans works at. According to Doan, a lot of patients at the hospital, including herself, have benefitted from the work done at KidSwing. According to Mrs. Doan, her daughter’s work has been impactful, not only for the hos-
PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICK SMITH
F
or eighth grader Charlsie Doan, golf is more than a hobby. It is her way of saying thanks. By playing golf and fundraising through the charity program KidSwing, a golf tournament for kids in which the players fundraise money for Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, Doan has raised over $167,000 since 2002, not including the approximate $90,000 she brings to the program from corporate underwriting ever year. Because Scottish Rite did not charge patients’ families for any of the services they provided until recently, the hospital relied on charity events like KidSwing for funding. Scottish Rite Development Officer Kelly Glasscock, who has worked with KidSwing and the Doan family since 2010, feels that KidSwing benefits the hospital and the children. “In addition to raising $1.7 million that goes directly to patient care and spreading the word about TSRHC [Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children], KidSwing provides a unique opportunity for kids to be involved in a golfing activity while giving back to other kids,” Glasscock said. For Doan, who was born
GOLFING FOR A CAUSE Eighth grader Charlse Doan poses with the check the KidSwing event raised for Scottish Rite pital but for children in general. “She is showing other kids that despite being different or having struggles, you can still help others and make a difference in the world,” she said. Glasscock also thinks Doan’s work is important. “Charlsie has a wonderful [...] passion for helping other kids,” she said. Charlsie Doan encourages Hockaday students eligible to participate in KidSwing to do so or maybe even to volunteer at the hospital itself.
“Even if you don’t want to [participate in KidSwing or volunteer], just go and visit Shivers Park on a nice day,” Doan said. “Scottish Rite is a wonderful place, and I think all Hockaday students should be exposed to it in some way.” To find out more information about KidSwing and how to volunteer for the event, please go to www.kidswing.org. F
cause they thought it was amazing, so I started to just go ahead and see how big of a change I can make, and now I am trying to raise as much as possible.” Cowle is able to fundraise through a variety of outlets such as Twitter and email. Word of mouth also helps; her friends and family have been instrumental in spreading the word. “I am just so excited for what I think this will do. I know that if I put in the time now, I will see such a big benefit in the end,” Cowle said. Unlike most marathons, this one required an application and interview. After applying online, Cowle received a phone call a week later for a phone interview, asking her about her connection to the cancer community. When her mom was diagnosed with cancer, Cowle’s mom and dad traveled around the country for four years in search for a treatment. “Luckily, they had the means necessary to get the best treatment available, but, in the end, it just wasn’t enough,” Cowle said. The 4K for Cancer run will raise money and will spread awareness about the Ulman Cancer Fund. According to Cowle, the little things such as mother-daughter teas at Hockaday and prom dress shopping remind her of her mom. “Things like that that people don’t really think about
is just a constant reminder of my mom, and I think that giving back to the cancer community is the best way I can pay tribute to her memory,” Cowle said. “I feel so lucky to have my health and my fitness that I see this as a good way to put it into such good use.” And running will personally benefit Cowle as well. Running helps her calm down and organize her thoughts. Being in shape is not new for Cowle. While at Hockaday, she was involved in many varsity sports. But even with the proper training, Cowle faces obstacles and does her best to overcome them. When running long distances such as 10 miles, counting down the miles is extremely difficult for her. After running two miles, she thinks, “oh I still have eight.” As a solution, she tries not to look at her phone to check the time. “I’ve seen so many people that are not able to run and when I want to quit, that’s what keeps me going,” Cowle said. “At least I can.” To donate or help Cowle with her 4,000-mile 4K for Cancer run and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, go to 4kforcancer.org/profiles/lizcowle/ or visit her twitter page at twitter.com/lizcowle. F
Jenny Zhu Staff Writer
Alumna Runs for Research Hockaday alumna trains for a cross-country run benefiting cancer research
S
an Francisco to Baltimore. 4000 kilometers. Seven weeks. One cause. It is 6 a.m. on a Tuesday, and Hockaday alumna Elizabeth Cowle ’10 is strength training. She does this again every Thursday. In addition, she runs 40 to 45 miles five to six days a week. And she does all of this for her mom. Cowle’s trainer, Jane Fitzpatrick, who has been working with her since August of 2014, is a National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer and Aerobics and Fitness Association of America certified group instructor at the Jewish Community Center in New Orleans. “A typical workout for Liz
includes a good warm-up and stretching, followed by intervals of cardio and resistance,” Fitzpatrick said. “Liz just jumps right in and is not afraid of a challenge.” Cowle has been training since Holiday break to participate in the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults’ 4K cancer run. This organization hosts several events every year across America. Its goal? To offer hope, inspiration and support to cancer communities along the way. Cowle’s connection to cancer started when she was very young. “My mom died when I was four years old,” Cowle said. “She was diagnosed with cancer when she was eight months pregnant
GET A ClUe Match the water bottle with the student or teacher.
1
2
3
4
?
Sonya Xu Staff Writer
A) Deborah Moreland B) Virginia Beshears C) Emma Winson D) Sarah Mathew
Answers: 1C, 2D, 3A, 4B
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LIZ COWLE
FRONT RUNNER Alumna Liz Cowle sets her goal to complete a crosscounry marathon
with me. A week after I was born, she went into an 11-hour surgery, and they found that [the cancer] was a lot more invasive than they had initially thought.” Now, Cowle wants to keep her mom’s memory alive. Starting on June 13 in San Francisco, Cowle will start a 42day journey. She will be staying at churches, high schools, YMCA’s and people’s homes across the country with only a duffel bag, a backpack and a sleeping bag. The marathon will end on Aug. 1 in Baltimore, Md. She and her team of 30 other college-aged students will collectively run a total of 4,000 miles. In groups of two to three, the entire group will take turns running with a bus trailing. Each person will cover approximately eight to 12 miles each day for a combined total of 100 to 150 miles per group per day. The students who are not running will be following in a van behind. The only expense for the runners will be the van’s gas. Cowle was required to raise a minimum of $4,500 but had set a personal goal of $20,000. She started raising money the first week of December and within the first three weeks, Cowle had already raised $5,000. “I was just shocked at how supportive people who didn’t even know me were being,” Cowle said. “I had people I didn’t even know donate to this cause be-
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 09
ffatUres
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Around the World in 3,103 Days Senior Hayes McManemin, having lived in North America her entire life, has now travelled to the other six continents, completing an around-the-world adventure by partaking in expeditions, devoting time to community service, spending nights in the wilderness, exploring cultures and more. 2 1
5
NOT FEELING CRABBY 3 McManemin travels to the Galapagos.
thanks from the headmistress of the Basa Secondary School she helped build.
PHOTOS BY KATE CLEMENT
MAKING A DIFFERENCE McManemin receives a wooden mug as
ON CLOUD NINE McManemin and her younger sister, Audrey McManemin, strike a pose on their way to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
4
3
6 4
ICE, ICE, BABY McManemin kayaks through the icy Antartic waters with her older sister, Ryan McManemin.
A WORDLY AFFAIR McManemin attends the 2012 Summer Olympics. CAMEL-FLAGE McManemin blends in and interacts with animals during her stay in Australia.
SOUTH AMERICA | June 2006
ASIA | June 2011
EUROPE | July 2012
AUSTRALIA | July 2013
AFRICA | July 2014
ANTARTICA | December 2014
1 It was the start of her world travels. At the time, senior Hayes McManemin was entering fourth grade, and she was going on a National Geographic Expedition to the Galapagos. McManemin attended the trip with her extended family. “It was fun going with them,” she said. “We crossed the equator and had a big celebration. My cousin even had to kiss a dead fish.” On the trip, she splashed on the beach and snorkeled through the clear waters. She swam in the ocean alongside stingrays, sharks and fish like the Mahi-mahi flat fish. “It was one of the first times I went outside and really interacted with nature,” she said. “I got to meet a really old tortoise named Lonesome George. We actually talked about it in anatomy class last year, so it was cool that I got to meet the tortoise before it died.” McManemin said that this trip sparked her desire to travel more. “It definitely was the start of my travels internationally. It’s what got me started wanting to go different places.”
2 The plane landed in a dirt air strip, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. McManemin and her father hiked all day, stopping for the night to rest in a Buddhist monastery. Then, after another day’s hike led by two guides, the two arrived at their destination: Basa, Nepal. McManemin stayed for two weeks in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal as part of the Edge of Seven program, a non-profit organization that supports building initiatives that help girls and women access education. In Basa, McManemin worked at an all-girls hostel, taught English classes and helped build a water line. She also got to visit Mount Everest, which is located in the Solukhumbu region that she was staying in. “There were two girls at the hostel who spoke very good English, and I got to spend some time with them,” McManemin said. “It was very promising to see all these girls who had left their families to go to school there.”
3 Crowds and crowds of people pressed against her, their faces painted, their countries’ flags wrapped around their shoulders. McManemin, waving an American flag, was in the midst of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. “I felt very patriotic the whole time,” McManemin said. McManemin attended the beach volleyball final between two American teams. “I saw people like Prince Harry and David Beckham,” she said. “It felt like everyone was at the games. It’s so cool to think that people from everywhere were coming together in one place.” With over 205 countries represented in the Summer Olympics, McManemin was surrounded by thousands of people of different cultures. “I’d been to a lot of places, but this was different because I got to see a bunch of people from everywhere in one place,” she said. “Everyone was showing their colors and wearing them proudly.”
4 Koalas, turtles and wild kangaroos—some of the wildlife that McManemin saw on her two-week stay in Australia as a part of a National Geographic student expedition. On this trip, McManemin camped in the Outback, the plains of Australia, with other students. “We would sleep outside under the stars, which was really sweet,” she said. “I felt like there was a lot of wilderness. It had so many different ecosystems, like a desert and rainforest.” She explored the outdoors by snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. After taking a boat to the reef, McManemin jumped into the frigid water—it was winter at the time—but was amazed by what she encountered. “We saw turtles, fish that were huge, clams and a ton of other marine life,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to go snorkeling in a lot of exotic places, but that was by far the best.” However, the expedition also served an educational purpose. The group visited the Sydney Opera House and listened to National Geographic speaker. “It wasn’t just a vacation. That’s what I liked,” she said. “We got to explore the outdoors, but we were all learning photography, marine biology and videography, too.”
5 At 19,341 feet above sea level, McManemin was literally on top of the world: she had just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest free-standing mountain. She had hiked on a six-day trek with her family along with six other hikers and 50 porters, the people who carry supplies and tents. “It was an incredible experience,” she said. “By the first night, you’ve crossed the cloud cover, and you’re literally above the clouds for five days.” The group started in Arusha, Tanzania. At the bottom of the mountain, the weather was warm, but as they hiked upward, the weather plummeted down to colder temperatures. “It looked like Mars,” she said. “You’re just hiking in what looks like a desert with stones and rocks and no vegetation or anything, but it was super cold.” McManemin and her family hiked, on average, six to eight miles a day at high altitudes. “That was an experience I am really lucky to have. It could get really miserable because you’re staying in a tent a while, and you’re carrying your own stuff for a long way,” she said. “It was a test of endurance, physically and mentally.”
6 It was Christmas Eve. McManemin had woken up at 4 a.m. to see the killer whales circling the boat. After that, she went on a hike, surrounded by a landscape of pure white ice, and saw baby penguins hatch. Then, she took on an icy challenge: the polar plunge. She jumped straight into the icy Antartic waters. “I don’t even remember jumping in,” McManemin said. “They just pull you out because you’re so shocked and frozen.” Antarctica marked the last of the seven continents that McManemin visited, since she lives in North America; now she can officially say that she has been to all seven. “It wasn’t actually that big of a deal when I got there,” she said. “But it’s just incredible that I’m 17 and I’ve had that opportunity to be able to go to all seven continents. I’m just very, very lucky and very thankful.” McManemin said she hopes to continue exploring new places. “I’ve learned so much about myself and about others on my trips. I think if anyone has the opportunity to travel, they should. It’s really important as citizens of the world to be very globally aware.” F
Buford continued from p1 Nearly five years after asking Dr. John Barrington, an orthopedic surgeon and a close family friend of the Bufords, about any opportunities to be exposed to in the surgical world, Buford received a call mid-sophomore year. Barrington offered Buford the opportunity to accompany him on his trip to Santo Domingo, where he would be performing surgeries at a free clinic. A 15-year-old at the time, Buford would have had to wait another year before she could scrub into an operating room in the state of Texas. In contrast, anyone above the age of 12 is allowed to enter operating rooms in the Dominican Republic, so she pleaded with her parents for nearly a year to accept this rare opportunity. Finally, on the condition that she would be accompanied by her father, she was given the approval to start packing.
Anna’s father, Barry Buford, said Anna was 12 years old when she began to express her interest in surgery. “We felt like the medical mission format would satisfy her curiosity about her ability to be up close participating in a surgery,” he said. “And at the same time, [she would be] help[ing] others in the hospital and at the local school.” Unable to visualize where he would be sending his 15-year-old daughter, however, Barry decided it would be in his best interests to join Anna. For just four days during April of Anna’s sophomore year, the Buford pair would be far away from Texas. “I was really, really nervous,” Anna said, looking back on the first time she visited the Dominican Republic. “I didn’t know what to expect.” Among the unforeseeable aspects of her trip was the pungent odor of skin that was cauterized or sealed to-
gether with heat—“I refused to pass out!” she said. As Anna reminisced of her memories in surgery from her previous trips, she smiled and said, “I can’t wait to go back.” Standing in on many of Dr. Barrington’s hip replacements in Santo Domingo, Anna gained insight into the field of orthopedics. It was after she embarked on her first trip to the Caribbean that she had decided she would like to attend medical school and later specialize in orthopedic surgery. Months later, in October of her junior year, Anna boarded a plane to head back to the Dominican Republic with a full itinerary. After doing homework at 5 a.m. and working in the clinic from 8 a.m. to noon, Buford had enough time on her hands to pursue community service opportunities. From noon to 3 p.m., she
Courtney Le Managing Editor
either painted at the clinic or went to the local school to play with and teach English to the children. Through Anna’s two trips to Santo Domingo, close family friend Dr. Barrington has witnessed a change in her.“Since I came to know her family about 7 years ago, Anna has always been very bright,” he said, “[but] on the mission trips, I have seen Anna become more confident, more outgoing and really just more visionary.” On her upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic, she will be spending an entire homework-free week in the country. With more time to observe surgeries and socialize with children, Anna will also find time to visit the beach, attend church service and partake in a baseball game with the locals. F Hufsa Husain Staff Writer
10
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
ffatUres
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
A Day IN the LiFe The Fourcast takes a look into the life of Upper School Attendance Coordinator Jessica Kramer 5 a.m. I’m up at 5, and I work out with two of my three sisters every morning. Then I go home, make sure everybody is dressed and head to school.
were sick or came in late because they were sick. That goes to Physical Education and Fine Arts because if you were sick at any point of the day and missed an academic class, you can’t participate in extracurriculars.
7:45 a.m.
2:30 p.m.
I’m [at school] where I open up the office, put the day up so we know what day it is, make sure the lunch [menu] is out and I make sure the senior sign out book is out. I start listening to phone messages and checking emails for anyone who might be leaving early.
On Y period days, it gets a little nutty in here with everyone leaving for appointments, and on Fridays during Y Period, seniors can now leave without permission from parents -- they can sign out in the senior book and they can leave, so that can get a little crazy in here.
9 a.m.
3:45 p.m.
I run a daily attendance report to see if there is anyone who has been marked absent in a class that I don’t know about, and then I start the search. If there is someone that I don’t know where they are, I’ll email the teacher and ask if they ever showed up or if they were just tardy. If the teacher says that they never showed up, then I call home, and if I can’t get anyone at home, I’ll try cell phones to try and track everyone down. It’s not easy.
I run a couple of different reports. I run a class status report that tells me who missed what classes, if they were tardy and teachers also put in if they were out of uniform and, if they were, what kind of uniform infraction it was. I also run a daily status report and that goes out to all of the teachers so they know kids who weren’t here, and it also has the reason why they weren’t here, like if they left early or came in late, whatever that is.
11:45 a.m.
4:30 p.m.
At Conference there is a big rush of kids -- everyone checking out for either doctor’s appointments or community service. They all have to check out with me and everybody has to get a permit to leave campus, or else Keif will catch you and not let you leave. Then, they all slowly trickle back in.
Depending on the day, I’m either taking one [of my kids] to gymnastics or another one to her TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) class.
8 p.m. PHOTO BY MEGAN PHILIPS
2 p.m. I send a list to all of the Physical Education and Fine Arts people about who has been sick, whether they were sick all day, came in and left early because they
I pick everybody up from those activities, and we all finally have dinner around probably 8 p.m. because my older daughter doesn’t finish with gymnastics until 7:30 p.m. F Megan Philips Features Editor
Sophomore Beads Her Dreams Sophomore Emma Siegel builds her jewelry business Emma Louise Jewelry
S
ophomore and entrepre- sees it; they will share it or like it; neur Emma Siegel sits in another person sees it -- kind of a school classroom dur- a domino effect.” ing Y period, stringing a Tom Barry, Ph.D., a business pendant and beads onto one of professor in the marketing deher necklaces. partment at Southern MethodAs she constructs her neck- ist University, finds that Siegel lace, she is puzzled by two often has made a good decision about conflicting desires: to express using Instagram and Etsy. “She herself through her jewelry is reaching the right people, she and to please her customers. has a good message,” Barry said. Siegel’s business is called “Advertising is successful when Emma Louise Jewthat advertising elry. “Well,Emma reaches the right Louise or Emma people (through Louise Jewelry, media) with the I haven’t really right message decided but just (creative) and afbecause my [Insfects a positive attagram and Etsy] titude (high pernames are Emma ceived value) at I've learned a lot Louise Jewelry, I price.” of good tips and the right think it’s going to Besides using be Emma Louise social media, Siegel tricks that I can Jewelry,” Siegel said. has found other use for the future. As an entrepremethods of publineur, Siegel makes cizing and selling and sells a variety her products. Sophomore Emma Siegel of handmade neckEmma Loulaces, ranging from ise Jewelry held chokers to pendant a trunk show on necklaces. Jan. 17 along with GCE Jewelry, Emma Louise Jewelry be- a business founded by three gan with one prototype in Au- Hockaday students, juniors gust 2014 that consisted of a Grace Warner, Caroline Slaton leather necklace with a pearl and Emily Routman. Ten perin the middle, tied by a clasp cent of the proceeds were doin the back with another pearl. nated to Promise House. Now, Siegel’s business has sold “I think it was very successapproximately 60 necklaces. ful,” Siegel said. “I think, in the Recently, Siegel created an future, we need to make the time Instagram and Etsy shop for frame a little bit shorter, and I Emma Louise Jewelry to gener- need more products because I ate more publicity and allow sold out. Now, I’ve learned a lot customers to easily see and of good tips and tricks that I can purchase her jewelry designs. use for the future.” “I think that its really gotSiegel realized that holding ten more people to know about the trunk show supported her my business. The way that social goal of expanding her range of media works is that one person customers to outside the Hock-
“
aday community. “We did have a good amount of people from other schools come to the trunk show," Siegel said. "But I can get more customers from different schools and different areas.” In order to determine her own prices, Siegel researches the prices offered by jewelry stores and sells her necklaces at a cheaper price than the prices offered by those stores. Siegel’s pearl necklaces, which are made from real freshwater pearls, range from $10 to $15. Longer necklaces range from $20 to $50. Stores in the Dallas area sell similar necklaces for $75 to $100. Siegel said she has “always really loved fashion.” She credits her cousin, a gemologist, for inspiring her to start beading. Back in August 2014, after sending a group text message advertising her prototype to her friends, Siegel found that some of her friends wanted her jewelry. She began to make different types of jewelry such as long necklaces with gem stones and wooden beaded necklaces. Her business grew from there. Sophomore Taylor Toudouze, who was the first to buy Siegel’s pearl necklace, had positive feedback on Siegel’s products, citing her ability to customize her jewelry and her cheap prices. “Emma’s jewelry can be made exactly the way I want it, unlike in stores how you have to choose from what they have there, and you don’t always end up with exactly what you want. Everything she makes can be customized to your exact needs and
tastes,” Toudouze said. “Besides that, her prices are unbeatable.” Toudouze not only enjoys Siegel’s products but also their client-customer relationship. “She is always willing to offer fashion advice on what to wear along with her amazing jewelry,” Toudouze said. Siegel has faced challenges while building her business, one of which is managing her time between her business and schoolwork. “It’s honestly gotten a little bit challenging, just because I have to actually make the products, and then I have to put them up on Etsy, and I have to price them. I made an Excel spreadsheet with my inventory and my invoices, so it’s just a lot of work.” However, Siegel said that she is willing to take on the workload, claiming that she has been using her Y periods and free periods more wisely. In the process of building her business, Siegel has had much help. While her mother has helped more with the creative aspects of her business, her 17-yearold sister, Sarah, has helped her with the logistics. She also credits
her friend, Toudouze, for helping with the monetary management of the business. And her Hockaday connection has helped her as well. Siegel looked for guidance from a book written by entrepreneur Maddie Bradshaw ‘14, titled Maddie Bradshaw’s You Can Start a Business, Too! The book is a how-to guide for inspiring young entrepreneurs to take an initiative to start their own business. Bradshaw, with her mother and sister, created a company called M3 Girl Designs that sells Snap Caps, “the original interchangeable bottle cap necklace.” M3 Girl Designs has annual revenues of approximately $1.6 million, selling more than 60,000 necklaces per month in more than 6,000 U.S. retail outlets. Siegel said, “After reading her book, I felt like I had something and, in a sense, someone that could constantly give me advice and tips on how to improve my business in a manageable and organized way.” F Catherine Jiang Sports and Wellness Editor
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
CAStOFF
CAstOFF
IN Celebration of valentine’s day,
THE FOURCAST 11 FEBRUARY 12, 2015
The Hockaday community dedicated Fourcast Hearts to friends, teachers and teams.
12
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
InFOCUs
Fifty years ago, you
"When I was at Ho pictured myself pla executive, and play
Greenman graduate
finDing A new
Eighty-eight percent o their lives, and 42 per thinking environment,
Evolution is necessary in order to m to our customs and beliefs?
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING
The contrast to the 88 percent o of 1958 to 2011 alumnae surveyed th married eventually. Ninety-one per “Most of us wanted to go to colle or something similar,” Linda McFarl However, beginning in the 1980 tradition. “Hockaday certainly stressed ca ties to learn and excel in whatever traditional roles of women like mot By the late 1980s, the talk of trad “I don’t remember motherhood ever, I remember a lot of discussion Hockaday girls, consistent with ing culture of many women not hav The Economist reported in Janu trast to 72 percent in 1970. Sheri Kunovich, Ph.D., associat recipient of Margareta Deschner Te are less interested in marriage than “Society’s traditions have chang tionships outside of marriage with increasingly accepts adults, specific Despite these statistics, tradition lege graduates are now at least two t according to The New York Times. “I want to get married because sophomore said. In the face of progressivism, gi Rather than getting married right o lished before entering a committed
FAMILY’S FADING IMPORTANCE
The American tradition is to sta children, according to a 2013 Gallup Alumnae adhered to this trad students, they saw children in their Some current Hockaday girls be ing that they do not want to have ch national data. A Pew Research stud 1980 and 2000, value being a good pa tion to have this belief. As a general consensus, Hockad The more difficult decision is betwe According to Gallup, many wh careers. Hockaday girls assert the co have both],” junior Bella Manganell However, some women disagree “I plan on waiting to have kids u have kids, I want to be 100 percent fo However, finding a balance bet Thirty-seven percent of girls survey careers to raise their families and e nae surveyed did return to the wor return to the workforce for over a d In her book “Lean In,” Sheryl S women with children are either lea 74 percent of these women, Sandber cent will return to full time jobs.
illustration by sofi mira
5
percen Hockaday feel uncom discussing r their p
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 13
InFOCUs
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
u would never hear the acronym "STEAM" in Hockaday’s hallways.
ockaday, I don’t remember career ever being addressed," Suzi Greenman ‘61 said. "I always aying a strong, supporting role for my husband, who I imagined would be a corporate ying an active role as a community volunteer."
ted 53 years ago and Hockaday's vision has changed.
w PlaCe For tradiTi On at hoCKAdaY
of surveyed Hockaday girls want to get married. Eighty percent want to have children at some point in rcent consider religion to be an important part of their lives. Despite Hockaday’s progressive, forward, some members of the community still hold on to tradition, even as the world around them does not.
move forward, but is it possible to evolve while still staying true
G NEW
of current Hockaday girls who want to get married, 100 percent hought that while at Hockaday, they might or would want to get rcent of these alumnae ultimately did or would still like to. ege out of state. Very few envisioned a career other than teaching land ‘61 said. “Most assumed we would marry and have a family.” 0s, alumnae started to see a shift in Hockaday’s attitude towards
areer,” Elly Sachs Holder ‘82 said. “But, it provided the opportuniareas interested you, while still saying it was ok to aspire to the therhood.” ditional roles, however, had become almost obsolete. d or marriage ever being discussed,” Meg Temple ‘88 said. “Hown about career choices.” h the generational trend, do want to get married, despite a growving long-term relationships. uary 2013 that 51 percent of American adults are married, in con-
te professor of sociology at Southern Methodist University and eaching Award in Women and Gender Studies, said that women n ever before for three reasons. ged to allow greater freedom to pursue physical romantic relahout stigma, greater economic independence and a culture that cally women, who choose not to have children,” she said. n still has a place at Hockaday. This is not a surprise. Female coltimes as likely to get married than non-college educated women,
e it’s a tradition in my culture and my family,” an anonymous
irls who still want to hold onto tradition are merely adapting. out of college, women are waiting until their careers are estabd relationship.
E
art a family. Only four percent of Americans don’t want to have poll, an American researching and polling company. ditional practice, with 91 percent saying that while they were r future. elieve in progressivism in regards to family, with 20 percent sayhildren. However, these percentages are not consistent with the dy reported in 2011 that the Millennials, children born between arent over having a successful marriage and are the first genera-
day girls equally value their future husbands and their children. een their families or their careers. ho choose not to start a family do so in order to focus on their ontrary. “You can have kids and a career, it’s not a myth [you can lo said. e. An anonymous junior thinks the opposite. until I feel like I have reached my work goals in life, yet once I do ocused on their lives. My priorities will come second,” she said. tween family and career is important to many Hockaday girls. yed answered that they would “take a few years off from their eventually return to the workforce.” Ninety-six percent of alumrkforce after having children. However, many of them did not decade. Sandberg cited the statistic that 43 percent of highly-qualified aving their careers or ‘off-ramping’ for a period of time. However, rg wrote, will “rejoin the workforce in any capacity,” and 40 per-
58
ntage of girls who mfortable religion with peers
20
percentage of Hockaday girls who do not want to be mothers
Many alumnae are included in Sandberg’s 74 percent. “I pursued a career in marketing after college, but 10 years later became a stay-at-home mom,” an anonymous alumna said. “After being a full-time parent for 5 years, I returned to work full-time. Because of Hockaday, I was taught that I could have it all.” FAITH ON WHOSE TERMS AND AT WHAT COST Freshman Emily Fuller discovered her love for Christianity at a Hockaday Young Life meeting she attended with her friends last year. There, she learned about the religion and grew more and more curious. “Before, I had this idea in my mind of Christians being homophobic, strict rule-followers,” Fuller said. “Now, I know what it actually means to walk with Christ. Christianity is about love for Christ and spreading his glory.” An anonymous sophomore echoed Fuller’s anchor in religion. “Religion is probably the only thing keeping me alive at this point,” she said. “It’s the idea that somewhere out there is someone or something that loves me unconditionally, that I have a purpose in life. I don’t care if I’m right or wrong; I just need to have something to lean on when everything else fails.” Religion might not be as important to some Hockaday girls as it is for others. In a survey conducted by The Fourcast, more girls answered that religion was “sort of” or “not” important to them than those who said it was. This represents a much more progressive religious trend prevalent throughout the nation. Devotion is not the sole requirement for being able to identify with a faith. Sophomore Melanie Kerber, for example, identifies as Jewish, despite some questioning how religious she really is. “Both inside and outside of Hockaday, I feel like people try to police my Jewish identity and tell me that I’m not ‘Jewish enough,’” she said. “Just because I don’t keep kosher all the time and don’t look ‘classically Jewish’ doesn’t mean I’m any less of one.” According to the National Study on Youth and Religion, almost 40 percent of adolescents “drop out” of their respective religion and another 38 percent eventually leave religion entirely later in life. The study contributes this statistic to the fact that oftentimes, teenagers go to services at their parents’ insistence rather than their own independent desire. This assumption can be seen at Hockaday as well, as 35 percent of Hockaday girls reported that religion is more important to their parents than to themselves. Junior Caroline McGeoch, one of the leaders of Hockaday’s Bible Study Club, has also noticed girls at Hockaday moving away from religion. “I think many girls get detached or too busy,” McGeoch said. “They find that religion lacks relevance and move away from it.” Although sophomore Sabah Shams sees herself as culturally Muslim and agnostic, someone who claims neither belief or disbelief in a higher power, she does not identify with much of the tradition surrounding religion. “I still attend services to be part of the community and to appease my parents,” Shams said. “But I don’t feel the importance of getting to the monotony of traditional rituals that don’t have any personal meaning behind them.” Shams, among other girls, chooses to look at religion in a more progressive way, if at all. According to The Fourcast survey, 58 percent of girls feel uncomfortable discussing religion with their peers. Junior Juliette Turner, another leader of Hockaday’s Bible Study Club, attributes this discomfort with fear of being incorrectly labeled. “Religious expression has become perceived to be discriminatory towards other religions,” Turner said. “I don’t feel able to express my religious views without offending someone else or getting labeled as a religious freak.” This isn’t just confined to Hockaday. Ted A. Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of Church History at Southern Methodist University, says it is a national attitude. “It’s ironic that in an a time when we encourage people to speak more forthrightly about their identities in areas like culture or sexual orientation, U.S. culture has begun to discourage people from speaking forthrightly about their religious identifications, because of the negative opinions and actions the press has shown certain religious groups as having,” he said. Do these negative attitudes signal a decline in people being traditional? Hockaday girls have not become less “traditional,” but rather less open to speak about their traditions. This silent majority is faced with a choice: either stay silent to avoid confrontation or risk being challenged to adapt to a more modern ideology. “If I use a traditional viewpoint to justify my opinion, people no longer count it as a ‘relevant’ reason.” an anonymous junior said. “I’d rather not risk standing out, but I don’t want to change what I believe just because I’m told it’s no longer current.” F Kate Clement A&E Editor
91
percentage of Hockaday alumnae who have gotten married or would like to
13
percentage of Hockaday girls who plan on being stayat-home moms after having children Source: 2015 Hockaday Upper School and Alumnae Association Board of Directors Survey
14
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
A&E Editing Yourself
Hollywood Defies Cultural Roles Pop culture and mass media reflect the change in society today
O
Photo continued p15
L IL YS
Pop-culture enthusiast sophomore Melanie Kerber has noticed some changes. “I think there’s definitely more diversity, but it’s not enough in my opinion,” Kerber said. Recently, Marvel Entertainment, a prominent character-based entertainment company and a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, has expanded its scope of characters to include other than white caucasian males as role models. In the most recent Marvel comics, the new Spiderman is portrayed as an African-American teenager, as opposed to his white counterpart in the movies. “I think it’s exceptional that comics are trying to spread out,” Kerber said. And the shift does not end there. Marvel even went a step further and transformed Thor, Norse God of thunder and lightning, known for his superior strength and masculinity, into a female role model, speaking to the new wave of feminism and the rise of strong female leads in books and movies. Written by Ja
UM RO W
Realistic or Stereotypical?
BY
On a calm Saturday afternoon, senior Elizabeth Bell scrolls through her Instagram feed and sees a Kim Kardashian selfie, enhanced with a filter and slightly risque lighting that perfectly contours Kim’s high cheekbones. Although Bell feels that “social media doesn’t affect her self-esteem much,” many teenage girls would say otherwise. According to a recent study from the University of Salford in England, half of the 298 teenage participants admitted that their self-esteem suffered when they compared themselves to their friends or followers on social media. This decrease in self-esteem may be linked to the increasing use of photo-editing apps, which are used to enhance one’s appearance on social media apps like Instagram. Bell, a student in Upper School English teacher Janet Bilhartz’s senior English class, was presented with the task of writing an essay about one theme that was present in all of the literary works the class had studied throughout the year. She chose to address the topic of beauty in the modern world and decided to explore the reasons behind why teenage girls try harder and harder to achieve perfection through their appearances. One of the ways that girls try to improve their appearances on social media is through photoediting apps like Facetune, Perfect365 and Photoshop. “The use of photo-editing apps has definitely become more popular because these apps are so accessible and prevalent,” Bell said. “The problem with these apps is that people looking at the pictures think that they are seeing something real when what they’re actually seeing is far from real.”
ver the past few decades, the media has centered their stories around strong male lead roles. But over the last few years the importance of diversity has caught up with the entertainment industry. In an effort to be more inclusive, many television series and movies today are centered on minorities. Trendy hipsters and tech-savvy geeks flood the halls of high schools. Ethnic backgrounds are being represented. Empowered women have embraced their identities as capable and strong members of society that can advocate for and create change. And most importantly, men are no longer necessary to fulfill their dreams. This shift in the media, including film and print, brings to light society’s patterns and expectations.
I
son Aaron, this series came out last October. “This is not She-Thor. This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is THOR. This is the THOR of the Marvel Universe. But it’s unlike any Thor we’ve ever seen before,” Aaron said. Marvel has even introduced characters from different religions. In January of last year, Marvel introduced the new Captain Marvel named Kamala Khan, a female teenage Muslim who lives in New Jersey. She faces problems caused by her conservative parents and her religion’s culture. And even though Marvel has made a lot of innovations, the minorities’ roles in these productions have raised controversy. “A lot of the time what happens is that they try to reduce minorities into ste
R ST LLU
N IO AT
reotypes and not give them actual conflicts,” Kerber said. Director of Counseling and Student Diversity Board sponsor Dr. Margaret Morse ‘93 also notices the lack of conflict amongst minorities. “I think we’d be naïve to think that people from different backgrounds, genders, races or cultures don’t deal with different kinds of issues,” Morse said. Minorities take on qualities of stereotypes, sometimes to an extreme, but that’s not always a bad thing, according to Morse. “Sometimes when the stereotypes are so over the top, it’s like this is so not reality and we can laugh at it,” Morse said. ABC’s sitcom, “Modern Family” achieves exactly this through its characters, which includes a gay
pOpCharT
couple, a Colombian immigrant lady and nerdy and dorky teenagers. The characters resemble much of society’s classification of them. “I think the thing about Modern Family is that it’s so stereotypical, but it’s so in your face that let’s laugh at how stereotypical these stereotypes are and how absurd they can be. It’s like poking fun at the stereotype makes that point,” Morse said. The stereotyping, however, can be commendable and praiseworthy. Recognized for their achievements and valued for their brain power, nerds have replaced the typical jock as those at the head of the social hierarchy. Disney’s animated, action packed, fantasy comedy “Big Hero 6” places significance on intelligence, appreciating talent from characters in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. “What I liked about it was that none of the people in the movie were the stereotypical scrawny nerd or dork of the previous generations. They were all edgy,” Morse said. The characters in the movie consisted of a multitude of backgrounds and nationalities, including Japanese and AfricanAmerican. The movie follows the story of high-tech robots and other nerdy misfits that call themselves “Big Hero 6.” They must save the fictional city of San Fransokyso using their brains. “They were all like hipsters, channeling that creativity in ways that can be helpful to our community,” Morse said. Upper School film studies teacher Glenys Quick has not seen this shift with people appreciating nerds.
Nerds continued p16
BOOKS
TELEVISION
MUSIC
TELEVISION
Writer Harper Lee announced on Feb. 3 the sequel to “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Her latest book in five decades, “Go Set A Watchman” will debut on July 14.
Marvel’s first ever Netflix series, “Daredevil,” premieres on April 10, featuring Charlie Coxx as Matt Murdock. The show consists of 10-hour long episodes.
Imagine Dragons release its new album on Feb. 17. With singles including “Gold” and “I Bet My Life” this fulfilling album will surely please fans.
The American Dream is fame, no matter how it comes. Empire’s Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) embodies this, with his Kanyesized ego, successful record company, and scandalous family drama. Forget Keeping up with Kardashians, Empire’s drama is enough to keep us on the edge of our couches.
Go Set a Watchman
Daredevil
Empire
Smoke and Mirros
A&E: Hockaday Brushes with Fame/ Page 15 •
IMAGES PROVIDED BY NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, IMDb, TRENDIO, WIKIMEDIA
In the “Know”/ Page 16
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 15
ARTs & EntERtaInMEnT
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Hockaday Brushes with Fame IN TEXAS celebrity sightings are rare. However, these members of the Hockaday community were lucky enough to meet some of our favorite stars. The Fourcast quotes Upper School history teacher Lucio Benedetto and juniors Meg O’Brien and Nina La Barba on their different experiences.
LUCIO BENEDETTO MEETS MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY “At the time (mid ‘90s) I was working with a high-tech consulting firm in Austin and a group of us after work had gone to Guero’s, which often attracted a lot of music people that came into town, so it was always kind of fun to go there. So we were sitting there and we were having some margaritas and nachos and we happen to look over at the bar and someone said ‘that kinda looks like Matthew McConaughey over there’. And we had all seen Dazed and Confused and he was pretty well known in Austin, and so I looked over and I was like ‘ya, I’m pretty sure that is him’. We were like ‘someone should go talk to him’. I was usually pretty shy but I had seen him in movies so I decided to go talk to him. I just kind of walked up and I just said ‘hey, Matthew McConaughey?’ and he was like ‘yeah, man! How’s it going?’. He just kind of turned and did the ‘bro’ handshake with me and I was just like ‘yeah, I think you’re a terrific actor and I really enjoyed Dazed and Confused, and he did his little ‘alright, alright, alright’. We laughed and he was sitting there having some tequila shots and he bought me a tequila shot and so we had a little toast to Austin and I got to have a tequila shot with Matthew McConaughey.”
NINA LABARBA: CONCERT ENCOUNTERS
I saunter into the Cowboy’s stadium one Sunday afternoon and I walked right to my seat, didn’t see anyone, I just sat down. A couple minutes later I was getting up to get a drink and I look up and I see Katie Huber and David Bentley and I was like “hello Katie Huber,” and she goes “Meg, look right there.” So I turned around and she’s like “that’s Chace Crawford, isn’t it?” This was during the time I was watching Gossip Girl on Netflix so I was like “ohhh it totally is Chace Crawford.” Katie had already gotten a picture with him and told me she could take one of us, so I was like “okay.” So we go up and he’s sitting two rows above our seats. I went up to him and I tapped his shoulder and I was like “hi” and he was like “hey” and then I asked if I could get a picture and he said “sure.” So he stands up and he’s getting in position, and the field is right behind us and we take a picture and I go “thank you” and then we hug. So then I turned around to go get my food and I’m absolutely star struck, I can’t breathe, I have butterflies in my stomach. He was so nice and he has the bluest, bluest eyes, and he’s kind of short but he’s still taller than me so it’s okay. He likes to wear hats to these games and he likes to use binoculars. And then I saw him a little later and he waved at me. Now I see him every time and he sits with his dad.
Photo continued from p14 In addition to photo-editing apps, Bell argues in her paper that society’s preoccupation with thinness and unattainable beauty can lead to the dependence on plastic surgery to correct flaws and improve overall appearance. “Sometimes, people say that they want a particular type of body part, like Michelle Obama arms or a Kim Kardashian butt,” Bell said. She goes on to say in her paper that the idea of tailormaking a body contradicts the idea of the individuality of every woman’s body, regardless of its flaws. Billhartz agrees and said that “unrealistic ideals of beauty prompt the ordinary person to have plastic surgery.” According to her, celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who have undergone various plastic surgical procedures to alter their appearances, have made the idea of getting plastic surgery more acceptable to the American public. As the use of photo editing apps and plastic surgery becomes more prevalent, Billhartz worries that teenage girls will be judged for not choosing to alter their appearances, either physically or on social media. “The increase in the number of celebrities who use photo editing apps has changed what
Americans perceive as ‘normal,’” Billhartz said. “Instead, ‘normal’ is more perfect than it actually is in real life.” In her paper, Bell suggests that the rise of plastic surgery among women may have more serious implications than merely a shift in what is considered normal. She argues that the increasing prevalence of plastic surgery could influence a variety of other factors, such as a woman’s role in the job market. Billhartz agrees with Bell. “Undergoing plastic surgery procedures enhances a woman’s appearance, and as a result, may tip the scale in her favor when searching for a job,” Billhartz said. Billhartz also fears that plastic surgery will become so commonplace that girls and women who choose not to get it will stick out. “It’s terrifying that we may live in an America where the social class a woman belongs to has to do with whether or not she has plastic surgery,” Billhartz said. “You would know whether or not a woman is rich just based on the way her body looks.” Regardless of the constantly changing societal perceptions of beauty, Jennifer Davis, copresident of the Embody Love Club, said that the club strives to promote healthy perceptions of beauty at Hockaday. Davis hopes that every girl can em-
So I was at one of Mitchell Musso’s concerts one time, it was during the peak of Hannah Montana and Disney Channel and everything and Keke Palmer was performing and teaching dance moves from the jump rope movie [Jump In] so afterwards I got to talk to her for a while and like get some autographs and everything. So that was in middle school, and then freshman year I went to an R5 concert at the House of Blues and a couple of songs before they finished I ran out the back door and ran out to the side and I waited for Ross Lynch to get back to his bus and so a couple friends and I stopped him at his bus and talked to him and got pictures but then he had to go. F
ABOVE: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ASHNA KUMAR RIGHT: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MANISHA RATAKONDA LEFT: PHOTO PROVIDED BY MEG O’BRIEN
MEG O’BRIEN MEETS CHACE CRAWFORD
Manisha Ratakonda Graphics Editor
brace her body, imperfections and all. “Plastic surgery messes up this idea that every girl should be proud of her body and accept it for what it is,” Davis said. Davis also believes that “body dissatisfaction has become so prevalent because of the accessibility to a world full of distorted images.”
Although photo-editing apps may be on a different level than plastic surgery, both bring to light insecurities girls face today in trying to be perfect. And while this issue is prevalent, Billhartz believes that Hockaday girls are less inclined to alter themselves to become “perfect.”
“Girls here rarely wear makeup,” Billhartz said. “I think that’s a clear indication that they will pay as much attention to the development of their minds as they do to the way their faces look.” F Esahni Kishore Staff Writer
16
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
ARTs & EntERtaInMEnT
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
In the “Know”
Birkenstocks Birkenstocks are said to be making a comeback. Despite its “ugly-pretty” reputation, the German shoe continues to resurface as the go-to trend for sturdy, comfortable and sensible footwear. Birkenstock’s corked or rubber soles act as arch support and allow the shoe to conform to the shape of the feet, and the thick double straps secure the feet without discomfort or pressure. There are now 800 varieties of Birkenstocks, although the most popular to date is the Arizona sandal. After appearing on high-fashion catwalks throughout 2014, Birkenstocks plans to take advantage of its recent rise in popularity and
The Fourcast predicts upcoming trends for 2015
Citrus Zinger Water Bottle The Citrus Zinger Water Bottle is the answer to bland, boring water. The Citrus Zinger Water Bottle allows you to press fresh citrus fruits into your water without the hassle of juicing or the unappetizing remnants of rinds and pulp. The Citrus Zinger is offered in green, pink and orange and also comes in “Sport” and “Biggie” models of varying sizes. You can find Citrus Zinger Water Bottles at Crate and Barrel for $15.95 or Neiman Marcus for $18.
FitBit Fitbit has America staying fit like never before. Fitbit manufactures chic wearable devices, like belt clips and wristbands, for monitoring and tracking personal fitness. With Fitbit, you can sync wirelessly between your phone and Fitbit device to track allday activity, log food, record workouts, sleep and control weight. Fitbit products range in cost from $59.95- $249.95 and come in a wide assortment of colors and textures. The Fitbit app is available in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows. Fitbit recently released a new Tory Burch collection, including metal-hinged bracelets and pendants in gold and silver.
Bread Zepplin Bread Zeppelin Salads Elevated has reinvented the salad—and it is absolutely delicious. The Irving-based restaurant chain has crafted a portable, to-go meal that surpasses the original sub or wrap. Bread Zeppelin’s invention, the Zeppelin, is a fresh-baked, artisan baguette that is hollowed out and filled with the customer’s choice of a chopped salad from among 40 ingredients and 20 dressings offered. The Zeppelin is fast, hand-held, mess-free, and it is perfect for an on-the-go, well-priced lunch or dinner. Bread Zeppelin also features 12 delicious signature salads on its menu, but it is the Zeppelin that certainly stands out from your average Snappy Salads.
Nat Wolff Have you ever heard of Nat Wolff? You’re about to. The up-and-coming actor, who had a supporting role in the hit film “The Fault in Our Stars,” is a former Nickelodeon star/musician and one half of the Naked Brothers Band. This year, he is set to star in the movie adaptation of John Green’s New York Times bestseller “Paper Towns,” alongside model Cara Delevingne. The 20-year-old winner of two Teen Choice Awards will also play a main role in the dramedy “Ashby,” which will be released on an unknown date in 2015. Both Nat and his younger brother, Alex, continue to make music, which you can purchase on iTunes or listen to for free on SoundCloud. F Faith Isbell Staff Writer
IMAGES PROVIDED BY ZIMBIO, FITBIT, KTXDTV, ZING ANYTHING
Nerds continued from p14
“I can’t say myself there’s been this evolution, with nerds being rejoiced, being celebrated rather than jocks,” Quick said. However, she does enjoy watching vulnerable characters. “An eccentric, vulnerable character is far more interesting than a jock,” she said. However, the image of the “dumb jock” is still perpetuated in TV shows, books and movies today. “I think that’s unfortunate,” Morse said. “I think it’s sad if we say one thing’s more valuable than another, because there’s a
CArtOon
lot that athleticism and team collaboration brings to our community.”
Strong Female Leads In Disney’s “Frozen,” Elsa and Anna, the main protagonists battle gender stereotypes. While Anna did not actively pursue romance and love like many Disney movies portray, Elsa did not have a romantic interest at all in the movie. A groundbreaking scene in “Frozen” was Elsa’s transformation to an
ice princess where she was made aware of her powers and full potential without relying on a lead male along her side. On top of this new depiction of a Disney princess, her relatability to the audience—her flaws and personality—captivated movie-goers. Regardless of the recent changes, women’s depiction in movies as the main character still remains low and even significantly lower compared to men. According to research conducted by the Geena Davis Institute, “Gen-
Grammy Best Record Nominations Annabelle Folsom
der Bias without Borders” that investigated female characters in movies across 11 countries, including the US, only 23% of films feature a female protagonist. Reflecting on the future of film, Quick said, “Until society changes more, then there’s never going to be that equality in the representation of women. “ F Noor Adatia Staff Writer
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 17
ARTs & EntERtaInMEnT
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
REVIEWS: American Sniper • Snap Kitchen • 2014 Forest Hills
Snaps for Snap Kitchen
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ITUNES
PHOTO BY JENNY ZHU
Forest Hills Forest Kills (It)
2014 Forest Hills Drive J Cole
Snap Kitchen 6025 Royal Lane
F
rom the moment I swung open the glassy green door, I knew that I was in a healthy foodie’s heaven. If the Juice Bar served food, this would be it. Snap Kitchen, based in Austin, also has storefronts in Dallas and Houston. A newbie to the Dallas area, Snap Kitchen recently opened three locations, one at the Preston and Royal intersection, another in Snider Plaza in Highland Park and the last in Uptown off of McKinney Avenue. Snap Kitchen seems to be a popular hangout among the young and fit crowd. They have ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat-up meals for take out. The walls are lined with open refrigerators, which house all of their breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and beverage options. It was nice not having to wait in line to order. Not for the faint of heart, this is not a place for picky eaters because of the obscurity of many of the food items on the menu. However, everything in Snap Kitchen is ridiculously healthy. They
American Sniper Clint Eastwood
“American Sniper” is based off of Chris Kyle’s book with the same title.Kyle garnered the most recorded kills in American history while fighting in Iraq. While “American Sniper” is an action-packed and entertaining film, some of the key moments are historically inaccurate, according to the information in Kyle’s book. One of the biggest climaxes in the movie occurs when Kyle (Bradley Cooper) shoots and kills Mustafa, a Syrian Olympian and alleged sniper. This scene is extremely touching as Kyle had lost multiple friends to Mustafa. However, Mustafa was believed to have been later killed by a different sniper. However, Eastwood develops this scene into a tribute to Kyle’s deceased friends. Another dramatic scene in the movie is when Kyle is forced to shoot a young boy carrying a grenade. This scene,
pride themselves on serving palatable gluten-free, dairy-free and sodium conscience meals. I am happy to say that for a gal with a food allergy, this is correct and refreshing. It was a luxury not having to worry about what I could and could not eat; everything was up for grabs. The breakfast options were plentiful, and I even considered having one for dinner. The lunch and dinner options overlapped; quinoa, chickpea salad and veggies were among the most common items in the fridge. Most of the meals were vegetarian, although a couple turkey burgers could be found. Let me not forget the juices. Snap Kitchen freshly presses their own juices, ranging from Spicy Basil Lemonade to the Chai Cashew Milkshake. However, most of these juices are part of a one-day juicing program that Snap Kitchen offers. I decided to try the Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash and the Lemon Garlic hummus for dinner. My sister had the Kale Caesar Salad and Garlic Cauliflower. Since it was our first time there, the cashier was very kind and gave us one of the entrees for free. The staff was helpful with selecting my ideal meal. The spaghetti squash was tasty but could use more seasoning. The hummus was bursting with lemony flavor and I would definitely rec-
Snap Kitchen’s fruit and vegtable loaded food is a perfect lunch
ommend it. Unfortunately, the kale salad was a lame excuse for a Caesar salad. They took away the best part: the crouton. In its place were raisins, which was a slight disappointment. This is not the place to come if you are looking for a hearty, meat-lovers dish but rather if you are in the mood for something light and refreshing. After we had managed to eat every bit that we had purchased, we were still hungry. So, we purchased some gluten-free cookies, which were very chocolatey but lacked the moistness that a cookie should always have. Snap Kitchen lacks seating and only provides a counter for guests to munch at. They do, however, provide two microwaves and an endless supply of spices, sauces and condiments if you choose to dine in. Overall, I applaud Snap Kitchen for its “snappy” execution of healthy dining. F Mary Claire Wilson Staff Writer $$ Hours: Monday-Thursday: 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. Friday- 7:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. Saturday- 9:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. Sunday- 9:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Eastwood Scores Another Bullseye however, is not historically accurate: Kyle was forced to shoot a woman, not a child. Only one of Kyle’s kills is known to have been a non-military aged male. The tone of the movie darkens as Kyle returns home and begins struggling with Posttraumatic stress disorder Eastwood conveys the difficulties of this disorder through a picnic scene, when Kyle attacks a dog to protect one of his children. While the dog was simply playing, Kyle saw its actions as aggressive. Over time, Kyle returns to a more active role in the lives of his wife, Taya, and children. The final scene in the movie even shows Kyle walking around the house with a fake gun and flirting with his wife, a grin on both of their faces. The scene with Kyle jokingly pointing a fake gun at his wife has become extremely controversial. It is often said in
hunting practices or etiquette to never point a weapon at someone. While Kyle does so, it seems to symbolize his triumph over PTSD and ability to return to his playful self. With bright, natural light streaming through the windows of Kyle’s house, all seems well as the movie draws to a conclusion, but Eastwood quietly conveys this peace as short-term. The last time Kyle is seen alive in the movie, he is walking out the door to greet a struggling veteran, whose eyes clearly show fear and anxiety. Kyle’s mission at home was to “save” veterans and help them readjust to society. “American Sniper” proves an interesting insight into the world of our service men and women. I would suggest seeing it in theaters as this is most likely a film that does not need to be repeatedly watched. Between the movie’s bloody war
scenes and depiction of veterans’ battle with PTSD, the film is somewhat exhausting but uses the means necessary to convey this heroic story. As Eastwood often creates, the film is deeply moving, entertaining and clearly gets a message across. His message expresses the sacrifice veterans and active military make on a daily basis, whether sitting at home fearing gunman or serving thousands of miles from their families. Kyle was eventually shot and killed by a struggling veteran whom he was trying to help. Perhaps Iraq was not even the enemy; it was not Iraq who brought down America’s legendary Sniper. War itself killed Kyle. “American Sniper” is rated R for sexual content, language, some drug use and violence. F Austria Arnold Staff Writer
Most artists spend their whole lives trying to come up with a raw masterpiece. Rapper Jermaine Cole has done it at just 29 years old. J.Cole’s “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” released Dec. 9, 2014, paints a beautiful picture of a man’s struggles in not only the limelight but in life itself. There are only two singles from the album as of now (“G.O.M.D.” and “Apparently”). Both are catchy, upbeat tunes with darker meanings beneath the lyrics. “Intro,” the first song on the tracklist, sets the tone for the rest of the album as Cole sings about differentiating between fake and true happiness, a theme that is touched on again in “St. Tropez.” The entire album tells a story, beginning with the second track “January 28th,” his birth date, through the thirteenth, “Note to Self.” In the first four songs, Cole speaks of his younger self’s desire to become a part of the Hollywood lifestyle and alludes to current events such as the Ferguson riots, as he quotes in “January 28th:” “What’s the price for a black man’s life? I check the toe tag, not one zero in sight.” The next two songs touch on his rise to fame and the corruption that comes along with the spotlight, as well as cultural appropriation in the song “Fire Squad,” in which he calls out white performers such as Justin Timberlake and Macklemore. The following six tracks speak of heartbreak, the struggles of being black in America and Cole’s loss of self due to fame. The final track, “Note to Self,” wraps it all together with a short and sweet, almost Broadway-esque closing number in which Cole delivers a powerful message on materialism and the power of love and then uses the remaining time in the track to state the credits of the album. Cole has clearly taken a page out of his fellow rappers’ books for this album - the shot of his home as the album cover alludes to Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LPs,” while the use of the last track as credits pays homage to Kanye West’s final song “Last Call” on West’s 2004 album “College Dropout.” Cole’s single “G.O.M.D.” interpolates Lil Jon’s popular party song “Get Low.” The question is: does Cole manage to match up in comparison to his influences? The answer? Yes. All in all, J. Cole’s “2014 Forest Hills Drive” is truly a work of art, and it has the perfect mixture of slow songs, cry-to and songs you can bounce to in your car. The album is available for $9.99 on iTunes - trust me, it’s not a purchase you’ll regret. F Amanda Kim Staff Writer
18
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
spOrts To Become Bored Yet Brilliant
6
Recent project by New Tech City and NPR relate cell phones to the downfall of boredom and creativity
Number of seniors on varsity swimming and diving this winter season, with five being swimmers and one a diver
19 Number of school teams that competed at SPC against Hockaday varsity athletes from Feb. 12 to Feb. 14 ILLUSTRATION BY SOFI MIRA
5-0 Score of varsity soccer’s away game against Oakridge on Jan. 7
4
Number of games that JV basketball won this winter season under the leadership of Coach Laboris Bean, a member new to the basketball coaching staff but not to Hockaday
Sports Editorial
Tracking a Difference Fitness gadgets play important roles for both individual athletes and, now, the Health II class
T
he average American liant project, which monitors cell checks his or her cellphone phone usage with apps such as over 150 times a day, but Moment and BreakFree, started a 67 percent of the time, the social experiment on Feb. 2. phone isn’t vibrating or ringing The project discovered that – according to the Bored and Bril- one out of three people were liant project conducted by WNYC, using or holding their phones the national public radio station while walking. in New York City. If you do the And people are not just depenmath, that’s almost every 10 sec- dent on their phones while awake. onds in a 24-hour period. Previous research collected with And it gets worse. Here at Hock- the Moment app showed that 44 aday, students check their phones percent of Americans sleep with every 5 to 6 seconds. their phones by their beds. In a poll taken of Hockaday’s Freshman Maye McPhail finds Upper School students, 120 out herself within that 44 percent of of 175 people said they check Americans. “I feel like people altheir phones beways need to have their tween 240 to 280 phone around, even times a day. when they’re sleeping Despite the dijust in case something rect link to continhappens and they need uous information, to be notified,” she said. cellphones miniDependency on phones, ABOVE AVERAGE mize the amount and technology in genIn a poll, 125 out of of time available eral, hinders our ability to 175 Upper School for the brain to exspace out, daydream and students said they perience boredom, therefore be creative. Upcheck their phones which is essential per School Learning Spebetween 240 and to brain developcialist Shelley Cave has 280 times each day. ment, according looked into several studies to Dr. Jonathan associated with creativity Smallwood, a cogand boredom. nitive neuroscientist at University “When we’re not bored, our of York in the U.K. brains jump from one thought to In an attempt to bring back another, to a task, to another, and boredom, the Bored and Bril- we’re highly engaged and neurons
EXCESSIVE PHONE USE The average American checks his or her cell phone over 150 times each day.
240
I
n this day and age, keeping track of everything with handy apps is already the norm, whether you count friends on Facebook or likes on Instagram. Athletes are now turning to activity monitors to improve their health. Form II lacrosse player Kate Love, a verbal commit to Penn State, uses her FitBit and the accompanying app to track many aspects of her fitness. For instance, instead of just recording how much she sleeps, it also notes if she sleeps restlessly and how often she wakes up at night. It also has features to monitor her exercise. “I like that it tells you how far you run during the games,” she said. “I usually run like five miles.” Though students use ac-
tivity monitors and see improvement individually, the Hockaday Physical Education Department is seeing this change on a greater scale. The course was developed by coaches Adaku Achilefu, Jennifer Johnson and Elia Stanfield this past summer. “What we’re doing is teaching students about intensity levels,” Stanfield said. The students use heart monitors that connect to a teacher’s iPad. Coaches can then utilize Polar GoFit, a program that “gauges your intensity level, so it’ll tell you [if] you’re working at peak performance, or not.” The positive reviews the course has received are due in part to the fact that it’s a blended class, taking place in the classroom, online and in the Hill Family Fitness
SPORTS: Seniors Commit to College / Page 19 •
Center. The part that takes place in the Wellness Center is where the heart rate monitors come in to play. Thanks to the enthusiastic response from students, the heart rate monitors may be here to stay. “We’re looking to add it to Upper School Physical Education,” Stanfield said. If girls get inspired to track their fitness all the time, they can purchase activity monitors of their own at the Preston/Forest Run On!, where Bob Thurman helps runners choose the right running watch for them. Thurman has been running for 35 years and is currently training for the Boston Marathon. As a running coach for Run On! and a self-professed “tech guru,” Thurman knows quite a bit about running watches.
The Perfect Day / Page 20
are firing,” Cave said. “When you’re bored, it’s not necessarily boredom but a downtime where you get an opportunity to actually connect to new thoughts and to look at things in ways you haven’t thought of before.” Throughout the day, the opportunities to zone out and be creative are more available than you think. When interviewed by the Board and Brilliant Project, Smallwood said that thinking in the shower strikes inspiration because it’s a unique moment when the mind is pausing and people are not focusing on anything specific. “There’s a close link between originality, novelty and creativity and these sort of spontaneous thoughts that we generate when our minds are idle,” he said. The idea that boredom and idleness are linked to creativity stems from the concept of imaginative play for toddlers and preschoolers. “Having an empty field is actually more beneficial than a full playground with things for them to play on. They can create their own games, choose their own rules and form their own world, and that’s coming out of emptiness, which is not necessarily boredom but a quiet time,” Cave said.
Cell Phones continued p20 “When someone comes in looking for one, I try to find out what it is they’re going to do with it. If they [will be] counting their steps, then a Vivofit will work fine. If they want to really seriously train... we move up into the better watches, like the Tomtom or one of the Garmins,” he said. “It depends on exactly what you’re gonna do with it.” Love agrees. “It’s to see if you can improve or if you decline, so it really keeps pushing you to do better,” she said. Coach Stanfield has personally seen the improvements that monitoring one’s fitness can make on one’s health. “It’s been eye-opening… [what] they’ve learned.” F Maria Katsulos Video Editor
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
THE FOURCAST 19
spOrts
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Varsity Captains Look Forward to SPC Staff Writer Heidi Kim sits down with varsity team captains who share their thoughts on SPC and reflections on their teams’ performance this season
T
he Hockaday winter sports captains and their team members are ready for the Southwest Preparatory Conference which will take place in Houston on Feb. 12 and 14. No year is exactly the same, and all the teams have unique goals.
“
We have a strong desire to win, and even though the intensity has picked up this year, people have taken more responsibility for themselves as individuals who are part of the team. Senior Staci Shelby
Basketball
Jessica Savage and Staci Shelby The basketball team hopes to successfully adapt to the new policies that are being added to SPC this year, since the tournament rules have changed: the first and second seed in the event both get a bye, an automatic advance to the next round, rather than only the first seed getting a bye. Basketball captain senior Staci Shelby said, “The new change will make the tournament much more challenging, so the team will have to work extra hard this year.” Shelby believes that the team has grown and developed both its defense and communication skills through intense preparation and with the help of having a new coach with novel techniques. As a result, she is confident that the team will take on the challenge successfully. “We have a strong desire to win, and even though the intensity has picked up this year, people have taken more responsibility for themselves as individuals who are part of the team,” Shelby said.
Swimming and Diving
Soccer
The swim team hopes that its hard work will pay off overall but also strives to have each of its members do her best to achieve her personal record. Approximately 20 swimmers will be competing at SPC, and senior captains Elizabeth Bell, Raquel Hazbun and Elizabeth Michel encourage all team members to attend the meets to support their fellow swimmers. The team is preparing for the tournament by not only adding more strenuous workouts but also by canceling a few meets to make more time for training. “It’s going to be hard to compete with other teams this year, but we expect to do even better than last year,” Michel said.
On the fields, the soccer team hopes to take home first place at SPC this year. However, an obstacle stands in the team’s way: the cut of Division II. This means only six teams can make it into the finals. Captain Claudia Hammond said, “This change makes it extra vital to make sure we get the top speed in North Zone.” The two are confident in the team’s ability to make it to the championships, due to the growth of the team. “We are a very different team than we were last year, so it will be interesting to see how SPC goes this year,” Allen said.
Elizabeth Bell, Elizabeth Michel and Raquel Hazbun
Morgan Allen, Mimi Asom and Claudia Hammond
The soccer team’s first match will be on Feb. 12. F
Swimming and diving competitions will take place on Feb. 14.
The basketball team will start playing on Feb. 12.
Senior Athletes Commit to College Staff Writer Mary Claire Wilson interviews Hockaday senior athletes who have been recruited to various universities across the country
Aneesha Bandarpalle
Mackenzie Capetillo
Claudia Hammond
A rower by chance, senior Aneesha Bandarpalle decided to give crew a try freshman year when her best friend decided that she was going to join a team. Bandarpalle has been addicted ever since and currently rows for the Dallas Rowing Club. She is committed to row for Washington University in St. Louis next year. The family-like attitude that crew fosters draws Bandarpalle to the sport. “I think really enjoying the companionship of my team is important in my last year here because our team is so close,” Bandarpalle said. Next year, she looks forward to new competition, new places and a new crew family.
Engaging in the sport at age 7, senior Mackenzie Capetillo’s roots with volleyball began at the recreational level. Many years and many volleyball games later, Capetillo transferred to play with Skyline Juniors, an elite club team. Inspired by her teammates both at Hockaday and on her club team, and professional hockey player Sidney Crosby, Capetillo was able to prevail as a leader her senior year. “Although we didn’t finish as well as we had hoped, it was fun to lead the underclassmen and to watch them progress and get better from a different standpoint as opposed to just being their teammate,” Capetillo said. Next year, Capetillo will attend and play volleyball at Rhodes College, all the while continuing her love for the game.
Gaining inspiration from two collegiate track runners - her father and her best friend’s mother, Allison Pickens Farrow - senior Claudia Hammond plans to carry on the tradition. Although she is also a soccer player, Hammond enjoys the somewhat “solo” aspect of track . “You can work very hard and see the benefits in the meet,” Hammond said, reflecting on her personal experience. Hammond has offers from several universities for both track and soccer but is undecided at the moment. While running next year in college, Hammond will enter a new level of her sports career, setting records and reaching goals that she never thought were possible.
Charlsea Lamb
Jessica Savage
Samantha Toomey
Senior Charlsea Lamb joined the track team sophomore year after an intense shoulder injury kicked her off the tennis court for good. Unaware of the success she would later encounter, Lamb began running sprints, which include the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter. Although Lamb’s thin and tall body type makes her an unlikely candidate for sprints, her role model Olivia Ekpone, a Texas A&M University track sprinter, faces similar challenges as she mirrors Lamb’s height of 5’9”. Drawn by change and new opportunities, Lamb looks forward to running at Rice University next year.“I look forward to more competition, more people to run against, new coaches, and a new team,” she said.
Drawn by a sense of security and the general thrill of the game, senior basketball player Jessica Savage decided to take her game to the next level. Savage is anything but a newbie, having a track record in the sport that dates 10 years back. Inspirited by our own athletic director and coach Tina Slinker, Savage said that Slinker helped her further develop her game. “She helped me realize that the court is like my sanctuary,” Savage said. “Nothing else matters when I’m playing basketball.” Next year, Savage will continue her love for the game at Colorado College, traveling with the team and facing tougher competition. At Colorado College, Savage sees the ability to compete at a higher level and to expand her horizons.
Attracted by the idea of combining her college experience with her favorite sport, senior Samantha Toomey will continue playing volleyball at Carnegie Mellon University next year. Toomey originally decided to play the game because of her tall build. Over time, Toomey developed a love and passion for the game. “A lot of people are like, oh that’s the chick that plays volleyball. I didn’t want to lose that because it has become a really important part of me,” Toomey said. Toomey’s fervor for volleyball became intense because of an influential coach, Matt Sipes. Additionally, Toomey the opportunity to watch Matt Anderson, a hardworking pro volleyball competitor, play in Dallas two years ago.
Washington University at St. Louis
Rhodes College
Undecided
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY RESPECTIVE ATHLETES
Rice University
Colorado College
Carnegie Mellon University
20
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
6:30
A.M. WAKE UP!
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
spOrts
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
7 A.M. DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST
7:30
A.M. GO FOR A RUN!
8:15
Eating breakfast within two hours of waking up is ideal because that is when the body’s metabolism is the fastest. So, the food you eat in the morning will be used more effectively and give you lots of energy. Try starting the day off with a bowl of oatmeal with honey, fruit and nuts. Another good option is Greek yogurt with berries on top. If you are in a rush, spread a spoonful of almond butter on top of whole wheat bread. Try to avoid the typical cereal and milk combination—cereal tends to be high in sugar and won’t give you the necessary amount of fuel for the day ahead.
9:50
4
9
Try to form a habit of sending and checking emails in the morning before advisory. Emails sent before 10 a.m. are much more likely to get read than emails sent close to lunch time or after. In other words, the earlier the email is sent, the earlier you will get a reply. Checking your email before school starts also ensures that you won’t miss any activities or memos for the day. The next time to check your email should be at around 5 p.m.
A.M. BREAK TIME!
This is the perfect time to take a break and relax before your next class. During advisory, do something to relieve stress like talk with your friends, play Trivia Crack or check Twitter. Try to avoid doing homework because the brain needs time to process and retain the information you just learned in the previous class. Also, don’t forget to grab a snack from one of the fruit baskets in the hallway. Bananas will fill you up so you aren’t hungry before lunchtime. The vitamins in oranges fight infections and improve vision. Apples whiten your teeth, lessen your risk of cancer and boost your immune system.
P.M. HAVE A SNACK
P.M. BE SOCIAL
Cell Phones continued from p18 Smallwood’s research verifies the link between cellphones and the decrease in boredom. “What smartphones allow us to do is get rid of boredom in a very direct way because we can play games, phone people and check the internet. It takes away boredom, but it also denies us the chance to see and learn about what we truly are in terms of our goals,” Smallwood said to WNYC. Senior Meredith Burke, who only uses her phone when biking to and from school everyday, spends a lot of her time unplugged from technology and has experienced the benefits of boredom. “I think spending a moment by yourself and just thinking about whatever pops into your brain is a part of what the brain is functioned to do. I think you lose some processing abilities that help you come up
A.M. CHECK OUTLOOK
The Perfect Day News Editor Charlsea Lamb plans out the most efficient and healthiest day possible at Hockaday based on “Hack Your Routine to Make Every Hour Count” by Holly Pevzner in Psychology Today
ILLUSTRATIONS BY WENDY HO
NOON
4:45
LUNCH
P.M. THINK TANK
Creative thinking is highest when we are tired or run-down, which, for students, is after school between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. When we are tired, our brains forget to filter thoughts into what is applicable and not applicable. When this happens, the material our brains consider “not applicable” to the situation actually leads to new ways of processing and fresh ideas. Try using this time to do homework, study for an upcoming test or brainstorm ideas for an upcoming paper or project.
with new and interesting ideas,” Burke said. Similar to the Bored and Brilliant Project, Google has launched the Google Genius Hour campaign to schedule an hour of open creativity slots for their employees to explore and unplug. “Even at Google and even at Microsoft, the technology is not the main point of what they’re asking people to do in that hour. It’s to become unplugged and to let their brains and their thought processes work through their motions without the interruption of other things coming in through a phone or iPad,” Cave said. The idea of an open creative hour sounds appealing to Burke. “I don’t know what I would do with my hour -- maybe I would go up to the third floor of the science building and do something with the 3D printing or design,” she said. Reaching for a cell phone to escape boredom is common. Technology Board
3
P.M. SCHEDULE A MEETING
7
P.M. DINNER
Tuesday at 3 p.m. is the best time to have a meeting. Monday is too soon to meet because everyone is tired from the weekend, and any day after Tuesday becomes busy with homework and other activities. Meeting at 3 p.m. is the ideal hour because it allows students or teachers to prepare for the meeting earlier in the day, and it also falls during Y period, which most girls have free. Make sure to have an agenda for the meeting and have a time set for the next meeting so all members can plan ahead. 8:30
P.M. RELAX IN A BATH
Increasing your body temperature right before bed will help you fall asleep faster. The immediate cool period after you get out of a bath relaxes you and prepares the body for rest. Soak in a tub with very hot water for at least 15 minutes. Also, try placing a scented candle at the edge of the tub. Sleep-inducing scents include lavender, jasmine, vanilla and chamomile. The scents will reduce stress, which prepares the body for sleep. Although you may enjoy showers better, try switching to baths for a couple of days and see if you have deeper sleep.
10:30
P.M. BEDTIME
Set out your uniform and packup your backpack to save time in the morning. Log off of social media or stop watching TV at least one hour before bed. Try reading close to bedtime in order to slow brain activity and send signals to your body that it’s time to sleep. Aim to get seven or eight hours of sleep every night. Although this may be a hard habit to form, it will increase your health and increase brain function during the day. The more you sleep, the better your day will be tomorrow.
Head Jason Curtis understands the unavoidable draw a cell phone or any electronic device may have. “If you’re bored, it’s not surprising that in moments of boredom, we use our devices. You have a device that has every bit of information at your fingertips, so if you want something to do, you can probably find it -- even though we end up playing Angry Birds or something,” Curtis said. According to Cave, schools have started to take the studies of boredom into account by adding more free time for creativity into their schedules. The Shlenker School in Florida, for example, has included one hour of unscheduled time a week in which students have to come up with creative projects on their own. “As we move into different ways to do engineering, different ways to do the generation of ideas and creativity, that window of unplanned time where you have
F
To see a video of The Perfect Day, scan this QR code with your smartphone.
the chance to explore is really healthy in a time where we schedule almost everything and are connected to almost everything,” Cave said. Despite the inhibitions from cellphones on mental tasks, social interactions and boredom, cellphones are not the enemy of conversation. According to Curtis, cell phones create opportunities for people to interact in ways that older generations don’t understand. “You comment on Instagram or Snapchat and we look at that and say, ‘you guys don’t know how to interact,’ when in reality, you are having very meaningful conversations that are impactful to you and having very relational activities through that medium,” Curtis said. “But because we don’t understand it very well, it somehow feels less.” F Claire Fletcher Photo Editor
21
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 12, 2015
PersPectLves StudentView
34
%
A drive-in movie
29
%
Dinner and flowers :’)
26 % 11 %
Seniors Elie MacAdams and Sydney Yonack
H
ey, Mother Earth! It’s us again. Wazzup? We would like to express our appreciation for you. Actually, that’s an understatement. We. Love. You. We love your vibrant colors, rolling hills, diverse plant life and lovable animals. We love the rain that you bring, the sunlight you shine down on us and the species you support. You’re really the whole package. But recently, we’ve been abusing you. So, now we’re writing to check up on you! Are you doing okay? Humans inflict so much harm on you daily. Boys spit on you every day for Pete’s sake. Our species creates pollution, amasses huge amounts of
waste and walks all over you. Frankly, humans treat you like dirt. Yet you love us unconditionally. And for that, we thank you. There is no one as tolerant as you. In light of recent events, we would just like to make a formal apology for all the fracking; we know it’s killing your vibe and screwing up your tectonic plates. That’s simply uncool. We, Elie and Sydney, hope that it ends soon. Mother Earth, please know that Elie and Sydney have tried to do nothing wrong. If anything, we have got your back. We recycle our water bottles and shorten our showers, but we know that there’s more to be done — things that reach beyond our jurisdiction. Although America needs oil and gas, the fracking needs to end. People can no longer ignore the fact that you are getting hotter (and not in the good way). Ice caps are melting, animals are losing their homes and ecosystems are diminishing before our very eyes! But we guess that’s just not enough for some people to try and help, and that makes us furious. Is it safe to say that infuriates you too? A lot of us care about you. We really do. Our favorite color is green. Mother Earth, you’ve
A girls’ night!
I’m all about sharks, man. Said by Latin teacher Andre Stipanovic in the middle of a translation.
A) Mexico B) Europe C) California D) New York City Check your email soon for the survey! PHOTO BY HEIDI KIM AND COURTSEY OF PROSKYDIVING.COM
provided us a home, captivating mountain ranges and apples (thank you SO much for the apples), but we have not done enough to repay you. We, the Hockaday community, take you, Mother Earth/
Blue Planet/Terra, to be under our protection. We promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in pollution and in natural disasters. We will love you and clean you all the days of our lives. F
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
Skydiving!
NEXT ISSUE: What’s your dream spring break vacation spot?
PHOTO BY CLAIRE FLETCHER
The Fourcast asked readers, “What’s your favorite holiday movie?” Here are the results based on a poll of 225 responses.
A Letter to Our Mother
Did you get a haircut recently? You look very slim and graceful today.
Senior Luda Grigoryeva complimenting math teacher Rachel Grabow’s appearance.
So many laws I need a lawyer.
Wait... what’s the Remarker? Junior Amanda Xiong’s response to sophomore Amanda Kim bringing up the St. Mark’s Newspaper.
Senior Anesu Nyatanga, referring to the incredible amount of rules and laws included in pre-cal.
STAFFSTANCE PHOTO BY ERIN THOMAS
T
My math grade is in exponential decay. Senior Ripley Mayfield, referring to her grade in BC calculus.
JUST GOT IN THE WRONG CAR AND SAT THERE FOR A GOOD 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE OWNER WALKED UP BYE I’M GONNA GO DIE NOW Junior Caroline Bhupathi (@cebhupathi), recounting her embarrassing experience on twitter.
his issue of The Fourcast, the staff is unanimous in agreement: we do not like Valentine’s Day. Some of us are in relationships, most of us aren’t. Regardless, this holiday is not enhancing our lives in any way. During February, drug stores, shelves lined with stuffed bears and packaged chocolates, are nightmares. Do we really need this day as a reminder to tell the people in our lives that we love them? At its core, Valentine’s Day is a couples’ day that polarizes single people. It feels like every couple in the world is celebrating their anniversary on the exact same day. This holiday, which is actually a universal day of guilt tripping but feigns itself as a holiday, puts immense pressure on those who are in relationships and leads to sadness for those who don’t have significant others. So, instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day, The Fourcast staff has decided to commemorate average happenings and subpar items that are better than this day. After all, almost anything is better than Valentine’s Day…as far as we’re concerned.
Things that are better than Valentines: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
12. 13. 14.
Getting into college Getting deferred from college Feet Bread Bread that smells like feet Dirty socks Finding one sock but not the other Doritos Melted deodorant Washing dishes and accidentally touching food at the bottom Catching sight of your reflection in the computer screen and confronting the fact that you’ve been watching Netflix for the past four hours House plants Taking a picture with your iPhone but accidentally pulling up the selfie camera Mass lost and found emails
We’ve listed 14 items in honor of Feb. 14th. Happy Valentine’s Day! Extra love, F The Fourcast
perspectives
THE FOURCAST
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
WE LOVE IT, WE LOVE IT NOT
STAFFSTANDOFF
Negative or Positive Emotions?
vs.
WINTER BREAK starts tomorrow!
T WINTER FORMAL this year is going to be off the chain! Thanks StuCo for getting the awesome location!
SPIRIT WEEK pumped us up for SPC this weekend! Good luck, winter athletes!
22/23
he culture of positivity is deeply ingrained into American society. I mean, this country was literally founded on the principles of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” And more often than not, you would hear “Turn that frown upside down!” Negative emotions, as it seems, are an unwanted commodities in today’s society. But negative emotions are just as good, if not better, than positive ones. People love to positively motivate themselves—a quick Google search for “positive motivational quotes” yields 9,910,000 results—but negative emotions, such as frustration and sadness can motivate just as well. Got a C on that Spanish test? I can promise that you can channel those negative emotions into something constructive. You’ll be motivated to work, do better and work on your shortcomings. Why go for a C when you can reach for an A? Furthermore, regret and disappointment often force positive changes in someone’s life, since looking back on past mistakes makes you more likely to make improvements to your life ahead. So maybe you regret not studying as much as you needed to for that Calculus quiz last Friday. Now, you know to study earlier in order to understand the material better. On the other hand, happiness nurtures complacency. We are usually loath to change things when we are content, leading to no self-improvement, which is exactly what we should strive for. And believe it or not, stress and anxiety actually help in “danger zones”, like when you forgot to study for that quiz next period. According to psychologist Todd Kashdan, author of “The Upside of Your Dark Side,” stress actually makes you work faster and more efficiently, and it may even help you to problem solve more effectively. Plus, it helps you make friends— nothing bonds people together more than a common stressful experience (JRP, anyone?). In the end, Kashdan says that the more we try and cover our negative emotions, the less productive we are, and the worse we feel. So sit back, relax and keep that frown right where it is. The pursuit of happiness is overrated anyway. F Sunila Steephen Castoff Editor
T
hough the new movie cuts the number, “Annie” on Broadway reminds showgoers that they’re “never fully dressed without a smile.” This is true: positive emotions can motivate you, lower your stress and lead to health benefits. Thinking positively is one of the best ways to motivate yourself. It helps you set goals and actually reach them, so you can cross off everything on your to-do list instead of making the list then giving up based on the overwhelming number of math problems you have. These positive mindsets often present themselves as opportunities to improve your daily life. Database “Frontiers in Psychology” details these opportunities: if you’re in a positive mindset, you’ll also be more flexible. Being more adaptable makes changes easier and lets you bounce back faster from disappointments. By seeing the glass half full, you’ll use setbacks to inspire yourself to reach even greater heights. If you spend less time thinking about everything that has gone wrong, you’ll get things done more effectively. This leads to less stress. If you know you can budget your time right and believe that you’ll get everything done, you’ll find yourself finishing everything on time. Finally, psychology expert Kendra Cherry, author of the “Everything Psychology Book,” says that having positive emotions is actually good for your health. Positive emotions can strengthen your athletic endurance by boosting your energy and keeping your stamina high and unflagging. If you run with a friend or listen to a funny podcast while you lift weights, you can get stronger just by thinking positively. Positive emotions strengthen your immune system and protect you from viruses. Let’s be honest, we need all the protection that we can get — missing school sounds great in theory, but even one day at home can put you so deep in catchup that you actually debate whether or not it is a good idea to do homework during Friday Y period. All in all, keeping your emotions positive is beneficial for your health, your stress level and your productivity. Remember, the most important thing is “what you wear from ear to ear:” a smile! F Maria Katsulos Video Editor
The Inter(re)view
SAYING GOODBYE TO HOBLITZELLE is hard, but we’re happy to finally be able to turn left in the mornings!
THE LACK OF SNOW DAYS hasn’t made us too happy, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed!
Sophomore Ashna Kumar In late December of 2014, “The Interview,” a controversial movie featuring a plot to assassinate the leader of North Korea, became a household topic. The movie became even more controversial after SONY, the company producing the movie, received threats from North Korean hackers. This influenced SONY to censor the movie from most movie theaters and instead release it through several multimedia platforms including AppleTV, YouTube, Netflix and Google Play. On Dec. 24, 2014, an official news release from David
Drummond, the SVP corporate development and chief legal officer of Google said that SONY and Google “could not sit on the sidelines and allow a handful of people to determine the limits of free speech in another country,” but perhaps there is a need for more censorship within the limits of our free speech. First of all, the content of the movie should be a point of contention. “The Interview” humorizes the hardships and lives of many suffering people... for what? Cheap comedy? The entire concept of the movie is ridiculous. So ridiculous, in fact, that the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 — “a Code to Govern the Making of Talking, Synchronized and Silent Motion Pictures. Formulated and formally adopted by The Association of Motion Picture Producers, Inc. and The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc. in March 1930” — declared, as one of its stipulations that “the history, institutions, prominent people and citizenry of other nations shall be represented fairly.” While this is not the
basis for movies today, why go against a code that insured moral decency within films? Obama strongly alluded to this idea in his State of the Union Address when he said, “as Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we’re threatened.” He continued on to say that respecting human dignity was one of the big reasons for why we advocate for free speech. “We do these things not only because they are the right thing to do, but because, ultimately, they will make us safer,” he said. Responding to the threat of self-censorship from SONY, as well as the terrorist threats from the North Korean hackers, the White House Deputy Press Security Eric Schultz said that as “we do not live in a country where a foreign dictator can start imposing censorship here in the United States,” people should be able to make their own decisions regarding what films they watch or do not watch. But censorship, at least in regards to this movie, should have been carried out. The
only benefit SONY could have gotten from releasing this movie is perhaps changing the way movies will be broadcasted to the public in the future — nothing else. The company received lots of publicity and clearly made many people mad, as demonstrated through the North Korean hackers. We can learn a few different things from this experience as a whole. Firstly, we should exhibit and live by the Lower School proverb: Is it kind? (no); is it true? (maybe); is it necessary? (definitely not). In the future, when a movie is faced with such an overwhelmingly negative response, the producers should think of the emotional consequences from their work. While Shultz said that we should not succumb to the bullying of a foreign dictator, in a way, aren’t we asking for it? Here is some food for thought: How would the American people react to any country that produced a movie about assassinating the serving United States president? F
perspectives
hockadayfourcast.org
THE FOURCAST
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Branching Out
Senior Avita Anand
A
last four years but still had never really spoken to. This was their world, and I was the new kid. It was an adjustment, but it soon became my favorite part of the day. From 4 to 6 p.m. every school day, we sewed, tailored, decorated and painted. We were in full throttle. Within days, I started to see the world of the “Sound of Music” appear before my eyes, from the painted mountains to the Captain’s Mansion.
Never had I fully realized that the set crew actually takes a piece of wood, cuts it and hammers it together, to make every single piece of furniture for the stage. We were responsible for the show. And then came production week. The grumbles I had heard about this week over my three years in high school all proved to be true. We ran the show a to- tal of
GRAPHIC BY CLAIRE FLETCHER
sk anyone, and they will tell you I love Hockaday. My senior ring is my most prized possession, my uniform is my favorite outfit and the centennial luncheon was my favorite day of 2014. I am a die-hard daisy. And so, as my hocka-days grow to an end, it has become my mission to experience as much of this wonderful place as possible. Fine Arts has never been my forte (obviously — I chose Fourcast over choir or studio art). Yet, it has been a vital part of so many people’s time here. So when I found out that this year’s musical was going to be the “Sound of Music” (only the best movie ever), I made the impromptu decision to sign up for costume crew. I found myself in a part of the school I had never been to before, let alone knew existed: the set room behind the stage. That first day was interesting to say the least. Walking in, I was surrounded by people who I had seen these
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
seven times in seven days, and I began to long for the stressfree weeks of the Junior Research Paper or college essays. Despite the sleep deprivation, I was having the best time, applying makeup and racing through quick changes. So when the final curtain closed on our Sunday performance, I didn’t want it to end. The musical had become one of my favorite parts of senior year, and I was so immensely proud of the show we had made from scratch. I wish I had more years of costume crew to look forward to. Freshman year, I had told myself to pick “a thing” and make it mine, and obviously I’ve loved every second of doing community service, my chosen thing, but I thought that meant I couldn’t do anything else -- a false notion I think we have all fallen guilty to. Since I never considered myself an artsy person, production was not even on my radar. I had limited myself by defining my role here. Hockaday is overflowing with fun clubs and activities to try, and I urge everyone to take advantage. There won’t be many more opportunities in life where you can just decide to be part of a 60 cast member musical just for fun. My suggestion: don’t label yourself, either as an athlete, academic or whatever it may be. Try everything that sounds fun to you. You don’t want to leave high school with any regrets. F
MANAGING EDITOR
Courtney Le
WEB EDITOR
Erin Thomas
BUSINESS MANAGER
Avita Anand
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Sydney Yonack
COPY EDITOR
Inaara Padani
NEWS EDITOR
Charlsea Lamb ASST. NEWS
Faith Isbell
FEATURES EDITOR
Megan Philips
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Kate Clement
SPORTS & WELLNESS EDITOR
Catherine Jiang
PERSPECTIVES EDITOR
Elie MacAdams
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Claire Fletcher
GRAPHICS EDITOR
Manisha Ratakonda CASTOFF EDITOR
Sunila Steephen
VIDEO EDITOR
Maria Katsulos
STAFF WRITERS
Noor Adatia, Austria Arnold, Hufsa Husain, Amanda Kim, Heidi Kim, Eshani Kishore, Ashna Kumar, Mary Claire Wilson, Sonya Xu and Jenny Zhu STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Grace Zacarias, Nina La Barba and Molly Waring STAFF ARTISTS
Sofi Mira, Sara Chan, Wendy Ho and Lily Sumrow ADVISER
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Ana Rosenthal
W
e encourage anyone from the Hockaday community— alumnae, parents, faculty, staff and students—to submit Letters to the Editor. Selected letters will be published each issue in regards to the previous issue. We regret we cannot acknowledge all submitted letters, but we sincerely appreciate them. Letters to the Editor must be signed. Please email letters to aespinosa@hockaday.org or mail to The Hockaday School, attention: The Fourcast, 11600 Welch Road, Dallas, Texas 75229. All of the letters must be typed, double-spaced and must not exceed 200 words in length. The Fourcast will not alter the meaning or intention of any letter to the editor, but may edit for grammar, spelling and space.
Alexis Espinosa
www.hockadayfourcast.org Better news than your newsfeed. Updated daily.
EDITORIAL POLICY The Fourcast is written primarily for students of the Hockaday Upper School, its faculty and staff. The Fourcast has a press run of 1,200 and is printed by Dallas Offset, Inc. It is distributed free of charge to the Hockaday community. Businesses who wish to advertise in The Fourcast should contact Avita Anand, Business Manager, at aanand1@ hockaday.org. We reserve the right to refuse any advertising which is deemed inappropriate to the Hockaday community. Opinions will be clearly marked and/or will appear in the perspectives section. Commentaries are the expressed opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of The Fourcast staff, its adviser or any member of the Hockaday community. Unsigned editorials that appear on the opinions page will reflect the official position of The Fourcast, but not necessarily the position of the Hockaday community. The Fourcast staff may cover student, staff, faculty or alumnae deaths as the staff is made aware. We reserve the right not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness and circumstance. Corrections and clarifications from previous issues will be found as designated in the news section. Any questions or concerns should be taken up with Alexis Espinosa, Editor-in-Chief, at aespinosa@hockaday.org.
Follow
The Hockaday School 11600 Welch Road Dallas, Texas 75229
www.hockadayfourcast.org www.facebook.com/HockadayFourcast http://www.youtube.com/user/HockadayFourcast @FourcastNews
24
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
PhOtOESSAY
A World of color Sophomore Nina La Barba captures a world of color from around the globe--from Guatemala, to New York City, to Tybee Island. Go to the Fourcast website, www. hockadayfourcast.org, or scand the QR code to see more photos by Nina.