Fourcast February 2019

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THE FOURCAST

The Hockaday School

11600 Welch Road

Dallas, Texas 75229

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ourcast

LUCK OF

THE DRAW How the Zip Code Lottery Affects Students Across America.

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photo by Ponette Kim • Copy Editor

Volume 69 • Issue 04

A LOOK

INSIDE

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“SWEAT”ING the big problems

On Jan. 31, the B period Contemporary American Literature class began what would shape out to be an unordinary week. Students from Hockaday and Thomas Jefferson High School met and discussed controversial racial and socioeconomic topics in Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Sweat,” collaborating for a new class experience. In her classroom, Hockaday English Department Chair Janet Bilhartz often experiments with the connections between literature and life. She believes that it has the power to open up stories and wanted to apply that power to real life.

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PURSUING an artistic path

Many Hockaday students participate in countless extracurricular activities, but these three seniors are taking theirs to another level.

Kate Short, Megan Muscato and Emily Ma discovered their love for the arts in various ways, but ultimately, they have all decided to pursue it in college. This is how each have journeyed from their beginnings and developed their passions.

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FORGING HER

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THE ONGOING battle of sexes

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NO SLEEP IS for the weak

path to success

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But the more people’s stories you can learn, the better we are as human beings.

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PHOTO BY SARAH SCHULTZ

Turning a New Page at the Colloquium ➝ Story by Shea Duffy • Sports Editor READ TO SUCCEED • Hockaday English teacher Dr. Jennifer Boulanger reads Sandra Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street” in preparation for the 2019 Interscholastic Colloquium on Feb. 13. Boulanger has worked for a year to ensure the event runs smoothly and according to plan.

women my students have seen in person, so that would also be great for them. I don’t know how many renowned creative Mexican Americans my students have seen in person, so that would also be great for them.”

In the future, the schools participating hope to further memorialize the colloquium’s impact, but also to observe it grow into a larger-scale event that summarizes the importance of these academic conversations.

“Faculty are eager to keep it going and to preserve what works—thesis driven and on what comprises one’s identity. The book is creative writing options, collaborations becomprised of a series of vignettes recounting tween campuses and a long day with time to the young protagonist Esperanza’s experienc- learn from each other and get to know each es growing up in Chicago, and thus attracts other,” Garza said. “With respect to content an analytical potential for a variety of readers. and representation, I hope that we continue ““The House on Mango Street” was a per- bringing in a diversity of voices and texts.” fect choice for this years text,” Boulanger said.

“It can appeal to people of many ages and backgrounds—a fourth grader, for example, can bring something to the table, as well a Ph.D. student.”

Becker praises the opportunity that the book has given her to further understand what it means to be a Chicana girl growing up in Chicago.

“Esperanza’s coming-of-age story resonated with me for a multitude of reasons, many of which are reflected in my paper,” Becker said.

“Having delved so deeply into “The House on Mango Street” during my English class, I am really excited to share my ideas with Sandra Cisneros.”

In Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street,” readers are exposed to a variety of Schools Attending topics, such as identity, coming-of-age and progress. Furthermore, the Hockaday Enthe Colloquium glish Department hoped to elaborate on the female-empowering aspect of the book.

“The colloquiums in the past have been fairly male-dominated texts,” Boulanger said.

“While they were great novels that the students loved discussing, one of the things we were thinking about was getting a woman’s voice on there. We thought it would Hockaday Students be great to have a living woman of color.”

Garza similarly compliments the diversity Presenting Papers that “The House on Mango Street” provides to his students. Like Boulanger, Garza focused on a variety of different themes amongst his classes. His freshman English class read the novel as a coming of age story. He encouraged Latin American Literature students to focus on the variety of ethnic identities within the same group in the same neighborhood. Moreover, Garza Students and Faculty from hopes that the opportunity his students have been given to engage with Cisneros will further their appreciation of the text and her story. Peer Schools at the Colloquium “I don’t know how many renowned creative people my students have seen in person, so that alone would be great for them,” Garza said. “I don’t know how many renowned creative

On Feb. 13, what would appear to be a normal school day at 11600 Welch Road will be anything but. Several hundred people from independent schools across Dallas will be on Hockaday’s campus for the annual Interscholastic Colloquium. The author of the bestselling novel “The House on Mango Street,” Sandra Cisneros, will be in attendance as students discuss the book and share their own analytical written work.

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ockaday Upper School English teacher Dr. Jennifer Boulanger has been working to perfect the 2019 Interscholastic Colloquium to be held on Feb. 13 on Hockaday’s campus. After a year of meticulous planning, Boulanger hopes that the event will engage several communities, bringing students and teachers together to delve into the stimulating world that Cisneros paints in “The House on Mango Street” for readers of all ages and academic levels. Unlike colloquiums in the past, the author’s presence in the discussions will hopefully further excite the students participating.

“What’s so great about the concept of the colloquium is the opportunity students get to interact with people from other schools and collaborate academically,” Boulanger said. “It’s especially exciting for Hockaday students because I can imagine that it is refreshing for them to hear a boy’s perspective in a classroom.”

Pioneered in 2013 by Oakridge English teacher Jared Colley, the colloquium originally served as a forum for students across the metroplex to share their written work with others. Now, the colloquium has expanded into an event in which students dedicate their school day to attending workshops, discussion panels and performances entertaining the colloquium’s chosen text.

With schools like Hockaday, the Greenhill School, the St. Mark’s School of Texas, the Oakridge School, Cistercian Preparatory School, Fort Worth Country Day School and more in attendance at previous colloquiums, students and teachers have been given the opportunity of expanding the conversations that occur in their respective classrooms.

Greenhill Upper School English Chair Joel Garza sees the colloquium as a way of engaging his students with the unique perspectives of those outside of the walls of his classroom. While the event occurs on Feb. 13, students from all participating schools have been engaging in interscholastic discussions since the early fall via the colloquium website.

“There’s great benefit in practicing how to listen,” Garza said. “Sometimes, it’s diffi-

cult to listen to folk that you’ve known all your life—you feel as if you know what they’re going to say before they say it. When you’re listening to a new person, you have no preconceived notion, no bias for or against them. It’s a great lesson in rhetoric for the speaker too—how do I persuade a person that doesn’t know me?”

One of the main focuses of the colloquium is to provide students with the ability of sharing their own analytical work with other students. After nearly 300 students submitted essays that served to answer one of 10 prompts analyzing the “House on Mango Street,” 90 papers were accepted to be presented at the event. Junior Ivy Becker, after being accepted to share her work at the colloquium, hopes to transcend her understanding of the book by discussing Cisneros’ work with other students.

“ What’s so great about the concept of the colloquium is the opportunity students get to interact with people from other schools and collaborate academically.”

Jennifer Boulanger Upper School English Teacher

“I like that the colloquium gave us prompts to respond to,” Becker said. “Many of the essay prompts were open ended so I eagerly anticipate hearing how other students interpreted the same prompt.”

One of the reasons Cisneros’ work is so relatable is her stance between life in Chicago and her Mexican heritage. The Chicana (Mexican-American) author has never been shy about expressing her feelings of liminality and uses her own experiences to shine a light

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Looking ahead

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“Sweat”ing the Big Problems

p.4 Your World Today: Celebrity Activism

“Sweat”ing the Big Problems PHOTO BY MICHELLE CHEN

Hockaday’s Contemporary American Literature class collaborates with Thomas Jefferson High School.

ACT NATURAL • Students from Thomas Jefferson High School and Hockaday listen to actor Chris Ramirez as he speaks to them at TJ on Jan. 31. Ramirez talked to the students about his decision to become an actor. The students then saw the play “Sweat” together on Feb. 6 after having read the book.

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I always loved books, so for me, it’s always about literature and how it speaks to our lives,” Bilhartz said.

Laura Day, the Founding Executive Director of the Institute for Social Impact, also strives towards greater class involvement in real life scenarios. She found that Bilhartz had a similar goal of connecting literature and reality, so the two decided to collaborate in the classroom.

“We are looking at not only doing service in the world, but also how can we partner and learn from other people, and really just improve the world together,” Day said.

It was a pure coincidence as to how Bilhartz discovered the play; she inadvertently saw “Sweat” at a Broadway show and immediately fell in love—calling it a “serendipitous event”— with the storyline and the sentimental emotions Nottage elicits through the conflicts she creates.

“For my Contemporary [American] Literature class, I always choose a play that is presented at a theater in town,” Bilhartz said. “I love this play, and about a year ago when it first came out, I was looking to see what will Dallas Theater Center be putting on next year, and I saw, ‘They’re putting on “Sweat!” Fabulous!’”

Day observed that although Thomas Jefferson High School is located approximately three miles away from Hockaday, not many interactions had taken place between the two schools. Thus, she contacted Tyler Smith, AP English teacher at TJ High School, and consulted him about the project. Smith showed interest, and all three teachers met and planned further details last spring.

“Thomas Jefferson is another really close high school, and we weren’t doing anything with Thomas Jefferson,” Day said.

Each class from the two different schools read the play separately, then both Hockaday

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The more opinions you hear, the more perspectives you hear, the more informed opinion you create.”

Jessica Katzman Senior

and TJ met on Jan. 29 and 31 to discuss complex questions regarding relationships, race and socioeconomic differences. On Jan. 31, Chris Ramirez, an actor who plays a character in the play, led a workshop about the behindthe-scenes process of “Sweat.” After the discussion, they visited the Dallas Theater Center on Feb. 6 to watch the play and have a workshop that included a simulation about labor, strikes and American Dream—one of the key themes of “Sweat.”

Hockaday senior Jessica Katzman found the discussions eye-opening. Although some of the play’s themes are controversial, she believes they must be openly discussed.

“The more opinions you hear, the more

perspectives you hear, the more informed opinions you create. It’s important to hearing everything and being exposed from everything from everyone in all situations, [but] that’s really hard to do because often time it’s hard to imagine a situation you don’t live in,” Katzman said.

Collaboration between the two high schools represent the interaction of two distinctly different communities and institutes a safe space to share differing perspectives. TJ High School is a public secondary school in the Dallas Independent School District, and Hockaday is a private school. While Hockaday’s student body consists mainly of Caucasians, Hispanics—many of whom are recent immigrants— dominate TJ’s student population. According to Day, 98 percent of the students are subject to free and reduced lunch and fall below the poverty line, whereas Niche reports that 16 percent of Hockaday students receive financial aid. The natures of the schools sharply differ, but Day and Bilhartz believe that this experience will be mutually beneficial for both schools.

Smith, Day and Bilhartz all agree that “Sweat” discusses a very controversial subject that is still relevant today. “[The play] highlights the breakdown of social bonds and relationships as a result of some of the changes the economy is going through, and it highlights some of the reasons of the rise in racial tensions,” Smith said. “I think that these are pretty difficult political topics to discuss honestly and openly, and I think putting it in a framework of piece of literature opens

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Small Steps to a Big Change

up potential conversations on these tough topics.”

All three teachers emphasized the importance of conversation between public-private school interactions. According to Smith, TJ also “tends to fall into a bubble” of the significant ethnic and socioeconomic segregation in Dallas.

“What happens a lot is that a lot of the students here don’t know anyone who goes to school down the street,” Day said. “And that’s crazy. We have so much to learn from each other, and we can learn so much from them, and they can learn so much from us.”

Nottage, the playwright, intended to create more dialogue regarding racial and socioeconomic polarization and its ramifications through her play. Reflecting upon her intentions, the two schools created a forum for discourse, despite their differences.

“My real hope is that after the audience sees the play, that they want to sit down and talk to someone who they’ve never had a conversation with before,” Nottage said. “I hope that they will ask really tough conversations not just of themselves, but of the legislators and the people who are in power.”

The teachers aspire to initiate more private-public school interactions, especially in times of polarization across the States, through similar future opportunities. Smith hopes that through such opportunities, students will bring change to the culture of segregation in Dallas and also have greater interest in current events.

“It’s not anyone’s choice that we are segregated, [but] it’s just that you are never in the same stuff unless people bring you together,” Day said. “I think it’s so powerful for people to learn each other’s stories. But the more people’s stories you can learn, the better we are as human beings.”

Bilhartz believes that it is necessary to step out of the comfort zone and address issues around us with different perspectives. With communication, people from diverse backgrounds could find a common solution to a seemingly difficult problem.

“And how is the United States going to prosper, going forward as a country, if we can’t talk across those socioeconomic and racial lines?” Bilhartz said. “How are we going to work towards that common goal even though we come from different places?”

by Eugene Seong • People Editor

TIDBITS AND TALES

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Once Upon a WinFo!

Hockaday Helps Habitat!

Good Luck Hockadaisies!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Once Upon a WinFo! Winter Formal is right around the corner at The Hall on Dragon. On Feb. 23, put on those high heels—or sneakers—and get ready for DJ Poizon Ivy!

The Habitat for Humanity build continues building every Saturday until March 30, when the Home Dedication occurs. During the Day of Service on Jan. 18, Hockaday painted the boards that now serve as the interior wall. Though they will not be seen when the real walls go up, the family is enjoying the color and the support as the house undergoes construction.

The Winter Southwest Preparatory Conference will be kicking off in Fort Worth on Feb. 14. Basketball, soccer, swimming and diving are all competing in this year’s SPC Championship. Good luck to all the Hockaday athletes. Go support your Daisies on the court, the field and in the water!

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? Maybe relaxing and enjoying your last day until winter break. Maybe have a Galentine’s day with your girls? Maybe showing love to the ones you love?

Up to you: Happy Valentine’s Day!

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MICHELLE MANKOFF, EMILY FULLER, KARA BERGER AND FL ICKER

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

Your World TODAY: Celebrity Activism

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE POST AT A TIME • Reality television star and activist Kim Kardashian chats with model and activist Ashley Graham on the show “Pretty Big Deal with Ashley Graham.” Both Kardashian and Graham have been outspoken advocates on issues ranging from the criminal justice system to body positivity.

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ith hundreds of millions of followers on social media platforms, celebrities have been known to promote the newest detox teas and the “best” hair gummies in tweets and posts. However, with the increase in the popularity of social media, some celebrities are also using their platforms to try to enact political change. As pop culture is becoming such a large part of everyday life, are the opinions of celebrities able sway the beliefs of fans and maybe even government authorities?

If so, how much do we want their opinions to sway those beliefs?

Although celebrities influencing the public is not a new concept, the advent of social media has given influencers a platform to build a following and to easily spread their opinions to their fanbases. Many citizens who do not keep current with political news and issues are increasingly hearing about political issues through social media from celebrities who often have limited knowledge on the topics. Unfortunately, in the absence facts, fans may be giving far too much weight to the often uninformed opinions of the celebrities they follow.

Upper School history teacher Lucio Benedetto believes that it has been easier for celebrities’ opinions to influence others because of social media.

“Historically, [celebrities sharing their political views] has been an issue, but I think we are seeing an increase in it and in its effects because now, it’s not just television or a speech somewhere, it’s Facebook and Instagram and all these other platforms,” Benedetto said.

One recent example exists of a celebrity even influencing the structure of the United States Justice System. Reality television star and millionaire mogul Kim Kardashian has recently spoken out and worked closely with the administration of President Donald Trump on prison reform. Although many would agree with Kardashian that the prison system needs improvement, many also question why she has so much say on this issue.

Kardashian and other celebrities have used their social media platforms to bring attention to specific individuals in prison who they believe should be granted clemency. Recently, Cyntoia Brown, a 30-year-old woman in jail for killing her rapist in his sleep, was granted clemency after serving 15 years in prison and facing a life sentence. In addition to Kardashian, actress Ashley Judd and comedian Amy Schumer brought an enormous amount of attention to Brown’s case on social media, in particular on Twitter.

After Brown’s case was revisited and she was granted clemency, people were crediting Kardashian in particular as being the driving force behind her attaining freedom. While these celebrities did not change her verdict themselves, the question is whether they just brought attention to the case or whether they also had an undue influence over the judges and their decision to grant Brown clemency.

Tracy Walder, former CIA and FBI agent and Upper School history teacher, is one of many concerned with the sudden influence of

celebrities on the justice system.

“I think the celebrities need to understand the power they wield over their fanbase,” Walder said, “and if they don’t understand that, it could be problematic.”

Kardashian has also been credited with granting Alice Marie Johnson clemency after she received a life sentence in prison for being a low-level drug transgressor. After Kardashian tweeted about Johnson on several different occasions, her case received a large amount of attention.

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Historically, [celebrities sharing their political views] has been an issue, but I think we are seeing an increase in it and in its effects because now, it’s not just television or a speech somewhere, it’s Facebook and Instagram and all these other platforms.”

Lucio Benedetto Upper School History Teacher “If they [celebrities] are able to influence court outcomes, that is a huge flaw and I feel very strongly about that because justice is supposed to be blind and should not be decided upon by people who are not part of the justice and legal system,” Walder said.

Twitter in particular has been used by political figures and celebrities to voice their views and opinions on issues and topics. Twitter is a free app and can be accessed without having an account, which makes the platform easily available for people around the world. Additionally, with tweets going viral so quickly, Twitter has become increasingly famous for famous figures to share their views. And President Donald Trump, a celebrity himself, has been one of the most frequent and strident users to express his opinions on societal issues via Twitter.

“If people are in their own bubbles and they don’t hear other people’s opinions, then that celebrity aspect driving a certain belief becomes harder to question,” Benedetto said.

Furthermore, in the midterm elections last November, celebrity endorsements could be viewed all over Instagram and Twitter as well as many other social media platforms. Although quantifying how many of people’s votes were influenced by celebrities is difficult, celebrities have so much influence over fan bases consisting mostly of younger generations that it is reasonable to think that many people might vote differently because of celebrity endorsements.

That is especially true for those who may not have much exposure to other sources of news.

Sophomore Arabella Ware believes that celebrities using social media to advocate for their political views can have both positive and negative impacts.

“Yes, I think [celebrities’] opinions affect how people will vote, and I think it is good sometimes because it can provide information to someone who might not have had it otherwise,” Ware said. “But it can also influence people that do not know any better and lead people to not make independent decisions.”

It is likely that many celebrities do not truly realize how much power they actually have and how much their opinion could change someone else’s. Many times, a celebrity might make a statement that could be very biased or partial to a specific political party or they could not be

PHOTO PROVIDED BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

fully educated about the topic they are speaking out against.

“Sometimes celebrities are people’s main source and exposure to political figures and political issues,” Walder said. “If the person who is following them and taking their advice on who to vote for or what issues to support, that could be problematic if the celebrity is not educated on it.”

by Erin Parolisi • Staff Writer

news

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PHOTO BY ILEANA KESSELMAN

hockadayfourcast.org

Small Steps to a Big Change

POLLUTION PUNDITS • Second graders Chloe Ku (left) and Ella Wing (right) measure the air pollution by using loggers that are set up by the Lower School Playground. Each second grade student gets the leadership opportunity to record the data as they apply their science knowledge to real-world situations.

Hockaday Lower Schoolers work to reduce food waste and record pollution data.

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ower School students are taking a new approach to learning by focusing on solving real-life problems. From minimizing their food waste to measuring air pollution emitted by the carpool line, the students are working on improving the community one project at a time.

Head of Lower School Randal Rhodus stresses the importance of service in community and positively affecting the environment to Lower School students.

“We really want our girls to lead change,” Rhodus said.

Director of The William B. Dean Service Learning Program Laura Day emphasizes the institute of social impact; therefore, the Lower School decided to implement changes in their service projects this year.

“We’re trying to make bigger [projects] so that [the students] can really make a change,” Rhodus said.

They kicked off their year of change by focusing in on food waste. Technology Integration Specialist Michelle Goldsmith noticed that the girls were throwing away excessive amounts of food.

“I spent a few days observing and taking pictures of how much food they were throwing away, and what they were taking and not eating,” Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith wanted the students to become more aware of their of food waste, so the Lower School teachers partnered with SAGE Dining Services and asked them to weigh the Lower School trash. The first day that they weighed the food waste, the total came out to be 144.3 pounds after one Lower School lunch.

Fourth grader Claire Bolden realizes just

how much food the Lower Schoolers were wasting each day.

“The whole Lower School was definitely wasting a lot of food, and [they] didn’t even really realize it,” Bolden said. “But when Ms. Goldsmith took a picture of the trashcan, we began saving a lot of food.”

After sharing the information and images with the Lower School girls, they began to brainstorm how they could reduce food waste.

For instance, Bolden looks at the menu every morning to decide what she will want for lunch.

Siena Ebert, fourth grader, chooses less items when she goes through the lunch line.

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The theme for the second grade social impact efforts is the environment, so this seemed like a good fit.”

Amy Banks Lower School Science Teacher

The whole Lower School began to become more aware of their food waste, so SAGE weighed the trash the following week without warning the students. They reduced their food waste significantly, and after the second time it only weighed 76.5 pounds.

“We all changed our habits and behaviors,” Rhodus expressed. Together, they made a collective impact.

Not stopping there, the second graders began to tackle problems affecting the environment.

A second-grade parent brought the Environment Protection Agency’s “Idle-Free Schools”

program to Rhodus’ attention.

Day asked Lower School science teacher Amy Banks if there was any way to engage the second grade students; therefore, the air pollution project began.

As parents wait at school carpool pick-ups, their cars produce large amounts of pollution.

“The theme for the second grade social impact efforts is the environment, so this seemed like a good fit,” Banks said.

Science Department Head Marshall Bartlett and Banks spoke to the students to initially introduce the project and teach them about the effects of air pollution.

“Air pollution is an idea kids can understand easily,” Banks said. So they decided to test the pollution resulting from the carpool line.

By testing the air, the girls are practicing science out of the classroom and in a real world situation that is ultimately affecting their lives.

“Our students are the ones that are waiting [outside after school], so they are the ones that breathe in this air every day,” Rhodus explained.

Essentially, the project consists of this: the students set up two loggers to track the amount of pollution released by cars—one outside the Liza Lee Academic Research Center and Forest Lane entrance and one placed by the Lower School playground.

“The loggers are recording a suite of meteorological data—temperature, pressure, humidity, etcetera—and the air quality by monitoring volatile organic compound levels and particulate concentrations,” Bartlett said.

Each girl gets the leadership opportunity to record the information from the pollution readers.

From here, it is up to the girls to see what they will do with this information: possibly cre-

ating the “Idle Free-Zone” in the carpool area or presenting the information to the students and adults in the Hockaday Lower School.

The Lower Schoolers shifted the focus on their community service projects and ended up creating greater impact, not only on the Hockaday community, but the world as well.

“The hope is that the girls have experience in all different layers of service,” Rhodus said.

So now, the question lingers: what future plans do the Lower School students have to lead change and promote awareness of food waste and pollution for the rest of the school?

Scan the QR Code for more information on food waste.

by Kate Clark • Staff Writer

PLAN ON IT

Habitat for Humanity Every Saturday Until Mar. 30

Even Day Exam Review Mar. 4

Form Elections Feb. 26

Winter Break Feb. 15-18 Freshman Dinner 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 23

Winter SPC Feb. 14-16

Winter Formal 8:00-11:00 Feb. 23

Odd Day Exam Review Mar. 1

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KARA BERGER, MICHELLE MANKOFF, EMILY FULLER, KATE WOODHOUSE AND FL I CKER

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Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

rts & life

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The Hockaday School

If I don’t challenge you, I don’t respect you. I’ve felt that that was the way I wanted to model my courses, and I’ve always felt that the Hockaday girls responded to those challenges.”

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY KELLY POTTER

Forging Her Path to Success ➝ Story by Michelle Chen • Web Editor FACING THE HEAT • Faced with all-male opponents and under the scrutiny of both the judges and the camera, Kelly Potter ’07 attempts to recreate a historical weapon as she stars as a two-time contestant on the History Channel’s blacksmith show “Forged in Fire.”

With furrowed brows, blacksmith Kelly Potter ‘07 focuses on the task before her. Beside her, sparks fly and fires blaze, while judges watch her every move from afar. The timer stops, and Potter presents a traditional Nepalese knife of her own making.

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elcome to season two of “Forged in Fire,” a blacksmith reality television series where the first woman contestant in the history of the show is a Hockaday alumna.

Almost 10 years before the show aired on the History channel, Potter graduated from Hockaday with no intention of becoming a blacksmith. But according to Ceramics Teacher Kevin Brady, who was Potter’s mentor at Hockaday, she always had a talent in the arts.

“She just had a very refreshing approach on how to approach the material and the clay,” Brady said.

Brady recalled that Potter made a series of ceramics plates that modeled a flower’s wilting process, and that her style of art began to influence the other girls in her ceramics class. Potter’s love of design also influenced her decision to intern at a tattoo parlor during her senior year.

When Potter began to think about the next steps of her life, she chose to attend architecture school.

“I thought that architecture would be a way to be creative but still make a living,” Potter said, “but I really wasn’t into architecture at all.”

Deciding that architecture wasn’t the best path for herself, Potter began to explore jewelry-making as a possible career. Something soon sparked her interest, but instead of gems, it was steel. During one of Potter’s jewelry classes in Dallas, a blacksmith walked into the studio and offered a blacksmithing class.

Potter initially scoffed at the offer, considering blacksmithing as a pointless skill. Nonetheless, she decided to give it a try, as the hammering skills involved in blacksmithing might help her with jewelry-making. At first, Potter found blacksmithing difficult and useless.

“He would make nails and things and I thought to myself, ‘I can go to Home Depot and get this, and it doesn’t take forever,’” Potter said.

Eventually, Potter’s instructor referred her to a blacksmith in Grapevine, Texas who worked as an architectural black-

smith. Watching the creation of custom lamps, gates, stairs and more, Potter finally understood how her newfound skills could contribute to her career.

After a year of working in the new shop, Potter’s skills grew significantly. She also met other blacksmiths and learned how to weld. Then, Potter began her career as an architectural blacksmith. She now works in Smith Design and Manufacturing, a shop in Gunter, Texas.

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Knowing that I am a female in a job where there aren’t many females around, I try to leave no room for anyone to criticize me or what I do.”

Kelly Potter Blacksmith

As an architectural blacksmith, Potter works mostly for clients who request custom-made architectural metalwork.

Although architecture school did not influence her career choice, Potter was pleased with how her path of self-discovery came full circle with her job.

“It’s kind of interesting how it all came together because now I work with architects all the time,” Potter said.

The projects that Potter works on run the gamut from custom lanterns to toilet flushers. She is constantly presented with new challenges that require creativity and skill.

“People would ask for really weird things that you wouldn’t think that you would make,” Potter said. “I’ve made custom dryer vents, and I’ve had to find out how to make a child gate.”

As she became more accomplished in her career, Potter began to reach out to others in the blacksmithing community. In 2015, she filled out a form to be featured on blacksmith Victoria Patti’s BlacksmitHER Radio, a podcast that highlights the

stories of individual blacksmiths and aims to serve as a resource for the community.

Patti works for the 23rd Avenue Sculpture Studio in Denver, Colorado. She started her path as an industrial mechanic but fell in love with blacksmithing. She is also a commission artist, and her metalworks have been featured in several public parks.

Although BlacksmitHER Radio interviews both male and female blacksmiths today, the project started as a platform and resource for female blacksmiths. According to Patti, blacksmithing is stereotypically and historically a man’s job. With her experience as an industrial mechanic, Patti has been working in a male-dominated field for more than 25 years.

“Some guys are a little harder to work with than others. Others are more open-minded, more willing to teach, and listen and learn from you,” Patti said. “As a woman working in a male-dominated world, both sides have to learn where the line is drawn.”

Potter agrees that there are specific challenges that she faces as a female blacksmith. In her perspective, the judgment she receives due to her gender is motivation for her to perform even better.

“Knowing that I am a female in a job where there aren’t many females around, I try to leave no room for anyone to criticize me or what I do,” Potter said. “It can be stressful at times, but when you also enjoy what you’re doing, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Upon hearing about Potter’s career, Brady was proud of her former student for breaking the glass ceiling as a blacksmith. He remarked that blacksmiths are stereotypically “old cowboy-types making horseshoes,” and Potter’s achievements in her field distinguishes her as a “very unique individual.”

As Potter’s career advanced, she applied to be on the cast of “Forged in Fire,” a bladesmithing show in which contestants attempt to recreate famous historical weapons. While Potter’s job doesn’t involve making knives, she was equipped

with the skills that are required in order to make weapons.

Only in its second season when Potter applied, “Forged in Fire” had never featured a female blacksmith on the show before. Potter was excited about the challenge.

“Even though I really don’t care about blades or swords or anything like that, I said, ‘Well, I’ll apply because there hasn’t been a girl on this show,’” Potter said.

When Potter received the news that she was to be on the show, she was initially nervous due to her lack of experience in bladesmithing. On the show, Potter performed well but was ultimately eliminated.

However, she received great support for her outstanding skill and honest attitude, and she returned to the show again in season three’s “Fan Favorites” episode.

The news of Potter’s achievements on “Forged in Fire” has spread to Patti, whose online profile of Potter on BlacksmitHER Radio began to receive comments from fans of the show.

“It was great to have her as a representation on the show. There are women who do this, and it’s good that the show allowed that,” Patti said.

Potter has come a long way since she graduated from Hockaday. Looking back, she often almost forgets that she comes from an environment that didn’t involve making many “hands-on” creations.

“At Hockaday, we seek such intangible goals or seek to excel in academics or sports, but it’s cool to feel like you can also make things or create things,” Potter said. “I think there’s something to be said about being able to make something with your hands, and just feel like you can accomplish something.”

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Looking ahead

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arts & life

Backstreet Boys are Back

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Forget Texts, Say it With Flowers

Serious Slices

Nothing to W(h)ine About In Napa Valley PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANN COLGIN

Hockaday alumnae pours her passion into her winery.

VINEYARD VIEWS • In Napa Valley, Colgin Winery lays nestled among the hills, overlooking the beautiful landscape of the area. Surrounding it are the grape vines, which—years later—will be turned into red wine. Ann Colgin ’76 started the winery after her education at Hockaday.

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apa Valley is home to some of the most beautiful wineries in the world, famous for the large fields of rolling hills and grape vines laying row after row. Nestled among these hills lays Colgin Winery, a piece of property that was birthed by one of Hockaday’s finest, Ann Colgin ’76.

When Colgin first came to Hockaday, she never imagined that it would have a profound impact on her life. Colgin was a boarder from Waco, Texas and coming to the big city was daunting. However, once at Hockaday, she found that Dallas was the city for her. She realized that she loved two things in Dallas: Neiman Marcus, and Ed Long’s History of Art and Music class (HAM). Long, previous Fine Arts Department Lead Chair and Dean of Upper School, retired at the end of 2018 after a fulfilling 47 years at Hockaday.

“One thing that was incredibly influential in my life was as Ed Long’s art history class,” Colgin said.

Upon Colgin’s high school graduation in 1976, she knew that she wanted to study art history and went on to major in it at Vanderbilt University. After graduating from Vanderbilt, she landed a job at the

DARING

At Colgin Winery, she applies the appreciation for art that she found in Long’s class to the art of making wine.

“We don’t chase the trends of making wine in a certain fashion. We are trying to make the best expression of what mother nature gives us from each specific piece of land,” Colgin said.

Colgin is practicing what Long encourages his students to see—to look beyond the class and for art in different mediums.

“I always hope that the course will strengthen eyes and ears and help make students more discerning in how they take in visual and audio information,” Long said.

Colgin’s experience at Hockaday has undoubtedly helped her to be at the forefront of the wine industry.

“Hockaday gave me curiosity about life, the want to learn about things you don’t know about. For me, that was wine at a particular point in time, and I had a great thirst for knowledge which ended up being a business—and a successful one,” Colgin said.

Colgin Winery wines are found at many fine dining restaurants. The winery produces only a few

cases each year to maintain exclusivity and the rare taste attributed to their wines. She has led the business to produce award winning wines season after season.

After opening her winery, Colgin went on to meet her husband and business partner Joe Wender. He sees Hockaday as a place that helped Colgin to grow her winery into what it is today.

Wine making is complex and requires passion to fulfill it. Wender sees Colgin’s curiosity and passion and appreciates the how much she pours into it.

“On one level it is very simple: you like it or you do not. However, making great wine is not easy,” Wender said.

Colgin winery has a unique take on wine.

They only produce red wine and only supply to select people every year. The winemaking process is taken from a passion that Colgin and her husband have for fine wine.

“We both love to drink wine, and we love meeting people through wine,” Wender said.

Colgin Winery helps to bring people together with the this passion and greets people with a welcoming air that Colgin has helped to create in her vineyard.

“Much of our business is done over great dinners or lunches where we are sharing our wine and bringing people together,” Colgin said.

The wine making process is long, and Colgin took a while to develop the property into what she envisioned it to be.

“So it takes least seven years from the time you touch the land to the time that you sell your first bottle of red wine,” Colgin said.

Colgin puts in passion and hard work when making her wine and is there for every step along the way. Her careful attention to detail and perseverance for hard work developed through her time at Hockaday.

“We want to make sure that every detail of our products are elegant and luxurious— even the wooden presentation boxes,”Colgin said.

Ultimately, Hockaday helped Colgin pave the way for women to expand into the world of business and become strong business owners.

Being a female business leader is difficult in this modern world, but by combining her passion and thirst for knowledge, Colgin was able to successfully open her winery. She ultimately attributes part of her success to lessons she learned while walking Hockaday’s halls.

“When people come to visit us at the winery, we want them to have a great experience that instills a lasting memory. The sense of graciousness and hospitality is something I took from my days at Hockaday.” Colgin said.

by Sahasra Chigurupati • Castoff Editor

Most teachers at Hockaday decorate their classrooms with colorful posters and whimsical trinkets, which provide students with an opportunity to give their eyes a break from staring at the Smart Board. We’ve all been there: you break your gaze from the never-ending PowerPoint to stare at the poster hanging next to the board, analyzing every detail as if you were back in History of Art and Music. But have you ever stopped to wonder what each teacher’s favorite decoration is?

PHOTOS BY PONETTE KIM

DECOR

store Sotheby’s, which sells and auctions jewelry, art, real estate and collectibles.

“It was there at Sotheby’s in London that I had my first taste of really great wine, and it made me find a new world that I wanted to explore,” Colgin said.

Colgin’s experiences from HAM allowed her to see the world through a more artistic lens. HAM gave her an appreciation for art, and she found art in an unlikely subject—winemaking.

“I think that there are times when HAM students don’t always see the long-term benefit [of HAM], so it is fun to see that aesthetics can be applied to so many fields,” Long said.

From her experience with rare wines at Sotheby’s, Colgin knew that wine making was something she wanted to pursue, and it led her to New York. There, Colgin was able to understand the making of wine, and the passion that goes into it. Later, while working in a wine auction house in Napa Valley, Colgin was given the opportunity to cultivate land for a potential winery.

This land turned into Colgin Winery as she was able to continue her passion.

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The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

King Kramer

Walder’s Watercolor

It was not easy for History Department Chair Steve Kramer to choose his favorite pieces, but he narrowed it down to three: framed photographs of his classes over the years, his “If I don’t challenge you, I don’t respect you” sign and the numerous prints of paintings by Winslow Homer.

The sign that reads “If I don’t challenge you, I don’t respect you” is small and battered, but the message is important.

“I’ve felt that that was the way I wanted to model my courses, and I’ve always felt that the Hockaday girls responded to those challenges,” Kramer said.

It may surprise some to hear that history teacher Tracy Walder’s favorite decorations are her pink chair and a large watercolor painting of Beauty and the Beast hanging on the wall.

“That chair used to be a really ugly green color, and one day I came back into my room and it was missing,” Walder said. “My advisees barged into the room, and it turns out they had taken it over the weekend, redecorated it and signed their names on the bottom.”

The painting, almost tucked behind the door, is not in most students’ eyesight. “I had a student who had a hard time focusing in class, and she decided she wanted to do artwork while I lectured,” Walder said. “By the end of the semester, that is what she had done, so she gave it to me to keep.”

Terrific Tetris Math teacher and Form III Dean Jessica Chu’s favorite decoration is a small Tetris shadow box that hangs above her desk, with the message “You are the one I’ve been waiting for” stickered on.

“Neil, my husband, made it for me,” Chu said. “It was one of his anniversary gifts to me. We bonded over Tetris and origami when we first started dating, so he created origami Tetris and made it into a shadow box.”

by Ponette Kim • Copy Editor

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

Reviews & Reflections

LOOK ON THE UPSIDE

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the recklessly motivated Dell comes as a shock to the pristinely-depicted personal assistant. But the very character traits that appall Yvonne bring light back into Phillip’s life, and he is constantly amused by Dell’s outlandish actions.

Bryan Cranston convincingly inhabits the role of Phillip as he seamlessly portrays the wheelchair-bound character, who viewers are able to sympathize with as they watch him undergo personal growth onscreen. I enjoyed watching Kevin Hart bring Dell to life—and Phillip—with an incomparable energy as he prances around blasting Aretha Franklin tracks and replacing million-dollar paintings with artwork of his own.

The two men that once appeared worlds apart grow closer as the movie runs its course, and, unlike movies with disabled characters such as ‘Me Before You,’ I appreciated the fact that there is no tragic ending to halt the unexpected adventures between Hart and Cranston.

Although I found some aspects of the movie too predictable and trite, such as Dell’s transformational impact on Phillip, I tried to not get too caught up in the logistics of their friendship. However, I did feel that the film fell short on portraying the struggles of the characters, and I spent a large part of the two hours hoping that Dell’s past with the son he so desperately hoped

to reconvene with would be elaborated on. In addition, I felt that there were some storylines present towards the end of the movie that felt curt and unfinished, therefore distracting from the grand scheme of the film.

While I cannot make any comparison to the original plot of “Les Intouchables,” “The Upside” was both heartwarming and engaging.

Kevin Hart took a leap out of his comfort zone in playing Dell, and the lack of crude jokes that could have interrupted the film’s progression ensured it was more of a family experience rather than a movie hoping to challenge the laws of political correctness. Furthermore, I appreciated the impact the movie had in proving that the merriment of one’s life is not always restricted by a tragic accident.

“The Upside,” highlighted by comical undertones and an uplifting storyline, provides a fresh perspective for those hoping to avoid reading the French subtitles of the original film.

With subtle humor balancing out the lives of two deeply troubled men, the movie is sure to leave the audience grinning.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY STX FILMS LANTERN ENTERTAINMENT

Five years after the French movie “Les Intouchables” took the world by storm, “The Upside,” an English remake of the wildly successful film, underwhelmed box offices across the country in comparison. “The Upside” follows the unlikely friendship of Phillip (Bryan Cranston), a wealthy quadriplegic, and Dell (Kevin Hart), a ex-convict with a questionable past, after a paragliding accident leaves Phillip in need of a caretaker. Dell is also in need of help—his parole officer has forced him to get a job.

Phillip is introduced to viewers as cranky and miserable, wallowing in self-pity from within the walls of his multi-million dollar penthouse; Dell, on the other hand, appears uncultured yet street-savvy as he obnoxiously hustles his way through life. Dell is an obvious misfit in the luxurious world of Phillip. After Phillip’s personal assistant Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) reluctantly hires Dell at Phillip’s command, she is tasked with the burden of preparing the inexperienced troublemaker. And while Phillip chose Dell as an act of rebellion at first, a friendship begins blossoming between the two.

The first hour of the film, though it is the most action-packed, consists of Yvonne regretting her decision in hiring Dell. He is utterly incapable of assisting Phillip with the most basic of his health needs, and Phillip’s early admiration of

STX FILMS LANTERN ENTERTAINMENT

4 stars

by Shea Duffy • Sports Editor

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

BURGER’S BEST

1. “I Want It That Way” 2. “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” Interview With the Assassin (2002)

Divergent (2014)

Limitless (2011)

The Illusionist (2006)

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WIKI COMMONS

3. “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” 4. “Everybody” 5. “It’s Gotta Be You”

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WIKIPEDIA

BACKSTREET’S BACK, ALRIGHT!

5 I would say that most of the American population knows the song “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys. To be frank, that’s the only song I know by them. Even though they’ve been around for almost 30 years, the Backstreet Boys just released a new album titled “DNA” on Jan. 25.

Comprised of five band members, the Backstreet Boys have a signature style that very much caters to their fans from decades ago. I didn’t expect to hear songs that would be hits on the radio, but I was proven wrong.

The first song on the album, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” very much surprised me. I was expecting this new album to cater to their 80s and 90s music fans, but I was met with a pleasing combination of pop, more electronic sounds and harmony with some falsetto thrown in. The lyrics are a tad repetitive, but overall it is a good start to the album. It certainly introduces their new, modern take.

“Nobody Else” almost sounds EDM-esque. It’s very catchy—I’m visualizing a music video full of cars driving on a path overlooking the ocean, yearning looks and scenes of beach parties. The beat is hypnotizing and the sounds are whimsical. This is definitely a good song to jam along to in the car.

“Breathe” has some a capella group vibes.

With rhythmic snapping and deep harmony combined with isolated voices, it sounds like something that would be performed in

“Pitch Perfect” or “Glee,” and I like it. It’s not something that I would listen to regularly, but definitely an interesting break from the pop theme of the other songs.

“Is It Just Me” sounds like all of the songs that are in the background of teenage rom-coms. Although it’s nothing special, it would definitely tug at the heartstrings of viewers if it was the background of a sappy romance scene.

“Chances” reminds me greatly of songs

by One Direction from early 2010, which were usually very yearning and addressed to a unnamed girl. This song was actually co-written

by Shawn Mendes, which probably explains the similar style to his songs.

For some reason, “Chateau” made me tear up. It showcases the harmony of the band members’ voices, which, when combined with lyrics like “baby I want you back,” emit a very melancholy tone. This would be a good addition to a playlist of “sad” songs.

“DNA” proves that old dogs can still learn new tricks—or in this case, old bands can switch up their image. I’m not a fan of “old” music, but there isn’t one song on this album that I would consider old. Every song is surprisingly modern, with elements that one wouldn’t expect, like a cappella or electronic notes.

When listening to this, put the image of the old Backstreet Boys out of your mind and

6. “Shape of My Heart” 7. “Larger Than Life” 8. “Get Down”

listen with open ears—you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Though some songs may be a little unoriginal in tone, there are a few gems that might become your new favorite.

5 stars

by Ponette Kim • Copy Editor

arts & life

The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

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PHOTOS BY JULIA DONOVAN

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Serious Pizza 2807 Elm St, Dallas, TX. 214.761.9999

SERIOUS SLICES

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In the mood for delicious, big slices of pizza in a hip, urban atmosphere? Then think about trying Serious Pizza in Deep Ellum. Its name is definitely appropriate because it is one serious pizza place.

It doesn’t matter if you want to have a friends night out or a family dinner, this place is perfect for all. So just what is it that makes Serious Pizza different? Well, not only is the restaurant environment fun and festive, but the food is also a delight.

Walking down Elm Street, the big cardboard pizza slice stationed next to the words “Serious Pizza” is an immediate eye catcher. As I waited in line to order my meal, I looked around the room. Large creative graffiti art covered the walls, each work of art containing vastly different colors and details but always including the restaurant’s signature food.

There were many tasty options to choose from, so it was hard to make a decision. You could choose to order either a whole pie or a slice that is bigger than a person’s head. I ended up choosing three slices: BBQ chicken, vegetable and a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

My order came out within 10 minutes after sitting down at one of the many booths in the restaurant. I watched as two men carried out the three large slices of pizza, my stomach growling for the taste.

The dough was perfectly cooked on all three pies, lightly baked so that the thin crust was just the right amount of chewy. The three cheeses and sauce on the pizza danced on my tongue, a perfect combination of the two. This was my favorite one out of the three because it was simple and delicious.

The chicken BBQ pizza was my mom’s favorite because the BBQ sauce was lightly distributed and it had just the right amount of chicken. The vegetable pizza tasted like an ordinary vegetable pizza and was ultimately not very notable, as nothing really stood out to me.

All three pies were cooked perfectly and tasted good,

From the FOURCAST Kitchen

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Interior Mural Cheese Slice and Veggie Slice, $5.75 each Buffalo Chicken Slice, $5.75

but I think it all comes down to a personal preference on what toppings you want. And even if you are not a pizza fan, the spot also offers basic salads.

I do have to admit, though, the drive there was not a walk in the park. Maneuvering in and out of traffic and the many confusing roads of downtown Dallas was difficult.

After dealing with all the fuss of getting through downtown, I had to find a parking spot. After finally finding a parking spot, I had to figure out the confusing parking meters. But after tasting the pizza at Serious Pizza, my complicated journey to the restaurant became worth it.

If you plan on making a trip to Serious Pizza, I would definitely would suggest planning ahead of time to avoid rush hour traffic in downtown.

Looking at the reviews before I went to the restaurant, the majority of the ones that I saw were all comments about how delicious the food was. After leaving Serious Pizza, I completely agreed with them.

Overall, I would say that Serious Pizza offers amazing food and an artsy environment, and I will definitely be back for more.

4 stars

by Julia Donovan • Staff Writer

Staff Writer Julia Donovan’s Simple Recipe for Homemade Pizza

Ingredients:

Directions:

Topping Inspiration:

1. 1 whole wheat tortilla (or whole wheat pita bread) 2. 1/4 cup sauce (marinara, pesto, olive oil and garlic, barbecue sauce) 3. 1/3 cup or less shredded/ crumbled cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, goat, feta) 4. Toppings (go wild!)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the tortilla in a 12-inch cast iron pan or baking sheet (max crispiness option: place the tortilla on a stainless steel, oven-safe cooling rack, and place that on the baking sheet).

3. Spread sauce evenly across the tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch around the edges. Sprinkle with cheese and toppings.

Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbling (no sooner!) and the edges of the tortilla are lightly browned, about 10 to 14 minutes. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing.

1. Barbecue pineapple: barbecue sauce, mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, sliced fresh jalapeño, fresh or defrosted frozen pineapple (canned pineapple is not as good).

2. Greek: Basil pesto, feta, fresh or roasted bell peppers (jarred is fine), sliced kalamata olives, chopped red onion, sliced cherry tomatoes.

3. Green: Arugula pesto or basil pesto and mozzarella, top with fresh arugula and parmesan shavings after baking.

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

IN THE POP CULTURE WORLD

FORGET TEXTS SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Maroon 5’s Halftime Show Prompts “Misery” Pop rock band Maroon 5 performed the halftime show for the Super Bowl, receiving backlash for accepting the appearance. The NFL reportedly had trouble finding performers, as artists like Rihanna rejected the gig in support of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Cardi B, whose voice undoubtedly contributed to the popularity of Maroon 5’s hit song “Girls Like You,” was also a strong contender to perform. However, she also turned down the NFL for reasons unknown, but many speculate that she shared Rihanna’s support for Kaepernick.

After kneeling in 2016 during the national anthem in protest against the police shootings of unarmed black Americans, Kaepernick sparked controversy in the NFL and was not offered a contract from any team in the league starting the spring of 2017.

Flowers have always served as beautiful messengers that whisper what often can not be spoken aloud—a way to express friendship, pride and, most certainly, feelings of love. Looking for guidance in conveying a sentiment through your flowers? Here are The Fourcast’s specially designed and Victorian-approved flower arrangements, inspired by Leigh Okies’ book, “Meaningful Bouquets,” that will convey emotions through just a few bulbs.

Maidenhair Fern

Celebration From college acceptances to scoring the winning point in a game, celebration is one of life’s greatest and truest pleasures. To convey this excitement, we suggest a poppy to symbolize “fantastic extravagance,” white cosmos to symbolize “joy in love and life” and finally a few oak leaf geraniums, which symbolize “friendship,” reminding your recipient that celebrations are even more satisfying when shared with those we love.

Forgiveness

Oak Leaf Geranium

White Cosmos Poppy

If you’ve hurt someone close to you and need to ask forgiveness, flowers are always a thoughtful and simple gesture. First, pick purple hyacinths, symbolizing “forgiveness, mercy and pardon.” Next, try a raspberry flower, symbolizing “remorse.” To top it off, add some white hyacinths, which convey the “sense of beauty in both forgiving and being forgiven.”

Raspberry Flower

Thankfulness We always have those in our lives to thank, from our parents, to our friends, to even our college counselors. The list is never-ending. To show these special pieces in our hectic puzzle of life that we are truly thankful, start your bouquet with some daffodils, which symbolize “regard of a new beginning.”

Next, add some geranium leaves, which show “friendship.” Lastly, use a lily of the valley, which conveys the idea of a “return of happiness.”

With that combination, you can be sure of many more reasons to thank in the future.

Purple Hyacinth Daffodil

Miss you Lily of the Valley Sage Zinnia

Crush on you

Chocolate is overrated, and don’t even get us started on passing notes. If you really want to send a message, you need to go floral. For “fascination,” try orange roses and rosebuds. For “love,” try rose hips. Finally, for “secrecy,” try maidenhair ferns. The combination is irresistible, and trust us, because your Winter Formal date might depend on it.

Take a

Look

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Oops, Wrong Arrow!

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Cupid attempts to but fails at sparking love.

by Anoushka Singhania • Staff Artist

Rose Hips

Orange Rose

Carolina Jasmine

by Paige Halverson • Managing Editor

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Separation is hard, so whether you are missing your sibling away at college, a friend during a long weekend or whomever it may be, this combination will tell that special someone that you are mourning their absence. All you need is some sage (salvia) representing “esteem,” zinnia symbolizing “thoughts for each other” and carolina jasmine, which conveys “separation.” Send this arrangement, and just wait. They’ll be back.

The Oscars Go Hostless The NFL isn’t the only organization having trouble finding performers. After the controversy surrounding comedian Kevin Hart, Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment, announced that the Oscars ceremony will not have an official host this year.

Hart was announced as host on Dec. 4 but gave up the gig amid the furor over past homophobic tweets.

“Producers wisely decided to not to have a host and to go back to having the presenters and movies be the stars, and that be the best way to keep the show at a brisk three hours,” Burke said in an interview with CBS News. However, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently tweeted claiming that he was the first choice for the show, but couldn’t fit it in his schedule.

While it is unclear whether or not the Academy asked other celebrities to take the job, one thing is clear: in the wake of plummeting Oscar ratings, it is essential that the Academy puts on a good show.

21 Savage Faces Deportation Rapper 21 Savage, born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested in Atlanta on Super Bowl Sunday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to ICE, Abraham-Joseph is an “unlawfully present United Kingdom national” that entered the United States legally in 2005 when he was 12, but whose visa expired in 2006. The high-profile arrest has become a subject of controversy, as some speculate that the ICE plans to make an example out of him. In fact, Black Lives Matter, working with other civil rights groups, are petitioning to halt his deportation. The rapper’s lawyers also released a statement Feb. 5: “Mr. Abraham-Joseph, like almost two million of his immigrant child peers, was left without immigration status as a young child with no way to fix his immigration status. These ‘Dreamers’ come from all walks of life and every ethnicity.”

arts & life

hockadayfourcast.org

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CITY SLICKER Elevated Classics Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day has arrived. Whether you’re going

for those classic holiday staples, such as chocolate hearts, arranged flower bouquets or staged “romantic” couple dates, The Fourcast has dutifully arranged the elevated versions of all your classic Valentine’s Day treats. If buying two tickets to France this Valentine’s Day is just a little out of your reach, try the aptly named Boulangerie on Greenville.

Hand-crafted cards, roadside flowers, and handmade meals just won’t do? Try Paper Affair’s intricate cards, Nicholson and Hardie Nursery’s floral arrangements and Sur la Table’s cooking classes.

Finally, for your Valentine’s Day chocolate-filled “piece of resistance,” check out Uptown’s delicious yet worst kept secret, Chocolate Secrets.

PHOTOS BY PAIGE HALVERSON

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The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

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Cooking for Two Sur la Table 6025 Royal Lane #150 Dallas, TX 75230

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A Taste of France Boulangerie: Village Baking Company 1921 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75206

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An Affair on Lovers Paper Affair 5710 W. Lovers Lane #105 Dallas, TX 75209

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Flower for Your Flame Nicholson and Hardie Nursery 5060 W. Lovers Lane Dallas, TX 75209

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Uptown’s Worst-Kept Chocolatey Secret Chocolate Secrets 3926 Oak Lawn Ave. Dallas, TX 75219

by Paige Halverson • Managing Editor

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Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

UNMASKING THE OPPORTUNITY GAP STORY BY KATE WOODHOUSE AND EMILY WU ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAREN LIN AND CINDY PAN

The Voices of DISD The Fourcast talked to fifth graders at Tom C. Gooch Elementary School about their experience with the opportunity gap. A four-question survey was sent to Community Liaison for Chapel Hill Preparatory School and Tom C. Gooch Elementary School Dr. Soraya Gollop. She then distributed the surveys to the students, collected the answers and reported back to The Fourcast. In the questionnaire, the students were asked about the following: frustration at school, excitement in the classroom and parent and teacher support. Below are their responses.

“My teachers give me the most support out of everyone and I’m so grateful to have them as my teachers.”

“I have so much support from my parents. They would do anything for my education.”

“[I was frustrated at school] when my teacher ignored me.”

ocus

The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

It’s a sunny Monday morning,

and 8-year-old Abby has just arrived at school with a full stomach and fresh excitement to conquer the day. In another school across town, 8-year-old Anna is stepping onto the grounds, hungry, unprepared and exhausted from doing nothing but watching T.V. all weekend.

Before Abby left for school, her parents checked her homework and packed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. But before Anna left for school, she had still not completed homework and did not have breakfast because her parents had already left for work. Now, her only hope is that the lunch provided by the school is good today.

In the classroom, Abby’s teacher uses tablets to instruct the students and projects videos onto the board.

The air-conditioned classroom has brand new desks with chairs and is filled with colorful, informational posters and interactive physics models. Anna has to take notes from an old chalkboard that barely has enough chalk. Her shabby classroom, with flickering lights and leaking ceilings, makes it difficult—nearly impossible— for her to concentrate during the lesson.

Abby and Anna have vastly different experiences educational experiences, but why? The answer: their location. Because they were born into neighborhoods with different socioeconomic statuses, their opportunities in school—and even in life—are affected by five numbers tacked onto the end of their addresses.

THE PROBLEM In 21st century, life’s competition begins as early as infanthood. As soon as a child is born, he or she will be immediately assigned to a predestined path. While some children are lucky enough to be born into a middle class, comfortable family with caring parents and a safe home environment, others face poverty, a lack of parenting and unimaginable trauma. Otherwise known as the “zip code lottery,” the children who were born into a less affluent neighborhood must overcome the unfavorable odds to succeed when it was just by the roll of a die that they were born into that socioeconomic class in the first place. Hockaday’s Director of the Institute of Social Impact Laura Day echoes the random nature of the opportunity gap. “The opportunity gap is based on no choice of your own and based on where you’re born, how or what you are born into, some people are provided access and resources that others aren’t,” Day said.

Education researchers at the University of Kansas, Betty Hart and Todd Risley, have constructed three broad classifications based on socioeconomic status that American families fall into. This, in turn, helped them discover the far-reaching impact that one’s family environment can impose on children. Their research indicates that as early as the age of four, children that belong to low socioeconomic status will already have a word gap of up to 30 million words from their more well-off peers. This unimaginable 30 million words actually comes from the daily accumulation of words used in a family’s routines. As a consequence, a family’s socioeconomic status is the first determining factor that shapes a child’s future, granting the “winners” of the zip code lottery earlier access to the world’s resources, but dragging those who have already fallen behind even further down.

By this point of a child’s life, the opportunity gap has already unveiled its unfairness. Access to healthier food and early childhood education compound together to build an insurmountable mountain between children of different classes. The opportunity gap enlarges as each child ages, and by the time children enter school, the victims of opportunity gap have found themselves even more disadvantaged in comparison to their peers. This problem extends far beyond just the scope of school. “Some people are born into a neighborhood where there isn’t any grocery store within 3 miles and their family doesn’t have a car, and the public school is failing, and some people are born into a neighborhood where that’s not the case,” Day said.

The turning point comes at third grade, a time that marks a key periodic difference between individuals’ academic performances. By third grade, affluent children are in the lead for up to an entire school year, advancing with the help of high-quality summer activities, enriching experiences and an abundance of other opportunities. In comparison, students of a lower socioeconomic standing are behind the curve. In the third grade, the teaching style shifts from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” so these students will miss out on lessons on reading techniques and subject matter. If students are not reading by third grade, it becomes increasingly unlikely they will ever catch up to their peers who can read. According to Day, third grade reading not only indicates the children’s access to educational resources throughout infanthood and childhood, but also measures a child’s potential development. “[Third grade reading] is biggest indicator researchers found for high school and college readiness,” Day said. “If you’re caught up in reading on grade level by third grade, there’s such a higher percentage that you’re going to be college-ready, and you’re going to make it through high-school at the age appropriate [time].”With such dramatic differences already present among children, the damage caused by the opportunity gap is irrefutable. But, as problem solvers and educators examine the root of the disparity, the fundamental cause of the problem appears to be even more complicated to tackle.

As a matter of fact, history has played a large role in opportunity gap causing profound and long-term harm to the modern society, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The past ghosts of segregation have sowed the seeds of education disparity. Jonathan Feinstein is the Director of Community Engagement of The Commit Partnership, a non-profit organization that aims to cooperate with Dallas-Fort Worth schools and school districts to address opportunity gaps, and believes that public schools play a large role in maintaining or closing these gaps.

“The opportunity gap goes back as far as public education has ever existed,” Feinstein said. “And it continues in today’s schools, which are still largely segregated, despite the 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education, which declared legally segregated schools to be inherently unequal.”

However, under the past shadows of segregation that roam Texas, this phenomenon gradually resembles a newer form of segregation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In Dallas Independent School District (DISD) schools, where students of color compose a majority of the student body, poverty and lack of resources are still posing challenges.

President of the DISD Board of Trustees Dr. Edwin Flores comments that Dallas public schools have more impoverished students than in Detroit public schools. “Over 90 percent of our students are on free or reduced cost lunch, which means they’ve met a federal standard of poverty,” Flores said. “And 95 percent of our students are either Hispanic, African Americans or other ethnic minorities.”

In addition to being faced with poverty, children are also confronted by numerous other obstacles. For some students of immigrant descent, language barriers can add to the challenges. “[More than half of] our Hispanic students, [who are] above 70 percent of our student body, or about 50,000 students, don’t speak English at home,” Flores said. “We have a combination of poverty and challenges to confront every day in our classrooms for those students who don’t speak English at home, but we don’t apologize for our demographics.” With such difficulties hindering the ability to eliminate the opportunity gap, challenges such as language barriers or family environments both demand time and effort to tackle. To prevail in this tug of war, schools and organizations must take action. Fortunately, they are on the right path.

THE SOLUTION As more and more research has been published about the disparity of opportunities between kids of varying socioeconomic classes, organizations, school districts and private schools have decided to change the narrative. DISD has implemented many new policies in order to ameliorate the disparity.

In 2006, DISD went district-wide with two-way dual language learning, where English language learners and fluent English speakers learn to read and write in both English and Spanish. By the end of the dual language program, students will be fluent in both languages. It also allows African American students to learn a new language fluently. According to Flores, since the program’s implementation, there has been a significant increase in student achievement in comparison to the rest of the state because of the program’s rigorous nature. “[The dual language program] is a slightly more difficult path for [students; however] the kids do better without any doubt,” Flores said. This aligns with national data on biliterate students.

DISD has also improved teacher evaluation systems to better serve the students. Currently, the state of Texas evaluates teachers on their attendance, adherence to the dress code and completion of lesson plans, among other things. Since 2012, DISD has developed and implemented the Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI) to better assess educators. “The methodology used by the state of Texas to evaluate teachers does not measure anything related to student outcomes,” Flores said.

Instead of just one 45 minute observation each year, TEI requires eight, 12 or 16 spot evaluations to assess teachers and help them to improve their skills. After the evaluations, a trained professional meets with educators to give them advice on how to better teach the students and give them resources to implement into the classroom.

These observations account for 50 percent of the total evaluation. Thirty-five percent of the TEI evaluation consists of students’ test scores. These tests evaluate whether or not the teacher has taught the students one year of course material. Students take district-made assessments called Assessment of Course Performance, or ACPs, throughout the year and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR tests. Schools only use the higher scoring of the two to evaluate the teachers. Student surveys complete the final 15 percent of the assessment. Once students reach Middle School, they rate their teacher based on whether or not he or she paid attention to them and helped reach a better understanding of concepts, along with many other classroom aspects.

DISD places teachers that receive high ratings on their evaluations in schools that need the most help. Traditionally, school districts place the least-experienced teachers with the least resources and the lowest-performing students. If these teachers opt to transfer to improvement required schools, they can receive a raise and bring their talents to DISD’s most-needed areas. Four years ago, DISD had 43 improvement-required schools; however, through this program, the school district only has four. “[No urban school district in Texas] has improved the way [DISD] has because nobody else has our teacher evaluation,” Flores said. “Without that teacher evaluation, there is no way you know who the great teachers are put with the kids who need it the most.”

DISD is also pioneering a revolutionary program in Texas: full-day pre-Kindergarten. Currently, the state only funds half-day pre-K for four-year-olds, so this program costs the district $60 million annually. This new program has been instrumental in improving third grade reading scores by preparing students for kindergarten, and therefore the rest of their years in school. “[Full day pre-K] is the only way that our kids can start on grade level to be ready for college or the workforce,” Flores said.

In addition to DISD’s changes in policy to ameliorate the opportunity gap, many private schools, including Hockaday, have begun to use their resources to help the district. Hockaday community service currently serves nine elementary and middle schools. Since 2007, these schools have improved their third grade reading scores by 11 percent, a higher rate than the state of Texas and DISD as a whole. Community Liaison for Chapel Hill Preparatory School and Tom C. Gooch Elementary Dr. Soraya Gollop has seen the great benefits Hockaday has brought to these schools. “Just having that one-on-one tutoring time helps our students greatly with their basic skills, whether they are working with math or reading or both, and that’s valuable,” Gollop said. “Our teachers are great, but they cannot spend one-on-one time with a student. It is just not possible because of the way the classes have to be set up.”

Gollop also notices an indirect effect of Hockaday students’ interactions with DISD students: exposure to new ideas and opportunities. In addition to tutoring programs, the Upper School orchestra performs at schools, students come to see Hockaday performances and the Hockaday drama students teach plays to other students. Hockaday’s orchestra hosted a pop-up performance at David G. Burnet Elementary and exposed its students to instruments, like the cello, they had never seen before. After they walked away from the performance, Day noticed first graders telling their teachers that they wanted to play the instrument. Junior and Co-Head of the Gooch Elementary tutoring program Gina Miele recalled the impact that Katie O’Meara ‘18 had on a fifth grader that she tutored last year. At the beginning of the year, the boy believed that he would not go to high school—probably not even finish high school—and just play soccer because that was the only thing he could do well. With O’Meara’s tutoring and mentorship, the fifth grader changed his mindset and wore a “Future Harvard Graduate” t-shirt to the last day of tutoring.“It just shows that tutoring and mentoring kids can really change their perspectives and start to look to the future and feel like they can do more with their lives than they previously believed they could do,” Miele said.

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People who are passionate about math get to compete against other people who are passionate about math.

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PHOTO BY ARUSHI MUKHERJEE

Lights, Camera, College! ➝ Story by Kelsey Chen • Staff Writer IN THE SPOTLIGHT • Senior Kate Short rehearses for her role in Hockaday’s winter musical, “Once Upon a Mattress,” a musical comedy that retells the story of “The Princess and the Pea.” Short will continue to pursue musical theatre in college next year due to her love for the art form.

Continued from p01 Senior Kate Short grew up doing community theater and singing with her dad. She sang the harmony while he sang the melody and played the guitar. Soon, the two switched roles: Short began singing the melody, while her father sang the harmony. That was when her parents knew she would become a singer.

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hort will be double majoring in English and musical theatre next year in college. “I’ve known that I wanted to do musical theatre since forever,” Short said.

She grew up listening to various genres, including reggae, blues and folk music, which allowed her to develop a love for diverse music. Short began attending summer camps at a community theater when she was three years old. It was then that she found her passion for musical theater. At age seven, she began doing shows at the community theater, joined her school choir and acted in school shows.

However, when Short moved to Trinidad and Tobago freshman year, she gained a unique experience: singing for The Marionettes Chorale, an iconic performing arts group in the Caribbean.

“It was really cool to be taught music outside of the United States because we sang Trinidadian music, which is very different,” Short said.

After attending hours of rehearsal on the weekends, she performed in shows with The Marionettes Chorale for thousands of people in the capital.

The next year, Short moved back to Dallas and attended Hockaday, further exploring musical theater by joining the choir, doing the musicals and taking Hockaday Dance her junior and senior years. At Hockaday, Short found inspiration in her supportive teachers, especially Drama Teacher Emily Gray and Dance Teacher Christie Sullivan.

“Mrs. Gray’s so passionate about musical theater still, and that just inspires me that there are people that love doing this who do it for a living,” Short said. “Mrs. Sullivan’s been very helpful in boosting my confidence because she helped me with my pre-screens and summer camp auditions.”

Pre-screens are video submissions that many theater programs require. Once the program approves the pre-screen, applicants can schedule an audition, in which they must fly to the school to perform live.

Because many musical theatre programs

are selective, Short applied to 16 schools, sending different pre-screens to each. In college, she’s most excited to do what she loves all the time.

“After college, if I end up doing something that’s a little different than what I imagined, that’s totally fine,” Short said. “That’s why I’m going to meet people, network and find opportunities.”

comfortable with yourself while being comfortable in someone else’s body.”

Throughout Upper School, Muscato continued to act in Hockaday musicals and community theater performances with her middle school director. She did her first community theater show sophomore year and her second show in senior year.

Megan Muscato In fact, Muscato’s second community theMegan Muscato began her acting career in ater show overlapped with both the Hockaday seventh grade at St. John’s Episcopal School when musical and college applications, but that didn’t she auditioned for a role in the school musical. stop her from performing with her friends.

“At school they make you do these perfor“I love the community that theater builds,” mances, and I was always the kid that actually Muscato said. “When you have scene partners, wanted to do it and was doing it full out,” they become your best friends, and it’s a really Muscato said. cool connection that people have with each other.”

Although she had taken dance classes when However, like many students pursuing she was younger, Muscato had little experience art, Muscato had to gain support from her being on stage as an actress. Nonetheless, she parents to continue her passion in college. At loved performing in the musical. After continuing first, Muscato didn’t have the “backup plan” theater throughout high school, Muscato applied her parents wanted because all she knew was to four arts programs, sending in artistic resumes, that she wanted to stay involved in theater. Her headshots and pre-screens for each. She has parents pushed her to double major for a more now decided to pursue her passion in the theater stable career path, so she decided to minor in program at Southern Methodist University. graphic design.

Ultimately, Muscato’s goal is to remain involved in theater.

“I don’t want to stop doing it,” she said. “I Sadly, there are people that will repress want to be acting forever.” you, but know that you can do it. Don’t let them get to you.”

Emily Ma Unlike Short and Muscato, senior Emily Emily Ma Ma had no idea she would be pursuing the Senior arts in college. In fact, she came into freshman year hoping to be a psychologist, and she had Like Short, Muscato was inspired by Gray originally wanted to take drama for her fine art. to continue acting in college. When Muscato After a year of film, however, Ma discovered began high school career at Hockaday, she took her love for the art and decided to continue it drama and learned the techniques and nuances through college after her film “One” got into the of theater, participating in her first straight play prestigious film festival South by Southwest. with Gray.

“I always really liked storytelling, but Muscato favors performing in straight plays, I’m not a strong writer,” Ma said. “Believe me, pieces of theatre that tell the story primarily anything that you can name in the arts, I’ve through dialogue, but also enjoys musicals, in probably tried it.” which music is essential to the story.

She had been a songwriter, an artist and “I liked getting to use a specific skill set in a writer, but had believed she wasn’t good at a show that didn’t have singing or dancing in it,” storytelling until she tried film.

Muscato said. “I love that you learn how to be Hockaday Film has helped Ma discover

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her passion. The class requires students to submit their works to a number of film festivals each year and pays for three application fees.

“With art, you need to be known,” Ma said.

By entering her works into numerous film festivals, Ma not only built a name for herself, but also experienced the atmosphere of the film industry. She was invited to be a panelist for the 2017 Bechdel Film Fest, where she met young female filmmakers working in the industry that pushed her to pursue the art and overcome the gender inequalities in film.

“Toxic masculinity does exist in the film industry,” Ma said.

She considers it to be her biggest challenge, but other female filmmakers have taught her how to handle these challenges.

Ma was especially empowered by actress and director of Home Box Office show “Euphoria,” Augustine Frizell, whom Film Studies and Journalism teacher Glenys Quick had invited to Hockaday for a panel with the film class. “[Frizell] taught me that there are so many people who respect you for who you are,” Ma said, “Sadly, there are people that will repress you, but know that you can do it. Don’t let them get to you.”

Not only was Ma challenged with gender inequalities, but she had also struggled to convince her parents to support her decision to pursue film.

“At first, it was a hard no,” Ma said. “I argued with them for three summers straight.”

Her parents contended that the film industry was too immoral and not a place for girls. But Ma argued that people believe so because the media is in the spotlight, and the public isn’t able to see other industries with similar problems.

They also debated whether or not Ma should double major.

“What they don’t realize is, even though film is an art, if I study film, it will take up my four years,” Ma said. Many film schools don’t allow film students to double major due to the time commitment.

When Ma’s film was accepted into South

by Southwest, her parents began to come around, but continued to push back even the summer before her senior year, urging her to pursue communications. Despite this, Ma remains inclined towards directing and has lofty ambitions for her film career.

“The end goal would be making my film the Best Motion Picture for the Academy Awards,” Ma said. “Although I feel like if I achieve that, I will have more be-all-end-all goals.”

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faces & places 2

FANTASTIC FANS.

3 1. Senior Morgan Lutz reads her special edition Rolling Stone magazine dedicated to Taylor Swift. 2. Seniors Kristi Li and

Emily Ma pose in front of their collection of BTS albums.

3. Lutz holds her complete collection of Swift albums that she received for Christmas. She sports her “Reputation” sweatshirt and is wearing her snake ring purchased from Swift’s collection.

4. Li and Ma wave and smile with their BTS light sticks. The two bought the sticks at the BTS concert that they attended in September.

PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE DROSS

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Morgan Lutz The first time Lutz listened to Taylor Swift, she was at a friend’s house and the album “Fearless” was playing.

“I really admired her song writing skills, even as an elementary school student,” Lutz said. “I realized that her skills were really special.”

However, her love for Swift was taken to a new level when the album “1989” came out.

“I still call [‘1989’] my favorite album because it is the album that got me into everything Taylor and got me to realize all of the different reasons I love her today,” Lutz said.

For Lutz, however, Swift’s catchy songs and vocal talent aren’t the only reasons that she admires the singer. “[Swift’s] connection with her fans is really the reason why I love her, because she is such a genuine and nice person,” Lutz said. “You can’t tell that from a lot of artists, but you can tell by watching videos that people have taken of her when her guard is down, when she is not at a show or an interview or whatever—where she is just a really fun and kind person.”

Swift often makes a conscious effort to connect with her fans. The music sensation often joins “Swifties” live stream videos and comments on their pictures. And each year, a few lucky fans are able to experience “Swiftmas,” an event in which Swift visits their doors bearing gifts.

In addition to attending 12 different night’s worth of concerts, Lutz runs an Instagram fan account for Swift (@ youareinlovewithtaylorswift) and even started a new Taylor Swift fan club at school this year. Both have proven to be very popular among fellow Swift fans—one of Lutz’s videos posted on the fan account even reached 95,000 views.

Ultimately, for Lutz, Swift has always been a role model. Whether it be defending herself in a sexual assault trial—and eventually going on to be named Time’s 2017 Person of the Year as a “Silence Breaker”—or donating a considerable amount of money to charity, Swift is one that Lutz looks to for guidance.

“Even though she is less in the limelight in this era,— since she doesn’t do any interviews anymore and doesn’t talk to the press anymore—seeing her be the person that she has always been keeps affirming my love for her,” Lutz said.

Kristi Li and Emily Ma Ma was a freshman when she first discovered BTS as she was scrolling through Tumblr. BTS, a seven-member South Korean boy band, roughly translates to Beyond The Scene in English. From Ma, Li developed her love for BTS. “I was influenced by Emily. I came in sophomore year,” Li said. “I thought the group name was ridiculous at first, but she kind of just dragged me into this fandom.”

Both girls agree that BTS’ lyrics go beyond typical, shallow messages often seen in songs today—they have meaningful storylines detailing their life experiences.

“They put their stories into their songs and try to communicate to their fans. [BTS] focuses more on the growth that they went through becoming K-pop artists—the dark side of K-pop and the brighter side,” Ma said. “It is very raw, emotional and authentic.”

Additionally, Li and Ma admire the fact that the boy band writes their own music and sometimes creates their own dance moves. When the two fans were able to witness these dance moves in person at their concert on Sept. 15, they felt that the whole experience was surreal.

Furthermore, when one band member releases a solo, it is still included on their album, a choice that most bands generally do not make. Li and Ma appreciate the group’s loyalty to each other in this sense.

Ultimately, BTS has made an impact on the two fans’ lives beyond creating catchy music. For Ma, who is very passionate about film, the band has influenced her immensely as a filmmaker.

“At first I thought about filmmaking as a personal thing—that I was the only one who mattered for my projects and I didn’t care how others perceived them and what they felt or got from watching my films,” Ma said. “But I feel like after four years of following BTS, they inspired me to do something bigger and use film as a medium to spread inspiration.”

For Li and Ma, BTS is more than just a band—they are role models. Whether it be launching a “Love Myself” UNICEF campaign centered around finding one’s own voice or producing meaningful and relatable lyrics, they have touched both girls’ lives.

“Thank you [BTS] for opening the door for me to be true to my own emotions,” Li said.

by Charlotte Dross • Editor-in-Chief

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

A Day in the Life of

Tresa Wilson Tresa Wilson is the Director of Inclusion and Community at the Hockaday School. Although Wilson has many busy days throughout the year, the time leading up to the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is always the busiest for her, as she is the leading figure in planning this event. To get a better look into what Wilson experienced on Jan. 17, the day before the celebration, staff writer Julia Donovan talked to her to find out.

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8:00 A.M. THE DAY BEGINS | Wilson arrives at school around 8 a.m. Usually, during this time, she either meets with a faculty member or greets students in the cafeteria. On Jan. 17, she met with Joy Nesbitt ‘17, who helped Wilson with the celebration.

5:00 A.M. EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM | On a regular day, Wilson always gets up at 5 a.m. and immediately checks her emails. She spends about an hour checking and replying to emails each day.

9:30 A.M. EQUIPMENT CHECKS | At 9:30 a.m., Wilson checked the audio and visual set up for the Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration in Penson. Audio-Visual Coordinator Stephen Hill is the perfect partner for Wilson, who makes sure every celebration runs smoothly.

1:50 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. TALKING DIVERSITY | Along with planning assemblies, Wilson also runs the Student Diversity Board. During this time on Jan. 17, Wilson took part in a SDB meeting. She then ran to the last rehearsal where faculty and staff were working alongside the choral conductor for the celebration Dr. Raymond Wise.

5:00 P.M. DINNER TIME | Wilson took Wise to dinner, finishing around 7:00 p.m. She dropped him off at his hotel and returned home. Generally, Wilson ends the day as she begins it—by checking and replying to more emails.

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PHOTOS BY GRAYDON PAUL, EUGENE SEONG AND THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL

Goodbye!

LOGISTICS WITH THE HEAD | During this time on Jan. 17, Wilson met with Eugene McDermott Head of School Karen Warren Coleman, to discuss the agenda of the assembly. This meeting also allowed Coleman to ask Wilson any questions she might have on the logistics of the assembly, and gives Wilson the time to go through her plan and provide any last minute updates to Coleman.

1:10 P.M. JAMMING OUT | During this time, Wilson listened to the all-school choir rehearsal to make sure things were running smoothly. She made sure that the choir was progressing and felt prepared for the event.

11:00 A.M. CHECK CHECK, 1, 2 | Wilson checked on the band and their rehearsal during this time, clearing up any confusion or changes that the band was experiencing. Watching them perform with the support of the Fine Arts Team, she also makes sure the soloists, orchestra and dancers align with the band and their music.

12:00 P.M. POETRY PREPARATION | In this time period, Wilson additionally met with Upper School English teacher Summer Hamilton to cover the layout for the Spoken Word student performers. Spoken word is a performance of broad poetry, but it can also be published on a page. The genre has roots in spoken traditions and performance. Melania-Luisa Marte was a visiting scholar who taught the Hockaday students Spoken Word in preparation for the Celebration.

by Julia Donovan •Staff Writer

hockadayfourcast.org

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PHOTO BY EUGENE SEONG

Eight Hockaday students compete in the rigorous Harvard-MIT Mathematics Competition.

MAD FOR MATH • Pictured left to right, junior Hope Fu and freshman Kyulee Kim discuss the math problems before them. The two are members of math club. After many hours of preparation, the team will travel to Boston from Feb. 15 to 17 in order to compete in the rigorous Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament.

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n just a few short days, from Feb. 15 to 17, eight Hockaday students will head to Boston to one of the largest high school math competitions in the world, where they will compete against national and international students who excel at math.

The event is one of two away math competitions Hockaday participates in each year.

Technically, any Hockaday student can try out to compete in the math competitions that Hockaday attends except the upcoming one hosted by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in which only math club members compete. However, there is fairly large variety in grade levels at Hockaday and in other math competitions, as Form III Dean and previous math club sponsor Jessica Chu explained.

“In order to be equitable and fair, for the [math competition] in February, any girl [in math club] who wants to tries out [can],” Chu said. “It’s not always based just on what current math class you are in.”

Since the type of math that math competitions use is so different from concepts one would learn in school, the class a student is in often does limit them in the math competition world.

To prepare for competitions such as the

Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, students practice problems in math club meetings but mainly use online resources, as most competitions have databases of problems from previous years.

This particular competition draws students from around the world and is considered to be very difficult. Many schools apply to compete, but the selections are very demanding, as only around 90 make it. The process of a math competition could be described as grueling, especially the one full day of testing at the Harvard-MIT event, with a total of four and a half hours of testing alone.

Senior and president of the Math Club Clara Shi describes the competition as usually quite difficult, especially one component of the testing: the guts round. During this part of the competition, students must bring their packet of problems downstairs immediately after finishing for their work to be scored in real time on a projector. Then, the students take another packet, with each one increasing in difficulty.

“You run down the stairs to turn [the package] in for them to score. It’s really fun but scary,” Shi said.

However, attending such a difficult event can still be very rewarding.

“People who are passionate about math get

to compete against other people who are passionate about math,” Chu said.

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I don’t think it’s a challenge, I feel like it’s more that I feel special and proving that girls can also be good at math.”

Kyulee Kim Freshman

Students often find motivation through fellow competitors and the problems themselves, like a freshman and math club member Kyulee Kim. “When I see challenging problems, I get motivated,” Kim said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to meet students who are interested in math from all over the country.”

The team aspect is another part of competitions that math club members enjoy. The team has several meetings throughout the year, but they also get to collaborate on team tests in competitions.

“It’s always really fun to collaborate with other team members to solve questions,” Shi said. “[The team tests] are often a little more challeng-

ing, but it’s cool to see the team work together.”

Additionally, students who attend the Harvard-MIT competition often get to see Hockaday alumnae that go to either of the two universities.

For Shi, this is particularly meaningful, as she will be attending MIT this fall.

Despite the benefits of competing, there are still challenges and improvements to make in the world of math competitions, as teams are predominantly male, even from co-ed schools.

“Even when I [competed] in high school, it was the same thing. It’s always been so male-dominated at these math competitions. I have not seen much of a change, unfortunately,” Chu said.

At the Harvard-MIT competition last year, Hockaday was in fact the only all-girls team, but despite the occasional lack of equal opportunity in the math world, girls sometimes find it as a chance for growth.

“I don’t think it’s a challenge, I feel like it’s more that I feel special and proving that girls can also be good at math,” Kim said. “I feel proud.”

by Niamh McKinney • Arts & Life Editor

BOARDER LINE Senior Divine Kitchen often cooks in the Hockaday boarding kitchen. From meals to desserts, the aroma from her cooking fills the lounge and leaves boarders hungry and curious to try her creations. The Fourcast interviewed Kitchen to learn more about her love of cooking.

ANIMATION, SUSHI AND FRIENDS

●●● When did you first start cooking?

Atticus, a tabby cat, joined boarding last October after being rescued by Lower Morgan Dorm mom Masha Barsuk’s friend. Barsuk, a cat lover, didn’t have any cats in her boarding apartment and happily accepted him. Now, he roams around the Lower Morgan hallway, peeking into open rooms or climbing the cat tree the boarders assembled for him.

Atticus also soothes stressed-out students and brings smiles to all. “If you have a good day, bad day, or whatever day, you can cuddle [with Atticus] and feel better inside,” Barsuk said.

I’ve always known how to cook. My grandmother had a restaurant since I was little. I was raised in a restaurant and learned how to cook on my own since I was old enough to walk and hold a knife.

How’s it like cooking in boarding?

Cooking in boarding is a little cramped—not as big as the kitchen I am used to. The oven [scrapes] the wall—you could see the marks on the wall. There’s not much counter space. It’s more of a kitchenette than a kitchen. Also, everybody’s scrambling around trying to get stuff, but [the kitchen] is a community space.

When do you cook? How does it go?

I normally cook on Sunday midday for the rest of the week. I would have chicken baking in the oven while I’m fixing sides on the counter, and boiling rice and boiling sweet potatoes. It takes a few hours, but then the rest of the week I just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, and it’s easy. I cook for the whole week.

Favorite meal to cook?

My favorite meal to cook is probably baked cajun chicken with some spinach, sweet potatoes and brown rice. It’s just all of the fundamental sides in one meal, but a little healthier so that I wouldn’t feel bad. Also, who doesn’t like chicken?

Sushi and Movies On Jan. 20, boarding hosted a sushi and

Studio Ghibli movie night. With a variety of options to choose from, many boarders gathered around the table for a taste of sushi, while others enjoyed the Studio Ghibli—a Japanese film studio that specializes animation—movie, “The Secret World of Arrietty.” Later, Transportation Coordinator Reagan Martin conducted an impromptu Japan trivia quiz to carry on the exciting mood.

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FELINE FRIEND

Do you share meals with others?

Sometimes, I will grab few friends and split the bill on groceries so that we can get a lot more, and then we will share the food throughout the week.

How’s it like sharing food with others?

I came from a large family, and since I’m a child of eight, sharing food is nothing new.

by Eugene Seong • People Editor

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The Hockaday School

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ports

With the season starting around the time of the birth, there will be some unknowns, but I do plan to come back as soon as possible.”

Coach Shahrestani Steps Up to the Plate p.19

PHOTO BY SAWYER BANNISTER

The Ongoing Battle of the Sexes ➝ Story by Ava Berger • Staff Writer

QUIET CROWD • At an average Hockaday Varsity Basketball home game, the stands consist only of parents and a few coaches. This lack of support is detrimental to the athletes on the court, as they no longer have the home field advantage. This particular game was against Thesa Homeschool.

Google famous athletes. Of the 51 players that pop up on the screen, only four are women. In today’s world, there is a divide between men’s and women’s sports. The lack of support separates the two genders, and the question is: why?

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itle IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 claims that no person in the United States should be excluded or denied access to any education or activity on the basis of sex. This includes sports, yet there is noticeable difference in coverage and supporters of certain men’s and women’s sports in today’s world.

The issues are present both at Hockaday and at a professional level. In the Hockaday community, the student athletes constantly struggle with the lack of support for their sports games versus the large amount of support for the St. Mark’s School of Texas sports games.

For example, at a typical Hockaday sports game, only parents and a few coaches can be found in the bare stands. Whereas, at a St. Mark’s sports games, not only do St. Mark’s students support their classmates, Hockaday students flock to the stands to engage in the social event. The crowds are loud, energetic, and St. Mark’s students create merchandise for the students who attend the events. This significant difference in support for Hockaday and St. Mark’s athletics has become a defining factor in the way the sports teams are perceived.

Coach Laboris Bean, Coordinator of Athletic Operations, ran track and field at the University of Oklahoma. Through his experience, he relates this issue back to the culture created in American households.

“It comes back to, not just all about the community, but within the household, for [males] case, guys are looked at to be dominant in sports. Everyone wants to watch the men’s sports and not the women’s sports, unless the women’s sports are next level,” Bean said. “It comes from the home. When you have a son and a daughter, the father wants his son to be successful and his daughter to be great.”

Bean suggests that to change this norm, it must start with the Hockaday students.

“I feel like [change needs to start within] the community, meaning that the girls have to find a way to support themselves and cheer for themselves and make the notoriety of winning next level,” Bean said. “I do not think you have to have guys to make a program on a whole other level in sports.”

When polled in a recent survey, 68.6 percent of the Hockaday student body and faculty said that they attend both Hockaday and St. Mark’s sports events. Only 11.9 percent of students attend only Hockaday sports events.

Steve Kramer, History Department Chair and women’s college volleyball enthusiast, has worked at Hockaday since 1978 and has not witnessed any changes in the environment around Hockaday sports.

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I feel like [change needs to start within] the community, meaning that the girls have to find a way to support themselves and cheer for themselves and make the notoriety of winning next level.”

LaBoris Bean Coordinator of Athletic Operations

“It doesn’t really seem to me that [the sports environment] has changed that much. The girls always have trouble getting people other than their parents and a couple friends to come out,” Kramer said.

The Hockaday parents are the sports teams biggest supporters and usually the only people who come out to the games, except the occasional friends and teachers.

Kramer is an avid supporter of Hockaday volleyball and has noticed the way the sports are being played has changed, but the lack in supporters has always been the same.

“I think how the sports are played has changed, in other words there are more club sports. The kind of athletes that are playing at Hockaday are much better than they used to be,” Kramer said.

Does this lack of support negatively affect Hockaday students?

Varsity basketball player and senior Courtney Katz believes that the atmosphere plays a big role in her sports games.

“I feel like, in basketball especially, it’s a quiet gym, and that’s not the environment it’s supposed to be. It’s supposed to be wild. We’ll play a game and then go to the St. Mark’s game after our game and the stands are packed. The atmosphere definitely makes a difference,” Katz said.

Without the support that Katz mentions, Hockaday lacks the home field advantage. For example, when athletes have home games, the home team is favored due to school support and crowds backing the team. Mentally, this lack of support can have a detrimental effect on athletes; therefore, Hockaday is missing a key aspect in their home games.

Three sport varsity athlete and senior JoJo Gum relates the problem to the difference in school pride between Hockaday students and St. Mark’s students.

“I don’t think girls see athletics as an extension of school pride. Boys want St. Mark’s to win because they want to say ‘Oh, we’re the best at all these sports.’ Whereas at Hockaday, if you’re not on a team, you don’t really take ownership of how the teams are doing,” Gum said.

Katz also believes the social aspect attracts more attention to the St. Mark’s games.

“Part of the problem is that St. Mark’s games are seen as a social event and Hockaday games are just seen as going to be nice to your friends that are on the team, so if our games became more of an event that people would look forward to and they could see other people there as well, it might get people coming,” Katz said.

Both students emphasized the necessity of attending St. Mark’s sports games to become more involved and social, yet the Hockaday sports games don’t seem to have that same effect on students. This might be a result of the lack of boys at the Hockaday sports game or the general atmosphere around the St. Mark’s sports games to bring excitement to the crowd and all the students.

The problem all relates back to the culture Hockaday has created and the lack of emphasis on one of the most forgotten cornerstones: athletics.

Two St. Mark’s students who wish to remain anonymous relate the problem back to society and claim that St. Mark’s works to bring awareness to sports throughout the school week.

“I think that more support for Hockaday sports needs to come from within Hockaday.

The Upper School should broadcast the events and provide incentives for people that go, just like St. Mark’s does. St. Mark’s has a lot of activities throughout the week to raise awareness for games, and I don’t know if Hockaday does the same,” the source said.

However, the problem does not only reside in the hands of Hockaday athletics. The gap between women’s and men’s sports constantly makes headlines.

In 2004, Fédération Internationale de Football Association president Sepp Blater said that women should consider wearing more revealing uniforms, such as skimpier shorts, to bring more attention to the game.

In 2015, Sports Illustrated contributer Andy Benoit commented on Twitter that “women’s sports in general are not worth watching.”

In the 2016 Olympic games, after Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu broke the world record in the 400-meter-medley and earned a gold medal, National Broadcasting Company sportscaster Dan Hicks gave all the credit to her coach and husband, Shane Tusup. In other words he discredited her achievement and gave all the praise to men, a prime example of the little recognition professional women’s sports player receive from the media and the sports world.

“And there’s the man responsible,” Hicks said, according to The Washington Post.

Another example of the discrepancy between men’s and women’s sports is depicted in the popular, new spin-off show, “Grown-ish.” In the show, when a revealing poster of a female basketball player was hung above the library, more fans were immediately attracted to the next basketball game.

This directly addresses the issue of the morality of fans and the sexism that exists in sports culture.

Overall, Kramer addressed the underlying prejudice against women’s sport with a stereotype he has noticed over the years.

“One of the things you find is some men say ‘I’m not going to watch women’s sports because I know I could beat them even though I didn’t play in college.’ Whether that’s true or not is totally immaterial,” Kramer said. “In other words, they believe that, so they’re not going to watch. They’ll say ‘Well, you’re not at the pinnacle of the sport, and I want to watch the best,’ and there are many women that think that as well. They want to watch the best, and they don’t watch women’s sports.”

hockadayfourcast.org

p.19 p.20 Looking ahead

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sports

Tips & Tricks on How to Avoid The Flu

The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

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Dot Your “i’s” and Cross Your “t’s”

Coach Shahrestani Steps Up to the Plate PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE DROSS

How one Upper School softball coach juggles her pregnancy and coaching a varsity sport.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS • Sharing a laugh with senior catcher Trinity Naile, Coach Shahrestani guides her team through a series of footwork drills in the middle of a preseason practice on Feb. 6th. This practice will be the last for Shahrestani for a month as she spends time with her newborn son, Hudson Pierce, who was born Feb. 8. In her absence, Hockaday parent David Stringfield will serve as the Interim Varsity Softball Coach.

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aying that Hockaday Varsity Softball Coach Kate Shahrestani hits a home run in all aspects of her life is an understatement—she balances a fulltime career, coaching a varsity sport and manages a growing family. Shahrestani is returning to Hockaday without a formal maternity leave despite her already-full schedule and the upcoming addition of a newborn baby in February.

The softball season starts in early February, around the same time Shahrestani is expecting her firstborn son. Shahrestani plans to stay involved with the team remotely and return to fulltime coaching after three to four weeks.

“Of course, especially since this is my first child, the baby and my family are my priority.

But my intentions are to return to Hockaday as soon as possible. With the season starting around the time of the birth, there will be some unknowns, but I do plan to come back as soon as possible,” Shahrestani said.

Shahrestani has been playing softball competitively since she was about six years old. She furthered her athletic career into the collegiate level when she played softball at Yale University.

She coached a competitive team in New Haven, Connecticut during college and later coached a volunteer team in Harlem, New York when she worked on Wall Street.

After working on Wall Street for about a decade, Shahrestani moved to Dallas to start Athena Search Partners, a company which caters to Wall Street. Shortly after her move to Texas, Shahrestani sought to find an outlet for her love for softball, leading her to Hockaday.

Shahrestani has worked at Hockaday since

the spring of 2016 when she coached Middle School softball alongside coach Victor Torres. The following year she was promoted to head varsity coach and adores working with the high school girls.

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She has brought life into the program. Coach Kate gets it. She makes everything fun. She brings excitement to the game.”

David Stringfield Interim Varsity Softball Coach

“I’ve had the benefit of coaching many of the young ladies at the Middle School level, and as they transitioned to varsity. It’s been so special to see them grow into upperclassmen and into the team leaders,” Shahrestani said.

Since Shahrestani started working with Hockaday, Hockaday’s softball team has qualified to play at the Southwestern Preparatory Conference, a tournament which Hockaday softball had not previously attended for many years.

Shahrestani, however, recognizes that the positive changes to Hockaday’s softball program have been made by the players.

“Since I’ve arrived, the changes that have been made have been led by the players. I have seen an increase in interest and passion to win, and I do give the credit to the leaders of the team,” Shahrestani said.

“Many of the girls are passionate about the sport and hard-working, and they lead by example. Their example trickles down to the less experienced players who benefit from their hard work and dedication.”

The entire softball community at Hockaday loves “Coach Kate” and plans to help her once she’s had her baby. For example, the softball players threw her a baby shower, and a Hockaday parent, David Stringfield, who has a daughter on the team, agreed to take the role of Interim Head Coach in her absence.

“Coach Kate loves being with the girls, and the girls love playing for her and learning from her. So I thought, ‘What if I fill in for three to four weeks when Coach Kate has the baby?’ It’s her team.

She and Coach Torres work together so well, and I am just a bandaid to help while she’s out,” David Stringfield said.

David Stringfield intends to coach the team just as Coach Kate would and recognizes her significance to the Hockaday softball program.

“She has brought life into the program. Coach Kate gets it. She makes everything fun. She brings excitement to the game,” David Stringfield said.

Shahrestani recognizes the importance of the softball community at Hockaday and is thankful for the help she’s received regarding her growing family.

“The strength that I have felt and received and support from my players and parents is truly breathtaking. I am extremely appreciative and know that the Hockaday softball community would not exist without them,” Shahrestani said. I run a company focused on Wall Street recruiting, and while the easiest path would have been to sit the season out and potentially be replaced as the coach, I didn’t think that was the right example to set for the strong, young women of Hockaday.”

Shahrestani further commented on her appreciation for the team parents and how they shape the Hockaday community.

“The Hockaday softball moms are some of the

most impressive role models I’ve met anywhere, so it was important to me to carry their torch in conveying a young woman is capable of doing it all, running a company and having a baby, coaching a team and serving the community,” Shahrestani said. “And thanks to the support of the Hockaday softball parents, particularly Coach Stringfield, I am able maintain the standard set by my Hockaday softball parents.”

The softball team equally loves Shahrestani and is very excited about her new baby and quick return. Junior Madison Stringfield, the pitcher for the Hockaday team and commit to Rhodes College for softball, is equally excited about Shahrestani’s comeback. Stringfield reflected on Coach Kate’s understanding and help throughout her process.

“Coach Kate just understands what it’s like to be in our shoes. She understands what it’s like to be in a place with academic rigor, she gets the recruitment process, and she gets how it feels to love the game. She’s really been a great help for me,” Madison Stringfield said.

When thinking about recruitment and life after high school in general, Shahrestani loves relating her own experience to helping her players think about their own journeys and time management.

“It is so exciting to watch the upperclassmen who are thinking about life and becoming young adults. It’s contagious, exciting, and I have so much hope for you all,” Shahrestani said. “You are in the driver’s seat, and as long as you have the support in all aspects of your life, you can accomplish anything.”

by Eliana Goodman • Magazine Editor

TIPS & TRICKS: Staying Healthy this Flu Season

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Don’t Overwork Yourself

Put Your Immune System First

Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize!

Get Your Flu Shot

While it is early to get caught up in the stress of homework leading up to exams, taking time to sleep and relax can diminish your chances of becoming sick. While it is hard for teenagers to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep on top of sports, fine arts and school, sleep is necessary to keep your body going—and staying home sick for a week will certainly increase your stress levels!

Make sure you rest when necessary, and if you feel under the weather, take the time to recover.

Your immune system is critical in protecting your body from infection. When functioning properly, your immune system will attack the threat of the flu virus and keep you healthy. Keeping your immune system healthy is as easy as including more fruits and vegetables in your diet, or going on a 30-minute walk before starting homework. In addition, getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin D, such as milk, can help to strengthen your immune system and keep your life free from germs.

Washing your hands and keeping your life free of germs is crucial to staying healthy. Schools are notorious for being a hub for germs and sickness, so ensuring that you wash your hands after going to the bathroom, coming in contact with a friend or touching any communal surface will keep you healthy and clean. Moreover, viruses like the flu are extremely contagious, so being wary of sharing drinks and coming in contact with friends can help you stay safe this winter.

It may seem simple, but getting your flu shot is the best way to avoid catching the flu. The shot can decrease the chances of spreading the flu virus up to 40 to 60 percent. When you get a flu vaccination, your body releases antibodies that can protect you from the common flu strains according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have a fear of needles, the flu mist is available at most doctors offices or pharmacies, so get your flu shot before the flu gets you!

PHOTOS BY SHEA DUFFY & GETTY IMAGES

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

PHOTO BY KATE WOODHOUSE BRIGHT FUTURES AHEAD • Sporting their respective future college’s sweatshirts, six of the eight Hockaday athletes planning on signing their National Letter of Intent on Feb. 26 pose in Metzger Plaza. The pictured athletes include (from left to right): Adoette Vaughn, University of Arkansas, Cross Country; Parker Hawk, Washington and Lee University, Cross Country; Felicity Diamond, Columbia University, Crew; Swiler Boyd, Acadia University, Soccer; Reid Cohen, Pitzer College, Lacrosse; Jojo Gum, Yale University, Lacrosse. Not pictured are Aryianna Easter, Southwestern University, Lacrosse and Sophie Rubarts, Hendrix College, Field Hockey.

Dot Your “i’s” and Cross Your “t’s” Eight Hockaday athletes to sign their National Letters of Intent on Feb. 26.

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hey’ve put in the hours, they’ve contacted the coaches, they’ve met with the team, but it is with one stroke of a pen that they are destined to spend the next four years competing at a collegiate level.

National Signing Day on Feb. 6, 2019 marks the start of the signing period student-athletes have to sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI), which makes their athletic commitment to their chosen university official.

Senior Swiler Boyd is signing as a soccer goalkeeper to Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Boyd recognizes this day as a milestone for all student athletes alike.

“I feel like signing day will really launch me and my fellow athletes into the college athletic world, and it will make it feel as if it is really official,” Boyd said.

Senior Felicity Diamond, who is committing to Columbia University for rowing, feels that for many athletes, Signing Day also represents the culmination of all of the effort they put into their sport.

“Signing Day is really important to me because it solidifies everything I have worked towards and everything I will continue to work towards in the future with regards to rowing,” Diamond stated.

The NLI is not directly affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), so not every school uses the NLI to legitimize the athlete’s commitment to the university. Instead, the NLI was made by the Collegiate Commissioners Association in order to protect both the student and the college from the possibility of either party backing out.

Although many schools host signing day on the National Signing Day, Hockaday is hosting

their signing day on Feb. 26.

“The reason we aren’t planning to do it on the National Signing Day was because we were worried not all of the athletes would be committed to a college by that day. We tried to find a date which everybody would know where they were signing so it would be a big, school-wide event,” Athletic Board Chair Meredith Jones said.

Athletic Director Deb Surgi explained that when deciding on a date to host Signing Day, they take into account the NCAA signing periods which range from Feb. 6 to Aug. 1 and Hockaday’s school and athletic schedules. Surgi collaborated with the Athletic Administration, the College Counseling team and the Athletic Board to plan Hockaday’s signing day ceremony.

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I feel like signing day will really launch me and my fellow athletes into the college athletic world.”

Swiler Boyd Senior Varsity Soccer Goalie

The signing day planning team decided that the ceremony is to be hosted in the Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Theater in attempt to make it a more school-wide, inclusive event. They also plan to provide university flags and pennants for each girl signing.

“In years past, each girl has been in charge of bringing their college pennant and flags. However, Coach Surgi is trying to make the ceremony all the more official and uniform by having each girl represent their college in the same manner,” Jones said.

The team also plans for there to be a cake,

a photographer and a step-and-repeat banner—a publicity backdrop that is printed with repeating emblems (Hockaday is using the “split H” as its emblem) used for photographs—for the athletes.

“While I was not here in the past years to actually comment on the differences between this year and past years, I suspect that athletics is taking a larger role in the planning and orchestration of the event so as to alleviate any responsibility to families,” Surgi said.

According to Surgi, the signing ceremony will include time for Surgi herself, Head of School Dr. Karen Warren Coleman, both school and club coaches and the girls who are signing to speak.

A large reception for friends and family will then follow the ceremony.

“I think it’s really great that my club coach, who has been with me since almost the beginning of my soccer career, has the chance to celebrate this achievement with me,” Boyd said.

Similarly, Bishop Lynch—another private school in Dallas—also has coaches speak about the students signing. However, as senior Lucy McGarry from Bishop Lynch—who is signing for volleyball to Susquehanna University—stated, instead of having one signing day, they have three to four throughout the year.

“Each signing day has about six athletes, a little more or a little less depending on which date it is. The signing ceremonies happen before school with cake and balloons, and each athlete has his or her friends make posters for them,” McGarry said.

Hockaday also differs with the Episcopal School of Dallas with regards to how they proceed with Signing Day dates. Senior Bryce Miltenberger is signing for rowing at Hobart and William Smith College and explained that ESD has multiple Signing Days.

“Our school just has a discrete Signing Day

on specific dates throughout the year, then at the end of the year there is a signing ceremony to honor all of the athletes all together,” Miltenberger said.

Despite the slight differences between each school, younger onlookers look forward to Signing Day and look up to the girls signing.

“Since sophomore year, I have been going to signing days for my teammates. It has always been something I have looked forward to, and it gave me a goal to get to, especially when I was a sophomore, as well as opening my eyes to how cool the signing process is,” Diamond said.

Surgi hopes this year’s Signing Day will inspire underclassmen similarly to how Diamond was inspired by her teammates to pursue playing at a collegiate level.

“Coach Surgi is trying to make the ceremony a much more public event to show that Hockaday students can go play athletics at a collegiate level. I think this is important because often times Hockaday students don’t realize that they have the opportunity to play in college, especially because they have all the academic pressure placed on them,” Jones said.

Overall, the signing ceremony gives special recognition to Hockaday athletics and the athletes who have dedicated extra time to their sports.

“I feel as if Signing Day really commemorates these girls for all of the work they have done both academically and athletically, because the only other time these athletes do get recognized is at the athletic banquet at the end of the year, and those are just other athletes applauding them for their hard work, not the entire school,” Jones stated.

by Ashlye Dullye • Business Manager

FOUR WARD Varsity Golf Jesuit Tournament at Brookhaven Country Club Feb. 25

Winter SPC Ft. Worth, Texas Feb. 14-16

Track and Field Meet McKinney High School Feb. 22

Varsity Tennis at Trinity Valley School March 26

Varsity Softball vs. ESD March 19

Varsity Crew Heart of Texas Regatta March 1

Varsity Lacrosse vs. ESD March 22

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE FOURCAST & ELIZABETH MALAKOFF

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hockadayfourcast.org

The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

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However, even today, many companies dupe their customers in sometimes dangerous or unethical ways in search of economic gains.

iews

Insecticide and La Croix p22

No Sleep is for the Weak Story by Eliana Goodman • Magazine Editor Slowly sludging through overflow to walk into Hockaday each morning, my eyes droop heavily and my yawns seem to sound louder than the music I blasted to stay awake on my drive to school. My under-eyes appear as if I had gotten into a brutal brawl the night before, and prior to my morning cup of caffeine, I often prompt the apt comment that I look very tired from many of my teachers.

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hen I finally reach the halls of Hockaday before my first period class, the most common conversation I hear goes something along the lines of, “I didn’t go to bed until 1 a.m.—I’m so tired,” which is usually spurs a response of something like “Lucky you! I was up until 2:15 studying for precalculus.”

These conversations often make me feel guilty for feeling exhausted after crawling into bed around midnight and getting five or six hours of sleep. For some reason, I seem to feel even worse for losing the “competition” of who can function off the fewest hours of sleep and most cups of coffee. I find myself feeling incompetent and jealous that I wasn’t as productive as my friend who studied until three in the morning.

Writing these feelings down or saying them aloud, I realize how ridiculous and unhealthy this sounds, but attending a high-pressure institution which values hard-work and impressive outcomes such as Hockaday, I can’t help but wish there were a few more hours in the day for me to balance my schoolwork and extracurriculars with ample time to rest.

I am not alone in my struggle for finding a balance between working and sleeping.

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s most recent poll, taken in 2006, more than 87 percent of high schoolers in the United States sleep far less than the recommended nightly eight to 10 hours of sleep. Basically, that means that nearly 90 percent of high school students are at risk of suffering from the myriad of negative consequences that stem from sleep deprivation. Ninety percent of us have an increased likelihood to have a hard time concentrating, anxiety, depression, a downhill trend in academic and athletic performance, weight gain and poor immunity. And these numbers are from 13 years ago, due to technological innovations and their bright screens, the number has probably increased.

The more and more I researched about sleep deprivation in students, the clearer the root of many students’ sleeping (or lack thereof) schedules became: stress. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 70 percent of people who feel persistent stress—whether that be from school, work or other factors—have trouble sleeping.

In reality, a combination of stress and lack of sleep actually counteracts the goal many students have when they stay up to study: in the long run, stress and little sleep lowers your academic performance. A 2010 American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment report-

ed that more than 25 percent of students say that stress and exhaustion lowered their grades and ability to finish a course.

So, despite the short term gratification that one might feel when staying up until sunrise to finish an English essay, it is incredibly damaging to a person’s academic performance (but more importantly, health) in the long run.

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The more and more I researched about sleep deprivation in students, the clearer the root of many students’ sleeping (or lack thereof) schedules became: stress.”

Eliana Goodman Magazine Editor

scheduling more time for exercise, taking away all screens an hour before bedtime or meditation are some recommendations to improve your nightly sleep.

I know it is easier said than done, but by spending less time on social media and more time implementing self care into our routines, we can decrease our stress levels and therefore, increase our mental health and sleep time. In high school, it’s easy for all of us, especially me, to get caught up in an assignment and stay up late, and that’s okay once in a while.

But staying up once or twice a week versus every night is a big difference. I don’t want to have to watch my classmates, family and friends suffer from the consequences I mentioned earlier. I wouldn’t wish that upon

anyone, and certainly am scared in seeing those side-effects in myself.

I don’t want to sound hypocritical, and I know that I will never get to be the living depiction of Beyonce’s “I woke up like this, flawless” because I-got-13-hours-of-sleep mentality. But I do know that in order to live my fullest life, get better grades and improve my mental health, increasing the amount of sleep I get nightly is a big deal. I really hope that as a school and as a community, we can all recognize the detriments of sleep-deprivation and change the competition to see who can get the most rest.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION • A sleepy Hockadaisy, overwhelmed by a heavy load of homework and studying, falls asleep despite her piping hot, large cup of coffee. Sleep deprivation is an ongoing issue that affects not only Hockaday students, but many students across the world.

As someone who certainly does not sleep for eight hours nightly, these alarming facts terrify me. I don’t want to be the person who feels burnt out in high school, regardless of how hard I work. But how can I change my habits when there just isn’t enough time in the day?

Finding a healthy balance seems to be the key to avoid stress and improve sleeping patterns. I know that avoiding stress in high school sounds about as realistic as winning the lottery or seeing a unicorn, but there are relatively simple ways to practice self care to improve your health.

One big goal of the Hockaday Upper School this year (and the student council’s theme) is balance and self-care. I—as a naturally anxious and easily-stressed out person, according to literally anyone you ask—am tirelessly trying to find one. Since the new year began, I have been journaling nightly and trying to establish a solid nighttime routine.

These past couple weeks, I can honestly say that I’ve felt happier since I started making a conscious effort to sleep more. While I still don’t always reach the recommended eight hours per night, I feel healthier just knowing that I am avoiding the long-term complications of fatigue.

If journaling isn’t your thing, there are many other resources you can utilize to maximize your sleep, according to organizations like Sleep.org and the National Foundation for Sleep. Cutting back on caffeine after lunchtime, not doing any homework in bed,

ILLUSTRATION BY NATASHA CHUKA

LIKE AND COMMENT

Senio suppo r Parker Wa senior rts her frien ters after a Kate Short d, performsuccessful , the Up ance of Musica per School A Matt l, “Once Up on ress.”

Soc ia Med l Spo ia tligh t Senior Meredith Jones proudly e displays the prizthe she won during Daisy Day.

GRAPHIC BY SHREYA GUNUKULA

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The Hockaday School

Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

STAFF STANDOFF

Big Brother or Big Data?

With the rise of Big Data—an expansive collection of data from digital platforms representing a source for ongoing discovery and analysis—this innovation has been turning some heads. Whether in your eyes it’s a potent tool, helping improve operations, decisions and customer experiences or just a gross invasion of privacy for digital users and consumers alike, The Fourcast is here to talk about it.

Necessary Evil

After a rewarding few hours of online-shopping, scouring the web for an elusive pair of shoes or a dress for the next dance, you exit the manifold links. For the next few days, you notice something peculiar. Remember that same dress you scrolled past and clicked on a few times?

That one that caught your eye and almost ended up in your online cart? It’s right there, on the sidebar ad of your Quizlet page. Is this a sign from God telling you—in all its pixelated glory—to go back and buy it now? Not exactly. But, for some business entrepreneurs, they wish you thought so.

This phenomenon is referred to as “Big Data,” which roughly means large sets of digital data that can be used to analyze and reveal patterns, trends and associations relating to human behavior and interactions online.

Who exploits this data you may ask? Companies mainly use this information to their overall advantage, through gaining insight into their target market and improving their online performance with its feedback.

A variety of online stores and tech giants, such as Amazon, American Express and Netflix, use this information. Certain platforms have even garnered your name, address, search history and payment methods, all in hopes to make proper and beneficial business decisions through these algorithms. All of these methods are conducted through advanced software systems, and the faster their systems, the more edge these companies gain on the competition.

For some, this may seem a gross invasion of privacy, but although these systems could possibly be used in malicious ways, when you submit your online information into any platform, you sign a kind of online contract. These companies will use what you give them to benefit their product and your experience with it.

The customer is always the priority with Big Data, as these systems bend to the wishes and preferences of those with the cash and the time to spend on these sites. From improving how a company reaches their consumers, to risk management, to matching customer expectations and ensuring that marketing campaigns are effective, Big Data helps more than it harms.

Although highly involved with marketing and business, Big Data has even been utilized by healthcare professionals who have discovered the extremely important and relevant use of these algorithms.

Not only can these systems reduce costs of treatment, predict outbreaks of epidemics, avoid preventable diseases and improve the quality of life in general, Big Data can collect these large amounts of numbers and specific health data of a population faster and less-costly than ever, aiding the advancements in science and medicine around the globe.

So, while some of us will never truly be comfortable with our digital trail following our every online interaction or Netflix giving the absolutely worst movie recommendations (again), Big Data is here to stay, as it should be.

by Paige Halverson • Managing Editor

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Invasive Innovation

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Picture this: the time is 11:37 p.m., the place, your trusty bed. Instead of starting the (final) draft of your English paper that is due tomorrow, or perhaps studying for your history test that will begin in less than nine hours, you find yourself sucked into the never-ending wormhole that is Amazon, browsing for a sorbet machine which will inevitably end up collecting dust on you back shelf. Upon completing this shopping conquest, you open up your Internet browser the next day only to come face-to-face with an advertisement for a different sorbet machine. Why is this happening, you might ask?

How does the Internet know your shopping tendencies? The answer is simple: Big Data.

Big Data refers to an extremely large volume of data—too large for traditional analysis-machines to process. In today’s society, these large data sets are most commonly used to analyze trends and predict outcomes. Often times, they surface in the form of consumerism, as companies make use of it to attempt to analyze customers preferences and make educated predictions about what they will purchase next.

Or in other words, offer suggests about which sorbet machine to buy.

Helpful as this may sound, the use of Big Data raises quite a few concerning points. First and foremost, it is an invasion of privacy. The success of Big Data is contingent on its ability to access your personal information—everything from your Amazon shopping cart to your home address. Personally, I feel uncomfortable knowing that my personal information is being followed like a trail of digital breadcrumbs so that the consumer market can manipulate the content I see.

In fact, there exist certain database marketing companies whose sole purpose is to access customers’ personal information and then sell it to big names like Amazon and Target, who then, in turn, pitch us useless products that ultimately cause us to spend out hard-owned money.

Furthermore, the analyses conducted by Big Data aren’t always correct. We as humans are spontaneous beings. Although we like our routines, it would be a stretch to say that we follow a certain procedure each time we do something. This is where Big Data lacks the adequate tools to succeed: it does not take into account the standard deviation—those moments when we break routine. And this can be dangerous.

In 2013, a Google-based service known as Google Flu Trends strived to forecast flu outbreaks in 25 different countries by using Big Data to analyze people’s search history. This project ultimately failed, as predictions were off by a grand total of 140 percent. Why? Because these machines didn’t have the ability to distinguish between searches like “cold symptoms” and “flu symptoms.” Therefore, they included any sort of search pertaining to an illness in their analysis, causing the results to be skewed.

On a much smaller scale, Big Data has a tendency to make mistakes on the consumer side of business as well. Take the sorbet maker for instance. Although I may have simply been browsing these machines merely for entertainment, knowing in my heart that I would never make such a purchase, Big Data doesn’t know this. So, for the next few weeks, I will continue to be bombarded with ads of a useless product that I never intended to buy. And although this may seem like an insignificant consequence, it is one that could be entirely avoided if it hadn’t been for Big Data mining and manipulating consumers’ data in the first place.

Ultimately, this raises the question as to where we draw the line. As humans, we have basic civil liberties that we should be afforded, and Big Data has proven time and time again that it is willing to overstep these boundaries to maximize its success. So when it comes to my privacy and protection, I am willing to stand firm in my beliefs: Big Data does more harm than it does good.

by Charlotte Dross • Editor-in-Chief

Winter Break Nothing is more heartwarming, especially during this freezing month of February, than a four-day long weekend, undoubtedly accompanied by Netflix and some much needed sleep.

V(G)alentine’s Day It’s time to celebrate your significant other, your friends and, most importantly, yourself. Whether that’s gobbling down as much chocolate as possible or going on a romantic date, enjoy the day while you can!

Winter Formal Surrounded by flowers, music and chocolate fountains, everyone will be their own superstar of the evening – although choosing the perfect dress always seems impossible.

Lack of Snow Winter is coming. . . Not really.

March Finals It’s that time of the year again: five hours of sleep, four subjects, three pots of coffee and two dark circles under eyes.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Charlotte Dross

MANAGING EDITOR Paige Halverson WEB EDITOR Michelle Chen COPY EDITOR Ponette Kim MAGAZINE EDITOR Eliana Goodman BUSINESS MANAGER Ashlye Dullye NEWS EDITOR Kate Woodhouse PEOPLE EDITOR Eugene Seong ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Niamh McKinney SPORTS EDITOR Shea Duffy VIEWS EDITOR Emily Wu CASTOFF EDITOR Sahasra Chigurupati PHOTOS & GRAPHICS EDITOR Kate Woodhouse STAFF WRITERS Ava Berger, Kelsey Chen, Kate Clark, Julia Donovan, Erin Parolisi STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Sawyer Bannister, Varsha Danda, Arushi Mukherjee STAFF ARTISTS Juliana Bush, Karen Lin, Cindy Pan, Anoushka Singhania FACULTY ADVISER Nureen Patel

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 1,500 and is printed

by Greater Dallas Press. It is distributed free of charge to the Hockaday community. Businesses who wish to advertise in The Fourcast should contact Ashlye Dullye, Business Manager, at adullye@ 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 about should be addressed to Charlotte Dross, Editor-in-Chief, at cdross@hockaday.org.

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIANA BUSH

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The Fourcast • Feb. 14, 2019

DANGEROUS DRINK • Everyday products, such as La Croix flavored-sparkling water, can have dangers lurking behind companies’ sometimes manipulative marketing claims.

Insecticide and La Croix

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hether strolling around the grocery store, deciding which toothpaste to buy at the drugstore or staring at a menu on the wall of a restaurant, products’ ingredients are an integral part of many’s daily lives. While there may be the types of people who analyze the back of a peanut butter jar to the smallest detail, many of us just glance at claims like “organic” and “natural” to reassure ourselves before a small purchase.

Regardless of how much value one usually places on ingredients, most consumers agree and usually assume that the ingredients of a product should be truthful. However, even today, many companies dupe their customers in sometimes dangerous or unethical ways in search of economic gains.

In the summer of 2018, Jamba Juice came under fire in a federal class action lawsuit. The smoothie chain was accused of falsely marketing their smoothies as made with “whole fruit and vegetables,” according to Jamba Juice’s advertising and menu. However, the brand often relies on cheaper, unhealthy ingredients.

For example, the smoothie “Caribbean Passion” contained five whole fruit ingredients: mango, strawberry, orange, peach and passion fruit, according to the menu. In reality, however, it contained no mango, orange or passion fruit.

In fact, a large Caribbean Passion smoothie contains a worrying 95 grams of sugar, and has its first ingredient as a “Passion Fruit-Mango Juice Blend,” mainly made of less expensive pear and white grape juice.

Today, the company continues to use cheap, sugary juice and sherbet as main ingredients in their smoothies, despite still marketing them as healthy.

The consumer who falls for companies’ lies such as the misinformation Jamba Juice

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However, even today, many companies dupe their customers in sometimes dangerous or unethical ways in search of economic gains.”

Niamh McKinney Arts & Life Editor

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spread should not be blamed. Many say people should not put so much trust in businesses’ advertising, especially when it comes to claims about the health of foods, but this mindset comes from decades of a lack of consumer protections.

Logically and ethically, consumers should not have to thoroughly research foods’ ingredients online in advance of making a purchase.

Later, in October 2018, La Croix, a sparkling water manufacturer, was sued for dangerous ingredients used in their popular carbonated drink.

The prosecutors found that the beverage contained an ingredient often used in cockroach insecticide, despite claiming to have only “all-natural” ingredients. The lawsuit against the company claims that La Croix contains the chemical limonene, which can cause kidney toxicity, and linalool, which is used in insecticide.

Even if the non-natural ingredients La Croix used were “safe” chemicals, consumers should have the ability to fully understand what they are buying.

One example of a partial success in consumer rights lies in the feminine hygiene industry. In 2015, the massive company Proctor and Gamble (P&G) and its rival Kimberly-Clark (the maker of Kotex), were put under pressure to fully disclose the ingredients in their products. This pressure from consumers ranged from boycotts to spoof videos of the companies to petitions.

Before the movement, both companies disclosed the ingredients in their tampons but not their pads. Eventually, both companies, listed their ingredients online, but advocacy groups were still concerned about labels like “fragrance” that disguised the chemicals in such products.

Similarly, many food companies use vague language to cover up dubious ingredients, such as listing “natural flavors” as an ingredient, while never disclosing where this “natural” flavoring comes from.

In a perfect world, companies would not use these loopholes, but until then, there should be stricter regulation.

In July 2018, Johnson & Johnson, maker of products ranging from baby care to Band-Aids, was ordered to pay $4.69 billion to 22 women and their families at the end of a six-week long trial filed against the company for covering up asbestos in their baby powder. The lawsuit accused the company of not warning consumers against the dangers of their body powders’ ingredients.

Before the end of the trial, six of the 22 women had already died from ovarian cancer the lawsuit claims to be caused by the asbestos in the Johnson & Johnson baby and body powders.

This major lawsuit acts as a warning against loose regulations on companies. The suit claimed that Johnson & Johnson had covered up the presence of asbestos in their products for almost 40 years, keeping their customers in dark and endangering countless families.

Ingredients should be released for consumer protections, especially in the age of so many prevalently-used harmful ingredients, ranging from dangerous chemicals in skincare products to pesticides in food. Hopefully in the future, companies will be more trans parent to their consumers. If the business world cannot move towards a more truthful path, the federal government needs to create stricter regulations and systems to prevent commonplace lies to consumers.

by Niamh McKinney • Arts & Life Editor

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Feb. 14, 2019 • The Fourcast

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by Sahasra Chigurupati • Castoff Editor

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