4FO U R CAS T
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
11600 WELCH ROAD
DALLAS, TX 75229
VOLUME 70
ISSUE 2
NOVEMBER 2019
A relentless storm bulldozed North Dallas Oct. 20 on a not-soaverage Sunday night. Ten tornadoes were reported to have hit Dallas-Fort Worth that night, damaging the houses of Hockaday students, St. Mark’s School of Texas and elementary schools in the Dallas Independent School District. Dallasites, however, did not let the decimation hold them back; they united to help their neighbors affected by the tornadoes. Read full story p. 12
Tornado tears Dallas apart, brings Hockaday community together IN FOCUS: A LOOK AT THE STORM AND ITS IMPACT IN DALLAS
photos by Shea Duffy, Campbell Harris and Olivia Garcia
St. Marks’ Hicks Gymnasium faced total destruction in the tornado.
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Marine Biology Laboratory trip preview
FOLLOW US @HockadayFourcast Fallen trees, damaged buildings and destroyed businesses fill the PrestonRoyal Shopping Center.
MOVIE REVIEW
BIG SHOES TO FILL
“Eliana, you have to watch this movie—Netflix is basically dedicating it to you.” I received at least nine variations of that text on Sept. 13 when the Netflix flick “Tall Girl” debuted. Like the film’s protagonist Jodi Kreyman—played by newcomer Ava Michelle— I am 6-feet-1-inch Netflix Teen Movie Genre Review continued p. 08
A car tossed by the tornado blocks an entrance to a Preston Hollow home.
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Extra coverage of tornado aftermath and early holiday features
SEX ED THAT MAKES SENSE
ABSTINENCE-ONLY KEEPS TEENS UNINFORMED
The movie “Mean Girls” exaggerates many h igh school exper iences wh i le resonating with the tr uth. Un for tunately, the quote “Don’t have sex, because you wi l l get pregnant and die” resonates too much with the state of sex education in A mer ica. Stop Abstaining from Comprehensive Sex Education continued p. 21
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
FINDING THEIR PORPOISE Marine Biology Lab offers new opportunities to biology students in Woods Hole, Mass.
YOUR WORLD TODAY Impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump brings witnesses and evidence into public eye
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photo by Eugene Seong
NEWS
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4F O U R C A S T
Tracy Walder, Upper School Spycraft Teacher, advises Isabel Chavez on details about her podcast about national security and foreign policy.
ISpy something informative
Tracy Walder’s Spycraft class creates podcasts for nationwide audience by Kate Woodhouse• Managing Editor
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very morning, some Hockaday girls jump into the car and instinctively turn on their favorite podcast. Little do they know that, on their drive to school, they can listen to a podcast made by their Hockaday classmates. Students in Spycraft: Espionage and Diplomatic Policy are producing a national security podcast for teens across the country. Upper School history teacher Tracy Walder, who teaches Spycraft, came up with the idea over the summer after she constantly listened to history podcasts in her car while her daughter was at swim lessons. Through a Hockaday grant, Walder visited the International Spy Museum and learned they produced a national security podcast. However, she noticed that the broadcast was geared toward an older audience. “There really wasn’t anything that appealed to a younger set,” Walder said. When Walder teaches national security events in her class, she makes PowerPoints like “Understanding ISIS” that break down the information on complicated issues in eight slides or less. With the class’s Spygirls podcast, Walder said she wanted to transfer this style of learning into an interactive medium that could be shared around the globe. “I thought, ‘Why couldn’t I parlay this into a podcast medium so that it could reach more people?” Walder said. Walder’s class podcast will reach more people than she even anticipated. During her summer at the International Spy Museum, she developed a close working relationship
with museum Education Directors, Lucy Stirn and Jaqueline Eyl, and also met Historian and Curator Vince Houghton, who runs the Spy Museum’s podcast SpyCast, which has roughly 20 million listeners. On a whim, Walder emailed and asked them to listen to Spygals and consider promoting it on the Spy Museum’s podcast. When they replied, the Spy Museum announced they would like to run Spycraft’s teencentered podcast in conjunction with their podcast geared toward older audiences. Senior Riyana Daulat said she loves the idea of Spygals, having a national base. “I think it is so cool that our podcast can have an impact not only in our school community but also in the broader community of the United States,” Daulat said. To begin the project, Walder assigned her students to listen to different podcasts to open a dialogue about what makes a good production. She then grouped the girls by their requests for topics related to national security or foreign policy and gave the teams time to research in class. The groups presented rough draft scripts to her, which she highly edited and returned to the students to improve before they recorded them. One requirement for the Spycraft podcasts was that each made claims
and provided evidence; Walder did not want her student to just narrate the events surrounding their topic. She said when audiences are able to agree or disagree with each episode, the podcast becomes more interesting and engaging. “I wanted it to have a question to it, like ‘What are you proving?’” Walder said. The topics students picked included bioterrorism in the United States, Venezuela’s travel advisory against America for the United States’ lack of gun control and the lack of preparedness for wars involving outer space. Senior Abby O’Brien and her partner chose to explore how the United States enabled the creation of international terrorist groups, specifically Al-Qaeda and ISIS. O’Brien wanted to research this topic after she heard about it briefly during her AP United States History class with Walder last year. “I feel like it’s a very interesting issue considering how the United States likes to distance itself from international terrorism and to paint things at the extremes, but we were directly involved in creating it,” O’Brien said. “We have been on the same side as [Al-Qaeda] in a couple of conflicts.” Daulat’s team wanted to explore the loss of masculinity in male supremacy groups. They focused on
“Having this be the first class ever at Hockaday to create a podcast, I really like knowing that we are paving the way for future students,”
Riyana Dault Senior
whether emasculation has caused an increase in violent attacks by male supremacists. “After reading an article in The New York Times a couple of months ago titled ‘The Boys Are not All Right’ written by Michael Ian Black, we were driven to further explore the topic of male supremacy,” Daulat said. The students began recording the week of Oct. 14 and are using an app called Anchor to record, edit and publish the broadcasts. Upper School Technology Integration Specialist Candace Townsley worked with Walder on the project and tried a few different podcasting apps before finalizing her decision. Townsley’s role is to help students produce successful podcasts and help them use Anchor to record and edit them. Even though podcasting pervades popular culture, Spygals is Hockaday’s first published podcast and one of the few scholastic podcasts across the country. “I know podcasting, even though it has been around a long time, a lot of schools don’t do it because of privacy issues,” Townsley said. To add another element of production to the podcasts, O’Brien created a jingle for Spygals. She began researching popular spy theme songs, focusing on the soundtrack from “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” and layered different instruments like bongos and bass to create a high energy theme song. “I want the listener to be engaged immediately,” O’Brien said. O’Brien and Daulat said they cannot wait for the podcasts to be released. “Having this be the first class at Hockaday to create podcasts, I really like knowing that we are paving the way for future students,” Daulat said.
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
NEWS
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FEMPWR Hockaday female empowerment group plans an influential year for young women in the school and larger community
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[FEMPWR’s forum] talked about the transition from high school to college to the work force, and how you can still maintain your voice throughout that whole process,”
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FEMPWR, p.5
Students join pros in UChicago program Marine Biology Lab experience offers unique opportunity by Kelsey Chen• Copy Editor
TIDBITS
photo by Dr. Katie Croft
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n just a few days, 20 students will be studying the development of embryos, observing genes functioning on a molecular level and working with various organisms at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. From Nov. 10-17, they will learn from professional researchers and gain handson laboratory experience. After receiving applications, Dean of Studies Dr. Barbara Fishel and biology teachers Dr. Katie Croft and Brandi Finazzo used a blind selection process to choose 20 students, giving priority to juniors and seniors. Junior Emily Stevenson was one of the students selected to attend. “Science has always been my favorite class, and I had a childhood obsession with marine animals,” Stevenson said. “I’m excited to see a bunch of species of animals that you normally only see in pictures.” The MBL, affiliated with the University of Chicago, is the site of numerous research collaborations with UChicago faculty. Some of its major focuses include cephalopod research, regenerative biology and adaptation of ecosystems in the face of global change. Although the MBL had previously only offered programs for professional researchers, graduate students and undergrads, it started offering courses for local high school students in 2017. Eugene McDermott Head of School Dr. Karen Warren Coleman then connected with MBL to set up a partnership with the laboratory. “They certainly thrive on having people on site who are curious, insatiable learners, and that’s who I know our girls are,” Coleman said. “I think the more Hockaday can do to introduce experiential opportunities, the better, but I want to make sure that anything that
Dr. Barbara Fishel, Brandi Finazzo and Dr. Coleman explore the Marine Biology Lab in Woods Hole, Mass.
we do is commensurate with the quality of the Hockaday experience.” To preview the experience, Coleman, Fishel, Croft and Finazzo visited the lab last spring. “We just had a marvelous time. We stayed for two days, and it was busy, but we just never wanted to leave,” Fishel said. “Dr. Coleman was as excited as anyone, so we were determined to do whatever it would take [to offer Dean of the opportunity].” Thus began a long journey of reconciling Hockaday’s busy schedule with that of MBL. The laboratory also needed time to develop a course according to what the biology teachers wanted. “Everybody was
fully committed and on-board with us building in this awesome travel program,” Coleman said. “The biggest challenges are always figuring out all the details. The logistics are complex, but not insurmountable.” However, once the plan was set, the biology teachers said they were confident the experience would be worth it. “When I saw the wealth of the Sciences marine organisms that were there that we don’t have access to, it opened my mind to all of these possibilities,” Croft said. “For the students, I think it will open so many doors and possibilities for them, and take their minds in so
“Dr. Coleman was as excited as anyone, so we were determined to do whatever it would take [to offer the opportunity]. ” Dr. Barbara Fishel
many different directions.” In fact, Finazzo said she wishes she could take all of her anatomy students to the lab. “The whole time we were there in the spring I thought, ‘This connects to my classroom, this connects to anatomy and the embryology piece is exactly what we do in class,’” Finazzo said. “The mermaid’s purses, I mention them, but we don’t see them and we certainly don’t hold them, and these are all experiences that they can have that are hands-on.” The biology teachers will use this year’s experience to evaluate plans for next year. Fishel said she hopes that eventually, Hockaday students will be able to go to the MBL in the summer and work with biologists on a research project. “I think it’s important to note that this is the first step to a much broader experience for the student body,” Finazzo said. “It’s evolving, to use a science term. It’s a work in progress, but we’re excited about every step.”
AND TALES
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1 Take a Trip to 1776
St. Mark’s and Hockaday students performed the musical “1776” at Northpark Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. The ticket price was up to the buyer to raise money for Austin Street Homeless Shelter.
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3 BOO!
Form IV celebrated Halloween Nov. 4, after the early college application deadline. Seniors in spooky costumes filled the Upper School hallways, all decorated according to the central theme of “Face your Fears.”
iGen
On Oct. 29, guest speaker and author Dr. Jean Twenge discussed Generation Z or IGen and how electronics have positively and negatively affected teenagers.
Trick or Treat?!
Students filled bags of leftover goodies from Halloween to donate to Hockaday’s annual Candy Drive Nov. 1. The candy will go to U.S. troops and to the Austin Street Shelter for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
photos provided by Julia Donovan and Hockaday website
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
4F O U R C A S T
With the announcement of a formal impeachment investigation, the Democratic and Republican parties face off.
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
iStock photo illustrationby wildpixel
Your World Today Impeachment inquir y brings witnesses, evidence into public eye by Shea Duffy • Jade Editor
H
ouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Sept. 24 that caused a divide between the political parties as well as among the U.S. population. In brief, the inquiry came as a response to a whistleblower complaint based on details of a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Over the phone, Trump pressured Zelenskiy to have Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son for corruption, the complaint alleged. This request came at a time when Ukraine was waiting for millions in military aid, leading critics to wonder if there was a ‘quid pro quo’ deal made using foreign aid as leverage. As more information has surfaced about the call and Trump’s actions, some government officials have cited a perceived an abuse of power as the White House worked to keep the call with Ukraine’s president a secret. Republicans and Democrats alike have responded to this polarizing situation. Upper School History Department Chair and U.S. Government teacher Kathryn Hodgkinson has viewed the impeachment inquiry as a teaching opportunity in her classes as well as an important topic of conversation within the Hockaday community. “In past years, we have covered impeachment later in the year,” Hodgkinson said. “As students began bringing in current events about the investigations, we altered the curriculum in order to bring in the concept of impeachment earlier in the year so we could have more timely and relevant conversations.” The impeachment inquiry is the first step in the impeachment process in which lawmakers and
“As students began bringing in current
events about the investigations, we altered the curriculum in order to bring in the concept of impeachment earlier in the year so we could have more timely and relevant conversations.” Kathryn Hodgkinson History Department Chair
six key committees have begun investigating whether Trump may have committed high crimes and misdemeanors. If lawmakers decide there is enough evidence to consider writing up articles of impeachment, then the inquiries could result in an impeachment trial. Impeachment is an often confused concept, as many people believe that impeaching a president automatically results in conviction. In reality, it is a process that can bring a president to trial over a charge of treason or another crime. This distinction is important to the timeline of Trump’s current situation. Senior Madeline Petrikas, who aligns with Democratic values, said the impeachment inquiry is long overdue. “Trump’s policies and actions have been blatantly and unapologetically racist, sexist and homophobic for the entirety of his presidency, and I am glad that there is valid evidence that reveals Trump’s true colors,” Petrikas said. On the other hand, junior Lauren Bailey, co-president of Hockaday’s Young Republicans Club, does not believe that Trump should be impeached. Instead, she said the impeachment inquiry is based on the Democratic party’s long-standing
desire to remove Trump from office and not on any wrongdoings. “I think it’s very possible that Trump could be impeached based on the Democratic House, but a slim chance that he will be convicted based on the Republican Senate,” Bailey said. “With that being said, I believe the impeachment inquiries are pretty gratuitous. Even Nancy Pelosi said herself that moving forward with impeachment is not a priority for America. If it is such a low probability that Trump would be convicted, Congress should shift their priorities away from something so improbable.” With the 2020 election on the horizon, the inquiry may foreshadow a new course for both parties. On one hand, Petrikas said even by highlighting one offense, more people, especially those who were
previously on the fence, will begin supporting Democratic candidates. “These impeachment inquiries alone have fueled the fire for the Democratic party going into the upcoming elections, especially as the party is hoping for a shift toward Democratic candidates in the general election,” Petrikas said. “Much of Trump’s presidency has been defined by mixed responses from both parties, so I think that impeachment inquiries, regardless of what happens, will influence the voters’ mindsets going into the 2020 election.” Bailey, though, said the inquiry may end up benefiting the president. “I think there is a good chance that this situation could lead Republicans fed up with this Democratic uproar to go to the polls in 2020 with Trump’s name on their ballot.”
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
FEMPWR:
THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
NEWS
Group plans to expand female empowerment activities
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by Anna Gum • Staff Writer
photo by Jessica Hooks
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his school year, female empowerment group FEMPWR is looking to host another forum and extend their outreach. Now that the group has had time to establish who they are and what they are striving to do, they plan to hold more events and establish their name even further. Seniors Sabrina Fearon, Emily Stephens, Bethany Vodicka, Gigi Spicer and Neelam Jivani are the five current members of the organization. The group has two sponsors, Director of Inclusion and Community Tresa Wilson and Upper School Counselor Jessica Hooks. Senior member Stephens said she wants more people in the Hockaday and Dallas community to be involved with FEMPWR. “I just really hope that we get taken more seriously as a group because we aren’t a club; we are under Ms. Wilson and Inclusion and Community,” Stephens said. To achieve this goal, the five seniors plan on shifting the forum’s structure to make it more interactive. Fearon said the forum will likely include an art showcase to display how artistic expression plays into feminism. “This year we want to make it more interactive, invite more people and have a bigger outreach,” Vodicka said. Apart from looking at artistic expression, FEMPWR members said they plan to focus on whatever topics become relevant as the year unfolds. “We’ll see how the news evolves this year and focus on those issues,” Fearon said. She said she hopes this will keep FEMPWR relatable and central to girls in the Dallas community. Whatever events take place this year, Hooks said that FEMPWR is all about the future. FEMPWR is already looking
FEWPWR hosted a forum in March discussing the female role as students transition beyond high school. toward the future by preparing for what the organization will look like after they graduate this spring. The five current student members of FEMPWR are seniors and as they approach graduation they are recruiting underclassmen into the organization. Fearon said she hopes the underclassmen will carry on the organization after she and her classmates graduate. The addition of underclassmen will also allow
“I just really hope that we get taken more seriously as a
group because we aren’t a club; we are under Ms. Wilson and Inclusion and Community,” Emily Stephens Senior
FEMPWR to execute more events than last year.
Last school year, the group held only one event and focused mainly on establishing themselves after the organization started in November of 2018. FEMPWR took shape after the five girls met with Wilson to create a place for girls in the Dallas community to have conversations about the problems they face as women. Hooks joined the group as a sponsor soon after. Hooks and Wilson helped support the girls as they organized their first event in March of 2018. FEMPWR organized a forum so that girls from schools in the Dallas community could
come and listen to guest speakers and have open discussions with people of different perspectives. They based the forum on the theme “From Your Bubble to the Outside World.” “It talked about the transition from high school to college to the work force, and how you can still maintain your voice throughout that whole process,” Fearon said. Hooks said the five girls took charge
of organizing the event and she and Wilson were mainly there to offer support, advocate for the group and help them think of the bigger picture. This year the group will be expanding on that forum with their new underclassmen to create more opportunities of all forms for meaningful discussions. “I’m really excited to see what we can accomplish this year,” Fearon said.
PLAN ON IT!
Ed Long Invitational Debate Nov. 9
Eat: It’s not about Food Fall Play Nov. 13-15
Dance Concert Nov. 20
photos provided by Hockaday website
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
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THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4FO U R C A S T BIG SHOES TO FILL Editor-in-Chief Eliana Goodman reviews new teen Netflix movie "Tall Girl."
RTS&LIFE
GREEK EATS Staff Writer Lea Whitley reviews Greek eatery CAVA.
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Sophomores Tukwa Ashan and Sydney Ghorayeb look at a piece of art displayed in the choir room during intermission at Coffeehouse.
photos taken by Victoria Gonzalez
Mixing It Up
Fine Arts continues to integrate visual, performing arts
by Libby Hill • Staff Writer
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ast year, the Upper School Fine Arts Board, led by Kate Short ‘19, decided to integrate Coffeehouse, an event where performing arts students perform in the auditorium, by creating an interactive experience that showcased visual art pieces as well. The board placed art pieces on the stage, around the performers, in the lobby and throughout the theater for the audience to see. This year’s Fine Arts Board Chair Lily Forbes wants to further the integration of fine arts during her time at Hockaday. “The fine arts department is unique, said Susan Sanders-Rosenberg, Visual Arts chair. "While the disciplines are related to each other because of shared aesthetic, elements of design and philosophical components, the means of execution or the varied media are specific to each." Changes made by the Upper School Fine Arts Board are an example of the efforts to collaborate between the fine arts disciplines. Every fine art form now has an elected representative on the board that advocates for them and brings their perspective to play, allowing the board to plan events to intertwine their disciplines. Every student is given a multitude of options to choose from for their Upper School fine art credit. Drama, tech theater, studio art, ceramics, choir, dance, debate, film, orchestra, private
instrument lessons and photography are just a few of the many options. While all of the fine arts are showcased throughout the year, the performing arts and visual arts rarely intertwine because of their different natures. Forbes said more students could learn about the different disciplines with collaboration. “Each fine art is very focused on its craft, and Hockaday students are so busy that there’s not always time to explore more than just one fine arts class,” Forbes said. The coffeehouse and dance events are allowing students to reach beyond their own arts experience to see other students’ work. During intermission, the audience got an opportunity to walk through all of the art pieces. There was also a screen in the choir room for audience members to watch films created by film students and watch Hockadance in the Lacerte
Family Black Box. The 2019-2020 Fine Arts Board worked to incorporate visual arts into its “Haunted Coffeehouse,” on Oct. 5, and plans to do the same throughout the rest of this year. Performing Arts Chair Beth Wortley praised the board’s effort in showcasing the arts across disciplines. “This coffeehouse was the most inclusive event to date to demonstrate all the various talents of our students in the fine arts department,” Wortley said. On top of traditional coffeehouse stage performances, like singing, dancing, improv and instrument performance, the board set up an art and photography gallery in the choir room, a table with the work of Vibrato and The Fourcast and a Hockadance improvisational performance in the Black Box. They even added an interactive
“In the 21st century, we are seeing a move towards cross-discipline, mixed/ multiple media pieces." Susan SandersRosenburg Visual Arts Chair
arts-and-crafts aspect for audience members to participate. Brown paper bags were spread out to decorate so the audience could fill them with candy as they went through each exhibit during intermission. This fall, Hockadance and the visual arts are collaborating for ART IN MOTION on Nov. 20. Advanced Studio Art and AP Studio Art students are designing costumes and sets for the dancers, drawing inspiration from important artists from the same time period as the dancers' music. Additionally, Sanders said she is educating the dancers about the featured visual artists. “I will be meeting with Hockaday dance students to give brief lectures on the artists that are being spotlighted as inspirational to the choreography of the dances (Matisse, Picasso, Laurencin, Chagall),” Sanders said. Additionally, the Middle School orchestra and choir concert on Dec. 5 will showcase the work of Middle School artists in the Lacerte Family Lobby to integrate the arts in the lower grades. Sanders said the Fine Arts department’s efforts to move forward and stay current will be upheld and improved upon. “In the 21st century, we are seeing a move towards cross-discipline, mixed/ multiple media pieces," Sanders said, "and Hockaday is very excited to be able to be proactive in supporting our students as they move in that direction."
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
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THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
ARTS & LIFE
SECONDHAND STEALS This issue's City Slicker travels to vintage stores and thrift stores for unique finds.
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I want to keep using art to impact other people's lives."
MIXING ART AND SERVICE, p.10
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
DIY Fall Food by Campbell Harris• Staff Writer
Ingredients:
Step 1:
Why go to your local coffee shop when you can make a Pumpkin Spice Latte in the comfort of your own home? In under 10 minutes, you can create this popular, delicious fall drink. With ingredients common in most homes, the recipe costs a fraction of the price of a classic Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.
2 cups milk 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like it 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for serving 1/2 cup strong hot coffee Whipped cream
Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Step 2: Heat until hot, but do not bring to a boil. Step 3: Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and the coffee.
SENIOR SWAG
Showing Senior Pride Everywhere Elly O'Brien sports a senior sticker on the rear window of her car. In this way, seniors can identify their fellow proud Hockaday seniors on the roads. The logo is unique not only to Hockaday but specifically to the class of 2020. “I stuck it on my car because, after 14 years of being here, I am proud to be a Hockaday senior,'' O'Brien said. Senior class president Menaka Naidu often reps her white senior rain jacket, in and out of school, but she said her favorite item is the simple key chain with the senior logo. These are just some of the wide range of senior items featuring the class logo. Sydney Geist, creator of the logo, said she loves wearing her senior merchandise. “I feel proud wearing my polo,” Geist said. “It’s my favorite one, and when I come home my mom asks me if I want my shirt washed so I can wear it again.”
Step 4:
Step 5:
Divide the mixture between mugs.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Class of 2020, closer than any, has kicked off the year, decked out in their unique senior garb. By choosing a class logo, the seniors are able to flaunt their seniority not only throughout the halls but through all walks of life. From bucket hats to uniform polos and rain jackets to key chains, the senior class represents class pride every day. by Kate Clark •News Editor
The History of the Design Creator, collaborator and tech wiz Geist used her artistic sense and classmates’ input to design the 2020 logo. She is not an amateur either, for she created the sophomore and junior form shirts as well as the ring day shirts. “They were all coming up to me and giving me ideas,” Geist said. “I tried to take everyone’s input.” With the help and input of her peers, Geist designed and submitted seven logo ideas that were put to a vote by the senior class. In the end, one of her designs won the popular vote among the seniors. Finally, to create the design, Geist used an app called Gimp, allowing her to hand-draw on a Wacom Bamboo Tablet that transfers her writing into a digital format. From there she was able to smooth out her design and insert different color combinations. “It was a lot of work,” Geist said, “but it’s definitely weird seeing everyone wearing it and seeing it in the halls. I feel special.”
Through the Seasons Texas weather has been unpredictable, one day cold, the next humid and the next sunny. Luckily, senior merch is ready to tackle every season. Not only are seniors loving the fashion statement of being a senior, but the items are actually helping them out. Larissa Batta and Raja Naidu, the logo moms, sent out a survey to determine exactly what the girls would want to buy. On ring day, the moms revealed a catalogue of all the merchandise available for purchase. Ranging from rain jackets to sweatshirts, baseball caps and water bottles, these items are able to protect seniors from all of Texas’ crazy weather: rain, sun, cold or heat. Throughout this crazy weather, the seniors have been able to wear all of their senior gear at school because it is all school uniform approved. Thanks to seniors’ fashion, the girls are ready for every season.
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4FO U R C A S T
Tried & True
Reviews of new books, movies, podcasts and trendy restaurants
Big Shoes to Fill
'Tall Girls' part of growing Netflix teen movie trend
“Eliana, you have to watch this movie— Netflix is basically dedicating it to you.” I received at least nine variations of that text on Sept. 13 when the Netflix flick “Tall Girl” debuted. Like the film’s protagonist Jodi Kreyman—played by newcomer Ava Michelle— I am 6-feet-1-inch tall. I have always been in the backcenter-spot in class photos and have even had my bones x-rayed as a child to make sure nothing was wrong with my fast-paced growth. I felt excited to have a relatable main character and a new rom-com to watch. I had low hopes for the film as soon as I saw the trailer. What was clearly intended to be an uplifting movie about finding your inner beauty ended up recycling a bunch of corny-romance clichés and executing them poorly. To start off, the cast was an amalgamation of overused romantic
comedy character tropes: the quiet and insecure Jodi; the best friend who Jodi drops once she gains popularity; the nerdy neighbor who is hopelessly in love with his best friend; the fairy-godmother sister; and the objectively-attractive-yet-boring guy.
The plot is equally unoriginal. Jodi’s issues seem mundane and her choices are predictable. As someone who has struggled with insecurities over her height, I wish this movie could have been a helpful tool for younger girls. Alas, the movie has really only gained fame out of irony. The most famous line from the script— “ You think your life is hard? I’m a high school junior wearing
size 13 Nikes. Men’s size 13 Nikes” —has become a viral meme. In my eyes, this movie had big shoes to fill (size 13 Nikes to be exact). But with a combination of poorly designed characters, a predictable plotline and the over-dramatization of seemingly banal issues, “Tall Girl” fell short. This movie caused me to ponder the corny Netflix original teen movies released over the past few years. In fact, I think Netflix has created its own movie genre. From “To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” to “The Kissing Booth,” to ‘“The Perfect Date,” to “Set it Up,” I have spent a LOT of time watching these movies. Although I think that “The Kissing Booth” romanticizes a violent male lead and “The Perfect Date” has a somewhat demeaning premise, these movies are undeniably loved and have brought people together. I’ve heard conversations about
PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMDB
by Eliana Goodman• Editor in Chief
the relatability of the characters and I’ve seen many people become fans of Yakult, a Japanese yogurt drink that is a staple in “To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” I would be a liar if I said I didn’t like these movies, but I would be a bigger liar if I said I wouldn’t a new one. Despite all its shortcomings, I genuinely appreciate the Netflix teen romance genre for creating feel-good flicks that bring viewers together.
OTHER NETFLIX TEEN CLASSICS
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
The Perfect Date (2019)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2019)
The Kissing Booth (2018)
Set It Up (2018) photos provided by Netflix Entertainment
Pony Sells Out by Sahasra Chigurupati • Views Editor
If you want to listen to EDM music, try Skrillex, not Rex Orange County. Expecting to listen to some indie-pop music, I was instead met with music that depicted the image of a sell-out. Rex Orange County’s new music is far from that of his SoundCloud days, before he was discovered by Tyler the Creator. His
PHOTO PROVIDED BY COMMONS WIKIMEDIA
new album Pony, struggles to reach the level of authenticity that his previous EPs had presented. The album starts out with “10/10,” which doesn’t leave much hope for the rest of the album. Rather than stick to the indie authentic roots that propelled him to fame, Rex decided to appeal to the masses. The one song that is tolerable is “Pony Projector,” in which glimpses of the old Rex peek through. Rex sends the listeners to a more innocent
sound, instead of a more mature one. His attempts to connect with teens today fall short because of the album’s inauthenticity. The last song of the album epitomizes the essence of the album. “It’s Not the Same Anymore'' is not a ballad, but a list of grievances that is full of whiney noises complaining how about how Rex wishes things could be
different. It’s a long way from the lowkey beats and simple lyrics of “Bcos You Will Never be Free” the album that sent Rex into the pop stratosphere. Pony resembles none of the grittiness seen in his first album; its sounds are that of rainbows and sunshine. Pony is Rex’s metamorphosis into a moth. He is disappointing his original fans in exactly the same way as Panic at the Disco!’s fans were disappointed when they found out Brendan Urie was collaborating with Taylor Swift. Ultimately Rex is crossing the line from indie-pop to pop, a genre jump that targets a different audience. Fans who once found solace in Rex’s music no longer are able to find that same originality. His new album blends into the mainstream pop music. Old Rex fans look no further, truly, because you will only be disappointed. Pony exists, but we are able to ignore the existence and continue to listen to the Rex that we fell in love with. Pony is ultimately the natural progression for an indie artist, and selling out falls intro the trope that most indie artists try to avoid at first.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY AWAL
New Rex Orange County album disappoints
REX ORANGE COUNTY'S TOP HITS
1. “Loving Is Easy" 2. “Best Friend" 3. "Sunflower" 4. "10/10" 5. "New House"
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photo provided by Lea Whitley
Craving good Greek food?
Give CAVA a Chance
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by Lea Whitley•Staff Writer
alk ing along row of busy shops at Legacy West, I stopped in front of a smaller eatery with the name CAVA spelled boldly on the awning. Having not heard much of this restaurant, I was unsure of exactly what to expect. I opened the door and a strong smell of cumin immediately invigorated my senses. The atmosphere was bright, clean and inviting. Standing in front of the counter, I noticed an array of foods: greens, grains, spreads, proteins and dressings. Behind the assembly line, I could see employees grilling proteins and preparing sides. The ordering process was quick and simple. Beginning with the base, I chose the greens and grains option. I then moved to the array of dips and spreads, selecting classic hummus and tzatziki. A variety of protein options stood before me: grilled chicken, spicy lamb meatballs, falafel, roasted vegetables and more. Although I was
FROM THE FOURCAST
KITCHEN
whisk by Peter Williams
offered two protein options, I chose the grilled chicken. The hardest part was next. A fresh selection of Greek toppings was laid out for my choosing. After moments of internal debating, I loaded my bowl with a seasoned tomato and onion salad, diced cucumber, crumbled feta and a mouthwatering pita on the side. The restaurant also had a large assortment of fountain drink options. At first, I tried the beet lemonade, but it had too much of a dirt taste for my
liking. I then tested the apple, cinnamon and vanilla juice. I loved this one because it tasted like an iced apple cider with a slight vanilla kick. I sat down and admired the bright and aromatic bowl. I took my first bite and immediately knew I’d be coming here often. The ingredients in the bowl mixed effortlessly, making the perfect hybrid of Greek cuisine.
The chicken was seasoned skillfully, creating a burst of flavor without the spice overpowering other ingredients. My dad tried the spicy lamb meatballs and was very pleased with them as well. The greens, grains and vegetables accompanied everything well and were clearly very fresh and high quality. Tying the bowl together perfectly, the hummus and tzatziki added an extra burst of delicious greek flavor. Last but certainly not least was the pita. Once again, CAVA exceeded my expectations . The pita was fluffy and subtly seasoned, making it perfect to use with the leftover spreads and dressing. Although the Legacy West location in Plano is about a 30-minute drive from my house, a more convenient location will be opening in Uptown on McKinney Avenue very soon. I would highly recommend CAVA to anyone who loves fresh and flavorful Greek foods. The menu is open to anyone with dietary restrictions, so no worries if you are vegan, vegetarian or just trying to eat clean. I will definitely be returning to CAVA for more delicious bowls and cannot wait for the Uptown location to open.
Staff Writer Lea Whitley's Recipe for Simply Delicious Hummus Ingredients:
Directions:
1 29 ounce can of garbanzo beans ½ cup of unsweetened tahini ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil Juice of 2 lemons 1-2 cloves of garlic 1 tsp of salt
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and turn to a medium speed. Adjust the speed as needed until texture is creamy. 2. Add water if you feel necessary for the texture. 3. Once finished blending, pour into serving container and enjoy with your favorite veggies or pita chips.
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
Impactful Art
An Interview With Resident Artist Kylee Hong by Sasha Schwimmer • Staff Writer
Junior Kylee Hong uses her artistic talent to help the Dallasarea community. Hong has had a passion for art for as long as she can remember. Recently she has found a way to channel her artistic capabilities into an even more powerful form to serve and impact the community.
What projects have you completed, and what projects are you working on? Last year, I worked with Mrs.Day and students from Hockaday and Thomas Jefferson High School to plan the interior design of the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center, a shelter that offers support, housing and residential services for homeless youth in DISD high schools. In September, United to Learn commissioned me and Oscar, a student from Thomas Jefferson, to paint designs on a 3D-printed skull for the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. We just finished the project, and I am looking forward to seeing it displayed at the Perot Museum very shortly. Currently I am working on art panels for the doors and walls of Fannie C. Harris.
Comic Relief
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4FOU R C A S T
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Happy Fall From The Fourcast by Kylee Hong • Staff Artist
How did you get the inspiration to combine your passion for art and community service? My first project at Fannie C. Harris made me realize that it is more than possible to use my passions for impactful reasons. The intersection of art and community service is impactful and fun.
What do you see for your projects in the future? I want to keep using art to impact other people’s lives. I hope that eventually my art will grow to impact people beyond the Dallas community. To achieve this goal, it would be great for my art to have more visibility so that it could impact more people. Additionally, I would want to get more volunteers from all around Dallas.
How can others become involved in your projects? I could always use more volunteers! Sometimes opportunities to help with this project are listed on MobileServe, and students can easily sign up there. I am working on getting more dates for the project on MobileServe, but in the meantime everyone is welcome and encouraged to reach out to me via text or email to get involved in these projects. Volunteers come after school on Wednesdays and fill in the outline I created for the panels. Volunteers can help out regardless of how talented they are at art. Being a stress reliever and a fun project, it is a great way to get in community service hours! For people who may not have time to help out, they can follow the progress of the projects on my art Instagram page: @kylee.__.art.
IN THE POP CULTURE WORLD College Bribery update According to NPR, actress Felicity Huffman was released after serving 11 days of a 14-day sentence in a northern California federal prison after being involved in a large-scale college admissions scandal this year. Huffman pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud after reportedly paying $15,000 for her daughter’s SAT score to be falsified. NPR reported that was released Oct 25. She will now continue the rest of her sentence, with includes being fined $30,000, completing 250 hours of community service and spending one year on probation.
TikTok Trouble According to CNBC, the U.S. government has started an investigation into Bytedance, the company that owns TikTok. Some lawmakers support the investigation due to fears that ByteDance may be used by the Chinese Communist Party to further censorship outside of China. Because of China’s internal censorship laws, the company censors its content within its home country, but this may extend to other countries as well. This investigation will prove important due to the app’s popularity. According to the Washington Post, TikTok has been installed 1.4 billion times worldwide and 120 million times in the United States.
Hocus Pocus Sequel in the Works Disney announced last month the 1993 Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus” will return for a sequel. Stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy have agreed to return in some capacity for the sequel, which is still in early stages of production. No release date has been announced, but the sequel will air on Disney’s new streaming platform, Disney+, which will launch on Nov. 12. No plot has been announced yet, but the movie script is set to be written by Jen D’Angelo, writer and co-producer of the TV show “Workaholics.”
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SLICKER 1
5 SECONDHAND STEALS by Niamh McKinney • Arts & Life Editor
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While shopping centers such as Northpark, Mockingbird Station and Inwood Village call to Dallas shoppers, the city also has lots of choices for shoppers seeking second hand gems, whether it is a vintage store or a traditional thrift store. Vintage stores like Dolly Python and Gratitude may have high prices considering the pieces’ second hand status, but they hold rare finds from high-end brands and a more curated selection. However, more traditional thrift stores like Garland Road Thrift have significant deals, if you are willing to spend more time searching through the racks or willing to make alterations. It can also feel more rewarding to find a good item for cheap. Whichever type of store you choose, you are bound to find something to add to your wardrobe.
1. Uptown Find Gratitude 3613 Fairmont St Dallas, TX 75219
2. Hangers of Hope White Rock Center of Hope 10021 Garland Rd Dallas, TX 75218
3. Perfect Python Dolly Python 1916 N Haskell Ave Dallas, TX 75204
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4. Great on Garland Road Garland Road Thrift Store 10030 Garland Rd Dallas, TX 75218
5. Cheap Thrills
Casa View Thrift 2303 Gus Thomasson Rd Dallas, TX 75228
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
4F O U R C A S T
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
After the Tornado: How Hockada
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relentless storm bulldozed North Dallas Oct. 20 on a not-so-average Sunday night. Ten tornadoes were reported to have hit Dallas-Fort Worth that night, damaging the houses of Hockaday students, the St. Mark’s School of Texas and schools in the Dallas Independent School District. Dallasites, however, did not let the destruction hold them back; they united to help their neighbors affected by the tornadoes.
Homes Destroyed
Ava Franklin, Juliana Blazek, Margaret Woodberry and Riya Malhotra were among those who experienced damage to their homes that night. With 16 broken windows, a tree through her roof, glass embedded in the carpet, dirt spread across the walls and a leaking roof, junior Riya Malhotra’s house was devastated. “Every time I go home I feel so scared,” Malhotra said. Shaking in her safe closet beneath her stairs, Malhotra felt the air pressure change as the tornado crashed through her home. “I could feel my eardrums hurting and the air pressure changing,” Malhotra said. “And on top of that, I could hear glass breaking, and things were moving.” Freshman Juliana Blazek experienced similar trauma that Sunday night. “When we were in the hiding spot, we heard everything going on and stuff crashing through the walls,” Blazek said. “And after a couple of minutes, it was just silent.” The tornado damaged houses, schools, trees and power lines. Whipping through Malhotra’s house in a brief 54 seconds, the tornado resulted in an estimated six months of repair. Senior Margaret Woodberry said she was unsure about the validity of the tornado warning until objects started smacking her windows. “We thought it was hail,” Woodberry said, “but then the front door started sucking in and out, and my mom yelled ‘tornado.’” Unable to stay in their homes after the storm, all four families left to seek shelter. However, as they left, they were unaware of the severity of the damage. In fact, the roar of the wind and the sounds of windows breaking that sophomore Ava Franklin heard were the sounds of the tornado demolishing 70 percent of her family’s house. “When we left in the dark, I couldn’t really see what had happened, but I saw my house on the news the next morning,” Franklin said. “I didn’t recognize it.”
Traffic Troubles
Fallen trees and powerlines hang into streets as Dallas residents attempt to navigate the accident-prone traffic as a part of their commute. Traffic stands still down streets covered with stopped cars and anxious drivers. Policemen attempt to guide the oncoming traffic but struggle with the many cars attempting to examine the damage in different neighborhoods. As a result of the tornados, residents had trouble navigating the streets and neighborhoods of Dallas. In particular, Preston Hollow and North Dallas had the most congestion due to the many streets blocked off by police or shut down because of obstacles. All roads going north and southbound through Preston Hollow were closed in the days following the tornado, making travel through the neighborhood difficult. For the students and teachers who get to Hockaday through these streets, the commute got increasingly difficult. Junior Emily Vargas normally has a 45-minute commute to school, which was increased by a couple of hours as a result of the tornado traffic. “On Tuesday last week, I got to school at 9:15,” Vargas said. “My mom wasn’t able to pick me up after school until 7:45, and I got home at 8:45.” Sophomore Leena Mehendale also experienced increased travel times following the storms, as many streets surrounding her house were inaccessible, causing her to have to drive in circles in order to find an open route. “At the beginning of last week, it took me about an hour and 10 minutes to get to school in the morning, whereas it normally takes me about 10 to 15 minutes,” Mehendale said. Some students started taking smaller neighborhood streets to get to school until Oct. 23, when Dallas created police checkpoints in certain Preston Hollow neighborhoods to keep cars out except for residents and repair people. As the week continued, the optional routes became limited as more streets and neighborhoods closed. As roads are becoming more accessible, the traffic is lessening and commute times are decreasing again. 1. Sample House at the Preston Royal shopping center stands decimated “The traffic has definitely gotten better,” Vargas said. “There is still after the tornado. photo by Campbell Harris some congestion the closer I get to school, but nothing like [the week 2. Hicks Gym at St. Mark’s School of Texas sustained the most damage following the tornado].” on the campus and has to be completely rebuilt. photo by Shea Duffy Private School Power Outages 3. Gazeebo Burger at the Preson Royal shopping center experienced a Private schools in the Dallas area suffered damages to their campuses, fallen awning and damage to its trees. photo by Campbell Harris as well as power outages. 4. The gymnasium at Burnet Elementary remains unusable for the rest of The most damage occurred at the St. Mark’s School of Texas. The the school year due to roof and water damage. photo by Kate Clark damages include the collapse of Hicks Gym, lost paneling on Winn Bell 5. Seniors Celese Gierhart and Ellie Estes write letters to Burnet Tower, damaged tennis courts and totaled busses. St. Mark’s students Elementary teachers to thank them for their hard work in supporting their were out of school for one and a half weeks, finally returning to a normal students after the tornado. photo by Sally Hudspeth schedule on Oct. 30. However, the school still remains without gas lines to 6. Trees cover the southwest corner of the Preston Royal shopping center. provide heat for the school. The entire corner remains closed due to the damage sustained in the Ursuline Academy lost power on campus and remained out of school storm. photo by Campbell Harris until Oct. 28. At the Episcopal School of Dallas, the tornado caused fence and roof damage. Similar to Ursuline, a lack of power prevented students For more information on how to help those affected from returning to school until Oct. 25. However, with the help of students who volunteered to aid in the clean-up of the campus, the process of returning to by the tornado, scan this QR Code school was sped up. Hockaday did not experience any damage to its campus, so during
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INFOCUS
ay Has Handled the Devastation
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by The Fourcast Staff
this time of need Hockaday offered support both to academic and athletic programs for their neighboring schools. Hockaday opened up their field to the St. Mark’s football and ESD field hockey teams. Additionally, Hockaday hosted the Ursuline volleyball game while the school did not have power and stored the St. Mark’s crew boats on campus. Deb Surgi, Director of Athletics, has been focused for the past two weeks to helping any athletic needs for the Dallas private schools. “We’re an athletic community. Helping our brother and sister schools is the right thing to do, and it’s a privilege,” Surgi said. “I’m sorry it has taken this kind of event to have everyone pull together, but it shows you what everyone in our community is really made of. While there’s a lot of tragedy and devastation, we’re also experiencing a lot of grace.” Hockaday also has provided support for St. Mark’s seniors working on college applications, opening the 7/8 Commons to the seniors as a college counseling satellite office. St. Mark’s students were allowed to use the Upper School library for the time they could not return to their campus. Senior Jason Yoo said he appreciated the support from Hockaday and other schools in the time of hardship at St. Marks. “By Hockaday offering up their campus for our scholastic responsibilities, our sister-school confronted the issues as a collective, unified force,” Yoo said. “Thank you to Hockaday for the absurd amount of cookies.”
New Grading Policies
After the tornado Sunday evening, Upper School Head Lisa Culbertson and the administrative team immediately began talking about the feasibility of opening school Monday, evaluating the damage and brainstorming ways to proceed. Those who were able to traverse the roads and debris met on campus that night, and those who could not got on a call. “We had a tornado that hit. This was a big deal,” Culbertson said. “A lot of our families were in the zone, and we couldn’t do business as usual, that was clear,” Since the extent of the damage was unknown at the time, the administration canceled school on Monday to further discuss their next steps. Culbertson and the department chairs decided to limit schoolwork to the hours of the school day and keep the no-homework weekend in place. Sophomore Rebecca Hoffman said the plan came as a relief. She lives near St. Mark’s and was hiding in a bathroom with her family when the storm hit. “I feel like during the tornado what I was thinking about was my family’s safety, but also how I was going to handle the next week, and I felt very stressed,” Hoffman said. “And getting an email from Hockaday explaining that we would no longer have as many tests or any homework really alleviated that stress.” Because the tornado struck the final week of the quarter, the department heads and Culbertson decided to change the grading system to semesters to give the students and teachers more time to meet deadlines while supporting each other. “Everything that we’re doing for this semester, we’re looking at, ‘is this a good practice for us to keep?’ and if it is, we’ll keep that practice,” Culbertson said. “Other schools have done this already, so [we’re looking at] how other schools are handling it, and just making sure it’s in [the students’] best interest.” Sophomore Meredith Hallam was not directly impacted by the tornado, so the no-homework week allowed her to go out and help her community with her free time. “I went to an elementary school with other students,” Hallam said. “We played with the kids and helped the teachers clean up the classrooms because their gym was destroyed and they needed a new PE facility. And I definitely wouldn’t have had time to do that if I didn’t have a no homework week.”
How Hockaday Is Helping
Despite the scope of the devastation, the Hockaday community has found ways to help those affected by the tornados, both Hockaday families and those who attend other schools in the area. In addition to the limits on homework and free dress for students, Hockaday has provided restaurant gift cards and take-out meals to students and employees affected by the tornado so that they do not have to worry if they have nowhere to cook. Ownby Lobby now has 15 chargers and one printer for Hockaday families who could not use theirs at home. The school also has compiled a list of families affected and checked in with each of them to help fulfill any of their needs. Laura Day, director of the Institute for Social Impact, has led the effort for tornado relief, focusing on helping students and families at Hockaday’s partner schools in the Dallas Independent School District. “The Institute for Social Impact website has ongoing updated-every-hour links for things that people need in the community, so people have been buying stuff,” Day said. Different drives and relief funds, like United to Learn’s Community Relief Fund, have raised money to help families affected in DISD. Children’s coats donated to Hockaday’s Coat Drive will go to public schools to help those who lost their clothes in the storm. In addition, Hockaday students and employees have spent time volunteering at schools, aiding at relief centers and lending affected neighbors a hand. On Oct. 23, 20 students volunteered at Loos Field House, which housed Cigarroa, Pershing and Burnet Elementary Schools while the schools were closed. On Oct. 24 and 25, students aided teachers at Burnet Elementary by rearranging classroom space, moving boxes and playing soccer with students in gym class. Community Service Board Chair Gina Miele noted the impact Hockaday volunteers have had on relieving the pressure and stress from these educators. “The teachers and students with which the volunteers interacted really appreciated the support the Hockaday community provided,” Miele said. “Many of the students we served loved having us at their schools, and they kept asking if we could come back the next day to play with them.”
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THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4F O U R C A S T BOOMING BUSINESSES Alumnae share their stories of entrepreneurship and how going to Hockaday has helped them in the business world.
EATURES
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FACES AND PLACES Students and teachers describe the challenges and benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle.
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Cornerstones of Business Alumnae share their stories of success by Ava Berger • Sports Editor
The Real World – a daunting phrase Hockaday students have heard numerous times throughout their school career. The cliché haunts students as they imagine their future beyond plaid skirts. As scary as it may seem to live life without the Daisy, five alumnae share how Hockaday helped encourage and lead them to success in the real world.
“O,” put a “Ring” on it? In 2012, Janie Cooke ‘85 sat down with Caroline Nix, her future coowner and co-CEO of O-Venture, and discussed how they could make women’s lives easier. “We asked ourselves, ‘how can we fill a void in the marketplace?’ so we decided: let’s solve a problem,” Cooke said. “We knew that some of the best companies have solved a problem. We started brainstorming and making a list of problems we had, and we had both lost our keys that morning.” From there, Cooke and her business partner decided they needed something to keep their keys from getting lost in the flood of items in their bags and counter tops. “We thought if we could have a circle bracelet key ring that we could wear around our wrist, we could easily find them in the morning, and we would solve some of our own issues every day,” Cooke said. Since 2012, O-Venture has expanded to other products besides the Big O Key Ring, such as wallets and phone cases. The company runs through an e-commerce store but sells its products to 4,000 small boutiques worldwide, including in Japan, Canada and Mexico. “We didn’t think starting with a chain where you pop a product on a counter and people walk by was the right vehicle to market our product,” Cooke said. “We felt like our product was a word-of-mouth product. It was women telling other women about it.” Cooke said this business model came from her time in the Hockaday community. “The sisterhood of women is the culture we are trying to emulate,” Cooke said. “Our product is intended to help give women a hand, which is all in the spirit of Hockaday.” The O-Venture Big Key Ring was featured on Oprah’s Favorite things in 2014, and Cooke and Nix hope to continue to grow the business and adjust the product to continue to simplify women’s lives.
The Sauna that Keeps on Giving Lyle Scovell ‘97 opened a franchise of CYL Sauna Studio with her sister-in-law after hearing about it from friends in Nashville, Tenn., the franchise’s original location. “I tried it out, and I have a really bad hip and back, and I was just absolutely astonished at how good
it made me feel after one session,” Scovell said. “We started doing a lot of research about infrared technology, reading a lot of clinical research studies, and just trying to get an understanding of where it originated and its health benefits.” CYL is an infrared sauna studio focused on an increase in blood circulation and heart rate, she said. “Infrared light has the unique ability to penetrate human tissue and heat the body at the cellular level without causing damage,” Scovell said. “Therefore, infrared sauna gives the body a deep detoxification which Increases general health throughout.” After learning about CYL Sauna Studio, Scovell and her business partner decided they must open one in Dallas. Scovell said her success and ambition to open the business stemmed from Hockaday. “The way Hockaday teaches girls, pushes girls to think bigger, think more creatively, think more inclusively, the way it pushes girls so hard, is incredible preparation for life,” Scovell said.
Extraordinary Art Advisor Robyn Siegel ‘99 travels the world exploring art fairs in London, Berlin and Paris. Her work also takes her to the cultural hubs of the United States, New York and Los Angeles. Siegel is the Co-Owner of CCS Fine Art, founded by her mother in 2002. Siegel, who has been an art advisor for the company since 2007, described herself as a consultant for individuals or companies looking to create an art collection. “An art advisor entails that I help both individual private clients as well as companies,” Siegel said. “I identify art, build art collections or locate specific works by specific artists.” Siegel shifted the focus of CCS Fine Art to more emerging contemporary art as opposed to midcareer contemporary art. Siegel said her time at Swiss Semester, a semester program offered through Hockaday, was a key part in developing her business. “I went to Swiss Semester sophomore year, and I think experiencing what I was studying in class and experiencing first-hand, really left a big impression on me,” Siegel said. This first-hand experience shines through in her work with individual art collectors. “My favorite thing is working with individuals on their collections,” Siegel said. “Art is personal, and it’s a journey. The best way to learn more about art is to start looking.”
Planning the Perfect Party Katherine Bullock ’97 started Mathes and Co. Events, a fullservice event planning company,
photo provided by Janie Cook
Janie Cooke works at her desk and makes phone calls at O-Venture headquarters. after numerous internships and a foreshadowing superlative from her Hockaday classmates. “Actually, when I was graduating Hockaday, I was voted most likely to throw a party, and after I graduated I did several internships throughout college to find my path,” Bullock said. “One of my internships was at a law firm doing recruiting events, and through that I found my passion.” Bullock started the company in 2005. The company now plans 30 to 40 large-scale events each year and has been planning all of Hockaday’s events for nine years, including the Hockaday Centennial Celebration in 2013 and the annual benefit. The company’s biggest event in terms of attendees was a Fourth of July fireworks show with 4,000 people, although Bullock also runs multi-day events with similar numbers of visitors over the days. As sole owner, Bullock controls every aspect and all the management of the company. “My favorite part of owning my own company is getting to direct my own ship,” Bullock said. “I’ve had this company for 15 years, and it has evolved for 15 years. I am able to read the market and what’s going on in the world today, and what we should be doing to balance life and work.” Bullock credits Hockaday with giving her skills to start the business. “I think Hockaday gave me the confidence to start a business and be
an entrepreneur,” she said. “It also gave me the humility to ask for help.”
Juicing Up the World Julianna Smith 04’ decided to purchase a Nekter Juice Bar franchise to help her children lead healthy lifestyles, as well as spread her passion to others. “I went there because it was the only way to get my kids to eat greens and enjoy it,” Smith said. “As an endurance athlete and marathoner, I am passionate about living a healthy life and making sure my kids develop healthy habits as well.” Nekter Juice Bar was started by Steve and Alexis Schulze in Costa Mesa, California. In 2014, Smith reached out to corporate in California and purchased a franchise with her father, Mike LaFerny, and husband, Robert Smith. Smith and her partners were the first to introduce the business to the DFW region. They now own the Nekter Juice Bars in Preston Center, Snider Plaza, Plano (Park and Preston) and Southlake. Smith said Hockaday allowed her to seize the opportunity and become a part of the growing franchise. “I think Hockaday teaches you that you can go out and do anything you want to do,” she said. “I saw an opportunity in the Dallas market, and I knew I could turn the store around and improve the customer service.”
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FEATURES
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MENAKA NAIDU Follow senior Menaka Naidu, Student Council President, in her day full of classes, StuCo meetings and volleyball.
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Yoga helps my outlook on the world; it helps me to go inside myself from time to time.”
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STRETCHING TOWARD SUCCESS, p.17
Faces & Places by Lacy Green • Staff Writer
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1.Sage’s salad bar includes vegan options for students and teachers at lunch. 2. Sage’s quinoa salad is one option for vegans. 3. Lindsay Heusinger, a former vegan, chats with her classmates during Advisory. 4. Upper School math teacher Rachel Grabow enjoys a vegan meal from the Sage salad bar. photos by Erin Parolisi. Lacy Green and Kendall Marchant
ith her physical health and the health of the planet in mind, sophomore Lindsay Heusinger attempted a vegan diet. After a short time, however, Heusinger realized veganism was not for her. “There weren’t enough options for me, and I found that it was very hard to pick substantial amounts of food while maintaining a vegan lifestyle,” she said. Vegans do not eat or use animal products. They hope not only to increase their physical health through reduced risks of heart disease and obesity but also to help the environment. By not consuming animal products, vegans aim to reduce energy consumption related to raising livestock. Heusinger said one reason for her struggle in the pursuit of a vegan diet was the limited selections provided by the school’s dining service, Sage. Heusinger also struggled at home trying to make vegan meals from the ingredients she had access to at her house. Senior Sabrina Fearon, who began following a vegan diet at the beginning of the school year, also noticed the lack of vegan options provided by Sage. She took it into her own hands to reach out to Sage and request that more options be presented to those with dietary requests and restrictions. “The options have been getting better,” Fearon said. Fearon said she chose to change her diet because of environmental and ethical choices. Although she is encouraged by how positively veganism affects her health and the Earth, Fearon said she encounters minor setbacks due to her dietary restrictions. “If you go out to eat at places with your friends that don’t have any vegan options, you have to bring your own food or just wait until you get home,” she said. She said eating out is the hardest part of being vegan. One restaurant she recommends for vegans or anyone wishing to experience tasty vegan food is V-Eats, located in Downtown Dallas. Although Fearon said she has been successful at following a vegan diet, she understands it is not possible for everyone. “Talk to your family and the people in your life to make sure that you will always have options, and see how they’re willing to help integrate it into what you have been doing in the past,” Fearon said. Another member of the Hockaday community who transitioned to a vegan lifestyle is Rachel Grabow, Upper School math teacher. Grabow said she eased into her diet by first becoming vegetarian in high school after reading “The China Study.” The book discusses the health implications of eating animal products and how they interact on the cellular level with cancerous cells. Grabow sometimes struggles with finding options to eat while at school, like other vegans in the Hockaday community. She said she uses the vegan filter when looking at the menu to identify her lunch options, some days only finding hummus and the salad bar as options. Drawing on her experience restricting her diet in high school, Grabow offers advice for those who would like to pursue veganism. “Educate yourself, plan ahead and read labels,” Grabow said. “It is very doable, but you just have to be prepared.”
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4F O U R C A S T
A Day in the Life of
Menaka Naidu Having attended Hockaday since fifth grade, Student Council President Menaka Naidu served as vice president during her sophomore and junior years on her Form Student Council. Outside of the school day, Naidu plays on the varsity volleyball team and works to plan and organize Student Council events.
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Rise & Grind!
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7:00 A.M. WAKE UP | Naidu gets up for school between 7:00-7:30 a.m most mornings and spends time getting ready. She usually grabs an apple or banana for a quick breakfast on her way out the door. Depending on traffic, it takes Naidu about five to 10 minutes to get to school.
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8:00 A.M. ARRIVAL AT HOCKADAY | If she does not have too much school work to get done, Naidu usually arrives at school around 8 a.m. She spends her extra time before classes working on homework, studying or planning ahead for any meetings she has that day.
2:30 P.M. LAST PERIOD | For D period, Naidu has “Before Me Too: Literature as Protest”. In this class Naidu and her classmates study how women have used literature over the years to respond to the unbalanced power dynamic between men and women. On even days when she has Y period, she usually spends her time working on homework or attending the full Student Council meetings in the boardroom of the LLARC from 2:40-3:20.
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8:30 A.M. FIRST PERIOD | On odd days, Naidu has A period free and likes to spend that time responding to emails or finishing any Student Council work. This typically includes editing or updating the OnCampus page and making agendas for upcoming meetings. Additionally, she often stops by Assistant Head of School Joni Palmer’s office to talk about StuCo initiatives. On even days, Naidu’s first-period class is AP Calculus BC.
1:10 P.M. THIRD PERIOD | Naidu has Microbiology C period on odd days and has a College Application Period (CAP) during G period on even days. During CAP, she meets with her college counselor and works on her applications, or she uses it as a free period to work on some of her schoolwork. If it is a Day 2 when there is a larger StuCo meeting, she will use the last 20 minutes to prepare for the meeting and ask Mrs. Palmer or any sponsors lastminute questions.
4:15 P.M. VOLLEYBALL | After school, Naidu has varsity volleyball practice until 6:15. For the first 30 minutes, the team has conditioning in the Fitness Center; then, they spend the rest of the time in the gym. Once she gets home, Naidu works on homework and studies for any upcoming assignments.
9:50 A.M. ADVISORY | Naidu is a member of the Blevins advisory where she and her fellow advisees hang out, talk about their day and enjoy snacks.
Goodbye!
12:20 P.M. LUNCH | Most days, Naidu enjoys lunch with her friends. Every Day 5, she has an Executive Student Council lunch meeting where she plans with other members for their larger meetings on Day 2 during Y period.
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Afternoon fuel
10:20 A.M. 11:40 A.M. CONFERENCE | With her free time before lunch, Naidu works on homework or sometimes has StuCo meetings.
photos by Elisa Carroll
SECOND PERIOD | On odd days Naidu has Spanish in the Barrio as her B period class, and on even days she has AP Biology F period.
by Elisa Carroll • Staff Writer
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
photo provided by Pheobe Sanders
FEATURES
Stretching Toward Success
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Sanders demonstrates her yoga poses and skills.
Senior Phoebe Sanders goes from student to teacher at Black Swan Yoga
by Maddie Stout • Staff Writer
On Sunday afternoons, rather than finishing up her homework or frantically cramming for a test the next day, senior Phoebe Sanders is at Black Swan Yoga. But she’s not just attending a class — she’s the one teaching it. Sanders, who became a yoga instructor over the summer, started practicing yoga at the age of 6 with her mom, Visual Arts Chair Susan Sanders-Rosenberg, by going to parts of her Bikram yoga classes. She only habitually began attending classes at the beginning of her junior year. Sanders is a frequent patron of Black Swan, a donation-based studio with locations across Texas. The studio, which promotes a community-focused, down-to-earth yoga experience, appealed to Sanders not only because of its close location to her house but also because of the people there. “I was really attracted to the whole studio and its philosophy,” Sanders said. “It had such a magnetic, galvanized community.”
BOARDER
“Yoga helps my outlook on the world; it helps me to go inside myself from time to time.” Phoebe Sanders
After a few months of regularly attending classes, Sanders began to notice not only the physical benefits of the classes but also the impact they had on her mindfulness and the improvements to her mental health. “Yoga helps my outlook on the world, and it helps me to go inside myself from time to time,” Sanders said. Sanders first decided she wanted to teach classes of her own after she recognized how much she enjoyed them and the high level of dedication she had towards yoga. However, after beginning the 200-hour long certification course at the start of the summer, she realized that her true motives had nothing to do
with herself. “For me, it was an opportunity to serve other people in the way that yoga teachers who have helped me grow did,” Sanders said. The course to become a teacher took Sanders a month over the summer, as she trained around 10 hours each day at the studio on topics ranging from physical practices to the history of yoga, teaching skills and self-reflection. Sanders now uses these tools when writing the sequences for her own classes, which are at 2:30 every Sunday, and considering the intentions behind each aspect of her class. She tries to visit the studio every day
and often attends other classes besides her with friends. Senior Ellie Estes has accompanied Sanders on her yoga journey, and said Sanders makes an ideal instructor because of her ability to speak clearly and softly while still persuading others to worker harder. “She creates a comforting environment to practice yoga and try new things,” Estes said. Junior Zoe Cote also attended Sanders’ first class on Oct. 6 and said Sanders was well-prepared for her first venture into teaching. “They say the hardest part about teaching is giving instructions ahead of time and keeping that rhythm within the class, and Phoebe somehow did it perfectly on her first try,” Cote said. As a whole, Sanders said the best thing about yoga is its malleability, and she appreciates that it can take many different forms. “Yoga doesn’t have to look like one specific thing,” Sanders said. “It’s really just about giving yourself space to evolve.”
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BOARDING BONDING
●●● What was the transition to Hockaday boarding like? Natalie Yan: It was pretty hard at first because it was my first time away from home for so long. I couldn’t see my parents for like four months, but the dorm moms and my peers are really nice so it got better.
What is your favorite part about Hockaday boarding?
Cute Creations
Sophomores Rachel Jan and Angela Yuan were assigned as roommates this year and are loving their time together. The two girls recently started a fun and original tradition. Every time Jan leaves for an overnight trip, she makes a paper crane for Yuan. So far she has made three paper cranes, which
Yuan displays on her headboard.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Natalie Yan: The facilities are really nice. Our rooms are really well air-conditioned, the beds are really comfy and the bathrooms are pretty nice.” photos by Olivia Garcia
by Olivia Garcia • Staff Writer
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
Sports
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4F O U R C A S T Foster(ing) New Unity in Basketball Learn about the new Varsity Basketball coach, Melanie HornFoster and the changes she will implement during the 2019-20 basketball season.
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Cheering for the Home Team Cheerleaders turn the tide and agree to cheer at Hockaday pep rallies further uniting all aspects of athletics.
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Foster(ing) Unity in Basketball Team welcomes new coach, expanded goals for upcoming season by Erin Parolisi• Features Editor
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t’s SPC of 2019. The Varsity Basketball players dribble and shoot their hardest, but fall to The John Cooper School in a challenging game, losing a place in the Southern Preparatory Conference basketball rankings. Although the loss was disappointing, the basketball program persevered and has made changes to build the team from the ground up for this season. Coach Melanie Horn-Foster is being introduced as the new varsity basketball coach in hopes that she can build on the positive team culture that will unite the players on and off the courts. Foster previously coached Middle School basketball and volleyball at Hockaday and understands the sport and how Hockaday athletics operates. Noticing how Foster has assisted the athletics program and her passion for coaching, Director of Athletics Deb Surgi said Foster will mesh well with the basketball team. “I always want the best instructional leadership for any Hockaday team,” Surgi said. “I watched Coach Foster coach Middle School basketball, I’ve watched her in Middle School volleyball, I’ve watched her assist me in a myriad of other ways. I value her enthusiasm, her work ethic. I value her knowledge of basketball, but also her willingness to be a lifelong learner.” This love of learning is seen in Foster’s upcoming appointment with Kim Mulkey, Baylor University’s Women’s Basketball Coach, where she will observe Baylor’s basketball practice and have a one-on-one training session with Mulkey to learn different playing strategies and building team dynamics. This season Foster said she hopes to build the basketball program by making it enjoyable for the girls and creating a good environment for players to grow as athletes. “I want to teach playing with heart, playing with spirit, being excited to play for Hockaday, trust in the system, the program and the coaches, respect for one another and the different coaching styles that there are,” Foster said. “Just having a great experience for the girls, I want them to be able to love basketball as much as I do, so that is one of my goals to instill into the program.” Surgi said one of the athletic department’s main goals is to build a sense of community in the athletic program. This season, one of Surgi and Foster’s primary goals is to incorporate unity into the basketball program.
ONE TO WATCH
Halle Blend pursues greatness on the Hockaday Varsity Volleyball team and will continue her career in college. Q: What is your position in
volleyball? What age did you start playing? What caused you to fall in love with the sport?
A: I was 9 when I started playing
photo by Arushi Mukherjee
Melanie Horn-Foster, new Varsity Basketball coach, coaches the 8th grade basketball PE class while the students play knockout. Foster joined the Varsity Basketball coaching staff for the 2019-20 season alongside Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach, LaBoris Bean. The pair hope to advance the program with their new theme of unity and strong work ethic.
volleyball. I am a setter. I fell in love with being part of a team that works toward a collective goal. Volleyball is also so exciting every point to play and to watch.
Q: How do your teammates
push you to be a better player?
A: My Hockaday teammates Especially with the abundance of multi-sport athletes at Hockaday, Surgi said the Athletics Department wants to make basketball a sport that attracts athletes who play multiple sports. This growing sense of community on the basketball team has the potential to attract new players and make them feel welcome in the program, she said. “I think what I am looking for in a basketball program at Hockaday is positive team culture, culture that is going to build community around basketball, teach the fundamental game of basketball, draw students out,” Surgi said. “We have a lot of multi-sport athletes playing basketball and representing Hockaday, and we want a culture that will attract them.” Varsity basketball captain Claire Tate said the basketball team is entering the season with a positive mindset and growing from past seasons, not letting anything hold them back. She said she wants the team to use its past obstacles as
inspiration for the new season to propel the team to success. “One of our most important goals of this season is to strengthen the sense of unity among our teams,” Tate said. “We want the atmosphere among teams to be positive no matter what obstacles we might come across.” Although winning is an objective for any basketball team, Foster said the players want to make team unity equally important. The team has already met up for preseason practices to meet new players and get to know future teammates. Additionally, the team plans to work together on social impact activities. If the team is able to build connections and integrity among themselves, then it will be easier to work together cohesively, Foster said. “My plan for this basketball season is definitely to build team unity, to build the rapport of the basketball program at Hockaday,” Foster said. “Of course, we want to win, but that is not going to be our only priority.”
support me no matter how I am playing or how I feel that day. They lift me up and make me a better volleyball player, teammate, and person.
Q: What do you think led to your success as a volleyball player?
A: I think hard work has helped
me get where I am. In volleyball you need to not only dedicate time toward improving your technique and skill, but you also need to focus on your mental game. With every setback I face, I use it as a learning opportunity to help me in the future. I work to improve my individual skills and to help my teammates become better every day through positivity and encouragement.
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THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
SPORTS
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WORDS OF WISDOM Meet the captains for the fall sports: 10 dedicated student athletes committed to leading their teams to victory and putting an SPC title on the wall of Penson Gym.
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Enjoy this because it goes by faster than you think."
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WORDS OF WISDOM, p.20
Cheering for the Home Team St. Mark's cheerleaders renew tradition of cheering at Hockaday pep rallies by Hanna Zhang • Staff Writer
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he St. Mark’s cheerleaders have always been a familiar sight at the St. Mark’s football games, but this year they're going to have the chance to perform at Hockaday spirit rallies. Physical Education Health teacher Adaku Ebeniro noted that there has been an unspoken tradition for cheerleaders to be at boys’ football or basketball games and that the Hockaday cheerleaders were solely there to cheer for St. Mark’s. "We are just as competitive, just as needing or deserving of having fans cheer at our games,” Ebeniro said. “I think the conversation has been long-held for some time now, and we are trying to bring it to fruition so that cheerleaders can also support the athletic teams at Hockaday as well." The Athletic Board and the physical education teachers help plan the spirit rallies. Athletic Board Chair Margaret Woodberry mentioned that during the 2016-2017 school year, cheer performed at Hockaday’s spirit rallies, so there has been a push for it to happen again. "But it's never really happened because of how busy the cheer teams and we are," Woodberry said. Recently, cheer captains Emma Roseman, Casey Freeman and Lily Forbes have been collaborating and meeting with Director of Athletics Deb Surgi and the Athletic Board to discuss the possibilities of cheering at athletic spirit rallies. "Before, we thought the expectation was to do a full routine at the pep rallies, and out of season it can be dangerous because our sport involves lifting people and throwing them, so
photo by Scott Peak
St. Mark's cheerleaders wave their pom poms in celebration of St. Mark's football. On Nov. 5 the cheerleaders performed for the Hockaday pep rally for the first time since 2016. that can be a challenge," Forbes said. The Athletic Board and cheer captains have agreed for the routine to be either a cheer or a dance, to make it more manageable for the team. At the pep rallies, the cheer group will be allocated around five minutes to either cheer, dance or chant. "It will help build spirit and get everyone riled up if they're leading a chant," Woodberry said. "This would be a nice way both for the cheerleaders to help support our athletes and for Hockaday to help recognize what they do; just because they aren't Hockaday cheerleaders, they still do sports and they're
still part of a team and a community." Although the cheerleaders will only be performing a cheer or dance for two of the pep rallies, they performed a full routine for the fall spirit rally because it’s in cheer competition season. "We're really excited to do it, especially for the little girls because Coach Surgi thought that the younger Hockadaises would be really into it," Forbes said. "Our sport is about getting others excited, and so it'll be fun. We are 35 people, which is a pretty big group to be able to boost the pep at the spirit rally." Now that the athletic faculty has
accomplished this collaboration, they know it can be done and said they hope to build from it. Physical Education Health teacher Melanie Horn-Foster said the cheerleaders would enhance the spirit of the whole school and sees the collaboration as a starting point for future pep rallies. "This is definitely the first step that needs to be done, where it's at the pep rallies,” Foster said. “Hopefully we can take another step and maybe find some games in which the cheerleaders can cheer as well.”
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TIPS & TRICKS
HOW TO STAY OFF YOUR DIGITAL DEVICE Check out these tips and tricks to help you cut screen time out of your life.
photos provided by wikimedia commons
Screen Free Zones Although you may feel the need to use your phone as your alarm, having it plugged in right next to you can often lead to lack of sleep. Many of us give into the temptation of doing a final scroll through Instagram, TikTok or watch just one more show on Netflix, but cutting these small habits out every night will lead to a better night's sleep!
Screen Time Limit
Better Together
If you find yourself spending hours of your day on your phone, an easy solution is setting a limit to how much time you are on an app or apps. With an iPhone, you can go into Settings>Screen Time>Downtime & App Limits. This will allow you to restrict the time you can spend on a selection of apps. By limiting screen time, you will have more time for sleep, friends and academics.
It is often difficult to stay off your device when others around you are on theirs. By setting a goal with your friends to spend less time on your phone you will be more likely to succeed because you will all hold each other accountable. Another pro is having more face-to-face time with your friends, letting you make more connections and memories that last a lifetime.
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4FO U R C A S T
Words of Wisdom
10 fall sports captains share expertise, motivation for teams going into SPC Compiled by Ava Berger • Sports Editor
FIELD HOCKEY Dear HVFH, It’s been the absolute best being your captains this year! Before we go to SPC, we wanted to share a few final words. This has been such a fun season that started on an insane win streak. Let’s go into SPC with that kind of confidence! We’re such a unique and quirky team, and everyone’s role plays an important part on and off on the field. We know that this team has the ability to win, so let’s have fun and play hard. Don’t mess with HVFH! We love you guys! - Meg & Mary
VOLLEYBALL Dear HVBB, Thanks for the bus rides (and early dismissals), workouts and trying to hit the yoga mat. We’ve never played with a group of girls who love playing with each other as much as we do, so let’s go hard this weekend—double fist pump. Enjoy this because it goes by faster than you think. It has been an honor to get to know each one of you in such a special way, and we are so proud of all your hard work and dedication to one another. -Mia & Erica
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FENCING Our sweet girlies! We truly could not be prouder of what you’ve accomplished this season. Three tournaments and awesome friendships. Some of our favorite memories include: color coded footwork (which was too much for our spaghetti brains), singing Backstreet Boys, slapping each other with gloves, brunch, a Just Dance warm-up and pink bandanas at the color run. Remember we’ll be a phone call or text away next year and we will ALWAYS have your backs. Facetime us during practice next year; we’ll miss you so much!! Love you lots. -Shalini & Sohee
CREW Hey Hocka-crew! It has been such a great season so far. We’ve loved watching the team grow these past few months, and everyone did awesome at OKC & Pumpkin Head! We are so happy to see the hard work and dedication that everyone is putting in. Let’s keep it up and GO FOR GOLD this weekend at Brazos. Because if we know anything about anything… WACO is the WAY2GO. Let’s row hard and empty the bucket!!!! Can’t wait to see how the rest of the year goes! -Katherine & Sophia
CROSS COUNTRY
Hockaday Cross-Country, we’ve made it so far. All the early morning practices, ice baths and hill repeats have prepared us for this. We have all the strength inside us; we just have to bring it out! This year for SPC, let’s leave our doubts and fears at the starting line, and run our hardest no matter what the outcome is. We’re so proud of how much hard work everyone’s put in this season and know that y’all will absolutely kill it at SPC! We love y’all! - Merritt & Lucy
PLAN ON IT! Varsity Volleyball vs. TCA 3-0 Win Oct. 22
Varsity Field Hockey vs. ESD 2-1 Loss Nov. 1
Fall SPC Houston Nov. 7-9
photos courtesy of Hockaday Instagram and Anna Schindel
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
VIEWS
Fourcast Staff Stance
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he movie “Mean Girls” exaggerates many high school experiences while resonating with the truth. Unfortunately, the quote “Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die” resonates too much with the state of sex education in America. For a developed country, the United States is behind in its standard sex education programs. Time and time again, it has been shown abstinenceonly education does nothing to deter adolescents from engaging in sexual activity. These programs strip adolescents of the right to learn about safe sex and related topics. Abstinenceonly programs need to be replaced with comprehensive sex education. The Hockaday School has a comprehensive sex education program, teaching girls about contraception, consent, different STIs and STDs and more. The program is effective and leaves students armed with the necessary knowledge to make informed, healthy decisions. This kind of comprehensive education should be seen as a standard, so all students can be informed beyond abstaining until marriage. Where abstinence-only programs leave plenty of room for fear-mongering and misinformation, comprehensive sex programs leave little to no room, as they cover not only abstinence but a plethora of other pertinent information – with far less gender stereotyping and stigmatizing of sexually active peers. However, in the United States, only 18 states require information about contraception to be covered in sex education, while 37 states require abstinence-only coverage and 26 states require stressing abstinence. Nine states have no requirement for sex or HIV education. As it stands, abstinenceonly sex education is the most common form of sex education in America. The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the developed world
THE FOURCAST |NOVEMBER 11, 2019
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Do celebrity activists actually make a difference?”
CELEBRITY ACTIVISTS, p.23
Stop Abstaining from Sex Education
that have far more comprehensive sex education programs as a standard, showing a strong correlation between unintended pregnancies and lack of comprehensive sex education. As the correlation suggests, abstinenceonly education does not prevent teen pregnancy. Scientific evidence, accumulated over years of research, indicates that abstinence-only education has no positive effect on pregnancy and STI prevention. Beyond this, abstinenceonly programs can potentially harm adolescents, as they fail to provide information important for sexually active adolescents and leave them vulnerable to unsafe sexual practices. In addition, abstinence-only programs promote harmful gender stereotypes and marginalize the needs of LGBTQ+ youth, by basing sex education only on heterosexual relationships among people who expect to marry. The programs also stigmatize sex and isolate sexually active adolescents by implying they are worth less than abstinent peers. By contrast, comprehensive sex education is far more effective at preventing teen pregnancy and the spread of STIs, and teaches adolescents how to be sexually healthy adults and how to engage in healthy behaviors in intimate relationships. Abstinence-only supporters often argue that comprehensive sex education encourages adolescents to become sexually active. However, scientific evidence indicates that abstinence-only education has no impact on the average age adolescents begin engaging in sexual intercourse. The only thing abstinenceonly education surely does is leave these sexually active adolescents without an understanding of the risks of sexual activity, pregnancy and STI prevention methods and more. Pro-abstinence groups also argue that sex education should be left to parents, but not all parents have a comprehensive
Drawing by Angelina Wu
Policies leave teens uninformed
VIEWS
Abstinence-only education excludes teaching about birth control methods. understanding of sexual activity and its health implications. Comprehensive sex education has consistently shown desirable results. In European countries that practice comprehensive sex educations programs, teen birth rates tend to be very low, while in countries where these programs are still in early development stages teen birth rates tend to be far higher. Yet despite scientific evidence
and clear examples of successful comprehensive sex education in other countries, the United States continues to fund abstinence-only education. Between 1982 and 2017, Congress spent $2 billion on abstinence-only programs. It is time to move the money from abstinence-only programs into comprehensive sex education programs. It is time to make comprehensive sex education a standard across America.
LIKE & COMMENT
Soc ia Med l Spo ia tligh t J unio dresser Kylee H on attire s up in holidg for H a lloweeay n.
the Seniors spook hallways during . senior Halloween
GRAPHIC BY SHREYA GUNUKULA
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
TO SHARE OR
We Love It, We Love it Not
College application season is a stressful time for many seniors. Does sharing the process help seniors or inhibit them?
NOT TO SHARE Let’s Talk About it
Ah, can you smell this weather? It’s the scent of college application season... and stress. As the impending doom of deadlines approaches, we seniors are on increasingly high alert. The taboo word across the school for the underclassmen has become “college” when talking to a senior. Considering this, one might wonder: is it okay to talk about colleges with seniors? Although I’m not representing the entire Class of 2020, I would say yes, for a number of reasons. I would like to emphasize, however, that it is entirely up to the individual whether to talk about such topics; no one should be criticized for their decisions. One may refrain from talking in fear of creating competition. Even if 50 others apply for the same institution as well, acceptances or rejections will still be passed out in consideration of the applicant. It is not a competition; if a student is a fit for a certain school, she’ll get in regardless of how many others applied. Frankly, fear of judgments is another reason why some may avoid the talks altogether. Often, people value the reputation of the colleges over their fit for an individual. However, judgments imposed upon our college choices base themselves on superficiality. Why do we let these statements sway our mood and decisions? Don’t let the image others try to impose on you influence you. Don’t feel the need to keep your college process secret in fear of others. Sooner or later, we, as imperfect human beings, will face challenges. High school, as a microcosm of the “real world,” is a perfect place to experience failure without serious consequences. It is a haven, safe for us to rely on others for comfort when we face failure or a dead-end. Getting rejected from a school is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. After overcoming the temporary embarrassment and sadness of rejection, we persevere with the help of our friends. We laugh and cry with friends in every situation, and this could include college. Addressing this serious topic lightly with your dearest and most trusted people could ease the burden and stress. For the underclassmen: you should still remain respectful and understanding if a senior chooses to talk to you about applying to college. Also, please remember the college one chooses is a personal decision, and all should respect it. A disclaimer: this does not mean that I will be publicly announcing my full college list to everyone, nor will I not be annoyed at acquaintances constantly asking me about colleges. Obviously, I won’t go into the details of my decision, but I personally wouldn’t mind too much talking about the general process; I’m simply suggesting it’s perfectly okay for others to do so as well. Regardless of what you choose to do, let’s support each other and move forward. by Eugene Seong• Web Editor
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4F O U R C A S T
Don’ t let the image other try to impose ons you influence y ou.
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A certain level of not talking about college is heal in the process. thy
Keeping it Quiet
The most dreaded word for a senior to hear during application season: college. Some plug their ears and run when they hear the word, while others cannot stop asking their friends and family about it. Some may take the opinion of staying quiet too far, to an extreme form of secrecy, refusing to talk about college even with their closest friends and family. However, a certain level of not talking about college is healthy in the process. Conversations about college and applications can stress people out and cause unnecessary competition between people. A common complaint of seniors is hearing about who else is applying to a certain college, which can result in comparing themselves and doubting their own abilities. Another common complaint is that it can mean that seniors never have a break from thinking about the topic. At least in my experience, talking about the college process does not act as a way to clear my mind; it often just leads to my thinking about it even more often than before. Some may find it helpful to talk out their ideas about the process with others, but if it makes you doubt yourself or second-guess your opinions on schools, then I do not recommend continuing these conversations. Deciding on a college is a pretty personal process, so you should never feel bad or guilty for not wanting to talk to others about your college applications and decisions. In a perfect world, talking about colleges would be an open discussion that breaks down the stigma and secrecy around the topic. In reality, most conversations cannot be completely open because of the complicated nature of college applications and therefore do more harm than good. Different people are looking for very different things in which college they choose, so someone may not like a school you want to apply to because of factors that may not be important to you. In this way, listening to others can make you doubt your choices and slow your search for the right school. The one major exception that applies to even the most secretive person is the financial aspect. There should be an open discussion between you and your family early in your college search process about how your family’s financial situation will impact where you look for college. Even if you absolutely hate talking about college with others, having logical, open conversations with your family is necessary. Even if you somehow plan on paying for all college expenses on your own, you owe your parents a discussion about the process. by Niamh McKinney • Arts & Life Editor
Thanksgiving Break
A week to de-stress and hang out with family members is always a welcome. Plus, Thanksgiving Feast!
Winter Sports
The beginning of a new season! As basketball, swimming and diving, and soccer begin, athletes get a chance to show their skills.
Cold Weather
With lower temperatures come both delicious hot chocolate and unpleasant walks from student parking in the morning. Be sure to bundle up, Daisies!
College Decisions
The anticipation of the seniors comes to an end as they find out if they’ve gotten into their dream college.
JRP Deadlines
As mini-draft due date approaches, tensions grow high for juniors who are rapidly trying to finish writing.
HOCKADAYFOURCAST.ORG
THE FOURCAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2019
VIEWS
illustration by Anusha Singhania
4F EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eliana Goodman MANAGING EDITOR Kate Woodhouse WEB EDITOR Eugene Seong COPY EDITOR Kelsey Chen MAGAZINE EDITOR Shea Duffy BUSINESS MANAGER Catherine Sigurdsson NEWS EDITOR Kate Clark PEOPLE EDITOR Erin Parolisi ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Niamh McKinney SPORTS EDITOR Ava Berger VIEWS EDITOR Sahasra Chigurupati CASTOFF EDITOR Julia Donovan PHOTOS & GRAPHICS EDITOR Libby Hill STAFF WRITERS Laine Betanzos, Elisa Carrol, Remy Finn, Olivia Garcia, Lacy Green, Anna Gum, Campbell Harris, Libby Hill, Charlotte Rogers, Sasha Schwimmer, Catherine Sigurdsson, Maddie Stout, Lea Whitley, Hanna Zhang STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Margaret Thompson, Simone Hunter, Annie Herring, Velazyia Scott, Sarah Roberts, Haylee Salopek, Karen Lin, Anne Rubi, Victoria Gonzalez, Clementine Lee, Jenny Choi, Kendall Marchant, Arushi Mukherjee, Emma Roseman STAFF ARTISTS Kylee Hong, Anoushka Singhania, Angelina Wu, Kemper Lowry, Olivia Park FACULTY ADVISER Julia Copeland
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 Catherine Sigurdsson, Business Manager, at csigurdsson1@ 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 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 Eliana Goodman, Editor-in-Chief, at egoodman@hockaday.org.
Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio have been chastised for their involvement in activism by critics who say they bring a hypocritical and trivial light to the issues.
Celebrity Activists
Have they hijacked social activism or brought attention to important issues? by Remy Finn• Staff Writer
As the 21st century progresses, social activism has continued to thrive in the daily lives of Americans. Everyday citizens are taking time to protest the problems they perceive around them. Recently, however, celebrities have inserted themselves into social activism, using their expansive platforms to spread their opinions, ultimately raising this question: do celebrity activists actually make a positive difference? Upper School Science teacher Kirsten Lindsay said many celebrities keep expressing that we are in peril due to climate change, and yet, they fail to follow the guidelines they themselves promote. Unfortunately, there seems to be a great deal of hypocrisy surrounding many environmental issues. One example of a successful celebrity activist is Leonardo DiCaprio. The actor and producer is a proponent of environmental awareness and protection. Like other celebrities, he has recently
been chastised for his own use of yachts and private jets, which produce much more pollution per person than commercial modes of transportation. However, DiCaprio has also created a long list of environmentalist projects.
“Celebrities do, in fact, bring awareness to many global issues.” - Remy Finn Staff Writer
In 2000, DiCaprio hosted Earth Day festivities and interviewed former President Bill Clinton for a television special on global warming, and in 2004
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he joined the boards of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Global Green USA. Since then, he has produced multiple documentaries, including “Ice on Fire” (2019), which explores reversing climate change. DiCaprio is a celebrity who has delved into and researched climate change, and clear evidence points to the fact that celebrities can, in fact, bring awareness to global issues that plague our society. However, celebrity intervention can often produce the opposite effect. One strong example was the Dodd-Frank Act, an act that required companies to disclose their use of minerals produced in areas of conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or a nearby country. Many celebrities intervened to support this new act against human rights violations, and many minerals from the DRC were effectively boycotted. This, however, caused many miners to lose work, thus pushing them towards illegal mining services or even violent rebel groups nearby, exacerbating the problem that the celebrities had hoped to ameliorate. Another example was Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad of 2017. During the ad, Jenner watches and then joins protesters, featuring signs promoting “peace.” Jenner then hands a police officer a Pepsi, causing the protesters and police officers to smile and celebrate. For many, this advertisement had the opposite effect of unity; instead, it trivialized Black Lives Matter and the fight against police brutality. Pepsi’s attempt to use celebrities to promote social justice was unarguably ineffectual, largely because the famous figures it included were not seen as people seriously motivated to make a social impact. Celebrities often try to insert themselves into global problems and use their platforms to incite change. However, their presence sometimes portrays these issues in a superficial light by suggesting that celebrities also experience these problems when, in reality, they do not. Until we find permanent solutions to the seemingly endless problems of today’s world, there are two things we can do as people who take in media information daily: pay attention to what you see and be skeptical of the input of celebrities.
A Letter From the Editor As community adapts after storms, so does The Fourcast staff Hockaday friends and family, As you all know, this has been a crazy few weeks for the greater Dallas community. While the tragic tornadoes on Oct. 20 brought us all challenges, havoc and destruction, I have seen more strength in the Hockaday community these past two weeks than ever before. Instead of dwelling in pain or unfortunate circumstances, everyone has amplified the humanity within them; I’ve seen fewer cell phones, more service, passionate inter-school bonds, school spirit and so much genuine joy. On behalf of Fourcast, I would like to extend a helping hand to anyone affected by the storm. The whole staff wants to do anything we can to help.
As it did with the other academic classes, the storm also affected the trajectory of this issue of The Fourcast. Originally, we had an entirely written centerspread focusing on a different topic. Centerspreads are typically 2000 to 3000 words, written by junior staff members and incredibly wellresearched. A lot of work goes into them, and I want to thank the original writers for their hard work on the story. But after having a class-wide discussion about the importance of the storm and its effect on our community, we decided it would be more significant to put our old idea on hold and devote our InFocus section to the tornado and its impact. This centerspread was a collaborative
Editor-in-Chief Eliana Goodman
effort by the whole staff, written in less than a week, and another example of how communities within Hockaday came together. I hope you take the time to read over pages 12 and 13 and find the stories as meaningful as I do. If you have any questions or comments about this section specifically or The Fourcast’s production in general, please don’t hesitate to reach out. In our newsroom, we hope to communicate effectively with our readers and grow from your input. The official Fourcast email is fourcastsubmissions@hockaday.org and you can also reach me directly at egoodman@hockaday.org.
4F
The Fourcast The Hockaday School 11600 Welch Road Dallas, Texas 75229
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NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | THE FOURCAST
THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL
4FOU R C A S T
Seniors’ Spooky
Halloween
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1 A group of seniors await their
victims outside the sophomore hall.
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The seniors stand outside the senior hallway, inviting students to enter. The senior class set up a spectacularly scary “face your fears” theme for the annual Upper School Halloween hallway scare. Each hallway represented a different phobia.
3. Threatening students with
lipstick, a senior scares a group of underclassmen.
4. A figure stands in the middle of a lonely and dark freshman hall.
5. Students stay close to one
another, fearing upcoming scary situations ahead.
by Julia Donovan • Castoff Editor