Geneva Quarterly Vol. 11 Issue 4

MISSION STATEMENT CONCEPT MISSION STATEMENT CONCEPT

Geneva Quarterly, a student-led publication of Rhetoric School, serves to provide Geneva and the surrounding community with relevant and accurate news, opinions and entertainment centered around our student culture. Our staff strives to instill boldness, creativity and excellence through our published work. We aim to discover truth laced into our community with integrity and to write all pieces from a biblical worldview to the glory of Jesus Christ.

For this issue, Lindsay Lee and Gracie Doan ventured to Boerne Lake in the hopes of attaining a worthy cover photo. With the crystal clear waters, gorgeous rolling hills and perfectly candid paddleboarders to set the scene, Lee saw the opportunity and seized it, truly capturing the breezy, aquatic vision set for the issue.

THIS PUBLICATION IS FOR:

Geneva School of Boerne 113 Cascade Caverns Road Boerne, Texas 78015 830.755.6101 genevaschooltx.org

SCHOOL INFO:

The Geneva School of Boerne exists to provide a classical education from a biblical worldview, to equip students for a lifetime of learning, service and leadership to the glory of Jesus Christ.

Rhetoric School Population: 196

Rhetoric Faculty: 31

COLOPHON:

All verbal and visual content is solicited and selected by the Quarterly staff. Approval is garnered from our adviser, Emily Rawls, and from our headmaster, Matt Donnowitz. All bylined writers are held accountable for their work.

CONTACT:

To purchase an advertisement, contact: erawls@genevaschooltx.org

For questions or comments, contact: erawls@genevaschooltx.org

AFFILIATIONS:

We are proud to announce our eight-year membership with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, where we have won a silver Crown Award and six gold Crown Awards and received a Gold Medalist Rating. We are also members of the Texas Interscholastic Press Association, where we have received the highest rating of Distinguished Merit. In addition, we have been members of the National Scholastic Press Association the past several years and have been named a Pacemaker Award finalist. This is our fifth year to be members of the Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honor Society.

MAGAZINE SPECS:

Created in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and printed by Documation in San Antonio, Texas. Font Families: Harmoia Sans, DIN Next, and Arno Pro

dear reader, dear reader,

Hey hey from the magazine crew! As it so happens, you’ve stumbled upon our inaugural issue as executives. Thank you for being here! This has long been a dream of ours, ripening steadily over the past years on staff. None of this would be possible, however, without the creative genius and counsel of our current senior execs: one million times thank you to Hailey, Claire, Lindsay and Suzi! You have led this volume so beautifully and inspired us to follow suit (though you’ve truly managed something irreplicable here). But if you would, allow us now to share some about this issue: the lake edition! This issue invokes the beauty of freshwater scenery, chosen especially for this release as summer is mere weeks from us now. Naturally, then, we hope to imbue the very spirit of summer as you flip through these pages (and really flip through these pages; feel the wind on your face and imagine it as an ocean breeze. Now the mood is set). Thank you for entertaining our theatrics! We believe you’re now prepared to experience the full extent of this production. Without further ado, we gladly give to you Volume 11 Issue 4.

Ella Dillinger

Emma Malkowski

Abigail Bussey

Jacob Goodman

Photo Lindsay Lee

the events and ideas that shape our

reality. reality.

BEEN THERE DONE THAT

A look into some of our Seniors’ favorite vacations

Right now, think about how many vacations you have been on. Now, think about a whole 18 years worth of vacations; that’s a lot of vacations. However, you can only have one favorite. Seniors Lauren Swientek, Keaton Shindler, and Olivia Morgan share their most memorable vacation experience. These seniors have all had amazing trips that they have enjoyed, but are still left with their ideal vacation that they continue to dream about.

Lauren Swientek says that her favorite vacation experience was when she was 15 and traveled to Whistler, Canada. She stayed there for over a week with her family and close family friends. Lauren said, “Whistler is my favorite place to ski and we went snowmobiling!”

However, Lauren continues to daydream about her dream vacation spot, that being the Maldives. She thinks of staying there for a relaxing two weeks with her family while visiting local beaches and also scuba diving.

Next, Keaton Shindler explains his favorite experience, which was at the age of 12. Keaton’s favorite trip was a two week stay in Switzerland with his family. Keaton said,

“We stayed on a mountain called Wengen.” He goes on to explain his dream vacation would be in the French Alps, skiing. He would love to enjoy the mountains for two weeks with a group of his friends.

Finally, Olivia Morgan describes her most memorable vacation on a yacht in the Bahamas when she was 14. Olivia stayed there for a week in the summer with her friends and then later met her parents at the local Dunmore hotel. Olivia said, “It was so fun because we went snorkeling in caves, jet skied and did all sorts of fun things on the yacht!”

Olivia describes her dream vacation experience as a trip to Italy with her mom and cousin for a few days to see all of the beautiful things, explore the town and eat some quality Italian food!

To conclude, these seniors have experienced the beautiful creation of God and His goodness displayed around the world. Trips like these broaden the mind and expose us to more of God’s glory, helping us to appreciate all He has blessed us with.

I’m outta here

What all goes down during senior off periods

You may have seen the seniors come and go during different points of the day this year. In fact, you may even be questioning whether or not the seniors even come to school at this point. What do these seniors do with all this free time on their hands? Well, a couple of seniors have made it pretty far during their off periods and have done some pretty wild stuff! I interviewed three seniors to get the scoop on what they fill all their free time and off-periods with.

How many off periods do you have a week?

Cammy Curtis:11

Stephen Syamken: 13

Malachi Strizu: 11

What’s the farthest you’ve driven during your off periods?

Cammy: BUC-EES of course!

(Other favorite trips:)

• H-E-B to get allll the goods during off campus lunch

• Downtown for volleyball practice

• Friends’ houses! I love spending time with all my favorite people!

• Boerne Nutriion

• The gym! Gotta get a workout in between classes!

Stephen:

100 miles total! Comfort to San Antonio and back to Geneva

(Other favorite trips:)

• Fishing!!!

• Sam’s house; once again, gotta hang with the boys

• My own house

• TACO BELL

• Buckhorn. Gotta get some golfing in before my next class

• Panda Express

Malachi: Panda Express in Bulverde

(Other favorite trips:)

• Malachi: Stephen and I went to every fast food burger spot on national burger day and got a free burger at each spot

• Completed 9 holes at Buckhorn with time to spare

• Watched March Madness at K.P.’s house, had some mini hoop sessions and completed multiple pool basketball trick shots

Other HOT off period spots: Spotted Deer Starbucks Houses for nap time Bumdoodlers

Schlotzsky’s The Admin Friend’s houses

H-E-B

Words

Lindsay Lee

Design

Emrey Taylor

Graphics

Jacob Goodman

TAKEN BY THE TIDE TAKEN BY THE TIDE

A water-front photo story courtesy of Lindsay Lee

Design

Emrey Taylor

Photos Lindsay Lee

IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME

Juniors recount their action-packed Europe trip

scoops of gelato consumed by Grace Detterick. days away from home. 7 historic locations traversed. amazing tour guide named Kyri.

This spring break, the junior class jetted off across the pond. From America to Italy to Greece, the students explored locations including Florence, Assisi, Rome, Athens, Delphi, Corinth, and Mycenae (as well as Chicago, Atlanta, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Paris during flight layovers).

Things got off to an early start for flight plan A…really early. We pulled up to the airport bright eyed and ready to go. Ok, not really: we were all dragging, but we were there and square at 4:45. As for flight plan B, they were sound asleep until airport call time at 8:30. After a nine hour layover in Chicago, complete with a tour of the city (special thanks to our tour guide Todd), flight plan A made it to Europe. Despite the later start, flight plan B awaited their arrival in Florence. So much for an early morning.

We hit the ground running in Florence. Our first morning, we hit up the massive Duomo Cathedral and climbed all 463 of its steps. Many of us also braved the adjacent bell tower, which took our breath away with both the view and the workout. For the remainder of our time in the bustling city, we stopped at the Academia,

“Our

first morning, we hit up the massive Duomo Cathedral.”

seeing DaVinci’s renowned David amongst other works of art; the Castle de Medici; the Ponte Vecchio with its luxury shops; and had our first tastes of Italian gelato, a true delicacy.

From there, we moved on to Rome, making a day trip to Assisi along the way. A city frozen in time, Assisi was a nice break from the metropolitan crowds associated with our other Italian stops. We observed landmarks in the life of St. Francis and walked through the Basilica. Rome was a blur of art and history including the Spanish steps, The Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and various other historical landmarks dispersed amidst newer city builds.

Next, we took a short flight over to Rafina, the headquarters of our Grecian adventures and just a short drive from Athens. We enjoyed a breathtaking view of the Aegean sea as we munched on our breakfasts every morning. From there we ventured to the Olympic arena, Athenian Acropolis, took a cooking class and explored the city. The next morning, we hopped on a bus to Delphi where we toured the ruins, and we wrapped up the day with a polar plunge in the Aegean sea. Finally, we traveled to Corinth and Mycenae where we explored more ruins.

“So all’s well that ends well.”

Then began the long journey home–extra long for flight plan B, who got stuck for over 36 hours in Paris. But we got Monday off, so all’s well that ends well.

Words

Ella Dillinger + Emma Malkowski

Design

Ella Dillinger

Photos Mr. Travis Roberson

’STHESCOOP

Words Abigail Bussey Design

Emrey Taylor

Photo

Lindsay Lee

Summer is approaching fast! That means it’s time for enjoying some cold ice cream in scorching hot weather. Luckily, here in Boerne we are provided with various different ice cream shops where we can get a taste of some frozen goodness. Now, in order to do that you need to know where to get the best of the best. Thankfully, two seniors and I have got your back!

According to Alex Havrenak, the best ice cream place in Boerne is the one and only Parker’s Ice Cream. She believes this because they have a wide variety of different flavors and they also make all their ice cream homemade. Alex said, “I love how close it is to everything; it’s a very convenient place. Plus,I love going there with friends! I also love that they have seasonal flavors; it’s a fun surprise to see what new flavors there are every time I go. They also make really good sorbets.’’ Her go-to order from there is the fan-favorite cookie monster, which has Oreos and chocolate chip cookies smashed up in it.

With a differing opinion, Claire Coultress believes that the best ice cream place (although it’s not exactly in Boerne) is Snow Heaven. It’s a unique shop because they not only sell ice cream but also sell Mexican desserts and snacks. Claire said, “I love all the crazy options on the menu.” Her favorite item provided by Snow Heaven is the Coco Delight. “It’s half mango Italian ice, half coconut ice cream with fresh strawberries, pineapple, and coconut flakes on top.” If you are looking for a refreshing type of ice cream, this is definitely the place to go!

Now, it’s hard to beat these two awesome spots, but I went to three more places and tried their most popular ice cream so that I could rate each place by a scale from 1 to 10.

Baskin Robbins was the very first. Their most ordered ice cream was Gold Medal Ribbon. It’s a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl. It was so good! It was super rich and creamy, and a great selection off the menu because with each bite, you get something different. For example, you could get more chocolate in one bite or more caramel in another. This is a safe option for my basic chocolate and vanilla fans out there. Overall, I would rate Baskin Robbins a solid 8/10.

Next up was Dairy Queen. To be completely honest, I was a little suspicious of how this was going to turn out, considering the looks of the place. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Their most popular item on the menu is the Chocolate Brownie Extreme. This is a chocolate ice cream that has brownie chunks and chocolate pieces in it. Chocolate lovers, this one’s for you. It has a really great flavor, however, it does have one big downside:a more liquidy consistency. So, all in all, I would have to give Dairy Queen a 6/10.

Lastly, I visited Michoacan. I had very high hopes for this place because when you go in, there are so many options of ice cream and other good looking treats. They all looked delicious. But when I received the most liked ice cream, I was disappointed. Their most popular selection is the Ferrero Rocher. It’s supposed to be a Nutella flavored ice cream. I don’t know if I got the wrong one but it was just so bland and the flavor was lacking. I would have to give this place a 4/10.

With summer coming fast, I hope that this extra flavorful article has given you an idea of what places you should run to for some quality ice cream and others that you should avoid at all costs.

Graphic

Hailey Kirchner

community. community.

the people and places at the heart of our

NOTHING BUT NOTHING BUT

How has your education at Geneva helped you become who you are today?

It has pushed me in so many different ways not only in productivity and knowledge, but also in my way of thinking and my worldview. Also, education should never teach you what to think, but how to think. This is true of the education I have received here at Geneva. The teachers here are amazing and have taught me so much more than just their class.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

It’s hard to say. I never do what I do for the sake of the achievement, but for the journey it took to get there. However, I am proud to have served as a Rhetoric School chaplain for the past two years.

What’s the hardest class you have ever taken?

AP Chemistry, although I wouldn’t say that this class was the hardest but the most challenging. It was easy to want to be there, but it definitely pushed me far beyond what I thought I was capable of.

What’s the lwowest grade you have ever received?

I believe it was something like a 30 on a chemistry worksheet. It wasn’t super dramatic because it was a homework grade, but I did actually try.

What has been your favorite class throughout high school?

Again, AP Chemistry. I learned and grew so much through the class, and not just specific to chemistry.

What’s the best advice you have received in high school?

I have received so many fantastic pieces of advice from faculty members. Mrs. Davis once told us to not let our blessings become burdens.

What advice would you give to freshmen?

Go for it! Take advantage of all the amazing opportunities you have here. Don’t worry, you can do more than you think. At the same time, make sure you do what you do for the right reasons. Have purpose and never let anything in this world become ultimate.

WILL MUCK

Valedictorian

Words Will Crews

Design

Ella Owens

Photo

Abigail Bussey

JAKE PLESKO

Salutatorian

How has your education at Geneva helped you become who you are today?

It has made me better at writing essays. If I was at a different school where I didn’t write as much I wouldn’t be the writer that I am. It has also helped me break down thoughts logically. It has also improved my public speaking ability. I’ve come so far from my first presentation in class.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Not a singular achievement, but the accumulation of everything throughout high school that eventually has led to acceptance into college.

What’s the hardest class you have ever taken?

Probably AP Computer Science Principles or Mr. Johnson’s literature class.

My favorite class has been AP Statistics. It was a class of twelve of my good friends and Mrs. Davis. She was awesome and would bring candy every day, and we had such a good time, even taking the AP test.

What’s the best advice you have received in high school?

It would be to not overdo yourself. Also that no matter what happens, everything will turn out okay. Even if you have a bad test or a bad day, you will end up where you should be. Finally, keep the small things small and the big things big.

What advice would you give to freshmen?

Take your freshman year seriously, because even though it’s obviously easier than junior year, any opportunity to improve your GPA now will be helpful in the future. Don’t take the first couple of years as blow offs; they’re important.

What’s the lowest grade you have ever received?

I don’t remember the grade, but it was definitely a Computer Science pop quiz. I think I got a 40 on one of them where the whole class failed. Mr. Newcom dropped it, so it was fine, but that class was a battle. I’d still recommend the class though.

An insider look into the accomplishments of our highest ranking students

WORDS FROM THE WISE(ISH)

Seniors sit down and share their very best advice

After four full years of highschool, the senior class has a lot to say in hindsight. Whether pertaining to practical, personal, relational matters or otherwise, each senior has valuable advice to share. So, we have picked eight of our current seniors’ brains to see what lessons or truths they have found most significant.

First up, senior Sam Swipes says, “If I had advice, it would definitely be to learn to let things go, have as much fun as you can and do as much as you can!”

School can seem challenging with all its demands and it can be difficult to learn to balance the responsibilities with the other enriching opportunities life has to offer. Though the academic side of things is important, being present in all spheres of life is equally important and valuable. So as Sam suggests, go all in! Do all the fun stuff you can and the highschool experience will be all the more memorable.

Senior Cannon Menn says, “Do not procrastinate in anything you do. When a task is presented to you, get it done.”

Straight and to the point, this is a worthwhile reminder to keep up with the tasks at hand. When striving to get the most out of one’s years in highschool, it helps to stay on top of the responsibilities as they come. Learning to prioritize the obligatory things prevents a lot of stress and trouble later. But as Cannon suggests, all it takes is some intentionality so that whatever needs to get done won’t get in the way of other things down the line.

“Don’t wish your time away even though you have lots to look forward to. Try to stay present and enjoy every moment because it will go by faster than you think!”

Next, senior Lilly Kaiser says, “I would say be all-in where you are.”

So often with school, it is easy to get caught in the trap of wishing away precious time during the countdown to passing period, lunch, the end of the day, summer or even graduation. Or, it is easy to just go through the motions and forget to engage in the amazing opportunities right before us. These years, though boring and grueling at times, are ones we will never get back. So dive in where you are! Lilly reminds us to find the value in every aspect of highschool life and actively invest in the present moment.

Senior Jack Taylor says, “My advice would be to go to class so you don’t get offcampus privileges taken away. And same thing for Thesis: turn it in when it’s due.”

Though it may seem self-evident, Jack offers some very practical advice. Now, you might imagine you’ll never have this issue, but senioritis is a real thing. Aside from the extreme motivation it takes to return

to school after having just tasted a few sweet extra hours of freedom, learning to keep up with your schedule once you throw in appointments and downtime outside of school can be an adjustment. Like Jack says, however tempting it may be at times to switch off school mode completely senior year, at the very least show up for your classes and make sure to stay up to speed in Thesis, or else face the wrath of Dr. Siller and Mr. Ward.

Next, senior Alex Doran says, “Don’t wish your time away even though you have lots to look forward to. Try to stay present and enjoy every moment because it will go by faster than you think!”

In the same vein as some of the previous sentiments, Alex encourages us to savor the moment. These years are so brief in the span of a life, so though the future is exciting and the present may seem mundane, look for the goodness in each passing moment!

When asked for his best piece of advice, senior Caleb Riddle said, “To push through no matter what because it’s worth it; you gain a lot of experience most people wish they had.”

Throughout one’s time in highschool, increasingly real and present issues begin to surface. For most, there’s now more at stake, more deadlines, more extracurricular commitments and more required of you in numerous spheres. On top of that, life outside of academic and social demands does not slow down or becomes less complex. Though it can truly push you to the limit at times, Caleb encourages you to keep your head up and carry on as best you can! Sometimes life will not be pretty, but is there so much to be gained from the experiences that stretch us.

“As a senior, my biggest piece of advice is to do what you say you’re gonna do and stay true to your word.”

Finally, senior Jason Hughes says, “Really consider if it’s worth it to spend money on all those little things throughout the year. Try to save a little and you’ll be surprised how much you have left.”

Wrapping things up with a little financial advice, Jason encourages us to pay perhaps a little more mind to everyday spendings. After senior year is over, budgeting gets real, so starting to think about saving now can give you at least a little leg up when learning to juggle expenses. As an added bonus, maybe you can finally get those Nike’s you’ve been eyeing. Thanks Jason!

Senior John LeBorne says, “As a senior, my biggest piece of advice is to do what you say you’re gonna do and stay true to your word.”

As we get older, it is a simple fact of life that more people depend on us. Whatever the degree, people as individuals and communities as a whole benefit when we show up for those around us. Sometimes it requires giving up something of our own, but being there for others when we say we will, professionally or personally, is crucial in some cases and admirable in all.

Words Emma Malkowski

Design

Ella Owens

Graphic Hailey Kirchner

WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING? WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING?

A schedule says a lot about a student and what takes up their time and focus throughout the school day. Although senior year comes with many responsibilities, you get the opportunity to receive different privileges such as going off campus for lunch, having off periods and being able to have a very flexible schedule. As 12th graders navigate all the responsibilities that come along with being the leaders of the school, let’s compare and contrast two of our very own seniors’ schedules to get to know them more.

First up, let’s take an inside look at our very own Suzi Nilsson’s schedule. Even through the weight of Senior Thesis and everything that comes along with transitioning from high school to college, Suzi manages to take 2 AP classes, Advanced Magazine, and Dual Credit English. Alongside demanding academics, Suzi also takes part in our school’s varsity basketball team. This goes to show Suzi’s dedication and hard work. However, on account of taking these advanced and time consuming classes like AP Calculus and AP Chemistry, she rarely has any off periods.

Now, let’s take a look at another one of of our

senior’s schedules to compare and contrast the differences: enter senior Bethany Deluna! Bethany takes part in not only orchestra but chamber orchestra as well. This requires you to be both committed to your fine art and talented, which Bethany showcases perfectly. She also takes part in our school’s varsity basketball team, alongside Suzi. Unlike Suzi, she doesn’t take any AP classes and has a much more flexible schedule.

There are many pros and cons when it comes to taking AP classes. A main pro is if you excel and pass the test at the end of the year, you get to receive a college credit for that course. A con is it definitely takes some hard work and is very time consuming. As we see in Suzi’s schedule, she rarely has any free time. On the other hand, Bethany has many more off periods and the ability to focus on preparing for her thesis and hanging with friends. There isn’t a right or wrong answer when it comes to taking AP classes or not; it is totally a personal decision that you should make, not anyone else. I hope seeing what two of our seniors’ schedules look like will help you better understand what classes you would want to take your senior year.

The stark differences between our seniors’ schedules

Words Caroline Pickle Design

Ella Owens Photo Submission

LIKE LOOKING IN A MIRROR LIKE LOOKING IN A MIRROR

Seniors pick the underclassmen they relate to most

A key element of senior year is the constant reminiscing on high school memories gone by. In the spirit of this nostalgia, we asked four seniors to pick one current underclassman who is most like their old high school self. Here are each of their responses.

Taylor Hubenak and Landry Smith

Alexandria and Abigail Bussey

Shared traits: Same work ethic Takes school stuff seriously

Esan Fikes and Alex Malouf

Shared traits: Funny Plays tennis

Shared traits: Easy to talk to Happy personality Loves talking to other people

Lightens the mood

Tino and Alex Malouf

Shared traits: Competitive Born from same parents

Words Haiiley Kirchner Design Ella Owens

Photo Abigail Bussey

THIRTEEN YEARS STRONG

Thirteen years is not a short amount of time, but as I’m sure many of our current seniors will affirm, it can go by in a flash. The following seniors have been a part of Geneva every single year since kindergarten, earning the title of “Guild Member” (and a super cool graduation cord) as a result. We’ve asked them to reminisce on the thirteen years since 2011 and share some of their favorite memories.

Sebastian Boynton:

Guild members share their Geneva highlights

“My best memories have mostly been from high school. My favorite memory, though, is probably the Europe trip. Being able to travel Europe with all of my friends was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Soccer has also given me a lot of great memories. My soccer career at Geneva started in the 6th grade and I’ve played every year since. Growing up with and growing closer and closer to my teammates was a fantastic experience.”

Philip Gordon: “The grade had this massive water balloon fight the day before summer in middle school. That was one of my favorites. Also, the junior year Europe trip for sure: more specifically, when everyone hung out and listened to music together by the ocean. Less recently, though, 5th grade kickball and the second grade Egyptian assembly were some highlights.”

Grant Roberson: “In fourth grade, Coach Reyes had this baseball tournament on the field during lunch. It was fourth graders versus fifth graders and the fourth graders won. It was awesome. We got a huge trophy that was bigger than me and it was really fun.”

Joshua Rabinowitz: “My favorite memories since I’ve been a guild member have got to be from high school. Joining the football team was just a great experience all around. Especially when we won against Brentwood by one point. I was injured during that game, but it was great to share that experience with my friends. Late night bus rides coming back from a victory or a loss were always great. Apart from football, high school in general has been so special. I mean, just goofing off with my buddies during those five minute passing periods or during off periods is always a great time. I’ll miss it.”

Kate Travis: “My favorite memories were anytime I got to sing with my older brothers while they were still attending Geneva. When I was in kindergarten, Ryan played the guitar with us at Benefit to our flower song, and I walked across the stage to him and sang with him. When I was in first grade, I also got to sing with Connor when he and his friends sang One Day More from Les Miserables for the talent show. I was Cosette. He lifted me up on his shoulder and I waved my little flag.”

Shawn George: “My junior year we played Bay Area Christian in the first round of playoffs and swept them in a 3-game series. Then we had to play Brentwood at Dripping Springs on a turf field, which we had never played on that year. We knew we had a good shot to go to state, and the whole game was pretty close. We had some really key hits, and it was really cool to play with my brother–one of the last times I will ever get to play with him. Also a couple of my friends were seniors and I had a blast playing with them. I got to pitch the whole game and we won 4-2. When the game was over, we kind of dogpiled because we knew we were going to state, and that was really one of the happiest moments in my life.”

Hailey Kirchner: “Even though it was super recent, the senior prank was a really fun time to hang out with everyone and goof around. The most fun part of it was brainstorming in the weeks leading up to it and shredding thesis papers for the thesis classroom. Sam cooking steak was pretty funny. The last thing I expected to see walking up to Mr. Newcom’s room was Sam Cress sitting next to a campsite cooking a steak. It was also kind of fun going up the next day to clean up, because we all hated it so much that we were spending our senior skip day at school. After we finished pranking, we all ended up in the gym and played basketball together, which was kind of a last hurrah with the grade and a lot of fun.”

BRADSHAW IN BERLIN

Mr. Bradshaw’s experience as a military brat

“I got to see East Germany when it was still East Germany.”

Welcome to our last teacher storytime of this year. So far, Mr. Poole, Mrs. Greenlees and Dr. Covington have all shared interesting life experiences from their time before teaching. This quarter, I talked to Mr. Bradshaw about his life as a military kid whose family was stationed in Germany. Here are some stories from his time living overseas!

Mr. Bradshaw:

I’m a military brat. I got to see East Germany when it was still East Germany as well as East Germany once it was unified as just Germany. We used to have to go to East Berlin through checkpoint Charlie.

When it was still East Berlin, you could go to what was called the eternal flame. Just like the John F. Kennedy memorial has an eternal flame, they had one in Berlin. There were two guards that would stand by it just like the Queen’s guards. My younger brother and I decided to take pictures next to them. You were not supposed to interact with them, but you could at least get somewhat close and take pictures.

There was one road that you could take to go from West Germany to East Germany to Berlin. You had to drive through East Germany, which was Communist controlled, to get there. You also had to drive at the posted speed limit or below. The first time we went to East Germany, my dad couldn’t go because of his security clearance. The military did not want him to be interrogated and give up some information that he wasn’t supposed to. Anyways, when you first drive in, you would park your car, and one person would get out of the car and go take all of your documentation to a room. It was like when you go to a movie theater, and there is plexiglass you can see the person through.

You put your money underneath and they slide the tickets back underneath.

“You had to drive through East Germany, which was Communist controlled, to get there.”

In this case, it was all painted white, so you couldn’t see the person. You would just stick your documentations down into the little chute and all you would see was a hand and hear the noise of them certifying the documents.

“The Russians were walking around the car with their cool little AKs.”

Well, the first time we went, us kids were sitting in the Mercedes 240. The Russians were walking around the car with their cool little AKs, and my younger brother was acting like he was shooting them with his hands. The whole time, me and my older brother were calmly trying to keep him from doing that, which did not work very well. The Russian soldiers really did like it.

Once the wall fell, my dad was stationed back in Germany again and we went back to Berlin. The eternal flame was out, but they still had the concrete structures there. My younger brother and I took a picture of us standing where the Russian soldiers were, so we had the before and the after.

We also have chunks of the Berlin Wall because right after it came down, everybody was taking pieces. My younger brother and I would also take this picture on the eastern side of us pretending we are trying to escape from East Berlin to West Berlin.

“My younger brother and I took a picture of us standing where the Russian soldiers were, so we had the before and the after.”

Words

Ella Dillinger

Design

Ella Dillinger

Photo Submission

Graphic

Hailey Kirchne

a celebration of the Class of 2024’s

seniority. seniority.

GREYSON BRITTON

Baylor University Computer Science

John 3:16

“Don’t be upset because of what you can’t do. Do what you can do best, live as carefree and optimistically as you can, because some people aren’t able to do that.”

-Keima Katsurgai I, Greyson Britton, leave all my stuff to my best friends Cajun and Cordell.

SEBY BOYNTON

Texas Tech University Business Marketing

Psalms 11:7

“Nothing in life is promised except death”

- Kanye West I, Seby Boynton, leave the soccer team to Colton.

ALEXANDRIA BUSSEY

Baylor University Business Management

Romans 5:3-5

“All is grace.”

I, Alexandria Bussey, leave the red truck to Abigail Bussey (please don’t crash it).

MAGGIE CHISHOLM

Auburn University Interior Design

Romans 8:18

“I mean, sure, I have my bad days. But then I remember what a cute smile I have.” -Chandler Bing

To John I leave courage for next year by yourself and a parking spot in the driveway. To (kommon) Kate and (subpar) Sienna I leave our ability to do awesome dance routines on the football field. To the flag girls (Pickle, Harper and Emrey) I leave flag camp and our amazing jazz runs to dance the night away. Good luck! To the soccer team, always stay in business mode!! Love y’all.

KENZIE CATES

Texas A&M University Public Health

Nahum 1:7

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” -Walt Disney I, Kenzie Cates, leave the Yearbook to Victoria Allen.

WALKER CONE

Baylor University

Business Fellows, Finance, and Pre-Med

1 Peter 5:7 “Eat. Sleep. Get ready with me. Repeat.” -Addison Rae

Walker Cone and Jake Plesko left the body under Dr. Covington’s room.

EMILY COULTRESS

Samford University Nutrition and Dietetics

Isaiah 41:10

“Be young, be dope, be proud” -Lana Del Rey

I, Emily Coultress, leave the volleyball playlist and ribbon duties to Kate Freeze, the GSB softball instagram to Lily Flora, and I leave Coach Millage to Carl– take good care of him for me.

CLAIRE COULTRESS

Baylor University Engineering

Jeremiah 29:11

“I’m just a girl.” -No Doubt

To Emma Malkowski I leave the all-nighters and countless GroupMe messages that come with being an exec for this magazine. Good luck. Take care of Mrs. Rawls. To Jake Roberson I leave the memories of the golden age of the basses.

SAM CRESS

Texas A&M University

Architecture

Psalms 23:1

“Hard work is worthless for those that don’t believe in themselves.”

I, Sam Cress, leave my caffeine addiction to William Pickle.

BETHANY DE LUNA

Abilene Christian University Kinesiology

Matthew 5:16

“I’d like to live like a poor man– only with lots of money.” -Pablo Picasso I, Bethany De Luna, leave the bed bugs to Maegan, Kyra, Morgan, and Maddie, and the chaos of Chamber Orchestra and crossword/ connection puzzle to Mrs. G and Kayla Strizu.

CAMMY CURTIS

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Pre-Med

Matthew 25:20-21

“You don’t have to hear ‘well done’ when you do something right. You can know that God is smiling down from Heaven saying ‘that’s My girl.’”

I, Cammy Curtis, leave the volleyball team to Chloe Caulfield, Maggie Deimund, and Emerson Myrick... 942 forever!

JOSH DENNIS

University of Alabama

Finance

Phillipians 2:3-4

“It’s the storm that tests the strongest sailor.” -Ninja

I, Josh Dennis, leave the soccer team to John Kelly.

ALEX DORAN

Trinity University Business

Jeremiah 29:11

“Don’t sell yourself short.”

I, Alex Doran, leave my love for flag to Harper Deimund and Caroline Pickle. I leave my blue soccer cleat laces to Kate Friesenhahn and I leave the dirt patch to the entire soccer team and I leave my parking spot to Emrey Taylor.

GRACIE DOAN

University of Arkansas

Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Colossians 3:12-17

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

-Mother Teresa I, Gracie Doan, bequeath Carter Doan my spot as best Doan. I leave Kayla Strizu in charge of Kayla and the pit musicians. And I leave Grace Detterick the title of best lab partner by far.

ESAN FIKES

Abilene Christian University

Business Management

Psalms 23

“Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why they call it the present.” -Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda I, Esan Fikes, leave the stage to Pablo Gonzalez.

GRIFFIN FREILING

Texas A&M University

Pre-Nursing

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Squidito on el stickito?” -Chicken Joe I, Griffin Freiling, leave my insane hooping skills to Wyatt, Jack Walker and Colton.

K.P. FITZGERALD

Texas A&M University

Engineering

John 8:7

“In this world you either crank that soulja boy, or it cranks you.”

I, K.P. FitzGerald, leave Noah Brunsvold Coach Morris, go easy on him and feed him his Mary’s.

SHAWN GEORGE

University of Texas at Permian Basin

Engineering

Jeremiah 31:37

“Won’t you fly high, free bird.” -Ronnie Van Zant

I, Shawn George, leave my throwing partner (Colton Lutz) to Gray Bruner. Don’t let him hurt himself. I leave Guitar to Aidan Bowser. Never stop driving Mr. Arizpe crazy.

SOFIA GRIFFEY

Auburn University

Professional Flight

Romans 5:3-4

“You have to fill your own cup before you can fill someone else’s cup.” -Lexi Hidalgo

I, Sofia Griffey, leave my soccer children and football home game hype to Kate Freeze.

PHILIP GORDON.

Belmont University Film, Business

Philippians 4:8

“60% of the time, it works every time” -Anchorman

I, Philip Gordon, leave Mr. Johnson to his wife. She can have him now.

ALEX HAVRANEK

Texas A&M University Biomedical Sciences

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“You want me to write a thesis? The thing that killed the Minotaur?”

To my brother Austin and his friends (aka “the nerd pit”), never stop being goofy, just keep having fun and make the most of every day! To Victoria and Alyssa, I leave our precious memories from AP Physics–what a time! Also be sure to check in on Mr. Naiser for me :). And lastly, to anyone who is a science nerd like me, please continue the Science Team! It’s such a great time, and I hope it can last for many more years!

TAYLOR HUBENAK

Texas A&M University (PSA program)

Biomedical Science

Matthew 7:7

“I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.”

I, Taylor Hubenak, leave the musical to Nathan Player and Sam Siller. I leave Mrs. Ward, Katelyn Hubenak. Lastly, I leave the bathroom rendezvous to my bathroom buddy, Maegan Riebel.

HAYLE HEINEN

McMurry University

Biomedical Science

Romans 8:28

“Just remember that sometimes the way you think about a person isn’t the way they actually are.” -To Kill a Mockingbird

I, Hayle Heinen, leave the Friday night Sonic runs to Emrey Taylor. I leave the best roommate duties to Landry Smith and Bella McClure.

JASON HUGHES

Auburn University

Professional Flight

Psalms 23:4

“Aim for the bushes!” -Dwayne Johnson

I, Jason Hughes, leave the position of Wise Wizard of the Knights of Rex to Christian Vis.

HAILEY KIRCHNER

Texas A&M University

Visualization

Romans 12:1-21

“Life is short but also like terribly and insufferably long at the same time.” - Jenna Marbles

To the basketball team, I leave my party-sized Advil container. May it sustain you for many suicide pluses. Take state! I leave Maegan Riebel a spot of laundry detergent. It’s about time that jersey got washed. With Quarterly Design Exec, Ella Dillinger, I leave my thoughts and prayers. To Kayla Strizu, I leave our passing period chuckles. To the basketball seniors, I leave the next hoodie design. Yet, if you find you need help, you know where to find me. I charge 90 an hour for non-teammates.

LILLY KAISER

Texas A&M University Blinn Team

Marketing

2 Timothy 1:7

“All is Grace”

To Carlyle Harden I leave the volleyball seniors, take care of them. To Kate Freeze, Lily Flora, and Francesca Dacy I leave my insane government skills. To Hartlee Menn and Madeline Egbert, I leave my school spirit, keep it alive.

JOHN LEBORNE

University of Texas at San Antonio

Computer Science

John 3:16

“I love me like Kanye loves Kanye.”

I, John LeBorne, leave AP Government to Pablo Gonzalez.

TINO MALOUF

Texas A&M University

Nutrition: Human Health, PreMed/Pre-Dental

Jeremiah 29:11

“If you ain’t first, you’re last.” -Ricky Bobby

LINDSAY LEE

Texas A&M University Blinn Team Kinesiology

1 Corinthians 13

“Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people.” -The Breakfast Club I, Lindsay Lee, leave notgenevagirlsbasketball to Maegan Reibel for her to use all the hashtags her little heart desires.

CANNON MENN

Texas A&M University (PSA program)

Mechanical Engineering

Psalms 119:105

“My prayer is that when I die, all of hell rejoices that I am out of the fight.”

I, Cannon Menn, leave the baseball team and scoreboard homeruns to Colton and Robert.

WILL MUCK

University of Virginia Biology, Pre-Vet

Romans 8:28

“The mission, the nightmares, they’re finally over.” -Fives, The Clone Wars

To Mrs. Vis, I leave Christian and Ben. Please make sure they get fed especially during musical season. To the lucky winner, I leave $5 in one of Mr. Johnson’s books. Good luck! To Sam I leave too many things. Have fun while you’re at it. To Sadie, oh wait nvm.

OLIVIA MORGAN

Texas A&M University (Gateway program)

Undecided

1 Peter 4:8

“Better late than ugly.” I, Olivia Morgan, leave booty bumps to Kate Friesenhahn.

SUZIE NILSSON

Texas A&M University

Mechanical Engineering

Psalms 100:5

“So pack up your car, put a hand on your heart, say whatever you feel, be wherever you are.”

-Noah Kahan

To Malyn Arnold, I leave my aspirations to be a granola girl, may you someday fulfill those dreams. To the basketball girls, I leave Bucees pickles and bus talks with Adam.

JAKE PLESKO

University of Texas at Austin Engineering, Biology

John 3:16

“Eat, sleep, skibidi toilet, repeat” -Sketch

Jake Plesko and Walker Cone left the second body under the admin.

NICK NOWOSIWSKY

University of Oklahoma Aviation

James 1:2-4

“Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling.” -Bill Belichick

I, Nick Nowosiwsky, leave the perfect dap-ups to Griffin Miller and Jack Walker Harden.

JOSH RABINOWITZ

Plans to be a firefighter

Ezekiel 25:17

“A King may move a man, a father may claim a son, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone.”

I, Josh Rabinowitz, leave 10 bucks to whoever finds where I hid it.

CALEB RIDDLE

University of Texas at San Antonio Cybersecurity

Romans 8:31

“The truth is the game was rigged from the start.” -Benny, Fallout: New Vegas I leave all assets collected through life to my mom.

AMANI RHOADS

Hardin-Simmons University Psychology

John 3:16

“You only live in this exact moment and time once, so do the things you want to do because ultimately you don’t know how long you have left and it’s better to leave with no regrets.”

GRANT ROBERSON

Baylor University Finance

Proverbs 16:18

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times.”

I, Grant Roberson, leave Coach Galloway to Gray Bruner. Treat him well for me.

ELLA SORRELLS

Baylor University

Cellular and Molecular Biology, Pre-Med

Lamentations 3:22-23

“Don’t let the lions stop you from living. Face them with faith.” -Sadie Robertson

I, Ella Sorrells, bestow upon Victoria Allen the Yearbook staff. I’m so excited to see what you create! I also leave the responsibility of getting to school on time to Eli Sorrells.

Remember 8:30 Eli! Finally, to the golf girls, I leave our motto, “Grace and Grit,” and our precious pancake parties. Keep the traditions going!

KEATON SHINDLER

Baylor University Business Finance, Pre-Law

Revelation 1:8

“Pants at a time like this?” -Allan

I, Keaton Shindler, leave Ben Vis and the horrors of choir to Samuel Siller.

MALACHI STRIZU

Electrician Apprenticeship

Phillipians 4:13

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” -Ferris Bueller

I, Malachi Strizu, leave the entirety of basketball to Wyatt Bruss, Colton Lutz, and Jack Walker Harden.

SAMANTHA SWIPES

Baylor University Health Sciences

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Learn to let things be.” I leave my love to Ben Lee.

LAUREN SWIENTEK

Texas A&M University (PSA program)

Public Health

John 3:17

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” -Max Lucado

I leave my violin to both of my little sisters Kendall and Jadyn to take my place in orchestra and make more memories with Mrs. Gachupin.

STEPHEN SYAMKEN

Texas A&M University (Gateway program)

Construction Science

Philippians 4:13

“Rough, Tough, Real Stuff.” -Texas A&M I, Stephen Syamken, leave football and track to Caleb Baggs.

KATE TRAVIS

Baylor University Theatre, English

Romans 8:37-39

“You’re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life for God’s sake” -The Holiday To Sam I leave the red couch. # Couch Gang Forever. Jk me and Will are stealing it. To Rachel, Reid, Nathan, Aubrey, Christopher, Pablo, and Christian I leave the MPB stage. Be brave and love each other well. To Meagan and Catalina I leave the mezzo section and Ben Vis. Good luck.

JACK TAYLOR

Undecided Kinesiology

Jeremiah 29:13 “Kachow”

I, Jack Taylor, leave the basketball team and everything that comes with it to Wyatt, Colton, and Jack Walker.

Design

Ella Dillinger

Graphics

Hailey Kirchner

Words

Claire Coultress

Suzi Nilsson

Hailey Kirchner

Lindsay Lee

GREYSON BRITTON

most likely to be a speed demon

KENZIE CATES

most likely to become the next Lauren Daigle

SEBY BOYNTON

most likely to start his own soccer club

BUSSEY most likely to become President

MAGGIE CHISHOLM

most likely to become an Instagram food influencer

ALEXANDRIA

WALKER CONE

most likely to become a shark on Shark Tank

EMILY COULTRESS

most likely to kidnap a turtle

CAMMY CURTIS

most likely to live to 100

CLAIRE COULTRESS

most likely to marry rich

SAM CRESS

consumed the most energy drinks

BETHANY DE LUNA most likely to start a Taylor Swift hate club

JOSH DENNIS

most likely to get a perm

ALEX DORAN

most likely to get her own FIFA game character

K.P. FITZGERALD

most likely to become an Aggie Yell Leader

GRACIE DOAN

most likely to become a YoungLife leader

ESAN FIKES

most likely to take his shirt off for no reason

GRIFFIN FREILING

most likely to total his car

SHAWN GEORGE

most likely to get Tommy John surgery

SOFIA GRIFFEY

most likely to become a Laity Lodge counselor

eyes

most likely to become the next Christopher Nolan

most likely to achieve world peace

real life Rapunzel

ALEX HAVRANEK

HAYLE HEINEN bluest

TAYLOR HUBENAK

PHILIP GORDON

JASON HUGHES

most likely to make it big on cryptocurrency

HAILEY KIRCHNER most artistic

LINDSAY LEE

most likely to be on “The Bachelorette”

LILLY KAISER best dressed

JOHN LEBORNE

most likely to beat Geometry Dash

TINO MALOUF

most likely to have his own fishing show

CANNON MENN

least likely to ever win a fantasy football league

WILL MUCK

most likely to receive a restraining order from Mr. Johnson

NICK NOWOSIWSKY

most likely to throw up

OLIVIA MORGAN best hostess

Most likely to be on “Chopped”

most likely to go to space

SUZIE NILSSON

JAKE PLESKO

JOSH RABINOWITZ

most likely to build his own giant truck

CALEB RIDDLE

best nickname that stuck

KEATON SHINDLER

most likely to go broke on indie band concert tickets

AMANI RHOADS

most likely to always have the best snacks

GRANT ROBERSON

most likely to become a millionaire

ELLA SORRELLS

most likely to cure cancer

MALACHI STRIZU

most likely to become the next Adam Johnson

SAMANTHA SWIPES

most likely to blow out her car speakers

LAUREN SWIENTEK real life Barbie

STEPHEN SYAMKEN worst case of senioritis

most likely to be on Broadway

JACK TAYLOR prince of nuts

KATE TRAVIS

Photo Lindsay Lee

the determined and strong shine through their

activity. activity.

Calling all Campers!

Seniors reflect on their experiences at summer camps

Summer camp is an experience of fellowship, friendship and fun. It is a way to grow in your faith while having the time of your life. Camp is filled with exciting adventures and unforgettable stories. So many memories come out of summer camp, some of which two seniors have shared with us here.

Sofia Griffey has been going to Laity Lodge for the past six years. She was a camper for five

“She shared that camp has been full of so many special memories.”

years and volunteered on the Work Crew staff this past summer. She shared that camp been full of so many special memories, but one of her favorites was after a long day of working in the kitchen and setting up meals for the campers when she and her friends would lay out on the basketball court and talk about their days. Her favorite part of camp is roundup: the whole camp gets together and sings and dances to fun songs, followed by more serious time with the Lord. Sofia will continue working at Laity Lodge this summer in the Sugar Shack. She is most excited to meet all the campers and listen in on roundups.

Summer camp is an amazing place that influences your walk with Christ. Sofia said that Laity Lodge has given her an experience that she won’t be able to find anywhere else. This camp fosters an environment where kids instantly feel comfortable enough to share their life experiences so that others can relate and make them feel seen and heard. Personally, she has been able to relate to other people’s experiences and see that she is not alone in her struggles. This camp has helped her see just how much God plays a role in every detail of our lives!

“She has been able to relate to other people’s experiences and see that she is not alone in her struggles.”

Griffin Freiling has been attending Laity Lodge for the past five years. He was a camper for four years and volunteered on the Program Crew this past summer. His favorite memory from camp was his last year when they had “initiation” and were all blindfolded having to navigate camp solely trusting the person in front of them. They also blindly had to eat their dinner, hoping that they weren’t eating something nasty. His favorite thing to do at camp is to swim at Blue Hole where you can jump off a ledge and swim with your friends. Griffin will be a counselor at camp this coming summer!

Camp has helped Griffin grow in his faith through all the roundup talks where campers got to talk about their faith to their counselors

s and cabin mates in a comfortable environment. He also grew in his faith during the fiveweeks of volunteer work in Program Crew where he got to work with a team to ensure everyone had a good time and took the focus away from themselves to put towards others. He shared that the camp experience leaves you a better and more God-oriented person.

“Camp has helped Griffin grow in his faith through all the roundup talks.”

Words Emrey Taylor

Design Ella Dillinger

Photos Submission

Outlining the rules to our campus’ beloved broomstick sport

“I don’t even know how to play!” During Quidditch season at Geneva, this is a common sentiment shared by both spectators and players alike. Most of the time, those reaped to fill an empty position for their house’s team just assume they’ll figure it out as they go. While this method has worked for players since 2015, we at the Geneva Quarterly want to help. We want to give you a codified set of rules, so that you never feel embarrassed while running around with a pool-noodle-clad broom between your legs in front of the entire school.

Sourcing these rules has been quite difficult, as the current rules are preserved merely by word of mouth. According to Mr. Ward, the closest thing we have to solidified rules are those found when typing “How to Play Quidditch” into Google. However, this disorganization allows for conflict and cheating between our four very competitive houses of Chaucer, Sayers, Lewis and Milton. So, without further ado, here is Geneva’s official and comprehensive guidebook to our beloved game of Quidditch.

Positions:

Beaters (2 per team): Adorned with a yet to-be-washed sweatband of your team’s color, your job is to use the bludgers to disrupt your opponents. There are only three bludgers to share between the four beaters, so you will have to be crafty and fast to get

one. Once you have one, you can throw it at the opposite team’s chasers if they are holding the quaffle, as well as their beaters or seeker. You can also use it to deflect bludgers being thrown at you by the other team.

Seeker (1 per team): Your job is to chase and catch the snitch. If you are hit by a bludger, you must return to your team’s baseline before continuing to chase the snitch. You may not tackle or roughhouse the snitch, only rip the attached tennis ball from him.

Snitch (1 impartial player): Your job is to evade the seekers from each team as they chase you. You can run anywhere (within reason) around the arena. You may not fight back against the seekers, only run and try to juke them out.

Keeper (1 per team): Your job is to serve as a “goalie,” defending your goals from the other team’s chasers. You may not tackle people, only get in their way.

Chasers (3 per team): Your job is to try to score. You may pass the ball between each other as many times as you like, but if you are hit by a bludger while holding the quaffle, you must drop the ball and tag your starting baseline before returning to play. A goal is only valid if it passes completely through (either side of) one of the other team’s goals and is thrown from outside the painted box surrounding them. Again, no trucking people.

Quaffle (x1): Typically a deflated volleyball Bludgers (x3): Red dodgeballs

Snitch (x1): A tennis ball in a sock, attached loosely to the waistband of the person named the “Snitch” Brooms (1 per person): PVC pipes covered with pool noodles

Equipment: Rules:

Beginning from when the whistle is blown and players depart from their respective baselines, players must hold their broomsticks between their legs at all times throughout the game (except when tagging their baseline after being hit by a bludger). If a beater hits an opponent with a bludger, the opponent must drop any ball they are holding and run to touch their starting baseline before they can return to play. No player besides the seekers can touch the snitch. Any kind of rough playing, such as shoving or hitting, is a foul. Engaging in this may result in a turnover of the quaffle to the other team. There are 4 quarters to a Quidditch match, and teams can substitute as many players in and out within that time as they please. The snitch, followed by the seekers, is released half way through the fourth quarter.

Scoring:

The players’ goal is to get the quaffle through one of their opponent’s three goal posts at the end of the field (which typically resemble a duct-tape clad hula hoop and PVC pipe in a bucket of cement). Getting a quaffle through a hoop means 10 points are scored for that team. The only other way to score points is to catch the snitch by grabbing the ball attached to the player carrying it. Once the snitch is caught, the team responsible for catching it gets 30 points and the game is ended.

Thus concludes Quidditch 101. Hopefully this guide has been helpful, and has encouraged you to get out on the field and win some glory for your own house.

RENO VATING THE HOUSES

New and improved Rhetoric House stereotypes

Milton, Chaucer, Lewis and Sayers. Four pillars that define the Geneva Rhetoric School. Every spring, eighth graders are suddenly thrust into the competition, quickly learning the distinctions between the Geneva School houses. In the past, the four houses have had their stereotypes that reflect each house’s unique atmosphere. For instance, Milton was widely seen as the party house; Chaucer was the nerd house; Lewis was the house of jocks and football players; and Sayers was everybody else; the “wild card” house. Over the years, these stereotypes have gradually changed. Now, they don’t seem to fit at all. Here’s what we think as we look at the houses as they are today.

“Now these stereotypes don’t seem to fit at all.”

DISCLAIMER: This article may or may not be completely accurate and our stereotypes may not apply to every member of the house. This is our first time writing an article about this and we are not experts on this topic (I want a degree in figuring out house stereotypes!)

Let’s start off with Chaucer. They’ve enjoyed quite a bit of success recently, including the retreat at the beginning of the year, Quidditch, and winning House of the Quarter in Quarter 2. This is the athletic house. Even though they don’t have many football stars, they continually impress in everything related to sports.

The house of Lewis is next. It has become the brainy house over the years, taking that title from Chaucer. Lewis is filled with people who excel in the world of academics. They are also heavily involved in the Geneva community, serving to help the Eagles soar!

Milton is more of a wild card house now. Milton has people who are successful in such a large variety of ways that it’s hard to put one label on it. While they have seen some tough times recently compared to other houses, they are a quiet house that operates without much attention.

Finally, Sayers is the specialist house. Many people in Sayers have one or two particular strengths, or they do something that few other people know how to do. This could be anything from football to theater to baseball to cross country to academics.

Oh, how the houses have changed over the years! Let us know if you agree with our analysis of the houses or if you think another stereotype may fit better.

Words Will Crews + William Pickle Design Ella Dillinger

LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD

Seniors recount their last sports game

High school sports: A staple of the “high school experience.” Most (if not all) of you reading this have certainly been on one of our sports teams at some point. The fun, the games, the practices and the grit of the playoff season all contribute to the undeniable magic of high school sports. But what does it feel like to play your last high school game ever? Only just over 7% of athletes make it to the collegiate level, and even less, a mere 2%, make it to NCAA Division 1 schools. Basically, if you’re not a superstar athlete, your sporting career will unfortunately end your senior year of high school. So, what did it feel like for seniors to play their final sports games? Here’s what our soonto-be graduates had to say.

Obviously, one emotion stands out when you think of playing your last sports game: sadness. All the memories, practices, and inside jokes with your team are all gone after your last game. Many seniors, including K.P. Fitzgerald, Hayle Heinen, and Greyson Britton recount the

bittersweetness of their last sports game. At the end of the day, this is a sport they have given their life to for the past four years, so alongside sadness there is also joy. Moving onto new things, maybe even a new sport, always feels fresh. Let’s be honest: when the last practice for your sport is over, it feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. The last game for seniors can also show the relationships they have grown with their teammates. Some seniors have played on the same teams as their friends since elementary school, but even if not, saying goodbye to teammates can be hard. K.P. recounts the joy he shared with everyone on the football field and how he wouldn’t want his last game to be with anyone else. After interviewing these seniors, it seems evident that a sport is more than playing games every week: it’s a community. You and your teammates put in a ton of hard work and effort throughout the season, which only grows your relationships with them even more.

So, how should us non-seniors take their advice and insight when it comes to one’s last sports game? Well, one thing is for sure: we need to cherish the time we get to play our sports throughout high school. You only get four seasons until you graduate, and the latter half of your senior season is the beginning of the end of your high school career. School years go by so fast and sports seasons even faster. Plus, every year you see more and more of your teammates graduate and the team dynamic is ever changing. It is paramount for us

non-seniors to cherish these games, practices and laughs with our teams as much as we can, as it will be over as quick as it started. So, I encourage you: the next time you feel like skipping practice, remember that each one is one less until you graduate. Remember the middle of the season “grind” only lasts four times until it’s over. I encourage you to relish the moments you are on the court, field, or wherever you play; and to remember the good (and bad) times throughout your high school sporting career.

Words

William Pickle Design

Emrey Taylor Graphics

Malyn Arnold

mood swings

The rollercoaster of emotions during a golf round

To many people, golf is a boring sport. However, every golfer has experienced the extreme highs and lows, victories and losses, of any round of golf. There is a wide range of emotions in a golf round: from feeling like a pro to wanting to quit the sport altogether. From the 1st to the 18th hole, a golfer goes through every stage.

Stage 1: Feeling Good

When you first start out, you are feeling good. You are fresh off the driving range and feel that this is going to be your best round yet. The arms are loose, and the practice shots are going far and straight.

Stage 2: The Rough Start

You hit your first drive, and it’s not great. Your confidence starts to wane, but you remain strong, believing that the round will get better.

Stage 3: Hitting your stride

You start hitting good shots, have a few good holes and your swing feels natural. You’re striking the ball well and feel more confident than ever.

Stage 4: Everything Goes Wrong

Just when you feel confident in your golf game, you are humbled. You hit one bad ball then can’t seem to get out of the funk you’re in. On every shot you think about your form

and what you’re doing wrong but can’t seem to fix it.

Stage 5: Acceptance

Finally, after many bad shots, you accept that this is just not a good round for you. You’ve tried everything you can think of, but just can’t hit the ball right.

Stage 6: Appreciating Nature

Once you accept your bad golf round, you start to appreciate the things around you that are not related to golf. You admire the trees, the clouds, the weather, and whatever else catches your eye. Senior golfer Gracie Doan says this is one of her favorite parts of golf.

“I feel grateful for the ability to play in nature and God’s creation”, Doan said.”

Stage 7: Finding Peace

After taking in all of nature’s beauty, you feel at peace with your golf game. You start feeling better and are actually enjoying being out on the course.

Stage 8: Finishing Strong

Once you find peace, you start to play better. You feel at one with nature and can finally hit the ball straight. In your final hole, you are just thankful that you’re done.

Graphic Jacob Goodman

creativity. creativity.

THEN DARE TO DREAM DARE TO DREAM

Do you remember when you were three and all you wanted was to be a superhero or a princess? At seven, your dream job was to be a firefighter or to be famous. Then at age 13 you thought maybe you could be a doctor or a lawyer.

Our nature is to grow and mature in all areas. One of which is picking what you’re going to spend your life doing. A couple of Geneva seniors share how their aspirations for the future changed from the time they were kids, to now, when they are about to graduate high school.

Almost every girl wanted to be a famous singer when they were little, including senior Lindsay Lee. She says, “My parents had a karaoke machine and I used to sing

into the mirror with the microphone and pretend I was really famous,” Lee says. She also held dreams of becoming a teacher. Lindsay later realized that she didn’t carry the patience needed to watch young children, and she grew out of the pop star phase. She now wants to become a physical therapist and hopes to open her own practice, helping athletes overcome injuries like she did.

One of the more practical dreamers, senior Josh Dennis, wanted to be a lawyer in the past. “I wanted to be a lawyer because my Dad was one, but finance just interested me more as I grew up,” says Dennis. Many of us aspired to follow in our parents’ footsteps, wanting to be just like them when grown up. But just like Josh,

we find other interests that suit our individual personalities more than the careers our parents chose. So, leaving the law up to his Dad, Josh is going to major in finance in the fall.

Another classic dream for a kid is to be a vet and care for animals, whom many kids adore. This was senior Emily Coultress’ dream as a little girl. “I would play with critters in the backyard like frogs and lizards. I had pets like hamsters, fish, guinea pigs and dogs,” Coultress says. Emily grew out of wanting to be a veterinarian like most kids do, but now she wants to study nutrition and dietetics, hoping to get her masters and become a registered dietitian.

Similarly, senior Amani Rhoads wanted to be a vet, but no longer wants to fulfill her childhood dream because it requires one to put down animals. Amani now intends to major in psychology

and minor in forensics. She did grow up watching crime shows and loved them, so you could say the forensics thing has always been in the works.

Senior Samuel Cress wanted to own a hotel when he was younger. Inspired by the great hotels he’s seen, Sam wants to major in architecture. “I think what changed was my mentality of trying to find something that I love and not just what is easy and pays well,” Cress says.

Last but not least, senior Nick Nowosiwsky is truly fulfilling his dreams as a kid to be in aviation. He wanted to fly F-35 fighter planes, inspired by his dad who flew in the air force. He is now going to major in aviation and hopes to fly as a commercial pilot. “I like aviation because I enjoy flying and it doesn’t feel like a job compared to other careers,” says Nowosiwsky.

Words Sopris Oglesby

Design

Caroline Pickle

Photos Submission

from coastline

to campfire

Highlighting the best camping and beaching spots in Texas

As we all know, Texas is quite big. Its landscape has an incredible amount of variety for something of its size. From the Guadalupe Mountains, to the landscape of the Hill Country, to the soaring pine trees of east Texas, to the beaches of Galveston and Corpus Christi, there is nothing you can’t find in the Lone Star State. Camping trips are a great way to explore the wild and see more of our beautiful, vast home. My favorite camping spot in the state is Lost Maples State Park, about 45 minutes west of Bandera. It’s a beautiful place that is very nostalgic for me, with nice trails and scenic spots. Caprock Canyon is another park I remember vividly. It’s a nice canyon in the Panhandle that is very accessible from the trailheads and is filled with bison and prairie dogs. Of course, the Texas national parks, Big Bend and the Guadalupe Mountains, are awesome as well, especially the mountainous areas within the parks. Who knew that Texas had sizable mountains? Other personal recommendations are Caddo Lake on the border with Louisiana, as well as

Garner, Guadalupe River, and Colorado Bend State Parks.

I asked seniors Kenzie Cates and Ella Sorrells about their favorite trips: Two summers ago, Kenzie took a trip to Port Aransas with Cammy Curtis. Port A lived up to its expectations, and provided delicious restaurants alongside calm, beautiful waters. Kenzie said that “out of state beaches are much prettier,” but that Port Aransas is a great option for a more casual, accessible trip.

Ella answered with a park on the other side of the state: Big Bend. It is full of all sorts of landscapes including forests, mountains, canyons and the Rio Grande. Big Bend is a wonderful place to “hike, spend some time in the outdoors, and enjoy God’s beautiful creation.”

As you can see, our state is home to many amazing parks and places to enjoy the great outdoors. Which one is your favorite?

rocking with the r o omies rocking with the roomies

Two seniors share their process to finding a roomate

College can be an exciting new chapter in the lives of graduating seniors, full of many new things: a new town, new friends and roommates. Seniors Maggie Chisholm and Walker Cone share the process of finding their future roomies!

Walker Cone begins by explaining how he met his roommate for the first time. “I met him at a Baylor scholarship event, and he texted me a few weeks later asking if I was looking for a roommate and we decided to room from that,” Cone said.

Walker will be attending Baylor. He shares what he was looking for in his future roommate: “I wanted a roommate that is outgoing and wants to have a fun time, and I want him to not be super messy.”

Walker will be joining a fraternity, and both he and his roommate are planning on rushing. “It will be nice to have someone to go to all the fraternity events with,” he says.

attending Auburn in the fall. She explains how she met her future roommate: “I met my roommate through my sister: a friend of a friend’s little sister was also looking for a roommate, so we started talking and really liked each other. Instagram is also a great way to talk to other girls going to your college.”

Maggie explains some qualities she was looking for in her roommate. “I definitely wanted someone I would get along with that was fun and not too messy,” Chisholm says.

Campus life played a role in Maggie’s decision. “I plan on rushing and hopefully joining a sorority. I also want to join Young Life and become a leader. So when I was looking for a roommate, I wanted someone who was also interested in the same activities!” Chisholm added.

Maggie Chisholm will be

As the seniors enter the next chapter of their lives, it is important to find the people they will be sharing this new adventure with.

Words

T H E D A R K S I D E

THE MOON

A deep dive into the moon landing conspiracy

The moon landing was a beacon of what mankind can accomplish; a victory for America and the entire world. But soon after the Apollo 11 crew came back safely, a new theory emerged: the entire thing was a hoax Theorists believe Niel’s iconic words were read off of a script; the film from the moon landing was produced in a movie studio; and the entire space race was fabricated by the US government in an attempt to get Russia to spend unnecessary funds. Why do so many believe this theory holds water? The theory that the moon landing was possibly fake has persisted for decades, fueled by various claims and pieces of supposed evidence. Among these claims are assertions that NASA lost the technology necessary to accomplish the Apollo 11 mission, discrepancies in the footage of the American flag seemingly blowing as if in a breeze and other inconsistencies.

One of the central arguments of moon landing skeptics is the assertion that NASA lost the technology used to send astronauts to the moon. They argue that the technological advancements made during the Apollo program were so significant that it would be impossible for NASA to replicate them today. However, experts in the field counter this claim by explaining that while some of the original Apollo-era technology may have been lost or become outdated, the fundamental principles and knowledge behind space travel have only advanced since then. Additionally, NASA’s ongoing missions to space, including the Mars rover missions and plans for lunar exploration, demonstrate the agency’s continued capability in space exploration. This may have been the experts in this field speaking, but even if

the Apollo era technology was outdated, theorists believe that the technology would have been saved simply for the historical significance. This has led many to believe that NASA could not have procured certain technology from Apollo 11 because…well, because it never existed in the first place.

Another often-cited piece of evidence by moon landing skeptics is the footage of the American flag planted on the lunar surface. Critics argue that the flag appears to be waving as if in a breeze, which would be impossible in the vacuum of space. However, experts explain that the movement of the flag was caused by the astronauts manipulating it as they planted it into the lunar soil. The flag’s motion was a result of inertia and momentum, not the presence of wind. Moreover, the absence of atmosphere on the moon means there is no air resistance to dampen the flag’s movement, allowing it to appear as though it was waving for a longer duration than it would on Earth.

In addition to these claims, moon landing conspiracy theorists often point to other perceived inconsistencies in the footage and photographs from the Apollo missions. However, thorough analysis and debunking of these claims by experts in various fields continue to support the overwhelming evidence that the moon landing was indeed a remarkable achievement of human exploration rather than a staged event.

Words Jacob Goodman

Design

Caroline Pickle + Ella Dillinger

Graphic

Jacob Goodman

Design

Graphics

Hailey Kirchner

Hailey Kirchner

SUZI’S SUMMER SPECIAL

The perfect recipe for a summer dessert

INGREDIENTS

The recipe for this quarter is pavlova. Many people have never heard of pavlova and don’t know what it is. This dessert is popular in Australia and consists of a layer of meringue with a variety of toppings, similar to a cake. For this pavlova, I am going to top it with whipped cream and fresh berries for a delicious summer dessert. It’s light, sweet, and perfect for any warm weather dinner parties. Ingredients to make this dish include the following:

Meringue

4 large egg whites

1 cup (200g) superfine sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 oz mascarpone

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Fresh fruit

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Preliminary note: you will quickly reduce the oven to 200°F (93°C) in step 4)

With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form: about 5 minutes.

Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 30 seconds between.

Once all of the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. The peaks should be stiff enough that you can hold the whisk upright and the peaks won’t move.

Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 more minute. The peaks should still be very stiff. If not, keep mixing on high speed.

Using a rubber spatula, then fold in the cream of tartar and cornstarch.

Spread the pavlova mixture into an 8-9inch circle (see note for mini size). You can make decorative peaks with the back of a large spoon if desired. Make sure the edges are relatively tall and there is a nice dip in the center.

Place pavlova in the oven. As soon as you close the oven door, reduce heat to 200°F (93°C). The pavlova will stay in the

oven as it cools down to 200°F (93°C).

Bake until the pavlova is firm and dry: about 90 minutes total.

Rotate the baking sheet if you notice some spots browning. Try to limit how many times you open the oven as the cool air will interrupt the baking.

Turn the oven off and let the pavlova cool inside the oven. Once the pavlova is cool, you can store it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or serve right away.

For the whipped cream, make sure the mascarpone is soft and whip it before you whip the cream so it’s soft and will mix well.

Add the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla and whip until you have medium soft peaks. Then gently fold in the mascarpone so as to not deflate the whipped cream.

Once cool, top the pavlova with whipped cream and assorted toppings.

Slice and serve.

Words

Design

METHOD

Suzi Nilsson

Hailey Kirchner

Photo

Lindsay Lee

Congratulations to the graduating class of Geneva School of Boerne! After years of hard work and dedication, you’ve reached the milestone of high school graduation. The following are the lucky schools receiving one or more of our seniors.

Texas A&M University: 13 seniors

Auburn University: 3 seniors

Samford University: 1 senior

Nebraska Wesleyan University: 1 senior

Abilene Christian University: 2 seniors

The University of Alabama: 1 senior

University of Arkansas: 1 senior

Trinity University: 1 senior

University of Texas at Permian

Basin: 1 senior

Belmont University: 1 senior

McMurry University: 1 senior

Texas A&M University Blinn

Team: 2 seniors

The University of Virginia: 1 senior

The University of Oklahoma: 1 senior

The University of Texas at Austin: 1 senior

Hardin-Simmons University: 1 senior

The University of Texas at San Antonio: 1 senior

Texas Tech University: 1 senior

Baylor University: 8 seniors

Alex Havranek: “Earthy-AutumnBusiness-Vibes”

Bought from: Mango

Inspiration from: Pinterest

Cammy Curtis: “Timeless-ChicAvant Garde-Vibes”

Bought from: Macy’s

Inspiration from: Pinterest

Kate Travis: “Classic-But-StylishVibes”

Bought from: White House Black Market

Inspiration from: Mia Wilson’s 2023

thesis outfit

Ella Sorrells: “Springtime-ClassyVibes”

Bought from: Ann Taylor

Inspiration from: Mom

1.) Saturn - Sza

2.) 3 Nights - Dominic Fike

3.) Palo Santo - Saint Joshua

4.) We can’t be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande

5.) Slow dancing - Aly & AJ

6.) On A Night Like Tonight - Niall Horan

7.) Satellite - Harry Styles

8.) Springsteen - Eric Church

9.) Forever - Noah Kahan

10.) When We Are Together - The 1975

11.) Vienna - Billy Joel

12.) Don’t Forget Me - Maggie Rogers

Photo Hailey Kirchner

WORDS • MR. DONNOWITZ

If you went to visit an Orthodox church on Easter Sunday morning, you wouldn’t find anyone saying, “Happy Easter!” If you wished someone “Happy Easter,” they would probably smile and say, “Happy Easter. Are you visiting for the first time?” This is because, for the Orthodox, it would be a normal Sunday, not Easter Sunday. The Orthodox Church, based in the “Christian East,” calculates Easter based on the Julian Calendar, whereas the churches in the West use the Gregorian Calendar. Most of the time, this results in a difference of several weeks between the two. But let’s say you went to visit an Orthodox church on the Sunday morning of “Orthodox Easter” (check your Google calendar) and wished someone a “Happy Easter”—problem solved, right? Nope. You would find the church completely empty. No people. No services. No bunnies.

You’re probably thinking, “Wait, don’t the Orthodox celebrate Easter?” Yes! In fact, it’s the biggest celebration all year. Bigger than Christmas. Bigger than your birthday. Easter, or Pascha, is the “feast of feasts” around which the whole year, and the whole life of an Orthodox Christian, revolves.

So why the empty churches on Easter Sunday morning? Well, the Easter service for the Orthodox begins at 11:00 p.m. on Saturday night before “Great and Holy Pascha” (i.e., Easter Sunday). Pascha is the Greek word for Passover, and after the Resurrection of the Lord it came to signify the passing over (or crossing over) of the Lord from death to resurrected life, and in the Lord, the whole creation with him. The service, which involves everyone lighting candles and singing “Christ is Risen!” outside in the middle of the night, goes until around 2:00 a.m. and is followed by a few hours of celebration before everyone returns home before sunrise. Sunday morning, therefore, is for sleeping, until sometime in the afternoon when the church holds a service called the Agape Vespers, which is followed by continued celebration with feasting, dancing, singing, giving gifts, and being together with your family, extended family, and church family. The celebration that begins on Great and Holy Pascha lasts for a week, and for forty days afterwards, you’ll hear people greeting

RETURNING • EST. 2007

each other with the proclamation, “Christ is Risen!” and the response, “Truly He is Risen!” By the end of the forty days, you’ll have heard the paschal hymn “Christos Anesti” (Christ is Risen) at least 500 times, in several languages, in churches, in homes, and in the streets.

The fasting leading up to Pascha and the joy that follows are unlike anything else during the year. But why and how is this the case? In short, because Christ’s death and resurrection are the summation of our Faith and life. During Pascha, we who are “in Christ” are not spectators but participants in a way that transcends the intellect and the boundaries of time and space. We know that the Lord has risen from the dead and transformed the cosmos, not only because of historical evidence, but because we have experienced it firsthand in the depth of our souls. The Lord is risen and alive and dwells among His people! This joy is experienced chiefly at Pascha, but takes place every Sunday (and as often as we are able) as we encounter the risen Lord and worship Him in the heavenly places. I pray you know this joy that transcends understanding, and with full conviction, proclaim life to the world, saying,

“Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen!”

Yours in Him, Matt Donnowitz

DR. ROSHEGER’S OBSCURE LATIN PHRASE OF THE QUARTER:

“Quid rides?

De Te fabula narratur!”

What are you laughing at?

The joke’s on you!

(a meme provided to our staff by Mr. Donnowitz that we feel compelled to include)

quarterly staf f the

INDESIGN:

Ella Owens (editor) Emrey Taylor Caroline Pickle

GRAPHICS:

Malyn Arnold (editor) Hailey Kirchner

EDITORIAL: Sopris Oglesby (editor) Claire Coultress Suzi Nilsson Will Crews William Pickle

EXECUTIVE

EDITORS:

Ella Dillinger (design + concept)

Emma Malkowski (content + managing)

Jacob Goodman (graphics)

Abigail Bussey (phototography)

PHOTOS: Lindsay Lee Harper Deimund

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 4

GENEVA SCHOOL OF BOERNE ‘23–‘24