September 2024 | The Evergreen, Greenhill School

September 25, 2024

1

A Monumental Election

e presidential election has already taken unprecedented twists. Page 12

New Policies

With the start of the 2024-2025 school year, Greenhill administration has introduced new regulations in the Upper School. Page 14

Fringe Fest

15

Greenhill Theater traveled to Scotland this summer to perform “Water. Gun. Argument.” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Page

Junior Chloe LaGrone and her team won bronze in the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics this past summer. Page 19

Photo illustration by Evie Kwei and Christan Park

02 News

Hill Guide Program Undergoes a Makeover

Vedant Subramanian

The Upper School Hill Guide program is empowering student leaders and implementing other changes this year to enhance the experience of applicants and their families.

Hill Guides are students who give tours to prospective families and faculty around the campus, answer questions about the school and help visitors find their way around campus at admissions events. They are selected by Greenhill admissions staff.

This year, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management Maryanna Phipps is leading the Hill Guide program after previous head Johnny Thompson assumed other responsibilities on campus. Phipps had previously worked with Thompson in the program.

Phipps has created a student leadership team, which will be managed by Greenhill’s new Associate Director of Admission Felicia Rivers.

Phipps has also modified the touring system.

“I want [Hill Guides] to be examples of the best of Greenhill for prospective families, prospective faculty and anyone who is looking at the school,” said Phipps.

Senior Kaavya Sampath, a Hill Guide, says the changes will excite other students in the program.

“I think we are on a very good track to success, especially in the next few years,” Sampath said.

Program Changes

The new student leadership team oversees the coordination and supervision

of other Hill Guides, including answering any questions they may have.

“I see them as the group that will know even a little bit more, will be a little bit more experts than their peers, perhaps because they are also helping to lead and educate the other Hill Guides,” said Phipps.

Phipps says the student leadership team will also help provide insight on how the program can be improved.

Junior Dylan Millimet, a Hill Guide who is not a member of the student leadership team, says the group will help ensure everything runs smoothly.

“I think [the leadership team] definitely serves as a very useful conduit of information between the administrative staff and the rest of the Hill Guides team that is going to make the flow of information come a lot easier than it has in the past,” Millimet said.

In another change, Hill Guides won’t follow exact routes but will be able to adapt a tour to match the interests of prospective families and students.

“What I would like to see is for the families who are here to get the best experience possible,” said Phipps. “If our Hill Guides are able to be knowledgeable enough that they can pivot and share what’s most important to families, I think that’s most helpful.”

Sampath says the new touring system will create a more comfortable and welcoming environment for prospective families and staff.

Hill Guides training started earlier this year in August, rather than in September, giving Hill Guides more time to learn. Phipps says she hopes this will become a trend in the future.

“Our training, I think, will only get better over time, and likewise with the actual

tour training,” said Phipps.

Looking Ahead

In the future, Phipps says she anticipates the program will become increasingly selective.

“We want students who really want to be a part of the program and are willing to apply and focus,” Phipps said. “It will

require a little bit more of those students who are involved, and so we want them to be intentional about being involved.”

Overall, Phipps says she wants Hill Guides to represent Greenhill’s student body and its values.

“I think there will continue to be changes,” Phipps said. “Just like everything else we do, we want to make sure to elevate it and see what’s working and improve.”

A New Project: Community Service Reimagined

Daniela Hallack

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of Greenhill life.

That included the community service requirements for Upper School students.

what they intend to do about it and how they will serve their communities.

Juniors submitted their proposals for service and Chu then approved them.

“I am pretty excited to submit my proposal because I think being able to focus on one thing I am

“organically” so that in upcoming years it becomes part of the service culture. Freshmen and sophomores are required to do 18 hours, with no criteria on how they must obtain them.

“In the past during freshman and sophomore

Before the pandemic, Upper School students had to obtain 24 of their 48 hours of community service over four years through one nonprofit organization of their choosing. The requirement was discontinued during the pandemic, and in the aftermath of COVID-19 the community service requirements have gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Now, Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement Jessica Chu is revamping the community service requirements for students.

“I keep reminding myself that sometimes they did something similar in the past, but I will say I adapted it a little,” said Chu.

Accumulating Hours

Rising juniors are now required to dedicate 12 hours to one cause they’re passionate about, out of the 24 required for their junior and senior years. They can choose from among a variety of organizations as long as they pertain to their desired service cause. Students are encouraged to do service work outside of these required hours as well.

“You might be passionate about hunger and food insecurity and want to deal with it by splitting up your time between two nonprofits rather than one,” said Chu.

Chu sent the junior class a form asking what causes they were passionate about,

really interested in is pretty cool,” said junior Jacquelyn Dishman.

Juniors have just been introduced to the new system.

Current sophomores will be introduced at the end of the year.

Chu says she wants the process to work more

year, you are just exploring various nonprofits and trying everything out,” said Chu. “As you get into junior and senior year you think, ‘now let me focus more on my service project around one specific cause.’”

Proposal Ideas

Student community-service proposals span a range of interests and causes.

Junior Chloe LaGrone works at her synagogue as a Madrichim, similar to what a summer camp counselor is. This was the cause she submitted as her proposal.

“I’ve worked for the Temple Emanu-El for a while so I’m in a position where I can take on a leadership role within the volunteer space,” said LaGrone.

Besides connecting with a cause meaningful to her and taking a leadership position, LaGrone also works with children as a summer camp counselor. LaGrone said obtaining these hours and strengthening these relationships with her community has been rewarding for her.

“I get to be in the classroom and go to the gardens and teach about different environmental topics to the kids,” said LaGrone. “It worked out pretty naturally, and it was a pretty meaningful project.”

By sticking with a passion, LaGrone is confident that this revamped policy will light a spark and encourage students to think more about how they will complete their service hours.

“I think just sticking with one cause and really understanding what that cause means to you [and] how to put yourself in such a leadership position is very beneficial,” said LaGrone.

Chu says this new initiative will not just help students complete their graduation requirements but foster a new sense of service within the community. Her vision is for students to take their passion for their cause and continue working on it for the rest of their lives.

“The hope is that students won’t just do it in high school, but they’ll find a lifelong passion for it,” said Chu.

Graphic by Christan Park

Jessica Chu

Photo by Ella Sadka

TRAINING: Hill Guides learn what to share with prospective families on admissions tours. This was the first programming session for incoming and returning guides.

Spreading Their Wings

The Journey to Eagle Scouts

Juniors Noah Chu and Derian Herrmann participated in community service projects to earn the prestigious Eagle Scout rank over the summer. As the highest accomplishment in the Boy Scouts of America organization, this achievement marks the end of their Scouting career.

The Boy Scouts of America, which serves youth from middle to high school, aims to prepare teenagers for adult life through the program.

Chu says that in earning the Eagle Scout rank, they showed their commitment to the Boy Scouts’ values of loyalty, kindness and bravery.

“It was very rewarding to me,” said Chu. “After finishing my final project, when there was no more work to be done, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I had never felt before in my life.”

Scouting Experience

Achieving the Eagle Scout rank is a multistep process that requires a member to have already earned Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life ranks in the program.

Additionally, an aspiring Eagle Scout must serve in a leadership position in their Scout troop, attend a Boy Scout conference, participate in a community service project and earn 21 merit badges.

Chu and Herrmann have both participated in the same troop since sixth grade. Before then, they were in Cub Scouts, which is the entry-level scouting group for children under 8 years old.

One of the goals of Boy Scouts is to learn survival skills. They must earn merit badges in activities like swimming, hiking and cooking.

“In order to get that merit badge for cooking, I had to cook on a campout,” said Chu. “I had to get all the food together, plan everyone’s meals out and then cook it myself.”

These campouts, while an opportunity to earn a badge, were also educational experiences, according to Herrmann.

“They teach you how to be independent,” said Herrmann. “No one is helping you set up your tent or make the fire. So, you must learn at the beginning, and then you’re just doing it yourself.”

While they routinely demonstrated independence and developed new abilities, Hermann was surprised by the wide range of skills they needed to acquire different badges.

“It was crazy because on one hand I was learning how to shoot a gun in riflery, and on the other I was learning a bunch of puzzle skills for the chess merit badge,” said Herrmann.

Additionally, through weekly troop meetings and group camping trips, Chu says that he formed relationships he will hold dear forever.

“We formed a community within ourselves, and made it personal,” said Chu. “We made a commitment to help others in their Eagle Scout projects. I helped to volunteer for almost every single one of them.”

Herrmann agreed, saying that he is glad to have met so many people.

their Eagle Scout rank. The goal of these projects, according to Chu and Herrmann, was to demonstrate their dedication to the community and serving others.

We made a commitment to help others in their Eagle Scout projects. I helped to volunteer for almost every single one of them.”

Chu found his project by talking to the executive director of the Semones Family Young Men’s Christian Association center, Diddy Fullbright. She told him about other people putting trash in their dumpsters, causing them to overflow.

“I learned a lot about friendship,” Herrmann said. “I made a lot of great connections through Scouting, which I never would have thought to have made.”

Community Service Project

Both students planned their own service projects for

Chu set out to build a gate to enclose the dumpsters.

He created the blueprints for his fence design and showed them to a contractor.

“[He] gave me feedback on my design and how to best install the gate,” said Chu.

“Based on his feedback, I was able to improve my plan.”

Chu collected the materials and planned days during which they would construct the fence.

Volunteers from troops around Dallas stepped in to help.

The construction process taught him a lot about leadership, according to Chu.

“I learned that leadership required two things,” said Chu. “To have success, you need to have flexibility and an open mind. I realized I can’t have a structured plan and expect nothing to go wrong. I needed to always be flexible and go with the flow.”

Herrmann reached out to the Texas Master Gardener Program, a nonprofit tied to Texas A&M University that works to educate the public about horticulture and gardening throughout Texas. They asked him to help make their R&B1 Urban County Farm in Dallas compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

He did this by planning and organizing the installation of a portable ramp and gate to the garden.

“[The] task revolved around me having to tell people what to do and how to do it,” said Herrmann. “It was a really good learning experience on how to be in a leadership position.”

Life Lessons

Herrmann still remembers when he first decided his dream was to become an Eagle Scout.

“I was in the car with my mom after school and she was telling me how big of a deal Boy Scouts was,” said Herrmann. “I thought ‘that’s going to be me,’ and decided from then on that I would work to become the best Scout I could.”

Now that he has accomplished this dream, he says he feels an immense feeling of satisfaction.

“I’ve been working for this for years,” said Herrmann. “Throughout the entire pandemic, I was working hard to get my ranking up. Now that I finally have it, I feel a sense of accomplishment, which is something I haven’t always felt in everything I do. This just shows how important this was to me, and I’m so grateful that I was able to get it done.”

Both Chu and Herrmann agree that they learned important life lessons from their experiences.

“I learned that even if you’re scared to go out and do something, you still have to do it,” said Herrmann. “There was a lot of things like merit badges where I was scared to do it and I wasn’t sure if I could, but I pushed through that and eventually reached my goal.”

Chu stressed the specific skills he learned.

“I learned how to cook in Boy Scouts,” said Chu. “I learned skills in first aid and outdoor survival.”

Notably, Chu and Herrmann were the last of their troop to reach Eagle Scout rank. With no new members, the group has been forced to dissolve.

Going forward, both students say they would like to continue using what they learned in Boy Scouts and their service projects.

I learned that even if you’re scared to go out and do something, you still have to do it.”

“I still help a lot with community service,” said Chu. “I work with the Lovepacs organization, which is a nonprofit that gives food to the people who can’t afford it.”

Herrmann also participates in community service and says he will always remember what the Boy Scouts taught him.

“I want to continue to try to be a leader and continue to help others at all times,” said Herrmann. “I want to follow the Scout Law and Oath and make sure I’m being true to what a Boy Scout is.”

Justin Wu

AWARD CEREMONY: With their troop, juniors Noah Chu, third from left, and Derian Herrmann, fourth from right, earned the highest accomplishment in the Boy Scouts of America organization: the Eagle Scout rank.

Photo illustration by Chloe Nguyen

Photo courtesy of Noah Chu

Evergreen the Seniors Intern in Advancement Office

Five seniors worked as interns in Greenhill’s Advancement Office during the summer break, in the third year of a program aimed at giving students professional experience.

Director of Annual Fund and Major Gifts Robert Clements started the summer internship program in 2022.

This year’s interns were: Sophie Fiedelman, Samantha Aidala, Cassie Rosa, Andrew Cai and Owen Meschertson.

“Having students help us with our work is really advantageous for us,” said Clements. “I think fundraising is also very applicable to the workforce as well.”

The work exposed the students to

applications. This was designed to mirror the process of applying for jobs beyond Greenhill.

“It’s definitely a lot more low stakes, I’d say, than applying for a job [outside of Greenhill],” said Cai. “But it is pretty parallel in terms of the process you have to take.”

Working Hard

The students worked on various tasks during their Greenhill internships, most notably soliciting contributions for the Growing Stronger Together campaign. They contacted potential donors and were then assigned partners to present with.

Aidala and Rosa gave a presentation

$25,000 in their pitch efforts.

“It was a really good experience to practice giving a pitch,” said Aidala. The seniors also occasionally made calls and sent emails to families that had donated to the Greenhill Fund in the past, but had not given yet this

We’re in the middle of an athletics campaign . . .so I was really looking for students who had been involved in athletics personally, and had been on a team and could speak to what Greenhill athletics is like.”

Asking for donations wasn’t the only work they did though. They wrote thankyou notes to those who had given money and helped Director of Alumni Relations Katie Young collect memorabilia from alumni for the school’s 75th anniversary next year. They also helped Young with other outreach

“[The students] bring this great energy and a different perspective that really helps our work,” said Young.

Lessons Learned

During the internship, the seniors were given several unique learning opportunities.

Nearly every day, they sat down for a “Lunch and Learn” meeting with an important member of the Greenhill community, whether someone with an administrative role or a member of the Board of Trustees. This was intended to teach the seniors about what goes into running a school, according to Clements.

“It was just so cool to get to ask any questions we wanted to,” said Aidala. “Hearing directly from those people about issues the school is facing and what they would like to see in the future of our school was just so interesting.” Each of these meetings aimed to teach the seniors something different. For example, Associate Head of School for Mission, Community and Culture Tom Perryman ’81 taught them an in-depth

history of Greenhill.

Fiedelman says she learned an important lesson from Associate Head of School/Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer Kendra Grace.

“You need to trust what you’re doing, but you also need to make sure that you don’t only rely on yourself,” said Fiedelman. “Mrs. Grace will say that if you didn’t ask anybody about the decision you were making, you shouldn’t have made it.”

Apart from their lunch meetings, the interns say they also learned a lot from the work they did. Each of them took different lessons to heart.

“It definitely built my teamwork and leadership skills,” said Cai. “Because we had this small group, and with such a large task, we kind of had to divvy it up and also work together.”

Fiedelman also says her teamwork skills improved, but she stressed that the importance of thanking people stuck with her.

“I got thanked for my thank-you notes via email or teachers who walked by,” said Fiedelman. “It was really nice to see that the time and effort I put into writing these kind words about other people were really appreciated and really taken to heart.”

The students also say that they gained valuable insight into how Greenhill functions.

“Learning about the impact of philanthropy on our school was really interesting to see, because it does a lot for us,” said Aidala. “For example, if the endowment grows, then teacher salaries can also grow.”

I’m always impressed with how great the workers are, they show up on time and they genuinely get interested in the work.”

Clements says he hoped that Aidala’s new perspective would be something the seniors gained from the internship.

“Pride in Greenhill, if they take away nothing else, that’s what I want them to get,” said Clements. “I wanted people to graduate realizing and being proud of just how cool this place is, so I make sure that the internship included a behind-the-scenes look at all the things that go on beyond the classroom.”

Nora Ahearn

Photo courtesy of Sophie Fiedelman

FIRST LOOK: Seniors Cassie Rosa, Sophie Fiedelman, Samantha Aidala, Owen Meschertson and Andrew Cai get a sneak peek at the Middle School renovations.

Graphic by Christan Park

Middle School Middle

MS Makeover Dazzles Students

makeover are the division’s two learning specialists, who previously inhabited a tiny, cramped space.

Whoa!

That was the reaction of sixth-grader Arjun Shah when he walked into the newly renovated Levy Middle School building in August.

Over the summer, many areas were updated or renovated: lockers, academic pods, study nooks, conference rooms, offices, the learning specialists’ office and the faculty lounge.

“I really like the new space for social-emotional learning,” said Shah. He added, “It really is a lot better in almost every way.”

The renovated building fosters collaboration in innovative ways and optimizes space effectively, according to Head of Middle School Susan Palmer. It also fulfills student needs by “updating according to the best practices of the 21st century,” she said.

Over the life of the 30-year-old building, many features became outdated and inefficient. When space was opened up by the transition of Middle School math and science classes to the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center, discussions over how to utilize the vacated areas intensified, according to Palmer.

“We’ve had serious space-planning discussions even before we got the architects involved,” said Palmer.

Among the beneficiaries of the Middle School’s

Students have benefited in multiple ways: Innovative study spaces were installed to allow students to receive undisturbed one-on-one help, and old, unstable lockers were torn down and replaced with more modern ones.

“Kids learn better in areas that are less cluttered,” Palmer said. “When the students came in, they kept saying ‘this is amazing.’”

Among other improvements is lighting. Sunlight fills the building lobby through glass walls in the rotunda. Bigger windows allow natural light to enhance classrooms with a more peaceful environment.

Eighth-grader Adam Tawil approved of the results. “It gives students a nicer learning environment for sure,” Tawil said.

Other changes make it possible for teachers to collaborate with each other more easily.

“We ripped out the old set-up and put in a central conference table so people can actually work together,” Palmer said.

The reaction of students and faculty has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I’m really proud that our students see it as a gift,” Palmer said. “And that they’re the beneficiaries of something so great.”

Students Compete in Junior Classical League

Alexis Chen

Nineteen Middle School students spent a week competing in various categories at the National Junior Classical League convention in Tennessee over the summer.

The National Junior Classical League is an annual event that requires students to compete and qualify in tournaments over the preceding months. Greenhill students competed in the regional conference in April and state meet in May to qualify for the national convention.

Carrie Wang, an eighth-grader who participated in the

black pencil drawing and painting category, described her experience as “like a weeklong sleepover, [where] you can learn a lot about the ancient times and their cultures and languages.”

Middle School Latin teacher Joan Romanosky said the program allows students to learn “more about the ancient world and the Latin language.” It also gives students “who are passionate about the Latin language and culture [the] chance to meet people from other schools in the area, the state, and even nationally.”

There were over 30 categories at the national competition, including Roman Life, Ancient Geography, Weapons and Armor, Latin Literature and Latin Oratory.

Eighth-grader Miles Hulme described the event as a way to “meet new people that you wouldn’t normally meet on an everyday basis.”

Romanosky said the competition helps students develop “study skills, because there’s a huge amount of material” they must process over a period of months.

To prepare for the convention, some students printed out study guides and wrote notes on the guides to help with memory and retention.

“One of the most important things is to take practice tests,” eighth-grader Alice Huang said. “It’s a good way to study because sometimes [the tests] repeat the questions.”

The Junior Classical League program helps broaden all aspects of student learning, according to Romanosky.

“It’s not all about academics,” Romanosky said. “It’s also about building relationships.”

Fall Sports Underway

games, including their first game against Prince of Peace Catholic School of Plano, as of Sept. 10.

Middle School student-athletes are competing in five sports this fall: field hockey, girls volleyball, boys volleyball, football and cross country.

Field Hockey

The field hockey team has experienced many changes this season, including a new coach and a new way of organizing players, according to Coach Steve Warner.

Until last year, there were two teams organized by grade. The Gold team was comprised of eighth-graders and the Green team was seventh-graders.

This year, there are three teams organized by proficiency level. A smaller Gold team consists of more experienced players. Two Green teams practice together but split into separate units for games on an alternating basis.

“I think the new team structure is going to be very beneficial for all the players,” said eighth-grader Natalie Ledyard, who plays for the Gold team.

Girls Volleyball

The Gold girls volleyball team won their first four

Players say they were pleased with the outcome of their first game.

“It just really helped us know how to work together, how each teammate works individually and how we can work together with them,” said eighth-grader Sawyer Dishman, a Gold team co-captain.

Regardless of the results, the Middle School program is a great training ground for young athletes, according to Gold girls volleyball Coach Monica Stephens.

“Middle School is a sweet spot in the age of development,” Stephens said.

Boys Volleyball

The Middle School Gold boys volleyball team had a 2-0 record as of Sept. 18, with more games looming.

“Our goal this year is to win 75% of our matches and beat each team we play at least once,” said Middle School Gold boys volleyball coach Steve Feather.

Feather is already looking to the future.

“Ultimately, I want all of these player to be ready to play on the [Upper School] junior varsity team next year,” said Feather.

Football

The football team scored their first win on Sept. 5 at Parish Episcopal School with a score of 14-8. Another game was scheduled for Sept. 19.

The physicality of the Greenhill team was especially impressive in the win over Parish, according to Coach Jaron Burgess.

“A lot of people had a lot of good reps, they competed, they finished, and they dominated,” said Burgess.

Cross Country

The cross country team, with 37 runners, will compete in five meets over the course of the season, with the team goal of constant improvement, according to Coach David Henderson.

“The end goal will always be to get better at every meet and every practice while giving your best,” said Henderson. Improvements in strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance have already been made since the start of the season, according to Henderson.

These efforts have already paid off, with the girls team finishing 2nd place overall in the team’s first meet and

boys

3rd.

the

team finishing

Jordan Arbuckle, Cate Simpson, Talia Sidikaro and Ethan Sadka

Khushi Punnam, Cindy Chou

Photo by Ella Sadka

NEW LOOK: The Levy Middle School building was renovated with new academic pods, lockers and more.

SALVE: Upper and Middle School students who participated in the National Junior Classical League convention in Tennessee for a week this summer pose with their classmates, who are dressed in traditional Roman apparel.

Photo courtesy of Joan Romanosky

Day in the Life: Student Edition

5:35 A.M.

Lilly Williams

Samantha Herrmann

Sophomore Junior

I wake up early for cross-country practice.

5:50 A.M.

Because it takes me a long time to get to school, I leave the house earlier than most people. It’s early in the morning, so there isn’t much traffic on the way. It takes me about 30 minutes to arrive.

6:30-8 A.M.

I get to practice, stretch and prepare for the daily workout. We do a negative split run where we go out for a certain amount of time and then come back faster. Next, we do hill sprints followed by a one mile cool down. In all, we run about seven miles.

9 A.M.

My first class is a free period, which I normally spend talking to my friends or catching up on homework. Today, I use it to study for my Spanish quiz and practice my oral presentation.

10:25 A.M.

I have Spanish 3. After using my free period to prepare, I feel ready for the quiz and presentation.

11:50 A.M.

I go to math class, which is Advanced Algebra 2. This is difficult to have right after Spanish because both require a lot of brain power. However, I still enjoy it because my teacher is nice, and I like the other people in the

1:10 P.M.

My friends and I meet outside the locker room after class and head to lunch. We like to sit outside to eat because it’s quieter and the fresh air is nice. Lunch is my favorite time of day because I get to hang out and socialize with my friends.

1:50 P.M.

My friends and I head inside to put our plates away before heading to the library. There, we lock in and get some homework done together.

2:45 P.M.

Thankfully, my last class of the day is history. It’s a different kind of learning from math and Spanish. Instead of trying to use formulas and recall conjugations, I get to listen to a history lesson. It’s a nice balance.

4:10 P.M.

With rush-hour traffic, it takes my brother Chris and I about 45-60 minutes to get home because we live in East Dallas near White Rock Lake. I usually sleep and relax on the way home from school, so I can lock in when I get there.

5 P.M.

One thing I appreciate about having morning practice is getting to immediately start my homework after school. I don’t like having practice after school because I get home around 7 p.m. and have less time to do work.

9 P.M.

My mom cooks dinner for us to eat, but my dad doesn’t join us until later after he gets home from work.

9:45 P.M.

In my bedroom, I do the stretching and mobility recommendations [Cross Country Coach Jason] Yaffe gives me. Because of how much I run, I make sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day and have an electrolyte packet and liquid IV before I go to sleep.

10 P.M.

I’m always aiming to be in bed by 10 p.m. if I want a good eight hours of sleep before waking up at 5:35 a.m. again.

5:15 A.M.

I wake up super early every day because I like to make coffee, get ready and prepare something to eat before heading to field hockey practice. I also make sure to leave myself enough time to pack my schoolbag.

6 A.M.

I leave for practice so I’m not late but end up being a little early. So, I wait in my car until practice starts.

6:30-8 A.M.

I head to Maalouf Field for morning practice before school. To get better, we do drills, scrimmage, practice corners and hang out as a team. The drill we do most often is called the box drill. It’s a great way to work on passing and quickly changing directions. We also spend a lot of time working on corner plays, practicing each of our roles and the specific moves we’ll use when we execute them in games. Also, I play center defense, so I work a lot on taking 16s out of the circle. After practice, I rush over to the gym and get my things ready. Sometimes I’ll go to Catalyst and grab coffee just for fun. My

10:25 A.M.

I go to my E Block class, which is human reproductive biology. It’s a super fun and interesting class.

After learning about the human body, I head to AP Latin. I review my translating assignment from the night before and make sure everything looks good.

11:50 A.M.

Next, I have one of my favorite electives: the musical. Right now, we are preparing the “Mamma Mia” production. Today, it is especially exciting because the cast list is announced. Turns out, we’re double-casting it this year. While this is unorthodox, it’s still really cool because it means that everyone has a chance to do everything. I got assigned the role of Tanya, which is one of the Dynamos. So, I’m super excited and looking forward to playing her role in the show.

4:15 P.M.

1:15 P.M.

I meet up with my friends before going to lunch, where we eat together and have a good time. For dessert, I get an ice cream sandwich from the Buzz. After, I spend my office hours getting some homework done before my final class of the day.

2:45 P.M.

Finally, I have Understanding 9/11 with Mr. Cotton, which is always a fun class. Right now, we’re learning about media coverage of terrorists and how it’s sensationalized.

I pack my backpack, grab my sports gear, and head to my after-school [High Performance Center workout] with Coach [Jessen] Houston. We complete a hard but satisfying workout.

5:20 P.M.

As soon as I get home from HPC, I play with my four dogs for a little before practicing some piano. I just play it for fun, working on my chords. After that, I finish my homework for my classes that are due tomorrow.

8 P.M.

I do my skincare routine and get ready for bed. Before I go to sleep, I watch an episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”

Reporting by Chloe Nguyen and Ella Sadka

Graphics by Evie Kwei, Chloe Nguyen and Christan Park; Photo by Ella Sadka

Senior Sherry Zhang Stays Busy

Christan Park

This past summer, senior Sherry Zhang kept herself busy, traveling internationally and gaining valuable research experience.

Among the highlights, she became a two-time member of the USA World Schools debate team, and she conducted cuttingedge computer science research tied to cancer treatment. Now, back on campus for her final year at Greenhill, she has resumed her role as the president of the Upper School Math Lab.

Zhang somehow manages to do it all.

“I’ve had so many different passions and interests and getting to explore every

international tournament for high school debaters. While her team advanced to the round of 16, Zhang expressed mixed feelings about the outcome.

“I didn’t compete, but I feel like we could’ve done a lot better,” said Zhang. “This team had so much potential and talent. It was upsetting, but it was still an amazing experience.”

Now, nine years after her first taste of debate in the Lower School, she is captain of the World Schools Debate team, representing both Greenhill and the United States on the international stage.

Greenhill Debate

really good.”

By her junior year, Zhang’s talent and dedication earned her a spot on Team USA for World Schools Debate. The U.S. team of 12 debaters is chosen from a two-round selection process.

“It was an honor to be selected for the team, especially as a junior, because it was a manifestation of all the work I put in and so many sacrifices,” said Zhang. “It felt all worth it when I made it.”

With Team USA, Zhang was selected as an alternate for the World Schools Debating Championship, the most prestigious

Research

In the spring of her sophomore year, Zhang began remotely assisting a researcher at the federal Food and Drug Administration working to develop machine learning algorithms to predict drug responses in cancer treatments.

“Sherry carries out statistical analysis of the background data, and then develops more complex algorithms,” said the FDA researcher, Hanrui Zhang. “There are a bunch of machine algorithms we have tried

before, but now we are developing new deep learning ones like generating representations for drugs and how they can be applied to

In order to find the data necessary for these algorithms, Sherry Zhang searched multiple databases to find information about thousands of different drugs.

“One specific database that was really difficult to work with was one with over 3 million entries because they didn’t document it correctly,” said Sherry Zhang. “That meant I had to go through a lot of trial and error to find another mechanism to find the information.”

Despite the demanding nature of her research, Sherry Zhang says she found the experience incredibly rewarding, particularly when she saw her work reflected in the algorithms.

“Over one Zoom call, it felt really cool when I got to see that all my code was in [the algorithm] to predict how drugs interacted with each other,” said Sherry Zhang.

according to Battis.

“Because she has made it a very welcoming space to be in, kids have started coming in more,” said Battis. “She has also modeled for other tutors how to make it a safe space and not butt in and tell people how to do things, but to actually help them

Sherry Zhang says she hopes to continue research work in the future, but she is undecided on what direction of research she will pursue.

“I’m interested in computational biology, but not sure if I want to continue learning biology specifically,” she said. “I think I might want to go into AI or data science.”

Leading Math Lab

Beyond debate and research, Sherry Zhang also leads the Math Lab in tutoring younger students. Having joined the lab in her sophomore year, Zhang had taken over as president by her junior year.

“I started just doing my homework and watching Nikitha [Thoduguli ’24] interact with a lot of people and thought it was a really good opportunity,” said Zhang. “I had gotten a lot of hours that year and when [Math Lab Advisor and math teacher Melissa] Battis and Nikitha offered me [an opportunity] to be leader, I said ‘yes.’”

Her role in the Math Lab is a reflection of her commitment to helping others succeed,

Zhang’s leadership has been transformative for the Math Lab, creating a more organized structure and expanding its reach to Middle School students.

“Right now, I set up different spreadsheets for tutors to sign up, log hours, set up a 1-on-1 program, and start a program with [the] Middle School math

Balancing Act

Despite her numerous commitments, Zhang has learned how to manage her time efficiently to stay on top of her work.

“It is all about setting priorities and staying focused,” Zhang said. “I know it is difficult to balance, but in the end it’s so worth it.”

While she is extremely involved in each of her activities, Zhang says her passion for these endeavors makes them more enjoyable and less tiring to pursue.

“I thought that I couldn’t do computer science and debate since that was what people told me,” said Zhang. “But I think that’s a myth. If you have multiple interests clash with each other, you yourself a disservice by not exploring all of Zhang’s variety of interests and her leadership in those activities have allowed her to develop a wide range of skills and

“Sherry’s a very flexible person and I see a lot of possibility in her future,” said her research mentor, Hanrui Zhang. “I know she’s not only good at research but also debate, so all of these skills will help her achieve whatever she wants to in the future.”

Photo by Scarlett Song

Photo courtesy of Sherry Zhang

HELPING HAND: As president of Math Lab, Zhang not only helps students but also mentors other tutors and has expanded the lab’s reach to Middle School students.

Graphics by Rachel Jiang, Chloe Nguyen and Christan Park

IN ACTION: Sherry Zhang is captain of a Greenhill World Schools debate team. Zhang sets a high example for younger debaters during tournaments.

Evergreen

A New Dynamic Duo

Heinrichs and Rivera Join the Upper School

Sydney Chien, Kate Ponnambalam

To fill the role left by the retirement of longtime Dean of Students Jack Oros, Greenhill hired two people: Upper School Dean of Students George Heinrichs and Upper School Student Activities Administrator Kira Rivera.

Heinrichs and Rivera both previously served as deans of independent schools in Seattle prior to coming to Greenhill.

Mr. Heinrichs

Having taught at multiple schools in various roles, George Heinrichs can draw on that background to mold his unprecedented role. On top of this, Heinrichs teaches a section of U.S. history.

Heinrichs began his career in education as a history teacher at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. He also coached three sports and debate.

He next moved to the Sun Valley Community School in Idaho, where he continued to teach history along with sponsoring the Model United Nations team. He also lived in the dorms in his role as the assistant director of residential life.

Prior to coming to Greenhill, he worked at the Downtown School in Seattle, where he served as the dean of students, humanities department chair and head of safety and security.

“[The Downtown School] was a small school: 160 students, 14 employees so it was a very tight-knit community,” said Heinrichs. “I decided I wanted to focus more full time on being a dean of students and interviewed for the Greenhill School.”

Heinrichs first learned of Greenhill from Director of Equity and Inclusion Monsie Muñoz ’05, whom he met at a hiring conference in Boston.

He says one of the first draws of the school for him was Greenhill’s dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Hearing that this was built into our school so we can always say part of Greenhill’s mission is to really welcome students in of all backgrounds, of all races, ethnicities, from every zip code across Dallas, really made me feel like this is a school that had a firm sense of what it had been and what it wanted to be,” Heinrichs said.

Heinrichs adds that the kindness of faculty and students, in addition to their many years on campus, spoke volumes to him.

“You meet a teacher and they’re like

‘Oh, I went here,’ or ‘My kids go here,’” said Heinrichs. “It’s the fact that the founder of this school’s granddaughter and great granddaughter are here [that is] really a testament that this is a community that’s worth staying a part of.”

Since Heinrichs’ role is new this year, he is continuing to refine it to fit the needs of students. Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester says although the retirement of Oros was bittersweet, he sees the arrival of Heinrichs as an opportunity to reinforce a culture with boundaries that were pushed in previous years.

“If we say in the handbook that when these things don’t happen, this is the consequence, we’ve got to uphold them and be consistent with them, but I don’t think we were always doing that,” said Worcester. “I think that what a detention was over the last few years was probably not helping in the deterrence, which is what a detention is meant to do.”

To combat this culture, Heinrichs says his main focus is to enforce consistent policies and procedures.

“I think one of the challenges is also helping students and also families understand that I haven’t actually changed many policies,” said Heinrichs. “It’s more just enforcing the ones that are currently in the book and changing some of those kinds of expectations and behaviors.”

As a leader of the Jewish Affinity Group, senior Sophie Fiedelman was one of the first students Heinrichs called in to hear more about the school culture.

“Many students have been upset by many of the changes, but I think some, if not most, were things that needed to happen,” Fiedelman said. “If he wasn’t the one who enforced the rules, then students would be mad at whoever did. Overall, I like that Mr. Heinrichs wants to get to know students and wants to hear their opinions, but he is also not afraid to enforce rules that are necessary.”

Mrs. Rivera

Kira Rivera’s roles on campus include teaching two sections of Advanced Algebra 2 and coordination of Upper School events.

Rivera has also made a commitment to encouraging students to lead and find their voices outside of the classroom.

Growing up in Long Island, N.Y., Rivera attended a small independent school that exposed her to both the challenges and opportunities a private school can offer.

“I think school was really hard when I was younger, because I felt out of place, and I felt like I didn’t fit in with everyone,” said Rivera. “But when I found theater, I was like ‘Oh, I love to sing and act and be silly.’ So in fifth grade, that became my favorite place to be.”

After graduating from Barnard College, Rivera began teaching at YES Prep Northbrook Middle School, a charter school in Houston, where she met her husband. She then lived in Dallas for two years, where she taught at Uplift Luna Preparatory, a charter school in Deep Ellum.

Later, she moved to Seattle where she taught and served in her first administrative role as dean of the freshman class at University Prep.

“I have always had this desire to try new things, and to see if things work,” said Rivera.

Similar to Heinrichs, Rivera was drawn to Greenhill’s consistent commitment to diversity and inclusion. She says she deeply appreciated the kindness both students and faculty displayed throughout the interview process and orientation.

“When we did orientation here, I had this moment where I teared up because I was like ‘this is a special place,’ and I want to be part of a special space, and I want to be part of making it better,” said Rivera.

Rivera’s role as Upper School student activities administrator has required her to learn about Greenhill’s culture and traditions.

“As I come into this space, I want to honor the traditions that have been here,” said Rivera. “I want to learn the

traditions. I want to ask questions about the traditions. But in the first year, there’s a lot of learning that I have to do.”

Junior class vice president Hazel Goes-Young says she has enjoyed working with Rivera on the Student Council. However, when planning Homecoming activities, some disagreements arose.

“There have been a few bumps in the road, especially with the [Homecoming] decorations and how we were going to do it with community service hours and how we were going to get the student body to participate,” said Goes-Young. “But I think we were able to come to a compromise pretty well.”

Dividing the dean of students role into two positions opens many possibilities, said Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester. While the former dean of students handled both discipline and oversight of student life, separating the two roles results in more dedicated time for student needs.

“The role of the dean of students was clear when it was one person,” said Rivera. “But now it’s splitting up becoming two parts. And it’s not that they’re completely separate.”

Although internal candidates applied for both the roles of dean of students and Upper School student activities administrator, Worcester wanted to hire externally to infuse new perspectives into the Greenhill community.

“Even though I’ve been here now for 27 years, I needed other people to come in and ask the questions of, ‘Why is it that we do this?’” said Worcester.

As Rivera continues in her role, she says she aims to support leaders involved in clubs, boards, Student Council and various other spheres in the Greenhill community.

“You’re student leaders, but eventually you’re going to be college leaders, or you’re going to be business leaders,” Rivera said. “You’re going to be a leader somewhere else, and you can always take these skills with you. I want to empower as many students as possible to say, ‘I have a voice, and I can make change.’”

DESK DUTIES: Though the responsibilities of Dean of Students George Heinrichs requires him to be in various locations, he is also often seen working at his desk.

Photo by Ella Sadka

Photo by Ella Sadka

LEADING LADY: One of the duties of Student Activities Administrator Kira Rivera is facilitating meetings for the Student Council where they plan activities.

Hornets Study Abroad

Lillian Smith

Graphics by Evie Kwei and Christan Park

Music Scene Chappell Roan Shines in the Spotlight

independently.

“I felt like a failure, but I knew deep down I wasn’t,” Roan said in The Guardian interview.

In March 2023, Chappell Roan had 3 million monthly

Spotify listeners. Now, over a year later, she is the 59th most-listened-to artist with more than 45 million listeners and has won MTV Video Music Awards’ Best New Artist award for 2024.

So who is Chappell Roan?

Born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, she grew up in Willard, Mo., with a very conservative childhood, attending church three times a week.

Amstutz began her musical career performing at school talent shows and local events, and then eventually began releasing original songs to YouTube. One song, “Die Young,” was praised by Australian pop artist Troy Sivan, who encouraged his fans to listen to Amstutz’ music.

“You HAVE to listen to this, guys – go send some love,” Sivan tweeted.

Shortly after this, Amstutz was signed to Atlantic Records, a notable label whose list of artists include Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran. Months later she made the decision to adopt the stage name Chappell Roan, a tribute to her grandfather Dennis Chappell, who died after battling brain cancer that same year.

“People would always ask if I had a plan B, and he never asked,” Roan said in a 2017 documentary. “He just knew I could do it.”

A year later, Roan released her first extended play album, called “School Nights.” In 2020, she released a single titled “Pink Pony Club.” Roan was dropped shortly afterward by Atlantic Records because of disappointing sales. Despite that setback, “Pink Pony Club” was No. 3 on USA Today’s list of the Ten Best Songs of 2020.

In an interview with The Guardian, Roan spoke about her inspiration for the song and her queer identity.

Before long, Roan signed a publishing deal with Sony and opened for one of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Sour Tour” shows in San Francisco.

In 2023, Roan marked two milestones in her rise: She released her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,”and she headlined her first tour, called the “Naked in North America Tour,” a reference to a track on her album.

The tour featured local drag queens as openers.

“I love the way [Roan] dresses, because I’ve loved watching drag,” junior Gigi Dimas said.

Stage Persona

Despite her years in the music industry, many fans were unaware of Roan until earlier this year.

“I watched her NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and I was like, ‘Oh my god she has such a beautiful voice,’” Dimas said.

Junior Chloe LaGrone says that she found out about Roan before attending Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS Tour.”

“My friend and I went to the [concert] and she told me about the opener and said that she listened to her on Spotify and loved her music,” LaGrone said.

Fan expectations are often low for the up-and-coming artists who precede the performers that headline a tour. But Roan exceeded those expectations, according to LaGrone.

“I wasn’t expecting much because she was just opening, but she blew us away,” LaGrone said. “Her voice was insane, and her vibe and energy [were] so good. She was an amazing performer.”

Roan is known by many for her iconic stage persona, since she usually dresses up in eccentric outfits and dramatic

stunt, but she incorporates her identity and celebrates it in her music,” junior Mahri Wenzel said.

Further, Dimas said she enjoys how Roan references other queer media while in the spotlight.

“Chappell Roan celebrates aspects of the queer community,” said Dimas. “She credits drag queens for some of her looks and pays tribute to other queer media in her performances.”

Soaring Support

In Roan’s first week opening for the tour, her streams rose by 32%, according to Billboard magazine. Her song “Good Luck Babe,” released in April, reached 100 million streams quicker than any other song she has come out with.

“‘Good Luck Babe’ and the GUTS Tour is where you see [Roan] rising to fame,” Wenzel said.

In early August, she performed at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. One anonymous festival organizer quoted in a CNN article said that Roan’s performance “was the biggest daytime set we’ve ever seen.”

Roan has described herself as being overwhelmed by the soaring support of her fans.

“This is really weird and really hard,” Roan told Billboard in an interview. “In the past, honestly, eight weeks, my entire life has changed.”

LaGrone says she was surprised by Roan’s quick rise.

“I do think it’s really hard to do what [Roan] has done,” LaGrone said. “Blowing up that fast seems so scary but I think Chappell has handled it really well. She’s definitely going to go far and I can’t wait to see what she’ll do next.”

Noor Zaman

Graphic by Christan Park

Evergreen

From an Idea to the Big Screen

Aria Kutty

On Set: After meticulous planning, students come together on set to bring their film to life. They take on various roles, including director of production, boom operator, production assistant and actor. AVP sets are entirely student-run, giving them full control of the creative process.

“Being on set is so fun because you are doing what you love surrounded by your friends,” senior Megan Cleary said. “Everyone is just as dedicated as you are and I think that is so special.”

“Finding a Spark”: The filmmaking journey starts with an idea, which can be inspired by anything – conversations, brainstorming, sounds or even objects. In Advanced Video Production, Middle and Upper School Visual Arts teacher Corbin Doyle encourages students to keep a “would-have-written” journal, where they record their film ideas and sources of inspiration.

“The ‘would-have-written’ journal is a way for us to write down ideas when we aren’t able to sit down and write a full script or plot,” senior Brynn Zawadzki said. “The premise is that your journal should be full of small storylines, characters and ideas that can help promote creativity when you have to sit down and write a script. It is a way to make sure AVPers are always making and thinking of ideas.”

“Fix It in Post”: Students take all the footage that they shot on set and begin to edit. On editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, filmmakers sequence footage, create special effects and color correct. In addition, sound effects, score and music are added to make the film come to life.

Planning Is Key: Once an idea is finalized, the preproduction process begins. Students write scripts, create shot lists, find actors and choose locations. Classmates often collaborate with one another to provide support and assistance. The goal of this process is to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible when shooting begins.

“Preproduction is all about planning ahead and minimizing time constraints on set, so production is as fun and seamless as possible,” junior Syrus Gupta said. “This includes research, budgeting and more. It includes logistics that no one wants to do but are important nonetheless.”

“Mr. Doyle always tells us editing is rewriting,” senior Maxwell Johnson said. “Multiple times now, I’ve filmed something with a very particular vision in my head and once I get to editing everything changes. It always is for the better, though.”

Show Time: Upon completion, students export their films and put them on Vimeo or YouTube for the world to see. In addition, many students send their films to prestigious festivals such as South by Southwest, the Dallas International Film Festival and the All-American High School Film Festival.

“Whether it is sharing with your friends or sharing with a theater packed with 200 people, AVP has shown me how important it is to share your work in film,” junior Davis Knocke said. “Hearing people react and critique the work that you have poured your heart into suddenly makes it worth more. It becomes something more special.”

Photos by Aria Kutty

2024 Election Decision

On Nov. 5, Americans will choose the 47th president of the United States. The race between former Republican President Donald Trump and the sitting Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris has been marked by unprecedented events.

The collective impact of these events has been to sway voters in different directions.

“We’ve seen a lot of firsts happen this summer – the first time a party drops their candidate, the assassination attempt. [It] makes it feel like a crazy summer in history and feels really unpredictable,” said Middle and Upper School Debate teacher and Coach Rodrigo Paramo. “There won’t be any normalcy in this election.”

Assassination Attempt

The first shocking political event of the summer occurred on July 13, when Trump was shot in the ear during an outdoor rally in Butler, Penn. Only a moment before the shot was fired, he had turned his head to the side, which may have prevented a fatal shot. The alleged gunman, 20-yearold Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by FBI agents. One Trump supporter seated near the podium was killed by a stray bullet.

Almost immediately, prominent Trump supporters suggested the antiTrump rhetoric of Democrats had led to the assassination attempt. Trump himself has promoted this theory more recently, raising the prospect of further political violence.

“Trump legitimately survived an assassination attempt, and it is counterproductive to politically endorse such a thing because we don’t live in an anarchy or engage in barbarism for a reason,” said junior Sarah Koshy. “This is a democratic institution, and we ought to live by democratically elected votes instead of wishing violence upon other people.”

Across party lines, Greenhill students condemned the attempt on Trump’s life.

“I may not agree with his policies, but I respect him as a human being,” said senior Georgia Thurmond. “This was a massive letdown of the Secret Service because people should feel safe wherever they are.”

Upper School History Department

Chair Amy Bresie ’96 links the failure of the Secret Service to prevent the attack to broader issues relating to gun violence.

“Recently in Georgia, there was a school shooting that killed two teachers and two students,” said Bresie. “I think there’s just a larger problem about guns, disengagement of youth and polarization and violence.”

The night after the attempted assassination, President Biden delivered an Oval Office address in which he urged Americans to “lower the temperature in our politics.”

eight days after the assassination attempt on Trump, when the presumptive Democratic nominee, incumbent President Joe Biden, gave in to mounting Democratic pressure to withdraw from the race. He announced on X that he intended to “stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

Biden’s announcement signaled the end

to officially nominate their presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The Republican National Convention was held in Milwaukee from July 15-18. The Democratic National Convention was in Chicago from Aug. 19-22.

Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, and the decision was formalized by Democratic convention

Senior Max Johnson says he hoped that Trump would tone down his rhetoric in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, but that hasn’t happened.

“I thought it would be smart if Trump had switched up his narrative afterwards to become a little more moderate, but he got up at the RNC and all he did was say ‘they didn’t kill me, I’m great’,” said Johnson. “If he created the narrative that he changed and realized people need to be closer together he could be winning way more right now.”

Candidate Switch

The second shocking political development of the summer occurred only

Party, even though it might not have been in Biden’s best interests.

“Being the ‘change’ candidate is often useful,” Cotton said. “It is usually good in American politics to be the candidate of tomorrow and of change and progress instead of being the status quo.”

Soon after announcing his decision to drop out, Biden endorsed Vice President Harris as the Democratic nominee via a separate post on X.

National Conventions

To mark the end of the primary season and the beginning of the general election campaign, the Republican and Democratic parties held respective national conventions

Johnson. “Then I watched the [Democratic National Convention] and thought it was more subtle and grounded.”

Koshy says the difference in the approaches to the two different conventions contributed to their respective success in promoting their party’s platform.

“There was a lot of fear-mongering in the RNC, and it was generally very aggressive,” said Koshy. “I thought the DNC was more successful than the RNC because I think the RNC did not talk about pressing issues of the time.”

Although Koshy says the Republican convention was less policy oriented, Cotton says that it acted as a rallying mechanism beneficial to the Trump campaign.

“The Republican convention was very unifying,” said Cotton. “Trump had just

Rory Liu, Varun Mukund, Ven Larson

Decision Looms

been shot and they were celebrating his survival, which was probably effective for their party. Both conventions did what they were meant to do.”

On the contrary, Paramo says Biden’s withdrawal from the race weakened the effectiveness of the Republican convention.

Johnson says the Republican Party’s priority is to maintain its voter base and that the Republican convention showed the extreme loyalty that many voters have towards Trump.

but Koshy says the differences in Harris’ and Biden’s attitudes are helping Harris’ campaign.

“They really did have a plan for beating Joe Biden, and so they were caught a little and Republican presidential candidate] Mitt Romney are unwilling to vote for Trump,” said Paramo.

“Every time Trump spoke, the entire crowd would chant,” said Johnson. “No matter what he does, they will be wearing their camo and hats to the voting stations

The identity of Harris may also appeal to certain groups in her voting base. Bresie says that Harris’ background resonates with voters who have traditionally been marginalized.

“One of the things that I found very emotional when watching the DNC was the possibility of a female president,” said Bresie. “I don’t think the candidate herself is making a big deal about gender or race, or personal identifiers, but watching people in the audience that have those same identifiers react so strongly is deeply moving.”

Students say both conventions reflected the various goals that each party wanted to accomplish before the election.

$300 million in August alone and over $540 million since Biden dropped out of the race, according to Vox.

Harris has also taken the lead in the polls, in contrast to Biden’s lagging poll numbers. By the third week of September, she was leading the race with a 49.39% nationwide polling average compared to Trump’s 47.4% average, according to the website RealClearPolitics.com.

“There is a new energy with the party which was visceral at the DNC, and I think part of it has to do with Harris herself as a younger woman of color that injects joy into a party that was not as joyful before,” said Bresie.

Critics of the Harris ticket often point out similarities between her and Biden’s platforms and the flaws within them,

“Biden’s entire campaign was centered around moderation, which definitely worked in COVID-19 to scrape up the voters,” Koshy said. “But now Harris is straying away a little bit and is trying to be more aggressive in her campaign against Trump, which I think sets her apart from Biden.”

To many, Harris’ age is another key reason why she has garnered more support. Biden is 81 while Harris is 59.

“I think a lot of people weren’t optimistic about Biden because of his age but view Harris as better in that aspect,” said junior Soyam Mohammed. “Harris’ identity is really important to me because she is a woman of color and that puts her in a favorable light for me.”

Greenhill Perspective

Several seniors on campus will be eligible to vote in the election this year and many, such as Johnson, are looking forward to the prospect of taking part in this historic

Bresie says that voting is not only a right afforded to Americans, but a civic responsibility for citizens to fulfill.

She also says that everyone in the nation has a stake in the election, which is why engagement in the process through voting is vital for a functioning and representative democracy.

“People have fought and have literally died for this right, your right, to vote,” Bresie

Much like Bresie, Thurmond says the stakes of this election are significant.

“Personally, as a woman, there’s a lot of my personal rights on the line,” said Thurmond. “But then again, my future [is on the line], especially as someone who’s graduating this year with the job market and student loans, debts, creating jobs, creating opportunities.”

Several students say that Greenhill should play an active role in the dissemination of information and knowledge regarding politics and voting for students.

“I think it would be good for Greenhill to facilitate conversations about the election and not [be] afraid to have debates and discussions with people about this,” said Mohammed. “It doesn’t have to be hostile, but just a conversation where we recognize that we have diverse opinions.”

In fact, that is happening. The Upper School History department will be holding three information sessions for students leading up to election day. The sessions will cover topics such as the electoral college, navigating the media, political parties and how election day works.

In addition, for the first time in Greenhill history, Election Day is a school holiday to give students and faculty time to go to the polls. Cotton says this is just one of several measures that Greenhill is trying to implement to help guide students through the voting process. Other measures include bringing in registrars and advocacy groups to educate and register seniors who are eligible to vote in the upcoming election.

“I think we have the responsibility to educate and encourage our students so they can be politically informed citizens,” said Cotton.

Bresie says that the lessons that students learn from the Greenhill community are invaluable to their future development.

“There are very real problems in the world, and we are training you all, and supporting you all, to help solve them,” said Bresie.

Graphic by Christan Park

14 Special Report

Upper School Students Face Policy Changes

Aanya Bhoria, Lyna Kamgang

Greenhill students returned to campus following the summer break to find that some of the school’s established policies had changed.

Among the most significant changes are a more expansive artificial intelligence policy and the reinstatement of final exams.

The changes grew out of discussions involving Upper School faculty and administrators.

“The beginning of summer is a really important time for us as faculty when the craziness of school has ended, and we can get together and reflect on what did and didn’t work in the previous year,” said Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, many schools, including Greenhill, have been trying to answer questions regarding student use of generative AI.

Generative AI in schools can be beneficial by customizing learning and offering immediate feedback, which may improve student engagement, according to the U.K.’s University of Leeds. However, it also raises concerns about data privacy and the potential for diminishing students’ critical thinking skills if overused.

To address these concerns, Greenhill has introduced a new policy outlining responsible use for these platforms. Before this year there was no formal policy that addressed AI.

“Our philosophy was that we can’t ignore [AI],” said Worcester. “We can’t put our head in the sand and say, ‘Let’s go back to writing everything down.’”

The new system is colorcoded. When a teacher marks an assignment as green, they are allowing, if not encouraging, the use of AI. Yellow indicates that all AI platforms are allowed with exceptions. An orange marking means that only a few specific websites can be used. A red assignment means that AI is prohibited. Any use of AI must be properly cited.

“We spent a week talking about how people had seen AI being used in their spaces, and places where people felt AI could be useful, versus places where it ended up hindering student’s learning,” said Battis.

Some students express doubt that the policy will achieve its intended goal.

“I appreciate them realizing that AI is important and trying to adjust, but I don’t think the new policies are going to cause a change,” said senior Neha Bachu. “I think the kids who were using AI before will keep doing the same thing and those won’t change their habits.”

Under the new policy, each yearlong core class will have a final that will count as 15% of a student’s grade, unless the class is an Advanced Placement class. For AP classes, the final will be worth 20% of a student’s yearlong grade.

Worcester says the new finals are partially in place because of their benefit to AP classes.

“[As an AP teacher in the past] I saw [that] the ability for students to put together everything over a three-hour exam was more challenging when they hadn’t had that opportunity before,” said Worcester.

Some AP students agree.

This approach is intended to clarify expectations.

“I’m hoping that by having teachers tag big assignments that the transparency on how it can be used will encourage students to be more open and transparent about how they’re using [AI],” said Upper School math teacher Melissa Battis.

Over the summer, the subject was discussed by an AI task force initiated by Head of School Lee Hark and led by Battis and Director of Academics Jason Yaffe. When developing the new policy, the group reviewed guidelines from other schools and discussed how to appropriately use AI in the classroom.

was missing,” said Yaffe.

However, exams will look different from before. When the Upper School was on a trimester system prior to the pandemic, teachers could choose to administer finals at the end of each trimester, in November, February and May.

After evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the old system, a new look for finals was devised, according to Worcester.

“What I was advocating for was that there has to be feedback,” said Worcester. “With an end-of-year exam, there was never a chance to see their results and learn from their mistakes.”

“When I first took my first AP exams in sophomore year, I didn’t really know how to study for the exams, so I think taking finals and learning how to study for them is

“I think that finals are a way to create unnecessary stress for students,” said senior Ana Blankson. “You can work hard all year and have one off-day that can ruin all of that.”

While the prospect of final exams has garnered mixed reactions among the student body, Worcester sees the new policy as a positive change for the Upper School.

“I’m really optimistic that they’re going to serve the purpose that we’re looking for, and that is to provide AP classes with a chance to give a practice exam, and to give a chance for all classes to have a synthesis of material at that point,” said Worcester.

Future Vision of Policies

With the addition of two new deans overseeing Upper School life in addition to these policy changes, some students say they feel disoriented.

“Certain things, like the fact that we haven’t gotten our senior privileges, really bother me,” said Blankson. “I feel like this year has been such a change so much and we’re not being trusted or respected as we should.”

Dean of Students George Heinrichs says he doesn’t plan any major changes in Upper School rules until he has had time to weigh the implications of

“As much as possible, I don’t want to change any rules until I really understand what it was meant to do, how it is serving the community, and that takes time,” Heinrichs

Rather, Heinrichs says he wants to focus on the current rules and make sure that

This focus has largely been on rules addressing parking, tardies and absences. While these policies are outlined in the Upper School handbook, enforcement has varied based on the teacher, student and situation.

“I think that if you’re going to have rules, you should enforce them, and if you’re not willing to enforce them, then you should get rid of that rule,” said Heinrichs. “I think that there is kindness in clarity.”

Worcester adds that these rules are for the benefit of both students and faculty.

“Anytime we create academic policies, it’s to provide structure,” said Worcester. “It’s to make it so the faculty member doesn’t feel like it’s their responsibility to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ and that there’s something behind them.”

On Stage in Scotland

Greenhill Theater Attends Edinburgh Fringe Fest

Evie Kwei, Jordan Arbuckle

From busking in city streets to shipping water guns to an Amazon drop box in Scotland, Greenhill theater students got the full Edinburgh Fringe Festival experience this summer.

After overcoming plane delays, space constraints and other challenges, Upper School Drama instructor and Theater Director Valerie HaussSmith, Upper and Middle School Technical Theater teacher Will Turbyne and Upper School Fine Arts Department Chair Leann Burns successfully chaperoned 26 Upper School students on a two-week trip to the largest performing arts festival in the world.

“In our day-to-day life here at Greenhill, arts might be a class we take, a concert we go to or a play that we rehearse,” Turbyne said. “At the festival, art was everywhere. Being able to experience bringing those students there was a really great opportunity.”

Smith began her search for students.

“We opened it up to everybody at the school. You didn’t have to be in theater,” said Hauss-Smith. “People came in for the meeting, and then we asked who wanted to

After settling on a cast, it was

The Fringe Festival hosts a variety of showcases, and eventually Hauss-Smith decided on “Water. Gun. Argument.” The play takes a deeper look into the popular game Senior Assassin and what potential risks are posed by the current gun laws in

“The show raises a big question: What are the consequences or dangers of playing this game in a country like America where some people walk around with guns?” HaussSmith said. “It’s like this mash-up of this fun game and the circumstances of our country right now.”

Another benefit of “Water. Gun. Argument.” was its cast size and staging. Hauss-Smith says she wanted to make sure everyone had sizeable roles in the production.

Organizing the Trip

With the planning process for the trip to Edinburgh taking almost three years, the Greenhill theater program had to overcome numerous obstacles before being approved to perform at the Fringe Festival.

Although Greenhill had been encouraged to perform at the festival before, Hauss-Smith was unsure if the endeavor was possible. However, after her friend from the Episcopal School of Dallas showcased her theater program at the festival, Hauss-Smith said she was determined to make the trip happen.

“I remember [ESD] went, and they came back and said that it was an amazing experience for the kids – an amazing opportunity,” Hauss-Smith said.

Once receiving word that Greenhill Theater was invited to perform, Hauss-

“You don’t go on a trip all the way to Edinburgh and just say one word,” said Hauss-Smith. “The way we approached it, tech was really involved as well. The idea was that we wanted to be ‘fringe-y’ and give everyone a chance to do their thing.”

Performance Prep

The next step was to ensure the production was ready on time and could be easily transported to the festival.

“The biggest challenge was dealing with [the question of] how do we design a show, rehearse a show, work with the students on building a show and then put it on a plane and fly it across the Atlantic Ocean,” said Turbyne.

In addition to the tech theater side, the performers had a busy schedule of rehearsals throughout the 2023-2024 school year.

“In the summer we had leading up to the trip, the rehearsals became more frequent, but they also became easier to run,” said freshman Elise Nelson.

During rehearsal, actors had to be mindful of the differences in the performance spaces in Edinburgh versus Greenhill.

“We taped out the exact shape of the venue [to show] ‘this is where you walk on, this is where you leave, this is where you could fall off,’” Hauss-Smith said.

After many rehearsals, it was finally time for Greenhill Theater to take their show on the road.

Fringe Fest

After arriving in Edinburgh, the students had a few days to explore the city and prepare for their first performance. With multiple productions happening simultaneously, students needed to advertise their show to attract an audience before their first performance.

“We would go out there in the mornings and hand out flyers to random people, and we tried to think of funny ways

to do it,” senior Shreya Chhaya said. “We were doing TikTok dances, yelling about funny aspects of the show, things like that.”

For their first show, Hauss-Smith says they only had 90 minutes to set everything up and do a quick run-through before it started. As with most opening nights, many students said this wasn’t their best show, but it went without any major problems.

“Our first show wasn’t super great, and it was not the best it could’ve been,” junior Syrus Gupta said. “But we all learned from that, and we figured out what we needed to improve upon and the other three shows after that were definitely much better.”

Outside of rehearsing and performing, students were able to attend various shows and see everything the festival had to offer.

“We went to a lot of different shows, and it was just cool to be able to go around the city and see all these people handing out flyers or doing street performances,” said Gupta. “It was cool to see the abundance of art.”

Junior Megan Czuchlewski says she enjoyed seeing shows from different places and at different skill levels.

“It was really cool to see all the different shows, both high school and professional ones,” said Czuchlewski. “My favorite was definitely this improvised musical, and it was based off of ‘Hamilton’ so it was really good.”

Students were also able to see different attractions outside of the arts festival.

“We went to Portobello Beach, and it was so pretty and picturesque,” junior Natalie Johnson said. “There were dogs running around and seagulls everywhere, and it was so fun.”

Some students were also able to see some historic landmarks.

“We did a lot of historical tourism things, like we toured the Edinburgh Castle and watched the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and that was all really cool,” Chhaya said.

From performing and attending shows to exploring the city, both students and faculty said they had a great overall experience.

“It was an incredible adventure,” Hauss-Smith said. “That’s all I have to say –incredible. And then we all slept for like 24 hours when we came back.”

Photo courtesy of Syrus Gupta

SIGHTSEEING IN EUROPE: Greenhill students visit Buckingham Palace on their stop in London before they head to Edinburgh.

Photo courtesy of Syrus Gupta

ON STAGE: A group of Greenhill performers enact a scene from “Water. Gun. Argument.” at a cathedral hall venue for the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh.

Graphic by Christan Park

Evergreen

Greenhill Hires New Fine Arts Faculty

Five fi ne arts teachers are among the new faculty members on campus this year.

These new faculty members are: Upper and Middle School choir teacher Emmanuel Espiritu, Upper and Middle School dance teacher Gypsy Ingram, Upper School 2D art teacher Kendall Davis, Lower School Music and Choir teacher Benjamin Daniel and Middle and Upper School debate teacher and coach Ross Fitzpatrick.

When interviewing new candidates for these positions, Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin says he wanted to have students’ feedback in the decision-making process.

“We wanted to have faculty in there that [students] had excitement about,” Martin said.

Choir

Two areas targeted for growth are choir and dance.

As the new Upper and Middle School choir teacher, Espiritu directs the Greenhill Singers and the music for Greenhill Theater productions. He also teaches the Middle School musical theater class.

Junior Will O’Gorman says he tried to make a connection with Espiritu before the start of the school year.

“I didn’t go to the demo class, so before school started, I met with him and talked to him about the stuff we have done previously, and gave him an introduction to our choir,” O’Gorman said.

Some students say that Espiritu has used different teaching methods than previously experienced.

“I think we’re all adjusting pretty well to his different teaching style,” O’Gorman

said. “We’re all looking forward to the different things we’ll get to do this year.”

Espiritu has been a teacher for 14 years, and he previously worked at John Paul II High School in Plano.

“He has a love [for] musical theater that I thought would be really good for our department,” said Martin.

Since the start of the year, Espiritu has implemented more performance opportunities, a stronger push for the Texas Private School Music Educators Association All-Region Choir and a focus on music theory.

His changes have also extended to the musical, according to sophomore Dani Reiman.

“He made singing auditions in person, which was a positive,” Reiman said. “It helps show who can perform in front of an audience.”

I think we’re all adjusting pretty well to his different teaching style. We’re all looking forward to the different things we’ll get to do this year.”

Espiritu says he is excited to teach at Greenhill and be a member of the community.

“It is a very lively and busy place, so you’re never bored,” said Espiritu. “With that, I am going to try my hardest to make everything I am involved in as good as possible.”

Dance

Ingram instructs the Greenhill Dance Company in addition to choreographing

the musicals.

Since she arrived at Greenhill, Ingram has been working to increase participation in dance across grades. She says she emphasizes maintaining a strong movement component for fi ft h-graders and sixth-graders.

It is a very lively and busy place, so you’re never bored. With that, I am going to try my hardest to make everything I am involved in as good as possible.”

“[I’m] using this year to talk with Lower School teachers and figure out how we begin to bridge that gap in dance education,” said Ingram.

Ingram has also made a quick impression on her students.

“Her style of dance really fit our group, and she’s going to do great things for the program,” Lugo said.

Ingram spent the past 10 years in public education, teaching at schools with few resources.

“It is really important to me that the thing I teach allows kids to live their authentic lives,” Ingram said. “That is at the heart and center of what Greenhill is.”

Her mindset is a big part of what the Fine Arts Department was looking for to grow the dance program, according to Martin.

“She got them really involved in the dance combination,” Martin said. “That was really interesting.”

One major priority for Ingram is reviving the New Works Dance Concert in March. The event will showcase a wide range of styles and student solo performances.

Ingram also plans to hold a student choreography night where dancers present what they have explored throughout the year.

It is really important to me that the thing I teach allows kids to live their authentic lives.”

“Dance has been everyone’s guest star for the last couple years, and this is an opportunity for them to have their own space on stage,” said Ingram.

Though the year is only beginning, Ingram says she has already made many connections and is excited to see what the Greenhill Dance company will become.

Davis Takes Over 2D Art

When longtime 2D Art teacher

Lesley Rucker unexpectedly retired in early August, Greenhill administrators were faced with the challenge of hiring her replacement just days before the start of classes.

The search ended in success, with artist Kendall Davis joining the Fine Arts faculty.

“She’s still playing a little catch up,” Martin said of the last-minute hiring of Davis. “But she’s fitting in really well with the fine arts team.”

On campus, Davis has already made meaningful connections with her students, according to senior Saida Bidiwala.

“Even though she had some adjusting to do, you could tell that she was really an artist at heart,” said Bidiwala, a student in Davis’ AP 2D Art class.

Having attended art school with Lower School Art teacher Mary Aidala and Upper and Middle School Video Production teacher Corbin Doyle, Davis has been familiar with Greenhill for a while.

With her previous knowledge, Davis says her first impressions have been positive.

“I really love Greenhill,” Davis said. “I think on a scale of one through ten, it’s an 11.”

Having previously taught at private schools in the Fort Worth area, Davis says she has recently shifted her attention to painting and drawing, after working in ceramics for some years.

“I’ve gone back and forth between being a professional artist to teaching,” Davis said.

Davis’ devotion to art is already having an impact, students said.

“I think she’s really inspiring to people who want to go into art, and even those that are just doing it casually,” said Bidiwala.

Davis says she wants to inspire students to be as creative as possible.

“Right now, we’re working on negative space and color theory,” Davis said. “I’m just so excited to teach here and share my creativity.”

Vivian White, Kaitlyn Yoo

CHOIR PRACTICE: Upper School choir members sing karaoke during class under the instruction of new Middle and Upper School choir teacher Emmanuel Espiritu.

Photo by Vivian White

Sports

Senior Profi le: Mia Edmonds Strives for Excellence in Dance

Victoria Gonchar, Avery Lonergan

When senior Mia Edmonds’ parents signed her up for her first dance class at the age of 2, they did not realize the impact it would have on her life.

Fifteen years later, Edmonds continues her dance career at the Dallas Conservatory, practicing contemporary, ballet, and jazz styles. She also competes as a part of the Dallas Conservatory’s pre-professional company, an audition-only program that helps young dancers transition to a professional career in dance. Her company includes a variety of ages and levels.

Edmonds started participating in dance competitions at age 11, which required her to commit more time and effort to the activity.

“When I started competing it really clicked that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” said Edmonds.

“Impeccable Work Ethic”

As Edmonds got older, her passion for dance grew. Because of her advancing level, the hours she spent in the studio also increased.

Edmonds practices for five days a week from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., taking breaks on Fridays and Sundays.

“Sometimes we go as late as 9 p.m,” said Edmonds. “It’s very demanding.”

On weekdays, she regularly attends dance classes, but on weekends, Edmonds’ team rehearses the choreography that they will use during competitions. Edmonds spends around 25 hours a week at the studio, training and rehearsing with her coaches and teammates.

Edmonds typically attends one or two competitions a month starting in the fall. In spring, the competition schedule becomes more rigorous and time-intensive, when Edmonds often attends up to three competitions a month.

“I put a lot of time and effort into dance because I have realized this is what I’m truly passionate about,” said Edmonds.

Megan Storey, Edmonds’ dance teacher, praises her diligence.

“Mia has an impeccable work ethic,” said Storey. “She is one of those people who will keep doing it until she gets it right.”

Edmonds has already traveled around the U.S. because of dance.

This past summer, Edmonds traveled to compete in the New York City Dance Alliance, a dance organization that offers a variety of programs and experiences for dancers including conventions, scholarships, professional resources and auditions. Every year, hundreds of dancers from across the nation go to the Dance Alliance competitions, and a selection makes it to nationals.

At nationals, Edmonds placed in the top 30 dancers in the nation.

“They have a really high standard of what kind of talent is expected at these kinds of competitions and all of the people you’re competing against are top tier talent,” said Storey. “To make something like top 30 at a competition that has that standard and talent is remarkable, and it means she’s one of the best dancers in the country for her age group.”

Another way Edmonds has shown this talent is by performing a duet that placed in the top 12 at the Youth American Grand Prix World Finals in New York City. In this competition, dancers from more than 30 countries compete in various U.S. cities, and only 18 countries are selected to perform in the finals.

In addition to classes and competitions, Edmonds also attends summer intensives. A summer intensive is a training program where dancers gain exposure to different teachers and techniques through daily classes. They are sponsored by professional dance companies and often vary in curriculum.

When Edmonds attended the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago intensive, the dancers took classes and learned the repertoire performed by the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago company.

“You are able to get connected with professional companies and get out in the real world and experience what it would be like to dance in a professional company,” said Edmonds.

Summer intensives are split into age groups, where older groups typically rehearse more complex pieces and have a higher workload than younger groups. Typically, these intensives require 6-10 hours of dancing a day and can last anywhere between three days and eight weeks.

“It is a chance to get supplemental training in an intensive environment,” said Storey. “It is an opportunity to change who

you learn from, and you get to be around different people.”

Edmonds has traveled to various intensives including Ballet Jazz Montreal, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York City.

“My favorite was Ballet Jazz Montreal

commitment of high-level dance classes and competitions.

“Communication with teachers really helps,” Edmonds said. “We work one on one to try to find the best solution and plan for the future.”

Senior Adair Moses says she has noticed how well Edmonds handles her schoolwork,

my comfort zone,” Edmonds said. “That translated to other aspects of my life as well.”

Edmonds also reflected on how dance has impacted her social life.

“I have been dancing with a lot of my friends ever since I was little,” Edmonds said.

One challenge Edmonds says she faces is balancing schoolwork with the time

Edmonds says she has many aspirations for the future of her dance career, even after her undergraduate education.

“After college I hope to join a professional company and keep progressing,” Edmonds said.

Photo courtesy of Mia Edmonds

STRIKING A POSE: Senior Mia Edmonds models her dance moves for her dance portfolio. Edmonds posted this photo on her dance Instagram page for Earth Day.

Photo courtesy of Mia Edmonds

TINY DANCER: Senior Mia Edmonds began dancing at the age of 2. Fifteen years later, she is pursuing her competitive dance career at the Dallas Conservatory. Graphic by Christan Park

NCAA Recruitment

From Verbal Commitment to Letter of Intent

Many college athletic scholarships begin with a verbal commitment – a nonbinding agreement in which a student-athlete accepts a coach’s invitation to join a college sports program.

These informal agreements allow a coach to begin the process of allotting their NCAA scholarships. It also lets other colleges know that a potential recruit is leaning toward another school.

Six Greenhill seniors have announced on their personal social media accounts that they had made a verbal commitment to play a sport for a particular college. The verbal commitment becomes a binding commitment only after a student-athlete signs an NCAA National Letter of Intent during designated signing periods.

The graphic at the bottom of the page lists the National Letter of Intent signing dates in 2024-2025 for students enrolling in 2025-2026.*

Zoë

Duke University – Volleyball

“I’m so excited and grateful to pursue my passion for volleyball at the next level. Duke’s strong culture of exceptional academics and athletics makes it the perfect place for me to grow both on and off the court.”

Georgia Thurmond

Clarkson University – Volleyball

“I like Clarkson because it provides a mix of strong academics and athletics.”

Noah Piper

“Yale has [a] great tradition both on the field and in the classroom. After I received my offer, I went to visit the campus and facilities. At practice, I saw the dynamic between the coaches and their players. In this moment, I knew Yale was a place that would help me excel both as an athlete and as a person. I knew I wanted to be a part of Yale’s future and legacy. ”

Amanda Park

Cornell University – Field Hockey

“I’m looking forward to going to college with a community of people that I already know, and I’m excited to continue on getting better at field hockey.”

Adair Moses

Southern Methodist University – Equestrian

“My official visit just cemented my choice in SMU. I wasn’t weighing the benefits of each school, it was really only one choice for me.”

Will Black

Pitzer College – Football

“The process of committing to a school was super fun because it feels good to have all of your work rewarded. I chose Pomona-Pitzer because of the location and how I felt like the coaching staff had a plan for me on the team.”

Graphics by Lyna Kamgang and Chloe Nguyen

Lyna Kamgang, Vedant Subramanian, John Hurley

Gillen-Malveaux

Yale University – Football

EDITOR’S NOTE: At least two other Greenhill students have told friends that they have made a verbal commitment, but they have not yet announced it publicly.

Junior Olympics Water Polo Success

When junior Chloe LaGrone shifted her focus from club swimming to water polo several years ago, she did more than find her sport. She also put herself on the path to medal in the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics.

LaGrone’s journey began as a club swimmer in the Elite Swim Program in Dallas.

At the age of 9, LaGrone moved with her family to Redondo Beach, Calif. She checked out several swim clubs, but felt as if swimming was getting boring, LaGrone recalled.

“Sports change a lot at that age,” said LaGrone. “I still liked the water, but I wanted something different.”

After attending a water polo scrimmage, LaGrone became involved with Trojan Water Polo Club in Manhattan Beach. After a while, she became a goalie.

“I liked playing defensively more, but I still liked the aggression side of it,” said LaGrone. “When I started doing conditioning for my legs, that kind of propelled me to be more of a goalie.”

Making Changes

LaGrone continued to train as a goalie, even when she moved back to Dallas and returned to Greenhill at the age of 11.

Upon her return, LaGrone joined Pegasus Aquatics and became a part of the Olympic Development Program. She connected with some players from Texas Thunder Water Polo Club, and after three years at Pegasus, LaGrone moved to Thunder.

“Part of [the move] was because the team was so nice and so welcoming, and another part of it was the coaches,” said LaGrone.

After her move to Thunder, LaGrone trained in Italy with her new team, giving her a chance to connect with her teammates and coaches more.

At Thunder, LaGrone met Courtney Smith, a junior at Marcus High School. The two have trained together for almost two years now.

Smith says LaGrone has grown tremendously as a player since they first met.

“She’s worked so hard and it’s so impressive to see how far she’s come in as little time as she has,” said Smith.

Smith also adds that LaGrone is always determined to do better and helps her teammates grow.

“She is the nicest and most competitive person I have ever met,” said Smith. “Always striving for the team to do good, and no matter what, she’s always there for everyone.”

Smith and LaGrone had the opportunity to compete together this past summer at the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics.

“Chloe put in the work and she played so good,” said Smith. “I don’t think we would have done as well as we did if we did not have her on the team.”

Junior Olympics

The national Junior Olympics competition is divided into two groups, Platinum and Gold, with Platinum being the higher skill level. The top three teams from each state qualified to play in the national tournament in California.

To be considered for the national competition, LaGrone and her team played in Junior Olympic Qualifiers. They did well enough to earn the 20th seed in the Platinum group.

On the opening day of the national tournament, LaGrone’s team suffered a loss and was knocked down to the Gold bracket.

Despite the loss, LaGrone saw this as a learning opportunity.

“Honestly, it was a really good experience because since water polo in Texas is still growing a lot, there isn’t that many people we can play against that will give us good competition,” said LaGrone. “Because of that, we go into some tournaments and forget we need to fight.”

LaGrone says she was nervous as the tournament progressed, having realized that college coaches were in the stands.

“On the initial day I was really doubting myself and my skills,” said LaGrone. “But I think I was able to push that away yet still keep in mind there are people watching.”

Having pushed all the nerves out, LaGrone and her teammates were able to fight back after their initial loss. They went on to win bronze in the Gold bracket.

“We came back, which was really fun and awesome,” said LaGrone. “Being able to still make the best out of a situation flicked a switch somewhere that hopefully I’ll carry out through my junior and senior year.”

Smith says she values her experience with LaGrone at the national Junior Olympics.

“It’s really nice to always hear [encouragement] from either end of the pool,” said Smith. “I know that [Chloe] always gives a good support system in the pool, talking to us, keeping us upbeat and pushing us.”

Outside The Goal

Outside of playing water polo, varsity swim Head Coach Patti Monzingo describes Chloe’s energy as present in the school swim team as well.

“She is everything wrapped up in a little package,” said Monzingo. “She’s a great swimmer to have and she’s a great teammate to have.”

LaGrone’s positive effect on the team is much appreciated, according to Monzingo.

“Chloe brought in that happiness and cheering,” said Monzingo. “I’m always so thankful when I have the unofficial spot of positivity being filled.”

LaGrone has balanced her studentathlete lifestyle for many years now. Her Upper School advisor Cristina Gonzalez has taken notice of her hard work and growth as a student.

“I’ve seen more of a depth of character with her, more of taking responsibility for all the things that she has going on,” said Gonzalez.

LaGrone acknowledges the struggle of balancing her athletic and academic demands. To help her stay on top of her

school work, she frequents a cozy spot at a local Starbucks.

“I’m very excited to go to Starbucks,” said LaGrone. “Because honestly, it’s an area where I feel comfortable to study.”

College Dreams

As her school coach, Monzingo continues to support LaGrone as both a swimmer and water polo player.

“I want to make sure she stays healthy and check in on her,” said Monzingo. “I’m just excited to see what she can do with water polo.”

Similarly, Gonzalez says she wants to see LaGrone continue to excel in her academic work and her rigorous sport.

“I want to see her continuing to do the stuff that makes her happy,” said Gonzalez. “I see Chloe finding where she belongs and giving it 110 percent.”

Chloe brought in that happiness and cheering. I’m always so thankful when I have the unofficial spot of positivity being filled.”

After her time at Greenhill, LaGrone says she hopes to continue her water polo career in college. But she wants to focus on her studies more than the sport.

“It honestly just depends on whether you want to be a student-athlete or an athlete-student,” said LaGrone.

LaGrone says she wants to make sure water polo is available at the college she eventually attends, even if it’s not as a varsity athlete.

“If I do end up going to a bigger school, it would need to be a school where I could play club water polo,” said LaGrone. “I love the sport so much and I am not ready to give it up whatsoever.”

Sasha Wai

Photo courtesy of Chloe LaGrone

BECOMING CHAMPIONS: Junior Chloe LaGrone competed in the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics. Her team, the Texas Thunder Water Polo Club, won 3rd place.

Photo courtesy of Chloe LaGrone

OVERCOMING LOSSES: Chloe LaGrone, far right, hopes to continue her water polo career in college either as a varsity athlete or club player.

Greenhill Cheer’s New Chapter

After a few years of upheaval in the Greenhill cheer program, a new head coach has launched a series of changes aimed at stabilizing and strengthening the program.

The new head coach is Emilee Gant of Mustang Cheer in Dallas.

Gant, who previously coached at Rock Hill High School in Prosper, says she is working to establish a strong, competitive structure for the Greenhill cheer program.

“My goal is to create a program with a solid foundation that remains strong year after year, regardless of what girls are in the program or who tries year after year,” said Gant.

Different Focus

By introducing skills-intensive routines, incorporating advanced tumbling, jumping and stunts, Gant says she hopes to elevate the program’s competitiveness and move away from a focus on dance. One emphasis is to elevate game-day performances and perfect cheers in advance, according to Gant.

“Last year, everything was put together at the last minute,” said sophomore cheerleader Briana Solomon. “Now, we have a clear plan, and practice until everything looks polished.”

of three practices a week. Previously, the team practiced four times a week.

“We know that they have lives outside of cheerleading and we want them to learn how to live a wellbalanced life,” Gant said.

Student Leadership

Gant and her assistant coaches have also revamped the captain selection system to create a more competitive and fair process.

Seniors Olivia Ortley-Gragg and Jane Hark were selected as captains this year through a multi-step tryout process. They were required to create an eightdance, answer 10 essay questions, participate in an interview and present their ideas and strengths to their peers for why they should be selected as captains.

Gant says the ambitious goals set for this season have resulted in a heightened sense of responsibility for the cheerleaders.

“It’s important to have high standards and ensure mutual respect within the team,” Gant said. “This way, the entire school community sees value in our sport and our program.”

Gant says she emphasizes the importance of students being able to balance cheerleading with their academic and personal lives. To aid students’ busy schedules, Gant introduced a new schedule

“You really had to work for it,” Hark said. “The coaches were looking for leadership qualities, not just cheer experience, and I think they picked who will help the team the most.”

My goal is to create a program with a solid foundation that remains strong year after year, regardless of what girls are in the program or who tries year after year.”

Another change is the implementation of a disciplinary system to hold cheerleaders accountable.

“We have a strike system that’s in place that is solely there just to make sure that we

are all upholding the same expectations,” Gant said.

In the past, cheerleaders frequently skipped High Performance Center workouts, one squad member said. Now, any member who skips a workout is not allowed to cheer at the next football game.

Despite the challenges that have come with these changes, Hark says the team has rallied together to support one another.

“Everyone has been really encouraging, especially with the younger girls who are

new to the team,” Hark said. “We’ve had setbacks, but we’re all staying positive and finding ways to help each other.”

With these new initiatives and the support of her athletes, Gant and team members say they are confident the Greenhill cheer program is prepared for a transformative season and a bright future.

“I want the school, the program, and the whole community to see them as leaders of Greenhill,” Gant said.

Sadie Werner

Photo courtesy of Risha Kopel

HELPING THE HORNETS: Greenhill Cheer attends an away game at Trinity Christian Academy. They support the football team by performing various routines.

Emilee Gant

Graphic by Bette Tomecko

Students’ Favorite Cafes in DFW

Chloe Nguyen, Ella Sadka

As the new school year begins, cafes across Dallas are quickly filling up with high school students. Whether they’re grabbing a cappuccino and warm croissant or tackling their physics homework, these spots are increasingly becoming students’ go-to hangout places. We asked some Upper School students to share their favorite cafes in the city.

“My favorite cafe to get work done is Summer Moon Coffee. It‛s convenient location near my house and plentiful outdoor seating makes it perfect for enjoying the beautiful weather while staying productive.”

– junior Isabel Bhatia

“I like to study at White Rock Coffee because their coffee is really good and it’s never super crowded or loud.”

– junior Dylan Considine

“Starbucks is the perfect place to study. My personal favorite Starbucks to study at is on Park Lane. They have a bunch of windows and the perfect lighting that gets you in the study mood. It’s also perfect because I can get a coffee and food whenever I’m hungry.”

– senior Gigi Melucci

“My favorite cafe is The Spin Coffee and Vinyl. It’s run by a single, dedicated owner who’s always there and genuinely invested in his customers’ well-being. Plus, it offers a perfect space to get work done.”

senior Will Black

“Civil Pour [Coffee + Beer] is nice because it has lots of seating and has food along with really good coffee. It’s also nice because when I go there, I don’t usually see people I know. They also have free Wi-Fi and charging ports.”

– senior Amanda Park

“My favorite coffee shop is the Funny Library Coffee Shop [on Turtle Creek Boulevard]. I love the quirky and eccentric decor and the comfortable seating. They have a large selection of tasty food and drinkswell.”as

– senior Zoë Gillen-Malveaux

Evergreen

From an Asian Lens: Depictions of Kamala Harris Spark Division

Ifirst heard the name Kamala Harris in 2019 when I watched the Democratic primary debate with my parents. I still remember the excitement I felt as a seventhgrader, seeing someone who looked like me, a South Asian, commanding a stage in front of millions of Americans.

Right then, I knew that it would not be the last time I would hear the name Harris. In the coming months, she was named the running mate of the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, making her the first South Asian to be on a major party ticket. And now, with the 2024 presidential election approaching, I feel represented at the top of the ballot.

So, why does it feel so bittersweet?

Despite doubts from prominent political figures, watching the Democratic Party rally around Harris after Biden dropped out of the election was both shocking and exciting. Seeing a woman of South Asian descent receive unprecedented support from people of all walks of life made me feel proud. It felt like a stark contrast to the past few years where conversations about South Asians in U.K. and U.S. politics often revolved around controversial rightwing men like Rishi Sunak and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Harris, in my eyes, was a breath of fresh air for politicians in the South Asian community.

However, as her campaign accelerated, my excitement quickly turned into resentment. Although Harris virtually never mentions her race or gender in political discussions, it seemed as if that was all media outlets were talking about. Conversations of her being a “diversity, equity and inclusion hire” dominated the media, leading people

to question her legitimacy as a candidate.

How can Harris, despite having been a prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator, be unqualified because of her race? Even more frustrating for me, however, was what I noticed in the days following her campaign announcement: a crucial part of her identity was being left out

receive flowers. Unfortunately, when I finally saw true representation at the top of the presidential ticket, it felt as if the country seemed to forget the capability of South Asian women.

Determined to figure out the origins of

this disparity, I began to analyze how South Asians around me mobilized around Harris. Almost immediately after her campaign announcement, a “Black women for Harris” Zoom call drew over 40,000 participants. Conversely, there have been few attempts from South Asians to make the same rallying cry. In fact, from what I have seen, many South Asian Democrats have been slow to

While I believe that it is good that Indians don’t immediately jump to support Harris solely due to her race, I do believe that the lack of outward support may be due in part to deeply ingrained biases against women in political power within the South

Perhaps more importantly, Donald Trump’s attempts to pigeonhole Harris’ identity into one box has tainted the Indian community’s outlook of her. Many South Asians are bitter that the media has glossed over her Indian identity, but Harris has had Harris is not running her campaign based on “identity politics,” and she mostly distances herself from it as much as possible. However, when she is the first female Black nominee and the first South Asian nominee, it can be impossible for voters, including me, to distance themselves from discussions

Attempts to paint a narrative around her identity are fracturing communities of color by pitting them against each other, when we should be reveling in the fact that we are being represented by a capable woman. I allowed these narratives to taint my view of her as a candidate, when I should have been focusing on her

Now, South Asians must make a critical decision: Will we allow the narratives around Harris’ identity continue to dominate how we view her as a candidate? When we step into the voting booth come November, I hope that is not the case.

Editorial: Seniors Need a Dedicated Space

Senior year is a unique and pivotal time in high school, often described as both the most exciting and the most stressful year. With the college application process and demanding coursework, seniors face immense pressure.

Despite this, senior year at Greenhill is also marked by special traditions such as painting the Water Tower, the Senior Cookout, Senior Sunrise, Senior Sunset and the Senior Surprise. These events are designed to foster a sense of community and create lasting memories before students

transition into the next chapter of their lives.

As the oldest students in the school, seniors naturally assume leadership roles and enjoy certain privileges. At Greenhill, this has historically included senior-dominated spaces like the courtyard between the two Upper School buildings, informally known as the ‘senior’ courtyard, and what was previously the junior-senior locker room in the Upper School South building.

Unfortunately, recent campus changes have transformed these former senior havens into communal spaces. This shift has led to overcrowding in common areas, making it increasingly difficult for students to find quiet and suitable spaces for study and relaxation.

Greenhill is a PreKindergarten-12 school that prides itself on fostering an inclusive community, so we understand the importance of these communal spaces. They help bring different grades together and also present students with opportunities to break the ice and engage with each other.

But this emphasis on a sense of togetherness overlooks the specific needs of the oldest students on campus.

Our solution would be to dedicate a part of the former math pod in Upper School South as a senior space. Although there are tentative plans to utilize that area for various purposes, why not grant a portion of that space to seniors in the meantime? Having a senior space would have several benefits. It would offer a focused environment where students can study and relax, just like the old locker room. It could also serve as a venue for seniors to deepen their bonds before graduating.

Having dedicated spaces also acknowledges the hard work and commitment of seniors, reinforcing their sense of pride and belonging as they prepare for the next phase of their lives. It is also something that all grade levels can look forward to as they approach their final year on campus, just like other senior privileges.

While we enjoy the many shared spaces that the campus has to offer, we urge school administrators to consider setting aside a space where seniors can bond by themselves as a grade.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Aria Kutty and Evie Kwei

EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Chloe Nguyen and Christan Park

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Daniela Hallack and Lyna Kamgang

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

Avery Lonergan

Khushi Punnam

Ethan Sadka

Talia Sidikaro

Cate Simpson

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 950 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

The Evergreen welcomes all advertisements, but we reserve the right to refuse an ad.

Business inquiries should be directed to Ella Sadka: sadkae26@greenhill.org

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

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

Graphic by Christan Park

Aria Kutty

& Rants Raves

A RANT to the reorganization of locker rooms. Many juniors are upset that they will never experience the amenities of the larger locker room previously used by juniors and seniors.

A RANT to Homecoming being scheduled for Sept. 27, two weeks earlier than last year. Many students feel rushed to find outfits and plan photos. In addition, the Student Council met multiple times over the summer to plan possible themes and festivities.

A RAVE to Friday Night Lights. Friday football games are a great way to bring the community together and promote school spirit. We love getting dressed up and supporting our teams. Go Hornets!

A RAVE to the changes in the cafeteria. This year, Upper School students can use the tables in the old Pre-Kindergarden and Kindergarten, helping alleviate some of the overcrowding. SAGE Dining Services also brought in new bowls for salads !

A RAVENT to the end of morning practices for fall athletes. Classes will now start at 8:30 a.m., a halfhour earlier. Although student-athletes get an extra hour of sleep, the downside is they will face the afternoon heat and leave school later.

A RAVENT to club mergers. The aim has merit: to create a more concise club list. But the end result is that some clubs will have to scrap plans for the year and choose new leaders.

The Evergreen Crossword

ACROSS:

4. School that senior Evelyn Berg attended in London, abbrev.

5. Editing software used by Advanced Video Production: Adobe _____ Pro

6. Senior Adair Moses has verbally committed to ride for the Southern Methodist University _____

8. Senior Sherry Zhang represents this team on the international debate stage

9. Junior Chloe LaGrone’s position on her water polo team

11. New Middle and Upper School Choir teacher Emmanuel _____

15. Upper School exams in year-long courses will be administered in

16. Junior Samantha Herrmann’s bedtime show, “How I Met Your _____”

DOWN:

1. Number of coaches for the Greenhill cheer team

2. City where the Republic National Convention was held in July

3. Greenhill Theater performed at the Edinburgh _____ Festival

7. City where both Upper School Dean of Students George Heinrichs and Upper School Student Activities Administrator Kira Rivera worked prior to moving to Dallas

10. Chappell Roan’s hit single, “Pink _____ Club”

12. Juniors Derian Herrmann and Noah Chu have participated in the same Boy Scouts troop since _____ grade

13. Sitting Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ vice president pick for the upcoming Nov. 5 election: Governor of Minnesota Tim

14. Age when senior Mia Edmonds attended her first dance class

Crossword by Evie Kwei and Christan Park

The Staff's Summer Snippets

When they weren’t chasing stories or crafting headlines, the Evergreen staff had their own summer adventures. Now, the reporters become the story as they share their personal summer highlights. From the poolside to medical labs, here’s an inside look at what the people behind the paper were up to during the break.

“This summer, my friends and I went to Vail, where we spent most of the time hiking, swimming and shopping. It was a lot of fun and really brought us closer as friends. One of my favorite parts was hiking the Strawberry Lane Trail in Vail. We did it in the rain and it was very memorable.”

– senior Aria Kutty, print editor-in-chief

"I mostly stayed in town. I hung out with my friends and got my first real job at a local burger joint. I also interned at the Dallas Morning News, where I met so many amazing reporters and peers. Outside of Dallas, I visited the University of Michigan, Northwestern University and Washington University in St. Louis. During these college visits, my family and I stopped by Chicago to try deep-dish pizza, stroll through Millenium Park and sail down the Chicago River."

– junior Kate Ponnambalam, print assistant managing editor

“I spent time at the pool swimming and working as a lifeguard. Toward the end of break, I went on a short vacation in the states to see colleges like Boston University and Amherst College. It was super fun because I’ve never had much of a chance to explore the U.S. other than Dallas.”

– junior Sasha Wai, print assistant managing editor

"I spent most of my summer in California, either with my family or at overnight camp. The camp was the highlight of my summer because I got to spend time with my childhood friends. After camp, I spent the rest of my summer volunteering in California at a camp for children with special needs. It was a super fun and eye-opening experience for me."

– sophomore Lylah Pouratian, breaking news staff writer

“Over the summer, I had an internship at UT Southwestern in their molecular genetics lab. There, I researched the molecular mechanisms behind obesity and diabetes via the STARS program. Overall, it was an incredible experience and gave me an appreciation for biomedical research. Following the program, I spent a week in Italy with my family touring historical sights and eating good food.”

– senior Varun Mukund, print managing editor

Photos by Aria Kutty, Varun Mukund, Kate Ponnambalam, Lylah Pouratian, Sasha Wai