November 2018 | The Evergreen, Greenhill School

november 14, 2018 volume 54, issue 2

the Everything Greenhill

evergreengreenhill.org

Testing Honor

Read about Greenhill’s response to cheating on page 10

“It becomes a ‘culture of cheating’ when it’s something that drives the actions of the student body.”

-Monsie Munoz ‘05 Photo illustration by Amber Syed

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News

Features

Arts

Sports

Editors-in-Chief write response to Pittsburgh shooting p. 19

Greenhill alumns create a new affinity group p. 4

Students take action to address mental health on campus p. 9

Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin performs oneman play p. 14

Athletes call out HPC for contradicting its dress code p. 16

Informing Greenhill since 1966

4141 Spring Valley Road, Addison, TX 75001

Views the

Rants & Raves the

Evergreen staff editors-in-chief Jeffrey Harberg Hayden Jacobs

executive editor Harrison Heymann

A RAVE to Mr. Worcester and Dr. Bradberry’s candy jars! Every day is like Halloween with you guys! Thank you for giving us all the sugar rush we need to get through the day. Even though the best candy is usually gone by the morning, there’s nothing better than a Kit Kat for breakfast!

A RANT to the HPC being so crowded. It already is pretty smelly and the AC stopped working, so more bodies in that space is just a bad idea in my opinion. Trust me, we’re all about that grind season, but in this case, the grind requires some more space; the more is not merrier!

A RAVE to letting seniors leave campus to vote without using Senior Privileges! Voting is such an important part of being an American, so we thank the school for being understanding and encouraging us to participate in democracy.

Nothing is better than rolling up with a fresh “I Voted” sticker.

managing editor Amber Syed

copy editor Leah Nutkis

design editor Riya Rangdal

journalism assistant Ross Rubin

arts editor Sonali Notani

backpage editor Shreya Saxena

features editor Lane Herbert Raag Venkat

A RANT to all the rain cancellations for sports!

Mother Nature I’m sorry we’re screwing you up so badly that you want to drown us all, but please, can we just get one Friday without rain?

I promise I’ll start biking to school if you do.

My schedule can’t handle any more delays and changes!

A RAVE to Meghan Markle being pregnant!

Yass queen we love imperialism, colonialism, and monarchism as long as we can throw some celebrity worship in there! Not to mention this child will most likely rule the world, something we are perfectly okay with!

A RANT to the snack lines in the Elliot Center being too long. Listen: it’s not that difficult to grab four bags of Goldfish and get out. This should be an easy and quick process, and yet, every day I see slow underclassmen pondering their options between carrots and cheese sticks.

Guys, just grab food and go, ASAP.

news editor

Mira Jungerman

sports editor Jake Middleman

views editors

Natalie Gonchar Caroline Simpson

asst. arts editor Alyssa Miller

asst. news editor Brent Ladin

asst. sports editors Davis Gutow Victor Le

A RAVE to the new merchandise in the Buzz!

We love the pink shorts, vintage t-shirts and all the other cute Greenhill apparel y’all have put out! Keep up the Hornet pride! Nothing brings back our Middle School memories like a good old fashioned Vineyard Vines shirt!

A RANT to the gnats that people have to walk through by the science building. I love Greenhill’s open campus, but running between buildings in the rain and dodging these gross clouds of bugs is making me reconsider.

Nothing is worse than being ambushed by a swarm of evil bugs, especially when some find their way into your nose and mouth.

A RAVE to the new dive team! You guys are really gonna make a SPLASH in SPC this year! It’s not the size of the team that matters, but the splash they can make! #inspiring #RE Props to all the winter sports just starting! We can’t wait to see you guys play!

Staff Editorial: Why are the gates still open? said: “Once the pedestrian gates are functioning, we will close the main gates. The pedestrian gates have been built, and the manufacturers are planning to install them [in the second week of November]. These gates will have badge readers on them (similar to those outside classroom buildings), so we will also need to ensure that the readers are functioning before we move forward.

“We are planning to finalize this by November 9.” Ms. Grace said.

“

Once we know the pedestrian gates and badge readers are working, we will distribute the final timeline and instructions.”

Ms. Grace said that a notification has not been sent out to the Greenhill community because the school encountered several unanticipated technical issues.

“We wanted to be sure we had cleared

Sonia Dhingra

online executive editor Mila Nguyen

online broadcast editor Tej Dhingra

Content courtesy of Sam Bovard, Caroline Simpson, and Natalie Gonchar Photos by Natalie Gonchar and Caroline Simpson

The Aug. 17 mass email from Greenhill School to parents was explicit: The school’s Hornet Road and Spring Valley gates will be closed this year as a security precaution.

Nearly three months after the announcement went out, the gates remain open throughout the school day. That raises some questions: Is the open gate a serious security concern or not? If it is, what’s the explanation for the delay? Why haven’t Greenhill students and parents been informed?

We asked these questions to Greenhill Chief Financial Officer Kendra Grace, who is overseeing an array of campus security upgrades covered in the Evergreen’s October issue. We received a prompt response from Ms. Grace that sheds light on this issue.

“We are still working on some logistical issues,” said Ms. Grace in her email reply. “We need to install pedestrian gates at both the Hornet and Spring Valley gates so that, in the event of a lockdown, there is a safe way for students and faculty to exit campus if needed.”

As for the latest timetable, Ms. Grace

online editor-in-chief

all final hurdles before sending an update to the school community,” she said. “Once we know the pedestrian gates and badge readers are working, we will distribute the final timeline and instructions.”

The explanations provided by Ms. Grace seem reasonable, but a three-month delay seems unreasonably long.

Greenhill isn’t consistent with these changes, which completely contradicts the security-related priority that has previously been expressed. There are numerous benefits to having such an open campus, but they are outweighed by the major risks.

High security is crucial in an open campus like Greenhill, and without a secure gate, we are vulnerable to attacks. Parents and students should have received an update on the progress made with the gate. We look forward to a quick resolution of this issue or an explanation of why the delays haven’t been resolved.

social media editor Emma Light

staff writer Sarah Luan

business manager Ryan Wimberly

adviser

Gregg Jones

asst. adviser Dr. Amy Bresie

staff artist

Michelle Liang

Have a response?

Opinion?

Original Idea?

Email us at: evergreen@greenhill.org For the editorial policy visit our website at evergreengreenhill.org

wednesday, november 14, 2018

Evergreen the

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Eligible Evergreen seniors, Caroline Simpson and Mira Jungerman, share their first time voting stories from Midterm elections...

On the morning of Oct. 29, I finished my cup of coffee and drove down to Renner Public Library, a small brick building surrounded by trees preparing for autumn. Next to it sits a small synagogue, where I often see men in yarmulkes strolling in and out as I drive to school. As I pulled up next to all the campaign signs I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the synagogue, the thought of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting just two days earlier looming in my mind. Seeing the temple increased my sense of purpose and sharpened my vision; I needed to use my voice. I had the power to choose people who will act against gun violence and make antiSemitism unwelcome in America. The temple cleared any fog I had of why my vote was important.

I walked inside the library, a nervous eighteen-year-old.

I had no idea what to expect, mostly imagining a pencil and piece of paper inside a private stall with lines out the door.

Instead, I was greeted by a woman behind a foldable desk, sitting with a welcoming smile on her face.

“Are you here to vote?” she asked. I nodded, and she pointed me towards a small room with a bunch of electronic machines lined up against each other and three desks.

“Desk ‘A’ please,” said a man standing by the doorway.

At Desk A, two women sat with papers in front of them. I handed them my voter registration card and took about six minutes to get my driver’s license from my wallet because I was so nervous. The ladies remained kind and had me sign a paper before handing me a card the size of a credit card with only an arrow on it.

“Go to any machine and push ’til you hear a click.” I

After years and years of political debates at the family dinner table, tagging along to watch my parents execute their civic duty and forming my own opinions on politics today, the right to vote is one of the most exciting things about turning 18.

The timing of the midterm elections being after my Sept. 5 birthday was perfect, and I cast my first official ballot on Nov. 1 The night before walking into the voting center, I began researching midterm candidates that I was not already familiar with and was surprised to find so many positions I was going to vote for the next day that I knew nothing about.

Nevertheless, I familiarized myself as much as I could and walked into an early voting center the next morning excited for this new experience. Upon walking into the center, I approached the front counter and the lady sitting behind it asked for photo identification.

After seeing my birthdate, she excitedly yelled out “first time voter!” and everyone in the room cheered. It was such an exciting feeling, and I felt a sense of pride for following through with the privilege I was recently granted. I then retrieved my driver’s license and made my way over to an

Photo courtesy of Jocelynn Simpson

VOTING QUEEN: Senior Caroline Simpson poses before voting for the first time in the 2018 Midterm Elections, her voter registraion card in hand and ready to go!

nodded, spun around and scanned the room. I was the youngest person there; I saw businessmen and women, old people and all sorts of people. I felt like I was a part of a new club, a special and liberating club.

I went to the closest machine and stuck the card in the slot. It took me at least three times to get the card fully inserted but eventually I heard a click and the screen lit up.

The night before, I sat on my couch and researched the names I’d be looking at on voting day. I read their profiles, from the District Attorney to the 33rd Congressional District. I knew I wouldn’t remember them all, but I hoped that the ones I really admired would stick out to me on the screen.

I was relieved at the first choice I had to make: Beto O’Rourke or Ted Cruz. I was familiar enough with both to make a swift and very satisfying decision. I was excited to leave a comment on Mr. O’Rourke’s Instagram letting him

Photo courtesy of Oliver Steinberg

VOTING QUEEN PT.2: Senior Mira Jungerman shows off her “I voted” sticker in front of the numerous campaign signs after visiting her local library to vote for the first time.

empty line where another lady showed me to an electronic voting station.

I then began the actual process! I decided not to vote a straight ballot, so the process actually took a bit longer than I thought it would given the number of positions elections require voting for. After finishing, I was awarded with an “I voted” sticker and shamelessly took several selfies to send to my parents and friends. For someone who has never felt outwardly political, I felt so proud!

The voting experience as a whole was amazing and much more meaningful than I thought it would be. Before

know I’d voted, though I doubted he’d see it.

As I hit the big green arrow at the bottom of the screen, my mind became muddled. Rows of names filled the screen from top to bottom. I was overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of each name. I only knew a few other candidates for sure: district attorney, governor and a few for Texas State Senate.

Upset that my late-night candidate study session didn’t work, I found myself wishing there was a description for each person underneath their name. Though reading each blurb would be time consuming, it would be helpful. I voted based off the party for some, and I skipped the rest.

It upset me that there are representatives that I had the chance to vote for/against, but I didn’t know enough about them. Now, those people might impact my community either positively or negatively, and I lost my chance to make a difference. Still, content enough in my vote for Beto and hoping I made a difference, I retracted my card from the machine and handed it back to the ladies residing over Desk A. I walked outside into the crisp October air, and despite feeling pleased that I exercised my right to vote, there was a feeling of frustration in my chest. I’d done what I could to endorse the candidates I wanted to, but they still might not win. If enough people didn’t vote, or if enough people simply didn’t agree with me, a candidate I didn’t support would be in power.

Now, it was out of my control. I used my voice. All I could do was encourage the people around me to use theirs too. written by Caroline Simpson

actually getting to vote, I think I had the perspective that one vote does not make a difference. Although it sounds cliché, I truly feel like voting impacted my opinion regarding individual citizens’ democratic duties and made a difference on the election as a whole, however small that difference may be.

One goal I have upon entering the next round of elections is to educate myself more about each office and its candidates. I regret not spending enough time researching prior to voting because I did not feel as informed as I wanted to when choosing candidates for certain lower level positions.

The part I enjoyed most was the unexpected thrill.

Given that I have had no prior interest or background in politics, I did not think I would feel so accomplished after casting my vote. As I walked out of the library, I already felt motivated to do more and stay updated more regularly on the political scene in our country and internationally. Politics is something that directly and indirectly affects our lives every day, and I realized that something so impactful is definitely something I should actively participate in. written by Mira Jungerman

News the

Alums return to the Hill

Record number of alumni working as teachers and fellows Hayden Jacobs Editor-in-Chief

Greenhill has more alumni serving as teachers and faculty than ever before this year. With 23 alumni back on the Hill, students are getting the opportunity to learn from people who sat in the same desks as them. The alumni understand Greenhill students’ busy schedules because they’ve experienced it firsthand.

“We know what it’s like to have this intense homework load. We know what it’s like to have these competing interests for your time between academics, athletics and arts,” said Assistant Head of School Tom Perryman ‘81.

“

We have the unique task of modeling the culture, mission and character of a place we came from. If students look toward us and see aspects of what they can achieve, then I feel we have done our jobs as alumni.”

Monsie Muñoz ’05 returned to Greenhill in 2012. She had spent time after college doing medical research in different labs across the country but decided she wanted to explore other careers before committing to medical school. She credits her decision to stay at Greenhill to the teaching fellowship program that she

Photo courtesy of Gabby Mallozzi

COULDN’T STAY AWAY: Upper School Spanish teacher Monsie Muñoz ‘05 (left) and History Department Chair Amy Bresie ‘96 (right) pictured together during homecoming week.

took part in. “[The fellow year] was phenomenal. I had so much support from people who were really invested in helping me understand whether or not I wanted to be an educator,” said Ms. Muñoz. “I stayed after that year because my experience as an educator was just as wonderful as my experience as a student.”

Roger Charlebois ’71 is in the midst of his 30th year teaching Lower School science at Greenhill. He came back to Greenhill

after receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He credits Greenhill’s second headmaster Phillip Foote with convincing him to come back to Greenhill— the only place Mr. Charlebois has ever taught.

“Having been through Greenhill and having experienced the benefits of the school from the teachers that I had, coming back as a teacher was a really nice way for me to give back to this place,” Mr. Charlebois said.

Alumni are all around campus in every division and area of the school.

“There is just a commitment to the school,” said Mr. Perryman. “We’re back here because we love this place. There isn’t anyone teaching here who doesn’t realize and value the experience they had here.”

Like Ms. Muñoz, Valerie Gillespie ’98 decided to stay at Greenhill after her successful year in the teaching fellowship program. She believes that alumni who come back as teachers have a certain set of responsibilities in addition to those of a normal Greenhill teacher.

“We have the unique task of modeling the culture, mission and character of a place we came from,” said Ms. Gillespie. “If students look toward us and see aspects of what they can achieve, then I feel we have done our jobs as alumni.”

In August, the alumni on campus got together to form the “Both Sides of the Desk” affinity group. Although the group is still in its early stages, they hope to continue meeting to discuss how they want their shared, unique experiences to impact the school.

“It was really cool to see a lot of the people at that table who I think are just rock stars,” said Ms. Muñoz. “Not only do I share an affinity as an alumna, but I also get to share the experience of teaching with these awesome people, people who are really excited about being back [at Greenhill].”

Senior Chase Brown produces and patents a new travel pillow Brent Ladin

Asst. News Editor

Last summer, Greenhill senior Chase Brown set out to become a successful entrepreneur. He came up with the idea for the Napchaser.

The inspiration for his foray into the world of entrepreneurs was one too many sleepless bus rides traveling with the Greenhill volleyball team.

“My idea for the Napchaser was simple,” said Chase. “I wanted to create the first fully customizable travel pillow that combined comfort, convenience and cleanliness all in one.”

“

“Seeing a 17-year-old go into so much depth with their research was just very appealing to us. As a buyer, we wanted to simply help catapult Chase’s business.”

Transforming his idea into a marketable product was not an easy task, Chase said.

He began by pitching his idea to 1 Million Cups, an entrepreneurial organization at the Dallas Entrepreneur Center that fosters the ideas of aspiring business owners. He then designed and created a working model and took it to China for a meeting with potential manufacturers.

He also talked to printers in the United States who could handle the graphic design for the pillow’s fiber sleeve.

With that accomplished, Chase began

the process of applying for design and utility patents on the Napchaser, both of which are currently pending. It took a year’s work before Chase took his first order, and there were bumps along the way.

“Just about everything that could go wrong with the process of bringing a product to market went wrong,” Chase said.

He said that the most challenging part of bringing a new product to market was keeping track of all of the different aspects of the process. He had to manage the legal, import-license and export-license requirements for the project.

“There are so many moving parts, and it was and still is extremely difficult to keep track of,” Chase said.

Another major challenge that Chase faced was marketing his product, since the Napchaser is different from the conventional travel pillow.

Chase has advertised his product by using the Napchaser in public and on campus.

“There is no better way to advertise something than a pillow that you use and carry around every day,” Chase said.

In order for Chase to sell his product in Greenhill’s campus store, The Buzz, he had to pitch his idea to the manager of retail operations, Crystal Dixon.

“Seeing a 17-year-old go into so much depth with their research was just very appealing to us,” said Ms. Dixon. “As a buyer, we wanted to simply help catapult Chase’s business.”

After purchasing the Napchaser, The Buzz put the pillow on the sales floor and

Photo courtesy of Matthew Davidson

HANDS FULL: Chase Brown is pictured with a “Napchaser” in each hand. Chase began his project last summer and has sold around 1,000 units to different schools around Dallas.

watched sales rise. “[Napchasers] are a very consistent product,” said Ms. Dixon. “They are always selling. They do not always sell out, but there is no shortage of people wanting the product.”

Current sales of the Napchasers stand around 1,000 units, Chase said.

They are currently sold in school-spirit stores at Greenhill, Hockaday School, Parish Episcopal School, Trinity Christian Academy, Episcopal School of Dallas, Ursuline Academy, Casady School, Highland

Park High School and Jesuit Dallas. Chase is also offering fully-customizable pillows on his website.

Chase has high hopes for the future of Napchasers. His next goal is to land a major retailer in order to get his product in stores across the country.

“In the future, I want to move away from the product’s original intention of being the ultimate travel pillow for sports players,” said Chase. “I want to move toward it just becoming the ultimate travel pillow.”

the

5 Social emotional learning inserted into curriculum

wednesday, november 14, 2018

Evergreen

news

Graphic by Harrison Heymann; photo courtesy of Amber Syed

DEEP IN DISCUSSION: Shanti Majefski ‘95, (left picture, right) Greenhill’s director of social and emotional learning and wellness, holds a discussion with Director of Academics Jason Yaffe. Ms. Majefski is working to bring social and emotional learning to the Upper School. Different aspects of social and emotional learning (graphic) have been implemented in several areas of Greenhill curriculum.

Harrison Heymann Executive Editor Sarah Howell looked around at her seventh-grade purple science class as her students nervously chattered about the material on the test they were about to take.

She could feel the anxious energy in the room and decided they need a mindfulness activity to calm themselves. Ms. Howell passed out sticky notes.

“Write three things on your sticky note that make you happy or relaxed. Keep that on your desk during the test and if you start feeling stressed, look at what you wrote on your note to de-stress,” she said.

This year, Greenhill has added a director of social emotional learning and wellness, Shanti Majefski ’95, to facilitate growth in these areas for all students on campus.

Ms. Majefski has primarily focused on adding social emotional learning (SEL) skills to the current Lower and Middle School curriculum, but it is working its way to the Upper School. SEL addresses five primary competencies: self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness and responsible decision-making.

“Every issue that a student has can be broken down into one of these skills that they either don’t have or aren’t using,” said Ms. Majefski. “Learning is social emotional, academics are not separate from social emotional learning.”

In the fall of 2016, Creative Services Manager Emily Wilson wrote an article for Greenhill’s semiannual magazine, The Hill, detailing what SEL is and why it is important for students to learn. Since then, Greenhill has spent the past two years trying to get a schoolwide grasp on SEL. “Increasing competition and academic/ personal pressures…have resulted in

unprecedented amounts of stress and anxiety in students,” Ms. Wilson said. “SEL strives to teach ways to cope and balance these pressures while also fostering a wellrounded, socially competent, emotionally balanced individual.”

In her role as Director of SEL, Ms. Majefski said her main focus is to provide training to faculty, so they can foster the development of SEL’s five core competencies throughout their daily curriculum.

“I don’t want this to be a binder-offthe-shelf kind of curriculum. I want it to extend into the daily curriculum so faculty are working on it with students every day,” said Ms. Majefski. “It might mean more group projects and looking at what skills you need to collaborate effectively or on an individual basis, what you need to be successful in the class. This is built around a lot of discussion.”

Ms. Howell is one of the Middle School teachers who has made a concentrated effort to incorporate SEL into the curriculum for both her classes and advisory. Her goal is to help students learn to alleviate stress, increase mindfulness and learn how to best navigate life. “[SEL] is teaching the whole child, not just the academic student. We are trying to teach them to be good humans,” she said.

“We want to focus on the whole student holistically and give them the tools necessary to be good humans in society.”

Head of Middle School Susan Palmer said the Middle School has adopted The Hawn Foundation’s MindUP Curriculum, which is a 15-lesson plan that the Middle School covers over the school year. Individual advisories designate 15 meetings throughout the year and talk about one of the lessons on each of those days.

“It’s a broad enough curriculum so teachers have lots of different options. In

fact, eighth grade has done a fabulous job of spinning off,” said Ms. Palmer. “They talk about how the brain works. We want to help kids own their growth and behavior, and develop mindfulness strategies that lead to greater focus, healthy relationships and selfregulation.”

Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester explained the reasoning behind the Upper School’s hesitation to fold SEL into its curriculum just yet, attributing it to the Upper School being a different beast than the other divisions on campus.

“There’s both a perception and perhaps also a reality that things matter in the Upper School because there is an outcome at end of Upper School you’re trying to attain, which is college admission,” he said. “If it seems like we are simply adding, rather than embedding, a new practice for teachers to use, there can be a sense that it takes away from the content being taught rather than enhancing the teacher’s craft and the student experience.”

Part of why SEL is so important to Ms. Majefski is that with today’s internet, nearly all content is accessible to everyone.

Having knowledge of content is not a key differentiator between people anymore because information is everywhere and readily available.

“The amount of knowledge you have about a certain subject is no longer the differentiator. These SEL skills are the differentiator. If you can’t work with others and express these ideas, you will struggle in the outside world,” said Ms. Majefski.

“These SEL skills are just as important if not more important than content learning to be successful in life.”

Director of Academics Jason Yaffe hopes teachers don’t see adding SEL as a burden on them. He thinks SEL can and should be seamlessly embedded into the classroom,

and it is what is expected of Greenhill teachers because it is good teaching practice.

“Part of SEL is the teaching practice of creating a warm and supportive environment. All of our teachers aim to do that, but some have greater success than others,” he said. “The goal is for teachers to come to see this as simply good teaching practice.”

Mr. Yaffe also said there has been an increased focus on academics at Greenhill in recent years. While Greenhill is an academic institution, the focus on arts and academics has not increased at the same rate. Being sucked into academics makes it hard for students to be present in the moment and can leave them wondering if studying all day and night is really what life is cracked up to be.

“In this very hurried world, we’re realizing life could be that much more fulfilling if you have these tools,” he said.

“One of the things Greenhill tries to do is strike a balance between academic press and pastoral care--in a non-denominational way.

When the pendulum swings too much to the academic press side, there needs to be kind of a swing back towards that pastoral care.”

Social emotional learning in the classroom is something Greenhill has talked about at times, but this initiative is new because it is more intentional. The counsellors have been asking for the school to add a director of SEL for a while now to help with classroom programming, and now that position is here.

“There have always been pockets of teachers that [teach SEL] well and embed its core principles into all classroom interactions,” said Ms. Palmer. “We want people to understand this is how the brain works and get all teachers practicing SEL.”

6 news

Evergreen the

wednesday, november 14, 2018

Students bring Model UN club to Upper School Lane Herbert Features Editor

Three freshmen have started a Model United Nations (UN) club on campus to teach peers about international diplomacy and the work of the United Nations.

Under the Model UN concept, students recreate a United Nations conference to learn about diplomacy and international relations.

Conferences are organized into different committees, each based on potential debates and discussion topics, according to freshman Jothi Gupta, one of founders of Greenhill’s Model UN Club.

“

"The collaborative skills that I have learned from Model UN have changed the way I look at projects and issues right now."

A Model UN conference starts with everyone expressing their country’s positions and what their advocacies are for the specific topic of debate. The goal of both sides is to create a "working paper" by the end of the conference. A "working paper," also known as the resolution, includes a description of the problem and an action plan to solve it. There is a chair of the conference, who holds a gavel and runs the conference. The chair also steers the debate by approving certain motions from the debaters. The chair is a neutral party and serves merely as a guide

Photo by Jothi Gupta

SUCCESS: Shruti Siva, Jothi Gupta and Aimee Stachowiak (left to right) pose with their awards following a Model UN conference. The club is new to the Upper School this year.

throughout the conference.

“It is really interesting to be forced to take the stance of the country you're assigned to,” said Jothi. “You get to experience different perspectives that you would not even have taken into account before you had to investigate why your country supported that and what their stance was.”

As an example, students under the committee of the Historical Council might

take the stance of a country that supported indentured servitude in the 1830’s, Jothi said.

Jothi and freshman Pranav Mukund created the Model UN club as Middle School students in September 2017. The Middle School branch of the club continues to be sponsored by teachers Kara Smith and Natalie Nihil-Roberto.

When starting the Upper School Model UN club, Jothi and Pranav reached

out to senior Kylie Quinn and teachers and students from other schools who have participated in Model UN to gain more information on how the program works in a high school setting. They continued their research by coordinating with contacts at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas to set up their first Model UN conference.

“The collaborative skills that I have learned from Model UN have changed the way I look at projects and issues right now,” said Pranav. “If you want to succeed in a conference you have to work together, come up with a plan, listen to other people’s ideas and be able to compromise.”

Both Pranav and Jothi are working to increase the presence for Model UN at Greenhill. They hope that the club will grow to an elective similar to debate where students will prepare for conferences in the morning and hold conferences in the afternoon. Other area schools such as St. Mark’s and Hockaday participate in Model UN, but Pranav said that Model UN is most popular in public schools.

Jothi and Pranav said they have learned about leadership while working together to start a new club and experiencing the Model UN educational conferences.

“The goal of Model UN is not necessarily supposed to be ‘I win, you lose,’” said Jothi. “It is more ‘I will make these changes if you do this.’ It is like bartering and knowing, trying to keep and advocate for your stance but also knowing that you are not going to get everything that you want.”

Quiz Bowl team qualifies for national tournament Ross Rubin

Journalism Assistant

Harrison Heymann Executive Editor

From humble beginnings, Greenhill’s Quiz Bowl teams have emerged as top national competitors.

As its latest milestone, Greenhill recently had two Upper School Quiz Bowl teams qualify for two national tournaments.

Both tournaments will take place later this year, with the Open High School National Tournament being held in Atlanta and the Small School High School National Tournament in Chicago.

The two teams, Greenhill Red and Greenhill Green, are each comprised of four team members. They are both coached and trained by Middle School math teacher Grant Mindle.

Greenhill Red is made up entirely of freshmen: Gokulan Anand, Daniel Rothstein, Josh Rubel and Shruti Siva. The four students have been working together since Middle School. The team went undefeated in the preliminaries and entered the playoffs ranked third overall.

Greenhill Green is comprised of freshmen Jude Griffin and Jonah Yaffe, junior Bruno Pasquinelli and senior Robert Gao. The team earned the 16th and final spot for the playoffs.

The tournament was held at Greenhill on Saturday, Sept. 22. The top eight teams qualified for the national tournaments in Chicago and Atlanta. To reach that point, teams first had to qualify for the playoffs and then win a round of 16 match after being seeded.

In the playoffs, Greenhill Red won their first match against Coppell and qualified for both national tournaments. Greenhill Green had to play the number one seed, Cistercian

A, but they pulled off the upset to qualify for the national tournaments in both Chicago and Atlanta.

Both teams lost in the quarterfinals and finished tied for fifth place in the tournament held at Greenhill. This was the first time two Greenhill teams have qualified for nationals, and the first time that a Greenhill team has qualified for a national tournament in the first tournament of the year.

“We should be a force to be reckoned with in the months and years to come,” said Dr. Mindle.

Quiz Bowl games consist of twenty “toss-up” questions that one person from each team may buzz in and answer. If answered correctly, the player receives three more questions they can work on answering with their team.

The Quiz Bowl club has been around the Upper School for a few years, but it has become more popular this year as more people, specifically the new freshman class, have shown up to club meetings. Along with the official Quiz Bowl tournament team, all students interested in participating are allowed to come to the student-led club meetings, which are held during lunch.

Seniors Robert Gao and Reid Zlotky and juniors Varun Gande and Mohan Desai lead the club under the supervision of Upper School math teacher Michael Legacy, the Upper School faculty sponsor.

“Anyone can join, even if they haven’t been to a tournament and are just curious,” Reid said. “Varun, Robert, Mohan or myself will show up and help run practices for the high school.”

An important factor in Quiz Bowl success is the specialized knowledge of various team members.

“Everyone has a specialty, but you also have to work together on some of the problems,” said Reid.

Photos courtesy of Josh Rubel

BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE: The two Quiz Bowl teams qualified for national tournaments after winning in the round of 16 at a tournament at Greenhill. Their coach and mentor is Middle School math teacher Grant Mindle (bottom picture, third from right).

Features the

The Trump-Putin Saga

Greenhill alumnus Craig Unger authors book that stokes political controversy

Photos courtesy of Craig Unger '67

A GREENHILL PERSPECTIVE: The latest book written by Craig Unger '67 has been a talking point during the midterm election campaign (Left). The book has been a New York Times best-seller and has been featured in a new documentary film called "Active Measures." Mr. Unger has been touring swing districts during the run-up to the November 6 elections.

Amber Syed Managing Editor

In one of the most intense election campaigns in recent American history, a distinguished Greenhill School alumnus has helped shape the conversation.

Craig Unger ’67 hit the New York Times Best Seller list in August with the release of his latest book, “House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia.” The book is a probing and provocative investigation of President Donald Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In his book, Mr. Unger makes the case for President Trump’s reliance on the Russian mafia during his worst financial travails. “House of Trump, House of Putin” has received national media attention.

“I think it’s a story of the greatest intelligence operation of our time, and it goes back more than 30 years," Mr. Unger said. "I want to see how [the Russians’ relationship with Trump] began and why it began."

Mr. Unger started at Greenhill in 1955 and graduated in 1967 as valedictorian of his senior class. After Greenhill, he attended Harvard University where he majored in English.

His first look into the political world came in 8th grade when his history teacher, Sarah Moore, took him and his class to hear a speech on United Nations Day from Adlai Stevenson II, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations at the time. Mr. Unger became fascinated by the American political climate when he saw people spitting on Mr. Stevenson and protesting his speech by holding antagonizing signs in the crowd. “I knew I wanted to see more of the world,” said Mr. Unger. “There were teachers [at Greenhill] like [Ms. Moore] who taught me things that really piqued my interest in larger issues.”

While Mr. Unger became intrigued with politics at Greenhill, his understanding of American politics didn’t develop until he began writing for his college newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, a newspaper run entirely by undergraduates.

“In truth, whatever political sensibility I had took a while to develop; a lot of it took place after middle school in response to the Vietnam War,” Mr. Unger said.

A few years after college, he moved to Paris and became

the co-editor and co-owner of The Paris Metro. Since then, he’s worked as both a writer and an editor at magazines such as New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Esquire Magazine. He was also editor-in-chief of “Boston Magazine.”

More recently, Mr. Unger has made his name as a nonfiction author focusing on U.S. politics. His titles include: “House of Bush, House of Saud” (2004); “The Fall of the House of Bush” (2007); “American Armageddon: How the Delusions of the Neoconservatives and the Christian Right Triggered the Descent of America--and Still Imperil Our Future” (2008); “Boss Rove” (2012); “When Women Win: Emily’s List and the Rise of Women in American Politics” (2016); and his new book on the Trump-Putin relationship.

“I’ve tried to do stories that would change the national conversation,” Mr. Unger said.

Michael Moore’s critically acclaimed documentary, “Fahrenheit 9/11,” drew heavily on “House of Bush, House of Saud” for its examination of the President George W. Bush administration’s motives for invading Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Unger has published four of his books in presidential election years in an effort to influence those elections; “House of Trump, House of Putin” was published this year in hopes of influencing the midterm elections, he said.

“I was absolutely shocked that Trump won,” Mr. Unger said. “I didn’t think it would happen in a million years.”

Mr. Unger said his aim in “House of Trump, House of Putin” was to give Americans a full understanding of how and why President Trump got involved with the Russian mafia.

“Americans are either deeply divided or confused, or unaware of what’s really going on,” Mr. Unger said. “I’m doing my best to correct that.”

His book discusses the six bankruptcies President Trump survived during his business career and how Russian mobsters stepped in, bought his condos, and financed partnerships with him. This is when the businessman Donald Trump compromised himself with the Russian mafia, according to Mr. Unger.

“When you realize Trump’s connections to the Russian mafia, that they’ve run operations out of Trump Tower, that they’ve partnered with him from a company that was

in Trump Tower, when you realize that they’re all part of Russian intelligence in the home of the man that is President of the United States-well, that is deeply, deeply disturbing,” Mr. Unger said.

“House of Trump, House of Putin” is featured in a new documentary film called “Active Measures” directed by Jack Bryan. “Active Measures” investigates Vladimir Putin’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether he acted with the intent to help President Trump.

Mr. Unger toured some electoral swing districts in the United States with Mr. Bryan and cast members in hope of sparking a conversation about President Trump before the midterm elections.

“In the case of Trump, I think a book is one of the very few ways to tell the story in depth,” said Mr. Unger. “What I try to do is get to how and why this happened and go back to the beginning and sort of show how it grew out of real powerful geopolitical and financial forces and how it all came together through Trump and Russia.”

Photo courtesy of Craig Unger '67

FLASHBACK: Craig Unger pictured during his graduation from Greenhill in 1967 as the valedictorian of his senior class. He graduated from Harvard University in 1971.

Evergreen the

8 features

wednesday, november 14, 2018

Learn all day, work all night

Students open up about the pros and cons of working a job

Photos courtesy of Kate Marano (left) and Alisha Nathani

PUTTING IN THE WORK: Sophomore Blaine Bowman (left) works to fill up a customer's cup with ice and their choice of drink at his job at Chick-Fil-A during a busy day at work. Senior Alisha Nathani enjoys baking and decorating cupcakes for her job working at Sprinkles Cupcakes where she has been working since this past summer.

Mila Nguyen

Online Executive Editor

Balancing academics and a social life at Greenhill is incredibly difficult at times. But taking on the challenges of being a student while working a part-time job during the evening or on weekends is difficult to imagine. Several students are working outside of school Sophomore Blaine Bowman is currently employed at Chick-Fil-A and has been working there for one year. Blaine decided to take the job because he felt it was a great opportunity for him and his parents are making him pay for his car when he turns 16 next January. As an employee, his job requires him to clean tables, work the drivethru take orders, run meals out to cars and re-stock inventory. Blaine’s favorite part of his job is meeting new people and getting to know his co-workers.

“It is a really great and fun atmosphere, and they are very particular on who they hire,” said Blaine. “My fellow employees are really nice, and we can always talk and hang out when it is not super busy.”

Senior Alisha Nathani’s dream first job has always been to work in a bakery or pastry shop, so she applied to work at Sprinkles Cupcakes at the end of last school year. She has been folding cupcake boxes, re-stocking the display with new cupcakes, working the register, boxing cupcakes, washing cupcake trays and decorating desserts since the beginning of summer “It was always my plan that, as soon as I turned 16 and could work, I would work at a bakery,” said Alisha. “I love interacting with the customers because they are all so different. Sometimes they will tell you crazy stories and I get to learn about the community around me.”

Many students chose to work because the jobs not only give them a great opportunity to learn about responsibility, but they also allow the students to have financial freedom. They are able to spend their money however they choose.

“It makes me proud that I have my own income,” said Alisha. “I like being able to spend what I made how I want to spend it.”

Sophomore Johnny Thompson works at American Eagle every Saturday and Sunday.

He is working to save money for college

and to be more independent. Johnny has been wearing American Eagle apparel since he was very young and loves how affordable the clothes are.

“I used to not be the type of person to like clothes, but every time I went to American Eagle, an employee would be really nice and help me,” said Johnny. “Now, I love being the person to help other people open up to find the right clothes for them.”

Working students have to learn how to make sacrifices every day to manage their lives. They spend time at school to organize their schedules and make sure they use their time wisely.

“

It was always my plan that as soon as I turned 16 and could work, I would work at a bakery. I love interacting with the customers because they are all so different.

Sometimes they will tell you crazy stories and I get to learn about the community around me.”

Blaine is a three-sport Greenhill athlete and plays club sports outside of Greenhill.

He also has a long commute to work, driving 45 minutes to and from Chick Fil-A every Saturday. He said that he does not get to see his friends as often on Saturdays because of his work schedule and commute.

Balancing his academic, athletic and social responsibilities has become key for him.

“I have to get all my studying and homework done during the week ahead of time,” said Blaine. “Working around my sports schedule gets really crazy, too.”

Because he works all weekend, Johnny relies on his time at school to get homework done so he doesn’t have to worry about school while working.

“I can go to work and focus on giving my job my 100 percent effort instead of stressing about anything going on at school,” said Johnny. “I like to keep work and school separate.”

Although their jobs require a lot of patience with customers, these working students have learned to genuinely enjoy being at work. They said that they love being able to interact with customers and make a difference in people’s lives.

“If you enjoy your job, then it is a calming way to take a step back from everything and anything going on in your life,” said Blaine. “I always love seeing people really happy with their food and their families in the restaurant.”

Their jobs demand a lot out of them and they have to make sure they are working their hardest. Alisha agrees with this statement as she usually has to work between a six and nine-hour shift and sometimes only gets one 30-minute break on busy Saturdays.

“Often, I will go home and my feet

hurt, my back hurts and I’m hungry. You are on your feet constantly and that was very challenging to get used to,” Alisha said.

Johnny says that working has given him his work ethic and he would recommend working to all students that can.

“You will learn how to have independence and proactivity,” said Johnny.

“If you have the proper work ethic and mindset, then you will definitely do well and succeed in your job.”

Evergreen Starting a Conversation

wednesday, november 14, 2018

the

features

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Students start club to create a safe space arround mental health Natalie Gonchar

Views Editor

“Start the conversation, create a brave space, end the stigma.”

These are words everyone will be hearing a lot more this school year; this is the mission statement of the new Hornet Mental Health group.

Last year, many Greenhill students used their senior speeches as an outlet to talk about their mental health experiences. These speeches were a direct call for action in the school.

Now, a group of students have started the Hornet Mental Health organization.

The organization has been in the planning stages for a few years, but the blunt discussion of the issue in several senior speeches finally led to the group’s formation. Upper School Counselor Priya Singhvi and Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester responded to the speeches last school year by hosting an open meeting with students to discuss mental health issues.

“Last year, people were talking about really heavy and intense feelings without highlighting support or talking about coping skills or the other resources that they used to get to the other side,” Ms. Singhvi said.

Hornet Mental Health is run by Kelsey Roberts, Kevin Hoare, Abigail Ageshen, Elizabeth Nuth, Griffin Benners, Ross Rubin and Leah Fradkin.

The organization is mainly student run and strives to make changes within the Greenhill community, starting with regular B-Day lunch meetings to discuss topics relevant to the student body.

“In a way, [Hornet Mental Health] has to be a studentled movement for us to make systemic change within the school,” Ms. Singhvi said.

The discussion topics range from stress management to depression and anxiety, while tailoring them to what students are interested in and what they are struggling with.

Jacobo Luna, an Upper School Spanish teacher, and Ms. Singhvi are the current advisors to this committee, but they believe in a more behind-the-scenes leadership role. Ms. Singhvi says having a diverse, student-run club should make students feel more comfortable to ask for help and advice from their peers.

Currently run by juniors and seniors, the members hope to pass on their legacy to the rising upperclassmen, because the issues do not disappear when the current group graduates.

“It’s not a one-year, bridge the gap, and it’s done,” said senior Kevin Hoare. “That is the first step we need to take in

Photo courtesy of Priya Singhvi

KEEPING GREENHILL HEALTHY: The Hornet Mental Health commitee pictured above answering Upper School students’ questions about the film “Angst.” It was shown to students, faculty and parents and covered the topic of anxiety.

order to change Greenhill and change the community we’re in.”

Hornet Mental Health also hopes to find a meaningful way for students to reach out and feel more comfortable, whether that be by setting up an email or hosting different activities throughout the school year.

“Our goal this year is to start that foundation for things to be able to spring off in the future,” said senior Kelsey Roberts.

This year, the main goal is to try to connect students and faculty to create a more open community. By creating this group, Hornet Mental Health advocates to give students an outlet to voice their concerns as well as find solutions for them.

Hornet Mental Health hopes to incorporate teachers who are willing to share their own stories and struggles, with students. This segment is called “Staff Spotlight.”

Each club leader is going to educate themselves through different online courses in order to lead a specific topic

discussion. The leaders of Hornet Mental Health also hope to bring in different guest speakers to aid some of these conversations.

“One of our sub-committees is in charge of bringing in outside organizations because we don’t know everything that there is to know,” said Kelsey.

For Mental Health Awareness Week from October 7-13, Hornet Mental Health set up self-care stations and planned a variety of activities “to get the ball rolling” and make their presence known on campus.

All these efforts are steered toward the creation of a supportive and understanding community for those going through a difficult time. During the F-Day Mental Health meeting on October 29, multiple students voiced their concern that the school needs to highlight the accessible resources on campus.

“I will be so proud of the day when people aren’t ashamed of being seen in the counselor’s office,” Ms. Singhvi said.

Senior Deniz Evlioglu pursues his DJ dream Brent Ladin

Asst. News Editor

Senior Deniz Evlioglu has recently accomplished his goal of DJing at public venues. After contacting local DJ companies and other people within the DJ industry, Deniz was able to land multiple gigs at local clubs in Dallas and SMU fraternity parties.

He was nervous at first to expose his music to the public but he said the results have been worth it.

“It’s all about putting yourself out there,” Deniz said.

“It’s embarrassing at first but it’s worth it.”

For the last eight years, Deniz has contemplated the idea of DJing, but he never took the initiative of doing anything about it. Deniz had mentioned his idea to his friends in the past but nothing came of it.

However, after prom of Deniz’s junior year, one of his friends said he was very talented and that he should give DJing a realistic shot. Shortly after prom night, Deniz invested his own money to buy DJ equipment and software.

The timing could not have been more perfect. Deniz visits his grandfather in Turkey every summer for three months. Turkey is internationally recognized for its rich DJ culture and industry, said Deniz. On top of that, Deniz’s grandfather owns a music studio in Turkey.

Deniz’s grandfather had an enthusiastic approach.

However, his parents’ views were more skeptical since it could potentially take time away from his standings and other activities.

Because of his grandfather’s connections, Deniz

Photo illustration by Oliver Steinberg; photo courtesy of Deniz Evliogluz

HE’S GOT THE BEAT: Senior Deniz Evlioglu demonstrates how he might mix a song with him working in his environment (Left). Deniz persues his long-time passion of becoming a DJ, which was inspired by his Turkish heritage.

received the opportunity to work with famous producer Bora Uzer in his grandfather’s studio. They created new tracks and played music using his grandfather’s software.

“The producer showed me what it took to become a DJ and what kind of tracks people liked and disliked,” Deniz said.

Upon returning to Dallas, Deniz wanted to continue DJing and find ways to perform. He got in touch with local DJ’s throughout Dallas. They pointed him in the right direction and helped him to begin his career.

Before each performance Deniz spends hours selecting music that will best entertain his audience. It takes time to create the beats and rhythm for each event. Deniz usually

creates his playlists by starting with a slower tempo before gradually building to a faster pace.

“Music is a huge part of my life and I am always listening to different kinds of music to see what fits where,” Deniz said.

Deniz believes that there are so many different aspects to DJing, and that’s what keeps him excited and interested in his music. He doesn’t always need a crowd to enjoy DJing and he gains just as much satisfaction from his music when simply playing in his room or playing music for his friends.

“The main reason I DJ is to make people happy, and I want them to enjoy my music as much as I do,” Deniz said.

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Leah Nutkis Copy Editor

Raag Venkat Features Editor

Eighty-four percent of Greenhill seniors that responded to a recent internal survey admitted to cheating on an Upper School assignment—a response that underscores how cheating is embedded in Greenhill’s culture, according to one of the survey’s authors.

“This is much bigger than merely an Honor Code issue, because the level of cheating is pretty high,” said Adrian Martinez, an Upper School history teacher who is a faculty sponsor for the Honor Council and helped write the survey.

Overall, 77 percent of students that responded to the survey who have already spent at least a year in the Upper School admitted that they have cheated on an assignment.

Equally striking is the faculty perception that cheating isn’t a problem at Greenhill: only 9 out of 44 Upper School faculty members who responded to the survey believe that students cheat on assignments.

Cheating at Greenhill takes on many forms. One scenario: A student is given a take-home assignment by their teacher, and they are told explicitly not to use any outside help. They go home and start the assignment over the weekend. As their other school work piles up, they find the idea of looking up the answers more and more appealing— everybody else will be doing it.

THE CHEATING Students see cheating, but they never report it.

Even though Greenhill has a council dedicated to it, reports of cheating still go unnoticed.

Students see cheating as socially acceptable because “everybody does it.”

Greenhill defines the Honor Council as “a group that aims to promote a community based on honor, trust and integrity,” who “attempt to uphold Greenhill’s Honor Code by trying to make

honor a relevant issue.” The Honor Council oversees any violations of Greenhill’s Honor Code— “I will not lie, I will not steal, I will not cheat.”

The Honor Council is occasionally brought up to the student body, whether it be via whispers about a student who got reported, the red text outlining “Honor Council Meeting” on Mr. Baker’s daily bulletins or an email that’s sent out reminding students that Honor Council elections are coming up. However, something that seems so essential to Greenhill is kept outside of the students’ radar.

“People are like, ‘Ooo, Honor Council, what do they do,’” said Monsie Muñoz ‘05, Upper School history teacher and Honor Council Chair. “When [the Honor Council] does come up, people seem to say ‘Oh right, they made recommendations about that person that allegedly cheated.’ For many people in the Upper School, [the Honor Council] process is nebulous and unclear.”

With nearly 500 students in the Upper School, it becomes difficult for teachers to keep an eye on all of their students. This places the responsibility of reporting cheating on the students.

Even with fifteen to twenty students in each classroom, cheating seems to stay under the radar of most teachers, as teachers are confident enough in the honesty of Greenhill students that they don’t watch as close as they could during tests.

“On a lot of tests, teachers have the Honor Code pledge, but a lot of teachers place so much trust in students, so they’ll leave the classroom while we’re taking a test,” said sophomore Aminah Asghar. “Theoretically, they’re saying that students won’t cheat because they’ve signed this pledge.”

In a study that surveyed 3,600 students from 70 different public and private schools, 95 percent of students admitted to cheating on something—from a final exam to a homework assignment—in the last year. However, the Honor Council never sees up more than 10 cases in a year.

During early October, Mr. Martinez sent out a survey asking students to anonymously answer questions about cheating at Greenhill.

Within a month and a half of being in the Upper School, 20 percent of freshmen that took the survey already admitted to cheating. After a year, 67 percent of the sophomores surveyed

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wednesday, november 14, 2018

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admitted to cheating. In total, 60 percent of students surveyed admitting to cheating, showing how few of those students are being reported.

In a survey from the journal “Accounting Education,” students said they would be more likely to report cheating if they remained anonymous. Students feel that they could become tied to an investigation if they report a student. Whether they’re afraid of having to go to the Honor Council and tell about the cheating in front of the student, or other students finding out that the student ratted somebody out, they’d rather not risk it and leave the cheating for somebody else to deal with.

This gray area of whether a student should report cheating is similar to whether or not a student should cheat.

Cheating that occurs outside of the classroom, such as looking up answers on a take-home quiz or working with a partner on an individual homework assignment, isn’t regarded by students to be as serious of an offense compared to cheating on a test or exam. Out of 190 Greenhill students, 44 percent of them fully agreed that they decide whether or not to cheat based on if they’ll get caught. The teacher acts as a reminder to the student that there are consequences if they cheat—without the teacher there, many students don’t care about the consequences of cheating.

THE CULTURE Students feel obligated to cheat because of pressure to get admitted into a good college and maintain a high GPA. Because teachers don’t realize how large of an issue cheating is, there is a large disconnect between what students see as a problem and what the school is doing to fix it.

“It becomes a ‘culture of cheating’ when it’s something that drives the actions of the student body,” said Ms. Muñoz. “From the survey, it became clear to me that a portion of the student body buys into the idea that cheating is a means to an end and is one way of reaching a specific outcome [achieving academic success].”

Even though students acknowledge that there is a lot of cheating, teachers don’t do enough to stop the problem.

“There’s not strict enough regulations on cheating,” said junior Caroline Sasso. “I’ve never heard of anyone getting suspended or being punished severely. It’s a high school and people are cheating, so they aren’t punishing people harshly enough or we’re not looking hard enough [into cheating].”

While cheating often goes unreported at Greenhill, the students who are cheating often do it because they feel pressure to do so. Whether it be from themselves, their fellow classmates or their parents. this pressure coupled with the competitive environment that Greenhill students are placed into leads many students to use cheating as a means to keep their grades high and adequate for college applications. Out of 45 juniors, 47 percent said that part of the reason cheating is justified because teachers and parents put too much pressure on students. “[Cheating] has to do with the pressure you and your parents put on you, whether that’s real or perceived,” said Mr. Martinez. “It has to do with a lot of different variables, including the way teachers design courses and assignments, and how [teachers] grade. Plus, this is a school that generally has a lot of smart students, and they are often competitive. When you have a bunch of competitive people in an environment like this, there’s a chance that it can become cutthroat.”

As students become older and more focused on the college process, cheating becomes less of a stigmatized, unjustifiable action and more of a customary method that students to use to get ahead.

“As students progress through the Upper School, the number of students who’ve said that they’ve cheated has grown exponentially,” said Trevor Worcester, Head of Upper School. “We have an issue of where students feel the line is. That line tends to move because students say, ‘I did it on a homework assignment, so that’s okay’ versus ‘I did it on a test or something that would constitute a larger consequence.’”

Greenhill’s nature as a school is competitive, and students look for any advantages available for them to have a better GPA on their college applications. However, cheating to stay ahead was not recently brought into Greenhill’s culture as a norm. The ideas and justifications for cheating at Greenhill have existed within the school for years. “[Cheating] is a deeper, embedded-in-the-culture-of-the-school, kind of issue,” said Mr. Martinez. “In order to change that, you really need to do something to change the underlying culture of the school… That’s going to require a complete paradigm shift in how the school, faculty and students think about academic integrity and the value that’s placed on it.”

THE DISCONNECT With teachers and students having such a different view on cheating at Greenhill, a resolution seems distant.

Despite 60 percent of the Upper School student body who took the survey admitting to cheating, only 20 percent of teachers think students routinely cheat on assignments. Not only do students perpetuate cheating, but the teachers who are there to monitor and stop cheating don’t see cheating as an issue at Greenhill.

With the normalization of cheating becoming so grounded by students into Greenhill’s culture, as well as teachers seeming to heavily trust the students’ respect of the honor code, the possibility of fixing this problem and reversing the perceived justifications for cheating seems impossible.

“We need to continue to put [education about cheating] at the forefront and say, ‘this is

important,’” said Mr. Worcester. “This is one component of a much larger thing. It’s not to say that people aren’t going to make mistakes, but for people to continuously turn a blind eye, for people to just accept that this is what we do, that’s what I would like to get away from.”

By making the purpose of the Honor Council more transparent to the student body, the hope is students will better understand what the council is for and the process they would undergo if they reported their classmates. With this clarity, students will hopefully have more of an incentive to go to the Honor Council with their concerns and reports, instead of ignoring and normalizing this issue.

Another way to open up the Honor Council’s processes to the student body would be to give students more accessible resources to learn and understand the Honor Council, should they need to contact the council. With the Honor Council being more open and transparent, students may feel more inclined to contact the council, especially if they feel that they wouldn’t be roped into an investigation by reporting somebody.

“Maybe [Honor Council] goes up and does a mock case at an F-Day assembly,” said Mr. Worcester. “There could be more in the student handbook to flesh out ‘here’s what happens.’”

However, changing how Greenhill perceives, normalizes and handles cheating will take time. There is no easy solution to fixing a problem that’s developed alongside Greenhill as a campus and as a community.

“When [cheating] is that pervasive, it’s hard to say that it’s anything other than something rooted in the culture of the school,” said Mr. Martinez. “That will take some time to change.”

Graphic by Michelle Liang

Special Report the

A Greenhill take on the Kavanaugh case

Photo illustration by Victoria Garcia

AN ONGOING CONVERSATION: A Greenhill student renders an artistic interpretation of the aftermath of sexual assault.

Sonia Dhingra

Online Editor-in-Chief

The divisive Senate hearings that culminated with Brett M. Kavanaugh’s accession to the U.S. Supreme Court in October continues to reverberate at Greenhill.

Reaction is echoing on two fronts: intense political discussions and reflection on the social implications of harassment.

Mr. Kavanaugh was narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court after allegations of sexual assault by a high school peer, Christine Blasey Ford, arose during his confirmation process.

Now, Greenhill administration and faculty are engaged in discussions about the nature of high school relationships, the policies needed to address sexual assault and the appropriate response in the face of such allegations.

“Even one incident of sexual harassment is a problem,” said Head of School Lee Hark.

“I want to make sure to have good policies in place, so we can make sure that if people have experienced sexual harassment, they can report it, and we handle it effectively and quickly.”

Greenhill addresses sexual harassment in its student handbook, but Mr. Hark is currently working with a group to update the language and to make sure there are clear channels for students to report incidents.

“We need to constantly review our policies to make sure they reflect best practice, the current view of our community values, the way the community is evolving and changing and the way society is changing,” he said.

Fifty years ago, people viewed sexual harassment differently than they do now, Mr. Hark said. The #MeToo movement has shown that there is a lot of buried pain that has gone unreported, and Mr. Hark hopes that is changing now.

He also advocates for more education about sexual harassment and related issues such as alcohol and substance abuse, as well as more discussion on inter-personal relationships and what a healthy relationship looks like.

“I’m not sure that we feel like we can talk openly about these issues,” said Mr. Hark.

“We do it in isolated pockets in the school, like Upper School Wellness, but I want to make sure that it’s woven throughout the curriculum in more than one moment in time. It needs to be systematic, ongoing and intentional.”

The Kavanaugh hearing also stimulated classroom discussions and conversations between students.

Sophomore Kelly Meng is among those students upset by Mr. Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

“Kavanaugh is someone that is supposed to represent America,” said Kelly. “If he did sexually assault women, then I don’t want him on the Supreme Court.”

Sophomore Meredith Roberts said the Kavanaugh hearing contributes to the fear many face about sharing their own sexual assault stories.

“It made me feel that I, as a citizen, didn’t have power and not as much of a say as I would want to,” said Meredith. “Things like this make people afraid to say something because it will be immediately dismissed. If this is how the government deals with sexual assault, then how do high schools?”

Kelly and Meredith raised the importance of recognizing sexual harassment at Greenhill.

“It feels like if we at Greenhill don’t do anything about it, then nothing will happen,” said Meredith. “We need to find a way to make sure that sexual harassment doesn’t happen at Greenhill because even if a little goes by unnoticed, it could affect the big things.”

While the Kavanaugh hearing caused many students to engage in discussions, some feel they will be judged if they share their opinion.

Sophomore Danny Enrico believes the confirmation process should have moved quicker and focused less about what Mr. Kavanaugh did in high school. At the same time, Danny said he feels uncomfortable sharing his thoughts on this subject.

“I felt I would have been undermined, not heard or taken out of context,” said Danny. “I had conversations with my parents about the types of things that I should be saying at school and whether or not I should be sharing my opinion.”

Danny hopes that Greenhill will hold

conversations with less judgement.

“I think that in the future, Greenhill could hold seminars and whatnot and focus less on bias,” said Danny. “I think everyone’s voice should be heard before judging, and when you are judging take all views into account.”

Junior William Coben said his response to the result of the hearing fluctuated because he, like Danny, had to mask his feelings at school.

“Politically speaking, I was happy when I heard the results because President Trump has put in two Supreme Court justices and that’s a victory for conservatives,” William said. “However, socially, it brought up that we tend to believe that accused means guilty.”

William also said he agreed with Donald Trump Jr.’s statement that he is more concerned for his future sons than his daughters.

“It will continue to affect men because you never know what the woman accuser can say about the man… it’s dangerous,” said William. “They can come out and accuse you decades later when you are succeeding at life and you have nothing to back yourself up except your word.”

Around the Upper School, the Kavanaugh hearing has become a big topic of discussion. In Women’s History class, some students spearheaded Project Consent, a project where they reduced the hearing to the fundamental issue of consent. They watched videos on what consent means, and as the homecoming dance came up, they made posters and pledged to start a conversation.

“I think the more we can talk about consent and the more that we can name assaults, the more comfortable people will feel coming forward,” said History Department Chair and Women’s History teacher Amy Bresie.

Upper School English teacher Andrew Mercurio also said the hearing came up in his Nature and Uses of Language class.

During a student project, students initiated a discussion about the importance of language when it comes to not dismissing the accuser but also not immediately condemning the accused. They also talked about gender roles, using the hearing as an example.

“We looked at how people might have

Graphic by Raag Venkat Source: National Sexual Violence Resource Center

responded if Dr. Ford came out yelling and angry, and Kavanaugh came out quiet, upset and crying,” Mr. Mercurio said.

He said the hearing reminded him of the grilling Anita Hill underwent after she accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

“We don’t seem to have come nearly as far as I would have liked, in terms of the language and attitudes,” said Mr. Mercurio.

“To me, it was another vivid example of how prevalent this issue has been and continues to be. Even after a year of #MeToo, there are still people who dismiss its seriousness.”

Mr. Mercurio said he was also reminded that this is not a topic for the outside world that Greenhill is somehow immune to.

“We know that we have people here who have had their lives impacted by sexual assault and rape,” said Mr. Mercurio. “We need to raise awareness that this is something that could have impacted the person to your left, or the person to your right or people around you who you are discussing it with.

We need to be more aware of better ways to discuss [sexual assault and rape] without causing harm.”

Mr. Hark has reached out to heads of schools across the country to learn about and compare the language they use in their handbooks.

“How to appropriately address sexual assault and sexual harassment is on the minds of probably every college and university administrator in the country, and should be on the minds of K-12 school administrators, too,” said Mr. Hark. “The bottom line is if there are people in our community who have experienced this or are currently experiencing this and don’t feel like they can talk to someone about it, I want to make sure that they know that the school is here to help in whatever way it can and that there are open channels of communication and clear policies about how it is handled.”

Dr. Bresie also feels the need to ensure no one at Greenhill is suffering in silence.

“The reason I wanted to do Project Consent with my students is because 35 years from now, I don’t want someone on Capitol Hill talking about how a Greenhill party ruined her life,” Dr. Bresie said.

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Images courtesy of Scott Wang and Payton Nesby

EMBRACING THE ARTISTIC SIDE: Seniors Scott Wang, Payton Nesby and Isabella Haid are the students taking AP Studio Art this school year. As the course progresses, the students will continue to express their ideas on paper, eventually submitting their best works to College Board. The top two drawings are Payton’s and the bottom two are Scott’s.

Putting visions on the canvas A look into the three-student AP Art class

Sarah Luan Staff Writer

An important part in any form of artistry is having a space to let out creative thoughts and ideas. At Greenhill, the Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art room is a place where student-artists can put their artistic visions onto a canvas.

There are only three students taking the AP 2D Art course this year: seniors Scott Wang, Isabella Haid and Payton Nesby. The students have the chance to let their imaginations flow all across the room; artworks are presented on tables, stands and even splattered directly against the walls.

Lesley Rucker, Upper School visual arts teacher, helps the students choose which path of the AP Studio Art course they should take—2D Design or Drawing. 2D Design focuses on digital imaging, graphic design, photography and collage, while Drawing focuses on traditional mediums such as painting, printmaking and other combinations of media. In both paths, students are required to create a portfolio and submit five of their best works to College Board, the organization that evaluates portfolios for college placement, to be evaluated by the end of the year.

Unlike many art electives that only last one trimester, the course stretches over the

course of an entire year.

“I think it’s just great to have a whole year to do art,” said Scott. “It’s a great way for me to express who I am and my voice through all my pieces.”

AP Studio Art is a chance to show and explain students’ thoughts in an unconventional way.

“While it’s a lot about honing [in] on the details and perfecting my craft, it’s also finding a way to convey what I’m thinking, instead of writing a paper or something more straightforward like I do in regular academic classes,” Payton said.

For the first half of the year, students are required to work on 12 breadth pieces, which are made from a variety of ideas, subject matters and media that demonstrate their use of technical skills. For the rest of the year, they work on 12 concentration pieces that altogether compose a series project that is centered on a specific topic or story.

Scott and Isabella have been touching up previous artworks for their breadth series, while Payton is in the process of creating two pieces.

Aside from the required pieces that are included in the portfolio, the students experience a free environment in the AP studio Art room. “[The class is] more freeing and less restrictive,” said Isabella. “And it’s a smaller

class so you get to know the people really well.”

Additionally, each student has a section of the wall in the AP Studio Art room to decorate as their own. There are no requirements for what can or can’t be drawn, so they have the freedom to express themselves in any way they want to.

So far, Scott is the only one to have his wall painted. He decided to paint the words “Welcome to Blue Artistic Guy’s Studio,” “Blue Artistic Guy” is the social media tag he has been going by for several years.

“Blue is my favorite color, mainly because I think it stands for profundity or wisdom,” said Scott. “It’s also really cool and calm…I mean the name just sounds great.”

While Isabella and Payton haven’t decided how to paint their walls yet, they have been thinking about what they would like displayed in their section.

“I’m not really sure what I want to put [on the wall]. It’s kind of like ‘if I put something up there it’s permanent, but if I leave nothing up there then there’s always a space for me to create’,” said Payton. “There’s always this question mark, and I kind of like that.”

According to Payton, AP Studio Art is a great way to prepare a portfolio and put something on your college application.

However, the three seniors taking the course

don’t necessarily know if they want to major art in college. AP Studio Art allows them to explore themselves artistically and continue to do something they love. All of them have been able to incorporate their interests in art to other aspects of their lives.

“It’s cool because you get to explore a lot more mediums…” said Isabella. “It’s just more fun because you chose to do it whereas, for other art classes you take just for the credit.”

Scott is involved in several communitybased organizations relating to art, including the creative-arts forum, which holds an interactive art exhibition in Greenhill’s Montgomery Library and Hope From Art, a non-profit organization in which he and other artists sell their print makings and donate the money to hospitals. Isabella would like to combine her interests in art and computer science to pursue something along the lines of digital art or animation. Payton uses her skills from art to interpret people and understand them better, that way she can go into the field of nursing. “[Art] is about finding people who think the same way as you and see the way you do,” said Payton. “I think that’s why it’s so gratifying, because once you find someone who understands why you use this pattern or this focus or this technique, it all kind of comes together.”

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wednesday, november 14, 2018

A message that needs to be heard Design Editor Riya Rangdal reviews new movie “The Hate U Give”

Riya Rangdal Design Editor

There are countless stories of people’s lives that go unheard by the public. “The Hate U Give,” directed by George Tillman Jr., gives one of these overlooked stories a platform on the big screen. To me, the movie is a coming-of-age story seen through the eyes of a 16-year-old black girl, Starr Carter, that explores the Black Lives Matter movement, gang wars, neighborhood drug trade and white privilege, providing insight into what it means to grow up black in America.

According to The New York Times article, the origin of the phrase “The Hate U Give” goes back to Tupac Shakur, a famous rapper who had “THUG LIFE” tattooed in capital letters on his torso. The article says “this phrase is an acronym for a vicious cycle of societal violence.” The acronym, which is referred to several times throughout the film, spells “The Hate U Give Little Infants F**s Everybody.” As the movie went on, I developed a deeper understanding of this acronym’s powerful meaning. Through Starr’s parents’ actions, and their effect on the children in the movie, the acronym is increasingly exemplified. In order to reach

a greater audience, Tillman directed the movie with the purpose of receiving a PG13 rating. So, he was required to censor the THUG LIFE acronym.

The Hate U Give, which is based on the book by Angie Thomas, uses THUG LIFE as its guiding principle throughout the film.

Following the daily life of Starr, the story navigates her split lives: her life at home in Garden Heights, and her life in high school at Williamson Prep. At Williamson, Starr says she becomes “Starr Version 2,” the version that “doesn’t allow anyone to call her ghetto.”

When Starr watches a white police officer shoot her childhood best friend, Khalil, her dual identity comes crashing down. This event serves as a major turning point in not only Starr’s life, but also the lives of the residents of Garden Heights. The movie depicts the aftermath of the shooting appropriately because it shows the different reactions of the residents in Garden Heights while simultaneously looking how those responses affected Starr.

The film isn’t designed to draw sympathy for black people but to spread awareness of a certain black lifestyle that is prominent in America. The actors, director and author hoped people would leave the

film with a better understanding of this difficult lifestyle.

A specific scene in the movie that really hit me was when the students at Williamson ditched school to protest Khalil’s death. Although this seemed like a very compassionate and kind gesture by the students, it is later revealed that the students only protested the shooting so they could avoid their exams that day. Starr is shocked by the actions of her so-called “friends.”

This action showed me how people will use any excuse, especially one that boosts their social standing, just for their own benefit.

There are many relatable scenes in The Hate U Give that showcase the internal and external struggles of the lifestyle Starr, her family and her neighborhood live. However, there are powerful moments as well, like when her community comes together as a family. Seeing that scene really hammered home one of the themes of the movie for me, which is that there will always be lows in life, but the highs that come between them can be more than worth it.

Throughout the movie, the ups and downs in Starr’s life come together to tell a beautiful story of loyalty, the power of language and community, which are balanced out by ideas of dual identity,

Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

racism, police brutality, poverty and crime.

This harmonization is what had me both holding back tears and laugh hysterically.

The roller coaster of emotions and the exposure to life in an adverse environment that the movie offers is the primary reason why I recommend it so strongly.

Bravura performance: Terry Martin’s one-man tour-de-force

Photo courtesy of Terry Martin

STAR OF THE SHOW: Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin performed the one-man play “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” at Second Thought Theatre on the weekends of Oct. 12 and 19 to celebrate LGBTQ+ History month. In the play, the protagonist of the play, Chuck DeSantis investigates the disappearance of 14-year-old Leonard Pelkey.

Emma Light

Social Media Editor

Alyssa Miller Asst. Arts Editor

Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin took on the role of performing a one-man play called “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” on the weekends of Oct. 12 and 19. His play took place at “Second Thought Theatre” during its celebration of LGBTQ+ history month.

The range of Mr. Martin’s performance includes the protagonist of the story: a detective living in present day New Jersey named Chuck DeSantis. When a missing person’s report is filed, DeSantis begins investigating the whereabouts of 14-year-old Leonard Pelkey. He speaks to many people throughout the town who have had interactions with Leonard and each person speaks of how Leonard has impacted their lives in a unique way.

Mr. Martin had been anticipating this

performance for over a year. He began rehearsing last May with an initial plan to perform the play in August. The demands of the school year led to the reschedule the play to October so that he could have more time to rehearse.

The off-Broadway play was originally written by James Lecesne, a friend who Mr. Martin met when he was an actor living in New York City.

The 70-minute mystery holds a deeper message about how everyone has a place in this world.

“This is a story that I felt I needed to share with the world and the people that came to see it,” Mr. Martin said.

As the play goes on, Mr. Martin reveals that Leonard does not fit in with his classmates and is exposed to bullying because of his sexuality and stand-out personality. His classmates do not appreciate his personal style and tease him about his extracurricular activities, such as singing and acting.

Mr. Martin feels that the story of Leon-

ard Pelkey is one that he wants to share, no matter the time commitment. His schedule allows for little time to act, but when the opportunity presented itself, he knew he had to take it.

“This story in particular was an important one to share and it was important enough to devote that much time and work into it,” Mr. Martin said.

Since the performance is a one-man show, Mr. Martin said that he should have been practicing 35 hours a week. Due to his hectic schedule but he only had the time to practice two hours each day, six days a week prior to his performance. Even though he is the only actor in the play, he hired a director, who is an old friend, to rehearse lines with him, run dress rehearsals and guide him through practice prior to performances.

Mr. Martin said performing the play was rewarding but also challenging since he had to memorize several different characters’ lines.

The performance was initially nerve-

wracking for Mr. Martin because he did not know how the audience was going to react or how they were going to perceive the play.

“The exciting part for me was finally getting an audience and seeing the energy that comes from people watching,” Mr. Martin said.

The play ends with the message of being yourself despite what others think. This message behind the play is what inspired Mr. Martin to take on the challenge of performing the play.

When asked about Greenhill’s role in the preparation of the play, Mr. Martin said that the school’s environment reflects the overall message of the play.

“I work at a place that believes whole heartedly in the message behind the play, which is that every single person and every single individual has a place and a power,” Mr. Martin said.

arts 15 Evergreen Theater students perform “Our Country’s Good”

wednesday, november 14, 2018

the

Natalie Gonchar Views Editor

This past weekend, the fall drama premiered in the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center, and it was like no other Greenhill production. By choosing “Our Country’s Good,” Upper School drama and theatre teacher Valerie Hauss-Smith hopes to raise the sophistication of the production by incorporating different stage layouts, props (including 2 tons of sand) and combat training.

“I have thrown down the gauntlet and they are rising to the challenge,” Ms. HaussSmith said.

“Our Country’s Good” is about the first group of British convicts sent to Australia.

It shows how the prison guards and prisoners tried to define their relationships in the new colony, as well as the local indigenous people seeing these colonizers and invaders coming in and how that affects their lives.

The preparations for this show consisted of memorizing a script, learning handto-hand combat from an intense stage fighting class and working on transforming into multiple characters throughout the performance.

There are only 13 actors, but this specific play features 22 roles. Some actors had to learn and perform at least two roles.

Each role would have different accents, statuses and gender roles.

Junior Timothy Owens played Gov. Arthur Phillip, the leader of the convicts, and Midshipman Harry Brewer, a low level navy officer as his two largest character roles. In total, he played three different characters, and even played multiple char-

Photo by Will Barron

PERFORM WITH PASSION: Kate Franklin (left) and Timothy Owens act out a scene. The performance included many fight scenes as well as actors playing multiple characters.

actors in one scene.

“I think the nature of this show is constantly shifting and that’s the reason doubling is used, to show the different sides of the story,” Timothy said. “Despite the difficult material, the actors pushed themselves to work harder in order to perfect this show.

The first obstacle the actors faced was mastering different accents. To help them improve this skill, Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin held a class for the actors to learn realistic British accents.

“They worked very hard at changing their voices and accents and, in addition to that, doing that accent as a male or female character,” said Ms. Hauss-Smith. “It was a very intense process.”

The actors got “off book” in early October, which allowed them to perfect the accents, add the movements and combat.

When an actor is “off book,” it means they are no longer allowed to use their scripts during rehearsals.

“

You see the fight scenes and they’re just brutal. We were watching yesterday, Caroline Sasso and Sophia Brisbon just beat each other up. The sand was just flying everywhere.”

the whole character,” Ms. Hauss-Smith said.

The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family Studio Theater open layout and moveable chairs allowed for a lot of freedom with the stage setup. By rearranging the stage from the original setup into a “traverse,” runway-like stage, the audience was able to interact not only with the actors, but also with the other members of the audience.

“What is wonderful about this space is that you can also call it an arena,” Ms. Hauss-Smith said.

To perfect the hand-to-hand combat scenes, the actors went through an hourlong workshop with Mitchell Stevens, a longtime friend of Ms. Hauss-Smith.

These combat scenes were incorporated to express how the prison system could drive people to such violent breaking points.

“You see the fight scenes and they’re just brutal,” Timothy said. “[Junior] Caroline Sasso and [senior] Sophia Brisbon just beat each other up and the sand flies everywhere.”

Ms. Hauss-Smith chose this play because of its difficulty and because it is a female play. The entire theatre department was very excited to premiere this project on Nov. 9 and they hope to broaden their horizons in the upcoming years.

“The message in there is that we need to speak to each other like human beings; to treat each other kindly,” said Ms. HaussSmith. “That is a message we need nowadays.”

“[Getting off book early] gives them the chance to be able to really encompass

SAVE THE DATE!

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Unequal enforcement of HPC dress code causes frustration

Photo illustration by Alexa Derryberry

YOU CAN’T WEAR THAT: Some female athletes at Greenhill say the High Performance Center has enforced its dress code inconsistently, kicking out girls for wearing tank tops and spandex shorts while allowing male athletes to wear tank tops and crop tops.

Caroline Simpson Views Editor Mira Jungerman News Editor When a student-athlete enters Greenhill’s High Performance Center (HPC), a vague statement on a poster of general rules dictates the dress code: “Appropriate workout attire required at all times.”

There is an ongoing debate among Greenhill athletes regarding whether or not the definition of appropriate workout attire is equally applied across genders. Many female student-athletes feel that these rules are inconsistently enforced.

Senior Heidi Koehler, a member of the girls varsity volleyball team, said she was asked to leave the HPC because she had forgotten a change of shorts for a postpractice lifting session; she was wearing the same spandex she wore for that day’s practice.

Before she had the chance to begin her first set of exercises, a coach approached

her and asked her to leave until she could find a pair of shorts that the coach deemed appropriate.

“As I was walking out, I noticed that there was a boy in the HPC that was in a tank top,” Heidi said. “The apparel rules are in place because coaches believe the prohibited articles of clothing are distracting, so I pointed out the boy wearing a tank top and said I thought that it was distracting too.

Then I left.”

Besides the sign, information regarding the dress code is verbally communicated by the coaches in the HPC, under the basic premise of no tank tops, crop tops or spandex.

HPC coach Gillian Glengarry said that the reasons behind the dress code include uniformity among teams, health (preventing students from laying down on benches with sweat and bacteria) and “distracting” clothing.

“I believe dress attire should not be a cause of distraction when teams lift in the HPC,” said Coach Glengarry. “For example, when girls are doing bear crawls, some

Winter Sports Schedules Boys Basketball Schedule:

11/29 @ Bishop Lynch Tournement

11/13 @ Richland High School

12/4 vs. Grapevine Faith

11/15 @ Prestonwood Christian

Girls Soccer Schedule:

11/27 vs. Liberty Christian

11/27 vs. John Paul II High School

Boys Soccer Schedule:

11/30 vs. Trinity Valley School

11/15 vs. Bishop Lynch High School

12/4 @ Episcopal School of Dallas

11/27 @ John Paul II High School

Swimming Schedule:

12/1 vs. Casady School

11/16 @ LISD Aquatic Center West

Girls Basketball Shedule:

11/28 @ Greenhill School

11/27 @ Liberty Christian School

12/5 @ Greenhill School

shorts are entirely too short.”

Coach Glengarry said the co-ed environment in the weight room affects the dress code.

“If there’s all girls in the HPC, I have no problem,” Coach Glengarry said.

Many student-athletes said their team uniform violates the HPC’s dress code policy. They find the HPC dress code to be problematic.

Girls volleyball is one of these teams, as spandex is part of both their practice and game day uniforms. For this reason, HPC coaches request that they bring a change of shorts to practice on the days they have a lift in the HPC. Senior Megan Olomu is a member of the girls varsity volleyball team, as well as the girls varsity basketball team, whose uniform requires a tank top.

“I think if it’s part of your uniform you should be able to work out in it,” Megan said.

Some athletes also find there to be inconsistencies in how the dress code is enforced, as it depends on which coach is

working in the HPC at the time.

JT Herrscher, a member of the boys varsity football and track teams, said he has personally experienced inconsistent enforcement.

“Some coaches let me wear crop tops and never say a word while others demand that I wear a full shirt,” said JT. “It just depends on the coach that happens to be working in the HPC at that given time.”

Coach Stephen Hopkins, another member of the HPC coaching staff, said he lets athletes wear whatever they want.

“I honestly don’t enforce a dress code. I let them do their thing,” said Coach Hopkins.

“If there’s an issue, [Coach Glengarry] will usually let me know.”

The reasoning behind the strict dress code and inconsistent enforcement has sparked the reaction of students who do not believe distraction is enough of a reason to kick athletes out of a workout.

“If the point is to prevent distraction for boys, then that’s a boy problem, not a girl problem,” Megan said.

Coach Glengarry said that she often witnesses males being distracted by females wearing spandex in the HPC during specific exercises. These types of distractions take away from the limited time she has to work with the athletes.

“I don’t see the girls being as distracted as often as the boys when teams come into the HPC,” said Coach Glengarry. “[The girls’ distraction] is to a much lesser degree.”

The coaches in the HPC have less than an hour of the athlete’s time during sessions that occur one to three times each week.

Coach Glengarry explained that in order to complete a workout in this short window of time, focus is required to maximize efficacy.

“It becomes much more of a struggle to lead HPC sessions with these distractions that cause a lack of focus. I don’t want the dress attire to take away from people’s experiences in the gym,” Coach Glengarry said.

Coach Hopkins has coached at other schools and said those other programs had more organized dress codes.

“Team coaches outlined the guidelines to athletes or provided them with something to wear,” Coach Hopkins said. “Other programs have set attire for their kids when they are lifting, and I think that’d work well here.”

HPC coaches said they are working through the issues as they have been getting pushback and hope to begin enforcing the dress code consistently, regardless of the coach or gender of the athlete.

wednesday, november 14, 2018

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The brain games

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Understanding the mental side of Greenhill Sports Jake Middleman Sports Editor

Darryn Sandler sits at his desk, pondering what words of motivation he wants to deliver to his girls varsity basketball team. Before every game, he writes a motivational letter to each player.

Coach Sandler’s letters are his approach to creating mental toughness in his players, something that all sports require. The letters he writes incorporate a quote pertaining to that individual player’s week of practice or goals for the upcoming game. Each year in non-conference play, Coach Sandler organizes a difficult schedule to prepare his players and give them experience in tough situations.

All athletes have different mindsets before entering a game. There is something in each player that pushes them to perform at their best. Whether it is present on the field, court or track, Greenhill studentathletes have different plans and strategies to reach the best mentality before stepping into a game.

“Mental toughness to me means that you‘re confident and not fazed in times of adversity,” said Coach Sandler. “We can simulate things in practice, but until you learn and grow from adverse situations during games, you don’t know how to be mentally tough in the most adverse situations.

One of the winningest football coaches of all time, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, thinks mental toughness means having the capability to push your body to its maximum limits.

Photo courtesy of Samantha Ungerman

GAME READY: Field hockey players gather around Coach Brittany Johnson to read and discuss a book that talks about improving their mental approach to the game.

“Football games are won before players ever take the field,” Coach Belichick famously said. “An opponent’s weakness should be exploited. Preparation can make victory a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Greenhill coaches have developed similar philosophies.

Jason Yaffe, head boys and girls cross country coach, has many different ideas on how to develop a runner’’s mindset.

The special type of mentality cross country requires makes it different from any other sport, he said. He feels that runners should be prepared days before their race, both

physically and mentally.

“I tell the athletes preparing for a meet is a process,” said Coach Yaffe, “I don’t want to downplay that moment and that competitive drive, but for every race opportunity with a distance runner there is an opportunity to move forward and learn lessons along the way while keeping your sight on a long-term goal.”

Boys Soccer head coach Greg Krauss believes mental toughness is something that can be developed through tough situations, which he simulates in practice. He tries to inspire his team as a group before games,

but feels it’s more important to grow each player’s mindset individually.

“Mental toughness is achieved by striving to get each player to where they need to be individually, to compete at the highest level,” he said.

Coach Krauss instills a positive mindset within his players because he believes it grows their mentality in a positive way.

“I really try to focus on the positive outcomes that should exist and help players try to see what could be possible if they perform at a high level,” Coach Krauss said.

Field Hockey head coach Brittany Johnson, decided to have her team read “Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence.” Coach Johnson uses the book to cover many mental aspects of sports to help her players compete harder than their opponents.

“At different points throughout the season, we’ve gone to the book to talk about believing in ourselves, attitude, fear, being present and dealing with pressure,” she said.

Coach Johnson believes being mentally strong means you can take whatever challenges come your way, acknowledge them, and then move on and focus on yourself without a drop in level of play.

“We often use the phrase, ‘control the controllables,’ which reminds us to focus on what we can do and what we can change,” said Coach Johnson. “I think being mentally strong means that you have that awareness and capability.”

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The evolution of esports

Coaches unconvinced that eSports are worthy of athletics credit Jeffrey Harberg Editor-in-Chief

On Oct. 19, 1972, two-dozen students gathered around a DEC PDP-10 computer in Stanford University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The lab was one of only a few in the world with hardware capable of running Spacewar, a multiplayer game with two spaceships and the objective of destroying the other player’s ship. The students participated in a competition, with the champion earning a year’s subscription to Rolling Stone.

This competition of 24 students was the birth of eSports, which is now an industry with millions of players. Yet, Greenhill has somehow remained largely untouched by this worldwide phenomenon.

Since the beginning of organized sports, an athlete’s ability to run fast, hit hard and shoot straight has been essential to their success. Hours in the gym would add up to a rewarding physique, and the brain was irrelevant if an athlete couldn’t compete physically.

ESports have arrived, and they are turning the tables.

The mind and fingers are an athlete’s most powerful weapons, and people are riding them all the way to multi-million dollar rewards and college scholarships.

The University of Utah and Indiana Tech are just some of the schools that are offering scholarships for Esports, according to scholarships.

Photo from staticflickr.com

GAMING PHENOMENON: (left)Viewers gather to watch a video game tournament in a very large stadium allowing many people to gather and watch. (right) Players focus intensely on thier competative video gaming experience siting alongside each other.

com. Now, Greenhill is catching up to the hype; students across campus are getting involved in the games.

ESports are multiplayer video games played competitively for spectators. There are different eSports leagues with a variety of games and winners can earn large sums of money.

Some popular eSport games include Rocket League, Fortnite, Overwatch, Madden, Fifa, Dota 2 and League of Legends. At “The International 2018,” the largest eSports tournament in the world, the winning team won over $11.2 million, according to “eSports Earnings.” The team consisted of five players and they beat 17 other teams in Dota 2.

Elan said that he thinks of eSports the same way he thinks of traditional sports, such as basketball and football, because eSports require just as much strategy and have a large following.

The same way a football team needs to prepare for the opponent’s defenses and offenses by watching formations and practicing form, many eSports require practice in mouse and map movement.

Players study the weapons and learn how to protect themselves in certain situations.

“ESports are as strategic as any other sport,” Elan said. “[ESports] require coaching, practice and thinking just like football or basketball.”

While eSports are on the rise, Greenhill has yet to incorporate any competitive gaming into its curriculum or the Athletics Department. Head of Athletics and Physical Education Chad Wabrek said that the Athletics Department has yet to discuss adding eSports into its department, but discussions would likely not lead to the addition of eSports.

“Despite its popularity and despite its scholarships, there

appears to be a missing component of fitness with [eSports] that, to the Athletics Department, is at the core of what we do,” Coach Wabrek said.

Although eSports require coaching and strategizing, Coach Wabrek thinks they should be considered similar to Greenhill’s Quiz Bowl team. He said he would consider creating a space in the Philips Family Athletic Center for gamers, but it would take away from the priority of the department, which is physical fitness.

Junior Evan McNeal, who has been playing Esports since he was 13, said that eSports belong on Greenhill’s campus but should be offered as a computer credit or a club. He agrees with Mr. Wabrek’s statement that the Athletics Department is more for physical sports.

Evan said he likes that people of all athletic abilities can both play

A 5 kilometer family

and enjoy eSports.

“If you’re good at [eSports], you make a lot of money in it, and if you’re not good at [eSports] you still have fun playing them,” he said.

Elan said that he enjoys them because they pass the time and he is able to build bonds with the random people he competes with. He would be open to playing basketball in the winter and an eSport during a different sports season if the Athletics Department added gaming.

Elan said that a compromise can be made in terms of where eSports belong on campus, but eSports should be available nonetheless.

“ESports in general are gaining popularity and people are willing to play them at a competitive level but there is no option for them to do it here,” Elan said. “I think that [eSports] should be available at Greenhill.”

Cross country team shares close connection on and off the track Sonali Notani Arts Editor

Greenhill’s cross-country team has formed a bond over the past few seasons that extends far beyond the running trails.

Although cross-country is considered an individual sport, the blood, sweat and tears this team has persevered through together has created a team that feels like a family, team members said.

“If people only look at cross-country as an individual sport, they are missing the big picture,” said junior Kaiti Ness. “I could never get through what I get through in cross-country without my teammates because they are always motivating me and pushing me to be better. We always want what is best for each other.”

All the members share a common passion: running. Practices, meets and long hours of training and suffering have given the team the chance to get to know one another at their weakest.

“We are all hurting together,” said junior Maddie Hatfield. “We are all running together. We build our mental toughness and get stronger together.”

This year, the captains of the boys cross-country team are seniors David Bell, Sam Bovard, Harrison Heymann, Tyler Pitts and Jacob Shepherd. The girls’ captains are Ariana Carr, Maddie Hatfield, Kyra Moran and Kaiti Ness. According to the runners, the seniors of the past year played a huge role in bringing this year’s team together.

“The way the seniors hung out with

us outside of practice and included the underclassmen last year made the team a lot closer and helped create a family-like atmosphere,” said junior Mohan Desai.

To bring everyone together, the girls team has a certain ritual before each of their meets. Before the race, all of the girls write a motivational word on their arm. Many times, they write “women” to make them feel empowered as they run.

“During the race, the one thing that comes to mind is the word we wrote on our arm, and it pushes us forward,” said Kaiti.

Occasionally, when someone cannot make it to the meet, the girls’ team writes the names of their missing teammates on their arms.

“We really abuse the Sharpie,” said Maddie.

The mental aspect of cross-country is one of the key bonding factors for the team members. Runners have to stay completely focused for the entire five-kilometer race to run at their peak fitness level. While running together during practice, team members help each other work on their race mindset.

“It is our attitude towards running that brings us together; [cross-country] is a big mental sport,” said Kaiti. “If you have a poor attitude, you don’t connect as well with your other teammates.”

In cross-country, a team’s score is calculated by adding up the finishing place of its top five runners. The team with the lowest overall score is the winner. Therefore, multiple people on the team have to contribute in order for the team to do well.

Photo by Dulany Bloom

STICKING TOGETHER: The varsity cross country team posing for a picture on the Tom Perryman Athletic Center Steps (TPAC) right before warming up for a long practice.

“Everyone must work together, you can’t just have one fast runner,” said junior Kai Hashimoto. “I feel like I have more purpose running on this team than if I was just running by myself because I know I am a part of something greater than myself.”

In early August, eight members of the cross-country team took a trip to Philadelphia for a preseason camp at head coach Jason Yaffe’s parents’ house. The time

they spent living together for five days allowed the team to really get to know each other and create a connection that will last years beyond the time they spent running together at Greenhill.

“I’m going to miss everyone [after we graduate],” said Maddie. “I will miss running the hardest workouts and just falling over at the end, but having a teammate to come pick me up.”

wednesday, november 14, 2018

the Evergreen

afterwords

19

Letter from the Editors Our refusal to accept intolerance: A response to the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh ica.

Hatred and discrimination are alive and well in Amer-

On Saturday, Oct. 27, Robert Bowers stormed into a baby-naming ceremony at the Tree of Life congregation in Pittsburgh. Shouting hateful phrases at the Jews in the service, he opened fire and killed 11 congregants. Six were injured, including four police officers responding to the scene.

On Oct. 28, just one day after the shooting, Congregation Shearith Israel of Dallas invited people of all ethnicities, religion and races to a memorial service in honor of the victims in Pittsburgh. Over 700 people attended the service; the synagogue’s sanctuary overflowed with Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

“We will protect you,” said Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall, speaking directly to the Jewish community in the service.

In Pittsburgh, blood banks stayed open late. The Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team collected money from their fans before a home game. That community has come together with the message that we all share humanity despite having different religious backgrounds.

Celebrate Mercy and MPower Change, two national Muslim organizations, raised over $200,000 in just two days after the shooting to pay for the funerals and medical expenses of the victims. Wasi Mohamed, the executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, was one of the people spearheading the campaign. At an interfaith vigil held in Pittsburgh following the shooting, he proclaimed that he and other Muslims would do anything to help Tree of Life congregation.

“If it’s people standing outside of your service protecting you, let us know,” he said. “We’ll be there.”

After the shooting, we showed that we know how to respond to hate. We know how to rally beside our fellow Americans when their freedoms are being attacked. We know what needs to be done to support the victims that need emotional and financial help.

From now on, we must continue to demonstrate these acts of sympathy and respect. These reactions are the only acceptable reactions following a tragic event like this one.

After opening fire on the congregation, Robert Bowers said that he “wanted all Jews to die.” Communities all over the country rejected this intolerance and promised to fight hatred to ensure that no other race, religion, or creed will

Our Editorial Policy

The Evergreen is an independent, student-run newspaper serving the Greenhill community. It is printed six times during the school year. Print circulation is 1000 copies. Past issues are available for online viewing at issuu.com/ghevergreen.

The newspaper’s goal is to help the local community interpret campus, local, national and international events through articles and editorials written and edited by students. The Evergreen aims to fulfill its agenda with policies of integrity and upholds a stringent code of ethics that values honesty, accuracy and responsibility.

The Evergreen reserves the right to edit submitted

Photo courtesy of Google Images

TRIBUTES TO THE VICTIMS OF THE SYNAGOGUE PITTSBURGH SHOOTING: Friends and family of the victims leave flowers and other tributes to show their support and affection for the losses in their Pittsburgh community.

have to endure this type of tragedy. We must remember this promise and continue this exemplary support every time it is needed.

The world responded to such a terrible act with love and compassion. We are in a place where responding to hate with more hate is a recipe for disaster. The nation has experienced hundreds of attacks in recent years, ranging from small to large, and no two responses to a tragedy have been the same.

However, responses after the Pittsburgh shooting are the epitome of unity and solidarity, which is exactly what the country needs in times like these. We answered in a way that

lifted up those around us. The responses to this event should serve as a model for how we as a school, a community and a nation respond to intolerance in any form.

We know that the behavior exhibited by Robert Bowers is one of spite for the Jewish people. We are proud of our nation’s response to this horrific event and will continue our refusal to accept intolerance.

material for accuracy, grammar and length. The Evergreen will not publish any materials that fall under the Supreme Court’s definition of unprotected speech: works that are libelous, obscene or invasions of privacy.

All accounts of deaths and other personal issues will be printed only with family consent.

Letters to the Editor are encouraged provided that they fall under protected speech. Any letters that are considered attacks on a plan or proposal will be shown to the person the letter most likely affects. All individuals will have a chance to respond to criticism in a letter. The Evergreen reserves the right to not publish letters they deem unfit for print.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

The Staff Editorial represents the opinions of The Evergreen staff, not necessarily that of Greenhill School.

Similarly, individual columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Evergreen or Greenhill School.

The Evergreen does not submit to censorship and believes in the First Amendment rights for student journalists.

Suggestions, critiques, and complaints are welcomed and encouraged. The paper encourages businesses to advertise in The Evergreen but reserves the right to refuse an advertisement. All business inquiries should be directed to Ryan Wimberly at wimberlyr@greenhill.org.

written by Hayden Jacobs and Jeffrey Harberg

20

the Evergreen

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wednesday, november 14, 2018

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust 1 (15oz) can of pumpkin puree 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Steps 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients 1 cup (200g) of sugar 1 cup (250 ml) of water 1 12oz cup of fresh cranberries

Steps 1. Rinse the cranberries.

2. Add the sugar to the water in a medium saucepan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add cranberries to the water and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Remove saucepan from heat and let it cool completely.

Enjoy!

Comic by Hannah Fox