November 2023| The Evergreen, Greenhill School

Evergreen

November 8, 2023 Volume 59, Issue 2

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Grade Inflation How grade inflation trends are impacting academic rigor and learning outcomes. Page 12

Everything Greenhill

Graphic by Evie Kwei

College Apps

Political Pivot

Concert Season

Many seniors have cleared the year’s first exhausting round of application deadlines in the increasingly stressful college admissions sweepstakes. Page 7

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson ’94 stunned area Democrats by switching parties. Greenhill students, faculty and alumni weigh the announcement. Page 3

Students are reveling in a memorable year of concerts showcasing the talents of performers like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and others. Page 11

Informing Greenhill since 1966

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News

02 Students Embrace New Community Service Opportunities Pooja Sanghvi

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here has been an increase in community service opportunities this year during the school day through the United to Learn program and the Mystery Reader’s Club.

United to Learn is a nonprofit organization that focuses o n improving school environments through social-emotional health, literacy and education inequity.

One of the group’s programs, Teen Fellows, designed exclusively for sophomores.

Students learn about resources and accessibility to education throughout the DallasF o r t Wo r t h area and work with cohorts from surrounding schools to solve the problems they see firsthand.

For sophomores, their Teen Fellows learning lab will be the George Herbert Walker Bush Elementary School in Addison, which borders the western edge of the Greenhill campus.

“The new program director of this Teen Fellows program reached out and asked me if there was any way we could make a Greenhill chapter,” Director of Service Learning and

Community Engagement Jessica Chu said.

“We’re building in time during the school day where students are going to learn about education inequities and figure out how to problem solve by doing action-based service at Bush Elementary.”

This year, 11 Greenhill sophomores are Jessica Chu participating in the program. They were selected after submitting an application that included answering questions specific to why they were interested in joining the Teen Fellows program, and why service mattered to them. “[The program director] wanted us at around 10 sophomores, so we ended up pushing it a little bit with 11 spots,” Chu said. “Something we really want to focus on is not only focusing on education, but building the students up as leaders too.”

Sophomore Sloan Stagen, one of the Teen Fellows participants, says her interest in educational equality drew her to the program.

“I applied for United to Learn because I am passionate about creating educational equality in Dallas-area schools,” Stagen said.

“I believe a solid educational foundation is essential for upward mobility and I am committed to helping other students obtain the academic resources they need.”

Juniors Max Johnson and Ashley

Weinstein were both a part of the Teen Fellows Program in previous years. This year, Johnson says they are aiding in educating and guiding the sophomores that are a part of the program, having once been in their shoes.

“We are able to project based on a thirdgrader’s reading level if they will go to any sort of higher education after high school or if they will end up in jail,” Johnson said. “So, the main focus of the program is on getting that third-grade reading level for every kid as best as possible.”

Additionally, Johnson and Weinstein are a part of United to Learn’s Teen Board, which is the next progression for participants in the Teen Fellows Program.

“This y e a r on the T e e n Board, we are mainly a consulting group or an ideag e n e r at i o n group,” Johnson said. “We will do experiments and tests with data to be able to figure o u t what strategies the program might want to implement in order to help as many kids as possible.”

Another community service opportunity for Upper School students during the day is the Mystery Reader’s Club, started by seniors Brenna Norton

and Shaina Starr. Through this club, Upper School students read a picture book to a Lower School classroom during a 30-minute time slot, when teachers ask for volunteers to read.

“I got the idea because when I was in Preschool, it was something that was a tradition at my old school,” Norton said.

“I looked forward to it Brenna Norton every year, so I wanted to bring it with me to Greenhill.”

Norton says that she has gone to read twice, and she brought her favorite book, “The Naughty Parents,” which was well-received by students and prompted a multitude of questions.

“I think it’s helpful because I’ve been going to Lower School and Preschool to talk to them about their service needs, and they’ve been talking about how they have really appreciated all the Upper Schoolers coming,” Chu said. “They’ve all been excited to sign up to have a volunteer in their classroom.”

Norton says she hopes students in the future will still have the opportunity to read to those younger than them.

“I hope the club keeps going after we leave, because all the leaders are seniors right now,” Norton said. “If something we created stays long after we are gone, that’d be pretty cool because we left our mark at this school.”

Graphics by Christan Park

Club Rotations Pose Scheduling Challenges Daniela Hallack

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s Upper School club rotations have begun, the leaders and sponsors of different groups have proposed a variety of solutions to the overlapping of meeting times and other problems that have occurred throughout the school year.

As the schedule stands now, a section of clubs meets from 11:20 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Another section meets between 1:50 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., in what is called Hornet Block. Often, due to the number of clubs offered and the short amount of time, some clubs cannot fit their information in the smaller allotted time in the morning.

The problem is students have preplanned activities and information sessions for their clubs that can’t be covered in the shorter period. Moreover, the large number of clubs also leads to a shortage of rooms.

“There have been some room [placement] difficulties just from the difference in club time rotations,” sophomore Chloe LaGrone said.

Students and faculty members have Chloe LaGrone worked together to create a more flexible approach to clubs, as they feel it is important for students to be immersed in this activity.

“Clubs give [students] an outlet other than the classroom,” said Dean of Students Jack Oros. “It lets them get involved in something they may be passionate about or something they might want to learn about.”

Leadership Struggles Although the Upper School schedule conflicts with some club meeting times, leaders have worked to modify the length of meetings to accommodate the schedule change. Leaders have also worked to find other times to meet during the day.

LaGrone, co-leader of the Poetry Club, has encountered difficulties covering all the material of the club in the short amount of

time allotted.

“I think it’s very hard trying to fit in a club within 15 minutes of time while there’s other club rotations that are 30 m i n u t e s ,” said

LaGrone. “ Tr y i n g to balance those and fit the different club meetings in those times was a struggle.”

Furthermore, the ability to regularly schedule club meetings has been a difficult task for some club leaders. Math Club, which is scheduled to meet during what is known as the Club III rotation, has not met as frequently due to the club rotation schedule.

“The club rotations definitely make [the Math Club] more volatile and more difficult to schedule,” said senior Seth Lee. Lee, co-leader of the Math Club, says the frequently adjusted schedules and other events on the Upper School calendar such Seth Lee as Homecoming Week also disrupt club meetings and their plans.

“I think club meetings in general have been inconsistent because oftentimes, there are supposed to be a lot of clubs running [during adjusted schedules], but there [are school events] that pushes them back,” said Lee. Both students and teachers alike have noticed the struggles that leaders have faced with maintaining an exciting club environment given the brevity of the allotted

meeting times and inconsistent scheduling.

Upper School English teacher Joel Garza, who sponsors the Poetry Club, says he sympathizes with club leaders as they try to balance their responsibilities.

“I feel for the leadership of every club that worries about inertia or getting lost in the shuffle of the varied schedule that we have,” said Garza.

Unlike most clubs, the Greenhill Business Society has not been affected by these club rotations.

“The business club has always been different because even though we have a scheduled time block, we have six different sectors or groups in our club,” said Upper School Math Department Chair Darryn Sandler ’95, who also serves as Business Society sponsor. “Each sector leader is responsible for organizing a meeting with their group over the semester.”

Solutions Other club leaders and sponsors have encountered obstacles, but they are trying to find ways t o make club rotations more consistent and engaging.

Garza says students in both the Poetry Club and others should use their digital platforms to allow club spaces to be used in different places of the allotted meeting times.

“I know the students are really innovative in their use of technology and in their excitement about messaging platforms so that might be one way to sustain the energy and the interest,” said Garza. “A club doesn’t have to only be about these moments in the room and it can be about thinking in an innovative

way, an asynchronous way.”

Garza says this would allow students to continue to interact with each other and participate in activities both inside and outside of school.

To make the club rotation more consistent, Math Club meets every Club III rotation and utilizes other Hornet Blocks if needed. For example, they also try to meet more often if a competition is approaching.

“The schedule allows Math Club to meet at least once a rotation, and often we meet more than that because we have various competitions,” said Upper School math teacher Jessica Chu. Like the Math Club, the Greenhill Business Society will begin to do a lot of work for the club in students’ free time as well to keep the club running. “[The Greenhill Business Society] has been using the club rotation time to hold meetings where we teach [students] about investing as well as go over some of the sector reports,” said Sandler. “That will probably not happen as frequently as the year progresses, and they can use that time to have sector meetings.”

Despite the disrupted schedules a n d complicated meeting times, LaGrone says the club environment has continued to be impactful for all m e m b e r s .

She sees Upper School clubs as a place to foster new connections and interests in the coming months. “[Clubs are] an awesome way to find a purpose within the Greenhill community as well, and I find it very helpful to meet people that have the same interests as you,” said LaGrone.

Graphics by Christan Park

November 8, 2023

Evergreen Ever the

News

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Greenhill Grad Provokes Debate with Party Switch Kaden Alibhai, Varun Mukund

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allas Mayor Eric Johnson ’94, a longtime Democrat, announced on Friday, Sept. 22, that he is switching his affiliation to the Republican Party.

“Next spring, I will be voting in the Republican primary,” Johnson wrote in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal.

“When my career in elected office ends in 2027, I will leave office as a Republican.”

Johnson served as a Democrat for nine years in the Texas legislature before he was elected as Dallas mayor in 2019.

Though the mayor’s office is technically a nonpartisan position, Johnson now joins Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker to become the only two Republican mayors to lead major Te x a s cities.

Johnson’s s w i t c h also makes Dallas the largest city in the nation with a Republican mayor.

The party switch also makes him one of the most prominent Black Republicans in the country, alongside U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

The mayor ran unopposed in his reelection campaign earlier this year and announced his party shift four months after he was elected as a Democrat. Johnson has declared he won reelection with 98.7% of votes, but county vote tallies show that he received 93% of votes cast.

Johnson didn’t respond to multiple email requests from the Evergreen to comment on his decision to switch parties.

The Politics The party switch has sparked debate across campus as well as the greater Dallas community.

“On one hand, I think that it was unexpected and maybe even misleading to people who might have supported him as a Democrat in his re-election,” senior Thomas Rowley said. “On the other hand, if that is what he really believes, then he should be able to express the values that he believes in.”

The critical perspective of Johnson’s former political comrades was summed up in a statement released by the Texas Democratic Party.

Thomas Rowley “Given his longstanding affinity with Republican leaders and ideology … this announcement is neither surprising nor unwelcome,” the statement said. “In a city that deserves dedicated leadership, Mayor Johnson has been an ineffective and truant mayor.”

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If that is what he really believes, then he should be able to express the values that he believes in.”

On the other side, prominent Republicans like Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott were quick to support Johnson’s decision and welcome him to the GOP with open arms.

“To my friend and former colleague,

welcome to the Republican Party!”

Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Mayor [Johnson] is absolutely right. Conservative policies are the key to safe, thriving, and successful cities. His leadership is a shining example of that.

Great news.”

There is still great dispute on the reason for Johnson’s shift in alliance. Supporters of Johnson’s move, including local and state Republican politicians, say that he is standing up for values he believes in. Critics and opponents believe it is a strategy for higher office.

Since 1980, Texas has been a predominantly Republican state.

Since 1994, every statewide elected office has been held by a R e publ i c an .

Furthermore, both houses of the Texas Legislature h a v e Republican majorities.

Dallas, however, is still considered a “blue” city. More than 66% of Dallas voters in the 2020 presidential election voted Democratic.

Many people interpreted Johnson’s switch as a precursor to a potential bid for statewide office – an office that Republicans have controlled for decades.

“You’ve got to be a Democrat to win in Dallas,” said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, speaking in an interview with Politico.

“You’ve got to be a Republican to win in Texas.”

Johnson outlined his ostensible reasons for switching parties in his opinion piece.

He said that mayors and elected officials had failed cities around the nation by not making public safety a priority.

“The future of America’s great urban centers depends on the willingness of the nation’s mayors to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism,” Johnson wrote. “Our cities desperately need the genuine commitment to these principles (as opposed to the inconsistent, poll-driven commitment of many Democrats) that has long been a defining characteristic of the GOP.” His most recent campaign was heavily geared toward reducing violent crime in the city. His new initiative comes in addition to his Task Force on Safe Communities and his Mayor’s Summer of Safety Campaign.

U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne ’88, a Dallas-area Republican expressed support for Johnson’s new party affiliation.

“I think having a loud and strong conservative message is needed especially in Dallas,” Van Duyne said. “One of the biggest issues in Dallas is a rise in crime associated with illegal immigration and Johnson is a great candidate to solve this.”

Van Duyne also says that she has supported Johnson in his past initiatives as they have aligned with her own beliefs.

Many politicians and Dallas voters aren’t surprised at Johnson’s new alliance because his previous policies have consistently aligned with Republican ideals, despite still being affiliated with the Democratic Party.

“Switching parties? I didn’t know he was a Democrat,” State Rep. John Bryant, a Democrat, jokingly wrote on X.

Photo courtesy of the City of Dallas

SWITCHING PARTIES: Mayor Eric Johnson was re-elected this May, as a longtime Democrat, six months before announcing that he was switching parties.

During his time as mayor, Johnson has outspokenly advocated for Republican anticrime initiatives such as increasing funding for the police department. He won reelection in May after catering to the city’s business donor class, who often lean Republican.

Recently, Johnson voted against the city’s $4.8 billion budget because he said it did not sufficiently cut the city’s property tax rate. Cutting property taxes is a key issue for Texas Republicans.

“American cities need Republicans – and Republicans need American cities,” Johnson wrote in his op-ed.

Dallas Democrats say that the switch was the launch of a “selfish and cynical” strategy to get his next job at the expense of his current job.

“He knowingly portrayed himself as a lifelong Democratic voter and representative throughout his re-election

campaign for mayor.

Now, less than four months after being re-elected to his final term in office, he has declared that he will govern the city as a Republican,” the local party’s statement said.

Rowley says that partisanship is driving polarization in the status quo.

“I just think that politics should be a lot more about honesty and trust as opposed to specific party beliefs,” Rowley said. “I think that you should be voting for a person and their ethics versus voting for the party they align with.”

Greenhill Graduate Johnson attended Greenhill for 10 years and developed close relationships on campus with mentors such as Associate Head of School for Mission, Community and Culture Tom Perryman ’81.

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I just think that politics should be a lot more about honesty and trust as opposed to specific party beliefs.”

Perryman said he hadn’t spoken with his former student about his party-switch announcement. He also said he didn’t want to comment on Johnson’s decision before discussing it with him.

As a Greenhill graduate, Johnson has ties with a Dallas-area institution that is perceived to lean heavily to the political left.

There used to be a Conservative Student Affinity Group on campus, but after the group’s president, Ian Bock ’23, and faculty sponsor both left Greenhill in the 2022-2023 school year, it dissolved.

Van Duyne said that she got called out many times for her conservative views while at Greenhill but appreciated the adversity.

“My professors did not appreciate my conservative views, but it actually helped me,” Van Duyne said. “I couldn’t just say what I felt, I had to say what I knew and prove it.”

Upper School history teacher Scott Cotton said that Greenhill might have had a similar impact on Johnson as well.

“I’m not surprised Scott Cotton at the switch because we have a diverse range of students and beliefs at Greenhill,” Cotton said. “This inclusivity helps foster different perspectives in everyone.”

Van Duyne offered some advice to the new Republican.

“Someone once told me that if I did not stay in the conference of mayors, [conservatives] would not have a voice,” said Van Duyne. “I would give Eric the same advice – your voice is important, and you need to make sure it’s heard.”

Graphics by Christan Park

04 News

Evergreen Ever the

Alumni Awards Announced Evie Kwei

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he Greenhill Alumni Board announced its 2023 award recipients on Oct. 5, with John Eisenberg ’75 named the Distinguished Alumnus and Pamela Beck Pluss ’81 honored with the Alumni Service Award.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was created in 1985.

It recognizes alumni who have achieved prominence in their field through their personal and professional endeavors and embody the characteristics and spirit of Greenhill’s mission to prepare and inspire students to lead authentic and purposeful lives, according to Director of Alumni Relations Katie Young.

“Through their personal and professional endeavors, I would say that the [Distinguished Alumni] honorees live in the spirit of and embody the mission of Greenhill,” Young said.

Young says that when Head of School Lee Hark arrived at Greenhill in 2018, he asked her to oversee the Distinguished Alumni Award program and establish it as an annual event.

“That’s what we’ve really tried to do, and it’s definitely not hard to find worthy alumni,” Young said. “We’ve had many different winners in all different fields over the past years.”

Initially, when the award was created, Young says that many alumni were honored for their service to Greenhill and the greater Dallas community. For this reason, a separate award called the Alumni Service Award was created by the Alumni Board in 2020. This honors an alumnus for outstanding service and dedication directly to Greenhill School.

“There are a lot of ways that alumni interact with the school community on a daily basis, and it felt appropriate to honor their contributions to advancing the school’s mission,” said Young. “Service is a huge piece of the Greenhill experience for our students and that also translates into the alumni experience.”

For both awards, honorees are nominated by both people affiliated with Greenhill and those who aren’t. Once nominations are made, a committee of current Alumni Board members and administrators determines who will receive the awards.

Distinguished Alumnus Eisenberg, this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, entered Greenhill in preschool, making him a member of the “Forever Club.” He was honored for his contributions in the writing and journalism professions.

He wrote 11 books and had a 43-year career as a sports journalist, writing for both the now-defunct Dallas Times Herald and the Baltimore Sun. He has also written for Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine and Details. He now lives in Baltimore, and he retired in 2022 from professional journalism, although he continues to write books.

“I think his character and accomplishments really embody our mission to prepare and inspire students to lead authentic, purposeful lives,” Young said. “The diversity of the topics that he’s covered and the diversity of the voices that he brings to his writing are really important.”

Throughout his career as a sports journalist, Eisenberg has covered major sports events, including the FIFA World Cup, the Masters Tournament, the MLB World Series, multiple Super Bowls and the Olympics.

“It was a great job, and the assignments just kept getting better,” Eisenberg said. “It was really the glory days of newspapers.”

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There are a lot of ways that alumni interact with the school community on a daily basis, and it felt appropriate to honor their contributions to advancing the school’s mission. Service is a huge part of the Greenhill experience for our students and that also translates into the alumni experience.”

Eisenberg wrote for the Evergreen during his time at Greenhill, fostering his interest in writing and journalism.

“The Evergreen definitely started me down a path,” Eisenberg said. “When I got to college, it just felt natural for me to go to the Daily Pennsylvanian at Penn, the school newspaper, and even though I was an English major, I really majored in the paper.”

In addition to his journalistic work following his graduation from Greenhill, Eisenberg began to write books as a side job. He says the experience of long-form projects like books differs from journalism.

“Book writing is completely different,” Eisenberg said.

“Instead of writing something on a deadline where you write in like an hour and a half, when you’re writing a book, you keep it to yourself for at least a year or sometimes longer.”

Dance Fever The annual Greenhill Homecoming Dance was held Oct. 14. Many students celebrated by first taking pictures, then going to dinner with friends before attending the dance.

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

AWARD NIGHT: Journalist and author John Eisenberg, center, is the school’s 2023 Distinguished Alumnus.

When Eisenberg flew back to Dallas for a book signing, he says many of his former Greenhill classmates from the Class of ’75 showed up to support him. He was also recognized at this year’s Homecoming football game, where other alumni were present.

“We went through something together which certainly brings you together, and that’s always a cool thing to experience,” Eisenberg said. “It’s an amazing thing. It’s been 48 years since we graduated, and you just pick right back up.”

Alumni Service Award Similar to Eisenberg, Pluss also entered Greenhill in preschool. Community service has been a focal point of her life after Greenhill.

“Greenhill does a really good job of just instilling that sense of giving back and helping others and making the community better,” Pluss said. “I grew up just watching a culture of volunteerism.”

During her time as a Greenhill student, her parents were always very involved in the community. She says that the school was her home away from home, especially since her family spent much of their time at Greenhill.

“The parent volunteers were always there, making sure everything was running smoothly, making sure everybody had what they needed,” Pluss said.

Thus, when Pluss became a Greenhill parent, she joined the Cultural Arts Committee, which is a group of parent volunteers who plan and organize events on campus. In 2013, she chaired the parent Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Fine Arts Festival host committee when the event was hosted at Greenhill. While her children were at Greenhill, she was also a room parent, senior class head parent representative, and Parents’ Association president.

Still a resident of Dallas, she is involved with multiple non-profit organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Bridge Lacrosse, Temple Emanu-El and Aurora Dallas.

Reactions For both alumni, winning their respective awards came as a shock.

“I had no idea,” Eisenberg said. “I have no idea who nominated me, and it was totally out of the blue.”

Pluss says she wasn’t expecting to win the service award, as her volunteer days with Greenhill wrapped up when her youngest child graduated in 2015.

Both alumni say they are honored to be recognized by Greenhill, a place they called home for 15 years.

“To feel so recognized for service I did years ago was a great honor,” Pluss said. “I had a lot of people that I know [reach] out to congratulate me, which was really nice.”

Eisenberg described a similar reaction.

“It really kind of knocked me sideways,” Eisenberg said.

“I’m very flattered, especially because Greenhill has sent a lot of great people into a lot of great professions.”

The alumni awards are a way for Greenhill to stay connected to former students and bring them back on campus, Young said.

“It’s our goal to provide alumni value for wherever they are,” Young said. “Our alumni live around the world, and we know that their relationship with the school changes over time. I hope our current students aspire to return to Greenhill one day as an alumni award honoree, and I hope our alumni see the potential in our current students to achieve great things as alumni.”

Homecoming Games Greenhill sports teams had a successful Homecoming night, winning three out of their five games. Boys volleyball beat the Red River Rattlers 3-1 and defeated Casady the following day. The football team came back from a 14-0 deficit to defeat Oakridge by a final score of 30-21. In two other matchups, girls volleyball lost to Hockaday 3-0 and girls field hockey fell to Hockaday 1-0.

SPC Championships Upper School fall athletes traveled to Fort Worth and Arlington for the Southwest Preparatory Conference fall championships from Nov. 2-4. The boys and girls cross country and volleyball teams as well as the girls field hockey team competed in the championships.

“Mean Girls” On Nov. 15, Greenhill theater students will perform the school’s 51st annual musical. This year, the show will be “Mean Girls the Musical,” a stage adaptation of the hit movie “Mean Girls.” The show follows the story of Cady Heron, who infiltrates the popular clique at her school in an attempt to sabotage them.

Arts Board Coffee House The Greenhill Arts Board hosted their first coffee house of the year on Oct. 25. The show consisted of 12 performers, ranging from singing to stand-up comedy.

The coffee house was Halloween-themed, and many performers dressed up in costume. The Arts Board will host more coffee houses throughout the year.

Turnabout Games On the Friday of Homecoming Week, juniors and seniors competed in the annual Turnabout Games. Juniors and seniors squared off in a boys volleyball game and a girls flag football game. The juniors won the volleyball game, while the seniors won the flag football game.

Spooky Showcase The annual Halloween parade took place on Oct. 31.

Pre-School and Lower School students dressed up and were led by Upper School seniors in a parade around campus. The Greenhill Band also provided music and entertainment during the parade.

All-Region Auditions The Texas Private Music Educators Association auditions for students who are a part of Greenhill Orchestra and Band are due on Nov. 29. Students will submit a video audition in hopes of being selected for the TPSMEA All-Region Orchestra and Band. If they are selected, they have the opportunity of auditioning for All-State honors. !"#$%&'()*+),'-%./)0'--#.//)./()!"&')1'&(#./

Middle School

05

Spirit Week Celebration

Jordan Arbuckle, Rehan Menon

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ighth-grader Bailey Fisher headed into Spirit Week in October with eager anticipation.

“I am very excited for Spirt Week because I get to see the funny outfits my peers come up with,” Fisher said a week before the festivities.

Like the Upper School version, Middle School Spirit Week is a celebration of pride and fun activities such as wearing outfits that match with a particular theme of the day. The week culminates with students attending a school-wide Homecoming Pep Rally.

All the excitement and activities leading up to Homecoming allow students to bond with each other. New friends are made, and old friendships become closer.

“You learn more about classmates through the fun festivities, making you closer to your peers,” said sixth-grader Vivianne Lee. In addition to students engaging in the fun activities, teachers also get opportunities to join the fun. They can dress up during the

days leading up to Homecoming in addition to participating in the teacher’s Dodgeball Game during the Pep Rally.

Middle School English teacher Melanie Girard enjoys how the Greenhill community comes together to cheer on their favorite mentors during the game.

“I loved the teacher Dodgeball Game that went on last year,” Girard said. “It shows how the community comes together.”

There are other cherished traditions, including the tug-of-war competition, the Senior Run Out, and the cheers.

Lower School teacher Rima Zachariah says that the Pep Rally is great for community bonding.

“The Pep Rally brings the entire school community together while providing celebration and enjoyment,” Zachariah said.

Students say they make closer connections with their peers as a result of the Pep Rally.

“The rally brings students together by providing celebration and enjoyment,” Fisher said.

Photo by Chloe Nguyen

SPIRIT WEEK: Middle School students celebrate the Homecoming Spirit by participating in dress-up days and other activities, before the Friday pep rally.

Pops Concert Kicks Off Band Schedule Natalie Ledyard, Ellie Tran

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Photo by Christan Park

PLAYING THE POPS: Led by band teacher Brian Donnell, Middle School band students made their 2023-2024 concert debut in the Oct. 10 Pops Concert.

iddle and Upper School students performed their Pops Concert on Oct. 10 in an annual tradition dating back decades.

Every year, the middle and high school bands play three concerts, with the Pops Concert kicking off the schedule of events in the fall.

The Pops Concert was started by band teacher Brian Donnell in 1989, his second year at Greenhill. A Pops Concert is a common name for concerts that play a variety of genres of pieces and songs in a casual setting, ranging from pop music, as the name suggests, to songs from movies and musicals and more.

The outdoor concert usually takes place from 6:30 to 7:30 PM on the Quad in front of the cafeteria, where lawn chairs and blankets are arranged. It is open to all, and according to Donnell, it’s great for younger children who would normally be disruptive inside a concert hall.

“It’s one of my favorite concerts,” Donnell said.

The concert featured Halloweenthemed songs fit for the season, lighter pop songs, movie themes, and more. Each band played three pieces, while the percussion ensemble played one.

Sixth-grader Sammar Agah compared

their preparation to studying for tests, saying the concert prep was similar to understanding and memorizing information.

“We will be practicing and getting better every day,” seventh-grade band member Sophia Deibert said before the concert.

“We are one big team working together and figuring things out.”

The Middle School has two bands: one comprising sixth-grade students and the other for seventh-graders and eighthgraders. At the Pops performance, the sixthgrade students played “Piñata, “Theme from TRANSFORMERS,” and “Doctor Boo!” The seventh-graders and eighthgraders played “High Hopes,” “Zombie Rock” and “On to Victory.”

“Zombie Rock” was a favorite of eighthgrader Aanya Krishnakumar.

“Toward the end of the song, we have a part where the trombones get to play the melody,” Krishnakumar said. “As I play trombone, I’m very excited that our playing isn’t hidden in the background.”

Sixth-grader Leo Garza described the concert as very exciting.

Agah agreed.

“At first, you feel like you’re gonna mess it up, but then, you get into the groove and you’re proud to say, I’ve got this!” Agah said.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, and I hope everyone else did too.”

MS Strings Concert Strengthens Student Bonds Vanessa Anderson

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iddle School Strings held their first performance of the year on Oct. 17, playing a concert for friends and family in the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.

Presiding over the performance was Middle and Upper School Orchestra and Strings Director Nick Paraskevas.

“I enjoy the preparations and I enjoy the performance,” Paraskevas said. “I also enjoy hearing the students grow in their ability to play well.”

The concert is a source of both anxiety and excitement for many people in the orchestra.

“I feel good, excited definitely,” seventhgrader Adam Tawil, a violinist, said in the

days leading up to the concert. “I have a semi solo part in the concert so I’m a bit nervous.

I’ve done it before so It’s not that bad. Mostly excited.”

Stress is sometimes an issue for performers, and that was the case for some Middle School strings students.

But not everyone.

“I don’t think it’s very stressful at all,” Tawil said. “I think it’s very fun. I take it very seriously, but it’s not too much.”

The annual concert is an opportunity for musically talented students to demonstrate their focus and

dedication

to friends and family.

The students prepared 10 pieces for the performance.

Some students said that “Viking” was their favorite piece from the performance. Others preferred “Avatar.”

As the date of the concert approached, tension mounted for some students.

“The most stressful part would be it’s not just about practicing on your own and you’re playing with other people, so you have to be on time with them,” said seventh-grader Alice Huang, who plays cello.

Eighth-grader Athena Yu, who also plays the cello, especially enjoys the

social aspect of playing in the Middle School orchestra.

“My favorite part of preparing for the Strings concert was practicing with my friends,” said Yu. Eighth-grader Wilson Heeringa, who attended the concert, recalled a most memorable moment.

“It was when Mr. Paraskevas came forward and thanked us all for coming, because it showed how much time and dedication he put into preparing all the kids for the concert,” said Heeringa.

The next MS Strings concert will be in early 2024. Seventh-grade and eighth-grade Sinfonia students will join the Upper School Chamber Orchestra to perform on Jan. 22 in Rose Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Graphics by Camila Hanson and Christan Park

Features Ever Evergreen Senior Spotlight: Jane Bailey Feinstein

06

the

Payton Blalock, Irina Li

F

rom the volleyball court to the classroom, senior Jane Bailey Feinstein has participated in many activities during her 11 years at Greenhill. Most notably, she is known for her consistent devotion to helping others, accumulating more than 300 community service hours during her time in the Upper School.

“I found that it was something I enjoyed, so as I built my schedule, it was something I continued to set time aside for,” Feinstein said. “I also think it’s a great break from Jane Bailey schoolwork and a good Feinstein way to get involved in my community.”

Feinstein has completed the required number of Upper School community service hours around 17 times over, earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Her accomplishments have placed her in the gold category requiring at least 250 hours of volunteer work in one year, a feat achieved by few high school students.

At the age of four, Feinstein was introduced to volunteering by her parents, who would take her to help in a garden or pick up trash by a lake. During her Lower School years, Feinstein completed additional projects that helped provide the foundation that she built upon as she got older and more involved in both the Greenhill and the greater Dallas community.

“At Greenhill, we had Lower School service projects that really inspired me and taught me how fulfilling [community service] could be,” Feinstein said.

Service Projects Much of Feinstein’s summer community service work involved tutoring refugee and immigrant students through a program called the Vickery Meadow Summer Reading Academy.

This program is intended to help students at McShan Elementary School, many of whom don’t speak English as their first language at home. The program helps these students retain the reading and writing skills they build throughout the school year.

In addition to tutoring students, Feinstein helped establish a science curriculum through the Vickery Meadow Summer Reading Academy to help students

in areas outside of reading and writing.

“It’s nice to know that I was able to have an impact on someone else’s life and hopefully lead them toward success in school,” Feinstein said.

Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement Jessica Chu commends Feinstein for her unique ability to think outside of the box to improve Greenhill’s service initiatives.

“What I’ve always loved about her is that she’s always willing to share ideas,” Chu said. “I think the perspective she is able to bring helps our students and helps our board widen their lens, and I think that’s great.”

Two organizations Feinstein particularly recommends to others are SoupMobile and the East Lake Pet Orphanage.

According to their website, SoupMobile is an organization that feeds homeless people in Dallas.

She has baked many cookies for this organization, in addition to donating Jessica Chu sandwiches, blankets and other resources that might be needed.

“It’s a great way to engage with the community, and they take out food trucks and try to deliver items to people in need around Dallas,” Feinstein said. “So, it’s great to get a wider reach.”

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It’s nice to know that I was able to have an impact on someone else’s life and hopefully lead them toward sucess in school.”

The East Lake Pet Orphanage is an organization dedicated to the sheltering, medical treatment and readoption of orphaned pets. Volunteers can walk dogs, play with cats, assist with fundraising events and help sort donations at Second Chance Treasures, a resale shop benefiting the pets at the East Lake facility. “[At] Eastlake Pet Orphanage, you do your orientation, an hour for the dog, an hour for the cats, then after that, you can come in whenever you want,” Feinstein said.

“You don’t have to sign up beforehand, and so it’s great for a sporadic time on the weekend when I’m feeling like going out and helping.”

Photo by Christan Park

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Jane Bailey Feinstein, right, works on her volleyball skills during a practice before the Southwest Preparatory Conference tournament.

Photo by Nora Ahearn

GIVING BACK: Jane Bailey Feinstein brainstorms potential Greenhill service projects with senior Ethan Strauss, a member of the Community Service Board.

Achieving over 300 hours of service is something that has required passion along with hard work. Feinstein says that service can be a respite from life if people pick volunteer opportunities that best suit them.

“I’ve done service that feels like a task, and I have found that it’s important that it’s something that aligns with what you want to do in life,” she said.

Feinstein’s positive attitude not only extends to her community service, but also her friends.

“Jane is one of the most caring, thoughtful, intelligent and funny people I know,” said senior McKenna Higgins, one of Feinstein’s close friends. “She never fails to make me laugh or brighten anyone’s day and is a ray of sunshine as soon as she walks into a room.”

Balancing Act Between her community service endeavors, Advanced Video Production work, varsity volleyball and schoolwork, Feinstein’s schedule remains extremely busy during both the school year and the summer.

Varsity volleyball is a large time commitment, but Feinstein has been able to consistently show up for the team throughout her Middle School and Upper School years.

“She’s organized, and she’s a great communicator,” girls varsity volleyball Head Coach Tatiane Deibert said. “If there’s ever any conflict, she’s very proactive. And truly, there has not been a problem for her with her volleyball schedule.”

Feinstein started playing volleyball in third grade, and after a multi-year break from the sport, she decided to make her Greenhill volleyball debut in seventh grade.

S h e has been playing both school and club volleyball since then, and her passion for the sport and the Greenhill team is evident in the hours that she puts into both practices and games.

“I just really love the team spirit that comes with that,” Feinstein said.

It’s a great community and a lot of my best friends ended up being on different teams I have played with.”

Feinstein noted that she doesn’t get home from school and club volleyball

practice until 10 p.m. on some nights, making it difficult to stay on top of her schoolwork.

Feinstein also participates in Advanced Video Production. The filmmaking process in this class is a strenuous one and the instructor, Upper School Chair of Fine Arts Corbin Doyle, emphasizes the significance of putting in time and effort regardless of results.

“You cannot be about product,” Doyle said. “If we concentrate on the process, it makes everyone in the room better.”

In addition to her extracurriculars, Feinstein’s academic schedule is one of a high level of rigor. She is taking three Advanced Placement classes this year: AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science and AP Chemistry.

She uses sticky notes to keep track of her work for the day and said her passion for everything she does helps her remain ahead of her Tatiane Deibert work.

“Her dedication to everything in her life never fails, whether it be academics, volleyball, friends, family or anything else,” Higgins said.

Feinstein finds that work is more enjoyable to do with her friends, and even if it takes longer to complete this way, it adds happiness to her life.

“Her compassion and independence are extremely admirable, and I think her goodness just radiates off of her,” Higgins said. “She takes any weakness that she may see and accepts it, works on it, and quickly makes it a strength.”

In the future, Feinstein says she is excited to continue the pursuit of giving back to her community. It is unclear at this point where she will find herself in college and beyond, but the foundation she has built at Greenhill for service will likely follow her to her next destinations in life.

“I don’t think my career will directly involve community service, but it is something I want to continue on the side of my career in some capacity,” Feinstein said.

Graphics by Rachel Jiang and Evie Kwei

Evergreen Ever the

November 8, 2023

Features

07

Seniors Sweat Out Another College App Season Aman Jaleel, Justin Wu

W

ith the first deadline of college applications ranging from mid-October through early November, stress among Greenhill seniors is at a high.

The college application process is an important steppingstone that allows seniors to reach the next level of education.

“You can feel the weight that rides on these applications,” senior Jadon Lee said.

“It’s what has been culminating throughout my entire life.”

The Process The process begins toward the end of sophomore year when students are assigned to a their college counselors and begin considering what colleges they may apply to.

In their junior year, students begin surveying schools as applications get closer.

At this stage, students also take standardized tests such as the Jadon Lee Scholastic Aptitude Test or the American College Test.

Following the end of their junior year, students often tour colleges they would like to attend to further develop their list. Lee says these tours were incredibly helpful in deciding where he would apply.

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You can feel the weight that rides on these applications. It’s what has been culminating throughout my entire life.”

“I visited colleges to prepare for my applications,” said Lee. “I figured out what places I liked and applied there.”

By the beginning of their senior year most students have already begun their applications in the form of the Common Application, the main platform that schools use. To complete it, students must finish important pieces like their personal statement, activities list and teacher recommendations.

Senior Alex Wetzler says this was one of the most challnging of his process.

“I would say the personal statement was the hardest part of my process,” said Wetzler.

“There’s a lot of weight on it because it will go to every single one of your schools.”

Adding on to this, many colleges require individual supplemental essays in their applications. These essays add on to an already busy workload..

“A lot of people I know have like 20 supplementals for their applications,” said We t z l e r .

“I’ll ask them i f they want to hang out on the weekends, but they’ll be too busy working.”

Managing Stress In addition to working on college applications, seniors must balance other obligations. Some students say it is difficult to stay on top of both schoolwork and applications.

“Now that school has started, I’m busy

with homework in the evenings and then usually end up being too tired at the end of the day to work on applications,” senior Maya Desai said. “On the weekends, I’m working on [applications] on days where I would rather be taking a break and relaxing after a busy week.”

Other students have made plans to cut down on certain extracurriculars to increase time for their applications.

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I’m busy with homework in the evenings and then usually end up being too tired at the end of the day to work on applications.”

“I was planning to do swimming, [however], now I’m not sure because I’m going to have a lot to do in December,” Wetzler said.

Greenhill faculty have stepped in to help minimize the burden on seniors. For instance, senior Aditya

Pulipaka s a y s teachers and coaches have been understanding of his hectic schedule.

“One night I was up pretty late and I had practice the next morning at 6:40,” Pulipaka said. “I emailed my coach to explain that practicing on my own would be better than losing sleep.”

Additionally, Greenhill offers certain classes and college counselors which help students navigate their application process.

Desai says she attended Greenhill’s college essay Stephanie Almanza writing workshop in the summer, which helped her manage her time.

“It made me start working on my essay and at least get a first draft done,” Desai said.

“I may have taken longer to [ c o mp l e t e ] my essay if I hadn’t had something pushing me to do it.”

Other students say their college counselor has played a crucial role during the application process.

“My college counselor has been a massive guiding light for me throughout life since I joined Greenhill in 11th grade,” senior Dibyadeep Saha said.

Past Applicants Those who have already experienced the college quest say there is an abundance of unnecessary pressure that high school students place on the process.

“Looking back, there’s so much stress

Photo by Chloe Nguyen

BUILDING A RESUME: Senior Anisa Walji constructs a list of her extracurriculars, including Hope Squad and co-chairing the Greenhill Charity Fashion Show. and pressure around the college process that I honestly do not think is necessary,” Khushi Chhaya ’23 said. “I do think that everyone eventually ends up where they need to be.”

Senior Dean Ste phan i e Almanza says that a

reason students face such high stress levels during the process comes from an “end all, be all” mentality. In reality, that may not be the case. “[College] connects us to different people, but at the same time it is also a means to an end and your end is not college,” Almanza said. “Your end is going to be life after college.”

Chhaya, now a freshman at Barnard College, Columbia University, echoes this sentiment.

“In terms of going to college, you get out of it what you put in,” Chayya said. “Once you get to college if you put in the effort to meet people and join clubs and make it a place that you want to be then you’re going to find that you enjoy yourself more.”

When Chhaya went through the college process last year, she says that most of students’ stress springs from self-pressure along with competition with other students. To minimize stress during her college application process, Chhaya kept Aditya Pulipaka information within her family.

“I did not want to have the added pressure of other people knowing where I was applying and therefore anticipating whether I got accepted or rejected,” Chhaya said. “I think that helped me a lot because the only pressure I was facing was [what] I was putting on myself.”

However, Chhaya also says that the stress motivated her to an extent.

“The motivation that came from it helped me produce really strong applications and eventually get into the school I wanted, and I love it here,” Chhaya said.

To reduce the stress that comes with

college application process, both Chhaya and Almanza advise future applicants to complete as much as possible during the summer.

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Looking back, there’s so much stress and pressure around the college process that I honestly do not think is necessary.”

“If you start the year with a really strong common app essay, then you can focus on some of the smaller stuff,” Chhaya said.

Chhaya and Almanza also stress communication between students and teachers.

“It boils down to communication and the student communicating to their teachers and being honest about their deadlines and honest with themselves and what they can handle,” Almanza said.

Looking Forward Through their applications, seniors hope to reach their preferred colleges and achieve as much as they can.

“I am particularly ambitious since it’s always been a dream of mine to attend a top school,” said Saha. “Those schools are amazing, and they have great networks.”

Even so, many students say they would be fine going to any college on their list, as many recognize they can be successful no matter where they attend.

“I think the notion you have to go to a top college in order to be successful isn’t true,” Saha said. “Many people go to pretty ordinary state schools and do extremely well in life.”

Pulipaka echoes this sentiment.

“At the end of the day, I’d be perfectly happy attending any of the colleges I’m applying to.” Pulipaka said.

Ultimately, college is a way for students to follow their passion and advance their academic goals. Many seniors say that they are excited to take this next step of their lives.

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At the end of the day, I’d be perfectly happy attending any of the colleges I’m applying to.”

“You get to go to a college you love for the next four years,” said Wetzler. “Though I am not excited for the applications, I am really excited to go to college.”

Graphics by Christan Park

08 Features

Ever Evergreen The “Euphoria” Effect: Michelle Liu ’96

Sophia Li

M

ichelle Liu ’96’s current occupation began at an unexpected crossroads of the hit HBO series “Euphoria,” an entertainment production company called A24 Films, and a vision. In the span of a year, Half Magic Beauty was born.

Half Magic Beauty is a makeup line that bills itself as vegan and “cruelty-free.” Liu serves as general manager. The line came to be when “Euphoria” took the world – and the makeup industry – by storm in 2019.

“Euphoria” makeup emphasizes the use of glitter, rhinestones and bold colors. For lead characters like Jules, this looks like neon red and yellow eyeliner. For other characters, this looks like indigo gems and Michelle Liu sparkles. “‘Euphoria’s makeup took on a life of its own and went completely viral on Instagram and on TikTok with really no help from the show,” Liu said. “It just happened.”

Half Magic Rises After the bold makeup techniques used in “Euphoria” gained virality, many major makeup brands reached out to Donni Davy, the show’s head makeup artist, seeking a collaboration. But Davy, along with A24 Films, envisioned something even more ambitious.

“There was something bigger than just making a palette with MAC or NARS [Cosmetics] or any of what would have been Donni’s dream brands,” Liu said. “They thought there could be something more meaningful than that and that’s how the brand came to life.”

After A24 films and Davy came together in September 2020, Liu was hired to work as the general manager for Half Magic Beauty. “[Many new brands] have pretty

the

products, but they don’t really stand for anything very distinct and specific,” Liu said.

“With what A24 and Donni were trying to create, I saw one completely different point of view – a totally fresh take on beauty and on makeup that didn’t exist in the industry.”

Her current work comprises three main areas: working with Davy and the head of product development, meeting with major retailers like Ulta Beauty Inc. to grow the brand and working on finances.

“I basically run the whole company, and every day is pretty different because it’s a startup,” Liu said. “I just came back from the 10-day trip to New York, where we hosted seven brand events and also had a board meeting. We hosted influencers.

We did events with consumers doing makeovers and face gem applications at Ulta in New York City, and we met with the press when we were there.”

In May 2022, Half Magic Beauty was launched as an online-only, direct-

“We spent a year preparing for the launch at Ulta.”

To date, Half Magic Beauty is in over 465 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide.

“We’ve been really fortunate to have been able to weather the storm in a tough environment and do well there and then have the opportunity to open in a really big way at Ulta,” she said.

Half Magic Beauty’s collection features over 25 distinct products.

Their most popular products include their Magic Flick Liquid Eyeliner, Cheek Fluff Soft Blur Blush and Eyelectric Extreme Lengthening Mascara.

“Our shades are incredibly, incredibly customized and everything you see at our brand, you really can’t get anywhere else,” Liu said. “We’re most well-known for glitter and sparkle and face gems.

We like to say our goal as a brand is to sprinkle a little magic all over the world and into everyone’s makeup bags.”

Throughout Half Magic’s growth, A24 Films has been critical to its success.

to-consumer makeup line. The next goal became getting the makeup line in Ulta Beauty’s physical stores.

“We saw that it was going to be very tough to scale the brand as direct-toconsumer only, and we really wanted to be omnichannel and have a place for people to touch and feel the products to really grow the awareness around the brand,” said Liu.

“I have access to their thinking around what’s going to be hot, what the trends are, what’s happening in the content world, what’s happening in entertainment, what talent is going to be really up and coming, what films are coming next and also the opportunity to potentially put our products into their shows and have actors wear our makeup,” said Liu.

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With what A24 and Donni were trying to create, I saw one completely different point of view – a totally fresh take on beauty and on makeup that didn’t exist in the industry.”

Working as general manager of a startup comes with challenges.

“The biggest challenge has been that when you’re the boss, all the problems come to you,” Liu said. “When people can’t solve their problems, they just come and give them to you.”

Greenhill Roots

Photo courtesy of Michelle Liu

IN-STORE SUCCESS: Michelle Liu ’96 worked on Wall Street after attending college, but she discovered her true passion as the general manager of Half Magic Beauty.

Growing up in the Dallas area, Liu attended Greenhill for 12 years.

She served as the editorin-chief of the Cavalcade, played tennis and field hockey and ran track. A particularly memorable experience of hers was participating in a club called Another Perspective.

“Back then, Texas wasn’t particularly diverse, and Greenhill created this club to really spearhead inclusion and diversity and kind of bring new

perspectives and spread them through the community,” said Liu. After graduation, Liu studied economics at Stanford University and then received her Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University.

“Greenhill instilled just an innate level of intellectual curiosity and a deep love for learning,” said Liu. “That’s made me never to be afraid of things I don’t know how to do, and always curious to learn more, learn more Tom Perryman about other people, learn more about new things, new places, new ideas.”

Liu’s teachers were a key component of this developmental journey. One of those teachers was Associate Head of School for Mission, Community and Culture Tom Perryman ’81, who taught Liu in sixth-grade English.

“What he’s taught me is the power of connection and power of relationships,” she said. “He was my teacher 33 or 34 years ago, and I was 12, so I look totally different today, yet I see him every five or six years and he recognizes me and immediately he knows my name. He remembers the last conversation that we had.”

Perryman recalls Liu as someone who embodied all the traits of a model student.

“I taught Michelle in sixth-grade English, and even then, she was ‘all in’ with her learning: intensely curious about her world; dogged in her questioning; tireless with her research,” Perryman recalled in an email. “She made me better as a teacher – I had to bring my A-game to class every day.”

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Greenhill instilled just an innate level of intellectual curiosity and a deep love for learning,” said Liu. “That’s made me never to be afraid of things I don’t know how to do, and always curious to learn more, learn more about other people, learn more about new things, new places, new ideas.”

Perryman says that he sees Liu achieving great success in all her pursuits, including Half Magic Beauty.

“I love catching up with Michelle when we are in California, and I’m psyched to see where her new adventure takes her,” he wrote. “That young woman can do anything she puts her mind to.”

Words of Wisdom Although Liu loves her work today, that wasn’t always the case. After college, she worked on Wall Street – an experience she didn’t particularly enjoy.

“I decided to leave that job and find something that I would be really passionate about,” Liu said. “And that’s how I ended up in beauty.”

Liu advises every person to also seek a career they are passionate about, rather than striving to climb the corporate ladder.

“Generally loving what you do makes it easy to get up in the morning and go to work,” she said. “It makes it really easy to bring 110% every single day.” !"#$% &'#(')(% *$)+,"-.+/0% ,/1$,+")(% +$%+2"3%3+$,45 Graphics by Bette Tomecko and Evie Kwei

November 8, 2023

Evergreen Ever the

Features

09

AP Spanish Unveils New Peer Program Rory Liu

T

he Greenhill Advanced Placement Spanish curriculum has expanded to include mandatory conversations between Greenhill students and native Spanish speakers from PUC Lakeview Charter High School in California. The goal of the program is to deepen the ability for students to utilize Spanish in day-to-day conversations.

This idea began with Upper School Spanish teacher and Ninth Grade Class Dean Jacobo Luna, who oversees Greenhill’s AP Spanish curriculum.

“One of my closest friends teaches Spanish in this California charter school,” said Luna. “We were talking about the importance of using Spanish for real-life situations, so we partnered up and came up with a plan.”

Out of this conversation emerged a year-long project for AP Spanish students.

For the project, Greenhill students partner with a student from Lakeview Charter and meet once a month to talk about a designated topic for 30 minutes in Spanish.

For the first month, Greenhill students engaged in conversations over basic information about themselves.

“We talked about what each of us like or don’t like and what we’ve done over the summer,” said sophomore Valentina CasasSayek.

The prompts provide varying levels of difficulty to allow students to extrapolate and formulate new questions.

“The first few questions I wrote are indepth to give them an example of what I’m looking for,” said Luna. “But for the next ones, they have to do it on their own and

come up with their own questions.”

One of the prompts asked specifically, “What is the reality of native people in American and Spanish-speaking countries?”

Luna explained how these more difficult questions were posed to help Greenhill students foster a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture. Because the students from Lakeview Charter involved in the program are native speakers from different cultural backgrounds, their experiences can differ vastly from those of some Greenhill students.

“People talking about Spanish-speaking countries and Latinos sometimes use labels that overgeneralize a certain group,” said Luna. “Some students in [Lakeview] are second-generation students and although [they] may look Latino, their life experiences and cultural intersectionality are very complex.”

At the end of each month, each AP Spanish class gathers to talk about what they learned during their conversations in a “tertulia,” a Spanish term used to describe a group of friends who meet informally on a regular basis to chat about their lives and affairs.

Students can talk about what resonated with them in their respective conversations, what they learned and what further information they wished to find out.

“I learned that my partner’s school is a lot smaller than Greenhill’s, but that we also have a lot of similar experiences,” said junior Samantha Aidala. “For example, my partner plays on his school’s basketball team while I play on the softball team and we both have older sisters.”

The conversations with students from Lakeview Charter often serve as an avenue for friendship.

“My [Lakeview partner] and I have a lot of shared interests,” said junior J.J. Arbuckle.

“I went to the Lana Del Rey concert, and I was also sending her pictures from the concert. The conversations are not supposed to be super formal but more natural and friendly.”

For other students, these conversations also serve the purpose of expanding cultural awareness.

“I’m seeing things I don’t normally see at school and learning about different communities,” said Casas-Sayek. “The conversations are a good way to be understanding and patient with other people and learn how someone’s life can be way different than yours.”

Further, the initiative is also a way for students to prepare for the AP Spanish exam.

“I think a big part of the goal of this

program is to help us practice comparing cultures,” said Arbuckle. “It’s a way to practice talking about your culture in a way that is professional and helpful for the AP exam.”

This initiative also prepares students for another section on the exam that is a simulated conversation in Spanish. This section includes playing multiple audio recordings of questions that students verbally respond to for 20 seconds.

“One of the most challenging parts for that test is that students are used to my voice as a teacher so when they hear something different from the audio, it can make it more difficult for them to understand,” said Luna. “But I think giving them the chance to speak with somebody who is close to a native speaker makes their listening skills stronger.”

Photo by Christan Park

ON CALL: Junior Christan Park talks with Christopher Rojas from Lakeview Charter High School to strengthen her Spanish comprehension abilities for AP Spanish.

Affinity Groups Bond Outside of School Emily Hu

B

eyond the confines of structured meeting times at school, Greenhill’s affinity groups have become closer communities through outside-of-school bonding events.

The East Asian Affinity Group, for example, hosted events like dumpling making and karaoke last school year. Senior Jeannette Yang, co-president of EAAG, says group members plan to make mooncakes and boba together this year.

“Last year’s dumpling-making event was super special because we were able to make dumplings from scratch and share different family recipes with each other,” Yang said. “That brought everyone closer together, even if some people didn’t know each other well beforehand.”

Senior Iyad Mohammed, president of the Muslim Student Association, says members have done a variety of events outside of school.

“We’ve hosted iftars at our own houses

Photo courtesy of Grace Kiang

DUMPLING MAKING: East Asian Affinity Group celebrates the Lunar New Year.

and frequently do activities like playing board games,” he said. “We normally also go out and eat at restaurants or go to cafes, all things we can do as a community and have a good time at.”

For the future, Mohammed says the affinity group is trying to host even more events this school year such as bowling and golfing.

While the South Asian Student Association has not had many notable affinity group events in the past few years, senior Vivaan Gupta, a co-leader, says they plan to host gatherings this year.

“For the week leading up to Diwali, we plan to do a potluck and Bollywood movie night,” he said.

Challenges Affinity group leaders say they acknowledge difficulties when planning activities.

“A unique aspect of our community is that our families live all over the DFW metroplex, which can present some challenges when it comes to organizing gatherings outside of school,” said Interim Director of Equity and Inclusion Monsie Muñoz ’05.

These challenges are especially apparent with SASA, the largest affinity group on campus with about 80 members.

“Not only is it hard to find a time when everyone is available, but it’s also difficult to motivate people to attend,” Gupta said.

Affinity groups across Greenhill had to halt independent gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Gupta says that may be the reason some underclassmen are unmotivated to attend these events.

Mohammed says that most of his group’s members show up to their events.

They try to plan events according to what is most convenient for most people, he said.

Yang says the biggest difference between meetings in and out of school is the availability of appliances like refrigerators or stoves.

“A person’s house simply has more resources, which makes more culturally accurate experiences possible,” Yang said.

Mohammed says MSA feels the same impact of a limiting school environment.

“Meetings in school are more formal,” he said. “We have teacher sponsors, and we’re kind of limited in resources. Doing things outside of school just opens up more opportunities to have fun, and our community is just a space where we can be ourselves and get to know each other as people beyond our religion and who we are in school.”

Impact Muñoz says that affinity group events strengthen connections both interpersonally and culturally.

“When you are able to see someone outside of the usual context in which you see them, it can offer a unique perspective and deeper understanding of that person’s experience,” said Muñoz. “A close-knit affinity group can see the nuance within their group represented in each member’s lived experience.”

She notes that each student affinity group has different needs, and, for some, bonding outside of school is not only important but very natural and organic.

Yang says she hopes that the outside-of-

school events help affinity group members to bond beyond meetings.

“The idea is to create a community where underclassmen have upperclassmen they can look up to and chat with,” Yang said. “By hosting casual gatherings, we can help cultivate a greater comfortability and strengthened cultural connection within the East Asian population at Greenhill.”

Gupta also sees value in outside events.

“During school, clubs meet very little throughout the year and people are often rushed or busy during those times,” said Gupta. “Outside school, people are a bit more focused and present.”

While beneficial on its own, Muñoz says that activities outside of school may also affect the way affinity groups function at school for the better.

“I can imagine that spending time together outside of school would continue to solidify the bonds within the group, which might increase visibility and activity on campus,” she said.

Mohammed describes how these oncampus improvements have actualized for MSA. “Through these events, we have more people engaging and participating in our affinity group meetings in school,” Mohammed said. “Once people hear about the fun we have outside of school, they’re more likely to come.”

Ultimately, affinity groups have started to return to the frequency of events before the pandemic.

“Students in each affinity group have a wide range of experiences within that identity group,” said Muñoz. “So bonding, whether it is outside of school or during the school day, can help them further understand the breadth of that identity.”

Arts

10

As “Mean Girls” Ramps Up, So Does Tech Theater Nora Ahearn, William Maher

W

hen actors bow at the end of musicals, it is customary to point to the spotlights to thank the crew that handles everything behind the scenes of the show.

Few people take the time to think about all the moving parts that go into making a musical production possible, but without the technical theater classes at Greenhill, putting on the fall musical of “Mean Girls” on Nov. 15-17 would not be possible.

“It’s pretty intense,” said Middle and Upper School Technical Theater teacher Will Turbyne. “But we at Greenhill, we don’t go small on anything.”

Early Preparations Last spring, it was announced that this year’s fall musical would be “Mean Girls.” Soon after the announcement, students in tech theater began working to prepare for the show.

To start the process, Turbyne and students meticulously went through the script, as it serves as the foundation for how they approach the design of costumes, sets, lighting and sound.

“You start taking apart the script, you start looking and seeing what it needs,” said Turbyne. “‘What time period are we in? How many people are on stage? How do we go from location to location?’”

Tech theater students work alongside Middle and Upper School Drama and Theater teacher Valerie Hauss-Smith and Middle and Upper School Dance and Drama teacher Kelly McCain to plan out set designs for each scene.

“We’re going to run out of room,” said Turbyne. “So we’re trying to figure out the choreography not just onstage, but there’s also going to be quite a bit of choreography backstage as we move all the scenery around and prepare the next scene.”

Because of this and the fact that “Mean Girls” has a whopping 34 scene locations, much of the set design relies on the use of projections. To assist with this, the theater team brought in Camron Ware, a professional projection engineer.

“He is going to help us to use Will Turbyne multiple projectors to map all of the panels of the design,” said Turbyne.

“This show goes to so many different locations and we needed so much room on stage, so it sort of lent itself to

Photo by Scarlett Song

BEHIND THE SCENES: Students in Tech Theater devote hours to preparing stage sets for the upcoming production of the musical adaptation of “Mean Girls.” Their work will culminate with performances Nov. 15-17. projections.”

Not only can projections help enhance the set, but they can also help viewers understand what is going on in a scene.

“There’s a scene where an actor’s writing something down and they’re going to project the words being written,” said Newman. “It is pretty cool.”

Furthermore, with the assistance of Performing Arts Building Manager Leann Burns, tech theater students are also responsible for programming the lights and sound cues for the entire musical.

“Mrs. Burns is a top-notch professional lighting designer, and I can’t wait to see what she does with this show,” said Turbyne. “It’s going to be amazing.”

Student Roles In Upper School there are two different tech theater classes: Tech Practicum and Tech Theater. Students in Tech Practicum are specifically dedicated to the production of the musical, as they have already been introduced to all the different aspects of putting a show together.

There are 35 students across both classes, and all have a role in the making of “Mean Girls.” Some of the roles that students take on are building sets, designing and engineering the lights and sound, handling microphones or designing costumes.

In addition, the stage manager and assistant stage manager help write down the blocking for actors and play

Photo by Scarlett Song

SET CONSTRUCTION: Senior Santiago Lopez serves as technical director for the “Mean Girls” production. In that role, Lopez helps lead Upper School students in the construction of stage sets for the November musical.

the musical tracks in rehearsal. In short, they act as a liaison between the tech theater crew and the actors.

For “Mean Girls,” the stage manager is junior Marieve Donnell and the assistant stage manager is sophomore Miles Newman.

“I actually think it’s really fun because I like theater, but I also have stage fright, so obviously I wouldn’t ever want to be on stage as an actor,” said Newman. “But it is fun to still be able to participate.”

Additionally, many tech theater students work on their jobs outside of class, due to the vast amount of work that must be done before the show.

One of these students is senior Santiago Lopez, who helps lead the setSantiago Lopez building process in his role as technical director.

“I come [in] during my C Block free period to help Mr. Turbyne create some designs and help create the plans for the next day,” said Lopez.

The Middle School Tech Theater class is also helping Lopez with the carpentry.

“They are jumping in and helping to build things,” said Turbyne. “There’s a lot of work to do and [work] we’re getting done.”

Record Cast “Mean Girls” has a 51-student cast, a record number for Greenhill productions. The sheer number of people has introduced unprecedented challenges for tech theater.

This year, the Theater Department had to rent additional microphones for the cast. Deciding who gets a microphone and who does not is also a challenge.

“The scheduling of changing the microphones from person to person throughout the show is going to be pretty intense,” said Turbyne. “We normally have one, maybe two sound techs backstage, but I think we’re trying to have four for the show.”

In addition, the large cast has caused challenges when it comes to lighting.

“There’s just more bodies to light on stage, so there’s going to be challenges,” said Turbyne.

Despite the obstacles, tech theater students have taken steps to make the show as professional, yet fun, as it possibly can be.

For example, b e c aus e many of the scenes of the musical are set in a high school, they had the opportunity to make the set feel familiar to Greenhill. The dimensions of campus bathrooms, for example, are replicated on stage.

Overall, the “Mean Girls” production has been a unique experience for both the cast and the crew.

“It’s one of those musicals that really push the school’s limits, which of course makes people really excited to be able to play those roles,” said Lopez. “It’ll be a lot of fun watching it.”

Graphics by Christan Park and Camila Hanson

Evergreen Ever the

November 8, 2023

Noor Zaman

Arts

Student Concert Review

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In 2023, numerous musical artists have been on tour around the United States including Drake, Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, and Taylor Swift. Many Upper School students attended these concerts. The Evergreen spoke with several students about their concert experiences, and here is some of what they had to say.

DRAKE “My favorite part of the Drake concert was when 21 [Savage] and Drake started performing songs together, and when Central Cee opened. It was so fun!” – sophomore Hazel Goes-Young “My favorite part of the concert was when Drake fist-bumped me” – junior Garrett Rathbun

LANA DEL REY “Seeing her play my favorite songs live was really fun! It was outside at [the] Dos Equis [Pavilion], which was really interesting.” – sophomore Sloan Stagen “For Lana, it wasn’t necessarily the set, it was more her voice. She has a beautiful voice and a lot of positive messages in her music.” – senior Josie Arbuckle

BEYONCÉ “It was my first really big concert so that was a new experience for me. We were also on the floor so there was so much energy, and it was very exciting! Being around other people that love the artist I love makes the whole experience so much better.” – sophomore Naomi Stewart Photo courtesy of Naomi Stewart

TAYLOR SWIFT “The set was incredibly visually stunning.

There was so much attention to detail and so much thought put into it. It was almost as good as the music!” – senior Josie Arbuckle Photo by Kate Ponnambalam

ARCTIC MONKEYS “My favorite part of the Arctic Monkeys concert was when they left [the] stage and came back and did an encore which was really exciting.” – junior Amanda Park

NOAH KAHAN “[Noah Kahan] said it was his first stadium tour, so it was cool to be a part of that. It was initially going to be a smaller venue, but it got changed to the American Airlines Center, which really goes to show how he’s blown up really quick and has a lot of people that love his music!” – junior Claire Brophy Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Dishman

Photo illustrations by Chloe Nguyen

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Centerpiece

Everg Ever the

A’s for All? The Spiraling Lyna Kamgang, Aria Kutty and Kate Ponnambalam

I

n a recent guest essay in the New York Times, high school English teacher Tim Donahue called for his counterparts across the country to join in a “fight” against inflation.

Grade inflation, that is.

A graphic that accompanied the piece highlighted in stark terms a growing phenomenon in schools across America: steadily rising grade point averages at a time when standardized test scores are falling.

The solution, in Donahue’s view, is tougher grading by teachers.

“If we’re really going to be teachers, it’s high time to tighten the belt,” Donahue wrote.

Grade inflation, also known as grade leniency, has been prominent in U.S. schools since the 1960s. The term is used to describe the phenomenon of teachers giving higher grades to students than they deserve for the work that they put into a given class.

Grade inflation is common at all levels of the U.S. education system. Over the past decade, the National Assessment of Educational Progress – commonly known as “the nation’s report card” – noted record declines in reading, math and history comprehension and understanding, while the average grade point averages for the corresponding subjects have risen sharply.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is a congressionally mandated program within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences.

In a further snapshot of the trend lines, the average U.S. high school GPA has risen almost 0.2 points on a 4.0 scale over the past decade, according to the website of the American College Test or ACT. However, at the same time, the average ACT score has dropped to 19.5 out of 36, the worst it has been since 1991.

The ACT is a nonprofit organization that administers one of the two standardized tests used in the United States for college admissions.

While the average ACT score at Greenhill has stayed fairly consistent in recent years, according to the school’s website, Upper School teachers interviewed by The Evergreen say they have seen grades trending upward.

Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester says that grade inflation often comes in bursts.

“There have been a couple of times in which there have been noticeable bumps,” Worcester said. “There was a drastic one in the mid-2000s, and the last one was with COVID-19.”

Sights on the Future Two factors lie at the heart of the upward pressure on grades: declining college acceptance rates, and a sense of urgency among students to compile a nearly flawless GPA to improve their competitive chances with the school of their dreams.

College acceptance rates have dropped dramatically over the past decade, first at elite universities and more recently at less prestigious schools, according to Director of College Counseling Peter Olympia.

The decline in college acceptance rates is partly the result of a sharp increase in applicants, Olympia said. The application increase can be attributed to multiple factors, including technology, the spread of the common application, and institutions going test-optional.

All these factors have resulted in colleges becoming more competitive.

“For instance, Northeastern University 15 years ago, their acceptance rate probably was over 50%,” said Olympia. “Now, in an early action round, I think last year they were down to 7%.”

The downward trend in college admission rates has changed the way that students feel about grades by increasing anxiety felt around getting high marks.

“You used to be able to have these types of transcripts with A’s and B’s and still feel that whatever colleges you were looking at, within your range, you could go into,” Worcester said. “Now I think that students feel that if they have some sort of blemish on their transcript, it’s going to completely cut them out of their dream school.”

Students also say they are feeling this pressure from low admissions rates.

“Grades are constantly stressful for me and are something that I am always worrying about,” junior Sophie Fiedelman said. “Schools are so competitive to get into now that my grades are extremely important.”

To earn higher marks, students often take it upon themselves to raise their grades by communicating with faculty.

“When I get a bad test score, I always meet with my teacher to go over concepts that I am confused about,” junior Brynn Zawadzki said.

Although meeting with teachers has always been an integral part of Greenhill education and can be constructive, Upper School English teacher A n d r e w

Mercurio said that over the past 19 years the nature of these meetings has changed, due to increased anxiety about grades.

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You used to be able to have these types of transcripts with A’s and B’s and still feel that whatever colleges you were looking at, within your range, you could go into. Now I think that students feel that if they have some sort of blemish on their transcript, it’s going to completely cut them out of their dream school.”

“The battleground grade when I started here was the C-plus,” Mercurio said. “That was the one where students would come in

and really wanted me to walk them through how this happened.”

Slowly, Mercurio says, the battleground grade has risen from a C-plus to almost a B-plus. In other words, students used to be content with grades in the B range. Now, they are more likely to contest them.

“No longer is an A seen as a demonstration of true mastery,” Mercurio said. “It’s almost more ‘well, I did everything you asked, so how’s that not an A-plus?’”

Increased Stress In an Inside Higher Ed article, writer Joshua Eyler says that grades are becoming a more emotional concept that causes

increasing stress for students.

Senior Abeera Amer says that classmates often add fuel to this fire.

“A lot of people feel the need to share about it,” Amer said. “It causes a lot of negative impacts because a lot of people compare themselves to each other.”

Director of Academics Jason Yaffe says that students’ emotions often get in the way of their learning process.

“People get to an emotional state, and they get [a grade] and their heart sinks and they can’t think clearly,” Yaffe said. “If you can step away from that, talk to your teachers, look at your work, understand what happened usually, you can come back from it, but that takes some grit, persistence and self-reflection.”

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Impact of Grade Inflation Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall says the nature of Greenhill as a private school is an added stressor for students, teachers, and parents alike concerning grades.

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Grades are constantly stressful for me and are something that I am always worrying about.”

“There’s another dynamic to a private school which is, to be candid, a cost issue,” Kendall said.

Often, at Greenhill, parents are very involved in their students’ education. Upper School science teacher Michael Haskins says the increasing

pressure that teachers are feeling from parents is another factor encouraging grade inflation.

“Teachers get into this back and forth with students and parents [about grades], and it becomes really stressful on that teacher and a lot don’t want to deal with that,” Haskins said.

In his recent New York Times piece, Tim Donahue, who teaches English at Greenwich Country Day School in Connecticut, wrote that teachers tend to take one of two paths when confronted by pushback on grades: they inflate grades, or leave the profession.

At Greenhill, some departments have implemented policies that have inadvertently contributed to grade inflation. One example is the Department of Modern and Classical Languages’ use of standards-based grading in lower-level Latin and Spanish classes.

Another is the reassessment policies in

STEM classes. By giving students a second chance to test their understanding of certain material, grades have tended to increase.

According to Kendall, giving students a second chance to test their understanding of certain material has fueled grade inflation.

However, he argues that these policies are vital to the growth of students.

“We understand that learning is not this linear process where you get one bite of the apple or one shot.” Kendall said.

Haskins says the removal of finals at Greenhill has contributed to grade inflation.

“The average final exam grade was often significantly lower than what the semester grade was,” Haskins said. “This would result in bringing down grades.”

Higher student grades were an unintended consequence of the decision to eliminate finals and

implement new grading policies.

“We were not implementing those things because we need higher grades,” Worcester said. “We were doing it because we felt it was the best thing to do to create growth mindsets and allow students to find success.”

Many of these policies were implemented to be more conscious about the mental health of students.

“A lot of this was driven in by mental h e a l t h ,” Haskins said.

“Things like switching to a 4.0-scale instead of a 100-point scale, and having all failing grades go in as a 56 is a reasonable shift. I was on board with that in terms of cushion.”

In addition, Mercurio says that in his classes he tries to pull students away from results-oriented thinking; rather, he believes that a student’s journey and personal growth is what should be emphasized throughout the class.

“I work to try to deemphasize the grade a little bit and focus it more on the process, giving students more opportunities to take steps towards mastery,” Mercurio said.

College Reactions As a larger percentage of students earn higher grades at Greenhill and other high schools across the country, transcripts have become a less consistent means to differentiate academic accomplishment, according to Kendall.

“Grades are becoming so inflated that colleges are not really focusing on them like students might perceive,” Kendall said.

“While the students are clamoring to make sure that A gets to an A-plus, colleges view you as the same.”

Another concern is that some schools might diminish their reputation as elite institutions of learning.

“If all of a sudden everybody is exiting with high marks, that reputation starts to erode,” Kendall said. “How are we able to distinguish those who really challenged themselves versus those who do a little less?”

As questions about the authenticity of grades rise, extracurriculars and other off-campus projects may hold increased importance to some colleges.

“Because there are a lot of socioeconomic classes at Greenhill, those who are richer and have better access to resources will benefit more and have the ability to get into better colleges,” Zawadzki said. “It becomes more unequal.”

Haskins suggests grade inflation may actually have some benefits.

“There’s research that shows that it’s particularly good for underrepresented groups in STEM,” Haskins said. “It is beneficial to have to have this sort of affirmation that ‘oh, I can actually do this, I should go into this career.’”

Many believe that grade inflation should not impact colleges’ perceptions of Greenhill education as graduates flourish academically at their respective colleges.

“Previous students from our school continue to have success at those institutions,” Olympia said.

A Way Forward Whatever the impact of grade inflation on college admissions, a decrease in grades does not seem likely in the future.

“We cannot just decide next year that we are going to make the average grade a B-minus like it used to be,” Haskins said. “That would put our students at a disadvantage to all the other students around the country. It must be a national trend.”

Kendall believes that at Greenhill, grade inflation is a topic that can only be addressed by the community as a whole.

“I think our next steps are really having a community conversation about grade [inflation],” Kendall said. “I do not think we have had too many of those yet since I have been here.”

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Grades are becoming so inflated that colleges are not really focusing on them like students might perceive. While the students are clamoring to make sure that A gets to an A-plus, colleges view you as the same.”

In the end, teachers say their highest priority is ensuring that students have mastery on material they learn in class.

“I just want to be sure that we can say confidently as a school that yes, all these students earn these grades in a way that is commensurate to what they have done,” Worcester said.

Graphic by Christan Park

Special Report

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Equity and Inclusion Program Expands Reach on Campus Sydney Chien, Christan Park

S

ince its founding in 1950, Greenhill has aimed to build a community led by diversity, equity and inclusion, according to the Greenhill website.

Beginning with the financial aid program to bring in students from a wide range of socio-economic classes to the creation of the True Colors group as an affirmation of LGBTQ students and their allies, the school has prioritized this mission.

What was once known as the Department of Diversity Equity and Inclusion now pursues its work under the banner of Equity and Inclusion.

The predecessor of the current initiative was first introduced by former Assistant to the Headmaster for Diversity Programs Joe Gonzales in 1993. The current Equity and Inclusion Department aims to support students in exploring, celebrating and sharing their experiences and identity in a safe space, according to Interim Director of Equity and Inclusion Monsie Muñoz ’05.

“Once that diversity is here, you need the people who make up that diverse student body to feel like they have a voice and are included in what we’re doing,” said Muñoz.

The E&I Department, as it’s commonly known, has strived to create equitable policies and practices so that people feel included through equity literacy goals, inclusion councils, Upper School affinity groups, the Middle School Discovery Series, Lower School Push-In sessions and regional and national Conferences.

“The Student Inclusion Council, Family Inclusion Council [and Employee Inclusion Council’s] goal is to continue to build [our community’s E&I] lens to create spaces for all to feel like they can come and talk about what’s going on here on campus without a fear of judgment,” said Muñoz.

Currently, the E&I Department organizes and partners with student groups and councils, oversees student and faculty leadership conferences and provides funding to affinity groups on campus.

Affinity Groups Affinity groups are organizations on campus in which students with like race, religion or identity meet in a safe space to further understand their culture, share common experiences and have fun.

“If there’s a majority of a certain kind of person, then other people will feel isolated and left out,” said senior Alex Peplinski, a co-president of the LatinX Student Union. “I think it’s good to see other people that look like us and

other people that have similar experiences like you to feel united as a whole.”

Senior Santiago Lopez, who is also a LatinX Student Union co-president, agrees.

“Even when you have friends of different diversities, there is a sense of loneliness,” said Lopez. “There will be times where no one is like you, and you will need individuals like you to talk about things at home or how you are feeling about your culture or religion.”

To foster community, the Equity and Inclusion Department often funds projects or assists with large events for affinity groups.

“When we reach out, they are willing to support us with events,” said senior Jeanette Yang, president of the East Asian Affinity Group. “We got our funding from E&I for the Lion Dance last year and a lot of other events.”

Despite the assistance, some affinity group leaders have felt that the department has not proactively assisted student leaders with teaching about equity and inclusion.

“I know that each affinity group is probably going to want a very specific thing to their group, but I think that it would be helpful if [the Equity and Inclusion Department] would reach out and help us in some way,” said Yang.

Other than funding or preparation support, other students hope to see an increase in valuing minority students and voices beyond affinity groups at Greenhill.

“Greenhill has been on a good path toward promoting diversity, equity and inclusion,” said junior Saida Bidiwala, leader of the Muslim Student Association.

“However, I do think that Greenhill can work on valuing racial, religious and political minorities’ voices more and making sure that they feel comfortable and safe enough to share their perspectives.”

Off-Campus Events The efforts sponsored by the Equity and Inclusion Department go beyond the Greenhill campus.

One outlet is the Dallas Area Diversity Youth Organization. Also known as DADYO, the gathering is a conference where students from local independent and private high schools discuss a specific theme under the umbrella of E&I. This year the topic of conversation for the first meeting was “Freedom of Speech: What Am I Allowed to Say?” Another off-campus outlet is the

Student Diversity Leadership Conference, an annual gathering that attracts students from across the country.

The students who participate in SDLC travel to a different city every year to join a multicultural gathering of around 2,000 students. Last year’s conference was held in San Antonio.

During conference sessions, students engage with the affinity group that they personally identify with as well as collaborate with students of different identities.

“SDLC made me more open-minded and attentive of diversity, equity and inclusion issues,” said Bidiwala. “It helped me understand more perspectives and realize how similar or different they were from my own.”

Beyond the larger groups, SDLC members were grouped into “family groups” of different genders, ethnicities, races, and identifiers.

“No one really knows each other, and you have an open dialogue,” said senior Anika Mootha. “I found that kind of intriguing, and I think our goal was to try to learn different ways that we can have fun and promote this type of dialogue on campus.”

Muñoz says that SDLC benefits more than just the students who are attending.

“They learn a lot about others, and then they bring that back here,” Muñoz said. “To me, that just creates a richer environment amongst our student body because those students tend to become affinity group leaders and leaders in the student inclusion council.”

Students who attended the SDLC conference hope to bring some of the practices from the conference back to the Greenhill community.

“I definitely think Greenhill does a really good job of having affinity spaces, since I came from a public school that didn’t really have affinity spaces or anywhere where you could really be vulnerable and have vulnerable discussion,” said Mootha. “But I think we can improve [by] having something that mimics the family groups from [SDLC].

I think having spaces where you can’t really relate to a lot of people might be helpful to have a new perspective as well.”

Faculty Workshops Starting at the beginning of last year, regular Equity and Inclusion faculty workshops were implemented to integrate these concepts in division

curriculums. During these meetings, teachers were asked to set equity and inclusion goals for their classrooms.

Dubbed “Equity Literacy Goals,” this initiative tasks teachers with reviewing their classroom practices from an equity and inclusion standpoint.

“For a humanities teacher, that might be [reviewing] how they teach a text; for a STEM teacher, that might mean [reviewing] a lab practice that is meant to pull people in and create a more inclusive learning environment,” said Director of Academics Jason Yaffe.

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Once that diversity is here, you need the people who make up that diverse student body to feel like they have a voice and are included in what we’re doing.”

This year, teachers have met within Professional Learning Communities of around three teachers per group to share their equity and inclusion goals. Later this year, the groups will meet again to refine their ideas.

Yaffe says these Equity Literacy Goals will help Greenhill achieve its mission as a school.

Future Vision Greenhill has aimed to create a new system to help students, faculty and parents become more aware and implement equity and inclusion standards. As part of the growing effort, Greenhill will host a DADYO meeting in January and allow its students to lead the meeting, which will include other schools in the Dallas area.

Muñoz says she hopes to continue and expand these initiatives at Greenhill.

“The idea with all of this programming is that [they] will outlive any one person and become embedded in what each division does,” said Muñoz. “And [also that] it’ll evolve with the needs of our students and the faculty.” !"#$%&"'( )"*+,&%*( #%+$&"-.$,/( &,0%&$"+1( $%( $2"*(*$%&34(

Graphic by Christan Park

Evergreen Ever the

November 8, 2023

Arts

15

Drumline Earns Honors at State Competition Vedant Subramanian

T

he Greenhill Drumline scored a firstdivision rating, the highest possible, in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association State Marching and Drumline competition on Oct. 28.

Drumlines from across Texas prepared months for the Fort Worth competition.

During the event, each group performed before judges and received ratings from 1 (“superior”) to 5 (“poor”). “[I’m] really pleased,” Assistant Band Director and Drumline Coach Tony Lopez said. “[The] kids put in a lot of work, and they earned it for sure.”

A typical group features different kinds of drums and keyboard instruments. The Greenhill Drumline plays at pep rallies and sporting events. They also keep tempo for the band and occasionally perform rehearsed pieces to excite the audience.

The Greenhill Drumline is unique because they used some non-traditional instruments in their performance at the TPSMEA Tony Lopez competition: an accordion and a bass guitar.

“It’ll be really neat,” Lopez said in the days prior to the competition. “Just some uniqueness that kinds of sets us apart.”

Past Participation This was the third consecutive year that the Greenhill Drumline competed,

and expectations were higher than in the past. Last year, the Drumline scored a third division, which was below Lopez’s standards.

“We just had a lot of [scheduling] conflicts come up and so it did not go very well,” Lopez said.

This year was different, Lopez said.

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[I’m] really pleased. [The] kids put in a lot of work, and they earned it for sure.”

“We made sure to have everything locked down [this year] so that everyone can be there, so we can do our very, very best,” Lopez said.

In addition to a more structured practice schedule and fewer conflicts, Lopez says that both

participation and leadership have improved. This combination raised hopes for better results. “[They] set a really good example in terms of practicing [and] in terms of performance,” Lopez said as the event neared. “I think we can go to the competition and be very competitive and hopefully end

Photo by Jin Huang

PREPARING FOR EXCELLENCE: The Greenhill Drumline rehearses for their state competition, which took place on Oct. 28. They received a first-division rating. up on top.”

After the competition, with the top rating in hand, Lopez was satisfied. “[We] had some really good leadership and a group that took them[selves] where they wanted to go,” Lopez said. “It was awesome.”

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[We] had some really good leadership and a group that took them[selves] where they wanted to go. It was awesome.”

Early Preparation Ear Preparations

by the Greenhill

Drumline squad started in May. Lopez gave the members of the Drumline exercises to practice over the summer.

While they were practicing, L o p e z composed a piece called “Redefined,” and gave it to all the members to practice.

The piece was what the Drumline performed for the judges.

This helped the group come into the school year with an understanding of the piece, said senior Dhilan Patel, who plays tenor drum.

“I think everybody has done their share of individual practice and making sure they have it memorized,” Dhilan Patel Patel said.

In early August, the Drumline held a weeklong camp to practice fundamentals and start working on the piece together.

“We worked our cadences, we worked our show [and] got it all kind of under our hands,” Lopez said.

Junior Prabath Girish, who plays the snare drum, says the group was focused on perfecting the piece in its final preparations.

Prabath Girish “We are also cleaning up basic stuff like technique so we can play cleanly and all look the same,” Girish said prior to the competition.

G i r i s h says he feels the team was ready for the competition this year, especially because the sense of community is better.

“I feel pretty close-knit with the people in the Drumline in general because we do all our practice toget her,” Gir ish said. “I feel like we are pretty close as a team.”

Success The reaction to this year’s first-division ranking among Drumline members was one of the joy and pride.

“We are just super proud and happy,” Patel said. “We put in all the work throughout the entire year.”

For future competitions, Patel says this will be the expectation.

“I told the guys yesterday that this is the standard now,” Patel said. “This is what we should be doing going forward.”

Lopez echoed this statement.

“They did well, but we can continue to get even better,” Lopez said.

Graphics by Christan Park

16 Arts

Ever Evergreen Advanced Video Production in Action the

Helina Tedros, Sasha Wai

A

fter multiple modifications to the program, Advanced Video Production, students are deep into work on their first films of the year, with multiple projects scheduled for completion in December.

The year-long class has received an influx of new students due to complications in the application process last year. With many of the students in AVP having taken the summer Video Production class as their prerequisite into the advanced program, Upper School Chair of Fine Arts and Upper School Video Production instructor Corbin Doyle says that many summer students had to do more work to catch up with the rest of the class.

This increase of students also comes with changes to the program itself. Rather than making one big film with a few minor projects throughout the year, students will be making two big films: one in December and one in May. “We’re going to learn from doing that, and we’re going to move at a little bit more of a[faster] pace to try and push that,” Doyle said.

Regardless, the environment in the AVP room continues to be positive with the theme of community being ever present.

“Everyone who’s there right now wants to be there and wants to make things, so it’s improved the environment in the room,” said senior Kathryn McKelvey.

Corbin Doyle Sophomore Andrew Hough echoes this sentiment.

“You get closer to the people in your class because you help them out and they help you out,” said Hough.

Project Preview Having recently submitted final scripts for their early December films, production has begun for the two classes of AVP students. The submitted scripts have a wide range in terms of both genre and length, with students working on dramatic, horror or comedic films, and even a featurelength film.

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Everyone who’s there right now wants to be there and wants to make things, so it’s improved the environment in the room.”

Students work on a variety of films: McKelvey is working with two of her classmates on a horror film. Junior Max Johnson described his upcoming film as a mockumentary about professional axe throwing as a sport. Hough is working on a film about a grizzly bear and George Washington.

Many students say their inspiration for films is driven by common occurrences in class or simple conversations.

McKelvey says that she got inspiration from a photo that Doyle showed in class.

“I like brainstorming with people and saying ideas out loud,” McKelvey said. “We bounce [ideas] off each other and

Photo by Aria Kutty

SOLO SCREENWRITING: Junior J.J. Arbuckle works on an AVP script in the Video Production Room during class.

The production process for these films has begun, and students have chosen a wide variety of genres to explore. it’s better with a group.”

Doyle says he aims to teach by emulation more often than not.

“If you follow this, then you will have results similar to mine as a professional, and that is a good thing,” Doyle said.

He also adds that every student in AVP has stories and ideas to contribute to their own films, and he wants to guide them.

“I want you to trust those stories and trust what you want from those stories,” he said. “I think that’s our great strength.”

For all these films, many students say they wanted to gain a better understanding as rising filmmakers and improve their techniques with editing and cinematography.

“I’m hoping to incorporate [cinematography] into my films better; I want it to be as much of a tool as it can be,” Johnson said. “Not just to make it look nice, but also to tell the story.”

Like Johnson, McKelvey also says she wants to work on her cinematography, but she is also prioritizing editing.

“I love editing - it’s one of my favorite parts, but I still feel like I can improve on it,” McKelvey said.

One of McKelvey’s goals this year with her upcoming film is to get into the Pegasus Film Festival, which is a student-run film festival in Dallas for young filmmakers. As a junior, one of McKelvey’s films, “Smile Sweetheart,” made in collaboration with three other current seniors, was accepted into the festival last year.

Beyond the Classroom

Photo by Aria Kutty

CAMERA CHECK: AVP teacher Corbin Doyle helps students ready their equipment before filming scenes.

Outside of the AVP class, this past summer, senior Krish Mysoor spent his summer developing and working on a 200-page script. This script is yet to be titled but was created as an individual project that Mysoor took on outside of AVP. The script is a feature screenplay that will be presented to investors, Krish Mysoor according to Mysoor. His end goal is to raise enough money to be able to shoot a proof-of-concept short film.

“A goal of mine has always been to write a whole movie,” said Mysoor. “Over the summer, I finally felt like I had enough experience and practice to do it.”

Although the script is not officially affiliated with AVP, Mysoor has been able to seek guidance from Doyle and use connections made through various film festivals.

The summer before Mysoor’s junior year, he attended Iowa’s Young Writers Studio, which provided him the opportunity to work with and meet professional writers.

Doyle adds that after Mysoor returned from the workshop and created films, he changed as a filmmaker.

“What I think that did for h i m was say ‘I’ve got a voice, and my voice is different from a lot of other peoples’ voices,’” Doyle said. “‘My voice has a power that can do good.’”

Throughout the process of creating his film, Mysoor has faced obstacles with getting funding.

“In most cases, first-time directors will say that if you want to direct this film yourself, you have to have some kind of short film to show that you can direct something so that people will trust your vision and finance it,” said Mysoor.

Mysoor said his next step is to secure investors. He said that if he succeeds, his creative journey has the potential to reach new heights.

Doyle and the AVP community want to see him succeed.

“It’s beautiful seeing this person that I knew could do these things 100% on their own succeeding in a really cool way,” Doyle said. “He’s doing great, and he hasn’t missed a beat all year.”

Graphic by Rachel Jiang

Sports

17

Fall Sports Conclude with SPC Tournaments

Andrew Mann, Ravi Vasan Fall sports teams have spent the past several weeks competing against Southwest Preparatory Conference rivals and preparing for end-of-season competitions. Conference titles were decided as this issue of the Evergreen rolled off the presses, but each team spent much of October preparing to contest their fall SPC championship events. Here is a snapshot of those preparations:

Field Hockey

T

he field hockey team was 4-2 in conference play by late October, with three games to go. The captains of the team are seniors Zoe Dzialowski, Payton Blalock and Zoya Iyer.

Dzialowski and Iyer have both verbally committed to play field hockey at Division III colleges, with Dzialowski planning to attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., and Iyer headed to Johns Hopkins University

in Baltimore.

The players were looking forward to playing at their SPC tournament, with an eye on a matchup against local rival Hockaday School.

“We would like to place as high as we can,” Iyer said heading into the tournament.

“We have a stark rivalry against Hockaday, and if we play them in SPC, we really want to beat them.”

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

ON THE CUSP: Junior Lauren Harrington fights for the ball near the goal line against three Hockaday defenders, leading the team to a 2-1 win at home on Oct. 13.

Boys Cross Country

T Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

GET SET, GO: Juniors Chris Williams and Max Johnson, center left, and senior Alex Wetzler, center right, take off at the Greenhill/Luke’s Locker Relay in late August.

he boys cross country team is led by junior Chris Williams, who runs a 15-minute 42-second 5-kilometer race, third fastest in the Greenhill record book. The captains, seniors Alex Wetzler and Andrew Mann, are both four-year varsity members. The team has 14 runners under the varsity standard. To achieve this, athletes must run a 5K race in under 20 minutes.

Members of the team were confident

going into the SPC championships due to strong leadership and efficient practices throughout the season.

“I think that everyone is motivated going into these championship races,” Wetzler said. “Everybody’s put in lots of work throughout both the summer and season, and I’m excited to watch everyone’s hard work pay off.”

Girls Cross Country

L

ed by senior captain Elizabeth Mann, the girls cross country team has worked together to form a close bond throughout the season. Freshman Lilly Williams has run the 5-kilometer race in 20 minutes and 15 seconds, a personal record, making her the fastest on the team. In the SPC North Zone race on Oct. 19, Williams and sophomore Isabel Bhatia placed in the top 10, making them All-North Zone,

running 9th and 10th, respectively.

The girls team were poised to take the positive momentum from the North Zone race into the SPC championship meet.

“North Zone was a lot of fun, and it was really nice to see everyone show up to support the team,” senior Ayne Park said. “It gave me a lot of encouragement, especially on the hill.”

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

PACE YOURSELF: Sophmore Isabel Bhatia uses her watch to time her splits to keep herself at a steady running pace at the Greenhill/Luke’s Locker Relay.

Boys Volleyball

L

ed by senior captains Jadon Lee and Ravi Vasan, the boys volleyball team also faced a rebuilding season after having six teammates graduate last year.

The team achieved a record of 4-3 by the end of October in conference play. The team had high hopes heading into the SPC

championship tournament.

“I’m ready to see our team put it together for one last tournament,” Lee said, before the action started. “All 17 players have found a way to contribute whether or not they are on the court. The bench makes a big difference while playing.”

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

HUDDLE UP: The Hornets receive advice from Varsity Boys Volleyball Head Coach Nate Griggs ’09 in a 0-3 conference loss against the St. Marks School of Texas.

Girls Volleyball

L

ed by junior captains Zoë GillenMalveaux and Campbell Sims, as well as sophomore captain Kendall Johnson, the Girls Volleyball team spent the season working to rebuild the program after six teammates graduated last year. GillenMalveaux, who has verbally committed to

play Division I volleyball at Duke University, has established a reputation as a strong leader and mentor for the team. Through her and the other captains’ leadership, the team surged to a 3-1 record in conference matchups.

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

PASS, SET, HIT: Led by junior Zoë Gillen-Malveux, the girls varsity volleyball team beat conference rival Fort Worth Country Day in a decisive 3-0 sweep on Oct. 24.

18 Sports

Evergreen Ever the

New Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Makes Mark Mayer Sidikaro

A

s part of a broader revamp of the school’s football program, Greenhill introduced a new head coach earlier this year. The changes have also included hiring Rashawn Moser to serve as football defensive backs coach and recruits coordinator for college-bound athletes.

“From my first interaction with Coach Mo, I knew he was going to have an immediate impact on the football program through his knowledge, experience and ability to connect with the student-athletes,” said Athletic Trainer Aliki Pappas. “What I didn’t know was how he would go beyond impacting the football team in an expanded role.”

In his position as recruiting coordinator, Moser works to assist student athletes in pursuing sports at the collegiate level. He also helps expose athletes to collegiate coaches to give them a better chance at recruitment.

“I was really lucky in that my club had a recruiting coordinator that was dedicated to that,” said junior Zoë Gillen-Malveaux.

“They helped athletes get in contact with coaches and he was always sending us tips about what we should and what we shouldn’t be doing.”

Moser hopes to fill this role at Greenhill.

“I want to create a family,” said Moser.

“I want them to understand that we as the coaches are there to help and build a

guidance team. I want to help these kids and create a line of open communication.”

Although he is new to Greenhill, Moser was already familiar with new Head Football Coach Rashawn Moser KJ Williams.

“I brought Coach Mo with me from Nolan Catholic [High School],” Williams said. “He was my defensive backs coach, as well as my middle school and JV head coach and assistant recruiting coordinator.”

Greenhill quickly made a positive impression on him, Moser said.

“When [Williams] said he was moving over here, I knew nothing about Greenhill,” said Moser. “I didn’t know how awesome the school is. I was enamored with the facilities and the people that I met.”

Moser has embraced his role within the community.

“The reason why I’m doing it is because I want to be a part of the Greenhill success story and whatever that looks like for each person,” said Moser. “In order for you to be a college athlete, if you’re not 100% sure about what you want, you have to have a support system that can help you along the way.”

Moser says his youth sets him apart and allows him to better connect with students.

“What makes me different is I’m

charismatic, I’m young and I get it,” said Moser. “I was in college during the pandemic, so it gave me the sense to sit back and really learn the landscape of recruiting.”

Moser takes a systematic approach to aid students in the recruiting process.

He first evaluates an athlete, then does an academic assessment and creates an online recruiting profile. Next, he will identify a student-athlete’s target schools, contact coaches and organize visits.

If a target school shows interest, Moser investigates scholarships and financial aid options. Once an offer is on the table, Moser helps a student reach a decision and then aids their transition to college.

“Coach Moser is just that guy,” said junior Kaden Castillo. “He really elevates the program and has really helped guide me throughout the process of getting to the next level.”

Moser says that one of his greatest assets is the connections that he built during his year as an assistant recruiting coordinator at Nolan Catholic.

“Coach Moser is very dedicated to making sure the athletes he helps are fully supported,” said junior Georgia Thurmond.

“College Counseling also helps through giving course or school recommendations, and they work with Coach Moser to help smooth out the process.”

Thurmond approached her college counselor with the goal of playing NCAA

Division III volleyball and then took a list of target schools to Moser. He began reaching out to coaches, trying to get Thurmond exposure. They have gotten encouraging feedback from coaches, Moser said.

Williams attributes Moser’s success to his work ethic.

“He can touch every single position and has strong relationships in high school and in college,” said Williams. “It’s just a testament to the person that he is and how hard he’s willing to work.”

In years past, college counseling and outside help have been the main avenues for student-athletes to gain exposure to colleges.

With the addition of Moser, students can use a combination of the Upper School’s College Counseling department to develop their academic application and Moser to develop their athletic portfolio.

“We’re going to be sort of this place where when coaches come, they know to come to us,” said Director of Athletics and Physical Education Jarrett Shine.

The final vision for Moser in the recruiting coordinator position is to work closely with College Counseling, Shine said.

“We’re trying to figure out what that relationship really looks like,” Shine said.

“But there are a lot of parents asking for it, and I take pride in making sure that my athletes go on to play collegiate sports if they want to.”

Winter Athletes on the Grind Eitan Hahn, John Hurley

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reenhill winter sports teams have begun conducting preseason practices and High Performance Center workouts in preparation for the upcoming winter season.

Head of Athletics and Physical Education Jarrett Shine says these preseason preparations were implemented for athletes who don’t play a fall sport.

“It’s an opportunity to get up to speed and into athletic shape for their particular sport,” Shine said. “It’s also an opportunity for coaches to get a snapshot of what their team will look like for the upcoming season.”

Boys Basketball After finishing with a record of 19-9 last year and placing fifth in the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championships, the boys varsity basketball team will look to compete for an SPC title this year, said junior Dillon Watt who is captain.

In preparation for the upcoming winter season, most players on the team have been attending HPC workouts two to three times per week. Additionally, many players go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays for scheduled drill work.

“We’ve been working together and keeping each other accountable to best prepare ourselves for the season to come,” Watt said.

These have generated bring high expectations for the upcoming season.

“I think we’re better than last year,” Watt said. “Hopefully we’ll beat some of the teams we lost to last Dillon Watt year.”

The team also played three preseason games on Oct. 14, going 2-1 and recording wins over Lewisville High School and North Garland High School.

Girls Basketball Last year, the girls varsity basketball team

brought home the bronze in the 2022-2023 SPC Championships.

“I think we did as well as we could have,” girls varsity basketball Head Coach Darryn Sandler ’95 said. “The two teams that finished ahead of us were much better than us.”

With the additions of junior Vivian Franklin and freshmen Ava John and Diya Jain, there is excitement coming into the season, Sandler said. However, the lack of formal practices thus far has limited their preseason preparations.

“We don’t have our offense put in yet or how we’re going to run things defensively,” Sandler said. “Once we do that it will be more exciting.”

Players have been going to optional open gym workouts in the morning twice a week, as well as HPC workouts.

“The commitment [for preseason training] has been significantly better than we’ve had in the past,” Sandler said.

The first official practice is on Nov. 6, but the team has already been playing preseason games.

Swimming The girls and boys swimming team have found success in recent years, with the boys placing second and the girls placing fourth in the SPC Championships last year.

Their preseason began on Oct. 16 with HPC workouts. These preparations ramped up on Oct. 24 as the team started in-pool swimming practices.

“We hope to create a good team environment heading into the season,” sophomore Avery Lonergan said.

The team has some lofty goals for the upcoming season, especially after the strong all-around performance last year, Head Swim Coach Patti Monzingo said.

“On paper, we should do very well,” Monzingo said. “With all of our preparations coming together in such a great utilization of all the programs that we have [at Greenhill], I’m really looking forward to it.”

Members of the swimming team who qualify compete in the Texas Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Lone Star Classic, their first tournament, on Nov. 17-18. The whole team participates in the Jesuit/Ursuline meet on Nov. 28.

Photo by Jin Huang

HARD AT WORK: Three girls varsity basketball juniors prepare for the physical rigors of the upcoming season in a weight-lifting session in the High Performance Center.

Boys Soccer After placing fourth in the SPC playoffs last year, the varsity boys soccer team set their sights on the new season to compete for the conference title.

Preseason preparations kicked off on Oct. 10 with workouts led by Strength and Conditioning Specialist Katherine Zarembski. Mandatory workouts are held twice a week.

“We’re gonna have our first game be a scrimmage of sorts against St. Mark’s where everybody, JV and Varsity, will be involved and that will form part of the selection process for the squads,” said boys varsity soccer Head Coach Paul Field.

The scrimmage mentioned by Field will be held on Nov. 8, at St. Mark’s School of Texas. This is also Field’s first year as the head coach of boys varsity soccer. After the departure of long-time Head Coach Greg Krauss, who led the team for 13 seasons.

“Coach Krauss pushed us to be better in the physical and mental aspect of the game, which helped us go far in SPC,” said sophomore Harshdeep Bommareddy.

Girls Soccer The girls varsity soccer team had a down

year in SPC ply last season. However, the team is not demoralized by last year’s finish and is striving to have a bounce back year.

“We had more injuries than we ever have had,” said girls varsity soccer Head Coach Laura Flanagan. “It was almost like an anomaly. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

To prepare for the coming season, Sports Performance Specialist Ramiro Mendez is holding HPC workouts twice a week, similar to the boys varsity soccer team.

“Our girls right now truly believe that they have a chance to win it this year,” Flanagan said. “That’s where their mindset is. That’s what they’re hungry for. Especially after what happened last year.”

After not playing for several months, the team can’t wait to get back on the field, Flanagan said.

“The girls are so fired up,” said Flanagan.

“They’re so excited and ready to go because they know that they’re all coming back healthy and strong.”

For all upcoming winter sports, these preseason practices and workouts help motivate athletes for the approaching season, which officially begins in early November.

“I’m very excited about this upcoming winter season. I feel like the teams are going to be solid across the board,” Shine said. “The coaches are pretty excited and really pushing our athletes to be the best they can be at this point.”

Evergreen Ever the

November 8, 2023

Sports

19

Hornet Athletes Seek Off-Campus Competition Chloe Nguyen, Ella Sadka

D

espite the variety of sports offered at Greenhill, many students participate in athletics outside of school. From rowing to fencing, student athletes’ passion for their sport helps power them through the long hours they commit to practicing and competing. The Evergreen spoke with some students who play these sports.

“I do karate for about five to six hours a week and my favorite part is teaching younger students when I get the opportunity to volunteer once a week to coach them. I think it’s really fun.”

“I play ice hockey for Highland Park. Usually, we do more, but due to [scheduling conflicts] with the Dallas Stars organization, we’ve only been able to do one practice and one game a week. We have early morning practices every Tuesday and we have games every Wednesday night in places like Mansfield, Euless, Richardson, McKinney and Plano. My favorite part of playing hockey is the team and getting to make bonds with all the people around you. I’ve made a lot of close friendships.”

– junior Jonaki Bose

– junior Bowen Thomas

“I’ve skated since I was in fourth grade and I’ve been doing solo ice dance for most of my high school career. Before that I did singles figure skating. I usually skate for 12 to 18 hours a week. My favorite part has been traveling to different places to compete and meeting a bunch of new people.”

“I’m an equestrian jumper, which means I do courses with my horse where we do 4-foot jumps. My favorite part is all the new people I get to meet and the friends I make. I practice 10 hours weekly: two hours a day, five days a week.”

– junior Adair Moses

“I do crew, or rowing, and I row for Dallas United Crew. We practice at White Rock Lake, and we race around the area. I have 2 1/2-hour practices six days a week.

My favorite part about rowing is the people and how competitive and nice they are. It’s just a great team environment.”

– senior Ayne Park

– freshman Talia Taback “I play water polo for the Thunder Water Polo Club, which is a club in Lewisville, and practices are two hours long, so it’s a big time commitment. I can play anywhere between 6 and 14 hours a week, but it just depends on my week and my schedule. I’m a goalie for my team, and I really love my teammates. It’s a really good way to make new friends that don’t go to your school.”

“I’m on the junior national team for fencing and my favorite part about fencing is being able to think on the spot and almost play a game of chess with my opponent.

I train for three hours almost every single day, so about 16 to 18 hours a week. I’m there to train different parts of my fencing.”

– junior Taylor Chon

– sophomore Chloe LaGrone Photo illistration by Chloe Nguyen; Graphics by Camila Hanson and Christan Park

20 Sports

Evergreen Ever the

While Football Draws Big Crowds, Other Hornet Athletes Ask: Where’s the Love?

Riya Kommineni

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n Friday nights at Brinkmann Field, the stands are packed with enthusiastic students, parents, faculty and alumni cheering the football team. However, other sports such as field hockey and girls volleyball have very few spectators, despite strong records this season.

This inequity in attendance has raised concern among athletes and the Athletics Department alike, especially since fan support can be crucial to performance.

“I think crowd attendance has a major impact on how our athletes perform,” Head of Athletics and Physical Education Jarrett Shine said. “If people are cheering in the stands and being rowdy and supporting their friends, then the athletes are energized to be their best.”

Outreach To encourage attendance at games and promote equity across sports, the Athletics Department and student Athletics Board have started several outreach initiatives.

“One of the things we’re going to do is start sending out more emails to get people to come out for field hockey,” said Shine.

“The problem is that they’re usually playing on the other side of campus, on Maalouf Field. But for their last game of the season, field hockey is going to be on Brinkmann, so we’re hoping that more people will show up because the game is in a more central location.”

Initiatives have included sending school-wide emails, making frequent announcements at Upper School assemblies and offering incentives such as free gift cards and T-shirts for students that attend games.

Senior Zoya Iyer, who is a member of

the Athletics Board and is a varsity field hockey captain, says that the group is also trying to create excitement for home games by creating dress-up themes for fans such as “USA,” “White Out” and “Neon.” For the USA theme, students dress in red-whiteand-blue attire, for White Out students wear all-white and so on.

The Hornets’ Nest (@thehornetssnest), a student-run Instagram account focused on promoting Greenhill athletics, is also trying to increase fan engagement at games.

During games, the Hornets’ Nest frequently gives followers live updates with videos and commentary. The account makes posts promoting upcoming games for each sport and their respective locations. At each football game, the Hornets’ Nest also announces an award for a fan that is best dressed for that night’s theme.

Team captains have also made efforts to increase student spectatorship for their games.

“One thing we try to do is ‘exchanges’ with other teams,” Iyer said. “We went to some boys and girls volleyball games as a team. So, we’re hoping that if we go to their games, they’ll also come to our field hockey games as a team and support us.”

Reasons For Inequity According to community members, there are several reasons why attendance is varied across sports at Greenhill.

“I hate to say it, but we’re in Texas,” said Shine. “Football is big in Texas. It’s just the way it is. People rally around football more than any other sport.

And that’s not just at Jarrett Shine Greenhill; all schools in

Photo courtesy of Eliana Campbell

FOOTBALL SUPPORT: Dressed in green and gold, Greenhill students cheer on the varsity football team at the Homecoming game on Oct. 13. The Hornets won 30-21.

Texas have that situation.”

Iyer echoes Shine’s sentiment.

“I think people are going to watch whatever sport everyone else goes to,” Iyer said. “Football is definitely the most viewed because it’s also a social event.”

Senior Ben Schackman, who frequently attends football games, says that he doesn’t attend most other sports games because they’re inconvenient.

“There’s no room for students to sit at [field hockey games] because all the parents take the stands, and I don’t really want to stand on the sideline the whole time,” Schackman said. “Cross country meets are held at 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning and you have to follow [the runners] on the course.”

Schackman says the scheduling of the games during the week also has a large

impact on spectator turnout.

“Most field hockey games are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays and people have homework and other commitments on school nights,” he said. “Football and volleyball are [often] on Friday nights, so it’s not like you have anything to do the next day, so you’re more likely to go to those games.”

As the school year progresses, the Athletics Department hopes to continue to try new approaches to increase crowd attendance for the upcoming winter and spring sports seasons.

“We’re going to have more incentives for people to show up, like free T-shirts,” said Shine. “I’ve also talked to the Athletics Board about creating a solid, core group of people to come to these games and galvanize everyone else to show up and start creating a different energy at our games.”

Graphic by Christan Park

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21

A Call For Peace: Israel and Palestine

n Oct. 7, the decades-long IsraeliPalestinian conflict exploded into the world spotlight once again when Hamas, the Islamist terrorist group that controls the seaside Palestinian territory of Gaza, hit Israel with thousands of rockets.

More than 1,000 Hamas fighters poured into southern Israel, killing more than 1,400 civilians and soldiers and seizing more than 200 hostages.

In the days since, Hamas has continued to fire rockets into Israel. The Israeli military has responded with air strikes, artillery fire and ground assaults into Gaza.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry says the Israeli response has killed more than 8,000 civilians as we write this.

The suffering in Israel and Gaza is unimaginable, and there is no end in sight.

We know there are people in our community who are directly impacted by what has become an appalling humanitarian crisis. We hope that you know that you are loved by us and the people in our community.

We know that our outside perspective limits us and does not allow us to truly understand the pain of the people in harm’s way. We feel that it would be insensitive for us to give an opinion and callous for us to say nothing.

We would like to use this installment of our shared Common Ground column to offer some context and articulate our sympathies for those who are suffering.

The roots of the current conflict predate

the birth of the state of Israel in 1948 and is intricately intertwined with matters of religion and territory.

The two populations were tasked with sharing land after World War II, an issue that was originally in the hands of the United Nations. The U.N. created a partition plan, but as the original landowners, Palestinians were opposed to giving territory to Israel. When the plan was set in motion by the birth of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948, the armies of Egypt,

Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria invaded Israel.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes, some by choice, others by force.

The event is now known to Palestinians as the Nakba, or catastrophe.

Fast forward nearly 75 years, and this territorial conflict is as heated as it has ever

Evergreen Staff Ever the

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Riya Kommineni and Pooja Sanghvi

EXECUTIVE EDITORS Payton Blalock Emily Hu Sophia Li

been.

We surmise that Hamas chose to attack on Oct. 7 because relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia recently have shown striking improvement. This is seen as an unwelcome development by many Palestinians because, as a marginalized group in their own ancestral land, their quest for self-determination is dependent on the support of other Muslim countries.

Some of that support comes from countries like Iran, which seeks the destruction of Israel and conflict with the United States. Iran is suspected of having encouraged or even funded Hamas’ recent attacks on Israel.

The recent bloodshed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has struck a chord with people around the world due to the immense suffering of civilians. This has also made the war highly polarizing. We can all agree that the deaths of thousands of civilians are heartbreaking. It is terrible to see people living in fear in their own homes.

Ultimately, this issue is one of great complexity. Our aim isn’t to take sides.

We hope for an end to the bloodshed.

While we don’t know how and when peace will be achieved, we hope it will be soon. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering, Israeli and Palestinian, and their families.

Graphic by Evie Kwei

Editorial: Increase Study Spaces

Evie Kwei Chloe Nguyen Christan Park

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Aria Kutty

CONTENT COORDINATORS

Sydney Chien and Daniela Hallack

DRAFT EDITOR Aman Jaleel

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Ella Sadka

CHIEF SECTION EDITOR Varun Mukund

NEWS EDITORS

Lyna Kamgang and Rory Liu

FEATURES EDITORS

Kate Ponnambalam and Noor Zaman

ARTS EDITORS

Nora Ahearn and Justin Wu

SPORTS EDITORS

John Hurley and Vedant Subramanian

VIEWS EDITOR Sasha Wai

STAFF WRITERS Helina Tedros Cole Feldman Derian Herrmann William Maher Gabi Appel Ravi Vasan Andrew Mann Eitan Hahn Mayer Sidikaro

BUSINESS MANAGER Kaden Alibhai

A

s students face increasing academic pressure and a heavier workload, time management is crucial. Study spaces at school play a vital role in finding a healthy work-life balance.

School administrators have allocated spaces on campus to cater to the majority of students’ studying needs, and we’re grateful for that. The deliberate creation and management of places like the Academic Learning Center and Elliott Center reflects a clear intention to address student needs when it comes to academic success.

But more needs to be done.

Despite administration’s efforts, we still feel that the initiatives taken to address students’ study needs are insufficient. One notable issue is the scarcity of private study rooms. In the ARC, for example, there are only three private study rooms. The Montgomery Library also has only three dedicated study rooms for students.

In a school with 500 Upper School students, six study rooms aren’t enough to accommodate the demand for quiet spaces.

Furthermore, the few private study rooms that do exist in the ARC are often reserved for tutoring sessions or makeup tests. This limitation significantly restricts the accessibility of the few private study areas, leaving students unable to find a focused environment.

The challenge of securing a suitable study space extends across campus. The Elliott Center becomes too noisy to function as a quiet study space at times during the day. During breaks or after lunch time, the department pods and locker rooms become lively with students engaged in conversations.

Montgomery Library, designed as a haven for focused learning, is highly sought after by students. However, the overwhelming demand means that only a few can truly benefit from its quiet spaces.

MANAGING EDITORS

ASSISTANT ADVISOR Amy Bresie

ADVISOR

Gregg Jones Have a response? Opinion? Original Idea?

Email the Editors-in-Chief: komminenir24@greenhill.org sanghvip24@greenhill.org

Photo by Riya Kommineni

STUDY SPOT: Freshmen Ali Naseem and Gabriel de la Torre work in a private study room in the Montgomery Library to avoid the commotion of the main area.

This shortage of quiet study space affects students in various ways. Effective study spaces make it easier for students to meet assignment deadlines and minimize stress. This not only means that students can perform better in classes, but it also allows individuals to allocate their after-school hours to pursue personal interests, family commitments, or catch up on sleep.

The importance of suitable study spaces extends beyond class performance.

Structured study spaces play an important role in nurturing good study habits and discipline. They cultivate a focused mindset and healthy work ethic, fostering responsibility and commitment to academic endeavors. By integrating these spaces into their routine, students develop effective study habits, which, in turn, contribute to a

far more balanced life.

We urge the administration to establish more dedicated study locations on campus or adjust existing spaces to accommodate a larger number of individuals seeking quiet study environments. We’re hopeful that the planned opening of the new Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center in January and the subsequent reallocation of Upper School South spaces will help address this problem.

We anticipate that the new building will not only cater to the specific needs of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but also provide extra areas for general study and collaboration.

If this can be achieved, it would truly enrich the academic experience for all Upper School students.

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

Our staff upholds a code of ethics that values honesty, integrity, accuracy and responsibility. Our mission is to help our community interpret campus, local, national and international events through articles and editorials 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. Anonymous letters will not be published.

The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Evergreen staff, not necessarily that of Greenhill School.

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

Business inquiries should be directed to Kaden Alibhai: alibhaik24@greenhill.org CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS We pledge to correct our errors. To request a correction or clarification, please email komminenir24@greenhill.org or sanghvip24@ greenhill.org

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Guest Essay: Savor the Little Things in Life

Ethan Cohen

A

cinematic hero once remarked that “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”

Forrest Gump, the character that imparts this wisdom, conveys that life is an enigma, a mystery, that nothing is promised, and anything is possible. Furthermore, Forrest suggests that maintaining control in life is challenging because of its unpredictability.

The feeling of not always being in control is scary, but it is also freeing. Not knowing what tomorrow has in store is exciting and it keeps us, as human beings, sane because without change and unpredictability life would be bland.

In addition, life is all-consuming, and it is easy to lose oneself in the everchanging flow of it. With all the schoolwork, extracurriculars, sports, social pressures and other commitments, life can be harrowing.

Therefore, students forget to appreciate life in its entirety, which can result in the buildup of stress.

To aid this, I have discovered a coping

mechanism that works for me and hopefully for others as well. I believe dealing with stress should begin with appreciating the little things.

“Little things’’ is a vague phrase, but that is the point. The “little things’’ in life that matter to us should be personal and diverse, and they should never possess any constraints regarding what they can or cannot be.

“Little things,” to me, are aspects of life that are so intrinsic that people usually forget to acknowledge them. For instance, I took a walk through my neighborhood the other day and I spent the entire time observing the nature surrounding me and the striking beauty of it all. The trees, the flowers and the rushing wind were all “little things” that improved my peace of mind. It was a quiet, tranquil evening, and it helped center me. I came home less stressed and in a more peaceful state.

The short experience of walking and appreciating nature bolstered my appreciation for life. It made me happier, and I believe that finding “little things’’ in life and truly seeing them will help do the same for

others.

Another coping strategy that has worked for me is relying on my passions to help relieve stress. I have been lucky enough to have found my passion, which is storytelling, so, on occasion, when I need a stress reliever, I will continue writing the story that I am working on, or I might read a book.

My passion helps me decompress from the problems and stresses of everyday life, and that is why I urge people to find their passions because they rejuvenate, distract and provide comfort during stressful times.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that passions are not always healthy, and it is important to check yourself to make sure a passion is assisting mental health and not hindering it.

Moreover, finding a passion does not just have to be a coping mechanism to help handle stress, it can also be used as an escape or to simply unwind from a long day.

Perspective is the last coping mechanism that I feel is vital to adopt. Perspective is loosely related to the idea of appreciating the “little things” in that through perspective, we as humans can appreciate life to a

greater extent. For me, I find perspective by participating in community service projects.

They allow me to interact with families who are in less fortunate situations, and, in turn, they aid me in recognizing the blessings that are interspersed throughout my life. This isn’t the only way to find perspective, but it is a method that has worked for me.

Putting life into perspective is a valuable coping mechanism because it depicts how temporary and miniscule our problems are in the grand scheme of things. This does not mean that our “minuscule” problems do not matter, but it does mean that we might be taking our problems and our stresses too seriously. Life is already complex enough as it is, so next time a problem arises remember that it is most likely temporary and not worth getting worked up about. !"#$%& '(#)%& *+& $& %),& +"-.)%"& $"& /0))%#*11& "#*+& 2)$0& 3(*%*%4& "#)& 3-%*(0& 51$++6& 7)8+& $%& $9*.& 0)$.)0:& ,$"5#)0& (;& <(9*)+& $%.& #$+& $& 40)$"& 1(9)& (;& +=(0"+& $%.& <-+*56

The Evergreen Crossword

ACROSS: 1. _____ Lakeview Charter High School, school that Upper School AP Spanish students collaborate with 3. Senior captain of the girls cross country team, Elizabeth _____ 4. Sport that junior Adair Moses participates in 7. Girls varsity basketball Head Coach _____ Sandler ‘95 11. Noah _____, artist who performed in Dallas 12. Name of the piece Assistant Band Director and Drumline Coach Tony Lopez composed for the Greenhill Drumline 14. “_____ grade,” Mr. Mercurio’s phrase for a grade that is often contested 15. Half Magic _____, makeup line for which Michelle Liu ‘96 serves as general manager 16. Number of scene locations for “Mean Girls”: _____ four 17. _____ Fellows, a United to Learn program designed exclusively for sophomores

DOWN: 1. _____ Club, an Upper School club sponsored by English teacher Joel Garza 2. College that Khushi Chhaya ‘23 attends 5. One of the dress-up themes for Greenhill football fans 6. Place where John Eisenberg ‘75 resides; the _____ Sun, where Eisenberg worked as a sports journalist 7. Original name of the E&I program at Greenhill: _____ 8. Rashawn Moser, the _____ coordinator at Greenhill 9. Program that senior Jane Bailey Feinstein volunteered at, which involves tutoring refugee and immigrant students: the _____ Meadow Summer Reading Academy 10. _____ Film Festival, a student-run festival in Dallas for young filmmakers 13. Affinity group that hosted activities such as karaoke and dumpling making 14. U.S. Representative _____ van Duyne ’88

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November 8, 2023

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Rants & Raves A RANT to the inconsistent campus Wi-Fi. When our internet connection is continuously going in and out it doesn’t help our rising anxiety levels.

It’s worse when our computers simply will not connect to the internet either. Since most of our assignments are online these days, consistent Wi-Fi is a must.

A RAVE to the Greenhill football team. This season has been one of the most exciting ones in a long time, with two wins and a few close losses. The team’s growing success has made it so much more exciting to cheer under the Friday Night Lights. We can’t wait to see what next season holds!

A RAVENT to the lunch line.

At the start of the year, it was no secret that the process of getting your lunch was chaos. While it has gotten better, nothing can stop people from cutting and pushing to the front. Why can’t some people just wait their turn?

A RAVENT to concert season.

So many big Dallas concerts have been happening lately, and it has been exciting to see our favorite artists in person. But at what cost?

Ticket prices have surged, and it has become a battle to get pre-sale tickets.

Will it ever be easier to see our favorite artists in person?

A RAVE to hoodie season. The time has finally come when temperatures begin to drop, and we can pull out our favorite hoodies. We are excited to have an excuse to go hoodie shopping and be comfy all day at school. Here’s an official goodbye to warm weather, and a hello to winter style!

A RANT to allergies. With the fall season coming to an end and winter just around the corner, the pollen count is high. People are sneezing left and right.

The inconsistent Texas weather doesn’t help either! Our bodies cannot adjust to the constantly changing temperatures.

How to Be Successful in...

International Relations

Gabi Appel

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nternational Relations is a one-semester elective offered by the History Department. The class is taught by Upper School history teacher Scott Cotton, who has a degree in international relations and taught the class for Global Online Academy prior to introducing the course at Greenhill.

The class is split evenly between formative and summative assignments.

Formative assignments consist of daily quizzes about the previous night’s assigned readings, and summative assignments are comprised of inclass and at-home essays.

Cotton sometimes brings in speakers to discuss these topics.

Recently, Alina Salgado, Greenhill donor relations associate, spoke with the class about her grandfather, the late Cuban revolutionary and dictator Fidel Castro.

The class also hosted Daniel Brickman, who spoke about earning a dual college degree in physics and international relations.

During class, Cotton aims to foster context and education on international relations theories and current news around the world. Due to this, no two semesters look the same. Cotton alters the curriculum based on current events. Throughout this semester, the class has engaged in conversations regarding Salgado’s mother’s immigration to the U.S. and the Hamas attacks in Israel.

We asked Cotton and some International Relations students about what the class entails and their advice on how to succeed. Here is what they said:

“When it comes to political discussions with my friends or family, it has helped me understand more about how this world functions. It also made me more knowledgeable on certain areas of foreign affairs.”

- senior Iyad Mohammed

I

!"#$%$&'(%)*%+$,-(.$%/+%0))1(-%*)2%/.%$"/+%30#++4 “[I look for] people who are interested in what’s happening in the world. I mean, obviously, students who are reading about what’s happening in the news over the years makes it easier because they are not starting new with these topics, but have some background information and have some interest in it. [Although], even if they don’t know, if they work hard, if they read, participate in class, they’re still going to do OK.” – history teacher Scott Cotton

views on many different topics that aren’t really talked about in a social setting.”

– senior Josie Arbuckle “You learn more about how the world works, the system of politics in the world and the ways that leaders think. We learn about the types of ideologies and intricacies of the world in a way we can all understand.”

– senior Iyad Mohammed !"#$% 3#.% +$,-(.$+% :#/.% *2);% $#1/.:%$"/+%30#++4 “I hope students are more interested in following what’s going on in the world. We have several guest speakers, so I hope they may be motivated to get involved somehow, and maybe more interested to study this area in college either as a major or a minor and do something with [this interest] beyond Greenhill.”

– history teacher Scott Cotton

“The class makes it easier to draw connections between things we see on the news, including economics and globalization. It is useful to practice drawing those connection and learning about how the world is very interconnected. Additionally, the class also provides many resources to keep up with rapidly changing current events.”

– senior Adam Kesselman

!"#$% /+% $"(% ;)+$% /;')2$#.$% #-</3(% *)2% =(/.:% +,33(++*,0%/.%$"(%3),2+(4

Adam Kesselman

!"#$%-)(+%7.$(2.#$/).#0%8(0#$/).+%)9(2%$"#$%)$"(2%30#++(+% -)%.)$4 “The class provides an opportunity to have meaningful discussions in a facilitated environment. Seeing what your peers like and don’t like and see each other’s opinions and

“My biggest advice would be to do the readings and take notes. Make sure to go to Mr. Cotton if you need any help, because he gives great advice for essays and understanding the information. Take notes for quizzes and class discussions and hear other people’s opinions because those are extremely helpful.”

– senior Iyad Mohammed “Participate. Mr. Cotton is awesome at giving everyone chances to speak, and it is essential to use these. Come with an open mind and try to think through the different conceptual frames that the class provides you with.”

– senior Adam Kesselman Graphic by Bette Tomecko

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Halloween on tHe Hill “I came to Greenhill in first grade and have seen the parade for 11 consecutive years. Every year, I [was] more eager to become a senior and walk in the parade. I think it is one of Greenhill's best traditions as it shows a full circle from lower to [high] school."

- senior Mason Chow

“The senior parents truly outdid themselves with the decorations, and I felt like a kid in a candy store, which was the perfect way to ring in the end of October and the frightening Nov. 1 deadline.”

- senior Sanjna Kalisetty

“This year, I’ve looked forward to being a part of the Halloween parade and other senior traditions because these special moments have already made the last year of high school so memorable. Also, I thought that having the chance to share this occasion with Lower School students by wearing costumes alongside them was a meaningful experience, helping to strengthen a stronger sense of community throughout our school.”

- senior Anika Mootha

“It’s really fun to participate in the traditions with all my friends and I think it’s good because it brings our class together. Now that college apps are getting out of the way, I think that we will come together a lot more.”

- senior Adam Kesselman “It’s crazy to be here after watching the seniors for many years and now getting to be in it for the last year.”

- senior Shreya Ram “Jack [Bovard] and I were Calvin and Hobbes because we both love comics and have planned to do this since 5th grade. [During the parade], it was fun and really nice to see the adults appreciate our costumes.”

- senior Quinn Graves “[Leading the parade] was definitely something that took a while to get used to because before this year [the band] was usually in the back and I wasn’t leading it. But it was definitely cool to be able to keep up the energy and lead everyone in their costumes around campus.”

- junior Prabath Girish

“I’ve watched the Halloween parade annually for 13 years so it was kind of trippy to be a senior this time and it was pretty bittersweet.”

- senior Nikky Nandipati

Photo illustration by Chloe Nguyen; Graphics by Christan Park