The Fourcast April 2021 by Hockaday Student Publications

05 NEWS Learn about commom fears, misconceptions surrounding COVID-19 vaccines

20 SPORTS Discover the changes in Hockaday sports over the years

11 ARTS & LIFE Check out the Fabrication Yard: a public art and graffiti location

23 OPINIONS In final issue, editor-in-chief shares her words to student body

THE

FOURCAST

The Hockaday School

11600 Welch Road Dallas, Texas 75229

April 12, 2021

Volume 71, Issue 5

Stepping past the storm

But what will be next? Pg. 12-13 photo illustration by Libby Hill

02 April 12 , 2021

Inside the ’Cast

News 03-06 • 03 Discover

Student Council’s initiative to foster courageous conversations

Arts & Life 07-11 • 10 Need advice

on 2021 fashion trends? Zoya Haq can help

Infocus

Centerspread

• 12-13 The

climate is at the forefront of students’ minds, so what should we focus on?

Features 14-17 • 16 Learn about

Siddhi Bansal’s program to help small businesses

Sports 18-20

The Fourcast

FOURWARD HockaBriefs

Catch up on the latest campus news Eight students competed virtually in Yale University’s Girls in Math Competition on March 6. The Hockamath B team of Kelsey Chen, Christina Ding, Kaelyn Lee and Tianxin Xie placed 10th and the Hockadmath A team of Kyulee Kim, Lily McKenna, Angela Yuan and Yoyo Yuan placed 18th. Freshmen Yoyo Yuan placed 27 th out of more than 200 competitors. As of April 7, the athletic department announced it will permit two parents or guardians per Hockaday student to come to campus to watch spring athletes compete in the remaining home games and Senior Nights. A health screening form and temperature check are required of those who attend.

Math problems presented in the first round of the competition.

Sophomore Libby Warren placed third in the Dallas Literary Festival. She read her original short story on April 3. She also was accepted to the Scribe Review February Issue for her English paper about “Wide Sargasso Sea” and “Jane Eyre.” To read her essay, go to https://www. scribereview.org/ volume3-feb2021/with-aside-of-social-status.php.

photo by Ava Berger

Live fans can now replace the cardboard figures at home games.

Just FOUR You

What’s coming up in the next month?

1 Athletic Signing Day 2 Courses Five seniors will formally commit to play sports at the collegiate level at an outdoor celebration April 21. Maddy Charest is committing to Tufts University for lacrosse. Emilia Callahan is committing to Dartmouth College for field hockey. Annie Herring is committing to Brown University for crew. Estelle Fisher is committing to Washington & Lee University for swimming. Erin Hughes is committing to Rollins College for crew. Alyssa Taylor is committing to Tulane University for track and field.

Course scheduling for the 20212022 school year will take place over the next few weeks. Because parents cannot come to campus under COVID-19 policy, advisors, parents and students will interact online. Read the story on page 6.

• 20 Students

reclaim Daisy mascot to ‘Protect the Meadow’

Opinions 21-23 • 21 Student shares

thoughts on the new grading system

Castoff 24 • 24 Look at then

vs. now pictures a year into COVID-19

photo by Sally Hudspeth

The 2019-2020 commits at last year’s signing day.

3 Hockadocs Club

The Hockadocs Medical Club’s Anatomage Anatomy Tournament will take place in the coming weeks. The virtual tournament provided five-person teams with a digital hands-on experience with the Anatomage technology and tested anatomy knowledge.

Course scheduling layout for students

4 FAB x CSB

The Fine Arts Board and the Community Service Board are teaming up to collect food donations for Marcus Elementary’s Food Pantry. Students should bring food donations to the BeachHouse coffee house on April 17 at 5:30 pm. Each donation=one raffle ticket! Refer to Kylee Hong’s email for more details.

hockadayfourcast.org

05 School shares plans to close boarding for next year

NEWS

April 12, 2021

06 Concerns about cheating via Zoom unsubstantiated

Do all Hockadaisies think the same? Student Council establishes empathy-building initiative for Upper School by Laine Betanzos Copy Editor

fter last summer’s increase in support for numerous identity-based social justice movements, members of the Upper School Student Council knew they wanted to lead the student body and increase empathy by implementing initiatives to make the school a more inclusive place. Courageous Rountables, a Student Council-led initiative aiming to do just that, had its first session on March 29. Student Council President Barbara Lou initially suggested founding an initiative with this purpose during the annual student council retreat at the beginning of the school year. “I wanted to do a Courageous Roundtable because, especially after the summer, I felt like for student leadership it was important that we take an active role and take initiative in creating events on campus that would promote this kind of bridging the huge divide in America right now,” Lou said. “I wanted to provide opportunities for more candid, open and empathetic conversations, and I felt like as a council and as Student Council president, it was a part of my responsibility.” After approaching the council with the idea, Lou, Student Council Vice President Eva Framjee and Student Diversity Board Chair Cece Tribolet joined forces as the core group spearheading the project and began brainstorming specific ideas. The team landed on an event format inspired by “Spectrum,” a popular YouTube series presented by Jubilee, a media company producing content to promote empathy. During the Courageous Roundtable, participants were presented with various statements addressing current culture, issues and questions of identity. They then moved across a spectrum on the floor to indicate their position on the statement, with lines ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” After each round, participants were encouraged to explain the perspective behind their answer, in an effort to better represent

and understand the diverse perspectives among Upper School students. “We wanted it to be different from SDB forums and different from when Dr. Glasgow or Dr. Stevenson came, so this was a different way of promoting these kinds of activities that’s more than just a basic conversation,” Tribolet said. “It’s totally different with the ‘Jubilee’ style, and it’s a way for Student Council to be involved in that pursuit to be an anti-racist school.” Lou provided some examples of statements photos by Libby Hill included in the activity, During the Courageous Roundtable, seniors Alyssa Taylor and Barbara Lou and like, “Social media is a freshman Megan Manning discuss their views on the questions. Student Council positive change in our designed the event to allow a flow of opinions. “It should be a commitment for the future, so I hope that it’ll continue on,” Diversity Board Chair CeCe Tribolet said. society” or “My identity had an impact on my high school experience.” Initially set to include just 10 Upper School students, the Student Council agreed to expand the opportunity, which allowed three stations of 12 students, each led by a Student Council member. Framjee, the third member of the core group organizing the Courageous Roundtable, said she hoped the activity would bring a voice to those otherwise unlikely to express themselves at school. “Oftentimes, the majority of people who speak up on these kinds of issues are very similar in their opinions, and Students walk around the Margaret Doggett Crow Amphitheater listening I’m interested to see how people who to questions and standing on a spectrum of signs ranging from “strongly don’t speak up but want to do something agree” to “strongly disagree” depending on their opinions. like this will think,” Framjee said. As for the future, the legacy of this initiative likely lies in the hands of next school year’s Student Council. “I hope next year’s president also carries the same responsibility, weight and passion on her shoulders about making this campus a better place,” Lou said. While the continuity of Courageous Roundtable events is uncertain, the council hopes for similar activities in the future. “Even if it’s not the exact same event, it shouldn’t just be something that’s taking place this year because of everything that’s happened,” Tribolet said. Juniors Kendall Marchant and Eleanor Lockhart share their thoughts.

Checking in with security

Team talks about year of adjusting to COVID-19 protocols by Lacy Green Sports Co-Editor What additions or changes have been made to the security department duties this year? Changes to carpool, changes to protocols on faculty, staff, student check-in, deliveries in general, parents not allowed on campus, no events on campus, limited athletic events, COVID signage and directional arrows have all been made. What are some of the new protocols and procedures?

COVID check-in, School Pass,and temp checks. Upper school afterschool carpool, we have never done that. There is no after care other than for faculty/staff. Athletic check-in for distance learners and for game day for opposing teams is also new. Have lockdown and fire drill procedures changed, as we have not been able to practice them? Yes, we are working on videos for lockdown and inclement weather and we will have regular fire drills going forward. The understanding is that if any of these incidents were real, we

would resort to safety first. Has the reconstruction of the school’s front entrance changed any aspect of security? It has made it safer to have all vehicles enter through the middle gate, greeted by security. The Nasher gate is not used for entry or exit, only for emergencies. Are there any new changes that you would anticipate, or do you see any room for improvement? We are always open to new ideas. Security is continuously changing on the technology spectrum.

photo provided by Karyn McCoy

Security officers Rachelle Medlin, Eric Roberson, and Adrianna Cruz gather near the main entrance.

Making the campus safe and secure is our priority.

04 April 12, 2021

NEWS

YOUR WORLD TODAY

The Fourcast

Biden Executive Order

Discrimination decree sparks controversy over gender-separated sports allowed to compete in women’s sports sparked controversy n Jan. and conversation on 20, 2021, the fairness of letting President biological males who Biden identify as women signed compete in women’s into law the Executive sports. Order on Preventing “The executive order and Combating does not tie an education Discrimination on the institution’s federal Basis of Gender Identity funding to allowing or Sexual Orientation. biological male athletes One of the access to women’s sports administrations many teams and scholarships,” executive orders signed the White House said during the first months in a statement to USA of Biden’s presidency, TODAY. this order aims to The wording of the eliminate discrimination order only addresses against members of the the issue of sports in LGBTQ+ community Section 1 when it says: across the nation. With “Children should be four sections, the order public domain photo courtesy of The WhiteHouse able to learn without mandates that all people President Joe Biden signs an executive order in the Oval Office. worrying about whether receive equal treatment they will be denied access to the restroom, the under the law in schools, workplaces and in the locker room or school sports.” public arena. alarmed at the order’s wording about the inclusion This order does not revise any existing This decree mandates broader enforcement of of transgender people in gender-seperated sports. regulations concerning trans men and women in the rulings of last year’s Supreme Court Bostock Misinformation swept social media, claiming all sports. Currently, the NCAA requires one year of v. Clayton Country case which called for the educational institutions receiving federal funding hormone treatment for transgender females before protection of LGBTQ+ people from discrimination now must allow biological males who identify as they are allowed to compete on women’s teams. in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation women to participate in women’s sports, as well Trans men remain eligible to participate in women’s and gender identity. as offer eligibility to these individuals for women’s sports unless the athlete uses testosterone hormone This news was celebrated by many, especially athletic scholarships. treatment in their transition process. those aligned with the LGBTQ+ community, for its “On Day 1, Biden unilaterally eviscerates women’s For K-12 athletes, regulations vary state-to-state inclusion and clear requirement for fair treatment sports,” a tweet from author Abigail Shrier reads. and by school district. As of 2019, 16 states included for children and adults regardless of sexual “Any educational institution that receives federal policies to aid the inclusion of trans high school orientation or gender identity. funding must admit biologically-male athletes to students. Fourteen states require medical proof of However, shortly after the signing of the order, women’s teams, women’s scholarships, etc. A new transition and hormone status and 10 states do not the hashtag #BidenErasedWomen was trending on glass ceiling was just placed over girls.” include regulations in their state legislature, but social media. Many conservative Americans were This claim that transgender people would be allow for schools to set their own policies.

by Katherine Grace Estess News Section Editor

The future of boarding

Residence halls will remain closed at least for 2021-2022 school year by Rachel Jan Staff Writer Hockaday announced on March 2 its decision not to reopen the Residence Hall for the 2021-2022 school year due to COVID-19. “We made this difficult decision because it is clear that we cannot ensure the safety and well-being of our residential students in the face of the ongoing pandemic,” Dr. Karen Warren Coleman wrote in an email to the school’s boarding community. “In short, the conditions that forced us to close the Residence Hall back in March 2020 have not materially changed, despite our best hopes.” Boarding students will have four options for the next school year: enter the day student program and live with family in the Dallas area; enter the day program while staying with a host family; participate in the day program’s distance learning option; or transfer to another school. “The update about boarding that we got was definitely a disheartening one,” junior Katanu Ndambuki said. “A part of me was convinced that there would be a slight chance it would open. However, I understand that it was the best possible choice at the moment.” Like Ndambuki, most boarders approached the news with sadness, but also understanding. “I miss the halls and the dorms and the community,” Skylar Maier said. “I miss talking in the living room with my dorm mom and friends. However, I’m happy the boarding administration came to a conclusion that will keep us all safe.” Since the announcement of next year’s closure, alumnae have created a petition with signatures

Photo by Rachel Jan

The Residence Hall remains silent during COVID-19. For their safety, boarding students have been living outside of Hockaday since March 2020. “The well-being of students has been our number one priority through all of our decisions related to the pandemic,” Dr. Karen Warren Coleman said.

from alumnae and current students to oppose a permanent shut-down of boarding in coming years. As of April 8, the petition had 798 signatures. As for next year, Dallas families may volunteer to host students as some have done this year. Meanwhile, more details about the distance learning plan for next year will be announced in the coming months. Some boarding students had already made arrangements for next school year. “My host family has kindly offered to continue hosting me next year, and my parents and I are very grateful for their help,” junior Angela Yuan said. “For the most part, my experience and plans for next year

will be similar to those this year.” While Yuan has already found a host family for her senior year, Ndambuki and Maier are both still looking for one. If they aren’t able to find a family willing to host them, they will look to transfer into distance learning. Others, however, are still looking for potential host families. The school will be reaching out to local families for those interested in hosting a student. To stay updated on boarding, check hockadayfourcast.org and the Fourcast Instagram @hockadayfourcast.

NEWS

hockadayfourcast.org

April 12, 2021

Common COVID vaccine questions

Medical experts address concerns about effects of vaccination

by Julia Donovan Castoff Editor As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available, questions have arisen about its safety and effectiveness. The Fourcast surveyed students and faculty and collected popular concerns about the vaccine.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe given how quickly it was developed?

One of the biggest concerns people have with the COVID-19 vaccine is that it is not safe because of how quickly it was developed and tested. According to the Medical Xpress news site, pharmaceutical companies invested lots of money and resources to develop this vaccine as quickly as possible due to the widespread impact of this pandemic. Although it was developed in a short time, the typical safety protocols were followed and sufficient tests were undertaken. The vaccine was tested in Phase 3 trials with thousands of participants. The vaccine was made using a messenger RNA technology. According to the Washington Post, this technology works by taking the mRNA which is a portion of the genetic code that teaches cells how to make a protein which then triggers an immune response. The mRNA of the vaccine never actually breaks the nucleus of cells or interacts with the DNA.

Doesn’t the vaccine have severe side-effects?

While the vaccine does have side effects, they are mild to moderate and short-term for most recipients. Common symptoms can include soreness and redness at the injection site. The second dose of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have had symptoms that include fever, fatigue, headaches, chills and body aches. Other symptoms can be myalgia (muscle pain) and arthralgia (joint pain). Most symptoms are mild to moderate and can occur within the first three days of vaccination and typically resolve within one to two days after the injection. Erika Herridge, nurse and director of Health Services, has worked at Hockaday for eight years and is on the Medical Advisory Board which consists of herself, Dr. Karen Warren Coleman, Eugene McDermott Head of School, three doctors, a couple of board members, and Laura Leathers, the Assistant Head of School. The committee discusses protocols and everything related to what happens at Hockaday with COVID-19 and implementation. They meet monthly or whenever any health topic needs to be discussed. “Systemic adverse reactions were more commonly reported after the second dose than after the first dose and were generally more frequent and severe in persons aged 18–55 years than in those aged greater than 55 years,” Herridge said. According to Mayo Clinic, about 15 percent of people developed short-lived symptoms at the site of injection and 50 percent developed systemic reactions like headache, chills, fatigue, muscle pain or fever lasting for a day or two. These reactions indicate that the immune system is responding to the vaccine. “While the vaccine side-effects can be uncomfortable, they typically only last a few days and people recover well,” Herridge said. “People should remember that the side effects are related to your body’s immune system reacting to the vaccine and it is a good thing.” Does the vaccine have long-term effects? According to the Children’s Hospital of

Philadelphia, scientists are studying any available evidence and while they cannot say that long-term effects can never happen, there is strong evidence that mRNA vaccines will not cause long-term health problems. “Because the COVID-19 vaccines have only been administered in the United States since December 2020, the long-term effects are unknown at this time,” the Healthline site reported. “Even though people have begun to receive these vaccines, studies will continue to evaluate their safety and effectiveness long into the future.”

Does the vaccine cause infertility or miscarriage?

A concern among students, faculty and was whether the vaccine causes infertility. According to Snopes, a factchecking website, the answer is no and “the myth originated because a short sequence of amino acids that make up the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 — necessary to infect human cells — is also shared with a protein called syncytin that is present in the placenta, a vital organ in fetal development.” However, this idea was proven to be false because the sequence similarity is too short to actually cause any dangerous immune reactions that would cause infertility. According to Mayo Clinic, when a person is fighting the virus, the immune system creates the same antibodies to spike protein as the vaccine would. Therefore, if the vaccine caused miscarriages, the same would true be for women who had COVID-19 while pregnant. This has not been the case so far. staff

Why are some members of minority communities hesitant about the vaccine?

According to Mayo Clinic, a myth circulating the internet is that an individual who already had COVID-19 and recovered does not need to get the vaccine. Although there is not enough data to argue against this claim, it is unknown how long this “natural immunity” will last. Early research has shown the immunity might not last very long, but more tests are needed to come up with a definitive answer.

Do I still need to wear a mask after I get vaccinated?

For now, the answer is yes because it is still unknown whether the vaccinated person can still carry and transmit the virus to other people. Researchers and scientists have been reiterating that it is important to take precautions until more data and information is collected. According to CDC, fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing, visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing, and refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic. However, the fully vaccinated should still continue to take precautions in public like wearing masks and practicing physical distancing. “If someone asked me for my professional opinion about getting the vaccine, I would recommend they get vaccinated with any of the vaccines that are available and discuss it as well with their doctor,” Herridge said. “The fact that we have three safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is a huge development in the coronavirus pandemic.”

Some people in the Black and Latinx communities have been reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Healthline, in the past, racist health practices led to clinical experiments that specifically targeted Black and brown communities. Along with this history, misinformation has caused more mistrust for the vaccine. “Experts say we need to work directly with community leaders and amplify the voices of people of color to ease fears, build trust and disseminate proper information about the vaccines,” Healthline said. Wynne Stovall-Johnson, a 54-year-old math teacher interviewed by WebMD, spoke out about this mistrust. “I’m educated. I have a

graduate degree. I read a lot. I’m informed,” said Stovall-Johnson. “I’m not a person who clings on to conspiracy theories, but I simply do not trust the government at this point.”

If you’ve had COVID-19, do you still need to get the vaccine?

“Yes, they are still recommending receiving the vaccine once someone has recovered from their COVID infection,” Herridge said.

Illustration by Tess Benedict

With the mRNA technology breakthrough for the COVID vaccine, people have concerns for this quick development. Although scientists cannot say that there will never be any long-term problems, so far the evidence shows positive outcomes. “I encourage people to talk to their doctor,” Herridge said. “A person’s physician knows them best and can discuss with them accordingly.”

06 April 12, 2021

NEWS

Zoom cheating misconception

The Fourcast

Honor Council works to dispel assumptions about distance learning by Charlotte Rogers Staff Writer

emptation — it’s a force to be reckoned with that plagues everyone at some point in their life; whether or not they act on it is up to that individual. While sitting home alone taking a test, the yearning to merely grab your notebook and check your work or use it to solve a problem is forceful. This temptation is something distance learners have had to rebuff and come to peace with this year. “Temptations come and go whether you’re learning in-person or online but I think the important thing is to realize is that we are in school for a reason: to learn, and I don’t have the temptation to cheat because I’m genuinely interested in understanding the classes I’m taking,” Trisha Ashish, a senior distance learner, said. With online learning, misconceptions have spread that distance learners cheat on assessments or have an advantage

that in-person students do not. Sriya Chebrolu, a Senior Honor Council Representative and a distance learner herself, shared the challenges the Honor Council has faced this year as a result of distance learning. “One challenge pertaining to the Honor Council is the misconception that people opt into distance learning to cheat easier, which is something we’ve attempted to dispel throughout

the year,” Chebrolu said. “The council has also had to figure out the different consequences for someone cheating on a formative versus summative assessment due to the new grading policy.” Even though cheating has been a challenge of online learning, it is not necessarily the greatest challenge teachers and students have faced. Online learning via Zoom limits the collaboration students can have, making it difficult for teachers and students to connect as a class during lessons and activities. The Honor Code at Hockaday is emphasized, and for Rachel Grabow, a teacher and representative of the Honor Council, it symbolizes the trust and faith that teachers have in their students; in addition, Grabow encourages teachers to set their students up for success and make their care known. “Around Holiday Break I talked to all of my students, online and inperson, about cheating just to address

it because I didn’t want my in-person students to feel like the students at home were cheating or that they had an unfair advantage,” Grabow said. “It is hard as a teacher to balance trust and the Honor Council with students when there is that temptation of cheating.” To avoid the temptation of cheating, Chebrolu suggests teachers require students to log onto Zoom and turn their cameras on during assessments, similar to her own math class. Grabow proposes distance learners have a dedicated test-taking workspace and remove all distractions, such as notes and phones, from the room during the assessment. “This isn’t a perfect situation but I just have to trust my students and their character,” Grabow said. “I don’t want students just to not cheat because it’s wrong, it’s also because it is their own personal integrity and it is not okay to compromise or put one’s integrity and character in question.”

Course selections added for next year

Teachers discuss details, inspirations for new classes by Hanna Zhang Staff Writer Anyone who has ever wanted to learn about women and their impact in the arts or take a class mixing toy and shadow theater with core curriculum is in luck, as next year these classes will be added to the class catalogue. History teacher Elizabeth Bennett will be teaching a course called “The Real Game of Thrones” and English teacher Jason Goldstein will be teaching “Women in Art.” Bennett’s class will focus on the Tudor period of British history, roughly from 1485 to 1600. The course will consider a number of facets of Tudor history including the reign of each Tudor monarch, the art, food, culture, customs of the period and Tudor England in the wider context of Europe and world trade. “One of the reasons why I really fell in love with history in the first place was because I was just fascinated by this period,” Bennett said. “There’s a lot of drama that happens so I think it will be a lot of fun just to look into this because there are other claims to the throne and a lot of religious conflict that impacts who sits on the throne.” The class also will look carefully into the question of diversity, something historians are starting to examine more closely than in the past. In studying Tudor history, the class will look at what kind of people made up the society and how they interacted, as well as religious and gender differences, specially focusing on the role of Tudor queens and powerful aristocratic women. “This is a period where there are a lot of queens and women commanding power,” Bennett said. “I think an important question and one we can look at is how women represent themselves.” As this is an upper level history course, students will take a look at historiography and how historians of

photo by Hanna Zhang

A machine called a “cranky” scrolls through a picture illuminated by a spotlight from behind. Students will use this device in technical theater director Robert Kallos’ class, “Little Great Works,” to aid in their production of creating worlds. “I wanted to create a course where people can claim something of their own.” Kallos said.

the past have interpreted events and people, while looking at differences in interpretation. Students will have an opportunity to examine areas of Tudor history that most interest them through individual projects, in addition to class readings and discussions. “I think it’s fun to look into the past; sometimes when we look into the past, we see a mirror, and sometimes we see something really different,” Bennett said. “I think that looking at the past helps bring insight to our own time period, either in seeing how things develop or how things are so different, so I think that’s what makes it exciting.” In Goldstein’s course, students will examine women as creators and subjects in the history of art, particularly in the modern and contemporary period across the globe. The course will consider artist statements, film, artist interviews, short stories and ekphrastic poetry from a feminist perspective, examining

how artists have framed artistic practice through the lenses of race, class, gender, politics and sexuality. “The genesis of this course has been my own interest in bringing together works of art and works of literature and looking at exchanges between artists and writers,” Goldstein said. “My focus in art history has always been these exchanges and how artists and authors approach problems of representation in similar and parallel ways.” This interdisciplinary course will veer away from traditional English classes focusing on literary analysis, instead including projects such as exhibition reviews, guest speakers, composing one’s own artist statement or comparing literary works with art. “I think at a girls school, of course a focus on women artists has a particular value,” Goldstein said. “If you have any interest in the arts, I think this is a course that you should consider taking.” A teacher who wants to create a

new senior seminar floats the idea to their department chair and Barbara Fishel, dean of studies. If they both like the idea, the teacher creates a course description to submit to Fishel, Head of Upper School Lisa Culbertson and the department chairs. Janet Bilhartz, English department chair, said Goldstein’s course will be the most in-depth exploration of art through literature that the school has ever had in the English department. “Dr. Goldstein is specifically looking at women as artists and also women as they have been viewed and created in art,” Bilhartz said, “so that perspective will make the class very appropriate and interesting for a girls school.” Meanwhile, Robert Kallos, technical director and auditorium manager, will be teaching a new technical theater course titled “Little Great Works,” where the class will create little productions and design work based on the mediums of toy theater, shadow theater and the “cranky” machine, a combination of light and toy theater. The class will be a way of helping students sculpt 3-dimensional space, but doing so in a cross-curricular format where they can grab stories from other classes. “I think the ability to create words is important whatever field you take,” Kallos said. “I think it’s important to be able to create worlds not on the computer, although students will have the opportunity to do so, but to be tactile.” The class itself will be, in some ways, self-directed by students; potential options include performances for the school or hosting a workshop for younger students. “Everyone will come in with their own skill set, and that’s okay,” Kallos said. “It’s about the student’s individual journey to where they want to take it.”

hockadayfourcast.org

08 Take a look at

adapted AP Art Show

ARTS & LIFE

April 12, 2021

09 Coffee shop

La La Land opens new location in Dallas

Fashion show moves on line Event changes look this year with video replacing live assembly by Jane Clark Staff Writer

uniors Claire Cahoon and Leena Mehendele, cochairs of the 2021 fashion show supporting Genesis Women’s Shelter, have been preparing for the virtual event since June 2020. They have reached out to sponsors, fit models and converted the event to a COVID-19 friendly performance. The goal is to have the performance recorded and ready for distribution by late April with tickets to watch the recording sold online for $15 apiece. “We will be selling all of the tickets on line and will be doing a kind of pay-per-view system along with selling DVDs of the film and other souvenir items as well,” Mehendale said. Inez Johnson, co-chair of the 2020 fashion show, said she is excited about the virtual performance and being able to watch the show. “I think that while having the show as a pre-recorded performance will bring a different energy to the show, I think it can help generate even more awareness about the organizations,” Johnson said. Sporting the Genesis clothing donations from the shelter’s thrift store, 47 models from the upper, middle and lower schools and possibly St. Marks students will participate in the show. “Once we are done picking out outfits for all of the girls, we will invite the St. Mark’s boys to model, too, so we don’t have them yet, but we will,” Cahoon said. Mehendale and Cahoon have gone to Genesis Women’s Shelter to check out clothes and borrow them until after the show. “We have a contact at the store that we coordinate with and basically we can take out all of the outfits that we want and we check them out in a notebook so that we can keep tabs on the clothes we are borrowing,” Mehendale said. “The clothes are then on loan until the end of the show and we either return them or buy the outfit and sell it to the models.” Last year, Johnson and 2020 cochair Zoe Cote did fittings with the 20-25 models on campus.

“We would meet with the committee and hold most of our fittings, and we had sign-ups available for the models where we would meet them and have them try on clothes and put together their outfits in the MS blackbox theatre,” Johnson said. The model fittings have been modified this year because of the limits of large groups assembling on campus, but the co-chairs have implemented a system to get all of the models fitted for the show. “We have Trader Joe’s bags with four to six clothing items in them and we get them to the models through either giving them to the students at school, or delivering them to their houses,” Cahoon said. “Then the models will send the bags back telling us what they liked the best from the small bunch and what fits best.” To secure sponsors, the cochairs have emailed possible donors information about the show and about Genesis. “We have different levels of sponsorship, so it basically details those and we will send that email out to businesses, making adjustments for those that are alumni owned or have a specific relation to Hockaday,” Mehendale said. So far this year, the big sponsor is Cabana Life, a swimsuit and cover-up brand, and Talley Dunn Gallery, an art gallery close to Knox/Henderson, whose owner is a Hockaday alumna. Asian Mint, Bird Bakery and Cleerlife have all donated as well, along with other businesses that the fashion show board members have reached out to, whether they are family friends or parents. “We ask all of our board members — they didn’t all do it but most of them did — to send an email to a business and a lot of them had family friends or parents that own businesses that they could reach out to and secure donations for,” Cahoon said. For last year’s show, Johnson and Cote reached out to businesses they knew held special significance to the Hockaday community and/or prioritized women’s empowerment. “We would email them to explain our mission and why we were interested in partnering with them,”

Diversity on display

photos provided by Claire Cahoon

Camille Green and Leena Mehendale attend a styling meeting where they work with the other board members to put outfits together for the models. The board consists of girls spanning different grades of the upper school.

Leena Mehendale and Claire Cahoon introduce themselves as the co-chairs for the fashion. They have created a logo for the social media platforms that is depicted on the paper they hold in the photo.

Johnson said. As far as preparation goes, the board members have been working alongside the co-chairs to pick out and organize clothes and reaching out to donors. “We have been taking trips to Genesis and getting clothes organized,” Cahoon said. “We have started sending out clothes for models which was really exciting. We have also been reaching out to sponsors and donors and getting

money in raffle items from them.” Because the show will be online, it is going to be filmed in various places on campus. “As of right now, we are planning on just assigning models 15-to-20 minute time slots throughout the weeks leading up to our show,” Cahoon said, “and we already got in touch with a few advanced film students in our class who are going to help us film just these students walking a runway on campus.”

Art gallery continues to grow after opening in Dallas under Hockaday alumna Talley Dunn by Anna Gum Opinions Editor

Twenty minutes from Hockaday’s campus, alumna Talley Dunn opened the doors to her own art gallery, 13 years after graduating. Since its opening, the gallery has grown and gained success. Meredith Block works as the Director of the gallery and has been able to see the gallery grow with time. “It’s been almost 11 years now that I’ve been working there and it’s changed so much,” Block said. “The gallery has really evolved and grown in a way that’s been really exciting to watch and be a part of.” What has not changed with time or the gallery’s growing success, however, is Dunn’s aim to showcase unique art from a diverse group of artists. “Diversity has always been a goal of mine,” Dunn said. “I look for not only diversity in the artists we represent but

photo from talleydunn.com

An exhibit in the Talley Dunn gallery.

in the art they create.” Unlike many art galleries, Dunn’s gallery consists of art in a multitude of forms. Working with artists with different artistic backgrounds and specialties, she houses paintings, sculptures, photography and installation work in the gallery. Junior Julia Katzman noted the emphasis on diversity when visiting the gallery for the first time. “My favorite part of the gallery is the variety of different artists they represent and show,” Katzman said.

“The overall experience is amazing when you can see so many forms of art from painting to sculptures and so many artists from different backgrounds.” Just as she aimed for diversity in art forms, Dunn knew before the gallery opened she wanted to showcase art from a diverse range of artists. Having witnessed the disproportionate ratio of female to male artists represented in galleries, she aimed to represent, at the very least, an equal number of female to male artists. Similarly, she said representing artists of different backgrounds and ethnicities remained a core goal for the gallery. Her relationships with the artists she works with has prevailed as her favorite part of running the gallery. “The most important thing is the relationships with artists and seeing their careers grow and being able to help them have careers as artists,” Dunn said.

Dunn appreciated the importance of community and relationships even before opening her art gallery. One of the things she appreciates most about her experience at Hockaday is the sense of community it gave her. With the support of her friends and teachers, she learned to lean into challenges and risk. “Hockaday presents you with really challenging situations and teaches you that you can handle it, one way or another,” Dunn said. “That’s something Hockaday’s taught me, for sure, is that I’m comfortable working hard, and I’m comfortable being challenging and taking risks.” On account of how much Dunn values the community she gained through her Hockaday roots, she works to make sure current and previous Hockaday students feel welcome at the gallery. “The gallery doors are open to Hockaday students,” Dunn said. “They always have been, they always will be.”

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The Fourcast

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Seniors Fisher, Savoldelli showcase their work in AP portfolios by Zoe Cote Staff Writer

Seniors Maddie Fisher and Mia Savoldelli each devoted years to the visual arts, culminating in the compilation of their senior portfolios. Though they share a love of art, they express that love in their own unique ways. Fisher describes her AP art portfolio as “focused principally on architecture and perspective drawings.” Fisher has worked through the studio art program for three years and fell in love with architectural design as a result. She plans to pursue a degree in architecture at Tulane University in the fall. “I wanted to include a building in my portfolio that I was familiar with, so I chose to draw the Hockaday Fine Arts building,” Fisher said. “For this piece I started by using two-point perspective to get an accurate sketch, then I added in the details and shading to make it more realistic.” As an AP studio art student and four-year photography student, Savoldelli described her artistic process as “a little bit erratic — I get bursts of inspiration that I can’t stop thinking about until I see the idea through. Typically when an idea hits me, I start by sketching out thumbnails in my journal and then I set out to create that with the camera. I also spend a lot of time with post processing (like Photoshop) making sure that the image is exactly the way I want it.” Savoldelli was able to enroll in AP studio art as a photography student because of the overlap between the two courses and spends her time in class adjusting her photography on Photoshop and collaborating with studio art peers to “constructively improve each other’s art.”

Using pencils, paint pens and brown paper, Fisher creates a mock-up of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Fisher focused on the architectural details of the dome and replicated them using black and white pencils to underscore the brown of the paper, finishing with a white paint pen to add highlights and give the drawing depth. Her sketch of the Hockaday Fine Arts building shows attention to detail and her love of architecture.

Maddie Fisher

Mia Savoldelli

Senior Ellis Copley models in front of an anonymous art piece at the DMA in January. Savoldelli processed the photo to obscure the painting itself by re-inserting the photo of Copley into the frame dozens of times to create a dimensional, layered effect.

Senior Kylee Hong is silhouetted at the Dallas Aquarium as a model for one of Savoldelli’s photography projects. The original intent was to manipulate the light refracted through the tanks to find unique shadows. Stumbling upon the image two years later, Savoldelli warped the colors of the medium in Photoshop to add it to her AP studio art concentration.

Sasha Stewart and Amend: The Fight for America Alumna writes documentary aimed at recontextualizing American history by Katherine Grace Estess Co-News Editor When Sasha Stewart was in Steve Kramer’s AP US History class at Hockaday, “He did such a great job of rethinking American history from... the women’s perspective, black women’s perspective, the immigrant perspective, and this was such a great opportunity to lean into that,” Stewart said. “We were going to retell American history through the perspective of the oppressed instead of the oppressor.” Stewart is speaking about the documentary series she wrote, “Amend: The Fight For America.” The series is hosted by Will Smith and was released on Netf lix on Feb. 17. The series aims to recontextualize American history during the Reconstruction period when the 14th amendment was passed. Stewart, comedian and writer, cited her experiences at Hockaday for cultivating in her a

photo from Netflix Official Site

The ‘Amend’ documentary on Netflix features celebrity guest hosts.

love of writing. “I really loved English, and my teachers really opened my eyes to what writing could inspire in people emotionally, but also in terms of who you are and what your role is in the world, and how to find your purpose.” Stewart said. “Amend” features performances from Mahershala Ali, Sterling K.

Brown, Pedro Pascal and dozens of others. Stewart and the producers created the series with the goal of highlighting lesser known heroes and the roles they played during the fight for Civil Rights of all people across American history. “[People like] Ida B. Wells, Polly Murray, just these amazing and incredible Black women who we

don’t hear about enough,” Stewart said. “People like Byard Restin who was a black man who was also openly gay at the time of civil rights…these heroes who often go unnamed...that had these rich inner lives and were fighting for equal protection for all of us.” What sets “Amend” apart from most historical documentaries is the way it rethinks the often-told and often-taught white male narrative of American history. Incorporating interviews with family members of abolitionists in the 1830’s and other unique perspectives, the series offers an insight into the overlooked moments that characterize American history. “Getting to work with an incredible team on a project that gave us the opportunity to highlight these unsung voices and to lift up a lot of people who really deserve getting to be lifted up both from the past and from modern day...people who are fighting for our rights right now,” said Stewart.

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ARTS & LIFE

REVIEWS

‘Chaos’ embodies the title

As a big Marvel and Star Wars fan, I was super excited to see the two franchises cross over in “Chaos Walking” (2021) through its co-stars: Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley. With two such strong leads, I had high expectations going into the film, however, I was disappointed walking out of the theater. The movie takes place in a dystopian future on a planet in which all the women have disappeared and men’s thoughts (also called “the Noise”) are constantly put on display for everyone to hear. However, a woman (Daisy Ridley) crash lands on the planet and is discovered by Todd Hewitt (Tom Holland). The movie follows their journey as Hewitt tries to protect her. Chaos Walking was only released in theaters, so there was no online or digital version for people to view who do not feel comfortable going back to movie theaters because of COVID-19. Especially during a pandemic, the film would have found more success if it made itself more accessible and catered to people with varying ranges of comfort levels. The plot itself was very messy and confusing. Little backstory was given about the dystopian world,

photo credit from imdb.com

including the nature of “the Noise” as well as many of the side characters’ backstories. With an extremely basic and predictable storyline and little depth to the characters, these plot holes really stood out and took away from the movie. With a planet of only men, the entire culture is hypermasculinized in an unnecessary way. Many of the ideas you hear through people’s “Noise” emphasize “being a man” in some way or negatively equate

characteristics associated with weakness as being feminine or like a woman. The movie paints a picture of most men in this dystopian society as blatantly sexist in an unrealistic and hackneyed way, to the point that it does not add to the plot. In addition, the movie ended very abruptly, without any falling action of the plot. It almost completely moved from climax to resolution with an extremely short end scene, so it was almost as if the film just stopped. The writers also did not capitalize on the development the characters made throughout the film. Without giving any spoilers away, I was left incredibly unsatisfied with the ending when leaving the theater. At its very core, the idea for the movie is great. It is filled with action, so I was never bored watching it. The acting was also very well done and saved the movie from being a complete disaster for me. If it had been released 10 or so years ago during the dystopian frenzy with movies like The Hunger Games and Divergent, it would have found a lot more success and positive reactions. However, in 2021, the movie feels a bit outdated and out of place. That being said, if you’re a big Tom Holland fan and need to kill two hours, it is not a total waste of time to check out this movie.

Spreading kindness with coffee

La La Land radiates positive vibes in new Lovers Lane location by Kelsey Chen Jade Editor

Matcha drinks, avocado toast and chocolate chip cookies, oh my! La La Land Kind Cafe recently opened a third location on Lovers Lane, featuring organic fare such as overnight oats, eggs and a variety of toasts. Even on a rainy Saturday morning, hungry brunch-goers filled the seating area, eagerly waiting for a cold brew or chia seed pudding. As for me, I ordered a hot creme brulée latté and iced Strawberry Fields matcha latté. With its light coffee f lavor, the creme brulée latté is perfect for first-time coffee drinkers, or those who prefer sweeter drinks. The latter, though a gorgeous blend of green and pink, fell a bit f lat. Though the drink had a matcha and beetroot f lavor, it was more reminiscent of Horizon strawberry milk boxes. As a nut-butter fanatic, I had to order the M.A.K.A. toast. Initially, I thought $7 was a bit pricey for toast. But upon receiving the giant piece of sourdough topped with almond butter, honey and a heap of fruit, I understood why the price point was higher than expected. Though I enjoyed the M.A.K.A. toast at first bite, the dish ultimately became a bit too sweet. However, La La Land allows you to customize the

toasts, so I would definitely try it again without the honey drizzle. On the other hand, the La La avocado toast was the star of the show. The chili f lakes and lemon provided a mouthwatering blend of acid and heat, elevating the traditional avocado toast. Paired with the tangy sourdough slice, the spicy avocado mash was delicious. Not only does La La Land Kind Cafe serve up f lavorful meals, but it also provides a great spot to study. With white walls, couches and pops of yellow decor, the interior is an impeccably designed area. Feeling like working in the sun? You can also take your backpack to the front patio, where you can study surrounded by white f lowers and La La Land’s iconic yellow Chevrolet. Though the atmosphere is simple and minimalist, the cafe’s mission is anything but. Owner Francois Reihani founded the concept store to tackle a major problem facing children who age out of foster care: a lack of employment opportunities. To provide mentorship and job skills for children who no longer receive foster care assistance, the cafe hires adults who have aged out of the system. In fact, 10 percent of the cafe’s proceeds funds the We Are One Project, a nonprofit Reihani started that helps businesses around the world give jobs to adults who

ON THE

RECORD

Movie disappoints with confusing storyline by Elisa Carroll Assistant Web Editor

April 12, 2021

La La Land

5600 W Lovers Ln Suite 128, Dallas, Texas 75209

photo by Kelsey Chen

With its sunny coffee sleeves and assortment of toasts, La La Land is a must-try. The La La avocado toast is to die for!

were formerly part of the foster care system. With the combination of its artfully decorated interior, innovative bites, cheery coffee sleeves and altruistic mission, La La Land Kind Cafe offers a truly welcoming space for kindness.

‘Life Support’ by Madison Beer by Erin Parolisi Web Editor

Initially announcing her debut album release date of March 2020, Madison Beer finally released her much anticipated “Life Support” on Feb. 26 after postponing it for a year and previewing several singles.

photo credit from Wikipedia

Throughout the course of 2020, Beer put out five of the 17 songs that appear on her track list. She set the tone for “Life Support” with her bold and catchy breakup anthem “Good in Goodbye,” but quickly switched to a more vulnerable note with her back-to-back ballads “Selfish” and “Stained Glass,” in which she sings about her heartbreaks and mental health. Beer switched back to a sultry and daring mood in her final two singles, “Baby” and “BOYS**T.” With her initial five singles, Beer demonstrated the duality between her confidence and fragility that would continue throughout “Life Support.” Beer’s album is arranged like a story, starting with her strong vocals in “The Beginning,” shifting tone in her electronic “Interlude,” and ending with snippets from her album blended over a 1950’s inspired melody in “Channel Surfing/The End.” Early on in the album, she introduces some of her saddest songs, such as “Default” and “Effortlessly,” as well as her most hard-hitting songs, “Follow The White Rabbit,” “Stay Numb And Carry On” and “Blue.” Beer sings about everything from being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder to a song inspired by “The Matrix,” succeeding in being both lyrically and melodically different in each song. After “Interlude,” Beer shifts to some of her more mellow songs such as “Homesick” and “Sour Times,” which touch on relatable but infrequent topics like feeling out of place and being taken advantage of. She finishes off her album with one of her more pop-styled songs, “Emotional Bruises,” and then one of her most unusual tracks, “Everything Happens For A Reason.” With primarily softer elements from 1950s music, “Everything Happens For A Reason” is my favorite song and the perfect finale for “Life Support” because it transitions away from blunt electronic components to a more confounding and sentimental ending. With different aspects of mental health being Beer’s primary focus of “Life Support,” I feel that Beer’s ending her album on a somewhat liberating note and segueing nicely into “Channel Surfing/The End” will transition nicely into her next album, which she hopes to release later this year. Throughout “Life Support,” Beer combines sounds of artists such as Lana Del Ray, Daft Punk, Ricky Nelson and Ariana Grande, paired with untouched lyrical messages that truly establish Beer’s voice in the music industry. With such a broad range of exceptional songs, “Life Support” has something for everyone.

10 April 12, 2021

ARTS & LIFE

The Fourcast

Navigating the 2021 Fashion Scene: Tricks, Trends and Tips Staff writer Zoya Haq predicts upcoming fashion by Zoya Haq Staff Writer

hen quarantine first hit the world at large, the idea of “style” warped into whatever was comfiest—sweatpants, joggers, oversize T-shirts and PJ bottoms. But as the world began to settle into its new normal, and people began to wrap their heads around the projected longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global fashion scene warped into an entirely new entity: one that valued individual creativity, working with new mediums and TikTok-driven DIY craftiness. It has been one year since the start of quarantine, but the precedent it created in the fashion world has endured. And as we look toward projected 2021 fashion trends, we see a fashion scene more individual, more creative and more comfortable than it has ever been. As seen in top couture brands’ portfolios like Tom Ford and Kenneth Ize, statement prints will be one of the hallmarks of this year’s runway styles. Bright, poppy colors, swirling patterns and psychedelic swirls are set to be all the rage. Layered with another simple, monochrome item, or even paired with a more muted but equally fun pattern, exciting new prints that appeal to your individual eye will allow you to experiment with different

combinations and replicate looks on runways across the world. Second-skin tops are also going to be a prominent style, especially in the spring and summer. Blending the former idea of bright, colorful patterns with a close-hugging shirt or maxi dress will be a fun and ontrend way to look fashionable and feel comfortable. Especially prominent in projected Givenchy and Versace lines, the second-skin trend will continue into the fall and winter in the form of ribbed-knit pieces and tight sweaters. And to retain comfort and moveability, pair your second-skin items with a pair of baggy, open-leg pants. Airy and easy to style with more simple tops, statement pants will be a big look from New York to Paris Fashion Week. Hand-painted options like Oscar de la Renta’s wideleg trousers tap into the creative, DIY outlet that quarantine has encouraged us all to embrace. One hallmark of the 2021 fashion scene will be the continued rise of midpriced, ethical fashion brands. Lines like Ganni and Paloma Wool, who have already begun to pop up on various runways as decently-priced options, have opened up the extremely selective “high-fashion” world to a new realm of consumers. Focusing specifically on sustainability and maintaining a small environmental footprint, these brands offer high-quality, unique items

for prices far more reasonable than long-established designers like Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent. Pieces like Paloma Wool’s “Twister sweater,” priced at less than $200, and Lisa Says Gah’s “Courtney wide leg pant”, priced at $149, mirror more expensive items like Ciao Lucia Varese’s cotton cardigan and Balenciaga’s striped cotton peplum pants. Apps like Instagram and TikTok have greatly driven the idea of DIY and price-conscious fashion, making haute couture-esque looks more available to the regular consumer. Trends encourage viewers to create their own looks at home, like the TikTok trend of knitting your own “Harry Styles” JW Anderson Cardigan ($1,560) and the popular “High-Low” challenge that encourages viewers to thrift and repurpose their finds into high fashion looks. These are just two examples highlighting a social media sphere that breeds and encourages creativity, even in times of crisis. But if this year’s whimsical and individualistic projected fashion trends teach us anything, it’s that “trends” themselves are loosely defined and openly applicable. And a good reminder looking into 2021 and beyond is to shop not necessarily for the most “trendy” item on the market at a given time, but rather for yourself in a sustainable, long-term and creative way.

photo provided by Paloma Wool

Paloma Wool’s “Twister sweater,” that comes in 5 color patterns.

photo provided by Lisa Says Gah

Lisa Says Gah’s “Courtney wide leg pant,” a comfortable choice with a billowy silhouette.

Life without the library Students, teachers adapt to changes by Elisa Carroll Staff Writer

Whether situated on the tall tables between the rows of books or sitting in cubicles on the third floor, students in past years have relied on the library as a calm and quiet place to study. This year, however, COVID-19 restrictions have left the library almost completely empty and unused, leaving avid book readers and those who rely on its studious environment without a place to go. As Library Director, Corey Lott has seen many of the changes made to the library. “The biggest change, of course, is not having students in the library,” Lott said. “And with this comes the inability for students to browse the shelves.” Especially for juniors, who relied heavily on the library and its resources during the first half of the year for their Junior Research Papers, this change altered their process to obtain books for research. To work around this, the library created a book request form and a separate one for the JRP. “We still wanted students to be able to check out books, especially during the JRP, so this was the best way we could think to allow this,” Lott said. “We think the book request form has been very useful, especially during the JRP.” Dr. Keith Clark is new to the faculty and teaches AP US History. As an instructor for students writing the JRP in the fall, Clark guided students to use the library’s new resources. “The library was an incredible resource for students writing their JRPs,” Clark said. “The protocols did not hinder them from obtaining stacks of books and accessing articles relevant to

their research.” Other changes have included placing checked-out books on a cart outside the library doors for students to pick up, quarantining returned books for at least three days before they are reshelved and creating a user-friendly library webpage. “While there is something to that occasional serendipitous find when browsing the stacks, still being able to get a hold of physical books remains better than only getting them electronically,” Clark said. “Overall, the restrictions do not seem onerous and the tradeoff for safety is well worth the additional steps.” As a new teacher, Clark never participated in the experience of going to the physical library and browsing the shelves. Despite missing out on this aspect of the library, he speaks highly of the library’s web page. “I’ve mostly used it to look up resources for classes and to direct students to more information on topics,” Clark said. “The layout is intuitive and easy to use, which makes it accessible. I have also used its databases for some of my own research.” Before the pandemic, junior Elise Little had used the library since she came to Hockaday as a freshman. “For me, the library was really great because I need a calm and quiet study space to get in the zone and get stuff done,” Little said. “I’m not really the kind of person that can go and do homework at a coffee shop.” With other overall changes due to COVID-19, students now spend conferences and Y periods in advisory and free blocks in designated rooms.

photo by Elisa Carroll

A vacant table sits in the middle of the large, empty library. With its closure due to COVID-19, students are no longer allowed to use the space to sit and do work or browse the shelves for books. “I really miss being able to use the library as a quiet and calm place to stay focused and study,” junior Elise Little said.

Since these settings always entail students being in a space with others, those who need isolation or quiet to focus have had to adjust to this change. “Especially if you stay during Y period, it is difficult to find a quiet space to study if you’re with your advisory,” Little said. “Not only does my advisory talk, but I also like to talk to them, so it’s not a good combination to get homework done in a busy junior year.” Junior Kendall Marchant is a part of the Perry-Thumlert advisory, which happens to have its advisory location in the library. “It’s really nice to have advisory in the library because we can use different sections of it to your needs,” Marchant said. “We usually spend time together as an advisory on the couches by the windows, but then if you need to go study or do homework then you can go off to the little cubicles to focus and get things done.” With only one other advisory in the

entire library with them, the PerryThumlert advisory largely has the space to themselves. Marchant feels lucky to have access to such a space for the lengthy parts of the day when she is in advisory. “The library is also very calm since there really isn’t anyone else in here,” Marchant said. “I know students that have advisories in classrooms can get really distracted easily with everyone being in there, so it’s nice for us in the library to be able to go off and have time to yourself if you need it.” The librarians do not know if the library will reopen for students to work in during the 2021-2022 school year. However, it will continue to have resources on its webpage for students to access. “The library is just so quiet and empty,” Lott said. “We really miss having students in the library and can’t wait for them to return!”

ARTS & LIFE

hockadayfourcast.org

Scenes from

Explore South Dallas’ public art park

by Erin Parolisi Web Editor

April April12, 12,2021 2021

The Fabrication Yard

Located in South Dallas is the free and public art and graffiti park Fabrication Yard. The scenic trip starts by crossing the Ronald Kirk Bridge to get to the Trinity Groves neighborhood where the Fabrication Yard is located. An area just off Singleton Boulevard and tucked away in a small parking lot on Parvia Avenue holds some of the most vibrant art, with walls of abandoned buildings covered with detailed illustrations. This hard-to-find spot is a hidden gem of Fabrication Yard.

Parvia Avenue also features a commemoration to frontline and health care workers, which is a must-see.

Off of Sylvan Avenue is one of Fabrication Yard’s most famous and picture-perfect spots. A colorful row of aluminum houses and buildings that have been painted and covered with graffiti. This alley is a burst of light in what used to be an abandoned neighborhood. The building’s interior is also painted and is the most popular spot for photos in Fabrication Yard.

The style of art changes from each building and area of Fabrication Yard so there is something for everyone. These buildings are also off of Sylvan Avenue.

With several artistically different areas and a location close to the Restaurants at Trinity Groves, Fabrication Yard is perfect for a photo shoot, fun drive or day trip. photos by Erin Parolisi

12 April 12, 2021

IN FOCUS

The Fourcast

Respect Your Mother (Earth) By Olivia Garcia and Libby Hill Illustration by Nancy Dedman

Winter storm’s link to climate change Climate change: When people hear the phrase, their minds immediately jump to global warming. However, for Texas this February, it was the opposite. Temperatures in Dallas reached a record low of -2 degrees Fahrenheit (recorded at DFW Airport) with wind chills reaching far lower. The winter storm was likely the result of a polar vortex, which occurs when cold air that sits over the Arctic escapes, caused by the rising Arctic temperatures which are a result of climate change, as reported by National Public Radio. As time passes and global warming’s impacts are greater, it’s likely that polar vortexes will occur more frequently. When faced with such temperatures, Texas’ energy grid and infrastructure was unprepared. ERCOT, the organization that controls power for the state of Texas, was forced to create rolling blackouts in order to simultaneously balance the increasing demand for power and the loss of power production. While other power organizations might have been able to draw power away from other areas in such a situation, Texas and ERCOT are unique. The rest of the continental United States is on two power grids (Western Interconnect and Eastern Interconnect), but Texas is independent from both of those systems. Drawing power away from another area was not an option, because ERCOT covers Texas and only Texas. Texas has its own system because, uniquely, the state of Texas produces enough power in the state to power itself independently without the need for outside sources. That’s until a crisis like this one occurs. With climate change, there is room for severe weather unpredictability in the future that Texas is unprepared for. The EPA reports that as climate change worsens, severe weather events (both hot and cold extremes) will occur more frequently. Following the storm, Dallas’ NBC network stated that ERCOT’s power grid was minutes away from “a blackout that might have crippled the power system for weeks or months.” Numerous members of ERCOT’s board resigned in the aftermath, and Gov. Greg Abbott called for its reform during Texas’ legislative session this year.

COVID-19’s effects on environment

Stay-at-home orders and social distancing have benefited the environment in many ways. NASA scientists reported that large parking lots, commercial rooftops and highways were 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler, on average, between the months of March and May 2020 in comparison to non-COVID years. However, most of these changes will prove to be temporary. John Reilly, a leader of a study at MIT on COVID-19’s impact on climate change, talked about emission reduction in MIT’s newspaper. “Our projection of global economic activity with and without the pandemic show only a small impact of COVID-19 on emissions in 2030 and beyond. While pandemic-induced economic shocks will likely have little direct effect on long-term emissions, they may well have a significant indirect effect on the level of investment that nations are willing to commit to meet or beat their Paris emissions targets.” Additionally, people’s concern for COVID has created an increase in use of disposable items rather than reusable ones. This can be seen anywhere from Hockaday’s revised lunch program to Starbucks’ temporary ban on the use of reusable cups in their stores and regular citizens’ use of disposable masks and gloves (instead of just doctors and in hospitals in the past.)

How can you help?

1. Recycle any piece of your lunch waste that you can, instead of dumping your entire bag in the trash. Examples: unused utensils, plastic lid that didn’t touch food, rinsedout container, paper bag, empty water bottles

2. Bring a reusable water bottle to lunch instead of using all the tiny ones offered in the lunch line.

3. Loo before what want you ar sandw the lin

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IN FOCUS

April 12, 2021

Snowmageddon brings attention to climate change, but what are we forgetting? Environmental practices on campus Hockaday has 1,107 students and 128 teachers, most of whom spend around eight hours a day, five days a week on the school’s 88-acre campus. That’s a lot of people who drive to campus, sit in the air-conditioned classrooms, eat lunch here, and learn and teach every day. With those actions comes a lot of power and food consumption as well as food waste, especially this year. In years past, every student and teacher has received their meals in Biggs Dining Hall. During COVID, Sage has pivoted and now has seven separate dining locations. Two satellite locations serve Lower School, Middle School continues to eat in the Dining Hall, and three satellite locations serve Upper School. While it’s logistically difficult, it’s the right and necessary protocol to keep school open and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joan Guzman, chief operations officer, spoke on the challenges that both the school and Sage have faced this year in dining. “That included having satellite stations that would allow us to minimize the congregation of students, faculty, and staff and that brings with it a number of operational challenges,” Guzman said. “One of the great things about the food service operation at Hockaday in a non-COVID-19 environment is that we’re preparing and serving out of one kitchen and “I understand that we have dining hall. This provides some operational efficiencies and a great sense of community. We now have to service to use single-use items to six dining areas throughout the campus.” protect ourselves from At each Upper School dining station, lunches are pre-packaged. The main box contains the COVID-19, but it’s not the day’s entree, and smaller sides and choices best way to protect the are further down the line in other containers. Sage started off the year using thick plastic environment long- term.” containers that students carried in brown paper -Junior Sophie Podeszwa bags, but they quickly changed the process. Now, students have reusable lunch bags and foil containers with a paper lid rather than plastic. Plastic utensils and napkins are individually wrapped together in plastic. “I understand that we have to use single-use items to protect ourselves from COVID-19, but it’s not the best way to protect the environment longterm,” junior Sophie Podeszwa said. This significant increase in waste from lunch is temporary and COVID-19 specific, as is the increase in paper use to clean desks after every class and for housekeeping to clean bathrooms more frequently. On the flip side, however, most teachers have cut down their paper use in a majority of circumstances to better connect distance learning and in-person students by doing most work digitally. This goes to show that while paper usage has increased in some areas, it has decreased in others.

ok at the menu ehand to know you want - don’t to get the entree if re going to get two wiches farther down ne.

4. Don’t rip off too much paper when wiping off your desk in a hurry. You only need a small piece to dry up the disinfectant.

5. Turn the lights off during advisory if you have a room that has windows. If you’re working on your computer, the ambiance is really nice.

14 April 12 , 2021

16 Learn about students receiving vaccines

FEATURES

The Fourcast

17 Alum on front line of COVID treatment

Politically active students get to work Interns gain experience, help local leaders serve constituents

by Juliana Blazek Staff Writer rom helping West Nile virus victims to distributing goods to those affected by the winter storm, Hockaday students who have taken an interest in politics are working alongside local political leaders to bring change to our city. Senior Emma Ortman has served as an intern in Dallas Mayor Eric Jonson’s office since July of 2019 and before that worked with him in his District 100 Texas State Representative Office. Ortman is currently a Constituent Services Representative in the Mayor’s office. Her work as an intern includes writing official proclamations and ceremonial letters, directing constituents to more than 20 departments at City Hall, helping with mayoral initiatives and recording Mayor Johnson’s incoming correspondences. “I have learned so many practical skills from my internship,” Ortman said. “I have to be assertive on the phone, confident in my own knowledge and know when to ask to help.” One of Ortman’s key experiences while working with the Mayor included helping a woman who was infected with the West Nile Virus access the best hospital care against bureaucratic restrictions. In addition, she has also helped people avoid eviction, reported voter suppression and connected the elderly to food

through food bank resources. All students in government during their “My internship not only exposes me to unknown sophomore year engage in a social impact corners of Dallas,” Ortman said. “It has also project where they have to contact a local state empowered me to incite change in peoples’ lives on representative or congressman about an issue a city government level.” that is pressing to them; as well, Ms. Day, through Sophomore Elle Chavis also the Institute for Social Impact, is got involved with her state connected to various programs representative and has an that students who are interest in internship with Victoria Neave, making a difference politically can the representative for Texas partake in. House District 107. “It is important for students to Chavis’s work includes be involved politically because it helping Representative Neave in starts them on the path of being day-to-day work. Chavis spends civically active for most of their most of her time helping people lives,” Kathryn Hodgkinson, Upper get registered for the COVID-19 School Government Teacher and vaccine and educating people History Department Chair, said. on where COVID-19 test sights “There are ways even at students’ are located. In addition, in the ages to participate and actually recent winter storm, Chavis make a difference.” photo by Emma Ortman organized water distribution in With more students getting Mesquite and Garland and took Emma Ortman works at her involved and taking action, their office as a Constituent Services calls from constituents who had Representative in Dallas Mayor voices will be heard even more pipe bursts and told them about Eric Johnson’s Office. prominently by political leaders. close warming stations. “I think that even if politics “It’s been really fun to isn’t something you want to do as actually be involved with someone who’s in charge a career it’s really good to get involved politically of making laws for the state of Texas,” Chavis said, no matter what you believe in,” Chavis said. “It’s “I love being able to help and volunteer ever y really good to be able to form your own opinions Saturday or whenever I can.” and know what you think about the world.”

Recent grads explore options

Alumnae consider options as COVID changes the face of college by Remy Finn Sports Editor In a year of sacrificing social events, in-person learning and time with friends, college students are reevaluating their plans and weighing the impact of COVID-19 on their college experience. Among these students are alumnae Aurelia Han, Reid Cohen and Xan Orchid. Aurelia Han Han ’18 originally planned to be graduating Harvard in 2022. However, last September she went down a new path. “It was kind of a chain effect with all of my friends,” Han said. “We couldn’t imagine only having one more year of ‘normal’ school so we decided to take a gap year but still live near campus and work. College is so special and we wanted to salvage as much of it as possible.” Internships are usually three months long, but now Han is able to commit to nine months of work at a real estate investment firm in Boston. She is also running the business Cade’s Cakes as a co-owner with founder and longtime friend Samantha Cades. “I’ve known Sam for a long time and have always helped out but I’ve taken on a more serious role this year,” Han said. “The most rewarding thing is seeing your ideas and team effort come to life, we have a super exciting year coming up so there’s lots to do,” Although it was not a part of her original plan, Han said she is glad that she took a year off and would recommend it to others. “I think I learned a lot about myself and was given opportunities I would have never been able to experience,” Han said. Reid Cohen Reid Cohen ’19 took a year off from her Pitzer campus in Claremont, California. In the first half of the year, she participated in an 80-day backpacking trip and this spring she will begin playing lacrosse with the Israeli National Team.

“Originally I was only going to take the fall semester off but by November, Pitzer had already announced they would keep campus closed in the spring,” Cohen said. “With my brief experience with online school last spring in mind I decided that I would get the most out of my education if I were to wait till we were back on campus.” Cohen initially planned to study abroad her junior year but hopes this semester will check that box and she will stay on campus next year. As a college lacrosse player, she’s not the only one on her team who will be taking a break this semester. This year, about a quarter of her lacrosse team either took a semester off or a year off. That is partially because the Claremont college campuses aren’t open but also because there will not be a season this spring and many players hope to play for four years. As for playing lacrosse in Israel, Cohen is looking forward to learning more about the Israeli culture and exploring the country. “I am definitely nervous to be playing lacrosse again because the last time I was able to practice with lots of people was last March,” Cohen said. “ I am also nervous being here not knowing a lick of Hebrew.” The Israel Lacrosse gap year program has existed for a couple of years and allows Jewish college lacrosse players to sign up and play for the semester. However, this year, the semester acts like a big tryout for the World Cup team that was set to play in the World Cup this summer but is now postponed till 2022. Xan Orchid Xan Orchid ’20 started the journey of her gap year working as a representative with Cutco. On the day of her graduation, Cutco reached out to her about working in cutlery

knife sales with them. “I started working for Cutco literally the day I graduated Hockaday,” Orchid said. “Since I will be studying business management and entrepreneurship once I’m at CU boulder I thought it would be a great experience.” Cutco set up an interview with Orchid and immediately offered her the job, so she went into training the weekend after she received her diploma. Due to strict quarantine at that time, everything was over Zoom—going over the script, knowing how to enter orders and learning good sales tips. From there, Orchid booked several demos starting with her family and close friends. “As I got more comfortable with the script I added more personal stories and made the script my own,” Orchid said. “I did extremely well and was No. 1 in my office for about three months. I reached my 6th promotion, putting me at 40 percent commission.” However, as fall loomed closer, Orchid felt COVID-19 would impact her college experience drastically, and she didn’t think it would be worth her time or money to attend school in the fall of 2020. “I then decided to defer until spring 2021,” Orchid said. “In the meantime I went on road trips across the US with my boyfriend.” Her destinations included Alabama, Atlanta, Colorado (Creede, Crested butte, Glenwood Springs, Denver and Boulder) and California, staying with her dad and then later heading south. “All while traveling I was able to work remotely,” Orchid said “Cutco was very f lexible and I could book my own demos whenever I wanted. I mostly tried to schedule them in the mornings so I would have the afternoon free- it really was a great learning experience.” Currently, Orchid is in Costa Rica staying at a retreat center, working on the center’s social media, booking groups and applying the skills she learned with Cutco.

FEATURES

hockadayfourcast.org

Bob the Builders, Episode 2021

April 12, 2021

Habitat for Humanity changes protocols during COVID-19

Director, Laura Day, mourns the lost community element amid COVID-19 alls, beams and regulations, but finds silver linings in infrastructure the program’s adaptability. are tented every “It’s great that we get to offer Saturday morning something,” Day said, “but I miss on the Habitat plot the giant gatherings where we got to of Ladd Drive’s newest resident, Bri collectively be there.” Johnson, as the annual Hockaday/St. While she can no longer supervise Mark’s build begins in new, adapted builds with the new limitations, Day’s circumstances. role in the Habitat House this year is Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity coordinating build dates, spreading is an affordable housing nonprofit the word on the student-volunteer that helps Dallas citizens become end and negotiating Hockaday’s homeowners. Homeowners invest in COVID-19 protocols with Habitat. their properties St. Mark’s through “sweat senior Gabe “My favorite part equity” where Bines, a they collaborate regular Habitat about Habitat is with Habitat volunteer, said seeing the progress he has loved his volunteers, like Hockaday from the beginning to time on builds students, during the last the end of the day.” over the build times four years and for their house continues to this Sarah Crow and other year despite the Habitat Volunteer Habitat homes. complications of Hockaday building beneath and St. Marks have collaborated on the umbrella of school regulations. the Habitat for Humanity builds to “We can only have 10 people onsite build 14 houses in the last 13 years. at any time, so I miss seeing familiar Habitat liaison senior Sarah Crow faces and friends at builds like last said her time with the organization year,” Bines said. “Everything takes over the last four years has helped a lot longer, you have to wear a mask her establish relationships with St. all the time, which really stinks, and Mark’s friends. you can’t share tools. On the bright “I think the Habitat house is side though, there’s always something a symbol of the connection and to do.” community between Hockaday Bines had planned on becoming and St. Marks,” Crow said. “It’s a Habitat “core-volunteer” this year, really fun and a great way to build the certified build-guides who assist relationships. The best way to students onsite. The pandemic, support Habitat is to be excited about however, limited time and availability it, talk about it, go to the builds and to complete proper certification make it a symbol of our relationship which includes attending a number with St. Mark’s.” of Dallas builds and summer classes Amid COVID-19 setbacks this for seniors to demonstrate efficiency year, however, volunteers have with tools. been limited in their construction While Crow got certified in 2020, efficiency. Hockaday’s Social Impact her process was different than by Zoe Cote Staff Writer

Virtual views

photo by Sarah Crow

Habitat volunteers move equipment and materials at a build site.

most. Crow said Habitat evaluated her qualifications using prior build experience and volunteership over the last four years to allow her to get certified as a core-volunteer. This year she became one of Hockaday’s Habitat liaisons alongside senior coliaison Lauren Bailey. Because of the undecided nature of fall 2020, the Hockaday/St. Mark’s Habitat program opted to transition to a spring build this year. While two February build sessions were cancelled due to snow, the hope is to finish before May. “Over the past few years we’ve gone back and forth between doing a fall house and a spring house,” Crow said. “Spring builds work better with the football schedule which is good, and oftentimes in the fall, students are more focused on getting community service hours in. But we’re hoping we can still finish on time, either by adding days or being more productive.” Day predicts Habitat builds will look more normal next year as conditions improve for COVID-19 in Texas. “As vaccinations improve I bet it’ll look a lot better,” Day said. Between weekly builds and monthly core-volunteer meetings, Crow is also president of Habitat’s Junior Board, managing build funds

and teaching fundraising skills, and managed to fully fund the house despite COVID-19 setbacks. “The houses get more and more expensive to build every year,” Crow said. “Habitat Junior Board fundraises and solicits all build donations from family and friends to support Habitat. Neither school provides direct funding for the house, but both Hockaday and St. Mark’s are extremely supportive.” Crow said the best way to support builds, besides donation, is by connecting with students from other grade levels to foster the Habitat tradition. “I think it’s really important to have people from all grades volunteering so that way people are constantly excited about the project,” Crow said. This year’s benefactor is 27-yearold Dallasite Bri Johnson. Johnson worked as a nurse and frontline worker during the height of the pandemic and, like other Habitat beneficiaries, is excited to take the leap into homeownership after a taxing year for hospital employees. Habitat builds take place every Saturday, with four open spots from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and four open spots from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Upper School students ages 16 and older can sign up through MobileServe.

Alumnae show off campuses on college counseling Instagram by Campbell Harris Staff Writer Want to tour colleges but can’t due to COVID-19? Check out the College Counseling Instagram for virtual tours from alumnae. In January, College Counseling started the college student takeover segment on their Instagram story due to the lack of college campuses open for visits this year. After brainstorming ways to allow current students to see campuses across the world, college counseling accessed their database of alumnae who were eager to showcase their schools. At the beginning of the year, college counseling associate Allison Camp emailed alumnae enrolled in college and asked who would be interested in hosting a takeover. The first takeover was on Jan. 27, and Camp said she hopes to keep them going for as long as possible. “I would love to make this a permanent fixture on our Instagram to keep our current students and alumnae connected and engaged,” Camp said. “The virtual takeovers allow our students, parents, faculty and anyone else who follows the Instagram to gain knowledge, and at the end of the day, the more we can share and more people who can engage, the better.”

Kathleen Roberts displays the Washington and Lee campus on the college counseling Instagram. Roberts participated in a takeover on Feb. 3. “I wanted to show Hockaday girls more about it,” Roberts said.

Kathleen Roberts ’20, a student at Washington and Lee University, participated in the takeover segment and showcased her usual daily routine. “I wanted Hockaday students to get a better glimpse of Washington and Lee since it is small and under the radar and why it would be an easy fit

coming from Hockaday,” Roberts said. Camp said being able to see college campuses is beneficial for current students because they need to see many options, and so many alumnae are willing to share insight and opinions of their schools. “The show must go on when it comes to researching and applying to colleges even in the midst of COVID-19, so any opportunity for our students to see and gain knowledge on different colleges will benefit their college process greatly,” Camp said. Junior Margo Washburne is an avid watcher on the college counseling takeovers. “I like watching them because they spark my interest about colleges that I wouldn’t have considered looking at otherwise,” Washburne said. Camp and Roberts agree current students should reach out to alumnae and engage with the stories as much as possible. “Watch all of the stories and listen to them as intently as possible, because there is always more to learn,” Camp said. “Our hope is for students to ask real questions and get answers from alumnae who have gone through the college counseling process and walked these hallways before.”

16 April 12, 2021

FEATURES

Volunteering for vaccines

The Fourcast

Students work at distribution centers, sign up for trials to get vaccinated

by Melody Hu Staff Writer

tudents have been participating in volunteer opportunities that give them the chance to get vaccinated for COVID-19. They have been working at distribution centers to get the leftover vaccines or even signing up for vaccine trials to help the community and get vaccinated. Cases of COVID-19 in adolescents are far less serious than in any other age group, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Because of this, people under 21 are not considered a priority for the vaccines. In response, students have decided to volunteer. Seniors Emily Stevenson and Suzanne Baxter first heard about the opportunity to volunteer at distribution centers from their parents. After getting their forms signed, they signed up to volunteer at the Fair Park Distribution SuperCenter, helping direct traffic, fill out cards and get forms signed. “I first decided to volunteer at the distribution centers because I wanted to help, and it was a great opportunity,” Stevenson said. “When I found out I would also potentially receive the vaccine, it was

like a bonus.” Because the COVID-19 vaccines have strict storage requirements, they must be used after they are taken out of storage. If these vaccines are not used, they are thrown away. After 15 hours of volunteering at the distribution center, Stevenson was eligible to be added to the list for leftover vaccines. At the end of every day, site directors count the leftover vaccines and rank the volunteers on a priority list based on the number of hours they put in. After the volunteers found out if there were enough leftover vaccines for them to get vaccinated, they went through the vaccination process. “The actual vaccination process was super quick, and all the volunteers got vaccinated in under five minutes,” Stevenson said. Additionally, the volunteers are guaranteed a second dose of the vaccine two weeks after their first vaccination. When they get their second vaccine, they go through the same vaccination process as everyone else at the distribution centers. “The process for the second dose is also super simple,” Baxter said. “They gave us a card and we can go to the distribution centers within a certain time.” Junior Riley Carter chose to

photo by Kate Clark

Volunteers guide driverss through Fair Park to receive vaccinations.

volunteer for the Moderna Vaccine Trial for adolescents. Vaccinating teens is a large part of reaching herd immunity, and they need a COVID-19 vaccine that works for them. Most vaccines are designed for adults, and because of this, Moderna created a vaccine trial for teenagers. To participate in the vaccine trial, Carter had to apply by filling out forms and questionnaires about her health. After she was accepted to the trial, she underwent tests. “They gave me a COVID-19 test, a drug test and a pregnancy test, then they took my vitals,” Carter said. For the vaccine trial, the participants had a two-thirds chance

of getting the vaccine and a onethird chance of getting a placebo. To uphold the trial’s confidentiality, Carter was not allowed to look when she received the shot. Afterward, she kept a symptom diary and had other doctor’s appointments and tests. After a few weeks, Carter will go in for her second shot. Then the group running the trial will reveal if she was given the vaccination or a placebo. “I decided to participate in this trial because it was the only way for me to potentially get the vaccine because I am under 18,” Carter said. “I think what they are trying to do is very cool.”

Giving opportunity to the community ShopUnityy advocacy page supports local businesses by Sasha Schwimmer News Editor After seeing COVID-19’s impact on businesses in her community, junior Siddhi Bansal started the local advocacy page ShopUnityy in January to boost the “shop local” mindset. “One of my family friends owns a small business, and I was able to observe the adverse impact that COVID-19 had on the business,” Bansal said. “This caused me to research more about the small businesses in my community, and I eventually decided to start a local page that encourages people to buy from them.” The shop local movement has become more pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to the temporary and sometimes permanent closure of local businesses. Until normal operations resume, businesses will continue struggling to sustain their companies. The long-lasting effects of COVID-19 may disproportionately affect small businesses, leaving them most financially fragile and vulnerable to permanent closure. ShopUnityy promotes local businesses for free on social media, aiming to influence people to shop from neighborhood businesses, especially those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “My relationship with these businesses is strong, and they appreciate the fact that I’m promoting their businesses for them,” Bansal said.

Bansal recently spoke on behalf of I do on the side,” Spak said. “When ShopUnityy at a local news station. I saw my business posted next to The host of the interview was eighthcompanies like Eatzi’s and Liberty grader RJ Anya Ahuja. Ahuja has a Burger, I felt really motivated to sell “Youth Spotlight with Anya” podcast more and to grow more. It felt so broadcast by Radio Caravan, a South official, which made me incredibly Asian radio happy.” channel aimed ShopUnityy has at the Indian, promoted other Pakistani and local restaurants, Bangladeshi cafes and parlors, communities in including Dallas. Village Burger Ahuja featured Bar and Howdy Bansal and other Homemade Ice youth change Cream. agents working to “EatZi’s has create awareness appreciated during the my promotion pandemic. The by liking, radio show aired commenting in March and and promoting is available on my post on their Spotify/iTunes. page,” Bansal In February, said. Bansal promoted Bansal said she The ShopUnityy logo features a Eataly on plans to target neighborhood shop representing Instagram, other types of a small business. Junior Siddhi suggesting that businesses in Bansal started the organization to locals dine in or encourage people to buy from local the future, like out, or even take convenience businesses. “I wanted to keep the logo simplistic for aesthetic reasons stores, car wash advantage of and also portray the idea that small centers, gas the restaurant’s businesses’ doors are always open market, which stations and to serve,” Bansal said. offers fresh health care ingredients centers. like bronze-extruded pasta or sunShe said she wanted to name ripened tomatoes to prepare an her page something meaningful Italian meal at home. and came up with ShopUnityy by Freshman Eva Spak, the creator combining the words shop and of Eva’s Cookies, contacted Bansal to community. promote her small business. “The word unity also portrays “I’ve always thought people see my the idea of integrity and solidarity cookie business as just a small thing between all of the small businesses,

and ultimately conveys the idea of working together to support small businesses all around,” Bansal said. With 223 followers to date, ShopUnityy’s largest platform is Instagram, @shopunityy. The organization also is active on Facebook and Twitter, and Bansal said she plans to create a TikTok page as well.

Photo provided by Siddhi Bansal

Junior Siddhi Bansal with Village Burger Bar employee holding screenshot of ShopUnityy Instagram post. ShopUnityy promotes local businesses for free on social media to encourage people to shop locally. “ShopUnityy is not just an account to promote small businesses; rather, it is an account aimed towards encouraging people to shop local,” Bansal said.

hockadayfourcast.org

FEATURES

April 12, 2021

Online traders spur unpredictability

GameStop’s stock surges after Reddit users invest heavily by Asha Gudipaty Guest Writer

e live in such a connected society. Anyone who wanted to, could reach out to someone across the world in less than a minute. This phenomenon has become commonplace, and the capacity of a cell phone doesn’t surprise anyone anymore. But recently, the entire market faced a wave of shock stemming from this connection. Recently, GameStop, the company selling various video games at brickand-mortar stores, had a huge jump in its stock price. According to an article from Yahoo Finance, the stock went from around $20 at the end of 2020 to more than $400 at one point. This came as a shock to many experienced investors on Wall Street as GameStop had not been profitable; in fact, it had been in a steady state of decline for a while. A Forbes article noted this same scenario happened with other smaller stocks such as AMC, Nokia, Blackberry, and many others. So why did this happen? Around the beginning of January, multiple users/traders of a platform on Reddit teamed up to invest in GameStop. This caused a massive upward surge in the prices which was added by people buying the stock to cover their short sales. Shorting is like betting against a stock. An NPR article explains that a short seller can borrow shares and sell them. When the price of the shares goes down the seller will buy the shares back at a lower price, return the shares and keep the money made by the fall in the price. A short squeeze happens when the price of the stock increases and people shorting lose their money when they have to buy the shares at a higher price in order to return them to

GameStop, the company selling various video games at brick-and-mortar stores, had a huge jump in its stock price.

the lender. Derivative trading — trading outside of purely buying and selling — with shorts is a huge gamble. Before this surge, CNBC noted that multiple traders and additionally bigger investors such as hedge funds like Melvin Capital had shorted this stock. These same people that lost money in the short squeeze consequently aided GameStop’s growth by buying the stock to cover their losses. Now, https://www.reddit.com/ is not a new website, but its popularity has been growing. Most people have heard of Reddit and perhaps been in a discussion about a variety of topics on its platform, but these kinds of implications are completely new. According to the Business Insider, previous short squeezes were not usually the result of massive investing, rather the improvement of a company and thereby its share price. It’s rare to see a relatively small company creating the losses of tens of millions of dollars, yet that is the reality of many traders and hedge funds. But the implications of this short squeeze do not stop there. Robinhood, a popular app that trades are ordered on, and Citadel, the place where trades are executed, also affect the market. A CNBC article reports that Robinhood, a while after this surge, restricted buying of GameStop

photo by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel

Despite GameStop’s financial decline, its stock prices suddenly jumped in January as Reddit users went on a buying binge. Other apps are also having an effect on the market and lawmakers are taking a closer look.

shares for one day, causing the stock prices to drop. Why? The Robinhood website describes the way the app profits, not through commission, but through a system of payment for order flow (earning money off each transaction). An article from Barron’s credits the halt in buying to the insufficient capital they were holding as reserve; it was not enough to meet regulatory requirements. But another speculation is that hedge funds were losing too much money; therefore, when Robinhood stopped investors from buying, prices were not going up, in turn aiding the hedge funds. According to Slate, it so happens that Citadel (the market maker for Robinhood) has significant

holdings in Melvin Capital while Citadel pays Robinhood to route stock trades in their direction. A Verge report states that U.S. legislators finally started the process of discovering the truth behind the inner workings of these companies, looking for possible loopholes. The market is being scrutinized simply because of a few actions of an online community. So what does this mean for the future? While any insider trading (trading on non-public information) is illegal, these recent actions were completely legal, painting the picture of the risks that come with investing in the stock market, especially using derivatives.

Alumna leads on front lines

Donna Casey ’85, doctor, businesswoman, student takes action against COVID by Kate Clark Managing Editor

Dr. Donna Casey ‘85 pulled out her chair and sat down across the table wearing her riding clothes and her Presbyterian Hospital black coat. After fawning over her race horse, she tucked her hands in her lap, eager to talk about all things doctor. There have been strides in the medical field since the outbreak of COVID-19, and Dr. Casey helped pioneer these developments such as the monoclonal antibody treatment. Since her days at Hockaday, Dr. Casey earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. More recently, she received a master’s degree in business management from Harvard Extension School, and is currently working on her master’s in public health from Harvard Chan School of Public Health. She is an internal medicine physician at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and a member of the Dallas County Medical Society board. On top of all of that, she strives to go to

nationals for dressage (form of horse riding). Through her medical lens, Dr. Casey knew COVID-19 was coming as she watched the coverage unfold worldwide, from the beginnings in China to the mass graves in Iran to the downfall of the multi-generational homes in Italy. “With people flying around the world on a regular basis, it takes 48 to 72 hours, maybe,” Dr. Casey said. “People land at DFW, this happens all the time by the way, and they call me and say ‘I just landed, I’m sick, I’m on the way to your office. We knew it would take one situation and one hospital.” Her husband is the head of critical care at Presbyterian Hospital, and they like to sit around their fire pit outside at night and talk about their patients and their days. Her husband told her about a man who he could not get off life support. “What we did is think of something very archaic,” Dr. Casey said. “We gave him someone’s blood, specifically just the plasma, who had gotten over the disease. And he got better.” When a patient has a disease, they have an IGM antibody, and when they

get over the disease or get a vaccine, they have an IGG antibody. From there, the hospital got FDA emergency approval to start giving plasma to patients. So, Dr. Casey put up a Facebook post to promote donation of plasma, and people started responding. People from other states responded and drove to Dallas to donate plasma. “We are still using plasma in the ICU, now we have other drugs but in a desperate situation we can still use plasma,” Dr. Casey said. Science has developed since March and April, and now there is a monoclonal antibody that is made in a lab. The antibody is given through an IV at an outpatient center (not admitted to ER or hospital) and a few hours later, the patients are typically better without having to be checked into the hospital. Dr. Casey started using this technique in December. Steroid pills have also been found to be a cheap solution to reduce inflammation in the lungs and calm the immune system. After the medical rundown, Dr. Casey reminisced on her time at Hockaday. “When I finished Hockaday, I could do anything because I had all the skill

set under my belt,” Dr. Casey said. “Quite honestly, Hockaday was harder than medical school.” Senior Maya Raghunathan strives to one day be in the medical field, too. “Knowing that Hockaday alumnae are working and hearing their inspirational stories in the healthcare industry solidifies my desire to enter the healthcare field,” Raghuanthan said. “Hopefully I can attend medical school and help correct some of the inequities within the industry. Dr. Casey pulled tissues out of her pocket and dabbed her eyes that suddenly welled with tears as she recalled Idanelle McMurry, the Headmistress from 1979 to 1989. “She said what do you want to do and I said ‘I think I want to be an astronaut, but you have to be 5’8” to fit in these chairs’. And she said, ‘Well, change the rules.’” And Dr. Casey did change the rules. “In times of desperation and crisis, you think outside the box and do what you can do,” Dr. Casey said, “especially when people are dying.”

18 April 12, 2021

19 Get to know some of the

varsity team managers and how they help players succeed

SPORTS

The Fourcast

20 Dive into the history of Hockaday athletics and our mascot, the Daisy

Two sophomores tear up the ice Ellie Abel and Grace Hoverman dedicate time, effort to ice hockey by Lea Whitley Social Media Director

t’s a Tuesday evening at 9 p.m. and sophomores Ellie Abel and Grace Hoverman are training. You may think they’re running on a track, lifting in a weight room or swimming in a lap pool, but that’s not the case. Abel and Hoverman are on the ice. Both girls play competitive ice hockey on the Dallas Stars Elite team. Abel and Hoverman have been dedicated to the sport from an early age. Abel began hockey lessons when she was 11 and has been skating for 14 years and Hoverman began the sport when she was 8 and has continued to play for seven years. Abel and Hoverman practice three to four times a week at the StarCenter in Valley Ranch and play in games on the weekends.They dedicate hours of time from their schedules yearround to the sport, and Hoverman fits a second sport, lacrosse, into her schedule as well. “Hockey is a very demanding sport, and ice times vary depending on the availability of the coaches and rink, which is why our practices go until 10:30 p.m. sometimes,” Hoverman said. “Games and tournaments also cause us to miss school days. To be honest, it is sometimes very difficult to manage school and sports, especially because I play two demanding club sports, resulting in an unhealthy sleep schedule some nights.” Despite these drawbacks, Abel is

driven by her favorite aspect of the sport. “I love the speed,” Abel said. “Everything I do on the ice has to be executed at my highest speed, whether it be deciding to pass or shoot, or racing to the puck.” Hoverman said she loves the intensity of the sport. “Hockey is a high-speed sport that requires a lot of strength, and the practices, games, and training push me to want to get better,” she said. When competing locally, Hoverman and Abel play in the 14 and under boys’ bracket since there are no girls’ hockey teams to compete with in Texas. Abel said Dallas Stars Elite competes photo courtesy of Grace Hoverman pretty well with most of the Hoverman focuses intensely while guarding the puck. She plays in games against teams, winning half of their other teams on the weekends. “The games always push me to want to get better,” games and losing half. Hoverman said. Hoverman and Abel also play in the girls’ 17 tier I bracket the ice, and are always full-throttle While Hoverman has a love for ice games all over the country, competing and never afraid to ask questions. hockey, she hopes to get recruited for in places like Detroit, Columbus, Grace is a hard worker and knows her other sport. Austin, California and Nashville. when it’s time to compete, and Ellie is “I am mainly playing ice hockey “The competition in this bracket patient, observant, and understands for fun since I love the game,” is very high and very challenging,” when and how to make a play.” Hoverman said. “It is my second Hoverman said. “We are competing While Abel and Hoverman both sport, along with lacrosse. I definitely with top teams in the nation such as put immense work into their sport, hope to get recruited for college Chicago Mission and Little Caesars.” Abel has more long-term aspirations lacrosse, though.” Hayden Ray, Hoverman and Abel’s for her journey with ice hockey. Abel and Hoverman have big assistant coach for the past year, “I am hoping to play hockey in competitions coming up soon. has played ice hockey since he was college,” Abel said. “I’m not sure “Wish them luck when you pass 4 years old and continued to play whether I am going to try and get by them in the halls,” Ray said. “They through college. recruited or just play club, but I deserve it.” “It’s a blast to teach them,” Ray definitely want to continue after said. “They are intelligent on and off high school.”

Crew adjusts to new COVID-19 guidelines Practices with reduced regulations look promising for team by Charlotte Rogers Features Editor As COVID-19 created changes across the board for sports and life, for the crew team, these modifications brought new challenges. Fall sports that practiced at school, such as field hockey and cross country, adjusted to new SPC and school rules while crew adapted to both USRowing and school guidelines. The new rules completely altered the crew team’s daily practices and their ability to travel to and from Bachman Lake. “We had to split up the team for practice and we were no longer allowed to row in quads so every rower was in their own boat (a single),” said William Forteith, head crew coach. “We also no longer had access to the typical transportation for novice rowers so we lost a bit of the usual novice bus-bonding.” Parents had to drive some of the novices, most of whom cannot drive, to the lake, requiring constant contact tracing between rowers, parents

and coaches. With the team divided, practices became an abnormal rotation of about 20 rowers and one coach on campus and about 18 rowers with two coaches at the lake. The changes brought both pros and cons for the team. Varsity rower senior Sophia Foster said while there were positives to rowing in singles, one negative was the team’s inability to work together on the water. “The distancing and separation between groups (novice, jv, varsity) in the boats has affected the team as whole,” Foster said. “We’ve suffered a bit because of the loss of that connection.” On the other hand, Phadke, Foster and Forteith agreed the challenge of rowing only singles, instead of quads, has helped develop the skills and technique of rowers of every level. During her time as a novice, Foster didn’t row in a single for more than a year, which she said can really affect one’s ability to row in a quad. She said this year’s novices are well prepared to row as a team.

photo by Libby Hill

The crew team practices their rowing strokes across Bachman Lake in quads. In the new spring season, the team is allowed to practice in boats with more than one person. “Part of the fun of the sport is working together to move a boat, such as in a quad,” Forteith said.

Now, it appears the novices will get to put their technique to the test as coaches recently announced spring season rowers will get to row in quads, not just singles. “The success of the winter sports competing while following COVID-19 protocols at Hockaday coupled with the new USRowing guidelines helped

prepare a way for us to go into team boats during the first week of the spring rowing season,” Forteith said. “I’m looking forward to rowing with my teammates again this spring and, regattas or no regattas, I’m glad that I’ll be able to work with my team for one last season,” Foster said.

SPORTS

hockadayfourcast.org

one

TO WATCH

by Lacy Green Sports Co-Editor

April 12, 2021

Sports managers part of team

Barbara Lou, Brie Johnson, Natalie Grove share experiences as manager, give insight on what management is all about by Jane Clark Staff Writer

T Erin Antes Get to know the Hockaday rower

1 2 3

Erin spends about 12 hours every week rowing, and has been rowing since the summer before her freshman year.

She rows with Hockaday during the fall, winter offseason and spring, and she does rowing performance camps during the summer

“I love crew because of the beautiful lake and our team. Even though it is hard work, your friends are right beside you during every erg piece and every race supporting you.”

he players are the focus on the court, but the managers make it possible. Brie Johnson, junior varsity basketball manager, runs the clock and the playbook during the games. “I worked for an hour and a half, five days a week, plus games,” Johnson said. Johnson worked alongside Natalie Grove, the other junior varsity basketball manager, and with the three varsity basketball managers. She bonded with the team and got to know the players. “The team was very inclusive and I really felt like we were making an impact on the team,” Johnson said. The time commitment is just like any other sport. It requires the managers to be at Penson from 4:30 to just after 6 on practice days, and stay with the team until the games are over on competition days. Because of this time spent with the team and watching the sport, Grove learned the basketball rules and regulations and got to know the team. “Be a sports manager if you would enjoy working with the coaches and teams, want to better understand the sport and are willing to spend your afternoons at school,” Grove said. “It is a fun way to hang out with a new set of friends and an outlet after school.” While Johnson and Grove were working as the JV managers, they did not have to go to PE and were able to attend all of the games. “It was really great being able to go to all of the basketball games because at a lot of them there are no visitors allowed,” Johnson said. Barbara Lou, varsity track

photo courtesy of Barbara Lou

Barbara Lou and Graydon Paul pose for a self timer during track practice. They love to cheer on the team as they run and practice for the meets. “Everyone is fun to be around,” Lou said. “Graydon and I make a difference every day.”

and field manager, decided to be a manager because she wanted to try something new during her last spring season at Hockaday. “If you would like to be part of the team, you should manage the team,” Lou said. “I get to be HTF’s co-biggest fan with Graydon and we help out with tracking athletes’ growth and times. We are always on the sidelines bringing the hype.” As HTF management, Lou works alongside Graydon Paul, Kemper Lowry, Madelyn Neuhoff, Farrah Sofia Tran and Hanna Asmeron. “I am looking forward to getting to release my inner cheerleader, vibe with the team, get manager merch, watch spring sunsets and bond with people you didn’t know,” Lou said. Johnson had a positive take-away from her experience despite saying she probably would not do it again because of the time commitment. “I feel like being manager allowed me to work on my organizational skills and also loved bonding with the

“It’s a fun way to hang out with a new set of friends and an outlet after school.” -Brie Johnson JV Basketball Manager

coaches,” Johnson said. Grove took away many things from managing the JV basketball team, including learning more about the game and taking a mental break from school work. “I became friends with more girls and bonded over basketball,” Grove said, “and it was a good opportunity for me to take a break from school work and learn about different sports and their gameplays.”

Upcoming Games and Events Varsity Golf April 19 at Brookhaven @ 10 AM JV Lacrosse April 13 vs. ESD @ 5 PM Varsity Lacrosse April 13 vs. ESD @ 6:30 PM

Varsity Softball April 9 vs. Greenhill @ 5 PM April 16 vs. Fort Worth Country Day @ 5 PM Varsity Tennis April 9 vs. Greenhill @ 4:30 PM April 13 vs. Trinity Valley @ 4:30 PM Varsity Track and Field April 10 at St. Mark’s

20 April 12, 2021

SPORTS

The Fourcast

Protecting the Meadow

Mascot makes comeback, proving Daisies anything but delicate

by Maddie Stout Arts & Life Co-Editor

he University of California Santa Cruz Banana Slugs. The Scottsdale Community College Artichokes. The Delta State University Fighting Okra. And of course, the Hockaday Daisy. As Daisies, students stand alongside some of the most unusual mascots in the nation. Still, in the 100 years of the school’s existence and through multiple changes, they continue to thoroughly embrace the Daisy, their love for it only growing stronger. While the mascot has a long history behind it, the original reason for choosing the symbol is unclear. Perhaps, as many suggest, the daisy was Miss Hockaday’s favorite flower, or it may be that she simply chose it because it fit with her name. Regardless, former Athletic Board Chair Margaret Woodberry ’20 said the message behind the flower certainly encapsulates a Hockadaisy. “[Daisies] can pop up anywhere, from meadows, gardens, to urban areas or along roadsides. They are versatile and adaptable,” said Woodberry in a speech to the Hockaday community at the start of the 2019-2020 year. “A daisy is also known to grow in groups and spread quickly, just like our teams, and

our Hockaday community as a #GoDaisies stickers to hand out at whole supports each other and the opening athletics barbeque,” ultimately helps us blossom.” Woodberry said. “That was Woodberry’s speech the beginning of us starting to sparked a resurgence of love embrace the mascot, and it for the daisy, but the really set the tone for the community rest of the year.” did not Now, the always feel slogan that most so fond Hockadaises would about the associate with flower. our daisy would “I be “Protect the remember Meadow,” which also how nobody originated during used to want Woodberry’s time as to be the ‘Daisy’,” PE coach Carol Athletic Board Chair Thumlert said. “It seemed too during the Winter SPC fragile.” tournament. Woodberry noticed this and “It was actually a immediately set out to change it. joint effort of the whole She met with the Head of the Athletic basketball team,” Department, Deb Surgi, the summer Woodberry said. “We photo provided by Margaret Woodberry before her senior were sitting in year and the two the stands before Margaret Woodberry ’20 rallies worked together to fans before a game. Without a real our game at SPC find ways to bring mascot costume, the Athletic Board watching the St. chair designed the costume and the daisy back to Stephens Spartans became the Daisy by herself. In the play, and their its full potential. future, the Athletic Board hopes to “The first fans would yell institute a true mascot and create thing that we did, an official costume. ‘This is Sparta!’ before the year We were joking even started, was around throwing start using the #GoDaises on all of terms around and we started saying the Hockaday Athletics posts on ‘This is the Meadow!’ and it really social media, and we ordered the fired us up for our game.”

Since the creation of the phrase, “Protect the Meadow” has spread across the Hockaday community. At games, students bring signs advertising the slogan, and the hashtag makes an appearance on nearly every post on @ HockadayAthletics on Instagram. “Whether you’re the golf team, the basketball team or the swim team, you protect the meadow,” Surgi said. “It’s really become the athletic metaphor for the campus.” This year, the Athletic Department brought the daisy to the courts. In Penson Gym, the volleyball and basketball courts were repainted with the mascot on them as another way to further embrace the daisy. Now, students are prouder of the mascot than ever: its revitalization in the past year truly proves the resilience and uniqueness of a Hockaday education. “When I first found out about the daisy [before coming to Hockaday], I really thought that it made us seem very delicate, but that’s actually one of the reasons that our mascot is even better,” junior and two-sport varsity athlete Landry Grover said. “Our school proves that the daisy is not just some delicate flower, and instead it’s something strong that can hold its ground and dominate in competition.”

A peek into the past

Brief timeline traces Hockaday’s history of athletics

by Maddie Stout Arts & Life Co-Editor

Students watch as a Hockadaisy dives into the pool on the Greenville Avenue campus in 1924. Swim instruction became a part of the curriculum seven years before, and students competed in it yearly.

Erin Levin ’99, Mia Bongiovanni ’99 and Amy Belin ’99 smile for a photo after a soccer game during the ’97-’98 year.

Alice Stewart poses with her tennis racket in 1938. In the early years of the school, tennis was one of the most popular sports.

A “Killer Daisy” button, created for the 30-year reunion of the class of 1988. That year, the senior class voted to instate the mascot, designed by Denise Paul Shavandy ’88.

The Hockaday basketball team challenges St. John’s during the 1955-56 year at SPC. The school joined the conference two years prior as one of the original seven members.

Sophomores and juniors play volleyball during the ’81-’82 year in the newly completed Penson Athletic Center.

Students play volleyball in 1969. Prior to joining SPC, Hockaday students only played in intramural matches, Green vs. White.

Upper Schoolers play field hockey on the Welch Road campus in February 1977. The sport has been offered since the school’s time on the Haskell campus, from 1913-1919.

hockadayfourcast.org

22 The advantages

and disadvantages of asynchronous days

OPINIONS

April 12, 2021

23 Encouraging the

public to receive the COVID-19 vaccine

Formative vs. summative The vocabulary behind the new grading system

hings I anticipated for my senior year: a ring (drippy!), a white blazer (even drippier!), the power to glare at freshmen (sorry!), even ringing the rejection gong (life comes at you fast!). Things I did NOT anticipate: a pandemic, free-dress-day insurgency (TAKE OFF THE COLLEGE APPAREL, UNDERCLASSMEN!), or a new grading system. To be specific, the vocabulary behind the new grading system. I was fairly sure I’d left rigorous vocabulary tests behind in my Vocabulary Workshop days. Yeah, right. As it turns out, I’ve spent countless days puzzling over two very specific words: formative and summative. Well, after deliberating on the terms for months, I finally understood the genius of those two words. In order to understand our new grading system, we have to LEARN vocabulary! Making a vocabulary lesson out of the learning system itself? That, my friends, is truly the #HockadayDifference. I am a proud proponent of learning (I used to be anti-learning, but then I learned it was cool), and I am also an adamant fan of rhythm (Soundcloud mixtape dropping soon!), but was frankly shocked to hear that we were instituting a new

“learning rhythm” system when we still struggle as a student body in the graduation march (LEFT. LEFT. LEFT. Sunglasses on the INSIDE hand, ladies!). But hey, we’re Hockaday! We’re the school of limitless potential—and in the case of the revamped grading system, we’re believing in the limitless potential of me to mix up what counts for a grade.

Prince. Prince was all about love and growth—and that’s allegedly what a formative assessment is—an opportunity to expand my knowledge (and my heart <3). To remember that my math quiz was a summative assessment, I doubled down because one can never be too sure in BC Calc. First of all, it was over infinite sums (coincidentally the formula I used

“Making a vocabulary lesson out of the learning system itself? That, my friends, is truly the #HockadayDifference.” Inez Johnson Guest Writer Yet here I am, a second semester senior, and I’m adapting. I’ve even come up with some foolproof strategies to remember which of your assignments are formative and summative. For example, to remember my formative assignment in Creative Writing about a nature experience, I consider the iconic song Purple Rain—a colorful description of a natural phenomenon. Why that song? It’s by The Artist Known FORMerly As

to calculate how many times I get confused over the learning rhythm’s vocabulary)—the word SUMS fit very nicely into summative. But lest I still get things jumbled—as I am apt to do in math class—I also selected one of my favorite expressions: “Ya win some, ya lose SOME.” Aside from encapsulating my general attitude about math, it also reminded me that on that SUMMATIVE assessment, there were points to be earned and points to be lost. Ingenuity, baby!

Inez Johnson

Guest Writer

Though it’s taken some substantial effort, I’ve come to embrace the new system. One could even say that I’ve learned to love the new system. At this point formative doesn’t even autocorrect to formation on my phone anymore—so please forgive me, Beyonce. -Inez Johnson Author’s note: The author absolutely adores The Hockaday School and its esteemed founder Ela Hockaday, the four cornerstones of Courtesy, Character, Scholarship, Athletics, the wonderful faculty and staff, and her classes. She in no way intends to disparage the brilliant minds who came up with this vocabulary nightmare and would like to clarify that this is all in jest, except for the part about her struggling in math. That is true. However, she is trying her best and immensely appreciates Ms. Grabow’s infinite patience with her.

To test or not to test

Taking or not taking a standardized test should be an option for juniors

Lea Whitley

Social Media Manager

hree letters have the power to send shivers down every American student’s spine, inducing anxiety for juniors and seniors across the country: SAT and ACT. Treated as a rite of passage for most teenagers, standardized tests have been ominously ingrained into millions of high school students’ brains as unavoidable if they wish to seek a college education. After COVID-19 hit in March of 2020, however, the structure and outlook of testing completely changed. Many colleges waived standardized test requirements for

the class of 2021 due to the effects of COVID-19, and over 1,330 colleges are doing so for the class of 2022. This leaves current juniors asking themselves an interesting question: should standardized testing be required for their college applications, or should all schools “rewrite the rule book” for the class of 2022? In my view, changing or eliminating standardized testing is necessary for the class of 2022 for a variety of reasons. First, many standardized test dates were delayed or cancelled because of the pandemic, making scheduling and taking the SAT and ACT unfeasible for some students. One of my friends taking the ACT during the summer had her test rescheduled three times. Some of us are fortunate enough to have lenient schedules that allow us to make these changes, but for other students, this aspect makes taking standardized tests practically impossible. Additionally, students who are immunocompromised should not be required to put their health in danger to take a standardized test. That major risk could never

outweigh the reward. On a more selfish note, the class of 2022 is going through a global pandemic during our junior year of high school. A standardized test is not the most pressing thing on our minds. While colleges need to implement test-optional practices for the class of 2022, a major drawback to the plan is making admissions much more competitive. Colleges are receiving a growing pool of applicants each year for a variety of reasons, but waiving standardized testing is a driving factor in lowering acceptance rates. For example, Harvard received 39,000 applications from the class of 2020 and accepted 2,038 students, giving the school a 5.22 percent acceptance rate. When the class of 2021 applied, Harvard had 57,000 applications. Assuming they accept the same number of students, the acceptance rate will drop to about 3.5 percent. As a junior about to go through the college admissions process, this scares me. More applicants just means more competition. The bottom line is the college

application process is nothing less than daunting. With everything the class of 2022 has endured over the past year, we should be given the option to disregard standardized testing. Besides, all the curveballs thrown at my grade have shown me that there are much more important things in our lives than one standardized test.

Junior Hayden Parteli studies for the SAT Photo by Hayden Parteli

22 April 12, 2021

OPINION

The Fourcast

Pro and Con Asynchronous Days Take some ‘me time’ on days off campus

Work piles up on these days

dip in the pool, a trip to the spa, endless days in my chaise.. and on asynchronous days you don’t have to wear a bra. Hot take: Asynchronous days are heaven. With the new grading policy, homework is borderline optional (ESPECIALLY as an outbound senior), so use your asynchronous days as me-days. Remember, mindfulness is technically part of our curriculum. Just check your email first thing in the morning, respond to any urgent/ outstanding emails and promise to have any issues handled in a timely fashion. There. That’s my secret. Unless you have an assignment that needs to be turned in THAT DAY, make it a Sunday night problem. In the wise words of a viral Twitter philosophy: “If today’s not the due date, today’s not the do date.” Most classes don’t assign urgent assignments for asynchronous days anyway, and if you’re already working 5/7 days a week, plus extracurriculars AND family responsibilities, take a day off. These days are important to not only let our teachers catch up (literally), but also to let all of us catch up (figuratively). Yes, finish your assignments—eventually—but also take the day to exercise or nap or read a book. Do the things you never have time to do, like cleaning out your closet or spending an hour making yourself

synchronous days are a procrastinator’s worst nightmare. Or their version of paradise, depending on how you look at it. I’m not necessarily talking from personal experience, but I definitely might be. It’s too easy to get swept up by the feeling of a “day off,” when in reality, it’s not. Don’t get me wrong — I love taking a little “me” time on a random asynchronous day to walk my dog, lounge around or study with friends between class work. And I appreciate that our teachers are getting a break, too. The only problem is, somehow, I end up with that much more schoolwork at the end of the day and I’m forced to play catch-up. Structure throughout the day and free time to study after school is what helps keep me on top of my classwork. Without it, I feel like I’m just wasting time. Sometimes you are assigned copious amounts of work you will supposedly be able to finish during class (you won’t; also, it’s your homework now). It just doesn’t work for me. I am objectively bad at online learning, but I also just don’t like it. I don’t like watching long video lessons and take notes without being able to ask questions. Oftentimes this results in a much looser grasp on the concepts I’m being taught. When I come back to school, I often feel behind because I honestly don’t even understand what I don’t understand. On top of that, it doesn’t really feel like a break when I end

Zoe Cote Staff Writer a bomb meal. There’s so much more to life than that AP Progress Check or the video lesson due by next class, and I know your Saturdays and Sundays are just as busy as school days so take the opportunity and sleep in. In the grand scheme of things, that one asynchronous day you slacked off on won’t matter a year from now but it will have benefited you personally and allowed you to spend some time alone at home, which is more gratifying than you know. And it gives our hardworking teachers a day to collect themselves, which is always a good thing. Juniors, don’t take a practice SAT/ACT that day. Sophomores, don’t sign up for comserve then (but if you did, don’t skip it). And freshmen: I don’t really remember what I did as a freshman but hug your mom or something and then make a snack. Seniors: none of us do work on asynchronous days anyway so please proceed. I know my grade spent our last asynchronous day playing Assassin and yours should, too. Treat yourself like a senior and take a page out of Ferris Bueller’s book to enjoy your asynchronous days.

Letter to the editor Dear Editor, I write to you today in response to the op-ed entitled “The Fault in Our Stars: Bollywood”, published in a recent edition of The Fourcast. Respectfully, I dispute the facts presented in the editorial, as well as the related assumptions and conclusions. As to the facts of the example presented, the popular young Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment on June 14; there were no injuries on the body other than of hanging. There were no marks of struggle on the body or clothes of the late actor. No seductive drug material was detected in his blood, and the complete exam of the ligature mark over his neck was consistent with hanging. Prior to his death, Sushant was known to have suffered from clinical depression and bipolar disorder and also a history of drug abuse. While there was a murder probe into his case at the request of his family and fans, four months after the probe was opened, authorities yet again ruled the death a suicide. Much of the outcry about this case reflects more accurately an Indian media culture dominated by sensationalism and tabloid journalism, as multiple media outlets (in many languages) compete for views, readers and clicks. The author used this tragedy as an opening to discuss nepotism in Bollywood. However, this is nothing new, and certainly not unique to Indian cinema. Nicolas Cage is famed Oscar-winning director Francis Ford

remains the central identity of the Coppola’s nephew; Drew Barrymore Congress Party, a center-left party is a fifth-generation actor; Robert that dominated Indian politics for Downey Jr. is obviously the son of decades until the rise of the BJP. The well-known director and actor Robert op-ed mentions “Hindu Nationalist,” Downey Sr., and Jamie Lee Curtis is an inflammatory and inaccurate famed Hollywood icon Tony Curtis’ daughter. Certainly, this does not mean term. Politicians in this country swear their oath of office on a Bible, yet the that nepotism in the entertainment U.S. does not identify as a “Christian industry is a positive thing, but it’s certainly not a guarantee of success, nor Nationalist” country. The term “Hindu Nationalist” distracts from the topic is it a requirement. For every Gwyneth Paltrow, whose parents were prominent at hand. The op-ed brings to bear an inaccurate figures in the assumption: film industry, treating citizens there’s a “It’s also easy to equally means Matthew McConaughey, complain about nepotism discrimination. Under the Indian whose father when we gleefully Constitution, worked in the by the oil business in a hope to be marked as a written Congress Party, rural East Texan ‘legacy’ in our college India has two town. There separate sets of are many cases applications.” civil law: one of nepotism in that applies to Indian cinema, Ananya Sharma Indian Muslims and interestingly Form III only and one most of these that applies to actors have been everyone else. flops. Nepotism Another inaccurate assumption in this is not necessary for success in Indian piece was that because the wealthiest cinema either: Shah Rukh Khan is arguably the most successful Bollywood Indians hold more than four times the wealth of the lower class, there is star in history (in terms of box office) inequality of opportunity. However, and he came in with no connections. 49.5% of public sector jobs in India As far as nepotism in Indian (or are automatically reserved for citizens even American) politics is concerned, who originated from a lower caste or this is nothing new there or here, and minority, and therefore from a poorer interestingly, the Indian electorate socioeconomic background. This has started to reject dynastic politics. practice is called Reservation, in which The Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty

Remy Finn Sports Co-Editor up having to drive to campus for sports practice after school. Especially when we have a game, it just feels inconvenient that I still end up driving the same amount as I would if we had in-person school. In fact, I would prefer to just walk over from the main buildings after classes. Distractions at home and lack of exercise are further factors that contribute to my dread of asynchronous days. My home necessitated various renovation tasks while I attended online school so I had no way to escape the endless background noise, and without the need to walk to class I found myself uncomfortably sedentary. On top of that, eye pain and headaches began to challenge my ability to focus on the screen. At the end of the day, disliking asynchronous days is one of the most “first world problems” I can imagine. I mean, it happens like once a month and it’s one day. So, as much as I’m suffering from doing the same work I would be doing at school—but at home (!)—I think I’ll survive.

openings in public sector jobs or public educational institutions will go unfilled rather than take candidates from other sectors of society. This all happened under the rule of the Congress Party, and largely remains in place today. Such a system does not reflect democracy, equality, or the term of the day, equity. Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rose from humble beginnings as a tea seller. Perhaps that’s the kind of self-made person that Indians find appealing. It’s also why so many Americans remain dissatisfied with elitism in politics, either on the left or the right. Think of all the politicians in this country whose only qualification is being related to someone who was once in power: last names like Clinton, Bush, Romney, etc. In fact, according to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz in the New York Times in 2015, the chance of a senator’s son becoming a senator was 8,500 times more likely than for the average citizen. Think about the fact that a New York “billionaire” reality-TV star was the more compelling presidential candidate once and almost twice, although he had nothing to do with politics. It’s easy to point fingers at Indian society and politics when our situation in America is no better and perhaps even worse. It’s also easy to complain about nepotism when we gleefully hope to be marked as a “legacy” in our college applications. Respectfully, Ananya R. Sharma Form III

OPINION

hockadayfourcast.org

THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ava Berger MANAGING EDITOR Kate Clark WEB EDITOR Erin Parolisi ASSISTANT WEB AND PHOTO EDITOR Elisa Carroll COPY EDITOR Laine Betanzos MAGAZINE EDITOR Kelsey Chen NEWS EDITOR Sasha Schwimmer ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Katherine Grace Estes FEATURES EDITOR Charlotte Rogers ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Olivia Garcia ARTS & LIFE CO-EDITORS Maddie Stout and Hanna Zhang SPORTS CO-EDITORS Remy Finn and Lacy Green OPINIONS EDITOR Anna Gum ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR Campbell Harris CASTOFF EDITOR Julia Donovan PHOTO & GRAPHICS EDITOR Libby Hill SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIDEOS EDITOR Lea Whitley STAFF WRITERS Juliana Blazek, Jane Clark, Zoe Cote, Zoya Haq, Melody Hu, Rachel Jan, Caroline Petrikas STAFF ARTISTS Kylee Hong, Louisa Benedict, Maddie Fisher, Nancy Dedman, Kemper Lowry 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. The staff reserves the right to refuse any advertising which is deemed inappropriate for the Hockaday community. Opinions will be clearly marked and/or will appear in the views section. Commentaries are the expressed opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of The Fourcast staff, its adviser or any other member of the Hockaday community. The Staff Stance on the views page reflects the position of The Fourcast staff, but not necessarily the position of the Hockaday administration or community. The Fourcast staff determines the content of each issue and strives to work as independently as possible in producing the student newspaper. The newspaper is subject to prior review by Hockaday administration and some stories may be changed or omitted in accordance with the administration’s requirements. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be addressed to the editor-in-chief. Only signed pieces will be published. Corrections and clarifications from previous issues will be found as designated in the news section. Any questions or concerns should be addressed to Editor-in-Chief Ava Berger at aberger21@ hockaday.org.

April 12, 2021

Vital Vaccination

Vaccinate to stay safe, get back to normal

O STAFF STANCE

ver a year ago, COVID-19 struck the nation and everything shut down. Now, the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are options to help limit the spread of COVID-19. However, the question of whether to get the vaccine remains. As a nation, we should consider the benefits of getting the vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the vaccine provides significant protection for individuals and the population as a whole. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep everyone safe and bring lives back to normal. Extensive testing of the Pfizer, Modera and Johnson & Johnson vaccines showed them to be safe and effective, so the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization. The Pfizer vaccine is 95 percent effective with two injections 21 days apart; the Moderna vaccine is 94 percent effective with two injections 28 days apart; and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 85 percent effective 28 days after vaccination, with only one dose required. Receiving the vaccine will protect you and people around you from getting the virus, which is especially important for people at high risk. In addition to the CDC, the Mayo Clinic also supports getting the vaccine. By getting vaccinated, the number of people in the community who are protected from getting COVID-19 will increase, making it

Upper School biology teacher Katie Croft receives the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Fair Park

harder for the disease to spread. This will contribute to herd immunity, a form of protection that occurs when a significant portion of the population has become immune. Furthermore, receiving the vaccine will prevent the virus from spreading and mutating, which makes it more resistant to vaccines. Some people have hesitated to receive the vaccine due to the fasttracking approval method. Others fear possible immediate side effects like injection site reactions, fever, chills and aches and pains. The fear extends to possible long-term side effects that have not been discovered. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, fast-tracking applied only to the administrative approval and the time to get funding. Also, since these vaccines are in high demand, enrolling patients was quick. Additionally, the possible side effects are quite common for any vaccine. After receiving the vaccine,

photo by Katie Croft

the recipient will be monitored for 15 minutes for serious immediate reactions, and any other symptoms usually last for one or two days. Research from the CDC also shows vaccines for other illnesses rarely cause long-term side effects, but there is not enough information to know the long-term side effects for the COVID-19 vaccine. As a nation, everyone should get the COVID-19 vaccine to get things back to normal and keep themselves and others safe. Wearing masks and social distancing will help reduce the chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but the vaccine will work in a person’s immune system so it will be ready to fight the vaccine if exposed. In the meantime, continue to maintain social distance, wear a mask and stay home if you are sick. Let’s use all the tools we have available to stop this pandemic.

Letter from the editor Reflecting on an unusual year Wow. I can’t believe I finally made it to spring of my senior year. It’s taken me a long time to be able to write this letter. You could say it’s because I’m a procrastinator (and you’re not wrong there), but quite honestly, I don’t think I was ready to accept the end. As many of my classmates and teachers know, I normally have little else on my mind but The Fourcast. What will I talk about now that I can’t bore everyone with my Fourcast problems? Will I still have a personality when it’s all gone? That’s debatable. But on the bright side, I will take five lessons away from my time on the Fourcast: 1. Everyone has a story I have never met or talked to a single person who didn’t have something interesting to say. It’s not just the people who win fancy awards or who have grand titles: everyone has something to add. Everyone has a different perspective about even the smallest things and I am so much better off when I shut my mouth and listen. 2. Compromise I never realized the amount of

compromise that goes behind any major decision at Hockaday and every part of the world. The art of compromising is something I’m still trying to master, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. Nothing will ever just go my way unless I find a way to work with the people around me. Sometimes I have to give up the sprinkles on the cake just to keep the frosting (even though I really like the sprinkles). 3. Be adaptable This one goes hand in hand with compromising. We all have been forced to master adaptability in the face of COVID-19. I’ve learned that there is always a way to accomplish what you want, but you have to find a way. And no one can find it for you. This usually just means hours of hardwork and effort. Gross, right? 4. Laugh My mom has always told me to be able to laugh at myself and like any good teenage daughter I have alway ignored her. But after interviewing hundreds of people I’ve realized no one wants to talk to a perfect person. The only way I will truly hear someone’s story is to show them I am just as human as they

Ava Berger Editor-In-Chief are. This usually means laughing at myself. This one goes out to you mom, thank you. 5. Don’t say “like” This one speaks for itself. After having to painfully listen to myself in interview transcripts, I know there is nothing as powerful as not using “like” and “um.” So like yeah, that took me a while to learn. So now that you know all my secrets, I really have to leave. The Fourcast and Hockaday have truly shaped me into the person I am today and I will forever be grateful. Every single teacher I’ve had has opened me up to a world of possibilities and I simply would not have gotten that anywhere else. For now, that’s all I have for you. You will have to read my autobiography in 30 years to learn more…

THE

Fourcast

The Hockaday School 11600 Welch Road Dallas, Texas 75229

April 12, 2021

A Y E A R O F C O V I D

CASTOFF

The Fourcast

THEN & NOW

by Caroline Petrikas • Staff Writer

vs. photo by Sally Hudspeth

photo by Caroline Petrikas

vs. photo by Sally Hudspeth

photo by Caroline Petrikas

vs. photo by Sally Hudspeth

photo by Caroline Petrikas

vs. photo by Shea McKenzie

photo by Caroline Petrikas