December 2024 | The Evergreen, Greenhill School

Making the Grade

As Greenhill implements new policies, students and teachers reflect on the mental toll of academic success. Page 12

Graphic by Christan Park

Jr. ’77

Jewels.

History Department Hosts Q&A Series

In the runup to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Upper School History Department Chair Amy Bresie ’96, Upper School history teacher Scott Cotton and Director of Academics Jason Yaffe introduced a set of seminars to help students better understand the historic event.

Spread across three months with one session per month, each seminar built on the next. This way, students could learn about all aspects of the election.

The first seminar on Sept. 25 gave an overview of the election process, the second on Oct. 16 went over major policy issues and the third on Nov. 1 covered what would happen on Election Day.

“Overall, we’re just trying to educate them on everything regarding the election,” Cotton said. “So, we went in the order of process, policies and then polling or interpreting election results to try and meet [students’] needs.”

Purpose

Bresie says that she saw the need for these sessions based on conversations she’s had with students.

“Just talking to students, it was clear that students were interested in the election,

but they were sometimes missing big pieces of information,” said Bresie. “Some of the questions that we were getting asked in class led us to believe that maybe we should talk about how everything works.”

For Cotton, this is especially true since the election is in the first semester, meaning three-fourths of Upper School students have yet to take a proper government course.

“We sort of realized that most students here haven’t taken government yet, and they may not understand how election night is going to go,” Cotton said. “We’re trying to hit a wide audience, but we’re specifically thinking about those students who just don’t know much about the process.”

Structure of Seminars

For each of these sessions, Bresie and Cotton opted for a question-and-answer format over having guest speakers or presentations, which they have tried in the past.

“I think people genuinely have questions, and especially around election time everybody thinks they know things, but they don’t really know,” said Bresie. “I think providing a space for people to ask honest questions and receive honest answers is valuable, and I think there’s real value in letting someone ask a question that they might not feel comfortable asking in another setting.”

Instead of just presenting information, the teachers asked the students what they

knew. They then filled in important gaps of knowledge, according to sophomore Paylin Barnes, who attended the first session.

For some students, including Barnes, this format was a more digestible way of learning this new information.

“I think the Q&A format was really the best way to do it, and it felt more like a conversation rather than them just talking at us,” said Barnes.

However, since the sessions built on each other, it was best for students to attend all three sessions to not feel lost or lacking information.

“I think people should attend these to learn more about their country, but I feel like [since] these sessions build on each other, they might be confused about topics discussed in later discussions,” sophomore Geneva Smith Kuzmich wrote in a short survey sent out by the Evergreen to attendees.

Takeaways

After attending the first session, sophomore Charlotte Faems says she gained a better understanding of how the election proceeded.

“I’m in tune with what’s going on, but there’s always been a bit of a gray spot with understanding how things work, and I don’t really know how a lot of it works,” Faems said. “I think that having somewhere that we could go to learn more about it was a really nice opportunity.”

I think providing a space for people to ask honest questions and receive honest answers is valuable, and I think there’s real value in letting someone ask a question that they might not feel comfortable asking in another setting.”

As sessions moved toward discussing policies and candidates, the potential for inserting personal bias into these instructive sessions increased. Bresie says that they made sure everything presented was factbased so students could form their own

opinions.

“It’s easier in some cases than in others, but if someone asks a question, I really try to respond with a factual answer,” Bresie said. “Most of the questions I’m asked about policies and such are really asked from the point of view of someone genuinely wanting an answer, so I try to keep that spirit and give them the information they need to make their own decision.”

I’m in tune with what’s going on, but there’s always been a bit of a gray spot with understanding how things work, and I don’t really know how a lot of it works. I think that having somewhere that we could go to learn more about it was a really nice opportunity.”

Similar to what Bresie said, some students had questions about specific voter patterns that they wanted to understand better, which led them to attend the second Q&A session.

“I saw the news about Latino voters trending towards Trump, which caught my eye considering Trump’s clear stance against immigrants and outward racist rhetoric,” sophomore Sidrah Tarpeh wrote. “It was interesting to me, and I wanted to know more, so I went for some answers.”

Along with the Q&A, Bresie and Cotton supplemented the sessions with infographics to make the information easier to process.

“I felt like I learned what I wanted to know, and they were very in-depth, showed many graphs and explained any questions that people had,” Smith Kuzmich wrote. “There’s more to be learned, of course, but I have a basic understanding of this upcoming election and U.S. elections as a whole.”

As Bresie sees it, it’s important for students to understand how the system works as they get older and become eligible to vote, so they can get more involved in the process. By hosting these sessions, she says that she hopes students will become more proactive political members of their communities.

“I think if we want to build a group of people who care about issues and politics, we start with the basic building blocks and we get people involved,” Bresie said. “There are a lot of things that happen in high school that push politics down the ladder, and we want to make sure that it’s at the top.”

Evie Kwei

Scott Cotton

ELECTION INSIGHTS: Upper School history teacher Scott Cotton leads a Q&A session to discuss and learn about the 2024 U.S. presidential election process.

Photo by Nora Ahearn

Amy Bresie

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Every fall, the State Fair of Texas in Dallas welcomes around 2 million people. Among the patrons are members of the Greenhill community of all ages. For students in Greenhill’s Primer class, the fair is the destination for an annual field trip. The fair is a celebration of the culture, food and traditions of the Lone Star State. Known for its massive scale, the fairgrounds span 277 acres, allowing for a wide array of attractions that showcase Texas characteristics and history. Attractions include the Midway, the strip where more than 70 rides and countless carnival games can be found, creative fried foods, live music performances and livestock competitions.

The event also showcases iconic landmarks like Big Tex, a 55-foot tall cowboy statue that serves as the fair’s official greeter, and the Texas Star, one of the tallest Ferris wheels in North America at 212-feet tall. Other prominent attractions include the livestock exhibits, which include horse shows and rodeos.

The Evergreen spoke with Greenhill community members to gather their fondest memories of this year’s fair.

“I love the cotton candy bacon because it has a mixture of savory and sweet flavors. I kept on going back to get more, I think I had around three.”

– sophomore Savanna Smith

“The kids love to see Big Tex for real. We study Big Tex, we talk about how big the measurements of his head and boots are and then we tie math into it. They get really excited about it, so it’s just something to grab their attention.”

– Primer teacher Janice LaMendola

“The most exciting part of the fair is the pig races; they are adorable. They bring out this 1,000-pound pig first, the one who used to race years ago, and then they bring out the little ones.”

– Upper School English teacher Linda Woolley

“My favorite Texas State Fair game is dart throwing because it is super fun and easy and I won a unicorn prize that I gave to my girlfriend.”

– sophomore Ahan Jain

“My family is big on the Texas Auto Show, so it’s my favorite attraction, and it’s what keeps bringing us back every year.”

– senior Claire Koehler

Sadie Werner, Vivian White

Photos by Evie Kwei and Vivian White

Evergreen

Rivera Implements New Club Regulations

Aria Kutty, Scarlett Song

Over the past few years, Upper School administrators and faculty have tried schedule tweaks and other changes to create a more robust club environment.

The results have been mixed, in the view of many students.

Now, new Student Activities Administrator Kira Rivera has initiated more sweeping changes to govern the creation and running of clubs this year.

Under the new structure, students who want to start or continue a club must complete a comprehensive application that outlines the group’s purpose and its benefit to the Greenhill community. After reviewing the application with a faculty committee, Rivera either approves the club, recommends a merger with another club, or rejects the proposal.

“I wanted to help the students who had good ideas and make sure that they could create a club that is meaningful, and that people actually want to participate in,” Rivera said.

These updated procedures stem from feedback Rivera gathered during summer meetings, where the lack of student participation and organization within clubs emerged as major concerns.

“I heard that sometimes clubs would meet but there wasn’t anyone there and nothing was happening,” Rivera said.

Although the 2022-2023 school year introduced a new Upper School schedule with built-in club times, many students use these breaks to relax or catch up on homework instead of attending club meetings.

“I know that clubs have not been as effective as they can be, but I do not think that was because of a lack of regulation or oversight from teachers,” said senior Neha Bachu, a leader of the Political Action Club. “I think the main issue these past few years has been that students are really busy and do not want to use their free time to attend a club meeting.”

Rivera, however, hopes the new structure she has implemented will address this issue and make clubs more engaging.

“I want to make clubs something worth going to,” she said.

Creating Structure

At the start of the year, Rivera required club leaders to fill out a year-long action plan. Within the plan, leaders had to detail their goals for the year and how they will achieve them. Leaders also had to schedule and create an agenda for at least seven meeting times for the school year.

“It’s not that I think that leaders don’t want to plan, it may just be that they don’t know how to plan,” Rivera said. “I wanted to help those students who had good ideas actually execute those ideas.”

Some students say they felt that aspects of the plan were not needed. For the Political Action Club specifically, Bachu says it was difficult to plan meetings ahead of time, due to the unpredictable nature of this election cycle.

“I think having to plan all meetings so far in advance is a little unnecessary because obviously things are going to be constantly changing,” said Bachu.

Rivera, however, maintains that this change is vital to ensure that clubs are purposeful and organized.

“I am not trying to micromanage students,” she said. “I just wanted to provide a platform for kids to write their ideas down and to come up with a plan for what they are inviting people into.”

In addition, all club leaders, as well as board members, affinity group

they were informed about the importance of their responsibilities as leaders, and leaders signed the contract during the second meeting. At subsequent meetings, Rivera discussed fundraising, leadership and organization with club leaders.

“Clubs can be as fun or as serious as students want them to be as long as the club is actually doing something,” Rivera said.

“It’s been a process of working with people who have been here a while and seeing what needs to change and what can be helpful in the long run.”

Student Opinions

There have been mixed feelings within the student body regarding the recent changes. One key concern is over club mergers, now dubbed “club collaborations.”

Senior Megan Cleary is a co-president of the club Hornet Mental Health. Following the application process, her club was merged with a club called Peace of Mind.

“Merging our clubs was frustrating for us,” Cleary said. “They were two separate clubs for a reason. I think merging clubs is

taking away some of our freedom.”

Senior Kendall Poglitsch, a founder of Peace of Mind, decided to dissolve her club following the merger. Like Cleary, she felt that the clubs were not similar.

“It was frustrating to me because I didn’t want the club that we were merged with to have to change their entire plan to accommodate us as well,” said Poglitsch.

Junior Valentina Casas-Sayek’s club for blood cancer awareness was combined with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. In contrast, she had a more positive experience with the change.

“At first we thought it wouldn’t work out since we are two different organizations,” Casas-Sayek said. “But we found a way to make it work in a way that would benefit both of us.”

Another concern raised by club leaders is the added advanced structure required for clubs.

“It makes it more rigid on how we run things, which can be hard because every club is so different,” said senior Prabath Girish, leader of Youth in Government. “It has made it harder for some clubs to have their own individual ways of functioning, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.”

Despite some hardships, many students see the changes as an opportunity for growth. For example, Girish has found it a lot easier to communicate with adults about questions or concerns this year.

“We were able to get in contact with Mrs. Rivera really early and she was able to help us,” Girish said. “Also, now [all clubs] have a budget which, to my knowledge, was not the case last year. This is really helpful in terms of making competitions happen.”

Junior Sloan Stagen is a leader of the newly formed Entrepreneurship Club. She believes that these changes will ultimately benefit the Greenhill community.

“I feel like it forces clubs to actually follow their mission and purpose,” Stagen said. “I think last year there were a lot of clubs that didn’t meet at all. I think this change is positive because clubs can do what they are intended to do.”

Girish agrees.

“In the long run, I think these changes will help make clubs feel a lot more structured,” Girish said. “Overall, this will be a good thing, even though right now it is a hassle.”

BOOT CAMP: Varun Mukund, who is a founder of the SPRING Institute, trains new members in policy research. SPRING aims to represent young voices in politics.

Photo by Nora Ahearn

PUMPING IRON: Junior Oliver Hill and sophomore Trey Davis pose at the Club Fair as they promote their Weightlifting Club to prospective students attending the fair.

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

Kira Rivera

Graphic by Christan Park

05 Middle School

Eighth Graders to D.C. in Historic Election Aftermath

Talia Sidikaro, Cate Simpson

The annual eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C., typically takes place in the first week of November. Every four years, it coincides with the U.S. presidential election.

This year, however, the trip has been pushed back a week because of the intensity of the 2024 election and the fact that many lawmakers would still be in their home districts.

Even with the one-week delay, some students feel that fallout from an election considered by some experts to be the most consequential in modern American history may still impact the trip.

“It could affect some of the things we see and some of the things we do if there are people who are not very happy about the election,” said eighth grader Alice Stenberg.

As the eighth graders prepared for the trip in late October and early November, the teachers organized many grade-wide meetings covering topics like packing, scheduling and travel.

E“We’ve looked over some of the museums and monuments we will be visiting,” said eight grader Liam Flanagan.

During advisory time, students researched the significant places and memorials they would be visiting to get a sense of how to honor and act in each area.

“I thought the Pentagon Memorial looked really cool,” Flanagan said. “It had the benches, and we are going at night, so I am really excited to see that.”

Head of Middle School Susan Palmer goes on the D.C. trip every year.

The trip is a way to show the students the impact they can make as a U.S. citizen, according to Palmer.

“Our goals are to create an environment for kids to see themselves as citizens of the country and understand the fullness of what that means.” said Palmer.

Eighth-grade team leader Kara Smith is making the D.C. trip for the ninth time. She always wanted a stop at the Smithsonian National Zoo, and this year it made the schedule.

Smith says she loves going on this trip because it creates a space for the students to learn about politics and history while also having fun.

“Talking about government and action while we’re being surrounded by government and action is really moving and really, really powerful,” Smith said.

One of her favorite activities is the advisory dinner, when eighth-grade advisors take their students to a restaurant somewhere in Old Town Alexandria, in northern Virginia.

“You get to just kind of bond over that time, being in D.C. together, just how the year is going so far, and just really getting to know you advisees on a different level,” Smith said.

The trip also gives students an opportunity to discover their interests and passions.

“One of my joys is seeing all of the students thinking about their place in the communities of which they are a part, thinking about what they are passionate about, what kind of issues they might want to champion, and how they can act on behalf of those things,” Smith said.

Behind the Scenes of MS Quiz Bowl

ighth grader Miles Hulme felt the pressure. It was Oct. 5 and the Greenhill Middle School Quiz Bowl Invitational tournament was nearing a climactic finale. Hulme’s Greenhill B team was facing the Greenhill A team in the quarterfinals of the championship bracket.

The moderator began to read the final tossup question of the match.

“This is the number of the longest interstate in the United States, which runs from Seattle to Boston,” the moderator read. And then another clue: “Without added time, this is the number of minutes in a standard soccer –”

Hulme buzzed in before the moderator could finish. Seconds ticked by.

“90,” Hulme finally said, his heart pounding.

“Correct,” the moderator said.

Although Hulme’s team lost that matchup, the Middle School A and B teams finished in the top 15% for the tournament and thus qualified for the May 9-11 national Middle School Quiz Bowl tournament in Chicago.

Greenhill’s A team emerged as the overall winner in the main division, which is composed of seventh and eighth-grade competitors and top sixth graders. The Greenhill Middle School A team members are Blake Clark, Cam Dawson, Evan Huang and Adam Tawil.

“The finals were stressful,” said Huang, an eighth grader. “We were up against Coppell West, a strong team.”

The high stakes round required deep concentration with little room for error, according to Huang.

Tawil, an eighth grader with several years of Quiz Bowl experience, says he has learned to trust the expertise of his teammates.

“Teamwork is the No. 1 most important thing,” said Tawil. “It’s so important to have four different players that complement each other’s styles for an effective coverage of all topics.”

Coaching Philosophy

The team is led by Middle School history teacher James Herman, now in his fifth year as Greenhill’s Middle School Quiz Bowl coach. Herman’s interest in the activity began with his own fifth-grade passion for Quiz Bowl.

“It was such a formative experience for me and really encouraged curiosity,” said Herman.

As coach, he aims to instill in his team members empathy, a willingness to learn from mistakes and enthusiasm, Herman said.

Ethan Sadka

M“You have to be able to shake it off,” he said. “You need both a good memory and a short-term memory.”

Herman highlights virtues other than just winning by praising students for their leadership and sportsmanship skills.

“Quiz Bowlers will likely become leaders in their chosen fields and successful leadership is rooted in strong character and values,” Herman said in an email.

Greenhill Invitational

In this year’s Greenhill Invitational, 24 teams competed for top honors in the main division. The Greenhill A team finished in 1st place overall with a 10-0 record. The B team advanced to the championship playoff bracket and tied for 5th place with a 5-3 record. The C team finished in 11th place and the E team finished in a tie for 13th place, according to results posted on the website of the Quiz Bowl governing body, the National Academic Quiz Tournaments or NAQT.

The Middle School G team won the finals in the elementary division for fifth and sixth graders, defeating St. Mark’s School of Texas, and the F and H teams reached the

semifinals.

Managing Stress

Middle School competitors say that Quiz Bowl is demanding, with long tournaments and the pressure to perform well.

Huang says he prepares by studying hard and getting a good night’s sleep to mentally ready himself for exhausting tournaments.

“Quiz Bowl teaches me to think quickly under pressure,” Huang said.

He also says that he has learned the importance of friendly competition, where you are “not going out for each other’s blood.”

Hulme enjoys Quiz Bowl because it has allowed him to “study things I wouldn’t normally study and collaborate with my teammates,” he said.

Herman says he tries to keep his team members in the moment.

“I think that students probably put a lot of pressure on themselves,” Herman said. “I encourage them to take it one question at a time.”

MS Musicians Perform

iddle School orchestra students performed their annual strings concert on Oct. 30. Five groups of students participated: the Sinfonia, which consists of seventh and eighth-grade students; Fifth Grade Strings, Green and Gold; and Sixth Grade Strings, Green and Gold.

The Green classes are for beginners and the Gold classes are for more advanced players.

“This year we were able to have separate classes [for fifth and sixth graders] – a group for beginning musicians and one for more experienced musicians,” said Upper and Middle School strings and orchestra teacher Hallie Michaels.

Upper and Middle School strings and orchestra teacher Nick Paraskevas said that students prepare with a

combination of group rehearsals and individual work.

“Students should be engaged in rehearsal in class and practice at home,” Paraskevas said.

The instruments played in the concert were the violin, viola, cello and bass.

The Fifth Grade Strings Green class played some pieces from their string method book. The Fifth Grade Strings Gold class played one song from the string method book, had a solo performed by Maddie Yan and ended with “British Grenadiers.”

The Sixth Grade Strings Green class played two minuets, one by Bach and one by Handel. The Sixth Grade Strings Gold class also played a minuet by Bach and “M to the Third Power” by Carold Nunez.

The Sinfonia played the opening movement of a Vivaldi

concerto and finished the concert with “Storm the Gates” by Alan Lee Silva.

Sixth grader Lou Heeringa, who plays bass, says she joined the orchestra because of her sister’s positive experiences in the class.

“I am a little bit nervous,” Heeringa said before the concert. “But I think I will do good.”

Eighth grade violin player Adam Tawil says he joined the orchestra to improve his musical skills while working with other students.

“It is really fun for me to play,” Tawil said.

Afterward, Tawil described the concert as a positive experience.

“I got enough practice, and it certainly paid off during the concert,” Tawil said.

Khushi Punnam, Cindy Chou

TEAMWORK: Two Middle School teams have already qualified for the national Quiz Bowl tournament.

Photo courtesy of James Herman

Evergreen the 06

“Piano Man” Ali Agha

Walking through the halls of Greenhill School, senior Ali Agha stands out with his signature sweater and red scarf.

His impactful presence in the community is not only marked by his iconic fashion, but also his involvement in band, video production and high-level academics.

“This is going to sound weird, but I’m a bit of a school fan,” said Agha. “I like my classes and the activities I’m involved in [at school].”

Scarf Man

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Agha, like other students, took classes from home in eighth grade.

Returning to in-person classes for his freshman year, Agha described himself as feeling alone due to his friends staying online for school.

“It was a weird time for me,” said Agha. “I felt like there was a lot of reflecting and thinking about me as an individual at that age, especially when we were all isolated.”

When Agha picked up a red scarf from his mom before heading to school one day, he never intended for it to become his signature look.

As Agha started wearing scarves more and more, he found a sense of comfort in it, both physically and mentally.

“I think it’s really comfortable, and to me, the scarf helps me to be myself,” said Agha.

Agha also says that wearing the scarf boosts his confidence, making social interactions more pleasant for him.

“I think the scarf kind of helps me get out a little bit more, especially in a time when I didn’t have my friends in person with me at school,” said Agha. “It made human interaction more comfortable, acting like a protection kind of thing.”

Behind the Scenes

Growing up, Agha says he was passionate about filmmaking.

“When I was younger, my brother and I used to shoot iMovie films, and [those films] were terrible,” said Agha.

In Middle School, Agha says he and his friends created simple fight scenes using software on their school laptops.

“There would be a wizard, and then, we would drag a fireball on him,” said Agha. “It

was crazy, but we had a lot of fun.”

Agha signed up for the Video Production class in eighth grade, but he didn’t get a real taste of the filmmaking process due to the pandemic.

“I was online, so I didn’t get to help with any of the actual filmmaking,” said Agha. “I didn’t even edit a film.”

Nevertheless, Agha continued his video production journey as classes returned to normal. He says his interest grew as soon as he got involved in the hands-on process.

He was able to maximize his creativity and experiment with different ideas with the freedom provided by Upper School Advanced Video Production teacher Corbin Doyle, according to Agha.

“The beautiful part is when things start to come together, and you see it on the screen, you know that you made that from nothing,” said Doyle. “You created something from nothing that happened 100% because of you and not because of Mr. Doyle.”

Out of the various aspects of production, Agha says he is specifically interested in the visualization and the sound in his films.

“The first ideas that shape the film’s identity come from the visual and audio cues I daydream about, and then those are translated into my films,” said Agha.

Agha says Doyle has been very supportive of his films, helping him buy necessary tools.

“He will ask me which version of the [camera] lens to buy, and then he buys it,” said Agha. “He ships it in, and it’s like Christmas.”

Making a complete and thorough film requires a team effort, as there are so many parts to a production. During this creative process, conflicts are unavoidable, according to Agha.

“A lot of our disagreements are creativerelated stuff,” said senior Andrew Cai, who makes films with Agha. “In those situations, [Agha] handles it really well because he is always able to suggest a compromise that includes a little bit of both of our things.”

Cai also says conflicts often enhance the filmmaking process, as each person brings a unique perspective to refine the initial idea.

“In art projects like this, you have to understand that it’s not your vision, it’s our vision,” said Agha.

Several films by the directing duo of Agha and Cai have been accepted into prestigious film festivals.

“They are two people who work together to find a shared vision better than anyone in AVP right now,” said Doyle. “They both bring different skills and different focus, but they always have each other’s back.”

“Hawkshaw Swing 2,” directed by Agha and Cai, got into seven film festivals – the most prominent ones being the AllAmerican High School Film Festival in New York and the Dallas International Film Festival.

Although Agha doesn’t plan to pursue a college degree in filmmaking, he says he hopes to continue fostering his passion for video production at his own pace.

All about Jazz

Music is another important facet of Agha’s life.

He leads the Greenhill Jazz Combo as a pianist, the culmination of his introduction to piano at a young age. After initially taking lessons, he soon stopped having a teacher and began experimenting on his own.

“[Playing the piano] was just kind of for fun,” said Agha. “I kind of played on my own for a little bit, until I started picking up jazz, maybe in seventh grade.”

Agha says he credits his dad – who played trombone in a jazz ensemble in college – for introducing him to the world of jazz. In ninth grade, Agha started working with jazz pianist and trumpeter Mike Finkel, who’s also the artistic director of the Dallas Jazz Piano Society.

“Mr. Finkel will be an extra perspective on things,” Agha said in an email. “He adds to my musical toolbox and gives me ideas both inspirationally and practically.”

In his free time, Agha says he is constantly exploring the genre of jazz music and seeing how he could improve.

“I think what makes him stand out is the amount of listening that he’s done,” said Upper School Band teacher Brian Donnell. “He just understands the context of jazz music and different music styles.”

Donnell notes that Agha’s talent and dedication to piano propelled him to new heights, earning a spot in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association AllState Band his sophomore year.

“[Agha] is certainly very talented and intelligent, and he has such a great feel for and control of the instrument,” said Donnell.

Recently, Agha recorded an audition for the Association of Texas Small School Bands All-State Jazz Band competition. The results won’t be known until mid-November.

Agha is not only a proficient jazz pianist, but also is experienced in several other instruments.

“I am something of a multi-instrument person because I also play the drum set and a hint of bass,” said Agha.

Knowledge of multiple distinctive instruments gives Agha a deeper understanding of how different sounds blend; he says it helps him to write and arrange parts for his ensemble more effectively.

“When I write parts for people [in the Jazz Combo], I try and make sure that I can play those parts on the respective instruments in case I need to [demonstrate] or teach it,” said Agha.

Agha adds that his passion for jazz is more than an extracurricular activity. It’s “addictive,” he said.

“In jazz, there’s this element of spontaneity in improv,” said Agha. “That’s like the core of it, and much of that is connecting with other people on a psychic level.”

Looking Forward

Aside from dedicating time to his personal interests, Agha is a member of the Upper School Arts Board and vice president of the Muslim Student Association.

The diversity at Greenhill is highly valuable to him, and the affinity group offers him a space to connect with others who share similar experiences, according to Agha.

“It’s not just a safe space, it’s an actively encouraging one,” Agha said in an email. “Our identifier opens the door to a mutual understanding, but it’s through our meetings and engagements that we form a tightly woven community.”

While being involved in numerous artistic activities at Greenhill, Agha says he hopes to pursue physics in college.

He says that he enjoys applying welldefined concepts to the real world.

“The philosophical element of the fundamentals, that’s like math, where everything is true and in perfect form, you are applying that to the world, which is inherently imperfect,” said Agha. “I think it’s just fascinating.”

Though his stress is building with the college application deadline approaching, Agha says he has been able to remain calm throughout the process so far.

“I’m usually pretty good at keeping cool,” said Agha. “In the situation, where I am nervous and take my scarf off, I just have to make sure I have a coffee.”

MUSIC MAESTRO: Agha practices his performance at the Dallas Jazz Piano Society outside of school. He also plays piano in and leads the Greenhill Jazz Combo.

Photo by Jin Huang

Jin Huang

BTS: Ali Agha, second from right, socializes with cast and crew members on the set of “The Highway,” which he co-directed with senior Andrew Cai, far right.

Photo courtesy of Ali Agha

Day in the Life: SAGE Staff

Chloe Nguyen, Ella Sadka

Eli

Mendoza

Inher role as pastry chef, Mendoza has been an integral part of the SAGE Dining Services staff assigned to the Greenhill campus since 2023. Here is a snapshot of a typical work day for Mendoza.

9:15 a.m.

I get in at around 6 a.m. and the first thing I do is start working on breakfast. I am responsible for the yogurt parfaits. So, I cut the fruit and measure out the yogurts. Since I am the pastry chef, I’m in charge of portioning out the desserts. So, I get started on that. Since we need one dessert per student at the school, when I tray it out, I have to do the math for how much I serve and how many I put out at one time. If I put out too many at once, it runs out quickly, and I want to make sure the last kids can still have some. 6 a.m.

The SAGE staff has our shift meeting. We discuss what we are going to do for the day, including how we are going to serve the menu and what we are supposed to be preparing. Once we are done with the meeting, I don’t start working on the desserts right away. Instead, I try to help out with making the dishes or the proteins until I have to focus on desserts. Then, I start cleaning my area. I like to keep it neat so that cleaning up at the end of the day is easier.

10:15 a.m.

We have our lunch break.

10:55 a.m.

Lower School comes in for lunch first. We serve them food and I get desserts out for everybody. The SAGE staff also rotates who works in the allergy station, so my participation in that varies. When I’m assigned there, I make sure everyone with food allergies gets their correct meal while putting out desserts at the same time.

Christann

Pittman

Always

with a smile on her face, Pittman has been a dedicated member of the SAGE staff since 2013. She is in charge of the allergy line and takes care of all catering. Here is a timeline of a typical workday for Pittman.

5:30 a.m.

I’m always out the door by 5:30 a.m., because if I’m not, I’m late for work.

6 a.m.

I start work at 6 a.m. sharp and begin my morning catering. Normally, it is a coffee and hot tea set up for the Admin Building and Lower School.

7 a.m.

I head to my cross-training in the coffee shop as I learn the ropes. This involves traveling back and forth from the cafeteria and Catalyst Coffee in the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center.

Lower School is done with lunch, we do a reset and Middle School comes to eat. After that, Upper School comes in for their lunch time.

1:50 p.m.

Once all of the lunches are over, I go back and clean my station. When that’s done, I help out with cleaning the lunch line. Next, if I can start my dessert for the next day, I will. For the next lunch, we are serving funnel cakes as dessert. So, I haven’t prepared those yet because I plan to make those the day of. This way, they will be fresh and warm. Instead, I make the yogurt parfaits for the next breakfast so that I can make the funnel cakes in the morning. After, I typically help out wherever is needed before heading home.

3 p.m.

Once I get home, I put my daughter to bed for a nap because she is still a baby. While she’s asleep, I make dinner and clean.

5 p.m.

Once my husband gets home, I head to the gym for a workout.

8 a.m.

I restock breakfast and share the duties with Ana Fernandez, who runs breakfast in the morning times.

9:45 a.m.

I begin setting up various stations in the cafeteria, starting with the allergy station.

10:15 a.m.

Once all the stations are set, I’m on break time for 30 minutes. I grab a bite to eat, sit outside and enjoy my lunch. Sometimes, I go over to the new science building and sit in the atrium area. I love sitting there playing spades or Candy Crush on my phone.

10:45 a.m.

I help with the final touches to make sure that lunch is ready to go and set up beautifully.

11 a.m.

Lower School comes for lunch.

12 p.m.

We serve Middle School lunch. We make sure teachers and students have what they need.

2:15 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

We serve Upper School lunch. I make sure each student and teacher have what they need and all allergens are met. I’m a very detailed person; I’m a Virgo, so it’s in my nature.

2 p.m.

We are officially done serving lunch, but we stay for at least 10 more minutes in case there are any straggling teachers or students.

We start breaking down all the stations. We save anything we possibly can for the next day, but most of the stuff gets weighed out and calculated as food that gets thrown away. We have to trash almost everything because it’s not going to last and be fresh the next day.

8 p.m.

When I get back, I take a bath and give my daughter a bath too. We like to eat dinner as a family, so we eat together.

11 p.m.

If I’m not tired, I’ll clean up around

4 p.m.

I have my afternoon catering. Today, it’s the CATS with Legends event in the Admin Building. For this, I prep, set up and break down the food set ups. There were fancy desserts and coffee. Sometimes, I do other catering with a full-course fancy meal. This normally involves our fine chinas and hot plates.

7 p.m.

I have a competitive pool league where my team and I play billiards. We are called “HEYDUDES” and wear HEYDUDES equipment. We didn’t make the playoffs this past season, but we are hoping to make it this time. I’ve been playing for eight years, but still have no skill. I just do it for fun and to spend time with friends. On Monday nights, I also have a dart league team, which I’m the captain of.

Graphics by Christan Park and Lylah Pouratian

the

From the Big Apple to the Big D

Vedant Subramanian

When Gerard Abbene arrived on the roof of a tall building one day in his previous life as a New York City police officer, he encountered a person preparing to jump from a ledge.

Abbene approached and began to speak to the man. After an hour or so of conversation, Abbene convinced the wouldbe suicide victim to step back from the ledge. The man would later recall that four words uttered by Abbene had convinced him to step back from the ledge.

“I care about you.”

That was just one of the vivid memories that Abbene accrued during his years in New York City law enforcement. A typical day as a New York City police officer consisted of doing lifechanging work, like convincing the man to step back from a ledge, according to Abbene.

Now, in his work as a Greenhill campus security officer, Abbene applies the wisdom and judgment gained from those intense experiences in New York City.

Law Enforcement

Fresh out of high school and hungry for adventure, Abbene says he decided to become a police officer. In 1992, he started his law enforcement career with the New York City Transit Police Department, before it was merged into the New York City Police Department.

and going right to the NYPD for the action.

offered the chance to work in the NYPD’s

“It’s something I always wanted to do,” said Abbene. “All of my friends did the same thing. They were getting out of high school

“That precinct was very, very notorious for its amount of violent crime,” Abbene said.

Abbene says he was always responding to calls, handling anywhere from 20 to 30 incidents per night.

After eight years, Abbene was

It’s something I always wanted to do. All of my friends did the same thing. They were getting out of high school and going right to the NYPD for the action. I knew a lot of people that were going in, so it was just something I decided to do.”

the job by yourself.”

Abbene recalls receiving many commendations, but saving lives was what mattered most to him.

“We saved a life,” Abbene said. “We didn’t want [accolades] but they give them to you anyways.”

Greenhill Transition

After 28 years in New York City law enforcement, Abbene retired in 2019. By that point, he had already visited Dallas many times to see family members.

“When I retired, most of my family had moved to Texas,” Abbene said. “I had a very good friend of mine who happened to be an old one of my sergeants, who came to McKinney in 2012.”

While he liked the environment, was surprised stark contrast between New York City and Dallas.

“It was an eye opener,” Abbene said. “If you’ve ever been to Manhattan, the buildings, the people, Times Square at in the morning is the same as it is at four in the afternoon. I was used to that fast-paced life, so fast forward now, I went to go visit Dallas and it was 12 a.m. and there was nothing going on.”

I got to like [Texas]. I like the weather. I like the people. Everything about Texas, I really enjoy it.”

This didn’t deter Abbene. He says he decided to move to Dallas to be closer to family and friends and live a slower, more

Abbene says he was recruited to work at Greenhill through a friend who knew the

“I just turned up,” Abbene said. “I love

In New York City, Abbene says he was occasionally assigned to patrol a public school. There was constant chaos in his

“On a regular basis there was always a fight, there was always gangs, there was always something I should have been doing,”

When he arrived at Greenhill, Abbene says he was taken aback by everything.

Abbene says he became familiar with Dallas during his visits.

After a while you start to get a lot of arrests and people start to notice you and then they start to offer you different units.”

“I got to like [Texas],” Abbene said. “I like the weather. I like the people. Everything about Texas, I really enjoy it.”

“Everybody was super, super nice, very polite,” Abbene said.

Abbene says he was also pleasantly surprised by the students he encountered.

“I’m very impressed by the amount of discipline here and kids going on to do bigger and better things from here because of their education,” said Abbene.

At Greenhill, Abbene says he continually draws on his law enforcement past in his interactions.

“I see a lot of what I did come to help me out in a situation like Greenhill,” Abbene said. “You just got to treat people with fairness and things will work out.”

Security officer Rob Stebbing says Abbene helps out with Lower School carpool in the mornings and is well-liked by the students.

“He’s a really nice guy,” Stebbing said. “He was in law enforcement for a long time, and I feel like some of the kids look up to law enforcement people as a role model.”

Graphics by Chloe Nguyen and Christan Park

Photo by Ella Sadka

CRUISING AROUND CAMPUS: Among the duties of the Greenhill security team is patrolling the campus in a golf cart and escorting visitors through perimeter gates.

Gerard Abbene

AA Greenhill Gem: Richard Eiseman Jr. ’77

s a 13-year-old, Richard Eiseman Jr. ’77 spent his afternoons stacking watch boxes and helping out in his parents’ jewelry store. Eiseman Jewels, which his parents opened in 1963, became a second home to him.

“I developed an interest in the business, and then as soon as I could drive, I ended up working in our downtown store,” said Eiseman.

whole student,” said Eiseman.

Despite the school’s smaller size, it provided the opportunities and foundation that he needed to succeed in college and later in life, according to Eiseman.

“Being such a friendly and small place, you felt comfortable around people to express yourself,” said Eiseman.

After graduating from Greenhill School, Eiseman attended Claremont Men’s College, now known as Claremont McKenna College, in California.

From dinner table conversations to helping behind the counters, Eiseman has always been a part of Eiseman Jewels. After finishing college and gemological school, Eiseman returned to Dallas and worked his way up from the bottom to become president of the company in 1997.

“I worked underneath [my father’s] management team, and then put my stamp on the business in my mid-to-late 30s,” said Eiseman.

Education

Eiseman began attending Greenhill in the fifth grade and was involved in various activities. He made the most of his eight years.

“We didn’t have many cultural arts, like theater and band today, since the school was smaller,” said Eiseman. “I spent a lot of time playing tennis and soccer for a number of years, and then golf in my junior and senior years.”

Aside from his athletic endeavors, Eiseman also enjoyed being part of the Latin Club and working on the business side of the campus newspaper.

“I sold ads for the Evergreen and I went on to do that again in college,” said Eiseman.

Eiseman’s graduating class at Greenhill had 41 students, compared to the current senior class of 124. Starting in eighth grade, Eiseman had the same group of classmates until senior year.

“The campus was nowhere near the size it is now, but Greenhill was challenging academically, and they wanted to create a

“Although I wasn’t in leadership or student government [at Greenhill], I have a lot of friends that I’ve kept, which prepared me to be able to go on to a school like Claremont Men’s College,” said Eiseman. “The work ethic that I learned at Greenhill, which I then applied there, really has served me well.”

Following his undergraduate education, Eiseman had initially planned to work in the jewelry industry before joining his family’s business. However, when his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he felt compelled to go straight into earning a graduate degree from the New York Gemological Institute of America.

There, he took an intensive course in how to handle and grade gems. Grading is the process of evaluating a gemstone’s quality and value based on factors such as carat weight, cut, color, clarity and overall proportions, according to the industry website Topazery.com.

“Since my father was sick with Parkinson’s, we sped up my postundergraduate education,” said Eiseman. “I finished top of my class in gemology, and then came back to the family business.”

Business Career

By the time he joined Eiseman Jewels as an adult, Eiseman says he was ready for the challenge because of what his father had taught him about the business growing up.

“When you are the son of the owner, you are either handled carefully and given everything, or the opposite,” said Eiseman. “My dad did the opposite, and I got all the tough assignments, all the long hours, and then his team had the liberty to instruct, guide or reprimand me. So, I learned a lot

by doing things correctly or incorrectly or by trial by fire.”

When Eiseman officially joined his father at age 23, he started at the bottom of the corporate ladder and worked his way up.

“I was not in a management or leadership role until I was in my late 30s,” said Eiseman.

When his father died from Parkinson’s disease in 1996, Eiseman joined with associate Jerry Goldwyn to run the business.

“My father had the greatest eye for creating our inventory and collection so that it wasn’t overly branded and that every case was designed by someone else,” said Eiseman. “That set ourselves apart from other stores.”

Eiseman Jewels has aimed to create a collection of talented designers while still customizing and building their own jewelry collection since its opening, according to Eiseman.

“Eiseman is synonymous with value and quality, and when you think about going into jewelry stores, ours always stands out as unique in our offering,” said Eiseman.

In 1997, Eiseman became president of the company.

Since then, Eiseman Jewels has become the first stand-alone Rolex shop in Texas and was chosen for the National Jeweler’s Retailer Hall of Fame in 2010. Only one store a year is inducted into the National Jeweler’s Single-Store Independent Retailer Hall of Fame, which recognizes jewelers who have inspired their peers and made significant contributions to jewelry retailing.

Additionally, Eiseman expanded his store from a 1,250-square-foot space to almost 6,000 square feet at NorthPark Center.

“The corner location became available in 2000, and we expanded into that under my leadership,” said Eiseman.

Leadership

Over his years in the business, Eiseman has been able to overcome many challenges and see his business grow.

“Challenges become more manageable with more experience, and once you’ve experienced something once or twice,

you have a better understanding of how to address the situation to get a positive outcome,” said Eiseman.

As president, he hopes to foster a team culture rather than a corporate hierarchy to help team members grow as individuals.

“My greatest challenge is trying to make sure that I motivate each person so they can grow emotionally, professionally and financially,” said Eiseman. “Those are my goals with [anyone who] comes to work with our organization.”

Knowing that long retail hours can be draining for his team, Eiseman closes his doors on Sundays and many holidays.

“I’m very fond of our quality-of-life initiative for our team, so we don’t keep long hours that keep people away from quality family time,” said Eiseman. “If you take care of your team, they take care of the clients, and it works hand in hand.”

Future

In the fall of 2023, Eiseman Jewels began a yearlong 60th-anniversary celebration. A centerpiece of the celebration was undertaking 60 acts of kindness dedicated to the North Texas philanthropic community.

“We like to support our community and give back, so we are in the middle of our 60 acts of kindness initiative, where we’re giving financial support to nine areas of need in our community,” said Eiseman.

These areas include mental health, food insecurity, homelessness, education, early childhood education, hospitals, public spaces, first responders and veteran support.

“These areas are important to our city, so we have been investing in those many charities to give them strong financial support,” said Eiseman.

As Eiseman supports the Dallas community, he also remembers his experience at Greenhill.

“As I look back on my Greenhill years, growing up and seeing Dallas change, [I see] how many great leaders and people have emerged from Greenhill,” said Eiseman. “They touch every aspect of business, civic [and] charitable areas of our city, and we’re lucky to have great private schools in Dallas with Greenhill as a pinnacle among them.”

Christan Park

Photo courtesy of Richard Eiseman Jr. ’77

ROYALTY: Richard Eiseman Jr. , left, greets Queen Elizabeth II at a 1991 dinner hosted by Gov. Ann Richards, center. Eiseman’s business provided jewels for the Texas visit.

Richard Eiseman Jr.

Photo courtesy of Richard Eiseman Jr. ’77

HILL DAYS: Eiseman played soccer, tennis and golf during his Upper School years at Greenhill. He was also in the Latin Club and sold ads for the Evergreen.

10 Arts Chemistry of Photography

As the only cross-listed Fine Arts and Science Department course credit in the Upper School, the Chemistry of Photography class offers the benefits of explicitly mixing the disciplines of art and science.

Founded in 2009 by Upper School and Middle School Photography teacher Frank Lopez and former Upper School Chemistry teacher Chad Bittenbender, the original goal of the class was to capitalize on both teachers’ expertise and appreciation for each other’s subject.

“I have taught 19th-century printing techniques for over 30 years, and I have a lot of knowledge in using chemicals in very different ways,” said Lopez. “My cofounder enjoyed photography so we found a collaboration process where we could offer a rigorous scientific and artistic class that would meet a need that wasn’t being fulfilled at that time.”

Since Bittenbender left Greenhill, Lopez now teaches the class with Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall. Kendall has taught the class for four years while Lopez has taught it for 14. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with classes initially shifting to online-only and then a mix of inperson and online student attendance, the class had to be altered.

“We reconfigured the class completely so that we could teach both in-person and at-home,” said Lopez. “We try to look at

more common-day materials and how to manipulate those to create images. The class has also become more rigorous but more accessible to people who don’t have a deep knowledge of either photography or chemistry.”

Senior Vicky Cisneros, who had never previously taken a photography class, says the combined expertise of both instructors enhances the learning experience.

“On art days Mr. Lopez will teach us, and Dr. Kendall will interject with an interesting fact,” said Cisneros. “On chemistry days Mr. Lopez will circle back to what we did on art days. Since everybody knows what they’re doing, I can just ask questions to anybody, and they will help me out.”

The cross-departmental nature of the class allows Kendall and Lopez to provide both a scientific and artistic point of view for concepts.

“We talk about the same concept, like how to create film, in different terms,” said Lopez. “While [Kendall] is speaking scientifically, I will interject and bring an artistic term. It’s a very open and free environment for both of us to teach.”

Art and Science

While science is usually considered a data-driven subject as opposed to art, Kendall says the two disciplines are actually very similar.

“The line between the process of science

and visual arts is blurry because in both you’re always observing, paying attention to detail and change, looking at things through a different lens and generating a perspective or original way of looking at the world,” said Kendall.

The class teaches important processes which allow the manipulation of photographs. These reactions occur in a darkroom, a near-zero-light room used to process light-sensitive materials. The class involves the use of many chemical solutions. These include a solution known as developer, which makes a latent film image visible, stop baths for processing black-and-white photographic film and fixers used to remove unexposed silver.

After seeing these processes, students cover the different chemical properties of these solutions by learning about acid-based chemistry, reduction-oxidation chemistry and the properties of light and color.

The emphasis on chemical experimentation makes the class different from other photography classes, according to junior Isabel Bhatia. In the lab, students can alter different aspects of solutions like their chemical formulation and acidity to see how it impacts their photographs.

“We experiment with different chemical variables, talk about why certain things happen and then we make art,” said Bhatia. “The experimentation phase has really enhanced my ability to create art because I am able to try out a lot of different techniques.”

Some students apply experimentation techniques they learned in Chemistry of Photography to other classes.

“In my Photography II class, I experimented with different reactions to make my prints different,” said senior Brynn Zawadzki. “I was encouraged to do this from the Chemistry of Photography class, which encouraged me to think in a broader sense about photography.”

Currently, the class is covering the use of developers and pin-hole cameras. Junior Medha Rapuri says knowing the chemistry behind photography has not only enhanced her learning experience but also improved the pieces she creates in other photography classes, like Honors Photography.

“I have not had good experiences with making solar graphs in the past, but now because we are really focusing on light photography, I think my product will come out a lot better,” said Rapuri. “I’m looking forward to seeing how it will turn out.”

Despite having more certainty in how the final image might turn out, Rapuri says learning the chemistry behind the photographic process has not diminished the “magic” of image-making.

“Chemistry has challenged me to experiment with new processes and think of new ideas,” said Rapuri. “Because of the nature of science and creating art, there’s still a lot of unexpectedness on how the product of my photo will turn out. That helps instill a sense of wonder within me.”

Rory Liu

Photos courtesy of Frank Lopez

From the Classroom to the Crowd

Chloe Nguyen, Ella Sadka

Many Hornets have been hitting the concert scene, enjoying live performances by their favorite artists. The Evergreen checked in with some Upper School fans to hear what they had to say about the shows that brought their playlists to life.

GREEN DAY X SMASHING PUMPKINS

“I went to the Green Day X Smashing Pumpkins concert in September with my family, which was a punk concert. Smashing Pumpkins opened for Green Day, and I loved hearing their song “1979.” My highlights were hearing Green Day’s “American Idiot” and spending time with my family because we all like this kind of music.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

“I went to the Olivia Rodrigo concert with one of my good friends. We missed the opener, but we got there in time for Olivia Rodrigo. I really liked hearing “bad idea right?” and “obsessed,” and I loved the energy there. I got some of her merch, and it was all really cute.”

– freshman Harley Silberman

“The Zach Bryan concert was the best night of my life. The Lumineers were featured during ‘Spotlight,’ and the crowd was very energetic and lively. One of the best parts about the concert was getting the merch. The line was long, but it was worth it because of the quality.”

– senior Jane Hark

“The Tate McRae concert was one to remember. I liked her music and spending time with my friends there. Everyone there was very energetic, so the crowd was just dancing to her songs and singing them with her.”

– junior Syrus Gupta

“The Gracie Abrams concert was such an amazing time. I went with my friend, and we had the best night singing our hearts out. It was so well done and surreal seeing my favorite artist in concert.”

– sophomore Valentina Rojas

“The Zedd concert was an amazing environment. Zedd and his openers played songs that were famous and made everyone’s night a lot better. A lot of his songs were from my childhood, so being able to hear those live was nostalgic.”

– senior Alex Sharma

Photo by Ella Sadka

Photo by Kaitlyn Yoo

Photo courtesy of Aaron Sharma

OLIVIA RODRIGO

ZACH BRYAN

GRACIE ABRAMS

TATE MCRAE

ZEDD

Photo courtesy of Syrus Gupta

Photo courtesy of Harley Silberman

Photo courtesy of Samantha Herrmann

A’s or Bust: The Obsession

Nora Ahearn, Kate Ponnambalam and Justin Wu

Students across the country face immense pressure to get perfect grades and get into top colleges.

This phenomenon isn’t new, but it is getting worse, according to many Greenhill faculty members.

“It seems as though students now are much more worried about a perfect transcript, a transcript that has no B’s on it,” said Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester. “And that’s something that has not always been the case here.”

This rising anxiety among students isn’t happening in a vacuum. A growing mountain of data reveals that the college application process has become increasingly competitive over the past decade.

There has been an overall increase in applicants to top colleges because of the popularization of the Common Application and the decision by some colleges to stay test-optional after COVID-19. Acceptance rates have steadily been declining because of this, according to multiple sources.

The often-cutthroat nature of the application process and subsequent pressure to have a perfect grade point average has had several implications, according to Greenhill faculty members.

“Let kids be kids,” said Upper School Math Department Chair Darryn Sandler ’95. “It’s sad that you guys don’t have that opportunity in high school because of this pressure that has escalated across the country to get unbelievable grades and participate in as many activities as possible.”

Problematic Culture

Given Greenhill’s status as an elite college preparatory school, this grade craze comes as no surprise to many.

Upper School English Department Chair Karin Thomas attributes the frenzy to a pervasive mindset that only so many people can get good grades and get into high-ranked colleges.

“I think there’s a scarcity model, where people feel like they’re constantly competing and there isn’t enough,” Thomas said. “In many ways, I think it’s a miracle just how much education is available these days. But then still, there’s this idea that you’re not going to get into a good college or you’re not going to get the good education.”

Upper School counselor Amanda Frederick says the pressure students feel to get top grades comes from two main sources: from parents and from the students themselves. And this pressure is being exacerbated by the school environment, with social media and peer comments as contributing factors, according to Frederick.

“A lot of times it’s our students putting pressure on themselves,” said Frederick. “Having to navigate your family system in the midst of a high stress time, which is also high stress for your parents because they’re equally invested in this in some way, that’s a lot.”

Additionally, grade validation often drives students to associate their self-worth with the grades they receive. Many students tell themselves that it is unacceptable to get an A and not an A-plus, according to sophomore Soraya Sachdeva.

“There’s people who cry if they get an A,” said Sachdeva. This obsessiveness often has

implications on mental health.

For some students, the correlation of grades and self-esteem leads to burnout, anxiety and even depression, studies show. A 2019 study conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that 61% of teens reported feeling a lot of pressure to get good grades, which contributed to higher levels of anxiety and depression.

“That constant self-measuring or judgment against what they see [creates] this impossible standard,” Thomas said. “And I think that that causes a lot of harm.”

Upper School administrators and faculty, including Worcester, say they are trying to alleviate the ubiquitous stress while maintaining rigor. Part of the reason why the Upper School shifted to a block schedule model a few years ago and incorporated breaks like Hornet Block is to slow down the school day, according to Sandler.

“There’s a lot that our administration puts into researching what is appropriate, what is best regarding mental health,” said Sandler. “While it may not have been the first thing talked about 20 years ago, I can assure you that it seems like almost every discussion that we have that has some moderate to big change, that is the first thing that comes into play.”

strains, the grade craze deeply impacts the class environment, according to faculty.

professionalism of teachers,” said Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall. “In the past, there was a trust that grades were arrived at in a professional way that paid attention to pedagogy, assessment styles, assessment modalities and all the things that go on in teaching. I don’t think that exists as much today.”

more importance on grades, teachers are being put in difficult situations. Teachers have been forced to change their grading style to avoid conflict, according to Kendall.

regrettably, is that giving a higher grade for some teachers is a path of least resistance instead of fighting any sort of fight that they might have with parents, students or admin to give a grade that they feel is reflective of a student’s performance and knowledge in a class,” said Kendall.

Parents increasingly view grades as part of a larger business transaction set in motion by their willingness to pay tens of thousands of dollars to send their child to an elite private school, according to Worcester.

students “think they’re paying this amount of money and then expect certain things,” Worcester said. “That relationship erodes the true partnership, faith and trust in educational professionals.”

learning values of students in class, and this trend is becoming more pronounced.

“I think grades have become more highly valued than the actual learning and what we’re trying to instill, teach and engage,” said Worcester. “We have had students in the past that were driven by academic achievement. Was it so pervasive that it overshadowed the actual interactions between faculty and students? No.”

Additionally, students also try to take easier classes to maintain a high GPA rather than challenge themselves, according to senior Gabe Shiloh.

“I know people who try to get classes with certain teachers because they know it’s so much easier to get a good grade in that class and raise their GPA,” said Shiloh. “I just don’t think is a good thing, because there’s not really a standard grading.”

With the current state of grades in Greenhill classes, Director of Academics Jason Yaffe says he would like to see a shift back to the core values of teaching.

“The pressure the teachers should be feeling is, ‘am I assessing students in consistent and fair ways?’” said Yaffe. “The pressure shouldn’t be ‘if a student earns this grade, how am I going to handle that conversation with them or with their parent?’”

Worcester says many teachers are

says the current grade culture has diminished the

for Report Card Perfection

“Teachers don’t know how to combat this in a way that refocuses the matter to the learning, as opposed to can we not talk about the grade for a moment?” Worcester said. “Let’s talk about how did you approach the assignment?”

Greenhill Policies

Against this increasingly complicated backdrop, Upper School administrators have introduced some academic policy changes this year that have become part of the broader discussion about grades and educational standards.

One of those changes is the reintroduction of midterm examinations – something that Greenhill administrators and teachers say are important in the process of preparing students for the academic demands of college.

During the pandemic, the academic strain of online learning prompted the Upper School to eliminate midterms and introduce test corrections and growth opportunities. Now a few years after the end of the pandemic, Upper School curriculum leaders decided to reevaluate academic changes made during the COVID era.

“[Midterms] went away at a time of necessity, and then just kind of stayed

away for a while, honestly due to apathy,” said Upper School History Department Chair Amy Bresie ’96. “But I do think we all wanted to bring them back, because it’s a different way of assessing and something that I think we had been missing for quite some time.”

Although online classes made the administration of midterms logistically challenging and stressful, Kendall says inexperience studying for and taking midterms might have disadvantaged Greenhill graduates who encountered midterms for the first time in college.

“We would ask [alumni], ‘what would you have changed?’ and a lot of them would say, ‘I wish I had a big, cumulative, sit down, two-hour, three-hour exam. I wish I had more practice at doing that,’” said Kendall. “Because they ended up having to do that in college.”

With the reintroduction of midterms this year, the exams will usually account for 15% of the student’s year grade in non-AP classes and 20% in AP classes.

Some students see the advantage of taking a midterm exam in an AP class.

“One of the benefits I see with the new midterm system is that, especially for AP classes, it gives you a chance to take a practice test and get a baseline of where you are, where you need to improve,” said senior Year-long humanities classes in the Upper School will also administer midterms this year. Since English and history course content is more analytical and argument-based, teachers say they are still contemplating what the midterm format and content will look like.

Another academic change that some students say has increased stress levels is the removal of so-called growth opportunities, an optional second unit assessment which covered the same topics with different questions. If the student earned a better grade on the second test, the student could earn back half of the points they had

The midterm now serves the same purpose. If a student gets questions correct on the midterm that are similar to ones they had previously answered incorrectly, they

Although growth opportunities provided opportunities for students to display improved competency, the second unit test also presented challenges, according to Sandler.

“We had students complain many times last year that they didn’t like the fact that we’re in the middle of a unit and we’re stopping that unit to now test over things that we’ve done earlier in the year,” said Sandler. “So, it’s less disruptive. It gives us more teaching days, because we’re not stopping four or five times throughout the year to do these growth opportunities.”

The removal of growth opportunities in most math classes might also incentivize students to pursue a deeper comprehension of the subject matter.

“One benefit is that it really motivates students to study a lot for the test the first time around because there’s not that safety net of a growth opportunity,” said Mootha. Although Upper School

administration and teachers believe the reintroduction of midterms and removal of growth opportunities will lead to better study habits and college preparedness, students have expressed concerns about the nature and communication of them.

“I think that the administration should be a little more open to the students about what their goal is, what’s their end goal with all this policy, so that we know how we should adjust ourselves to either fit that goal or help them along with that,” said Sachdeva.

Many students have also commented on the abrupt shift away from growth opportunities this year.

“I think it’s really hard [to go] from having that backup opportunity to show in case something happens with a test, to suddenly go to having that test be a lot more important,” said senior Aditi Vikram.

Since many students believe these changes will negatively impact their grades, this added stress comes at a difficult time for upperclassmen. Many are navigating AP-heavy course loads and anxiety about college.

“This is the first time I’m ever taking an AP class, and I’m now taking four of them,” said junior Medha Rapuri. “So having these policies at one of the most critical points in my life completely exposed me to new things, and it just adds on to the stress of being a junior.”

Looking Forward

The challenge that confronts Upper School administrators and faculty going forward is how to reverse the escalating trend toward a grade-obsessed, transactional culture. The forces that are driving attitudes and behaviors at Greenhill are national in scope and nature, and that complicates the efforts to roll back the clock.

“I wish I had the magic pill to make it all better across the nation,” said Sandler. “I don’t know what the answer is. It’s like if some universities were to announce that grades are not as important as they appear now and the focus should be on finding your passion in the learning of your class materials, would other universities follow? It doesn’t seem like we’re headed that way, unfortunately.”

Many students say they are uncertain if a major shift in attitude is possible, given the trajectory of obsessiveness over letter grades.

“The only thing that you really could do is just tell people that they’re not allowed to share their grades,” said Sachdeva. “But, I mean, what’s that going to do?”

A future in which grades are not the primary goal for students and parents may be elusive in the current environment, but Upper School administrators and faculty continue to imagine a Greenhill community in which a love of learning eclipses anxiety about grades.

“The ultimate goal is, and it might be an idealistic one, [to] create a culture where learning is more intrinsically motivated, as opposed to what’s going to go into [the] gradebook,” said Yaffe.

Kendall has a vision of how a coursecorrection can begin at Greenhill.

“The first step is to really take a look at the data and be real about what it is and what it says, acknowledge what’s happening,” said Kendall. “Then start having conversations about it with teachers, faculty administration, parents and students.”

Graphic by Nora Ahearn and Christan Park

Report

Shining Bright

STARS Program Fuels Students’ Summer Research

attitude, approach and the authenticity in terms of your interest.”

Every summer, several rising seniors in the Dallas area are given the opportunity to work in a professional biomedical research laboratory at the UT Southwestern Medical Center campus through the Science Teacher Access to Resources summer research program.

The program is commonly known as STARS, and the students selected this year spent eight weeks researching a specific biomedical topic under the guidance of faculty hosts. Each student presented their findings at the end of their experience.

This past summer, Greenhill seniors Alden Kendall, Prabath Girish and Varun Mukund spent full workdays learning from principal investigators and mentors in their assigned labs.

The STARS program is designed to give high school students the chance to pursue their interest at a higher level than an average high school curriculum, according to Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall.

“It’s a commitment, and it’s very involved,” said Dr. Kendall. “For eight weeks, you’re in a professional lab, so you have to want to be there.”

Application Process

When applying to STARS, Greenhill students complete a two-part process. The first stage consists of a general application and an essay. Applicants must explain why they are interested in scientific research. The Upper School Science Department reviews each application and recommends five to eight students who proceed to the interview process.

This year, Treavor Kendall says he recused himself from the Upper School Science Department’s role in the selection process because his son, Alden, was interested in the program. However, Dr. Kendall has years of insight into the STARS admissions process.

It’s a commitment, and it’s very involved. For eight weeks, you’re in a professional lab, so you have to want to be there.”

“They’re not looking for students who have done a bunch of research,” said Dr. Kendall. “Quite the contrary, they’re looking for creativity, the ability to critically think,

Specifically, applicants are not allowed to have prior scientific research experience in a lab.

“A lot of [the restriction] is intentional because some folks have opportunities either through family or other connections,” said Dr. Kendall. “The STARS program wants to make sure that they give kids who don’t have those privileges and those opportunities a chance to go into the lab.”

Dr. Kendall says he encourages students to be authentic when expressing their intention for applying to the program during the process.

“I think sometimes [students] are trying to match what they feel the interviewer, or the program wants to see or hear,” he said. “If any program is not that, it’s this one.”

Alden Kendall echoes this sentiment.

“You don’t have to make yourself sound super smart or show how educated you are,” said Alden Kendall. “You need to show your enthusiasm for science, how passionate you are about something or how excited you are about a topic.”

Lafora Disease

During their time in the lab, the students are matched with a clinical research team leader who works under a principal investigator.

Outside the lab, Girish often attended lectures with fellow STARS students. Experts in alternative specialties gave the students symposiums about their work in research and medicine.

[Mitra] is obviously very well versed in [her area] to help me understand the experience and guide me through that process in a way that I don’t think I would’ve gotten if I was thrusted in first.”

“I thought the lectures were an eyeopening experience that helped me look into different fields of research and understand more of the larger work that goes into the process,” said Girish.

Obesity and Diabetes

Mukund says he was inspired to apply to the program after hearing his older brother talk about his lab experiences three years prior.

Girish was mentored by research team leader Sharmistha Mitra in the lab of principal investigator Berge Minassian. Girish studied enzymes that are linked to Lafora Disease, a genetic mutation that leads to a neurogenerative disorder in teens and children.

“He would come home every day and would tell me what happened,” said Mukund. “I got really interested in it, and because I do a lot of policy and social science research but have never done scientific research, I applied.”

Girish says he expressed interest in both neuroscience and genetics in his application.

“I think brain sciences are really cool because they have a lot of implications outside of their molecular ability,” said Girish.

Many of Girish’s experiments involved precise measurements of enzymes and cells. Girish says this forced him to pay close attention to his methodologies and procedures.

“[Mitra] is obviously very well versed in [her area] to help me understand the experience and guide me through that process in a way that I don’t think I would’ve gotten if I was thrusted in first,” said Girish.

Mukund studied the molecular pathways that trigger obesity and diabetes under principal investigator Joseph Goldstein and mentor Jing Tian.

“I was trying to create mutants to the genes that code for mechanisms that lead to obesity,” said Mukund. “My goal was to find mutants to the genome that stopped that process.”

Mukund says trial and error was a common occurrence during his time on the UTSW campus.

“[Tian] was helping me in all my projects, with all my techniques, experimentation, all of that,” said Mukund. “It was a lot of handholding and guiding me through the process, and I think that really helped me overcome a lot of challenges and help me grow and learn through the mistakes.”

Near the end of the eight-week program, students presented their respective biomedical topics. Mukund says although his topic involved a lot of complicated concepts, his principal investigator and mentors in the lab set him up for success.

“I was a little nervous, but I was confident in my abilities,” said Mukund. “I had been in this program for eight weeks, and at that point I knew I had the support of my lab behind me.”

Lung Cancer Treatment

collaborative sense,” he said.

He worked with principal investigator Melanie Cobb and his mentor Ana Martin Vega. The focal point of their research involved working with taxanes, a class of chemotherapy drugs that blocks cell growth by halting cell division.

“What we were hoping to do is basically cut out a gene, and by doing that, we sensitize them to the taxanes,” said Alden Kendall. “What that means is that by sensitizing the cells to the taxane for the same dosage, we would kill more cancer cells for the same amount of normal cells.”

[Tian] was helping me in all my projects, with all my techniques, experimentation, all of that. It was a lot of hand-holding and guiding me through the process, and I think that really helped me overcome a lot of challenges and help me grow and learn through the mistakes.”

Kendall says his interest in biochemistry drove him to research treatments for lung cancer.

“Lung cancer has been proved to be difficult to find treatments for,” he said. “This is an important step to take to hopefully help better the lives of people that are going through this.”

Similar to Mukund, Alden Kendall says he learned a lot from his mistakes.

“I learned that perfection is by far not the expectation, nor should it be,” said Kendall. “Every trial we do for data is run at least three times and most of the time you’re not going to see every single one of them work.”

Meeting many peers in the STARS program, Alden Kendall says the friendships he fostered dramatically enhanced his experience.

Alden Kendall says he believed that undergraduatelevel research would strengthen his college application. He applied to the STARS program to gain access to one of the largest high-school research programs.

“[STARS] really just solidified a lot of what I like about science in the classroom and gave it applications and more of a

“We attended seminars, and they were a ton of fun,” he said. “They were on interesting topics, and I got to discuss them with my peers in a nonacademic lighthearted sense.”

The day of the poster presentation, Alden Kendall joined his friends from the program for lunch and then they went to an escape room to celebrate completing the program.

“I really value the connection I was able to make with [my peers],” Alden Kendall said. “I realized, these are really my friends, they’re not just my colleagues.”

Sasha Wai

Photo courtesy of Prabath Girish

Varun Mukund

Prabath Girish

HYPOTHESIZING: Last summer, three Greenhill seniors attended the STARS Summer Research Program, delving into individualized projects for eight weeks.

Photo courtesy of Prabath Girish LAB WORK: Prabath Girish studied enzymes linked to a genetic mutation.

Alden Kendall

From Script to Stage: The Making of “Mamma Mia!”

The Greenhill Theater Department is performing a new musical production this year packed with comedy, mystery, romance and beloved ABBA hits.

“Mamma Mia!,” with campus performances on Nov. 21-22, is a jukebox musical with songs from the Swedish pop group ABBA.

The story revolves around Sophie, a young woman who is about to get married on a Greek island in a wedding planned by her mother, Donna. The wedding becomes an opportunity for Sophie to learn the identity of her father, who has never been a part of her life.

She invites three men from her mom’s past in the hopes that one of them turns out to be her father.

The Broadway production was a worldwide phenomenon after its 2001 premiere. It became the eighth longest-running show in Broadway history, spanning 14 years and 5,758 performances and grossed over $600 million.

Greenhill’s production of the popular musical will kick off with a Nov. 21 matinee performance for Upper School students and faculty.

“I think it will be a really cool experience to perform in front of the school,” said freshman Arhaan Iyer, who is playing Sam, one of the men who might be Sophie’s father.

Casting

There are 47 crew members signed up for the musical, a large number considering there are only 13 named characters appearing on stage.

To ensure that the roles are given to the

most capable and prepared students, there were reforms to the audition process this year, according to Upper and Middle School Dance teacher Gypsy Ingram, who is the show’s choreographer.

In the past, students auditioned via an online video, and they could record themselves as many times as they wanted to convey the best version of themselves.

This year, however, live auditions in front of both teachers and students were held to get a better feel of the actual talent that would be showcased on stage.

“We just felt like it was really important that we were able to see in the moment, in front of an audience, how do they perform because that’s what we are doing on stage,” said Ingram.

This new process created more nerves and suspense in the audition process, yet theater students managed to create a positive environment.

“I was very nervous, but everybody was so welcoming, so as soon as I started the day of the singing [auditions], I felt more calm,” said senior Lila Levy, one of two students cast as Donna.

Even with the more real-life process of auditioning and nerves, there were so many people who showcased exceptional talent in singing, dancing and acting, according to Ingram.

Performing Arts Building Manager Leann Burns says she was impressed with the capabilities of auditioning students.

“The talent pool was so big,” Burns said.

The amount of talent and the small number of named roles led to the decision to double-cast lead actors to give students more opportunities.

The roles of Sophie, Donna, Rosie and Tanya have been double-cast, with the two students splitting the performances.

“I am very happy that more people will be able to perform and get a chance to play a larger part,” Levy said.

Preparation

Rehearsals have been taking place every other school day for 80 minutes, in addition to Sunday.

The rehearsals culminate with Tech Week, where all the pieces get put together and the final touches are made.

During rehearsal, the cast splits into different groups, each working on different aspects of the musical, such as singing, dancing and acting.

Within the rehearsals, students get the opportunity to work on their craft and improve their overall performance.

One thing that students have had to improve is adding physicality to their acting and singing, according to sophomore Elise Nelson, who is also playing Sophie.

I am very happy that more people will be able to perform and get a chance to play a larger part.”

“There’s one song where I have to sing but I’m also running around the stage a lot,” said Nelson.

Even with the hours students spend perfecting their craft, it still takes outside preparation for actors to prepare themselves for the opening curtain.

Levy utilizes both a singing and acting coach a few times a week. She also reviews vigorously at home by herself, in addition to engaging in rehearsals.

“I make sure to learn all of my lines and songs,” said Levy. “I review my dances at home and make sure to actively pay attention during rehearsals.”

Technical Theater

After the performers’ hard work is revealed at the actual show, it’s a tradition to point to the spotlights, so the behind-thescenes crew can get recognized.

That moment culminates many hours of hard work put in by the Technical Theater students. The tech crew is tasked with everything from building sets to running the lights and even microphones.

Each musical has its own specific challenges to overcome, and with “Mamma Mia!” the challenge was transforming the stage into an immersive environment.

“‘Mamma Mia!’ is set on a Greek island and just looking at Rose Hall and thinking how are we going to make this look like a Greek island is a really exciting challenge,” said Burns.

The tech crew had to build all of the sets, put them together and arrange the lights, speakers and microphones under deadline pressure.

This presents the main challenge in every Upper School theater production: to be totally prepared and ready to meet expectations by the time director Valerie Hauss-Smith walks on stage to introduce the musical.

“The biggest challenge comes from trying to do a lot of work in a short amount of time,” said Upper and Middle School Technical Theater teacher Will Turbyne. “Greenhill Theater has high standards.”

Even with tech theater being a demanding and challenging environment, students bond and still have fun.

“I really love the community, and we all get really close by the end of the show,” said Marieve Donnell, the stage manager.

Community

Despite all the hard work and immense preparation that goes into the show, students say that theater creates a safe space where people can bond and learn from one another.

“Being part of the Greenhill theater community gives me a group of people that I can feel close to,” said Levy. “I love all of the people that do the show and it’s one of my favorite classes of the day.”

The musical also allows students to push themselves in ways that they never have before.

“I think being a part of a musical pushes you outside of your comfort zones,” said Ingram. “I think being in any kind of show is an act of bravery.”

The sentiment among students and theater faculty is that the time spent creating a unique and fun musical production will be worth it when people can come together to celebrate the arts at Greenhill.

“It is really going to be an incredible production when people get to see how great these kids are,” Ingram said.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Students in the musical rehearse their choreography for “Does Your Mother Know” while dance teacher Gypsy Ingram instructs them.

Photo by Scarlett Song

Jordan Arbuckle, Alexis Chen

Sydney Chien

NDance Company’s New Direction

ew Upper and Middle School Dance teacher Gypsy Ingram is looking to take the Dance Company in a new direction by incorporating diverse styles of dance.

“I want people to see that you can get really strong technical training here but also, we’re going to provide you with a really well rounded, comprehensive dance education, giving dancers lots to explore in terms of different styles. And we’re going to have a lot of fun,” said Ingram.

She added, “I think opening up the amount of styles that we’re doing, and then adding some new performances into the mix that didn’t exist before will make people excited to come be a part of what we’re doing.”

The company’s NewWerks Concert in March will be a culmination of this philosophy, incorporating multiple styles, including jazz, hip hop, musical theater dance, contemporary, lyrical and ballet.

“I think the more ways people can see themselves in our dance program the more they will want to be a part of what we are doing,” said Ingram. “For example, ‘Oh, I really like hip hop,’ or ‘I really like to tap,’ ‘I didn’t know Greenhill Dance did those things.’ That connection gets them excited about showing up or signing up to take a dance class.”

New Vision

Ingram was hired with a vision for growth in the Greenhill dance program for both Dance Company and the Fall Musical’s choreography, according to Head of Fine

Arts Terry Martin. Martin says he was particularly enthusiastic about Ingram’s experience in theatrical dance.

“She talked about dance as a fine art and not just something that could be challenging,” said Martin. “She talked about a lot of different styles. She also came from not only a heavy dance background, but she had theater background as well. I felt that having someone who is a performer and a storyteller [was] just a real match for what I envisioned our dance program could be.”

Sophomore Natalie Lugo, who is involved with both the musical and Dance Company, says that dance practice for the musical has been different under Ingram’s direction.

“[Ms. Ingram] pushes the students to try new movements and work on our technique,” said Lugo. “In the musical, she really wants to make this year’s choreography different and unique to Greenhill and tries her best to showcase every student’s individual talent.”

Goals for Growth

Martin says Ingram’s passionate and energetic approach to teaching dance along with her propulsion toward growth were major selling points for hiring her.

“Everybody seemed to really be excited about her energy and her focus and felt that she was going to bring a really great energy to grow,” said Martin.

Upon Ingram’s arrival, she wanted to address two issues she perceived within the dance program.

The first issue was that the Dance Company mainly just performed alongside other groups, like orchestra and choir.

Ingram is reinstating a performance in March that will only feature the Middle and Upper School dancers.

“It kind of seems like for the last couple years, dance has been the guest star at everybody else’s performances, so we’re really trying to put Greenhill Dance Company front and center,” said Ingram.

The second issue was that many students who dance outside of school choose not to be involved with the dance program at Greenhill.

Ingram says this was particularly surprising to hear.

“I’m coming from a public school background where, if you danced, you

danced at school too, like it was a point of pride to dance on your school team or be in your school’s Dance Company,” said Ingram. “So, one of the things that I would like to work on is the pride of Greenhill dance so [people] want to be a part of that culture.”

Ingram says one idea to accomplish this initiative would be for Dance Company members to show up at halftime during a school basketball game or in other places where they haven’t typically performed.

“I’m excited about seeing them become more of an integral part of the fine arts tapestry here at Greenhill,” said Ingram. “I really think they have the potential to be great ambassadors.”

Senior Photographers Showcase Work in Young Arts Competition

Noor Zaman

This fall, multiple seniors from the Greenhill Honors Photography class have applied to the Young Arts Competition, a selective contest for emerging artists across the nation.

The prestigious competition has many notable past winners, including Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj, Viola Davis and Amanda Gorman.

Established in 1981, the competition for art students from 15–18 years of age accepts up to 10 different types of art, including photography. Students creating pieces in any of the 10 eligible disciplines can submit their work to be evaluated by “esteemed discipline-specific panels,” according to the

Young Arts website.

At Greenhill, five seniors submitted their work to the competition this year.

“In 2008 or 2009, we first submitted to the competition,” Upper and Middle School Photography teacher Frank Lopez said. “Almost every single year we submit, and it’s one of the hardest competitions to get into.”

Greenhill Submissions

Lopez describes the submissions by five of his seniors a great achievement.

“It’s a high-stakes competition, and I’m proud of [the students] for the effort it takes to submit,” Lopez said.

Senior Austin Cohen said that he was

made aware of the competition during his eighth-grade year at St. Mark’s School of Texas.

“It was drilled into us that Young Arts was a major competition,” Cohen said. “Kind of the pinnacle for high school photography, and all juniors were required to submit.”

Cohen says that several friends of his were finalists in the competition, and their admission into top universities pushed him to submit his work to Young Arts.

Submissions for the photography discipline are comprised of 10 total images, either in one unified portfolio or two with five unified photo series each.

“You have to have a group of images that all work with each other to reveal a story,” Cohen said.

Additionally, a written section is required where artists describe the intent behind their work in the portfolio and their connection to photography in general.

“You have to explain the work in your portfolio,” Cohen said. “Why you made certain decisions, and the techniques used throughout the series of photos.”

Once the applications have been submitted to the competition, there is a lengthy evaluation process.

“At some point when you advance, they ask you for a ton of information about yourself, like how many service hours you have,” senior Chloe Nguyen said. “This is so they can get to know you as an individual more and who they’re giving the awards.”

Prizes

Every student submitting to the competition has hopes of winning. Students can win monetary prizes from $250 to the gold prize of $10,000 or be honored as a Presidential Scholar of the Arts.

“One of my highest winning students

won the gold prize, and we’ve gotten down to the final 60 students in the running for the Presidential Scholar of the Arts award,” Lopez said.

Students in past years have won the silver prize of $5,000 or have been given honorable mention and merit awards, worth $500 and $100 respectively.

“There are usually eight to 12 finalists out of around 1,500 people,” Cohen said. “It’s very selective.”

The final prize consists of a visit to Miami, where finalists test their artistic abilities during National Young Arts Week.

“The weeklong trip to Miami [is] where you get to showcase your art, meet other artists from around the nation and do art,” Lopez said.

According to the competition’s website, attending Young Arts Week in Miami is required to be considered for the Presidential Scholar of the Arts.

“You win the $10,000, and you’re inducted into this community of artists you’re a part of for the rest of your life,” Cohen said. “And if you become a Presidential Scholar, they fly you out to the White House to meet the president.”

Cohen says that becoming a finalist in the competition also gives students an edge in college admissions where they are likely to continue producing art.

“It’s a great avenue for getting into top universities, and as an artist it kind of legitimizes you,” Cohen said. “It’s a great way to show your ability and the level you’re at.”

While Lopez does encourage students like Cohen to submit to the competition, he wants them to focus on the process and understand that submitting to the contest is an achievement within itself.

“It’s not about the prize, it’s about the journey,” Lopez said. “It’s about learning about your work and being prepared for the competition.”

Photo by Avery Lonergan

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS: Senior Chloe Nguyen edits her photo. Seniors created portfolios of their work along with a written submission for the competition.

DIVERSE DANCE: The Greenhill Dance Company practices under the direction of new teacher Gypsy Ingram. Ingram is teaching new styles of dance to students.

Photo by Juan Barrientos

Sports

Geller Laps Competition

Varun Mukund

Junior Zach Geller started swimming at the club level when he was seven.

In the years since, Geller has grown to be a national competitor and a vital member of the boys varsity swim team, setting records and helping the team win last year’s Southwest Preparatory Conference title.

Teammates are in awe of his growth, both in and out of the pool.

“Over the years, [Geller] has developed so much as a swimmer and a person,” said senior J.J. Arbuckle, Geller’s teammate on both the Greenhill team and his club team.

Club Swimming

At a young age, following his parents’ wishes, Geller began competitive swimming. He soon found his passion.

“I joined club swimming when I was around seven, and I started getting serious about it when I was nine,” Geller said. “I realized it was something that I liked and that I was good at.”

Geller initially started his club swimming career with a shortened schedule, attending practices three days a week.

At age 10, Geller learned about the state championship that his club team was scheduled to attend and set it as his goal to work toward.

Investing more time in swimming, Geller began logging two-hour practices, six days a week. That became his normal schedule.

club is where most of the work gets done.”

Geller and Arbuckle regularly compete and train daily together on their club team, the Dallas Mustangs. Arbuckle says he enjoys training with Geller.

“[Geller] consistently pushes me to get better as well, especially in a club setting where things can get competitive,” Arbuckle said.

Last summer, Geller and Arbuckle attended the USA Swimming Futures Championships, also known as Futures, in Minneapolis.

The competition that culminates with the national championships unfolds at successive levels. The first of these levels is Sectionals, which are at the state level. This is followed by Futures, in which swimmers compete in one of four zones: central, eastern, southern and western. Above Futures is Junior Nationals, with swimmers up to the age of 18 competing in both summer and winter championships.

Being on a club team has been instrumental in his growth as an athlete, according to Geller. A typical club practice for him consists of weight training, also known as “drylands,” followed by two hours of swimming.

“I would say I get mostly all my improvements from club training,” Geller said. “I really enjoy swimming for the school team as well, but my year-round training for

“I made the finals of Futures, which is always good,” Geller said. “It was a really cool experience to be at that level.”

This is Geller’s biggest individual meet, along with attending Junior Nationals as part of a relay team.

Greenhill Swimming

Starting in his freshman year, Geller has been a member of the Greenhill varsity swim team for three years.

“I could already see that he had potential to be a really talented swimmer and a big contributor to our team,” said Head Coach Patti Monzingo.

Competitions consist of four different styles of swimming: freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.

“My responsibility on the team is to place well in the events that I compete in, which mainly is backstroke, but I also compete in other events as well,” Geller said.

Senior Andrew Cai, a Greenhill swim teammate, says Geller’s work ethic is an inspiration.

“[Geller] is a really hard worker and is just in general a super nice guy,” Cai said. “He makes me want to continue working to get better as well.”

Although Geller doesn’t have an official leadership role on the team, many teammates look up to him.

“He is a role model for many of his teammates,” Cai said. “He’s so nice and supportive of everyone but at the same time he’s so competitive when you need him to be

competitive.”

Arbuckle says Geller’s competitive spirit is incredibly important for the swim team’s success.

“He really knows how to rise to the occasion,” Arbuckle said. “If there is a hard set in practice, he won’t back down and he

the same speed he went.”

Geller broke the SPC record for the 100yard backstroke race with a time of 51.87 seconds.

up or get tired.”

Monzingo says Geller’s desire is what motivates him to succeed.

“He does what we call ‘purposeful swimming,’ where he thinks about what he hopes to achieve when doing a set in practice instead of just going through the motions,” Monzingo said. “That is something that we really appreciate about him.”

SPC Champions

Last season, both the girls and boys varsity swim teams secured SPC titles. The girls team won the 4A division and the boys won the 3A division for the first time in Greenhill history.

“[Geller] contributed a lot through the points that he got for our team,” Arbuckle said. “He held his own against some really tough competition and ended up getting our team a lot of points.”

At the championships, Geller broke an SPC and school record in the 200-yard freestyle race.

Racing someone historically faster than him, Geller attributes his record time to his opponent.

“I was around eight seconds slower than the guy next to me, which is a lot,” Geller said. “So, I just chose to keep up with him and I did, and I ended up winning and breaking the record.”

Since freestyle is not his primary stroke, Geller says he was not familiar with his pace in that race.

“Him breaking the SPC and school record was really significant because he beat a really fast 3A competitor, which was really unprecedented,” Arbuckle said. “He really set the tone for the meet and served as an inspiration even to me.”

Balancing Act

With his schedule being filled with club swimming practices and meets, Geller is left with little time for homework and other extracurricular activities.

“Club [swimming] is a really big time commitment,” Geller said. “I only get home at around nine every day because of practices after school and then I eat dinner, so I end up starting my homework at 10.”

To navigate his busy schedule and continue to stay on top of his schoolwork, Geller had to find ways to compensate for a lack of time.

“It just forced me to become more productive,” Geller said. “I usually come in and work before school and even during lunch, so I don’t have as much to do after school.”

“I did not have a baseline, so I just went off the guy next to me,” Geller said. “I’m glad he was fast because I would have gone at

Geller’s dedication to swimming and consistent effort is recognized by both his peers and his “We want to be able to help him with anything that he needs to be able to pursue a desire to swim at the collegiate level,” Monzingo said. “We want to help in any way

Geller expresses anticipation for the Greenhill swim team’s quest for another SPC title.

“I’m really excited about this upcoming season because I think we can do really well and hopefully we win again,” Geller said.

Graphics by Bette Tomecko

MAKING A SPLASH: Junior Zach Geller takes his mark for the finals of the 200-yard freestyle at the SPC Championships, where he got 2nd place.

Photo courtesy of Zach Geller

CHAMPIONS: The Greenhill girls and boys varsity swim teams along with their coaches jump in the pool immediately after winning the conference championships.

Photo courtesy of Zach Geller

Evergreen

Student-Athletes Lean into Leadership

The Captain Council is designed to bolster Upper School sports teams in multiple ways. It strengthens bonds within sports teams, upholds accountability and creates a space to resolve any issues within sports teams, according to girls varsity basketball Head Coach Darryn Sandler ’95.

The group was redesigned in the 20232024 school year and now meets during the respective sports seasons at the beginning, middle and end prior to the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championships.

“I think it helps individual captains and different teams because it allows us to ask other captains that are going through similar things for their advice on how to handle things,” said junior Kendall Johnson, a girls varsity volleyball captain.

Meetings

During meetings, captains are grouped randomly and are tasked with different aspects of team building to discuss.

On Oct. 9, the Captain Council met and spoke about accountability and how team captains should emulate these core values of being an athlete to set a good example for the rest of their members, according to senior Chris Williams, a boys varsity track and field captain.

Many captains say they found the prompted discussion to be useful.

“I think accountability is one of the most important parts of playing a group sport,” said senior Lauren Harrington, a girls varsity field hockey captain. “I try and own up to my mistakes on the field and show other players that it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but just a learning curve.”

Each meeting is proctored by an athletic administrator and a group of varsity coaches who are not currently in season in

Tan attempt to ensure students don’t feel pressured to not share something in front of a current season coach, according to Sandler.

For the fall season, these meetings have been run by Assistant Head of Athletics

John Rortvedt, varsity boys tennis Head

Coach Scott Cotton, varsity girls softball

Head Coach Monica Stephens, varsity boys golf Head Coach Will Turbyne, Director of Sports Performance Jessen Houston and Sandler.

“[The coaches] try and get the kids to talk as much as possible,” said Sandler. “Part of what [the coaches] do is send a summary to all the head coaches of what was talked about and if it’s something we feel a captain should talk to their coach about, we’ll encourage them do that.”

There was a meeting before the SPC championships to discuss how to handle high pressure situations, adversity, and prepare for the season-ending tournaments, according to Sandler.

After that, the coaches overseeing the meetings will change to coaches currently not leading a team competing in the winter season: Associate Head of Athletics Teressa Thomas, varsity cross country Head Coach Jason Yaffe, varsity girls volleyball Head Coach Tatiane Deibert, Head Football Coach KJ Williams and varsity track and field Head Coach Stacey Johnson.

“I hope it becomes something that we have to do less coaching of leadership, because the younger student athletes will be able to model good leadership from the captains we get to work with,” said Sandler.

Improvements

Now that the Captain Council is back in session for its second year, student captains would like to see a few new things implemented.

“In the future I think it could be more

community-based and have the discussions reach a bigger audience,” said Williams. “Another thing would be to have more people available to talk.”

Houston, who sits in the meetings, says there is an ongoing discussion on how to improve the council.

“The captains feel like they need some empowerment, and that’s one of the things that as a department we have to do a better job of as coaches and the overall Athletics Department,” said Houston.

Looking Ahead

As Captain Council meetings continue throughout the year, students say they are hopeful about creating a stronger bond between the captains as well as a more direct approach to leadership within the Athletics Department.

“I am super excited to be part of this and

I think it’ll really help our teams grow and be the best they can,” said Harrington.

For the upcoming Captain Council meetings in the winter, Williams says he thinks it would be beneficial to discuss the topic of off-season training.

“Since it’s winter I’m actually out of sports so I would like to talk about off-season training and getting the teams together during the off season,” said Williams.

Sandler says he is hopeful that these meetings will allow the captains to learn from each other and grow into great leaders within the Greenhill community. He also sees them as strengthening bonds between athletic teams.

“How people lead in programs is typically modeled from the leaders they previously played with,” Sandler said.

For coaches like Sandler, an overarching goal is to ensure that “our student-athletes realize that many people on the campus value what they do for our athletic programs.”

New Mandatory Preseason Workouts

he Athletics Department has rolled out new requirements for High Performance Center sessions for winter and spring athletes.

The new requirements stipulate that students participating in a winter or spring sport must complete a minimum of 15 workouts prior to the start of their season. Students participating in a sport during the previous athletic season will be exempt from the mandatory workouts.

Since fall sport athletes have a requirement of at least 20 workouts during the summer, these mandatory workouts

are designed to help winter and spring athletes get a similar advantage, according to Director of Sports Performance Jessen Houston.

Houston says the workouts are aimed at delivering transformative changes with muscle development, speed development, aerobic and anaerobic endurance and mobility.

An athlete that fails to complete the required mandatory workouts before the start of their season will have to complete reinforcement disciplinary sessions. Some leniency will be given during the initial transition period, according to Houston.

“Eventually we want it to be a hard cut,

a hard consequence,” said Houston.

Athlete Opinions

Some Greenhill athletes questioned the new policy.

Junior Connor Lee says the requirement is flawed because it doesn’t take into account the off-campus training an athlete might be doing.

“I find it very silly because I have club sports during the fall, and I worked out with coaches,” said Lee. “So, I’d rather work out with my [club] coach than do the HPC lifts because they are more personalized to me.”

Other students say the mandatory workouts have helped prepare them for the season.

Junior Jaxson Thompson, a boys varsity basketball captain, says the weightlifting sessions help build team chemistry.

“We always go do the lifts together,” said Thompson. “It makes the lifts more enjoyable when you do it with the team. It also helps [an athlete to] get to know the people that might be new to the team.”

Further Reform

The new workout requirements for winter and spring athletes are part of a broader series of changes being implemented by the Sports Performance coaches.

The track program will be an area of special emphasis for the Athletics

Department, since more than 100 people have indicated their participation in the sport. With so many students signed up for track, the Sports Performance staff is looking for alternative ways to give proper preseason training to these athletes.

Eventually we want it to be a

cut, a hard consequence.”

“We want to make sure that everyone has an experience that benefits where they are in their paradigm of fitness and athleticism,” said Houston. “We want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to get better. And with numbers that big, we have to be very strategic to accomplish that.”

Other previously incorporated changes include showcasing an “Athlete of the Week” on the High Performance Center’s Instagram account. There are also plans for more athletic performance tests.

Since the new requirements were announced, High Performance Center attendance numbers have been at a record high for preseason athletics, according to Houston.

“We have had more people doing preseason work for their winter sport than we’ve ever seen,” said Houston. “Since I’ve been here, the seven years I’ve been here, in the two weeks that we’ve done this, so far, we’ve seen way more athletes than we’ve ever seen.”

John Hurley

Daniela Hallack

IN THE WEIGHT ROOM: Winter athletes train with HPC staff in preseason workouts. These sessions are designed to eliminate physical deficiencies during competition.

Photo by Avery Lonergan

WORKING TOGETHER: On Captain Council, sports team leaders discuss how to improve connection. They hope to lift camaraderie within their respective sports.

Photo by Sasha Wai

hard

Henry Zhong Swings to Victory

Senior Henry Zhong was only two when he first picked up a golf club, but something clicked when he tagged along with his father to an introductory lesson.

“I had these little plastic clubs,” said Zhong. “I started [hitting] balls, and I really, really enjoyed it.”

Zhong began playing regularly, using the empty lot next to his house as a practice range. When he was around 8 or 9 years old, he began to play in tournaments for fun. He didn’t find much success, but golf had become an important part of his childhood.

And then, everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Zhong spent hours hitting balls at the range and playing rounds of golf. His skill level soared, and he shaved five or six strokes off his rounds.

“That’s when I began to see myself having a future beyond high school in the sport,” Zhong said.

Greenhill Varsity Golf

From the second he first saw the Greenhill boys varsity golf team play, Zhong had one goal in mind: winning a Southwest Preparatory Conference title.

“Ever since I got to Greenhill in the first grade, I have wanted to win SPC,” he said.

Zhong first joined the varsity golf team in his freshman year. Immediately, he became a top 3 player on the team.

A typical competitive round of golf tests a player’s skills over 18 holes. Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to complete a hole. To shoot an “even par” round, a golfer can’t exceed the number of strokes required to par each of the 18 holes.

“Not only did I shoot my first even par my freshman season, but seeing my bad rounds get better was transformative,” said Zhong. “When I started to gain distance, where even when I wasn’t playing a great, I was still able to shoot three or four over [par], I started to see the game

differently.”

Although he had copious success as a freshman, Zhong became even more of a force on the Greenhill team as a sophomore.

Individually, he finished 3rd in the 2023 spring SPC tournament. Despite his high finish, Zhong was disappointed by the result.

“I was tied for the lead going into the last three holes, and then I really stressed myself out,” he said.

That same season, the former head varsity golf coach, Thom Flinders, made Zhong a varsity captain.

“He works hard at the game,” said current Head Coach Will Turbyne. “He doesn’t sit back and rest on what he’s accomplished; he keeps pushing his game further. And I think that’s something –leadership by example – that makes Henry such a strong team captain.”

Junior Grant Colocousis, who has played with Zhong since seventh grade, says his impact extends beyond that.

“Whether it’s your swing or how to attack a hole mentally, Henry’s always willing to help you,” Colocousis said.

Zhong went into his junior year more determined than ever before.

“I wanted to make sure I played my game and didn’t get caught up in the context around it,” Zhong said.

Turbyne says this idea of staying focused is often more prevalent in golf than other

“Unlike other sports, there’s literally nothing you can do to stop your opponent,” Turbyne said. “You cannot block a shot. You cannot tackle them; you cannot do anything. They’re going to play their game. And so what’s important in the game of golf is that you play your

Ultimately, after shooting 18-hole rounds of 74 and 71, Zhong won the 2024 SPC individual title in the spring of his junior year. Overall, the Greenhill team

This school year, Zhong says he is looking forward to having another

“Last year wasn’t great for us as a team, but I think this year if we come together and

play up to our potential, we have the best chance [of winning] we’ve had in [the] last 20 years,” said Zhong.

Recruiting and Commitment

At the beginning of his sophomore year, Zhong began emailing coaches with his statistics to denote his interest in their schools.

The process intensified the summer before his junior year as Zhong played in more tournaments and began having phone calls with college coaches. This past summer, Zhong says that he verbally committed to apply Early Decision to the University of Rochester in New York.

“I was emailing probably six schools up until this summer and there were some schools that I definitely put more energy into over others,” said Zhong.

Zhong says that Coach Dan Wesley at the University of Rochester made the difference for him.

“He really values putting his athletes in jobs postcollege, as opposed to trying to win everything you can, and that was something that I share in my mindset,” said Zhong. “So, I chose that as opposed to going to school where maybe they’re a little bit more competitive, but don’t share those values.”

Additionally, Zhong sees the potential for a relationship with Wesley progressing beyond just golf.

Volunteer Work

As Zhong became more dedicated to golf, he began looking for ways to give back to the community around him, namely, golfers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He joined two organizations that allowed him to do this: Caddies for Kids and First Tee.

Caddies for Kids is a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship and caddies – people who assist golfers by carrying the bag that contains their clubs –in the form of high school players to young golfers. It has grown to three chapters across Texas. He began volunteering for the organization just months after its founding in his sophomore year.

“I really think that he could help me and become a lifelong mentor and advisor to me,” Zhong said.

Location was another important factor.

“Rochester is driving distance from my grandparents, and that was really important to me, because my cousins are also around there,” he said.

Turbyne, who also taught Zhong in his technical theater class, says that he believes Zhong will excel in university.

“He’s a fantastic person, and that shows up in his golf game and shows up in his work in the classroom,” said Turbyne. “The discipline with which he approaches his game, the work ethic that he shows and exhibits and the care he takes in preparing himself to compete are just some reasons he

“We take kids out onto the course, play nine or 18 holes, give them the yardage and tell them, ‘This is how you play golf. This is how you live life. This is how you conduct yourself as a person,’” said Zhong. Zhong volunteers once or twice a week, and he has five young players for whom he consistently caddies.

“I really like them,” said Zhong. “I’ve seen them grow, and I’ve seen them get better, not only as golfers, but as people, and that’s something that really matters to me.”

First Tee is another nonprofit organization. However, it is a nationwide youth development organization that combines golf with a life skills curriculum that teaches over 3.6 million youths each year.

Zhong began volunteering there his junior year and coaches group classes for young players every Monday evening.

“There was one kid, his name was Mason, and last year he was, really, really shy, and just didn’t speak and do that much,” said Zhong. “Over the course of those classes for like eight weeks, he completely changed. He’s funny, he speaks his mind and he’s also really good at golf.”

Zhong says that his work transcends teaching sports skills.

“The volunteering is more about just playing golf, it’s about how to be a better person,” Zhong. “When I coach these kids, I see myself in them and get to be the mentor that I never had.”

will thrive in the next level.”

Lyna Kamgang

Photo courtesy of Will Turbyne

TEEING UP: Henry Zhong first picked up a golf club at the age of 2. He now leads the Greenhill boys varsity golf team and plans to play at the University of Rochester.

Photo by Eitan Hahn

GOING FOR GOLD: In the 2024 Southwest Preparatory Conference golf tournament, Henry Zhong individually achieved first place. Zhong hopes to win again this year. Graphics by Bette Tomecko

Striving For Mental Toughness

Ven Larson, Kaitlyn Yoo

As the Evergreen went to print, Upper School athletes were scheduled to mark the end of the fall sports season by competing Nov. 7-9 in the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championships for field hockey, volleyball, cross country and football.

These athletes, with hopes of fulfilling their season goals, dedicated themselves to becoming their strongest selves in preparation for the championships.

“We must not only have the technical skills to play, but the thirst to win,” sophomore Jenna Stenberg said in the weeks leading up to the championships. “Even when the game gets tough, our coach tells us we need to play through adversity.”

In preparation, an emphasis on mental toughness and teamwork became a theme throughout Greenhill athletics.

Strong Connections

In the weeks before the SPC Championships, teams worked on building connections between members. Girls field hockey Head Coach Brittany Hawkins ensured her athletes worked on improving the team dynamic, according to sophomore Noora Qureshi.

“Our teamwork definitely contributed to our success, and it has also been really fun to play,” said Qureshi.

Likewise, girls volleyball athletes focused on supporting each other, especially since they have several new members.

“It is such a team-oriented sport that if they’re not comfortable with each other, their performance is affected quickly,” Head Coach Tatiane Deibert said.

Many teams engaged in bonding

activities outside of their practices. Senior William Black held weekly dinners for the football team. The boys and girls volleyball teams also participated in scavenger hunts.

Our teamwork definitely contributed to our success, and it has also been really fun to play.”

“We had so much fun at the scavenger hunt, and it definitely brought us closer together,” said sophomore Miles Wilson.

Other activities that draw athletes closer include team sleepovers.

“We really wanted to play together and have fun even when we were in stressful situations,” said sophomore Julia Deibert.

Perseverance

Leading up to the SPC Championships, coaches also worked to improve their athletes’ mentalities during practices prior to games.

“It’s a matter of being present in each week’s practices,” said cross country Head Coach Jason Yaffe. “The thinking is if we consistently do well in practices, we position ourselves for success later in the season.”

It is such a team-oriented sport that if they’re not comfortable with each other, their performance is affected quickly.”

Athletes also challenged themselves in High Performance Center workouts to maintain strength and speed, complementing their quest for the mental toughness that is

seen as crucial to competing well at the SPC Championships.

“Our main goal was to do hard better,” said senior Campbell Sims, a girls volleyball captain. “We always told each other that in practice, because we needed to learn how to play under pressure.”

Sims says her teammates strived to perform well during stressful games. Many other Greenhill teams adopted this theme of “doing hard better.”

“If you can continue to be strong mentally, then there is opportunity to

win,” said Head of Athletics and Physical Education Jarrett Shine. “I think that was a goal, the determination, the grit.”

In addition to physical and mental preparations, having fun was also seen as a crucial component of each team’s performance at the SPC Championships.

“We try to be the best we can be,” said Shine. “We want to be in the best shape, mental and physical, so when we face tough competition, we’re able to truly shine.”

FOOTBALL SUPPORT: Dressed in green and gold, Greenhill students cheer on the varsity football team at the first home game on Sept. 6. The Hornets won 56-0.

Photo by Sasha Wai

Graphic by Christan Park

How to Be Successful in...

Standardized Testing

the Evergreen Sta�

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Aria Kutty and Evie Kwei

EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Chloe Nguyen and Christan Park

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Daniela Hallack and Lyna Kamgang

Aanya Bhoria

At this point in the school year, several juniors have started taking standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, while many seniors are wrapping up this part of their college quest.

The SAT and ACT measure a student’s proficiency in English, reading comprehension and math. The ACT evaluates science as well. These test scores are a factor most colleges consider during the admissions process.

Currently, there is no limit to how many times a student can take either test. Students submit their best scores to colleges. Some colleges allow “superscoring,” in which a student’s best scores from each section are combined to make a better score. While most colleges switched to test-optional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of them have now returned to requiring scores.

The Evergreen spoke to several juniors and seniors who have taken one or both of the tests. Here is what they had to say about the experience:

How would a student decide to take the ACT versus the SAT?

“Usually, you’ll take both the PSAT and a practice ACT, and whichever one you do better on is the one you’ll take. Some people also get tutors who will work with them and will also recommend a test to take.”

– junior Sofi Lanzillotta

“I think a lot of it comes down to what format you prefer, because the SAT is digital,

and the ACT is paper.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

What kind of preparation goes into studying for the SAT or an Advanced Placement test?

“You can do tutoring. A lot of it is just practice tests and getting familiar with the content and the material.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

What resources do you recommend to study for standardized testing?

“I would say just go online and take the practice test and just get familiar with the type of questions that you’re going to see.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

“I would definitely recommend getting a tutor because there’s a lot of rules and tricks and stuff that you otherwise wouldn’t know.”

– junior Sofi Lanzillotta

Should students use outside of school programs to study for the SAT or ACT?

“Yes, I would say that outside of school resources really helped me improve my score. I took the ACT, and I worked with a company called Compass [Education Group.] From my first practice test to my final score, there was a big difference.”

– senior Lauren Harrington

What do you recommend students do to manage their time better while taking the test?

“I would say just figure out how much time you can allocate to each section of each test. Like each passage, you have roughly this much time per question.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

When should you begin studying for the SAT or ACT?

“It kind of depends on when you are going to take it. I think most people start studying a few months before their test.”

– junior Samantha Herrmann

Are practice tests helpful and how often should they be taken?

“I took two or three practice tests for the ACT, and I would say they are helpful because you are able to get the feel of what it’s like to sit there and take the real test.”

– senior Claire Koehler

What should students do leading up to their test date?

“A few days before the test I’ll just review certain concepts that I know I struggle with, or that I know I need to remember. But other than that, I try to step away from the material and give myself a break because I have done all I can up to that point.”

– junior Valentina Casas-Sayek

What are some strategies students can use when taking a test?

“I guess on the passage ones to just understand the entire passage fully before going on to the questions so that you can choose the answer without having to go back and re-read.”

– senior Claire Koehler

Graphics by Chloe Nguyen

Opinion by the Senior Staff Trump Triumphs, What Now?

Once again, America has spoken. Come January, president-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, marking a historic comeback from his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

On election night, the decisive results sent shockwaves across the country. Not only did Trump win the presidency, but he also won the popular vote – something a Republican hasn’t done since 2004.

Perhaps it was naive to believe this outcome was improbable. We had hoped that allegations of sexual assault, felony convictions and charges, serial dishonesty, racism and his primary role in inciting an insurrection against our government would disqualify Trump in the eyes of American voters. And yet, as the night unfolded, it became painfully clear where America stands.

And with that, a new era of modern politics was born.

Looking at key voter demographics, Trump was able to gain unprecedented ground in various groups, which was a driving factor in his victory. Most shocking of all was the embrace of Hispanic/Latino voters – 45% of whom voted for Trump, a record high for a Republican nominee. With all the disparaging remarks Trump has made about Americans of color, and Latino Americans in particular, it’s genuinely hard

to fathom how this outcome could have occurred.

For the senior staff of the print Evergreen, a group that is overwhelmingly female and entirely people of color, the election of Trump has left us disheartened and baffled. For someone who seems so anti-woman and anti-people of color, it’s perplexing to think that he was elected by the very people he has adamantly spoken out against.

In addition, for many reasons, we question Trump’s mental and physical capability for another term. John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, is just one of more than a dozen former aides who have publicly stated that Trump is unfit for office. If those who were closest to him –individuals who have witnessed his decisionmaking firsthand during the country’s most critical moments – believe he cannot lead, how can we place our trust in him?

Because so many of his former staff members have left his side, he has ushered in a new wave of loyalists to serve him during his upcoming term. In many ways, this concerns us more than his presidency.

He has promised men like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk positions of influence in his administration, despite their questionable political qualifications. R.F.K. Jr. believes that fluoride is “lowering I.Q. in our children,” despite the American Dental

Association saying that fluoride reduces tooth decay by at least 25 percent. In the same vein, Musk will have influence in – and benefit directly from – Trump’s new policies, both gaining economic power and greater influence.

Furthermore, as a convicted felon, we must question whether Trump could be granted the power to pardon himself. Admittedly, when the framers created the Constitution, it’s unlikely they anticipated a scenario in which someone convicted of a crime could rise to the nation’s highest office. The possibility of self-pardon raises serious concerns about accountability and justice.

Coupled with the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, we fear that the very principles that uphold our democracy could be in jeopardy.

Additionally, will he use his power to pardon those who rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 – individuals who acted in his name? Such actions would set a dangerous precedent, putting personal loyalty above the law.

Historically, young people in America have been vehicles for positive change. When you vote, you must be certain the future is at the forefront of your mind, for you – indeed, all of us – will own the consequences of our choice.

The country is in our hands.

MANAGING EDITOR

Varun Mukund

ASSISTANT MANAGING

EDITORS

Nora Ahearn

John Hurley

Rory Liu

Kate Ponnambalam

Vedant Subramanian

Sasha Wai

Justin Wu

Noor Zaman

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Ella Sadka

NEWS EDITOR

Sadie Werner

FEATURES EDITOR

Kaitlyn Yoo

ARTS EDITORS

Aanya Bhoria and Vivian White

VIEWS EDITORS

Victoria Gonchar and Lillian Smith

STAFF WRITERS

Jordan Arbuckle

Alexis Chen

Sydney Chien

Cindy Chou

Jin Huang

Khushi Punnam

Ethan Sadka

Talia Sidikaro

Cate Simpson

Scarlett Song

ASSISTANT ADVISOR

Amy Bresie

ADVISOR

Gregg Jones

Have a response? Opinion? Original Idea?

Email the Editors-in-Chief: kuttya25@greenhill.org kweie25@greenhill.org

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Evergreen is an independent, student-run newspaper serving the Greenhill School community. It is printed six times during the school year. Print circulation is 900 copies. Past issues are archived at issuu.com/ghevergreen.

Our staff upholds a code of ethics that values honesty, integrity, accuracy and responsibility. Our mission is to help our community interpret campus, local, state and national events through content written and edited by students.

The Evergreen welcomes letters and emails from readers. We reserve the right to edit submissions for accuracy, grammar and length. The Evergreen will not publish material that we judge to be libelous or obscene, invades privacy or constitutes hate speech. The staff editorial represents the opinion of the Evergreen staff, not necessarily that of Greenhill School.

ADVERTISEMENTS

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

To request a correction or clarification, please email kuttya25@ greenhill.org or kweie25@greenhill.org

Savoring the Season: Fall Food Review

Victoria Gonchar, Lillian Smith

Every fall, restaurants across the country release seasonal exclusives. As winter approaches, Upper School students are reminiscing about their favorite fall foods. From sweet smoothie bowls to savory pumpkin pasta, Dallas has fall flavors for every occasion. The Evergreen staff asked Upper School students for their hot takes on a sampling of fall treats.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse: Spooky Pizookie

The Spooky Pizookie is a classic, with this limitededition flavor available every fall. It’s an Oreo-crusted, double chocolate pan cookie, with orange colored vanilla bean ice

“I loved the Oreo flavor, but the food dye was a little overpowering in the ice cream,” said sophomore Lilly Williams. “I give it an 8 out of 10. I preferred the chocolate chip Pizookie.”

La La Land Kind Cafe: La La Pumpkin Spice Latte with Matcha

With many cafes creating fall drinks, La La Land’s iced pumpkin spice matcha stands out. The creamy pumpkin cold foam layered on top of the herbal matcha makes for a delicious combination.

Mamaka Bowls offers many different smoothie flavors, but they sell an exclusive pumpkin flavor during the fall. It is made of pumpkin spice, maca, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar and bananas. It is topped with granola, banana, cinnamon and cacao nibs.

“I didn’t really like the bowl because of the pumpkin flavor,” said junior Aiden White. “I also had to wait around 20 minutes in the store, so I give the full experience a 6 out of 10.”

“I usually don’t like matcha, but the pumpkin spice really complemented it,” said freshman Daisy Bonnette. “I also came like an hour before closing and they gave me a free pastry, so I will rate the whole experience an 8 ½ [out of 10].”

Catalyst Coffee: Pumpkin Spice Bread

Jeni’s came out with five unique fall flavor combinations: Pumpkin Seed and Rye Cookie, Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Miso Butterscotch Brownie, Bay Leaf Cheesecake and Sweet Potato Marshmallow Praline. Sophomore Savanna Smith tried a half scoop of the Pumpkin Seed and Rye Cookie and the Miso Butterscotch Brownie.

“Both flavors were disgusting, but the pumpkin seed and rye cookie was a little bit better,” said Smith. “I give the pumpkin a 3 and the butterscotch a 4 out of

Trader Joe’s: Fall Zucchette Pasta

The pumpkin spice bread is a comforting pastry, conveniently available at the campus coffee shop in the lobby of the Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center.

“This is almost as good at the Starbucks one,” said sophomore Alex Han. “I give it an 8 out of 10.”

Trader Joe’s Fall Zucchette Pasta is a pumpkin shaped, butternut squash pasta. It pairs with their Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce, a pumpkin and butternut squash duo that makes for a unique mix that can be served for lunch or dinner.

“I like the shape of the pasta. It made it so much more fun to eat,” said freshman Abhinav Chepur. “The squash flavor wasn’t too strong, but I will still give it a 9 out of 10.”

Mamaka Bowls: Pumpkin Bowl

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams: Fall Flavors

& Rants Raves

A RANT to the Thanksgiving Break workload increase. Although we are all excited for a much needed break, we are starting to become swamped with summative assignments. Teachers tend to rush wrapping up units and often squeeze in last minute tests.

A RAVENT to the weather changes. We are sad to see our summer tans fade but are excited for sweatpants and Uggs season. Students are excited to finally escape the Texas heat and experience fall.

A RAVE to the Fall Musical. Greenhill students have been working hard for the past months to put on this year’s production of “Mamma Mia!” Make sure to support your friends by watching the show on Nov. 21-22.

A RAVE to senior lunch privileges. Since early October, seniors have been allowed to leave campus for lunch. Now the lunch line is shorter and moves much more efficiently, and seniors get to enjoy their favorite meals.

e

A RAVENT to the end of fall sports. Many played their sport for the last time during the recent season. We will also miss Friday Night Lights on Brinkmann Field. Although we are sad to see fall sports go, we are excited to see what the winter season has in store.

A RANT to college application season. With so many applications to submit, seniors are constantly stressed and have little free time. It’s become increasingly difficult to balance succeeding academically in their classes and writing supplementals.

Evergreen Crossword

4. Catalyst Coffee’s new fall exclusive offering: pumpkin spice _____

7. Three Greenhill students spent _____ weeks at UT Southwestern Medical Center’s STARS Summer Program

9. Senior Ali Agha’s signature accessory

11. One topic discussed by the Captain Council in one of their meetings

14. Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor _____, who works with Upper and Middle School Photography teacher Frank Lopez to instruct the Chemistry of Photography class DOWN

1. Richard Eiseman ‘77 attended _____ McKenna College after graduating from Greenhill

2. Upper School _____ Department, which hosted election seminars prior to the 2024 U.S. presidential election

3. Junior Zach Geller’s designated stroke for the Greenhill varsity swim team

5. Eli Mendoza works as the _____ chef for Greenhill’s SAGE Dining team

6. New Middle and Upper School Dance teacher Gypsy _____

8. Age when senior Henry Zhong first picked up a golf club

10. Winter and spring athletes must complete _____ High Performance Center sessions prior to the start of the season

12. Greenhill security guard Gerard Abbene previously worked for the

13. Singer-songwriter Gracie _____, who performed in Dallas on Sept. 19

Crossword by Evie Kwei and Christan Park ACROSS

Behind the Scenes:

LAYOUT

Late nights, full whiteboards and the glow of computer screens.

That’s the scene you’ll find as the deadline approaches for the print Evergreen staff. Sure, there may be a few BJ's Pizookie breaks to keep us going, but it's not all about sweet treats. Creating a newspaper takes dedication, teamwork and countless hours of design and editing. So, how does an issue of the print Evergreen come together six times a year?

Step 1: Page Layout

Section editors organize and arrange stories on their assigned pages using Adobe InDesign. They add photos and graphics to make the pages more visually appealing.

Step 6: Final Review

Once all 24 pages have reached the “final” folder, a senior editor combines the pages into one PDF file. The completed paper is projected onto a screen, page by page, for a final review. If an error is spotted, the page file is opened and the necessary correction is made. When the final review is complete, the PDF file is uploaded to our offcampus printing company using a secure file-sharing service. Over the next 48 hours or so, the paper is printed, and on the following Tuesday, 900 copies of the latest Evergreen newspaper issue are delivered to campus for distribution to the Greenhill community.

Step 2: Checklist

Stories undergo three rounds of edits – two by student editors and a final round by the Evergreen advisor – before being marked as "Ready for Publication" and flowed onto a page in InDesign. Once all the stories are finalized and the initial layout of the page is completed, a senior editor reviews the page with the section editor and completes a checklist before it is considered ready for proofing.

Step 5: Final Fixes

With proofing complete, senior editors work in pairs at a desktop computer to incorporate the changes on the InDesign files. During this crucial step in the process, any keystroke on an InDesign file can cause unintended consequences on a page – the slight movement or disappearance of text or images, or the inadvertent introduction of typos or other errors. Once the corrected page has been reviewed, the editors convert the InDesign file to a PDF and place it in the “Final” folder.

Step 3: Proofreading

Each InDesign file is printed for proofreading. Junior and senior editors pair up, going over every word, graphic and photo on the page with the aim of catching any lingering errors. With colored pens in hand, the proofreaders mark up the page, highlighting recommended changes.

Step 4: Teacher’s

Once a page is proofed

advisor reads each page and marks final edits and corrections with a red

Graphics by Christan Park; photos by Lyna Kamgang and Christan Park