The Fourcast, April 2023

Students to lobby state legislature

TACT education group to speak out for reproductive choice

By Hanna

Students participating in TeenAge Communication Theatre will attend lobby day at the Texas State Capitol this month in response to the overturn of the Supreme Court case Roe v Wade.

TACT, a volunteer group that presents skits to inform teens about topics including teen pregnancy, is one of many groups across Texas partnering with Planned Parenthood to protest Texas Senate Bill 8. SB8, often called "The Heartbeat Bill," restricts access to legal abortions after six weeks of pregnancy or after a fetal heartbeat is detectable.

The restricted access in the state of Texas has caused a 39.7% drop in laboratory abortions, according to research by the University of Texas at Austin. At the same time, out-of-state abortions have increased by more than 300%.

Opponents of the bill contend lack of access to legal abortions also causes women to illegally order abortion pills online or receive an abortion from an unlicensed physician, causing health problems.

To protest the bill, Planned Parenthood has organized a lobby day at the Texas Capitol on April 24.

On lobby day, nongovernmental organizations plan a lobby or protest at government buildings and meet up with federal officials at various levels.

Scheduled to provide an opportunity for adults and students alike to speak directly to senators and other government officials, Planned Parenthood hosts rallies all

over the country, regularly meeting at government buildings to speak to people in power face to face.

TACT members and other students will use this platform to directly communicate with senators to further their own personal projects and speak with legislators about problems surrounding the enforcement of SB8. One of their main objectives is to advocate for the inclusion of exceptions in the law.

“We want to work on making more

lenience on exceptions," sophomore TACT member, Saxon Moseley said. "Currently, there is no exception for rape and incest and we want to make sure that is accounted for.”

“Although a lot of people consider advocacy events like this for 'adults,' having an outlet to voice opinions as a child is really freeing," said junior TACT member Ava Shipp. "It’s really cool to speak with professionals in the field and people who work so closely with these issues.”

Asmerom | Web Editor

“It's really cool to speak with professionals in the field and people who work closely with these issues."

Ava Shipp, Form III

Students in Teen Age Communication Theatre perform a skit about the consequences of teens keeping secrets.

Photo courtesy of Caroline Bush

Graphic by Zariah Arrington

New STUCO starts strong A look at Upper School leadership for 2023-24

By Danya Risam-Chandi | Staff Writer

As the year comes to an end, the Student Council will be handed down from the class of 2023 to 2024. Students who ran for new positions or the same positions they have held in the past are now eager to lead for the upcoming school year.

Ariana Wang, the new student body president and former financial officer, said she wants to implement new activities in Upper School. Her ideas include bringing service dogs to campus to reduce stress and scheduling bake sales throughout the school year.

Overall, she hopes her work and ideas as student body president will help make Upper School easier for everyone.

“I think I have some pretty cool ideas,” Ariana Wang said. “Hopefully, they become real things”.

She also said she hopes to give back to the school community, which has helped her become a hard worker and a better student.

Margaret Thompson, a rising form IV student and prominent member of the varsity track and field team, was elected vice president.

Thompson is the only new member of the executive stuco board as all other winning candidates had previously served.

She plans to focus on helping clubs for the next school year.

“We want to make sure the club leaders have up to date constitutions and understand the requirements,” Thompson said.

Thompson believes that clubs facilitate friendships within the Upper School community.

“I met a lot of my friends at the beginning of freshman year through track and field and various clubs,” Thompson said.

JRP Panel

Thompson remembers coming to Hockaday during COVID-19.

“I didn’t know anybody, so that was a little tough for me until I started cross country preseason,” Thompson said. “That’s when I realized that people here are really nice and want you to succeed.”

She believes her daily interactions with people from different forms through track and cross country have helped her see different viewpoints, which she believes is important as a leader.

Thompson knows that Upper School is stressful and also wants to focus on making student council activities as fun and stress relieving as possible.

“We are all busy and sometimes it can feel like a chore to go to different social activities, but I do think it is so important to take those breaks,” Thompson said.

Sunnie Wang, a rising Form III student, ran unopposed for financial officer and parliamentarian. She has a history of student leadership, previously serving as Form I president and secretary.

“As Form I president, I got to sit in on big STUCO meetings and really learn how everything works,” she said.

She also plays on the varsity lacrosse team and said the skills she has learned while playing on a team have helped her while serving on Student Council.

“Whenever we are planning things I’m always thinking of ways we can connect it to other places and boards,” Sunnie Wang said. “It also has made me really good at time management”.

She said Hockaday gave her the confidence and strength to run for Student Council.

“It’s a part of the environment because we’re getting told every day that we can do anything and that there really is no limit,” she said.

SASA Holi Festival

Upper School celebrated Holi, a traditional South Asian Festival celebrating the beginning of spring, on March 24.

The South Asian Student Association held an assembly March 28 to raise awareness about South Asian culture and identity. The assembly included a fashion show of traditional garments and a dance performance.

Upper School students showcased their talents during lunch March 30 with singing, acting, and other performances for their peers.

AP Art Show

Upperclass students spoke with current sophomore students about their preparation for the Junior Research Paper. They emphasized time management, endnotes and best tips for choosing a topic in this discussion.

Founder's Day Assembly Seniors Ava Tribolet, Lola Isom, Zoya Haq and Elle Chavis received the prestigious Founders’ Day award. Nicole Stewart '97 spoke at the assembly about her experiences since graduating from high school.

The AP Art show, hosted on March 29, featured the work of 10 seniors over the course of the year. The students and faculty prepared for this reception by filling the gallery with their art projects.

President Ariana Wang '24

Photo provided by Evita Nino

FAB Lunchbox

SASA Assembly

Photo by Tiffany Kocsis

Photo provided by Ava Shipp

Photo by Elizabeth Truelove

Photo by Sally Hudspeth

Photo by Danya Risam-Chandi

Vice President Margaret Thompson '24

Financial Officer and Parliamentarian Sunnie Wang '25

Secretary Cortney Buford '26

Celebrating women

Women’s History Month theme recognizes female storytellers

By Caroline Bush | Arts and Life Editor

The National Women’s History Alliance has declared the 2023 theme of Women’s History Month “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” The alliance aims to recognize all women, past and present, who have actively contributed to media and storytelling. Studentrun organizations and special courses highlight this theme year-round.

English teacher Jennifer McEachern teaches the senior seminar “Before #MeToo: Literature as Protest,” created to educate students on the ways literature has been a tool for women who speak out against gender bias.

“I think students are drawn to the course because it’s something they are interested in and that they see a lot in their own lives,” McEachern said. “It’s eye-opening for the students to read some of this because we so quickly forget what’s happened in our own history and take for granted where we are now.”

McEachern has invited female speakers to come to the class and tell their stories about gender discrimination. In the fall, alumna Lindsay Williams, a professional race car driver, spoke to students about discrimination she faced in her profession and how she overcame it.

“It’s important that we are reading the literature, but I think it’s also really cool that we have the lived experiences that students get to hear as well,” McEachern said.

New/gen, a women’s rights advocacy group run by seniors Meera Thamaran and Savannah Fredericksen, also works to educate students on women’s stories. New/gen’s goal is to create an “easily accessible, understandable and communicable way to join and fight for women’s rights,” according to its website.

Last year on Women’s History Day, new/gen hosted alumna Jen Wallace who talked about how she broke into a male-dominated industry.

“This was very important to us as advocating for women to break into stereotypically male-dominated subjects is very important,” Fredericksen said. “Her words were inspiring and her advice was invaluable.”

Junior Sanika Agarwalla is the head of new/gen’s podcast, Gen Talks,

which reaches people from around the world through social media. The podcast’s monthly episodes focus on current events, including political topics, issues related to women’s rights, women’s history and more. Agarwalla said the podcast has a big focus on intersectional feminism, meaning it always highlights the groups within the umbrella of women who are critically underrepresented.

On the last day of February, Gen Talks discussed the intersection between Women’s History Month and Black History Month by talking about how the women’s rights movement has historically left out Black women and how the Civil Rights movement paved the way for the women’s rights movement.

Agarwalla said new/gen is a place

Sanika Agarwalla Form III

where everyone feels strongly about women’s rights, but everyone in new/ gen is also understanding of people with diverse perspectives within feminism.

“I love new/gen because it has

always and will always prioritize intersectional feminism, which makes us different from other women’s rights organizations who tend to focus on the already privileged women,” Agarwalla said.

Agarwalla said it’s important to talk about feminism even in 2023 because, although many countries have granted women the right to vote, the patriarchy still dominates how society functions.

“Socially, sexism is still deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds, so it’s important to recognize where our subconscious biases lie,” Agarwalla said.

New/gen also has a club at Hockaday with more than 60 members, demonstrating the community’s commitment to women’s rights advocacy even at an all-girls school.

‘ Socially, sexism is still deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds, so it’s important to recognize where our subconscious biases lie.”

Graphic by Diya Hegde

Daisy course insider

New classes draw on teachers’ expertise, students’ interests

By Amitha Nair | Staff Writer

Filled with popular recurring classes and new additions along with brief descriptions of each class, the course catalog summarizes every class option students can take for either a semester or a full school year.

Throughout the school year, teachers come up with course ideas to potentially be added to the catalog, which comes out in April.

“Teachers propose new classes earlier in the school year, like December, based on their interests and what they think students might want to take,” said Katy Lake, Upper School Registrar.

By creating new courses and validating if older courses still serve the same purpose as they did when first implemented, teachers and department chairs are heavily involved in the process.

The English department follows a path called “Backward Curriculum Design,” where teachers take a step back and determine what skills to introduce to students and which they should master. They then choose texts to promote these skills and further understanding and skill building.

“Every faculty member in the English department is always brainstorming new courses,” department chair Melissa Allan said. “Teachers routinely suggest classes they would like to develop and teach. Then we try to gauge student interest and slide it into the curriculum and course catalog.”

This year, Allan decided to get junior students’ opinions for new senior seminars, rather than choosing them herself and deciding what future seniors would be interested in.

“I asked teachers interested in

teaching a senior seminar to present their idea and to write a short description of the class,” Allan said. “Since we can’t teach an unlimited number of courses, I distributed all the class ideas to the junior classes during a form meeting and let them choose their top four choices. The results from the survey helped the department understand what classes to offer, introducing an additional element of student choice.”

Throughout the years, hundreds of courses have been added and removed based on student and teacher preference. Most underclassmen and Form III classes stick with the same curriculum for years, but senior seminars have a different set of rules.

“The long-standing policy in our department for senior seminar classes is we would offer them for three years,” Allan said. “This rotation allows us to integrate new ideas and new classes which keeps the curriculum fresh for students and faculty.”

Allan said this year the department realized some of the senior seminars had run more than three years.

“So that was something we needed to solve for and ask ourselves: are those classes offered for more than three years because students and teachers are still excited about them, or are they offered out of habit?”

Although the process of creating new courses is similar across departments, each department has a different set of rules based on the subject. The science department eliminates a course based on two variables: student interest and overlapping material. But this department is open to bringing back

the course after a couple of years.

“We are teaching forensics this year, it is a semester course, and that is something that we taught several years ago and then the faculty member who was actually interested in the course left and the course fell out of the catalog for a while,” said Marshall Bartlett, science department chair. “Then we had a new hire, she was interested in teaching the course again, so we brought it back.”

With each new course, teachers and department chairs take into account the level of difficulty and what learning objectives the class meets. Coming up with a variation can take multiple years to get a sense of what students like and dislike about a course and additional opportunities within the course.

“What we found is that the single chemistry course we were teaching did not meet everyone’s interests,” Bartlett said. “It was baseline chemistry, a generic introduction to chemistry, but a lot of the students were interested in the application of chemistry, so we started looking for a bearing of this course that would be more targeted for the application of chemistry and the environment.”

Between all the departments and new classes, department chairs and teachers are constantly thinking of new ways to interest students.

“The department chairs are very thoughtful with what they have to offer and they care about what students want to take,” Lake said. “If not as many students are taking that class, then they will pull the class and come up with something that they think more students will take.”

Turkey, Syria deal with aftermath

Earthquake devastates infrastructure, governments

By Bennett Trubey | Arts & Life Editor

Following the devastation and destruction of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, Turkey and Syria are now facing shifting political and social scenes. On Feb. 6, at 4:17 a.m. the earthquake struck near the border between Turkey and Syria, leaving millions within the initial 11-mile radius homeless.

The ensuing humanitarian crisis is drawing global attention, with aid pouring in from allies for both countries and organizations like Red Cross.

Upper School History Teacher Dr. Wesley Lummus has addressed the earthquake in his classes and suggests, as both countries are recovering, supporting the millions of displaced citizens.

“If you feel compelled to donate money or aid, find a good, reputable service and be really diligent with that,” Lummus said.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the earthquake was the highest magnitude earthquake in Turkey since 1939 and the second strongest in history.

The United Nations Development Program reported the earthquake left approximately 1.5 million homeless. Crowded encampments have sprung up in stadiums and on the streets.

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The UNDP also estimates that 2 million people have left the affected area, which Lummus says will have significant implications.

“I think we’re going to have permanently displaced people,” Lummus said. “I think Turkey, in particular, is looking at a displaced internal population.”

The combined death toll following the earthquake, as of Feb. 23, was more than 47,000 people, according to AP News. However, the number of Syrian dead could be far higher or lower than reported.

“Syria is the one that keeps getting forgotten,” Lummus said. “When they talk about the 40,000 plus who died, those totals are for Turkey because sometimes they leave out the Syrian dead.”

In terms of foreign aid, Turkey has received support from countries that are fellow members of the Western Alliance, as well as NATO. Consequently, Turkey has received much more attention and support in Western media than Syria, a part of Russian and Eastern orbits.

“Syria’s big danger is just being forgotten,” Lummus said. “Turkey at least has those alliances and is in the newspapers.”

Although the earthquake will have lasting impact on Turkey and Syria, both were already devastated economically and politically. The CSIS reports that the Turkish lira lost 44% of its value in 2021, and the country experienced a 58% inflation rate in early 2023.

“So even before this, it was awful,” Lummus said. “Syria was even worse because of the Civil War.”

Because of the Syrian Civil War and President Bashar al-Assad, tensions have risen between the two countries. The war also rendered the Syrian government incapable of preventing the Kurds from attacking Turkey from the border, escalating the conflict.

But Lummus said the war is now slowing as Turkey’s attitude toward Syria is changing.

“They’re now sort of warming up to the Syrian government and treating it not as a government to be overthrown but as a government that’s just going to be in place,” Lummus said. “It’s gone from hostility to sort of accommodation.”

Turkey’s recovery also will be significantly delayed due to the severe destruction of buildings, as CNBS reports more than 160,000 buildings containing

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520,000 apartments were destroyed.

“All of those buildings were not up to code,” Lummus said. “Part of the reason why people are mad in Turkey is because they had to pay a special tax for earthquake insurance.”

Turkish politicians are now questioning President Recep Erdogan’s government, as its failure to provide sound infrastructure has exposed its corruption and inaction.

“I’ve been going to Turkey for a long time,” Lummus said. “Everyone has been talking about the big earthquake and when it comes, ‘Are our buildings safe?’ I think that this exposes the Turkish government for its corruption, weakness and its inability to solve this problem.”

Tasnim News Agency photo

Aleppo, located in Northwestern Syria, was roughly 75 miles from the epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

Prepping for prom Committee planned event based on Gilded Age theme

By Caroline Petrikas | Managing Editor

Elected by the senior class at the fall retreat, the five members of the Prom Committee partnered with parent volunteers to spearhead the planning and organization of Senior Prom.

While the students on prom committee tackle the majority of the planning, including music, food and DJ selection, administration handles the venue and event location. In September, the committee began meeting to design their vision for prom and propose themes, senior prom committee member Amber Li said. Throughout the fall, the committee debated themes, considered budgetary restrictions and decided what aspects to focus on for the event.

“We definitely prioritized the DJ, which was one of the most important aspects for me because music really defines the mood at an event,” senior prom committee member Allison Lanners said.

Though the committee met during the entire first semester, it was not until January and February when they were able to make their final decisions, order supplies and watch the whole event come together, Li said. After the committee decided on the theme “Gilded Age”, they had to create the reveal video, invitations and prom merch. Many members’ favorite moment was the design and videoing process.

“My favorite part of the whole process was shooting the video for the reveal because we came in crazy, different outfits and really got to show our creative sides with the script,” Lanners said. “Then, afterwards, the reveal itself was

so rewarding because we were very nervous, but all of the seniors seemed to really like the theme.”

Similarly, Li enjoyed designing the invitations because of the stylistic freedom and committee collaboration“It was really fun to

combine all of our visions because Molly had a really interesting idea to do something ornate and with a woman’s silhouette,” Li said. “After playing around with some compositions, we settled on a poster with a parasol and woman on the bottom and metallic bubbles for a finishing touch – almost imitating the sort of interior design they had during the Gilded Age.”

After releasing the theme and invitations, the committee visited the venue to plan out their vision for the space and finalize which decorations they wanted to order.

“Visiting and touring the space is a really crucial step in the process because it allows us to decide where we want the food, DJ and decorations to go prior to purchasing them all,” Lanners said. “It allows us to really envision prom night and was very exciting to see all of our hard work come to fruition.”

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Junior Reese Dondero smiles during a California sunset by the water.

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Senior Sophia Clavenna poses with friends before attending Senior Prom.

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Junior Hayden Marchant attends Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Senior Amber Li designed prom invitations to match the Gilded Age era.

“It was really fun to combine all of our visions.”

Amber Li Senior prom committee member

Oscars honor diverse actors 95th Academy Awards make history for Asians in film

By Alexa Muñoz | Staff Writer

Ayear after Will Smith’s infamous slap, the 95th Academy Awards prepared for another eventful night, equipped with a crisis team to handle any unexpected incidents. Luckily, the Oscars lacked an act of unexpected violence, and while it may not have been the most memorable, the producers pulled off a successful night of honoring artistic achievement.

Host Jimmy Kimmel set a relaxed ambiance from the get-go, cracking jokes about the slap and Nicole Kidman’s AMC theaters ads. While his other jokes were not as harmless, sneaking in some relatively misogynistic comments along with a chancy jab at Scientology, Kimmel cultivated a solid, uncontroversial performance.

During his sporadic appearances throughout the show, he generally kept up his admirable act — with the exception of his unnecessary “La La Land” rendition of Malala Yousafzai’s first name.

For “Everything Everywhere All At Once” the night was more than successful. Taking home 10 Oscars, the film won big, proving wrong the initially scant expectations of Oscar glory. The movie took

home the awards for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress x2, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Costume Design.

Taking the award for her acting in “Everything

Everywhere All at Once,” Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win best actress. She dedicated her award to her own mother and all other mothers in the world, claiming “they are the superheroes of today.”

Winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” actor Ke Huy Quan made an extraordinary comeback after being “locked out of Hollywood” due to a lack of available roles deemed suitable for an Asian man in the industry. Beloved for his roles as Short Round

in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and Data in “Goonies,” he had basically given up on acting before being cast for the movie.

In his moving speech, he first thanked his mother and then told his version of the “American Dream” as a Vietnamese immigrant.

Jamie Lee Curtis, taking home Best Supporting Actress for “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” triumphed in one of the most competitive categories of this year’s show. Had nominee Angela Bassett taken home the award for her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” she would have been the first performer to win an Oscar for a Marvel movie.

After the passing of Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther community

yearned for –and expected

– Bassett’s win in this category. From January to March before the awards show, members of the Oscars community rack up votes by hosting extravagant campaign parties.

Self-taught singer

Senior Victoria Pereira expands music career

By Melody Hu | Editor-in-Chief

For as long as she can remember, senior Victoria Pereira has been interested in the arts. As a child, she gravitated toward music, through theater, playing the piano and participating in musicals.

In late middle school, she started to play around more with writing her own music, composing songs on her piano when she was bored or for fun. She started to become more interested in writing and decided to teach herself how to play the guitar.

“Learning how to play the guitar was what made me start to take music more seriously,” Pereira said. “I started to be able to compose and sing more songs.”

Soon after she learned how to play the guitar, composing and writing songs became a consistent hobby in her life. Pereira started to go to recording studios to record songs and has released several songs on music streaming platforms.

Currently, she describes her musical style as alternative pop but hopes to expand to other genres in

the future.

“I am really interested in exploring new types of music, and it is definitely one of my goals as an artist,” Pereira said.

The singer and songwriter first started creating music for fun, but now, it has become an outlet for her

to express herself and explore her emotions. Many of her songs allow her to destress or communicate her feelings through an art form. Her songs can be relatable for people who are similar in age to her or experiencing the same experiences to her.

“I hope people can relate to the emotions in my music and find my songs comforting and calming, like how I feel when I am writing,” Pereira said.

Since Pereira is a self-taught artist, she hopes to gain more classic training in the future. In college, she hopes to major or minor in something music-related. Another goal of hers is to add more personal elements into her music, such as connections to her mixed heritage and background.

“My culture and background is very important to me, and I hope to explore and use more of that in my music,” Pereira said. “I have already started to explore Spanish music and would like to do more.”

Here, Bassett gained extreme momentum, winning precursor after precursor. However, Jamie Lee Curtis had the last surge of the season, taking home the award.

I believe Angela Bassett should have won the award for her work in “Black Panther.” Jamie Lee Curtis, who had a whopping 17 minutes of screen time in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and is the daughter of two actors, argues that her win is not for being a “nepotism baby” but for her outstanding background in acting.

The night was successful for smaller films as well, who completely shut out bigger movies like “The Fablemans” and “Banshees of Inishirin.” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” each took home one award. “Elvis,” nominated for eight awards and expected to take home all, won none.

Last year’s Academy Awards recorded 16 million viewers, while this year’s drew 18 million. While the numbers seem to be increasing, they fail to trump the 45th Academy Awards’ 85 million viewers. The decrease in viewers of the Oscars telecast over the years show it has room for improvement in keeping audiences entertained.

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PEREIRA’S SONGS

Graphic by Emma Lin

Photos courtesy of Victoria Pereira

Pereira records a song in a studio.

“NOTE # 1”

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Magical ‘Moulin Rouge!’

Touring production dazzles Dallas audience

By Aadya Kuruvalli

| Opinions Editor

It’s the spectacle of a lifetime.

From March 15 to April 2, the hit musical “Moulin Rouge!” was playing live at the Music Hall in Fair Park. As a lover of both the movie and the musical versions, I was excited to see it, hoping the touring production would do the musical justice.

Needless to say, I was astounded by the amazing quality of the performance. Every cast member put their heart into the performance –from the harmonious vocals to the brilliant acting to the ingenious set design, every part of this production was meticulously thought through. The dedication of the cast and crew was clear to see onstage.

Although every cast member gave the performance of their life, my favorite actor was Conor Ryan, who played the male lead, Christian. I loved both the Ewan McGregor and Aaron Tveit versions of Christian, and I went in thinking that this one might not live up to that legacy, but I left the

theatre speechless. Ryan portrayed the duality of Christian’s character – both the heartbroken torment and the childish optimism – beautifully, and his performance at the end was gut-wrenchingly sad and brilliant. I thought his voice was a little bit too high to play Christian the same way his predecessors had, but his higher pitch just added to his amazing depiction of the character.

Another aspect of the musical I loved was the set design and stage production. At the opening of the show, the stage is set up in layers and layers of red hearts, all glowing so bright it’s hard not to take a picture. Also, Fair Park’s rotating stage design allowed for a lot of seamless transitions.

It’s also hard not to mention the amazing dancers throughout the musical. From the opening sequence to “Chandelier,” the dancing was lively and added an entirely new layer to the show. My favorite dance sequence was either the opening number, “Welcome

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to the Moulin Rouge” or “El Tango de Roxanne.”

Overall, there was not a single part of the production lacking, and it lived up to all my expectations and more. I would definitely see this again, and I would recommend anyone who enjoys medley musicals or Baz Luhrmann movies to give Moulin Rouge a listen, or a watch if possible.

Fan favorite returns stars

By Elizabeth Truelove | Staff Writer

Millions of viewers sit at the edge of their seats as John B, played by Chase Stokes, introduces the third season of treasure hunting, complicated romance and questionable last-minute rescue missions. As Netflix’s most watched show at the moment, Outer Banks has kept its popularity from their first season released during the peak of COVID in 2020.

The first season was largely filmed in the beach town of Charleston, S.C. where viewers were introduced to five of the six main characters, John B, JJ, Kiara, Pope and Sarah. Then, in season two, Cleo joined their treasureobsessed group and considered herself one of them, a “Pogue.”

During a time of isolation, the reckless abandon in which the Pogues jumped into every new adventure appealed to my generation. We obsessed over their lifestyle, down to the clothes they wore or how they would style their hair.

Our love for these characters continued into season three as they escaped the island, which coined the name “Poguelandia,” where they had been deserted, and hitched a ride with a random man. Unbeknownst to the Pogues, this man had been secretly hired by the antagonist of the season, Carlos, setting off the whirlwind of betrayal, romance and cliffhangers.

One of the most awaited moments

of the season was the culmination of characters’, JJ and Kiara’s, budding tension from the beginning of the show. Although Kiara and fellow pogue Pope had a relationship between season one and two, viewers shipped Kiara and JJ from the very beginning. This season, when Kiara was forced into a rehabilitation center by her parents, JJ left the others to rescue her. Their heartfelt reunion was celebrated by viewers and is arguably more iconic than the Notebook-esque moment between Sarah and John B in season one.

While I was one of the many

followers of this show, the allure of putting myself in the characters’ shoes and living their life became more and more distant as the plot line became too unrealistic, even for a fictional show. In the previous seasons, every near death experience made my palms sweat and my heart race, but, after this season, I was disappointed with how a character could ride a motorcycle off a bridge then stand up with a little cut across their cheek and walk it off.

As for the end of the season, I feel like the introduction of a new mystery along with the large jump in time felt very forced, since the show has been renewed for a fourth season. Personally, I would’ve enjoyed a smaller jump in time, maybe a month or two, instead of over a year. Also, the idea of the Pogues “settling down” after a year seems very unlikely, as viewers have watched their obsession with adventure only grow, even in this past season.

To summarize, the first season was amazing, but each season that followed has only gotten worse, so viewers stick around to see the end of the plotline rather than follow the rollercoaster of emotions the first season provoked. Therefore, I would recommend watching only season one, but if you get hooked on the life of the Pogues, continue watching as their lives are in a constant gamble of life or death.

Features editor Harper Harris is a pop culture fanatic, and she’s here to address what’s trending.

The long-standing drama between Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez recently hit a tipping point.

Gomez and pop star Justin Bieber dated for eight years on and off, starting in 2010. Almost immediately after they broke up for the last time, Justin started dating Hailey, and the pair married later that year in 2018. Since then, the internet has found ways to pit the two girls against each other, while both claim there is no drama or jealousy between them. Last October, they took a photo together, trying to prove they are on good terms. However, a series of recent events have reignited the idea that there is drama between them. The first event that led fans to speculate was when Gomez posted a picture on her Instagram of her eyebrows, explaining that she “accidentally laminated [her] brows too much.”

Shortly after, Kylie Jenner, one of Bieber’s friends, posted a photo to her story with the caption, “Was it an accident????” and then posted a screenshot of her on Facetime with Hailey, zoomed in on their brows.

Fans connected the dots and condemned both Jenner and Hailey’s actions, claiming it was “not a coincidence” and there was “no way to explain why they would post that.” Users on TikTok commented, calling Jenner and Hailey “mean girls.”

Jenner claims she meant no harm to Gomez when she commented on a TikTok. “This is reaching,” Jenner said. “No shade towards Selena ever and I didn’t see her eyebrow posts! You guys are making something out of nothing. This is silly.” Gomez replied to Jenner, saying she agrees and is a fan of Jenner.

Gomez then commented on TikToks that were explaining the drama and were on Gomez’s side, but she has since deleted these comments. Some people have now criticized Gomez for fueling the fire, but others have continued to support her.

Since this drama started, Gomez has gained lots of supporters on her social media accounts. Gomez has surpassed Jenner in Instagram followers and is now the most followed woman on Instagram. While this drama between Gomez and Hailey has been brewing for years, I think it is time for each girl to move on, especially Hailey. Some of the things she does are directed at Gomez. While I think some fans like to grasp at straws, some of the claims are legitimate and Hailey deserves to be under fire, at least a little bit, for the obvious shade she has thrown at Gomez.

Via Playbill

Hit show “Outer Banks” released its third season of romance, deception and near-death experiences

stars

A SEMI-SURREAL CREAMERY

Restaurant Review: Surreal Creamery

Surreal Creamery, 6915 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas, TX 75205

By Alexa Munoz | Staff Writer

P“Phone eats first!” said I, a first-time Surreal Creamery visitor, snapping pics of the aesthetically pleasing towers of ice cream that cost me over $20. Unfortunately for my taste buds and wallet, that was the only pleasing part of my Creamery experience.

Had the Creamery’s interior design matched the looks of the ice cream, my experience might have been better. The place was basically a confused attempt at a futuristic white box, with wooden chairs here and there and a barn door to separate the kitchen from the rest of the world. A wall-length mirror facing the seating area, a notable empty area and cold, white overhead lighting, put me in an even more uncomfortable mood. And that’s not to mention the screen on the front of the building playing the company’s TikToks on repeat (@ surrealcreamery).

After taking in the ambiance, I placed a diverse order of a “Brown Sugar Flotea’’ and a “Matcha Made in Heaven Signature Mason Jar.” The Flotea was a concoction of brown sugar bubble milk tea topped with Earl Gray ice cream and a graham cracker. The Mason Jar brought a combo of matcha ice cream with Lucky Charms cereal sprinkled throughout (“throughout” is used loosely – there were about 10 pieces of cereal topping the ice cream, with practically a breakfast of champion’s bowl of Lucky Charms below the

surface). My order total was $26.76.

While waiting for a hardworking employee to fill my order, I took in the customers of Surreal Creamery. It was surreal all right — eerily surreal. I observed couples, families and friend groups not uttering a single word to each other, consumed in their phone screens which displayed their camera roll recents: pictures of their desserts. Unaware of the ice cream dripping onto the table before their eyes, what was of utmost importance was the angle the ice cream pics were taken from or what filters were plastered over them. There is no way I will be doing that, I naively thought to myself.

The Brown Sugar Flotea offered a beautiful brown-toned tall treat, but mediocre boba tea and even more mediocre vanilla ice cream. However, the brown sugar coated graham cracker, when drenched in the tea and ice cream, tied the rest of the dessert together, momentarily distracting my taste buds from utter disappointment.

Hoping to overcome the disappointment, I gulped down my first spoonful of the matcha Mason Jar maelstrom. I know what you’re thinking — when there are flavors like “Nom Nom Cookie Monster” and “It’s

My Birthday,” how could you possibly choose the one whose name even sounds mid? In my defense, I am an avid matcha tea drinker, in love with its mellow vegetal grassy notes and naturally sweet nuttiness. Before tasting the Flotea, I had expected matcha in ice cream form. Once again, I was disappointed by the blandness of the ice cream. And once again, the toppings (the Lucky Charms) saved the dessert.

Downing spoonful after spoonful, I soon found it a chore and challenge to eat any more of the desserts. There was so much to consume before the ice cream towers began to melt and topple over. What was I supposed to do? Throw away $20 of ice cream, force-feed myself, or strategically scoop the ice cream tower into a plastic cup with a lid, conveniently provided by the Surreal Creamery worker who magically knew I would need her help?

Obviously, I chose the third option, and empathy. I was unaware the ice cream would still be in my freezer three days later, untouched from the moment it was transferred into the cup. But it’s the thought that counts… and wait — how did the worker know I needed a “to-go” cup?

That’s the best part of Surreal Creamery — the employees. Whether they are aware of hyperfixation on phones that happens upon entry, or if they’re aware of their telepathic powers, their manners and hospitality made the experience for me.

Obviously, I could have placed

FUN AND GAMES: APRIL EDITION

Fill out the crossword using clues from stories in this issue!

other orders at the Creamery. I just so happened to create this combination, but I can’t lie and say the possibilities are not endless at this parlor. What I ordered may be the cream of the crop for other Surreal Creamery goers.

It is evident some people go to Surreal Creamery solely to take pictures. However, the experience would have been much more enjoyable had the ambiance been more appropriate, perhaps with a little wall decor and better music.

Additionally, I would like to see the Creamery cater to a wider range of dietary restrictions. Almost every dessert had gluten-contaminated toppings, and obviously the milk tea and ice cream would upset the stomachs of the lactose intolerant.

I know the Creamery can make a more intentional attempt to make the desserts taste good, either by focusing on the ice cream or the boba. Quality over quantity is a good rule of thumb, and trying a little less hard to be different might help this ice cream parlor’s case.

Down

Photos by Alexa Munoz

by Coach Jasper

12. Pre-Spring Break science trip

13. Women’s History Month

14. Where did Advanced Genetics go?

Life Arts & This season’s statement styles

A look at current trends and predictions for spring and summer

By Alexandra Dassopoulos | Staff Writer

In the wake of New York, Paris and Milan fashion weeks, new trends have trickled down from the runways into students’ favorite stores at NorthPark or The Galleria. The Spring/Summer shows expectedly featured styles that recycled vintage trends – yet they also brought more statement fashion pieces, metallics and a variety of materials, from leather to chiffon. Here are some high fashion items and trend predictions students might want to incorporate into their own wardrobes.

LONG SKIRTS: DENIM & CARGO Trends

First created in the 1970s as a sustainable fashion item, maxi denim skirts are coming back into fashion. Mainly paired with simple tops and classy boots, they’ve been upgraded for an effortless, everyday look. Besides denim, cargo maxi skirts have also surfaced this season. The craze of cargo pants has translated to these safari-esque skirts, typically found with low-waisted silhouettes.

METALLIC & MOTO

Metallics are especially popular in fall and winter collections, as the colder months bring about shimmering holiday festivities. However, many recent Spring 2023 fashion shows have incorporated metallic materials with distressing and casual styling. Now, metallics have established their place as a year-round favorite. A fresh and modern take, metallic clothing and accessories have been paired with blue jeans, white tees and sundresses, adding to their versatility. These metallics have also been juxtaposed with motorcycle jackets and other leather items, as echoed by the brand Diesel. Some metallic styles have even been made from leather fabrics, adding to the contrast.

BIG BELTS

Oversized belts have been posted all over Pinterest recently, with Western styles on both boho outfits and sophisticated ensembles. Influencer Lauren Wolfe said to her TikTok fans, “If you’re going to get one accessory for the spring or summer, it should be these [belts].” Statement belts like these are available at Free People or can be found sustainably at thrift stores. Diesel has also produced its own statement “D” belt, a more futuristic take.

Predictions

FRINGE

Adding to the boho and motorcycle trends of this season, fringe is bound to become a popular trend this season. Already seen on the runways at fashion shows, fringe adds movement to leather jackets and skirts, as well as a classic Americana look to streetwear. Popular stores like Free People and luxury brands like Hervé Leger are catering to this trend, spreading it to a wide range of customers.

ROSETTES & RUFFLES

Epitomizing the salsa girl emoji, rosettes and ruffles have spread from high fashion brands like Rat and Boa to Urban Outfitters and White Fox. Sheer blouses and asymmetrical midi dresses with ruffles create a flattering and flowy shape. Rosettes have not only been added to sheer, ruffled styles like these, but also to chokers – already everywhere on social media. With an almost vintage touch, they are definitely a statement piece. But if styled well, these chokers can complete a look.

ASICS

They might be hiding in the back of a parent’s closet, but Asics are making a comeback. The dad shoe came back into style a few years ago, with brands like New Balance and Adidas – but Asics is bringing this trend to a new level. Highlighting the metallic trend this season, Asics sells various silver versions, blending athleisure with street style. Besides neutrals, the brand has also used colors like pink and green.

Graphics by Emily McShane

AROUND

3

BEST BAGELS

By Kailey Bergstedt | Photos & Graphics Editor

As AP season and end-of-the-year exams approach, check out these bagel shops – perfect for afternoon study sessions or grabbing a quick bite.

Sclafani’s - 6135 Luther Lane, Dallas

This New York-style bagel and sandwich shop offers a variety of options from French toast bagels to apple pie or birthday cake flavored shmear. Breakfast bagel sandwiches with names like “The Sinatra” or “Lady Liberty” are also on the menu.

Starship Bagels - 1108 W Main St., Lewisville

1 3 2 4

From build-your-own bagel sandwiches to their own version of avocado toast on a bagel called the “Millennial Falcon,” this shop offers several artisan bagel options. Unlike other bagel shops, they also season their bagels on both sides and have an in-store bagel topping bar.

Shug’s Bagels - 3020 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas

Traditional bagel flavors like sesame, cinnamon raisin and blueberry, as well as a variety of bagel sandwiches, ranging from the bacon, egg and cheese to the classic lox, are just a few of the items this shop offers.

Bagel Cafe 21 - 1920 N. Coit Road, Richardson

With unique choices like the rainbow bagel and bagel breakfast sandwiches with names like “The Texan” and “The Lone Star,” this shop boasts an array of bagels. The cafe also offers muffins, coffee, tea and lunch sandwiches.

Photos by Kailey Bergstedt

Self-image in the

By Aadya Kuruvalli | Opinions Editor and Melody Tian | News Editor

In an era when For You Pages and Instagram feeds are filled with fitness influencers, unrealistic lifestyles, and high expectations, how can we promote positive self-images?

Social media poses challenges

Popular culture seems to be all about getting a “perfect body.” On Tiktok, every other trend compares body parts – from noses to love handles to hip dips. The internet has social media users constantly comparing themselves to others.

“There’s a lot of comparison,” Health 101 Coordinator A.D. Ebeniro said, “and when you’re so set on worrying about how you match up to someone else, that’s really going to steal some of your excitement about who you are.”

Ebeniro said social media has become so prevalent that people can’t run away from it and seem to need it in their daily lives. And when social media becomes such a high priority, people start chasing the unrealistic idea of “perfection.”

“Sometimes when you can take a break from social media, give yourself a little bit of a reprieve and say, ‘You know what, I’m not going to post anything today and see how that feels,’” Ebeniro said. “Maybe that might change your outlook on ‘Do I need to present myself some way online and I’m actually completely different in real life.’”

When a majority of students use social media, it can be easy to let those idealized, unrealistic body standards leak into real life. Certain ideals of body image can be pushed around a student population – both through and without social media.

“It’s frustrating sometimes, to go

online and see everyone in nice places wearing fancy clothes – even if I don’t want to do it, I feel like I should,” junior Myesa Arora said. “It’s nobody’s fault. If you have those things, you should enjoy them. If you don’t, that’s OK. It’s important to look for the good things, the things you do have.”

Ebeniro said some ways to mitigate the effects of social media are to get outside,

take social media breaks or listen to music. She said it is also important to make social connections in real life and have a support system in place, whether that’s through family, friends, trusted adults, therapy or counselors at school.

“Sometimes we try to put all of our problems on people and sometimes they may not be adequately able to help you,” Ebeniro said. “So you have to find those people who are able to help you in that situation, in whatever capacity that is.”

modern world

School promotes healthy body image

Students take two semesters of required health classes, one during sophomore year and the other during senior year, in which they learn about topics surrounding physical, social and emotional health.

Though body image does not have a designated unit, Health 101 Coordinator Adaku Ebeniro said she tries to teach her students about how to present themselves to society and to accept themselves for who they are.

“We don’t necessarily use the term body positivity because it can still kind of have a connotation where there’s an expectation of what it should be,” Ebeniro said. “So the main focus is on individualized acceptance of who you are and where you are in that stage of your identity development.”

Ebeniro said she wants students to feel

comfortable in their own skin, and since body positivity is such a nuanced topic, she wants it to be presented in the right way.

“This is you accepting yourself for who you are, whether that is with social norms or completely against those things,” Ebeniro said.

The school’s wide diversity of students come from a multitude of backgrounds and heritages. Enrollment of self-identified students of color is the highest on school record, at 46%.

“We do celebrate many cultures and various cultures at school and I think

that has a lot to do with how people see themselves and their body positivity or body awareness,” Ebeniro said. However, she thinks there is room for improvement in terms of asking students to look inwardly and try to understand the root of their negative thoughts.

“The onus really shouldn’t be on the institution to teach those things,” Ebeniro said, “but rather, they should encourage students to help themselves find their own journey.”

At a diverse school like Hockaday, it can be easy to forget that not all of your classmates live the same life as you do. But part of what makes the school special, junior Myesa Arora said, is the respect with which students treat their peers – especially when it comes to sensitive topics like body image.

“I think as a school we are a more welcoming community than other places,” Arora said. “I think we all need to be proactive in the things we say and do every day, and we need to learn to treat ourselves with kindness, too.”

The National

Eating Disorders Association compiled a list of 10 ways people can feel better about their bodies. The list includes statements such as “appreciate all that your body can do,” “remind yourself that true beauty is not skin-deep,” and “surround yourself with positive people.”

Studies have proven that one’s friends correlate directly with one’s mental health.

Peers’ attitudes make a difference your change

According to the Mayo Clinic, strong friendships can “increase your sense of belonging and purpose” and “encourage you to change or avoid

unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise.”

Positivity and kindness, as the Mayo Clinic states, are crucial for long-lasting, healthy friendships and overall better for mental health. Small acts of kindness, like complimenting a friend after they get a new haircut or holding back a comment about the amount of time they spend in the gym, can go a long way.

“We should generally avoid saying things that might be associated with shame or lead to other complications,” Arora said. “For example, don’t tell someone to stop eating or eat too much – those may seem like small things, but they can make a huge difference in someone’s life.”

A new way of learning biology

Social impact course takes hands-on approach

By Amitha Nair | Staff Writer

Different from any other class, Biology, Impact, and the Zoo is a permanent social impact class that involves researching an issue, designing a product and presenting the product in a Shark Tank.

Five years ago, Laura Day, Executive Director of the Institute for Social Impact, and Brandi Finazzo, Upper School Science Teacher, worked together to come up with new ways to change a typical biology class to allow students to learn while integrating a real-world aspect.

One of the many differences that sets this class apart from the standard biology class is the partnership with the Dallas Zoo.

“Partnering with them and building relationships with their experts helps to expand the experiences of the students involved and increase the number of unique perspectives contributing to the solution design process,” Finazzo said. “The incredibly informative field trip to the Dallas Zoo each fall really sets the stage for our Design Thinking work.”

This partnership gave both teachers an outline of how the course would be set up. The Dallas Zoo had something similar, Zoo Core, which Day and Finazzo took into consideration when creating and finalizing this course.

Currently, the students’ solution are in the prototype stage. They are starting to

create a product that will be presented in a style reflecting the show “Shark Tank, “where one group will win among all the groups. After the class ends, students who still want to continue their topic are able to do so.

A past group who focused on the disposal of refrigerators, one of the top pollutants in our world, has been and still is working on this topic.

“Our students set out to design a QR code that will go on every refrigerator sold, so when your refrigerator is done and you’re getting rid of it, you can scan it and there would be a way to scan it and use it,” Day said. “The EPA, which is the Environmental Protection Agency, met with them and applied their idea to EPA standards so they can have the QR code going on a good amount of refrigerators; because of this project they are pushing to have it mandated on all refrigerators.”

Currently, there are many groups who focus on ideas such as fast fashion, sustainable grocery shopping, misrepresentation of animals, conflicts around trash and abuse toward animals. The students are in the prototyping and design pitch stage, where they produce a physical and practical product to combat these issues.

“My group has worked very hard to factor expense, ease of use and functionality in our prototype that

prevents animals from getting into trash,” Elena Zeballos, a junior focusing on animal-proof trash cans, said.

These activities have inspired Lower School to follow a simpler version of this social impact project. Upper School students currently enrolled in this class helped the Lower School students with ideas and how to execute them similar to their class and prototypes.

“The third graders are working through a reduced version of the design thinking protocol for a part of their social studies class with Mrs. Miller,” Finazzo said. “They will be participating in the same pitch workshop which will assist

with their own pitch design coming up later this spring as well as to help brainstorm ideas with older students.”

Although this class is promoted as an out-of-classroom experience, there are still labs to ensure that students are getting the same practice and education about labs similar to other biology courses.

This course is a mixture of biology and social impact, learning more about the world on a molecular scale as well as in the eyes of a problem solver.

“It‘s applying biology as opposed to just learning it, I think that is the magic to the whole thing,” Day said.

Students prepare a slide for the microscope during a lab.

BIZ students pitch their prototype.

Photos by Brandi Finazzo

Kickboxing creates confidence Instructor offers class to Upper School

By Kailey Bergstedt | Photo & Graphics Editor

Thwack ! Senior Molly McPhail’s gloved fist makes contact with the punching bag. McPhail participates in the almost weekly kickboxing classes offered on campus. Self-defense instructor Jessica Jasper started the classes this semester. In past years, a kickboxing instructor taught classes in the fitness center. After noticing students’ interest in the sport, especially after teaching it to the seniors in self-defense class last year, Jasper decided to offer classes to the Upper School.

“I’ve been doing different striking sports like boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai forever,” Jasper said. “I fell in love with it when I was in middle school and have done it ever since.”

Juniors participating in JFlex can also take kickboxing classes before or after school or during a free period to fulfill their cardio requirements. Most classes last between 45 minutes to an hour, including a warmup.

“Kickboxing is so intense that it only really takes around 30 minutes of doing it to get a really good workout in,” Jasper said.

Classes begin with a quick warmup of anything from jump rope to ladder drills and usually include shadow boxing as well. After the warmup, Jasper demonstrates a technique and then students take turns practicing the technique with a partner. Typically one student holds the mitts while the other practices punching or kicking them. Students practice hitting the mitts for three minutes, then take a one-minute break and switch with the other student.

“I think one of the hardest things about kickboxing is your endurance,” McPhail said. “If you’re really using a lot of power, it can get tiring very quickly.”

During the classes, Jasper teaches more Muay Thai style kicks including leg kicks, body kicks and push kicks, also called front kicks. Leg and body kicks are a little more challenging to do than front kicks because they require students to pivot their foot to kick at an angle. Jasper also teaches punches like straight, uppercut and hook shots.

“Kickboxing has a lot to do with balance, core strength and especially technique,” Jasper said. The classes start off the semester by focusing more on offensive techniques, then transition into defensive ones. Learning offense first means students can typically defend against it better.

“It’s very difficult to be good at offensive without being good at defensive and vice versa,” Jasper said.

Kickboxing is open to everyone and anyone is able to get good at it with practice.

“My favorite thing about kickboxing is the confidence it gives you and how empowering it feels,” said junior Julia Emery, who takes weekly kickboxing classes as part of her JFlex requirement. Other participants have enjoyed the camaraderie they found in taking the classes.

“I really love the community that kickboxing provides,” McPhail said. “Everyone is constantly uplifting and encouraging each other.”

Jasper encourages everyone to try this sport, no matter their skill level or experience.

“Martial arts is for everyone,” Jasper said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re not very athletic, or fast or strong, you can still do martial arts.”

Students practice uppercuts during a kickboxing class. Each class begins with a warmup and transitions to practicing a variety of moves.

Senior Molly McPhail spars with Coach Jasper. After learning a new skill as a group, class members pair off with partners to practice.

Students train with the punching bag, working on perfecting their moves. The class begins the semester learning offensive moves before moving on to defensive techniques.

Senior Molly McPhail works on her punching skills. McPhail said the intensity of the class makes endurance essential.

“My favorite thing about kickboxing is the confidence it gives you and how empowering it feels.”

— Julia Emery ’24

Photos by Kailey Bergstedt

An artistic twist on assemblies

South Asian Student Association hosts interactive assembly to showcase culture

By Elizabeth Truelove | Staff Writer

BOARD SPOTLIGHT

Affinity Council

Throwing multi-colored powder into the air, students participate in the South Asian Student Association’s first Holi celebration at Hockaday. Hindus celebrate this festival every year around March, signifying the beginning of spring. On March 24, SASA invited all Upper School students to join them in this cultural tradition.

“I really enjoyed the experience and had a blast celebrating my culture with the school,” sophomore Dithyae Devesh said.

Starting as an Eastern Religions and Philosophies special interest group, SASA has been a student association for the past two years. To showcase their culture, SASA hosts events and assemblies throughout the year. On March 28, SASA planned an interactive assembly for the Upper School student body.

“We have students from every grade running different parts of the assembly,” Senior CoPresident Jayna Dave said. “We want to talk about the South Asian identity, but mostly we are going to focus on the fashion show and dance to showcase our South Asian culture in a more artistic way.”

SASA hopes to continue spreading awareness for their culture across the school community.

“Especially in a predominantly white school, it’s so important to have this community that celebrates our different traditions and our culture with each other,” Co-President Nina Dave said.

Hosting the fashion show at the assembly, sophomore Anya Ahuja said she loves being a part of SASA and is excited to bring more diversity to the community through assemblies and future SASA events.

“SASA not only provides immersive experiences for others to learn more about South Asian culture, but it does so in a way that allows the South Asian students themselves to be involved and take pride in their traditions,” Ahuja said.

By Ambyr Baker | Sports Editor

Since its founding in the 2021-2022 school year, the Affinity Council has served as a liaison between the student body and administration regarding diversity and inclusion.

The council sits as one of the boards on the Upper School Student Council and its leading chair is elected internally. In total, the the council comprises 12 representatives who are established leaders of their respective affinity groups. Claire Cothren and Aisha Ashraf are faculty sponsors for this school year.

Affinity Council Chair senior Princess Ogiemwonyi said she values facilitating important conversations to create change for future students.

“I was inspired to apply for chair last year because I want to advocate for more student representation and give my peers a place to voice their opinions in a productive manner,” Ogiemwonyi said. “I have learned so much about myself by being on the council over the past two years.”

Senior member Nina Dave noted the differences between the Affinity Council and the Student Diversity Board.

“The main difference between us and SDB is that SDB effects change through discussions and bringing mature subjects for the students to talk about,” Dave

said, “whereas Affinity Council effects more active change through taking issues from the students and reporting them to administration.”

Dave said her favorite aspect of the council is problem-solving with a group from various identities and backgrounds while she discusses issues that directly affect the student body.

Ogiemwonyi said affinity and connection among members of the student body is important to building a cohesive community. Thus, the council hosted multiple events this year to encourage this attitude.

“Recently, we hosted the Affinity Council Stop-by to hear what students wanted from Affinity Council and how our group could better help the student population,” Ogiemwonyi said. “We had questions on poster boards and people answered them for a cookie, and the data we received was very helpful.”

Using this data to see the school from the student perspective, the council works with administration to improve the student experience.

Dave said she continues to look forward, even past her time in high school.

“I hope that in the future we can connect individually with students, not just through affinity groups,” Dave said.

Talking with GirlTalk

Club focuses on transition from Middle to Upper school

By Zoya Haq | JADE Editor

Some days in the Middle School hallways laughs are louder, whispers are more confessional and conversations are more collaborative. Often, those are GirlTalk days: conference periods when Upper School students connect with eighth grade girls in leadership development and mentorship.

GirlTalk is a national program whose Hockaday chapter was founded in 2008. Since then, the chapter has expanded outside of the school, collaborating with Dallas-area public schools to broaden its impact.

This year, changes in leadership impacted GirlTalk’s programming, but club members persevered through setbacks.

of just being like, you can ask whatever questions you want to the high school students and good luck answering them.”

Club members said they have enjoyed getting involved with GirlTalk’s programs again this semester.

“My favorite part of Girl Talk is honestly just being back in Middle School and hearing all about eighth grade, because I feel like it’s very nostalgic for us,” senior volunteer Millie Trumpower said. “I know my transition to high school was hard at times, so I’m glad we get to help them through it.”

— Annie Hurley ’23

“We’ve had some difficulties getting started up because of the musical and other school-wide things, so we didn’t have our first meeting until a few weeks ago,” President Annie Hurley said. “I’ve been trying to work on creating a curriculum for us to discuss with the girls so that we have a structured plan, instead

GirlTalk’s main goal is to remind incoming freshmen that, no matter how overwhelming things may feel, everything works out and high school is a time for personal growth and reflection.

“The message that we’re trying to push,” Hurley said, “is that, while high school is not going be perfect, everything is ultimately going to be OK.”

Members of the Affinity Council speak at their assembly.

Photo by Shreya Vijay

SASA dancers perform a dance routine at the assembly.

Photo by Elizabeth Truelove

Photo by Elizabeth Truelove Senior Meera Malhotra poses in her salwar-kameez during the fashion show at the SASA assembly.

“The message that we’re trying to push is that, while high school is not going to be perfect, everything is ultimately going to be OK.”

Club aims to spread awareness

Persian Immersion Club stands with Iranian women

By Jane Clark| Editor in Chief

Juniors Yalda Haghighat, Sophia Afzalipour and Leila Tarighi

founded the Persian Immersion club to immerse their friends and peers in Persian culture.

“When I had the idea to start the club in 10th grade, my goal was to create a fun environment where the Hockaday community can educate themselves about Persian culture and build more empathy and awareness for communities they have little information on,” Afzalipour said. “We like to have meetings that include sharing classic Iranian cuisine and teaching our members about Persian holidays and traditions.”

Similarly, Haghighat believed the Persian community was underrepresented or misrepresented, so she wanted to teach people more.

“Our goal was to eliminate any negative stereotypes around Persian culture that have been promoted by Western media,” Haghighat said. “We wanted to showcase our culture and traditions and give everyone a look into how we grew up.”

In the past, they have had club meetings to celebrate Eid e Nowruz (Persian New Year) where they discussed traditions and some Persian desserts.

This year, however, their core mission shifted to the

current situation for women in Iran and the protests going on there.

“Under Iran’s current regime, women’s rights are severely restricted and have been for the past 44 years,” Afzalipour said. “Through these protests, hundreds of activists have risked their lives in hopes for fundamental freedoms.”

After Mahsa Amini was arrested in Iran for allegedly improperly wearing her hijab and died in custody, the public reacted, leading to a women’s rights revolution. Afzalipour, Haghighat and Tarighi decided to help in the ways they could.

“Leila, Yalda and I wanted to host a dinner with traditional Iranian dishes that people love and raise funds to send to an organization to help Iranian protests,” Afzalipour said.

They raised over $2,000 and sent the money to a group that spreads information about Iran’s political climate through software apps in hopes for more widespread awareness.

“We’re really hoping to continue our mission to inform people about what’s going on in Iran right now,” Haghighat said, “and we’re hoping to continue raising funds for protesters.”

Mad about MBL Students spend week in professional research lab

By Harper Harris | Features Editor

A group of nine students and four teachers packed their bags for the Marine Biology Lab in Woods Hole, Mass., in March. Over the next week, the students learned about marine biology through labs and lectures. This year's focus was marine embryology.

MBL, a professional research institute, is affiliated with The University of Chicago and first connected with Hockaday through former Head of School Dr. Karen Warren Coleman, who previously worked at the university. In 2019, The University of Chicago contacted Coleman, asking if the school would be interested in partnering with MBL.

The university and members of the science department, including Dr. Barbara Fishel and Brandi Finazzo, had a meeting about what a high school course would look like at a college-level lab.

“So then began a number of conversations between the people at MBL, and those of us who teach biology,” Fishel said. “In November 2019, we took kids and we really helped MBL fine-tune the course.”

Since then, students have been going to their labs each spring.

Students spent each day similarly, beginning with lectures, then going into the labs to practice what they learned that morning.

Finazzo said they spent most of the time in the labs, which Dr. Nipam Patel, head of MBL, taught.

“Depending on the day, there would be a lecture or two, but most of our time was spent in the laboratory,” Finazzo said.

In these labs, students learned how to use specific microscopes, called stemiscopes, which helped them when dissecting embryos.

“They worked with these really cool stemiscopes to observe different kinds of embryos,” Finazzo said. “They looked at squid, zebrafish, all kinds of different things and then they went out and collected samples from the environment and brought them in and looked at all those.”

While learning to use the microscopes, students also learned about certain embryos and structures. Junior Aria Bhatki said her favorite part of the labs was the dissection.

“We were able to take different specimens from this aquarium space,” Bhatki said, “and we were able to look at them under the microscope and see different parts of these living organisms that look so normal when they're not in a microscope.”

Bhatki said she applied to MBL to explore biology more and get hands-on experience in a college-level lab.

“I am really interested in science, particularly

DAISY STEM

Each issue, The Fourcast highlights a student who has accomplished something in the STEM world or a special event that is STEM-related.

By Bennett Trubey | Arts & Life

Editor

biological sciences, and I just wanted a lab experience to see if that was something I'd be interested in in the future, either in college or as a career,” Bhatki said.

The Advanced Genetics class visited a state-of-the-art laboratory doing research in gene therapy and spoke with alumnae at the facility on March 29.

Pegasus Laboratories, located in Pegasus Park, is an organization that provides state-of-the-art equipment and lab spaces to conduct research and manufacture pharmaceutical products through BioLabs, with many companies there focusing on gene therapy.

“It’s an incredible space,” said Dr. Barbara Fishel, Upper School Science Dean of Studies.

Fishel met with the lab’s educational outreach director and planned the opportunity earlier in the school year. The science department often plans field trips to sites where research related to certain classes is conducted.

Advanced Genetics is a seniors-only semester course, largely based on laboratory work, in which students learn about new advancements in the understanding of human DNA. The students are currently focusing on gene therapies being developed for genetic disorders.

Fishel said she hopes students in her senior course gained a deeper understanding of what they are learning through the trip.

“The people that work in the labs are many times working on techniques or problems that we’re covering in Advanced Genetics,” Fishel said. “And this kind of visit - I thinkmade it very real.”

The class spent three hours touring the facilities and observing the activities in the BioLabs spaces rented out by various startup companies and researchers. Aside from exploring the 23-acre campus, students also spoke with alumnae Lulu Wang ’13 and Tiffanie Tovar ’13, who now work for ReCode Therapeutics and MassChallenge, respectively.

Wang provided insight into her path as a scientist focusing on gene therapy, while Tovar shared information about her work as the Community Manager at MassChallenge, an accelerator company for startups.

While speaking with the alumnae, students gained valuable exposure to the kind of gene therapy work and entrepreneurship happening in similar lab environments.

“I think just helping them visualize themselves in some kind of future that includes a little bit of science – at least – is our goal,” Fishel said.

Advanced Genetics class visits Pegasus Laboratory.

Photo courtesy of Jessie Crowley

Students at the Persian Immersion dinner, which raised money towards helping the Irainan protests.

Photo by Yalda Haghighat

Senior Natalie Grove inspects a sample specimen under a special microscope called a stemiscope.

Junior Aria Bhatki inspects a sample specimen under a microscope. At MBL, students collected and examined samples of different species from the environment.

Photos by Brandi Finazzos

Sports on the meadow

Signing Day celebration Committed seniors reflect upon past, college careers

By Anjy Fadairo | Staff Writer

For Senior Alexandra Weinmeister, who will be playing D3 soccer this fall, the journey to signing day started in seventh grade.

“My team started going to college showcases,” Weinmeister said, “and I honestly wasn’t really sure if I wanted to play soccer in college so I wasn’t as intense on emailing.”

Years of hard work and dedication later, however, Weinmeister is committed to Washington University in St. Louis.

Like Weinmeister, other student-athletes have been working towards one goal for the past several years: collegiate commitment.

As the school year draws to a close, 14 seniors have committed to continue their sports at the collegiate level. The school celebrated them on signing day.

Assistant Head of Athletics Jennifer Johnson said Hockaday started celebrating its own signing day years ago.

“We used to have individual signing days for each person with their friends and family, but back then, our numbers were not nearly as high as they are now,” Johnson said. “The students really liked celebrating as a group, so we morphed it into one big signing day for everyone.”

For Senior Victoria Li, who will be fencing at D3 Johns Hopkins this fall, getting to the signing day platform was a result of the time and effort she poured into her sport.

“I’ve been fencing since fifth grade, so I’ve grown to really like the sport a lot,” Li said. “Throughout that time, my parents and I realized it would help with my college experience as well, because I get to travel a lot and for free.”

Weinmeister noted that after her first few years of high school, she became increasingly interested in playing soccer for a college. When the COVID-19 pandemic started during her freshman year, Weinmeister began putting in extra work for recruitment.

“It was very difficult to get exposure, but I did all the work with my video highlights, and I would email coaches,” Weinmeister said. “Then they would come see me at showcases, and it was just a lot of being patient.”

Senior Lauren Roach, who will be playing D1 lacrosse at the University of Louisville, initially struggled with how early the process began for her.

“It’s a really difficult process,” Roach said. “It’s scary. You go into it earlier than most people go into the college process, so you go into with a lot less knowledge about what kind of college you’re looking for.”

Weinmeister said her journey to signing day has

taught her lessons about herself and her life.

“You can do anything as long as you put in the work,” Weinmeister said, “but the end goal is very rewarding if you continue to put in the time.”

Because athletes don’t always know which institution they’ll commit to by national signing day Nov. 9, Hockaday athletics hosts its signing day in the spring instead of in the fall or winter.

“It’s unique that we do it a little bit later, just to make sure,” Johnson said. “I think it’s special to have had as many seniors as we can get to get a really, really good crowd to support each other.”

Also, Hockaday makes sure to include its Division 3 athletes in the signing day festivities even though the commitment processes for Division 1 and 2 athletes differ from those of Division 3 athletes.

After years of hard work, Roach said she looks forward to finally taking part in signing day.

“I’ve always watched all the older girls on my team have their signing days, and it’s such a big, exciting moment,” Roach said, “Now it’s crazy to think that it’s actually finally my turn to do that.”

While Li said she is excited about the next chapter of her career and celebrating her fellow signees, she’s also thrilled about the signing day festivities.

“Fencing wise, I’m hoping to continue getting better at college, but I’m just really excited about signing day,” Li said, “and the cookies.”

Photo by Rodney Skaife

Photo by Alex Crosnoe

Photo by Jen Fore

Soccer commit Ambyr Baker delivers grateful speech at ceremony.

Photo by Hanna Asmerom

Vaulting from athlete to coach

Fore’s passion for pole vaulting inspires journey in the sport

By Alexandra Dassopoulos | Staff Writer

Pole vaulting pictures fill the walls Dr. Jen Fore’s office. As this photographic timeline illustrates, the chemistry teacher and coach has experienced the evolution of women’s pole vaulting and seen its growth firsthand.

Fore began training in the sport in 2002, her sophomore year of high school and just two years after pole vault became an Olympic sport for women. Yet her fervor for the sport didn’t fully develop until she began coaching.

“I don’t know if I was truly passionate about it in college and in high school. It was just something fun to do – I was fast and having fun,” Fore said. “I think the passion actually came later when I came to Hockaday, because I realized we didn’t have it here. All the other SPC schools were pole vaulting, so I started the program and it’s grown ever since then.”

Not only did her fire truly kindle for pole vaulting when she started the program at Hockaday, but Fore also began vaulting again as a coach.

“I think because I started vaulting again too, that was just kind of the extra fire that came into it,” Fore said. “So I actually ended up doing my personal best at age 32: 11 feet, 1 inch.”

With pole vaulting, Fore also has discovered how to coach athletes about fear, an aspect elemental to this particular sport.

“I think specifically with pole vault, it’s like you’re dealing with fear,” Fore said. “On the coaching side,

it’s me helping someone overcome that fear: what’s causing it and then get them to pass that so they can jump – either jump again or jump higher. So I’ve kind of learned how to be like a little bit of a sports psychologist with that side.”

Now experienced with how to aid with the psychological side of pole vaulting, Fore first learned how to be a coach through the club Texas Express, thanks to Coach La’Boris Bean. Nine years later, Fore is on the staff as a coach.

Transitioning into her new role, Fore’s initial experiences at Texas Express were about establishing a coach’s eye and learning strategic methods to help athletes execute motions properly.

Clearing new heights Clarke continues pole vaulting

By Elle Myers | Staff Writer

Junior Avery Clarke takes a deep breath before she begins to sprint down the runway, planting her pole into the ground. The pole bends as she flings herself over the bar, setting a new personal record.

For those who don’t know about pole vaulting, “the objective is to fling yourself over a bar in the air with a giant pole,” Clark said.

Clarke joined the track team last year because of her friends. She tried different sprinting and field events but fell in love with pole vaulting. She used to compete in gymnastics, cheer, and diving and thought it would make her transition to pole vaulting easier because of the flips.

At her first meet last year, she was unable to clear a single bar. At the next meet, she cleared her first bar and has been clearing higher levels ever since.

“It is fun to continue to improve as there is tangible growth,” Clarke said.

progression

Normally, she practices twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the meets are over the weekend. However it is different this year because the team has to practice at St. Mark’s while Hockaday’s new athletic facilities are under construction.

Clarke said her biggest student inspiration in the sport is junior Gracie Little because she is a “Track God” and broke the school record for pole vaulting. Clarke looks at Little’s form to see what she can do to improve based on her technique.

“I love practicing with her because we push each other and have so much fun at the meets together,” Little said about Clarke.

In addition to Little, Clarke looks up to Coach Jen Fore because of her successful pole vaulting career. Fore gives Clarke advice on how to move back on the runway and the number of fists that go up on the pole for better results.

ROWING SOFTBALL

“Basically I was a student of the sport, being a sponge, soaking it all in,” Fore said. “As I was developing my coach’s eye, I was learning how to see what an athlete does wrong and then being able to help them fix it. It’s just like teaching – just instead of teaching, you’re having to really look at their body movements, not work on a paper or in the lab.”

Despite the differences, Fore has used tactics from the science classroom as a coach. However, she has had to balance the technical discussions and physics analogies with fun engagement. Recognizing how athletes can get drowned in the technical side and need to find excitement in the sport, Fore tries to praise small achievements and progress steps.

Fore also has struggled with SPC rules. According to these regulations, SPC athletes are only permitted to pole vault for around a 10-week spring sports season due to breaks and ISAS – whereas her Texas Express athletes practice up to nine months a year. Fore said these limits to training time can thwart her Hockaday pole vaulters from maximum improvement, as they have to catch up to their level from the previous season.

Despite the challenges in the 20 years since her pole vault beginnings, Foresaid she hopes the future will bring more progress for women in the sport.

“It’s such a young start for women,” Fore said. “The old school coaches, they still sometimes think that women can’t do it – so it’s fighting that kind of bias against women.”

Clarke’s biggest accomplishment so far has been clearing 8’6’’ last year at SPC. She is working on her technique while turning and Fore sees more success ahead for Clarke.

“Avery is ready to jump 10 feet if she believes in her abilities,” Fore said.

“We’ve all been working hard to get back into a good rhythm for the season. As a captain, I like encouraging everyone, working hard so we can grow close, and encouraging everyone to be good teammates. We hope to make it even farther this year in SPC than last year.”

“We’ve had really competitive races and lots of gold medals. Now we are going into April - our big racing season. We’ve done lots of training, and we’re getting ready to be awesome.”

“We haven’t lost yet, so we’re super excited. We’re all really close so we feel pretty good, but we’re working really hard every day. I think our chances of SPC are looking pretty good so far.”

Sophia Clavenna ’23

Maia Hartley ’23

Mia Carley ’23

Fore times a pole vaulter’s relay split.

Photo courtesy of Avery Clarke Avery Clarke turns as she clears the bar at a March 24 meet at Parish Episcopal School.

Photo by Jamison Michael

Junior plays for U.S. Youth National Team against England Thomas plays international game

By Juliana Blazek | Jade Editor

While varsity soccer was claiming its third consecutive SPC championship in Dallas, junior Jaden Thomas traveled to England to play in two games for the U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team. Thomas was one of 20 players, representing 12 states and 18 soccer youth clubs, to be invited to play for the national team.

“After tearing my ACL last year I missed a lot of national team camps so it was a dream come true to finally get the chance to represent my country,” Thomas said.

The U.S. team played in two games, one on Feb. 15 and another on Feb. 18, against England’s Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team at St. George’s Park, Burton Upon Trent. As one of the five forwards on the team, Thomas was accompanied by an additional six midfielders, seven defenders, and two goalkeepers, wearing the number 14 on her blue uniform.

“It was a competitive atmosphere, because everyone was used to being the best player on their team, so it took time to figure out our team chemistry,” Thomas said. “I made new friendships with people from all over the country.”

On a cloudy, 50-degree day in England, the U.S. team, led by head coach Katie Schoepfer, trailed behind England. In the 74th minute, Thomas scored with a shot from the top of the box into the top right corner of the goal, making the score 3-4. Ultimately, the team fell to England with a final score of 4-5 in the Feb. 15 game.

In the next game on Feb. 18, the U.S. team beat England 3-1.

“The game was high pace and high intensity, but instead of nerves I was really excited, almost like an adrenaline rush,” Thomas said.

Thomas will continue playing for her soccer club, FC Dallas, and will lead the varsity soccer team next school year as one of the captains.

Unstoppable Underclassmen athletes on the rise in track, golf

By Shreya Vijay | Staff Writer

Sena Asom

Freshman Sena Asom has had a great start to her first high-school track season. She enjoys participating in long jump, high jump, and the 200 meter dash.

She owes her initial interest in track to her siblings, who inspired her to run.

“I love track because it’s an individual sport with a team aspect in it,” Asom said.

Head Varsity Track and Field Coach Laboris Bean described Sena as incredibly hardworking. He looks forward to coaching her over the next few years, and is excited to see what she can accomplish.

“We just have to hone in on what she wants to be next level at,” Bean said.

Asom specializes in several events, and Bean is confident that she has the natural talent to excel in all her events, and potentially run Division I Track.

“Each day she is always focused, looking to give a hundred percent,” Bean said.

For the past few summers, Asom has represented her club track team at the Junior Olympics. Most notably, she placed fourth in the long jump at

the Junior Olympics in Houston.

“I really love long jump and high jump,” Asom said.

She aspires to run track in college.

“Sena is extraordinary. She’s a great athlete with an excellent work ethic,” Bean said.

Zoe Littlejohn

Sophomore Zoe Littlejohn has had a great start to her golf season as well. She has been on the Varsity Golf team for the last two years, and enjoys playing golf with her teammates.

Her initial interest in golf stems from watching her father play. She decided to take lessons at a young age, and has been playing golf for more than eight years.

“I love golf because it is such an interesting yet complex sport,” Littlejohn said. “It also allows me to really focus on my mental game as there are so many instances where I have had to persevere.”

This season, she is working on maintaining consistency with her shots. Littlejohn has shaved some strokes off from last year and is hitting the ball much straighter, causing her balls to go 20-30 yards further than usual.

Littlejohn added that she is still unsure about her future plans as a golfer, but she hopes to continue improving and enjoying her sport.

“I love track because it’s an individual sport with a team aspect in it.”

Sena Asom

USA team members meet England players after their game.

Thomas poses with Florida Elite midfielder Avery Robinson in her team USA uniform.

Thomas joins the starting eleven for the second game against England on Feb. 18th.

Photos courtesy of Jaden Thomas

“I love golf becuase it is such an interesting yet complex sport.”

Zoe Littlejohn

Letter from the Editor: Melody Hu

By Melody Hu | Editor-in-Chief

Here we are, April of my senior year, and writing this letter for the last issue of The Fourcast I will ever work on. It’s crazy to think this issue will represent my last workday, my last story discussion and my last time working with the amazing staff.

When I joined Hockaday in seventh grade, The Fourcast was one of the first things I noticed. The newspaper was always filled with the most interesting topics and opinions, and I knew I wanted to join the staff. When I finally got to sophomore year and wrote my first story as a staff writer, I learned and realized how much dedication, work and communication it takes to produce a paper.

As I leave for college, here are three of the many lessons I learned on the paper: Journalism has a role in every community. Everyone has a story, and as journalists of Hockaday, it is our job to listen, write the story

and share it with the school.

Collaboration is essential. Whether that is with my Co-Editor-in-Chief, Jane, or with my Jade Magazine partner, working with others is the only way to get something done. I admire the way The Fourcast staff members collaborate and compromise to produce multiple issues of Fourcast and Jade.

You never stop learning. Even in my final issue on the paper, I’m still constantly learning from my classmates, adviser and community.

I am forever grateful for the past three years and the wonderful girls I have been able to work with. To my fellow seniors, the past four years in Intro and on the paper have been the best. To the sophomores, juniors and future staffers, good luck and enjoy every moment. It goes by so fast!

Yay Fourcast!

Melody Hu

Melody Hu Editor-in-Chief

Letter from the Editor: Jane Clark

By Jane Clark | Editor-in-Chief

Sitting here at the workday for the last time, making final edits to Foolscast pages and editing stories for this April issue, all my memories from sophomore year are beginning to come back. I started on The Fourcast staff in 10th grade and was terrified to sit on the seniors’ “side of the room,” nervous to send them my writing, and uncertain in my InDesign and Photoshop abilities. Throughout high school, however, I have gained confidence in my skills and will cherish my time in this classroom with these people forever.

Being on The Fourcast staff has shown me truly what Hockaday girls can accomplish. We start off each month with practically a blank slate of 24 pages and somehow, someway, end up with an entire newspaper in only a couple of weeks.

We have learned to rely on one another and trust that everyone will get their work done. Working on the newspaper has taught me the

value of collaborative work and how important it is to pull your weight.

Here’s some advice for the staff for 2023-2024 and all future Fourcast-ers:

The time during the Fourcast class period can actually be productive if you put headphones on.

Keep each other accountable to get your stories in on time even if it’s awkward – trust me, it’s better than turning the paper in late.

Be creative with story ideas. As an alumna next year, I want to be able to read about the school, not just the SPC recap every month.

Have so much fun, and do it with friends. Some of my best friends from all grades came from The Fourcast room, so DO NOT TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED!!!

Yay Fourcast forever,

Jane Clark

Jane Clark Editor-in-Chief

Hu and Clark served as editors-in-chief for six issues of The Fourcast, beginning in the spring of 2022. Both were members of the newspaper staff for three years.

STAFF STANDOFF: NEPOTISM BABIES

Nepo babies be gone DAISIES’ TAKES

Only those who earn it should stand in the spotlight

While the world of Hollywood has always loved the children of celebrities, it is time mediocre talents stop dominating the scene, even if they won the “famous parents” lottery.

Nepotism babies, or “nepo babies,” are children of actors, musicians or industry members who likely benefit from their parents’ success. While this concept has been around for a long time, we see “nepo babies” even more now because we heavily rely on the entertainment celebrities bring. These children have had an easier time than those who arguably have more talent but don’t have any celebrity connections.

While acting skills are not inherited, beauty and height are. Model Lily-Rose Depp is one of the faces of the luxury brand Chanel and the daughter of actor Johnny Depp and singer Vanessa Paradis. While her beauty is inarguable, her height of 5’ 3’’ is far below the average of a top-tier fashion brand like Chanel. The shortest height of other models for the brand is 5’ 9’’.

CON

ELLE MYERS

Actor and musician Jaden Smith made his acting debut in the movie “Pursuit of Happyness” when he starred alongside his father, Will Smith. While the movie was all right, Jaden’s acting career grew as he starred in “Karate Kid” in 2010. The true depth of Jaden’s acting abilities showed in 2013 when he acted in “After Earth,” which received an awful rating of 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. Jaden is a perfect example of how acting skills are not passed through genetics.

These are only two examples of the little talent that nepo babies have, but they will continue to surpass those with more talent because of their unfair advantages. Although nepo babies are given an advantage in the industry, some have gained a name for themselves without having to live in their parent’s shadow. Actress and entrepreneur Tracee Ellis Ross has gained a career by herself without hiding in her mother, Diano Ross’ shadow. While Tracee’s success and fame are undeniable, it still should not blind us to the fact she has had an easier time because of her last name. While the industry of nepo babies will undeniably grow, I urge us to focus on the talent of individuals rather than their famous families.

STAFF STANDOFF

Nepotism is here to stay

Children of stars will always gain fame, and some should

In recent media, there has been a lot of talk surrounding the children of stars in Hollywood. “Nepotism babies,” or people who have achieved fame through the success of their parents, are receiving more backlash than they deserve. Is it really fair to disregard the talent of these celebrities just because they might have had an easier time than others gaining a platform? You might not even know some of your favorite actors or models are nepotism babies. Yes, Gwenyth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. were born out of nepotism.

HOT

“Nicki Minaj is more talented than Taylor Swift. Sorry.”

- Libby Warren ’23

“Cottage cheese is a top-tier food.”

- Eva Spak ’24

is constantly judging them just because of who their parents are.

PRO

CAROLINE BUSH

Talented parents also do not guarantee successful children. Take Brooklyn Beckham, son of soccer star David Beckham, for example. He has attempted to gain fame by using the platform he was given but has brutally failed multiple times, and his attempts at modeling and creating his own cooking show have not been received well by the media.

“The pineapple pizza debate is overrated and does not matter.”

- Tanvi Josh ’26

While it’s necessary to acknowledge some of our favorite stars did get to where they are through privileged backgrounds, we cannot ignore their accomplishments simply because they received a leg up. It can even be argued that being a nepotism baby actually makes it harder to succeed in the industry since everyone

No matter how much scrutiny nepotism babies come under, they are always going to exist as long as famous people have children. Nepo babies are inevitable, so can’t we just let them gain their platform in peace? Believe me, I think it’s just as unfair as anyone else, but a lot of my favorite stars have famous parents and their talent may have gone unnoticed without the advantage their parents provided.

“I don’t want to meet my grandkids.”

- Leila Tarighi ’24

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Jane Clark & Melody Hu

MANAGING EDITOR

Caroline Petrikas

JADE EDITORS

Juliana Blazek & Zoya Haq

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Hanna Asmerom

NEWS EDITOR

Melody Tian

ARTS & LIFE EDITORS

Caroline Bush & Bennett Trubey

FEATURES EDITOR

Harper Harris

SPORTS EDITOR

Ambyr Baker

OPINIONS EDITOR

Aadya Kuruvalli

PHOTO, GRAPHICS & CASTOFF EDITOR

Kailey Bergstedt

STAFF WRITERS

Alexandra Dassopoulos

Anjy Fadairo

Elle Myers

Alexa Munoz

Amitha Nair

Danya Risam-Chandi

Elizabeth Truelove

Shreya Vijay

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, but the content is subject to prior review by the head of Upper School, the communications director and other members of the Hockaday leadership team. 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 Editors-in-Chief Jane Clark at jclark23@hockaday.org or Melody Hu at mhu23@hockaday.org.

The

STAFF EDITORIAL

Anti-stress meetings counterproductive

Taking away free time heightens stress

Stress — it’s not uncommon for the typical Hockadaisy, and it gets progressively worse as the years in Upper School go by. To counteract the effects of stress, the school has made efforts to help students manage it, but are they actually helping?

For the past few months, students have engaged with Upper School administration, as well as guest speakers, to learn healthy ways to cope with stress. Most of these meetings occur during conference or Y periods, causing students to lose out on valuable study and relaxation time.

Assemblies and form meetings have taken up conference periods prior to long breaks. In December, all students had form meetings on the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Holiday Break.

It is unfair to both the student body and the faculty to have to sit through these meetings during especially busy periods. It is important that school administration and student council representatives work together for the overall benefit of the students, rather than having “stress-alleviation seminars” just for the sake of having them.

Form councils are intended to be the liaisons between Upper School Administration, the Executive Council and the forms. Selected by popular vote, the form council representatives pledge the same thing every year: guaranteeing

more free time and fun activities throughout the year and advocating for change on behalf of the student body. However, these promises are predominantly empty, as the ultimate decisions are left to the administration. This brings into question the council members’ credibility, as they are not truly able to accomplish what they promise to do.

The current situation is counterintuitive. Administration intends to relieve stress by teaching students how to manage it, through meetings during their only free periods in the day.

The Executive Council has promised and introduced a variety of stress-alleviating activities. Juniors got to play with therapy dogs and students spent time with friends at the proCRAFTination station. These solutions were more effective than the “sit down and talk” sessions because they allowed students interactive, sociable, and enjoyable experiences with their friends.

We propose more interactive, optional activities for students to partake in, similar to the activities the

Executive Council organized this year. Ideally, these events would take place regularly so students could enjoy breaks from the stresses of school. Additionally, we urge the administration and form councils to try to understand that students are only doing their best.

We appreciate the efforts to help alleviate stress. However, what we want is more time to unwind and relax rather than more assemblies. More no-homework weekends, more even spacing of tests between all classes, and more free time during conference, lunch and Y period are all aspects administrators should take into consideration to decrease stress.

Taking away our free time in the name of teaching us how to spend our free time is counterproductive, and, ironically, stressful.

WARMER WEATHER COLLEGE DECISIONS

The beginning of April means warmer weather and sunny skies - when it’s not raining, that is.

Regular decisions have come out and for seniors, the final decisions are coming up.

ALLERGIES

Unfortunately, the start of spring also means seasonal allergies are coming back with a vengeance.

EXAMS

AP exams start at the beginning of May, which means the next month is crunch time for students in AP classes.

staff editorial is an unsigned piece representing a consensus of opinion among members of The Fourcast editorial board regarding a current issue.

We love it, We love it not

Illustration by Emma Lin

Cancun, Mexico

SCENIC SPREAKS

Saudi Arabia

Vail, Colorado

Whitefish, Montana

Seaside, Florida

Barcelona, Spain

Paris, France

Photos provided by Grace Hovermann, Nancy Chen, Shruthi Juttu, Virginia Miller, Emily McElroy, Harper Tagg, Sofie Santana & Vanessa Ma

Castoff Editor