The Bear Facts October 2021

FACTS

THE BEAR Vol. 42, Issue 1, October 2021

Ursuline Academy of Dallas

theuabearfacts.com

Unveiling the New-and-Improved Fox Dining Hall

By TESS BOWERS ‘22

Q&A With Chad

By HANNAH SINGER ‘23

What got you into cooking?

“I was studying jazz music, and I got a part time job at a Thai restaurant across the street.

After a while, that’s what became my passion. A mother suggested that I start taking culinary classes, so I did, and that’s where it started.”

“I told everyone… I’m going to put a cot in my office and live here now.”

These were Chad’s first words as he walked into his new kingdom. Ursuline’s newand-improved Fox Dining Hall in Haggar Center has been expanded by 4,000 feet, allowing A, B and C lunch to be consolidated into just A and B lunch. New additions include a deli bar and beverage bar, along with a brand-new kitchen.

Now beginning his fourth year at Ursuline, Chad Nielson said, “I like to call myself a senior!”

He began as a cook at Ursuline and now continues his third year of being the Food Service Director.

The new kitchen is now six times bigger!

Previously, all supplies and ingredients were within a reachable distance, but now Chad said all of

“It almost feels like we are at a college campus!

Everything is so new and updated, and going to lunch is now so much more fun.”

What is your favorite part of the Sage renovation?

“Oh, man. How much space we have – it’s so much bigger.” the kitchen staff “walks an What are you most excited to cook?

“A lot of stuff. We have a new piece of equipment called a combination oven, and it lets us smoke indoors. In about a month or two, starting our indoor smoked things: cheeses, salsas, and sauces. I’m excited, and it’ll smell real good throughout the halls.”

What is your favorite dish to cook for Ursuline students?

“I love doing the build-yourown bars. Those are my favorite days because you get to see everyone make their own combinations of things, and it’s an easy way to please a lot of people all at once.”

beverage counter, there are assorted flavors of spa water, including strawberry basil, lemon rosemary, and watermelon.

average of seven miles” each day in the kitchen.

“There is so much more capability for new food… so much opportunity,” Chad said after describing what he was most excited about in the new kitchen. He enjoys making build-your-own stations at lunch, where there are 20 different toppings and 10 different sauces.

“It lets us play around,” he said, “and also acts as a way for you—students—to make your own food.” Some of the buildyour-own menu items include an avocado toast bar, a build-yourown sandwich bar, a soft-pretzel bar and even a bubble tea bar.

This year, one of Chad’s main projects is to expand the beverage selection. On the

Another addition coming to the beverage counter is a coffee bar.

There will be many different coffee flavors, along with the necessities like milk, cream and sugar.

Just last month, juniors Holly Kai-ghan and Sabrina Rameriz collaborated with Chad to feature a Baja Blast drink on the beverage counter. The bright blue drink was said to be a big hit and tasted just like Taco Bell’s signature item.

Students love Chad’s openness to their ideas, and his creativity has made lunch at Ursuline better than ever.

The feedback from students and teachers about the Fox Dining Hall has been nothing but positive.

“It’s a beautiful cafeteria. I love the open kitchen and the use of color is

What is your favorite meal?

“I’ve been doing a lot of fried rice lately. It’s perfect for breakfast, it’s perfect for lunch or a midnight snack.”

Courtesy of Ursuline Academy Images

great. It looks completely brand new,” Dr. Surmiller said. Students say this year they really love the food from SAGE and even seniors have been staying on campus for lunch so they can eat there.

“I love going to Fox Dining Hall each day and seeing what Chad has prepared for lunch. There is always something different on the menu and the food never disappoints,” Tori Wasinger said.

Senior Avery Zulick said, “It almost feels like we are at a college campus! Everything is so new and updated. Going to lunch is so much more fun.”

One of the biggest hits of the new dining hall has been the spa water.

It was served previously, but its flavors have expanded.

Senior Grace Lamont said, “My favorite part is definitely the assortment of spa water—it is so fun coming to school in the morning and seeing what flavors there are each day.”

While the new dining hall has proven to be a big change, Chad said, “We were, as a group, really surprised and proud for how much of an easy transition it was for everyone. We are grateful.”

New Baja Blast in Fox “Chad fulfilled my dream of bringing the Baja Blast to Fox Dining Hall,” Holly Kaighan ’23 said. As a regular customer, Kaighan never leaves Taco Bell without purchasing her favorite drink, the Baja Blast. This exclusive Mountain Dew flavor was sold only from Taco Bell soda fountain machines and in limited quantities at grocery stores until it made its first appearance at Ursuline in September.

Continue Reading “The Baja What” on p.09

2

Inside

October Issue

The Bear Facts

Is ‘Donda’ Really Worth A Year?

By OLIVIA GRAY ‘22

Kanye West is hardly known for being level-headed. Through the years, he has been subject to scandalous headlines and faced major scrutiny from the press, but something that he has consistently done that has enraged both the music and media industry is not sticking to his word when it comes to releasing his music.

Thirteen months after the initial release date of July 2020, West finally released his much-anticipated album “Donda”. The album is a tribute to his late

Courtesy of Google Images

FRONT Emma Louviere ‘22 INSIDE Katharine Bales ‘22 SCHOOL NEWS Ava Mychel Rodriguez ‘22 Hannah Singer ‘22 FEATURES Isabelle Bruty ‘22 Sofia Velesiotis ‘24 SPREAD Carlisle Myers‘22 PROFILES Tess Bowers ‘22 ENTERTAINMENT Olivia Gray ‘22 GLOBAL Montse Spencer ‘22 Website: https://theuabearfacts.com/

mother, the media’s opinions on the album build up were anything but positive.

Back in 2020, Kanye utilized his twitter to communicate with his fans about his upcoming “Donda” album. He tweeted on July 18: “New album ‘DONDA’ coming JULY 24 #2020VISION.” This tweet was followed by a picture of some sort of track list.

As the months continued, so did his tweets. He then tweeted out the album art and other so called track lists. But July 24 came and went, and there was no album released. In fact, Kanye went silent.

Kanye did have a lot of other things on his plate. Around the same time, he announced his 2020 United States presidential election campaign. He was also struggling with his marriage to Kim Kardashian, fighting with his label and managing bipolar disorder. However, he never publicly apologized for the delay.

Flashing forward a full year to July 16, “Donda” finally seems to be making strides.

Pusha T, an American rapper, went to his Instagram to announce the first “Donda” listening party at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 22. It was later announced that he would release the full album the next

day.

In a way, the first listening party was a success. Over 40,000 fans showed up to watch West gallivant around on the stage to his music centered around his late mother, racial injustice, and other notable topics. Apple Music also live streamed the event so that people all over the world could watch.

According to “Billboard”, Apple Music the livestream event pulled in 5.4 million viewers, breaking a livestream record for the tech company.

However, the next day came, but the album didn’t.

Fans were outraged. Just like a year prior, West never publicly apologized for the delay. As fans took to twitter to ask for the album, West was setting up camp in the Atlanta stadium. A live stream camera followed his every move from waking up to going to sleep to prove to his fans that he was still perfecting the album.

In the weeks to follow another listening party was announced for Aug. 5 and the release date was moved to Aug. 15. After his second sold out show in Atlanta, West once again went silent. When he broke

the silence, he announced his third listening party in Chicago, his hometown, and the due date of “Donda”. The album would officially be released the day after the Chicago listening party no matter its completion status according to his record label.

Days before the Aug. 26 concert, photos were released of the stage, and it seemed that West’s childhood home was being rebuilt on the Chicago Bears football field.

The day had finally come for West to debut his yearlong project.

West began his performance by playing a 52-second song repeating the word Donda, while three of his children danced in front of his rebuilt childhood home. It was later confirmed that the chant represents his mother’s last heart beasts as she passed away.

As the concert continued so did some strange events. His newly divorced wife appeared in a black wedding gown and walked around the field confusing all of his fans both in person and at home. He also had his face covered like his past two listening parties. The listening party as a whole portrayed a demonic and strange ambiance.

But to the fans’ surprise… “Donda” finally arrived the next day.

THE BEAR FACTS STAFF ADVISER Melinda Smith CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Emma Louviere ‘22, Katharine Bales ‘22 ONLINE EDITOR Natalie Ro ‘22 Editorial Policy Editorials reflect the staff’s opinion and are not bylined. Opinion pieces are bylined and are the opinion of the author.

TRENDING Avery Zulick ‘22 INSIGHTS Piper Rutherford ‘22 OPINIONS Lillian Ashmore ‘22 BACK Emma Sweeney ‘22

Letter Policy BUSINESS MANAGERS Readers are encouraged to submit letters to be considered for Emma Sweeney ‘22 publication. They may respond to an article, provide feedback Ava Mychel Rodriguez ‘24 on the whole paper, or address a topic not addressed in the paper. In order to be published, these letters cannot be anonymous.

SOCIAL MEDIA & Articles, story ideas, or pictures submitted by the Ursuline comPUBLIC RELATIONS munity will be received and considered for publication. SubmisMANAGERS sions for should be e-mailed to 22elouviere@ursulinedallas.org or Lillian Ashmore ‘22 22kbales@ursulinedallas.org.

Avery Zulick ‘22 4900 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, Texas 75229 uabfstaff@gmail.com

NEWSLETTER ASSOCIATE Carlisle Myers ‘22 Instagram: @theuabearfacts

3

The Bear Facts

Inside

October Issue

4

October

School News

The Bear Facts

Recycling to Resolve at UA

By ELLE DE LA GARZA ‘22 When you see the green and blue trash bins next to each other, which one should you choose?

The demand of recycling has turned into such an overlooked problem, specifically at Ursuline. You may not think you are making a negative impact by recycling the wrong items or not recycling at all, but while you continue to make these mistakes unknowingly, Ursuline can get fined.

Siena Theivagt ’22, manager of the UA Environmental Science Club, speaks on the issue of recycling at Ursuline and explains why doing so correctly is so important.

She notes that Ursuline is fined $250 per dumpster that is contaminated.

“Think about how this avoidable fine can add up for Ursuline,” Theivagt said.

Looking even beyond the fines, recycling improperly also imposes many dangers to the environment.

How is a dumpster contaminated?

Theivagt explains that “it can be as easy as deciding to recycle something like a mac and cheese cup that hasn’t been washed out.”

Our community’s main problem in relation to recycling is the lack of education regarding which objects can be recycled and which cannot. What people fail to realize is that not everything can be recycled, even if it is made up of recyclable materials.

Murray Pratt ’23, president of the Environmental Science Club, said, “I think one of the most important things we can do is educate the Ursuline community on which items can be recycled.

We need to have clear, easy signage on recycling bins around campus so that

students can easily differentiate between what goes in the trash versus the recycling.”

So, what goes in these green bins?

The following items can be recycled as long as they are clean and free of waste: plastic bottles and containers, food and beverage cans, paper, flattened cardboard, food and beverage containers and glass bottles and containers.

Non-recyclable items include plastic bags, plastic wrap and film, cups with wax or plastic coatings, metals such as foilwrapped objects, paint cans, pipes, lightbulbs, batteries, textiles, broken glass, plastic bags, Styrofoam, tissues and takeout containers.

Besides the problem of people recycling the wrong items, some people choose simply not to recycle at all. According to a study by Waste Wise, around 75 percent of waste in the U.S. is recyclable, yet only 30 percent makes it into the recycling bin.

The green bin, whenever items do fit the recycling criteria, should be an obvious choice for many reasons: it helps slow down global warming by cutting emissions, reducing water pollution, benefitting the economy by creating jobs and protecting wildlife.

How can we make a difference at Ursuline and at home?

The best thing our community can do is to focus on reducing and reusing every-

“According to a study by Waste Wise, around 75 percent of waste in the U.S. is recyclable, yet only 30 percent makes it into the recycling day materials.

Reducing simply means consuming fewer plastic products, and reusing means putting recyclable objects to future use.

Theivagt’s best tips for making a small difference include replacing plastic water bottles with reusable metal bottles, reusing plastic containers and bringing reusable eating utensils in your lunchbox.

She said, “When in doubt, just throw it away in the trash and avoid making the wrong recycling decisions.”

A good way to become educated on the problem of recycling and get involved is to become a member of an Ursuline social awareness club, The Environmental Science Club. This club educates students on how to better the environment through practices like recycling, reducing and

reusing.

Last year the Environmental Science Club collaborated with students across the metroplex and hosted a fashion show at the Perot Museum, in which the participants created clothing solely from recycled materials. Planning to host this fun event again, the Environmental Science Club hopes that it will provide a fun, engaging way for Ursuline students to get involved.

By educating yourself, making smart recycling choices and getting involved in clubs like the Environmental Science Club, we can all work together to avoid Ursuline’s recycling fines, and also to make a difference in the environment.

The Bear Facts

.

School News

.

5

October

The Baja What?

By AVERY ZULICK ‘22 “Chad fulfilled my dream of bringing the Baja Blast to Fox Dining,” Holly Kaighan ’23 said.

As a regular customer, Kaighan never leaves Taco Bell without purchasing her favorite drink, the Baja Blast. This exclusive Mountain Dew flavor was sold only from Taco Bell soda fountain machines and in limited quantities at grocery stores until it made its first appearance at Ursuline in September.

To gain approval to sell this exclusive drink, Kaighan, Megan Nuchereno ’23 and Walker Madison ’23 created a petition.

Their petition for the Baja Blast successfully earned 217 signatures, over one-fourth of the whole UA student body.

Neon teal in color, the Baja Blast has the same taste as regular Mountain Dew, but with a tropical lime flavor twist. Fast food restaurant Taco Bell partnered with the carbonated

soft drink brand to create this drink as the perfect complement to their TexMex offerings.

Introduced in 2014, the Baja Blast became an instant hit as a cult classic. Not only did this drink pair perfectly with any taco, but it also brought in over $1 billion in sales since it was introduced.

Mountain Dew already had a strong marketing campaign, appealing to young crowds with their highly caffeinated drinks, but the brand now appeals to customers at Taco Bell who also attend or work at Ursuline.

After learning the copycat recipe for the Baja Blast from Sabrina Ramirez ‘23, Kaighan began to make the drink at school. There are many recipes for the Baja Blast, but Kaighan claims Ramirez’s has the most accurate taste and look when compared to the real drink.

“It is a simple combination of Powerade, Sprite and lemonade from the

fountain drink machine,” Kaighan said.

After mixing this combination almost every day at school from Fox’s soda fountain machine, Kaighan decided to present the recipe to Chad Nielson, Ursuline’s new Food Service Director in Fox. She knew that if Chad approved the recipe to be sold on campus, then she would representing her fellow student body by fulfilling a request made by many.

Before meeting with Chad, however, Kaighan knew she would need support from her peers and classmates. And so, the petition for the Baja Blast to be brought to school began.

With the help of Madison and Nuchereno, news of the petition spread across campus.

“Why go to Taco Bell when the Baja Blast could be sold at your own high school?” Madison asked.

Students from all grade levels signed the petition, anticipating a successful result.

With over 200 signatures, Kaighan could now present her idea to Chad with confidence. Right away, he was amazed at how many signatures appeared on the loose-leaf sheets of paper. He immediately gave his approval and went to work to submit the idea to the FDA to gain final school approval.

Shortly after, a large acrylic drink dispenser labeled “Holly Kaighan’s Baja Blast” appeared in Fox Dining. Word spread quickly of the petition’s success

as students eagerly crowded the drink station during lunch. The line to try the exotic looking drink went from zero to 50 people in only seconds. Students even re-entered the line for refills.

After one sip, Nicole Gossage ’22 said, “This brings me back to Taco Bell!”

“It was the first time my tastebuds felt loved,” Regan Chen ’24 said.

The Baja Blast was a success in Fox Dining.

Kaighan said, “This may have been my best idea yet, but definitely not my last; I have many more ideas in store for the future.”

Ursuline Students Strive for Mental Health Awareness

By ISABELLE BRUTY ‘22 “Everyone struggles; it’s normal. It’s acceptable to feel the way that you do.

Reaching out to people you can trust can only make it better.” This mindset is what the new mental health clubs at Ursuline fervently stand for.

With the pandemic continuing to devastate the nation and with cases rising in the Dallas metroplex, mental health has become a highly discussed topic among high school students.

Consequently, as Ursuline students enter the 2021-2022 school year, they see several new clubs appearing on campus, many bringing awareness to mental health issues. Two of these clubs are the UA Active Minds Club and the UA Lead Club.

Active Minds is a mental health advocacy and suicide prevention chapter, founded this year by club president Julia Hansen ’22 and vice president Lia Padian ’22. According to Hansen, their primary goal for the year is to “make Ursuline a safer place with a better environment for young women.”

The club has a variety of plans for May 2022—Mental Health Awareness Month—varying from guest speakers, days of mindfulness, bonding activities and group discussions.

Hansen and Padian were mainly inspired to help girls who struggle with

mental health silently, with the intention of making them feel that they are not alone.

“Mental health is an important issue at Ursuline, especially among girls and in the world of social media. Active Minds is a place where girls can count on each other without this outside

there are a lot of other clubs to break the stigma of mental illness to make girls feel more supported” in the Ursuline community.

The UA Lead Club, passed down from previous years, focuses mainly on eating disorders and other mental health concerns. Co-president Lily Edwards ’22 an-

Photo courtesy of the Ursuline Active Minds Club

pressure or anxiety,” Padian said.

Since Active Minds is a national organization, they hope to bring awareness to mental health issues more closely to the Ursuline community, allowing girls to feel comfortable not only talking to teachers and peers, but also reaching out for professional support.

Hansen notes that she is “glad that

ticipates holding several service events for the year, such as making positive affirmation cards for treatment centers, as well as participating in art therapy events. Specifically for this year, they want to bring more awareness to eating disorder education and guidance, especially by presenting during club meetings.

Edwards wants Ursuline students to know that they should prioritize themselves and their wellbeing over schoolwork and assignments because “you can always talk to your teachers if you are really struggling.”

It is important to build relationships with the faculty at Ursuline so that they can make accommodations to relieve student struggles.

She also mentions that even if someone may not relate to mental health issues, it is still important for everyone to understand them. Everyone has bad days, encounters negativity and experiences stress. It is valid for someone to seek help, such as taking action and joining a group that will support them, like the Lead club.

Both clubs have begun to raise awareness to their causes via Instagram, where they have been releasing informational and inspirational posts for UA students. If you feel that you are struggling with your mental health, or would like to seek advice, please reach out to your Personal Counselor.

Remember: you are always loved, you are never alone and there are countless resources out there. It is much more beneficial for you to take action now and to reach out to the people who care about you.

6

October

Sports

The Bear Facts

Getting to Know New UAVB Coach and Her Hopes for Season

By GRACE LAMONT ‘22

Former Ole Miss athlete Caitlin Wernentin started hitting the volleyball at age 10. She was an all-around athlete and played other sports such as basketball, golf and track. By her sophomore year of high school, she realized that the passion she had for volleyball was stronger than it was for any other sport she played.

Soon enough college scouts observed Wernentin’s athletic ability and started recruiting her to play in college. She got her first college offer from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and played volleyball there her freshman year. She also received offers from universities in California, Ivy League schools, The United States Naval Academy and The United States Air Force Academy. Wernentin then received another offer from the University of Mississippi, where she continued her athletic career and got her master’s degree in integrated marketing communications.

“The biggest transition from playing high school versus college volleyball was not being in class, finding study hours and spending bus rides doing homework” Wernentin said. “My social life did not exist, and I had to work harder balancing my time.”

Many coaches made a special mental impact in Wernentin’s life when it came to volleyball. One of Wernentin’s high school coaches told her to play volleyball with “all your heart, or what is the point of doing it at all?”

“If I could give one piece of advice to my high school self,” she said, “I would say this: everything is coming in with an intention, things you

play.”

From the start of her playing career, Wernentin always knew coaching was in her future.

learn on the court relate to real-world life and learning on the court has a reason in those two hours.”

As much as Wernentin loves playing volleyball, she also loves coaching it.

“I like both because I still play both, although it depends on the circumstance,” she said. “While I am coaching, it is hard not to jump in and

“I moved to Texas during the pandemic, applied for marketing firms and kept striking out. I had a job with a club volleyball team, and Texas is very competitive in volleyball. Volleyball is all I had done my whole life, so I knew I wanted to coach,” she said.

Wernentin is also a local fitness trainer. A lot of time during UA volleyball practices is dedicated to working

out.

“I encourage a lot of hip fitness, endurance, body weight and agility training, as well as flexibility, for the girls,” she said.

As a volleyball player, Wernentin’s pregame traditions included “jamming out in the Ole Miss locker room” and starting the game with a team prayer.

“As a coach I have to have a coffee before every game and gather my team into a huddle to say all of our intentions,” she said. “I always tell the girls to know why they are playing the game and stress the importance of their motives.”

“My biggest goals for Ursuline volleyball this season are to beat Bishop Lynch and to have a strong winning record, but more than that, to learn from our losses for next season,” Wernentin said.

“I want my team to take away that everyone can be a leader. If you can take care of a team of volleyball girls, you can take care of anyone—not only by applying teamwork, but also by being able to shift the energy play-byplay,” she said. “I preach the power of positivity because what you put into the court is what you are going to get out of it.”

“Before every game, I tell my team to compare negative self-talk versus positive self-talk,” she said, “because when you are behind that service line, you do not want to think negatively.”

The Bear Facts

.

Sports

.

7

October

New UAXC Coach Races Back to Her Roots

By HANNAH SINGER ‘23 Ursuline alum, professional runner, and author, Becky Wade Firth ‘07, takes over Ursuline’s winning cross country team this fall. After starting her cross-country career at Ursuline, Coach Becky ran Division 1 cross country and track at Rice University before becoming a professional runner and author.

She not only shares her expertise with her runners, but also inspires them to set goals and chase them.

Coach Becky strives to foster a strong sense of team community and hopes to see every girl improve.

“I’m in a really cool position to share my experiences with people who are in pretty similar shoes, just a few years behind me. I love reconnecting with Ursuline and the girls through running,” she said.

During her UAXC days, Coach Becky loved summer training. “It was a really good chance to meet people and find my group before school started…I have really good memories of summer training with girls who are still my good friends,” she said.

Not only was Coach Becky an excellent runner for UAXC, but she also was a member of Ursuline’s first lacrosse team and was even a founder of Ursuline’s American Sign Language club.

Ms. Smith, current Journalism teacher, was Coach Becky’s advisor, and Coach Becky was in Mr. Lepley’s first class at Ursuline.

She studied psychology, sociology, and history at Rice, saying that “Mr. Schneider planted the seeds for studying psychiatry in college.”

Ursuline Cross Country set Coach Becky up for success at Rice. “I felt like that by the time I got to college, I had a good handle on time management and just balancing things,” she said.

From an athletic perspective, the lowmileage running in high school gave Becky a leg-up in NCAA running, and Becky said, “I just wasn’t burned out at all when I got to college.” Additionally, Dallas helped Coach Becky accustom “to heat training and working hard in tough conditions.”

Over the course of her high school and college running careers, Becky learned about teamwork.

“I find I am so much better when I am running for a reason beyond myself,” she said.

After she completed her running career at Rice, Becky ran professionally, and even partici-

pated in the Olympic Trials. Today, while her goals have shifted, she hopes to continue training for the marathon.

“I want to get everything out of myself in that event,” Becky said, “I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I want to maximize myself.”

Years of running and competing have contributed to making Coach Becky a better person.

“Running has definitely made me disciplined and brought so many great people into my life,” she said, “People that have some of involvement or history as an

athlete have a good approach to life— they know how to push themselves, how to set goals and chase them, and how to work in teams.”

She received the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and spent a full year travelling the world, immersing herself in different cultures through running.

This journey led Coach Becky to write her book, Run the World: My 3,500 Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe.

A former teammate from Coach Becky’s UAXC days went on to become a literary agent in New York, and she followed along as Coach Becky posted about her experiences online. She reached out to her friend when she returned home and asked Becky to write a proposal for a book.

Coach Becky shot the idea down.

“No way,” she said, “I was totally unprepared.”

But a year or two later, she got back in touch with her old teammate and told her she would give it a try.

“Writing a book was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she said, “I learned that stressors and rough times are never permanent.”

Now back in Dallas and reconnecting with her Ursuline roots, Coach Becky has one piece of advice for current Ursuline girls. “Choose wisely who you spend your time with,” she said, “Be intentional about meeting people and gravitate towards people who are positive and good influences.”

Youngest Paralympian Competes in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

By PIPER RUTHERFORD ‘22 While many high schoolers are focusing on college applications and seeking acceptance letters to the schools of their dreams, 16-year-old, Ezra Frech, travels across the world to fulfill his own dream, seeking a moment on the podium and hoping to leave with hardware around his neck.

Due to a congenital abnormality, Frech was born with a curved left leg and only one finger on his left hand. Doctors had to amputate his leg at 11 months, replacing it with the prosthetic limb with which he competes today.

Nevertheless, this teenage athlete is no stranger to success. Frech has had many triumphs including a gold medal at the 2019 Nottwil World Junior Championships in Men’s high jump T63 event, another gold in Men’s long jump T63 and a silver medal in Men’s 100m T63.

This said, America was eager to watch Ezra represent Team USA in the high jump and long jump in Tokyo.

Frech made his debut on Aug. 28 at 3:51 am PST in the long jump competition where he placed 8th overall, just inches away from an American record in this event.

Ezra then turned his focus on his main event, the high jump, that took place Aug. 31 at 3:25 PST in the Olympic Village. Falling just short of the podium by mere centimeters, the 16-yearold finished 4th in the competition.

Regardless of the outcome, this track star is not discouraged but hungry for more after he posted on his Instagram hours after this gutwrenching loss.

“This one sure is a tough pill to swallow, but I will bounce back. The plot thickens. Now begins the road to Paris 2024,” Frech said.

However, despite his achievements, this Paralympian was ashamed of his own disabilities at one time.

“When I was younger, I didn’t really joke about my disability. I was in a school where I was the only kid with a disability. I sort of had a ‘why me’ mentality and with age I realized that I was born this way,” he said.

Now, this track athlete tours the country as a motivational speaker hoping to be a role model for the younger generations who are unsure if their disability will impair their chances of success.

Frech recalls his favorite memory of the 2016 Paralympics when he was 11, having the chance to meet his

heroes in the sport.

“It was this moment when the universe told me, this is what you’re meant to do, as I’m now coming to these track meets and talking to the little kids.

Five years ago, I was that little kid,” he remarked.

This full circle moment reminded him of his first experience at a triathlon that his parents took him to when he was just six months old. Rudy GarciaTolson was a 16-year-old swimmer at the time and had just qualified for his first Paralympic games in Greece.

Tolson was born with popliteal pterygium syndrome, causing him to have a club foot, webbed fingers on both hands and an inability to straighten his legs. Starting from a wheelchair at the age of 5, undergoing 15 operations and a double amputee of his legs later, he defied the odds and finally made it to the Olympic pool.

“It was huge for my parents to meet another person who had a similar disability. They saw this teenager who just had his stuff figured out. He was cool.

He was walking on two prosthetic legs.

He helped show my parents that it was possible for me to be active and live a happy, normal life,” Ezra said.

Given Ezra’s level of competition, his family wanted to ensure that he was

competing with the most advanced prosthetics. The goal of this technology is to match the athlete’s body so that both perform at their fullest potential.

“How can we make this leg help me become the fastest, the highest and farthest jumper within the boundaries of the Paralympics? It’s so cool,” he beamed.

These precautions are imperative as Frech is known to post videos on his Instagram of him doing one-legged box jumps that are 54 inches high.

In addition to motivational speaking, Ezra has also partnered with the non-profit organization, Angel City Sports. This organization offers a league of disability sports teams with adaptive equipment across Southern California targeting children and veterans.

Nonetheless, one important thing to remember is that Ezra is still a kid.

The athlete made one last post about his remarkable time in Tokyo choosing his last words to be those of Theodore Roosevelt.

“At the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

8

October

Profiles

The Bear Facts

Hogan ‘22 Breaks UAXC 5K Record

By GRACE LAMONT ‘22

“I knew a personal record was in reach and I was going to fight for it,” Amanda Hogan ’22 said.

On Saturday, Aug. 27, Hogan and other cross-country members raced in the morning meet. Since Hogan’s race was going so strongly, she had not even noticed that she was close to a PR, let alone an Ursuline record.

“I had no idea what the Ursuline 5k record even was before I finished! My goal was to race competitively and run to a new personal record,” Hogan said.

After crossing the finish line Hogan felt relieved and proud about her race, unaware she had beaten the Ursuline 5k PR. “When my mom pulled up the records on her phone after the race, I visually scanned the times up the list and found that my time sets me first in the ranks!

I was stunned since the previous record was set back in 1997,” Hogan said.

She finished the 5k race with a time of 17 minutes and 43 seconds.

UAXC hired a new coach this season following the resignation of Dr. Jonathan Moody last year.

“If I took anything away from Dr. Moody as my cross-country coach in the previous seasons, it is how to love running,” Hogan said.

Becky Wade, the new UAXC coach, represented her cross-country team at Rice University and authors a published book called “Run the World,” diving into her personal experiences running across

the world.

“Not only is she an excellent runner and author, but she is also a personal, supportive, and experienced coach,” Hogan said.

She also describes Wade as her “role model athlete.”

As much as Hogan misses Moody’s encouragement, she is overjoyed about her new coach Wade.

of approximately 40 miles a week, six days a week.

“With a partner for sure—it makes running easier, and I am not thinking about the run as much,” Hogan said.

“We also always crack random jokes, making the run more enjoyable.”

Hogan’s longest race was the eightmile Turkey Trot over Thanksgiving break of last year, and she prefers cross

Courtesy of Amanda Hogan ‘22 Hogan gave descriptive insight on her cross-country schedule, strategies and opinions. She stays busy throughout the week, running a total

country over track and field.

“I love morning practice and cross country is less pressure than track, al though the hills are such a quad burner,” Hogan said.

As a competitive runner, nutrition is vital to achieve peak athletic performance. Hogan shares a couple of her favorite go-to snacks before, during and after working out.

“The night before a race, I always ask my mom to make me chicken parmesan. It is the perfect balance of healthy proteins and good carbs,” Hogan said.

While running, random thoughts and cravings normally come to her mind.

“Fruit punch and Sprite were the only things I could think about during the 5k race,” Hogan said.

After a race, run or any workout, she usually drinks a Premier Protein Shake. Her diet is relaxed while she takes her running seriously.

Hogan also shares personal motives that encourage her during runs. “‘The Champion’ by Kelly Clarkson is my favorite song to listen to while running or even before a race,” she said. “It makes me feel confident and strengthens my running goals.”

Hogan has a brightly paved pathway with running which she hopes to maintain in college. She wishes to represent her college running team in both cross country and track. While her unique running habits and traditions encourage her friends, fellow athletes, parents and coaches, her outstanding athletic ability and desire for running makes the Ursuline community proud every day.

Pricklee Cactus Water Brings Refreshing Change to Beverages

By PIPER RUTHERFORD ‘22 A new drink has made a major splash in the beverage market, coming from an unlikely source. A cactus. This new brand called “Pricklee Cactus Water” was invented by five young friends; Sarwang, Jay, Mo, Aakash and Kun, who decided to trade in their white coats as pharmacists for the life of entrepreneurs, proving that it is never too early to start again.

The next time you find yourself roaming the streets of Boston or among the hustle and bustle of New York, keep your eyes peeled for this unlikely bunch as they promote their brand while fashioning green cactus costumes.

“We’re those people in the middle of Times Square, dancing around in suits and giving away cans of Pricklee out to everyone. It is ridiculously fun,” Sarwang laughed.

The idea for the drink was first introduced by Mo, who grew up in Lebanon enjoying a glass of his grandmother’s specialty that tasted like a combination of watermelon and bubble gum.

“Believe me when I tell you that every time she made it, me and my siblings would fight for that last cup,” Mo chuckled.

However, when Mo made this concoction for his friends, much of the same happened as it almost seemed too good to be true.

“That was our cactus moment, if you will, because after just on sip we knew that we had something special,” Kun beamed.

Getting down to the science of the drink, this liquid heaven is made from the puree of a prickly

drink that would appeal to the masses.

“Picture this, you’re going to your local market on a Saturday morning, and you’re greeted by one of us in a cactus suit, how could that not put a smile on your face?” Mo asked.

Not only do these fellows want to

Courtesy of Google Images pear which is the fruit that is found on the top of cacti.

“The first question that you have is ‘cacti have fruit?’” Jay snickered.

Nonetheless, the friends hit the ground running and sought to set themselves apart from the competitive beverage market and use their knowledge in the medical field to help them construct a guilt free

make people happy, but they also want to make them healthy.

“We had a passion for helping people and we met in Boston after pharmacy school and decided to put our degrees to good use,” Aakash said.

This said, the doctors’ intention of being health conscious succeeded in formulating a drink that serves as an alternative to coconut water. The only

exceptions are that Pricklee contains significantly fewer calories and sugar but half the fat content.

Even now after launching their product in February of 2021, these friends cannot believe how one conversation about a mere pipe dream sold out of its first batch in the first four weeks and then went on to sell 30 cases a quarter to 15,000 cases in a single month.

“We called him out on his bluff, and we lost that day,” Jay said as he shook his head.

Now this business is thriving in all environments across the country as the flavors of Prickly Pear, Strawberry Hibiscus and Mango Ginger are proving to be in high demand and well received by the public.

Still working their day jobs as pharmacists, the group hopes to be full time entrepreneurs by the end of the year as they reflect on their humble beginnings that brought them to where they are today, owing everything to their parents.

“We are the representation that the American dream is alive and well.

We’re that textbook example of firstgeneration Americans whose families sacrificed everything to give us the opportunities that they didn’t have,” Kun said.

.

The Bear Facts

Profiles

.

9

October

Crossword

By The Ursuline Crossword Puzzle Club

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Modest is hottest, version of shorts 2. Michael Meyers’ debut film 10. Senior powderpuff prediction, (past tense) 11. Anger, rage even 12. Y2k pants trend 14. Jesuit’s own Rockettes 16. Coughed 19. Part-time, for most students 20. Student’s plea the night before an essay is due, abbr.

21. Easy as ___!

22. full of bubbles, perhaps 24. The wrath of College Board 25. “Does ___one have a brick?”

1. Plural, abbr.

2. Word to describe 26 Across attendees 3. Neither ___ 4. Elementary school insult 5. Compass direction, abbr.

8. “To be,” in Latin 9. Constant Ursuline student need 10. One might consult him when looking for a word 13. Track 9 on Swift’s Reputation 14. Shown at orientation, in a way 15. One you’re no longer with, maybe 17. Siri or Alexa 18. Chalamet and Zendaya movie, plural 19. “This is my ___!”

23. Adios 27. A fight in Harry Potter, usually with wands 28. Monty Python’s “Knights who say ___” 29. teenage ___ 30. Shower 31. Home of the Razorbacks 32. extinct flightless bird 35. The status to be stuck to, in High School Musical 37. 30 across, in Latin 40. This month, abbr.

43. First syllable of Solfege 44. Either ___

26. “America: a Lexicon in Fashion” event 27. Deoxyribonucleic acid, abbr.

30. “__ Guy,” by Billie Eilish 33. Tiny, in Manchester 34. Feature of 14-across hat 36. Candle scents 38.__ Morgue, in Edgar Allen Poe’s detective story 39. “___ milk?”

41. A or B? 42. Retro; or what Ursuline is literally 45. Animal that holds hands while they sleep

Join the Crossword Puzzle Club!

10

Features

October

The Bear Facts

Entering East Campus

By AVA MYCHEL RODRIGUEZ ‘24 As students at Ursuline Academy of Dallas anticipated coming back to school full time for the 2021-2022 schoolyear, a new addition to Ursuline’s campus awaited them: the East Campus building.

Last year, teachers, students, and members of the Ursuline community eagerly awaited the new building as they observed it while it was erected.

“I just remember I didn’t know there was so much land over here, I thought there was just space for a small house, but when I saw the building being built, I was surprised but glad,” said Emma Louviere ’22.

Louviere also said what it was like to begin having classes in East Campus, as the building opened for the first time this schoolyear.

“I was more excited to attend classes in the East Campus rather than the Main Campus the first day of school, but I’m glad to still have classes in the Main Hall because it keeps the tradition of Ursuline while having new innovation,” she said.

The project architect of the new building is partnering with Glenn | Partners Rachel Westmoreland Chapman ’10, who according to Ursulinedallas.org, “her passion for architecture was born her senior year of high school when Ursuline held a two-week career shadowing program for different industries.”

As of right now, current Ursuline

students can start to enjoy engineering and fabrication labs and new learning spaces for English and Social Studies.

Sophomore Nicole Estrada described her reaction to when the beginning part of the building was finished.

“My first thought when I saw the new building was how beautiful it was,” she said, “I love how it includes the Ursuline colors, and I feel that it

cal because the light and open features doesn’t make you feel stuffed in a classroom. It feels more innovative and modern, and open for ideas! Then, after class I can go outside and work on my homework. Plus, it smells really good,” she said. Teachers Ms. Smith and Dr. Griffin agree with Sofia on the light aspect of the new building.

“My favorite part is the space and

Courtesy of Ava Mychel Rodriguez ‘24

represents a new chapter of Ursuline.”

For Sofia Velesiotis ’24, the features of the East Campus enhance her favorite class, English.

“There is a ton of light and it is very modern! It’s almost psychologi-

the fact of how light and open it is! Especially, how spacious it is and there is a better location with a view,” journalism and yearbook teacher Ms. Smith said.

Dr. Griffin feels similarly on her favorite part of East Campus.

“All of the natural light! But also:

the giant whiteboard and sharing with teacher friends who love to collaborate on the design and decor of the space,” she said.

As well, English teacher Dr. Griffin described her journey to her new room.

“For the past two years I have been a nomad, along with many other members of the English Department, as my classrooms have been all over campus: in math, computer science, theology, and social studies rooms! Prior to that, I was in downstairs Main Hall—where the business offices are currently located. I loved having a room tucked away from all the hubbub—a quiet little reading/writing nook!” she wrote.

She also added how her new classroom is more beneficial for students.

“The new desks in particular: I love that they easily adjust for students of every height,” she said.

Construction on the East Campus continues as Ursuline adds more features to the building.

Soon, students will be able to enjoy new visual and performing arts classrooms, a broadcast studio, a chapel and a theater with 1,000 seats.

Nicole Estrada ’24 summed up the overall feeling and perspective on East Campus.

“Learning at the East Campus feels like a whole new world! I feel so thankful to attend such an amazing school, and I can’t wait for future students to enjoy the new campus,” she said.

California: Too Hot to Handle

By OLIVIA GRAY ‘22 For years now, California has been a hot spot for relentless wildfires during the summer and early fall. And they are only growing each season. Millions of acres of land have been victims of the fires that rip through California leaving nothing in their tracks.

As California first responders battle countless wildfires throughout the state this year, there are two fires in Northern California that refuse to let up: The Caldor and Dixie Wildfires.

The Caldor fire, just 65 miles away from the popular vacation destination Lake Tahoe, has been ablaze since Aug. 14. After battling the fire for 31 days, fire fighters have managed to contain only 70 percent of the 219,267-acre fire.

Stanislaus County Fire Chief Jeff Gregory told ABC10 that one of the counties volunteer fire fighters, Richard Gerety, is suffering severe burns covering 20 percent of his body after battling the Caldor Fire on Aug. 28.

“Gerety was taken to a burn center for treatment with second and thirddegree burns on his hands, the back of his arms, and legs,” Gregory said.

According to U.S Fire Administration, in 2019 the outdoor fire casualties’ percent of injuries were 10.2, that is more than twice the national average of 4.5.

As the Caldor fire moved closer to

the popular destination of Lake Tahoe, many residents were given evacuation orders. The left their whole lives behind fearing that they may return to a plot of ash and soot.

Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort took matters into their own hands and turned their snow cannons into oversized hoses soaking all of their equipment on the hill such as buildings, ski lifts a n d propane

The resort did acquire some property damage, but because of their idea to turn the snow blowers to towards their infrastructures, all buildings were saved.

According to Cal Fire “81 structures have been damaged, and 1,003 structures have been destroyed.” These structures include but are not limited to residential and commercial buildings.

The cause to this fire is still under investigation.

Unlike the Caldor fire threatening the nearby L a k e Tahoe region in just the last 30 days, the Dixie tanks.

Fire has been Resort ablaze since July Manager 13 covering just John Rice told under a million acres the Chronicle “It of land over a 63-day pecame in from the Courtesy of The Washington Post riod. Approximately west side, almost 960,470 acres have a bullseye right tobeen affected by this wards us, this big wall of fire.” fire and only 75 percent of this fire has

been contained as of Sept. 15.

If this fire continues to grow, it will soon be designated as a gigafire. This term is hardly used, for many wildfires never consume more than a million acres.

According to The Washington Post article “Anatomy of a wildfire: How the Dixie Fire became the Largest Blaze of a Devastating Summer” the Dixie Fire has now burned “an area larger than New York City, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles combined.”

This fire is about 15 miles away from the town of Paradise, California. The Paradise wildfire broke headlines last year after burning the whole city down in less than 24 hours.

Residents within this near millionacre radius have suffered through unexpected evacuations, poor air quality and the uncertainty if their home will be affected.

CAL Fire has reported that so far “95 structures have been damaged and 1,329 destroyed.”

These two fires are still not 100 percent contained and first responders are working around the state to not only put out wildfires, but also prevent future ones. There is still no reasoning as to how these fires have stared, but as a whole many people blame the changing

climate.

The Bear Facts

.

Features

.

11

October

Celsius: Worth the Hype?

By ELLE DE LA GARZA ‘22 With 200mg of caffeine and a claim of many promising benefits, Celsius has taken the world by storm. But does Celsius really reach up to its claims? Let’s talk about what this product promises to its buyers.

Standing apart from other competitors, such as Red Bull, Celsius provides healthy energy from vitamins and mineral, while also being free of sugar and preservatives.

Celsius claims that its new, natural energy drink boosts metabolism, increases energy, burns fat and boosts endurance.

Katharine Bales ’22 agrees with these claims and said, “I tried one yesterday and it changed my life.”

Celsius’ ingredients include green tea, guarana, ginger root, chromium, taurine and caffeine. These ingredients are the backbone to Celsius’ claims. Green tea has been proven to be beneficial for weight loss by increasing the levels of hormones that signal fat cells to break down fat. Guarana and ginger root have been proven

to increase the metabolic rate. Chromium is minerals found in supplements and foods. Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid which helps metabolize fats. Lastly, Celsius contains 200mg of caffeine—which is more than a cup of coffee, a 16oz monster energy drinks, a 8.3oz Red Bull or any generic soda. These ingredients confirm Celsius’ claims of high energy boosts and weight loss.

Jenna Gidcomb ’22 explains that she first had a Celsius before her cycle class and had a good experience.

“It definitely gave me energy,” she said.

“I drink them before my volleyball games and before I work out.”

Not only does Celsius market well with the brand’s appealing can designs, but it also offers many different flavors and variants. The most popular flavors, which you might see in the hands of Ursuline students, are Sparkling Wild Berry, Sparking Kiwi Guava, Sparkling Strawberry Guava, Peach Vibe,

Peach Mango, Sparkling Watermelon, Grapefruit Melon, Sparkling Orange, Sparking Fiji Apple Pear, Cola and Sparkling Grape. Grace Lamont, Emma Kenchel and Tess Bowers, all seniors at Ursuline, agree that watermelon is the best flavor.

Although Celsius receives mostly positive feedback on its flavors, some people are not fans of the taste.

“It tastes too sweet,” Lily Moayedi ’22 said.

Apart from the original flavors, Celsius has also come out different varieties. This includes Celsius Heat, which provides 100mg more of caffeine; Celsius BCAA, which helps rebuild and and replenish after workout; Celsius Stevia, which is sweetened with Stevia and naturally caffeinated with green coffee bean extract and Celsius On-the-Go, which includes powder stick packets that are both compact and easy for traveling.

Breanne Tehan, proud supporter of

Celsius and a senior at Ursuline, claims that Celsius makes her workouts better and doesn’t taste artificial like other energy drinks. Comparing Celsius On-the-Go to a “money bargain,” she explains that “it is cheaper because you can get 14 packets for $14.” She also prefers the Celsius packets because “you can alter the taste by adding more water, it’s easy on the go and you don’t waste cans.”

Not only is Celsius a trend among Gen Z, but it also appeals to a different ranges of age groups. For example, even Gerald Louviere, father of Emma Louviere ’22, believes in the magic of Celsius.

“He drinks one before his daily walks and believes drinking it will burn his fat,” Emma said.

Even my own dad came up to me one day and said, “I really like those Celsius drink things! I got a lot of energy from them.”

According to an article in Med Alert help, caffeine consumptions statistics show that 85 percent of people in the U.S. consume at least one caffeinated drink a day. If more than half of Americans run on caffeine, why not switch to a healthier energy drink like Celsius?

Freshman Dance Through the Decades

By EMMA LOUVIERE ‘22 Sirens, Whistles and Kazoo’s all signal one thing at Ursuline: The Freshman Dance. As seniors herd the freshman into a line, the music starts. From the first note to the final bow, green fobs fly as each freshman dances to a 5-minute mixed track. The tradition is common to all Ursuline students of the 2000’s, but it originated from the bigsis tradition of the 90’s.

“In the early 90’s, late 80’s Ursuline used to have big sisters and little sisters. It was common for a big sister to ‘kidnap’ a little sister and take her out to get breakfasts in her pajama’s,” Ms. Cecilia Nipp 86’ said, “But not every big sister would pull these shenanigans so there wasn’t anything that was distributed equally to all the freshman on campus.”

Some freshmen wanted to be involved in the lighthearted antics but weren’t provided with the opportunity. Finally, around the late 90’s the freshman dance appeared at Ursuline to welcome all freshman in the same way.

Today we teach the freshman the dance on the first day of school. Each class lines up trying desperately to outperform the next. Finally, the seniors take the stage first performing their own dance and then performing the incoming freshman dance. This ac-

tion provides a symbolic note that all seniors were once in the freshmen’s same shoes. But in the late 90’s the freshmen welcome was a little different.

Once all the freshmen had the choreography down, they would perform at lunches. “We never knew when we were going to have to dance, a senior would just turn on the music and it was

“We learned the dance at lock-in,” Holly Heft ‘03 said, “It was right before school started in the cafeteria.” Lock-in was similar to what we now call freshman welcome. All of the freshmen would sleep over at Ursuline before school began, part of orientation was learning the freshman dance.

time to start” Heft said. “It was a bonding thing, no one was ever singled out or forced to do it.”

Ali Montemayor’s ‘03 senior class loved the freshman dance so much they taught it to the teachers. “As a surprise at intramurals, we taught the teachers the dance and on finale day they all did

it.”

“No one was ever embarrassed to do it because they were doing it alongside their class,” Montemayor said.

Today, the tradition lives on with each senior class putting together a 5-minute dance for their own freshmen.

Kate Lynch 22’ was in charge of choregraphing this year’s freshman dance.

“I was inspired to do it by my seniors as a freshman” Lynch said, “They were so inclusive, and I think it’s a really cool way for the seniors to give back to the freshman class.”

Lynch’s favorite part of this year’s dance is how it incorporated intramural’s themes. In the middle of the Class of 2025 freshman dance there is a time for each of the Class of 2022 themes to have a spotlight: Grinch music for freshman year, You’ve Got A Friend in Me for sophomore year, and finally the Harry Potter intro.

The senior class of 2022 is known for their infamous fourth place placement sophomore year in intramurals. They even included a snip it of them losing in the music. “I think it’s cool to think our intramurals experiences are going to live on forever in the dance,” Lynch said.

So next time whistles, kazoos or sirens sound, keep in mind the thousands of girls that danced before you.

12

October

Spread

The Bear Facts

The Science Behind Hurricane Ida’s Strength

By CARLISLE MYERS ’22 Hurricane Ida finally dissipated Sept. 4, but the damage she left remains to be dealt with.

The hurricane, currently classified a Category 4 hurricane by the National Weather Service, touched down Aug. 5 on the coast of Louisiana.

It became a tropical depression Aug. 30, then a tropical cyclone, absorbing into another developing low as it reached the Northeast.

Second only to Hurricane Katrina, which cost $125 billion, Ida is the second-most damaging hurricane to hit Louisi- ana. She left 109 citizens dead a n d thousands injured, with over $50 billion in damages.

Normally, hurricanes move at an average speed of 20 miles per hour, on ocean or on land, and slow down as they lose power. Ida, however, stalled to about 10 miles per hour over Louisiana, increasing damage in a more concentrated space.

This is uncommon for hurricanes, but with the rise of global warming, warmer air and ocean temperatures are slowing down tropical storms to a concerning degree.

The University of WisconsinMadison reported in 2020 that according to their data, hurricane severity is increasing as temperatures on Earth climb.

Collaborating researcher James Kossin noted in his report that “just a 10 percent slowdown in hurricane translational speed can more than double rainfall totals caused by a one-degree Celsius increase of global warming.”

Kossin, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, published a paper in 2018 comparing 68 years of forward translation speeds, or the speed at which a hurricane moves.

According to Kossin’s works, warmer temperatures smooth out differences between two important air pressure systems, resulting in less forceful movements needed to push hurricanes along.

A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, allowing for an already saturated storm like a hurricane to carry more water and drop it over

land.

An example of this is Hurricane Harvey in 2017: after stalling over Houston for days, it poured over 50 inches of rain onto the city and surrounding areas.

Although Harvey’s behavior is not directly due to climate change, Kossin says storms like these are examples of the increased risks cities face when storms slow down.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that tropical cyclone behavior is changing in very dangerous ways all across the globe as the planet warms,” he told reporter Eric Verbeten in January. “This can have huge impacts to cities that are not used to seeing these types of storms hit their shores.”

Officials and citizens also question their cities’ readiness for more serious storms.

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards recently completed a $14 billion plan to upgrade New Orleans’s water levees, which catastrophically failed in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina.

They held up against Hurricane Ida, passing their toughest test since they were built.

But experts worry even the levees aren’t enough for future storms.

Bea Link, a senior research engineer at the University of Maryland, notes that the government used a “benefitcost” analysis to build the levees, meaning the levees will need to be reinforced sooner, was a mistake.

Link served as director of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force, which conducted the forensic assessment of levee failures for the Defense Department after Katrina.

The problem with a benefit cost analysis, according to Link, is that the government is basing their levee designs on a standard that is nor based on how much risk a community can live with—instead, they’re based on past storm losses or expected insurance costs.

She worries that with global warming, the levees and the more powerful storms could be a recipe for disaster.

“In an era where global warming is

causing more intense storms, higher storm surges, and more rainfall, using such outdated factors is inadequate,” she said.

Hurricane Ida is one of many severe hurricanes to come, and Link stresses the importance of correct protection, especially for cities below sea level such as New Orleans.

“We’re stuck on a record with a glitch in it,” she said. “We’re stuck in this one place in the soundtrack, and we can’t get by it.” between two important air pressure systems, resulting in less forceful movements needed to push hurricanes along.

A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, allowing for an already saturated storm like a hurricane to carry more water and drop it over land.

An example of this is Hurricane Harvey in 2017: after stalling over Houston for days, it poured over 50 inches of rain onto the city and surrounding areas.

Although Harvey’s behavior is not directly due to climate change, Kossin says storms like these are examples of the increased risks cities face when storms slow down.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that tropical cyclone behavior is changing in very dangerous ways all across the globe as the planet warms,” he told reporter Eric Verbeten in January. “This can have huge impacts to cities that are not used to seeing these types of storms hit their shores.”

Officials and citizens also question their cities’ readiness for more serious storms.

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards recently completed a $14 billion plan to upgrade New Orleans’s water levees, which catastrophically failed in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina.

They held up against Hurricane Ida, passing their toughest test since they were built.

But experts worry even the levees aren’t enough for future storms.

Bea Link, a senior research engineer at the University of Maryland, notes that the government used a “benefit-cost” analysis to build the levees, meaning the levees will need to

be reinforced sooner, was a mistake.

Link served as director of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force, which conducted the forensic assessment of levee failures for the Defense Department after Katrina.

The problem with a benefit cost analysis, according to Link, is that the government is basing their levee designs on a standard that is nor based on how much risk a community can live with—instead, they’re based on past storm losses or expected insurance costs.

She worries that with global warming, the levees and the more powerful storms could be a recipe for disaster.

“In an era where global warming is causing more intense storms, higher storm surges, and more rainfall, using such outdated factors is inadequate,” she said.

Hurricane Ida is one of many severe hurricanes to come, and Link stresses the importance of correct protection, especially for cities below sea level such as New Orleans.

“We’re stuck on a record with a glitch in it,” she said. “We’re stuck in this one place in the soundtrack, and we can’t get by it.” agency Performance Evaluation Task Force, which conducted the forensic assessment of levee failures for the Defense Department after Katrina.

The problem with a benefit cost analysis, according to Link, is that the government is basing their levee designs on a standard that is nor based on how much risk a community can live with—instead, they’re based on past storm losses or expected insurance costs.

She worries that with global warming, the levees and the more powerful storms could be a recipe for disaster.

“In an era where global warming is causing more intense storms, higher storm surges, and more rainfall, using such outdated factors is inadequate,” she said.

The Bear Facts

.

Spread

.

13

October

How Hurricane Ida Affects Our Ursuline Family

By AVERY ZULICK ‘22 Lasting from Aug. 26 through Sept.

4, Hurricane Ida was identified as the second-most destructive and deadly hurricane ever recorded to hit the state of Louisiana.

Before making landfall at 150mph, residents of Louisiana were warned to evacuate their homes immediately.

Weather experts deemed the hurricane as “life-threatening” and compared Ida to 2005 Hurricane Katrina that ultimately killed over 1,800 people.

As a Category 4 hurricane, Ida reached New Orleans but downgraded to a Category 1 storm as it traveled inland. Ida left severe damage to buildings, trees and powerlines not only in Louisiana, but also along the east coast up to New York. Thousands of civilians, including students at Tulane University and family members of Ursuline students and faculty, remain unable to return to campus and their homes.

Class of 2021 Ursuline alum and current Tulane freshman Brooke Horowitz is one of many Tulane students who evacuated before Ida hit.

“We had no idea how bad the hurricane was going to be until the day before it hit and by then, if you had not left, it was too late,” Horowitz said.

Considering the amount of damage and lack of power in New Orleans after the hurricane, Tulane students were evacuated to Houston. From there, they were able to fly home or find a temporary place to stay. Horowitz was thankful to have flown home safely to her family in Dallas before airports became packed due to mandatory evacuations.

The city of New Orleans experienced severe damage to its power grid, leaving Tulane students unable to continue their classes virtually. Oct. 7 is the projected date that Tulane students will be able to return to campus. An additional two weeks of online classes will take place prior.

Horowitz said, “Tulane was overall very lucky considering that most major damage from the hurricane was further West.”

While affecting the lives of Tulane students, Ida has

also affected students and faculty, including Ms. Brown, Ursuline Academy’s Dean of Students.

“Growing up in South Louisiana, you get used to hurricanes and how to prepare for them; however, Ida was the worst to hit Houma, where I am from and where my family lives now,” Brown said.

Brown’s family, including her parents, sister, brother-in-law and their two children, were able to evacuate safely and travel to stay with her in the meantime. However, packing up and leaving their home not knowing whether it would still be standing when they returned was frightening. They packed all their sentimental items and drove to Texas.

“They also came with their dogs and hamster so you can imagine that drive!”

Brown said.

Brown considers herself very lucky to be able to provide her family with a home to stay in and receive support from the Ursuline community.

“I have always known that the Ursuline community was a special one, but I have been blown away in the last couple of weeks. Our technology department lent out hot spares to my niece and nephew, who are 12 and 13 years old and now able to do some learning from my house using Khan Academy and other platforms. Mrs. Brewer in the bookstore donated school supplies and books, so they do some English and writing work as well,” she said.

While receiving constant updates from close friends who stayed in Houma, Brown’s family members still know very little about when they will be able to return to their home. As of now, many surrounding areas remain without power and gas lines. As soon as her family’s neighborhoods restore power, her family will be able t o go back home and hopefully resume their normal lives. mandatory evacuations.

The city of New Orleans experienced severe damage to its power grid, leaving Tulane students unable to continue their classes virtually. Oct. 7 is the projected date that Tulane students will be able to return to campus. An additional two weeks of online classes

will take place prior.

Horowitz said, “Tulane was overall very lucky considering that most major damage from the hurricane was further West.”

While affecting the lives of Tulane students, Ida has also affected students and faculty, including Ms. Brown, Ursuline Academy’s Dean of Students.

“Growing up in South Louisiana, you get used to hurricanes and how to prepare for them; however, Ida was the worst to hit Houma, where I am from and where my family lives now,” Brown said.

Brown’s family, including her parents, sister, brother-in-law and their two children, were able to evacuate safely and travel to stay with her in the meantime. However, packing up and leaving their home not knowing whether it would still be standing when they returned was frightening.

They packed all their sentimental items and drove to Texas.

“They also came with their dogs and hamster so you can imagine that drive!” Brown said.

Brown considers herself very lucky to be able to provide her family with a home to stay in and receive support from the Ursuline community.

“I have always known that the Ursuline community was a special one, but I have been blown away in the last couple of weeks.

Our technology department lent out hot spares to my niece and nephew, who are 12 and 13 years old and now able to do some learning from my house using Khan Academy and other platforms. Mrs. Brewer in the bookstore donated school supplies and books, so they do some English and writing work as well,” she said.

While receiving constant updates from close friends who stayed in Houma, Brown’s family members still know very little about when they will be able to return to their

home. As of now, many surrounding areas remain without power and gas lines. As soon as her family’s neighborhoods restore power, her family will be able to go back home and hopefully resume their normal lives.

“Ursuline community was a special one, but I have been blown away in the last couple of weeks. Our technology department lent out hot spares to my niece and nephew, who are 12 and 13 years old and now able to do some learning from my house using Khan Academy and other platforms. Mrs. Brewer in the bookstore donated school supplies and books, so they do some English and writing work as well,” she said.

While receiving constant updates from close friends who stayed in Houma, Brown’s family members still know very little about when they will be able to return to their home.

As of now, many surrounding areas remain without power and gas lines. As soon as her fam- ily’s neighborhoods restore power, her family will be able to go back home and hopefully resume their normal lives.

14

Global

October

The Bear Facts

Taliban Infringes on Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

By ISABELLE BRUTY ‘22

On July 12, 2021, an innocent mother was brutally murdered by Taliban fighters in her Faryab home.

In the same month, both women and girls were forcefully rounded up to be married to Taliban soldiers or sold into sex slavery. Now, just under two months later, the Taliban has restricted university education for women alongside men in Afghanistan. The list of injustices goes on.

After about 20 years of absence, the Taliban has seized government power following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan on Aug. 15. Since then, they have gained control of practically every district of the country, causing fear and chaos to ensue among Afghan citizens, especially women.

Because Ursuline is an all-girls school, dedicated to the mission of supporting the development of strong, independent young women, this issue must be

recognized. It is a feminist matter that corrupts equity and is currently devastating the lives of many women and children.

Historically, the Taliban regime effectively eliminated basic human rights for women. They were ousted from the workforce, unable to attend school, could not leave their home without the company of a male relative and were forced to wear full-coverage garments.

Women were even restricted from receiving proper healthcare, as they were prohibited to see male doctors, yet women were not able to assume medical positions or any other occupation by law.

Since their recent reoccupation of Afghanistan, the situation has only escalated for the worse.

A new generation of women, unfamiliar with the strict terror the

Taliban has inflicted in the past, have lived with inalienable rights.

Unlike women in the 90s, who were brutally beaten and even killed for disobeying Taliban laws, they could own businesses, wear clothing freely, and get an education.

Now, specifically in the capital city of Kabul, the street is completely empty of women. Any woman who is on the streets is wearing a burqa, a customary black Islamic garment that was considered untraditional in the city, with a male escort. All female-run businesses, restaurants, and hair salons have closed down for an indeterminate amount of time.

The direct impact on women is even altering the field of journalism, as many female reporters are also being affected by the harsh regulations set by Taliban officials.

An unknown source, who herself is an Afghan journalist, has been changing her address so that the Taliban officers will not be able to find her.

“I don’t know what will happen to me, because if they find me, they will kill me,” she said.

Fox News has protected her identity for this very reason. Additionally, popular CNN broadcast journalist Clarissa Ward,

prior to the Taliban takeover of Kabul, was wearing her traditional work attire on camera. However, just hours after their reappearance, she was recorded completely covered in a black burqa.

Many political figures are displaying their concern for the fate of women and young girls in the country and are hoping to keep an active stance on the issue.

French President Emmanuel Macron said, “Afghan women have the right to live in freedom and dignity.”

Additionally, President Joe Biden stated that the U.S. military can try to get as many women out of Afghanistan as possible.

He said, “The way to deal with [women’s rights] is putting economic, diplomatic, and international pressure on [leaders] to change their behavior.”

The Taliban leaders are trying to rationalize their inhumane actions toward women, stating that they are connecting the rights of women within the context of the Islamic rules, which is not the case. With the future of Afghanistan unknown, it is difficult to imagine the future of women and children. With international help, however, it is possible to seek justice and secure the rights that Afghan women deserve.

Afghanistan: Where Did the U.S. Go Wrong?

By SOFIA VELESIOTIS ‘24

October 1999: The United Nations Security Council enforced Resolution 1267. This names Taliban and Sanctions Committee in addition to al-Qaeda, terrorist and extremist-related. Because sanctions were imposed due to this, the Taliban quickly began to fund the terrorist operations.

2011: Osama bin Laden is killed by U.S. force. President Obama confirms the slow withdrawal of U.S. troops over time from Afghanistan. A large majority of the American population does not agree with the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Peace pacts are even being made with the Taliban.

2017: President Donald Trump drops a nuclear bomb, said to be the strongest bomb dropped by the U.S. It is dropped on Islamic State militant-related figures.

September 2001: Merely a few days away from 9/11, Ahmad Shah Massoud, leader of the Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban organization, was assassinated by al- Qaeda personnel. This was the ‘opening act’ before the 9/11 attacks two days later. Al – Qaeda operatives seized four US commercial planes and were ultimately 75% successful in their mission of destroying the Twin Towers and ruining a sizeable portion of the Pentagon. Passengers seized the fourth plane fourth plane before it could reach the desired destination. President George Bush vowed to “win the war against terrorism” and threatened the terrorist group’s leaders.

With the aid of Britain’s funds, the US started their bombings against the Taliban, ultimately initiating Operation Enduring Freedom (Global War on Terrorism). Many other

2009: Obama is elected, he confirms the continuous help in Afghanistan. Karzai is reelected in November of 2009, and President Obama promises to up Afghanistan’s protection and encourage Afghans to fight as well.

Aug. 15, 2021:Just as NATO Security predicted, the Taliban pounces and seizes Kabul, ultimately crumbling the Afghan government which the U.S. had worked so long to restore. Current President Ghani leaves the same day, only a bit earlier, and former President Karzai and Abdullah scramble to create a council which ensures a peaceful transition of power. The Taliban ensures there would be absolutely no conferences or peace treaties up until all non-Afghanistan troops left the country. The next day on Aug. 16, 2021, President Biden addresses the nation(s), exclaiming the troop withdrawal was immensely correct. Biden then deploys troops to the Afghan Kabul Airport in order to ensure all Americans, Afghan allies, and Afghan

Dec. 5, 2001: In December, bin Laden escapes his doom after being tracked. Factions sign the Bonn Agreement, backed by Resolution 1383.

Iranian help is identified, and 15 days later, the UN Security Council Resolution 1386, solidifies the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF

2020: The U.S. signs a peace treaty with Afghanistan. There is no immediate cease-fire, and the fighting continues up until the peace treaty is confirmed and a date is set. Within the country, both opposers, the Taliban and the Afghan government, bring themselves to negotiate peace treaties. Whilst the Afghan government pleads for a cease-fire, the Taliban is unwavering and strikes back, asking for Afghanistan to be led by a religious, Islamic type of system April 14, 2021: Newly elected President Joe Biden decides to pull out all U.S. power and from Afghanistan by 9/11. A rather symbolic ending to this continuous strife, it would solidify the end of the war on the 20th anniversary of the tragic 9/11.

The Bear Facts

.

Global

.

15

October

The Joes Return to Dallas

By KATHARINE BALES ‘22

Two Ugandan priests named Father Joe—one tall and one short— lighten the mood with their dancing, laughing and singing every time they set foot on our campus, and this fall they finally came back to the Academy after a two-year hiatus.

According to the global department, delegations visit Uganda in collaboration with the Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, Uganda rather than with a fellow Ursuline school. Whenever students visit, they learn about how the Catholic Church serves communities in Africa, as well as numerous nonprofit sites dedicated to helping women and babies. Visiting Ursuline girls also have the opportunity to form close relationships with students at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Kampala.

In August the two beloved “Father Joes” from this global partnership in Uganda made a muchawaited return to Dallas, making them our first international guests since before the pandemic. They explored the newly completed east campus building, visited individual classes and added to their evergrowing knowledge of United States traditions.

For example, Father Joe Short

recalls learning about buffet-style meals in America during one of his first visits.

“It’s a place where you pay, go in and eat,” he said. “When I first went, I put my plate aside and thought I would have to pay for more. There’s such a permanency of food here! In my country you have to pay for every refill.”

Father Joe Tall fondly recounts his favorite memories from previous Ursuline delegation visits to Uganda.

“Madison Haley became a celebrity,” he said jokingly, referring to a heated soccer tournament between the two delegations.

Haley ’17, who recently finished playing soccer for Stanford University, had blown away the Kampala locals with her soccer

skills on a past trip.

“They had never seen a girl— much less an African or AfricanAmerican girl—play soccer like that,” Ursuline’s director of global relations Cecilia Nipp ’85 said.

The Joes said they admire Ursuline students’ confidence in their pursuit of not only their athletics, but also academic success.

“You are living in a very free country, so you are very confident in yourselves,” Father Joe Tall said.

Going into the priesthood, the Father Joes experienced their respective challenges with family and other career options.

“Many kids in Uganda want to be priests,” Father Joe Tall said, “but my father wanted me to get married and do business.”

However, both he and Father Joe Short became drawn to the priesthood after completing their college education; here they initiated their lifelong friendship.

The Father Joes met in the seminary and have been inseparable ever since.

They have inspired

each other to be priests from the start of their friendship.

“I wanted to get away from the seminary,” Father Joe Tall said, “but he helped me to cope with the environment. He’s a great saint, I’m telling you.”

Father Joe Short had initially studied to be a medical doctor in college but later decided to enter the priesthood instead.

“As you grow, you start finding your attraction,” he said. “One night I went to bed and closed my eyes. Something asked me, ‘What do you want to be?’ And that is how I decided to become a priest.”

Both of them, despite how they felt at first, ultimately chose this vocation as Catholic priests.

Before leaving for Uganda again, the Father Joes share their most cherished pieces of advice.

“A very old priest whom I despised advised me, ‘Be yourself and use what God gave you,’” Father Joe Tall said.

Father Joe Short added, “My high school physics teacher always said, ‘Never build your life on regret.’”

With that, the Joes departed for Uganda Saturday, Sept. 4. Until the next time they can return to Dallas for future visits, the UA community will miss their joyful personalities!

Kitten Found on UA Campus Lauren Goree ‘22 found a black kitten wandering Ursuline’s campus on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Wish him luck as he looks for his “forever home”!

16

Entertainment

October

The Bear Facts

Listening in October: This Month’s Album Releases

By AVA MYCHEL RODRIGUEZ ‘22 As October approaches, many musical artists of all styles prepare to release their next albums. Below is a list of a few of these artists’ newest releases and what is known about them so far.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet-Love For Sale (October 1): Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet’s second album, Love For Sale, will follow their release of Cheek to Cheek in 2014.

Gaga, 35, revealed on I n - stagram that Bennet, 95, had called her the day Cheek to Cheek dropped and asked Gaga to record a sophomore album, now featuring songs by Cole Porter.

“I’m always honored to sing with my friend Tony, so of course I accepted the invitation,” Gaga wrote in an Instagram caption announcing the new album.

Love for Sale will be out in October.

Coldplay-Music of The Spheres (October 15): Award-winning band Coldplay’s ninth studio album, produced with Max Martin, Music of the Spheres, will be what Billboard. com describes as “an interstellar journey.” The band announced their newest LP on twitter

July 20th, with an additional album visual entitled Overtura. Coldplay has released one song off the album “Coloratura,” and their next single is set to come out in September. Music of the Spheres is available to pre-save on Spotify and Apple Music now and will be released October 15th.

Finneas-Optimist (October 15): Finneas’ debut album, Optimist, will feature a track list of 13 songs. Currently three songs, “The 90s,” “What They’ll Say About Us” and “A Concert Six Months From Now” are released.

Optimist will follow EP Blood Harmony, which was released in 2019, as well as the albums he has recently produced with sister Billie Eilish, among them being 2021’s Happier Than Ever. After the release of his first album on October 15th , Finneas will embark on a North American Tour, starting in San Diego on October 25th and finishing November 21st in Toronto, Canada.

Duran Duran-Future Past (October 22): British band Duran Duran is celebrating their 40th musical anniversary with their new single “ANNIVERSARY,” from their next album FUTURE PAST. Duran Duran bassist and founder John Taylor said in a state-

ment on their website, Duranduran. com, that “‘ANNIVERSARY’ is a special song for us…After playing and working together for so long, we very much appreciate what ‘being together’ and ‘staying together’ can really mean, it’s not something we would have thought song worthy 40 years ago but we do today! It was also fun to build a track with hints of previous Duran hits, they’re like Easter eggs, for the fans to find.” Along with “ANNIVERSARY,” an additional single “MORE JOY!” featuring Chai Taken has recently dropped. To see the multi-platinum band perform live, they will be at Global Citizen Live, September 25th, and headlining Austin City Limits Music Festival, October 3&10. FUTURE PAST is available to pre-order now but will be available on both digital and physical platforms on October 22nd.

Remi Wolf-Juno (October 15): As Remi Wolf’s debut album, Juno, includes 13 new songs, including “Quiet on Set,” “Liquor Store” and “Grumpy Old Man,” which have already released. In a statement on Pitchfork.com, Wolf re-

vealed the inspiration behind the name of the album: “The album is named Juno after my beautiful dog I adopted during lockdown. He ended up being in every single writing session for this album and I consider him my partner, witness, and support in the making of this record.” Juno will drop October 15th.

Elton John-The Lockdown Sessions (October 22): Pop superstar Elton John is releasing his newest album The Lockdown Sessions, on October 22nd.

The album will feature 16 songs, with a diverse list of collaborators. From Dua Lipa to Surfaces to Nicki Minaj & Young Thug, the album has a total of 23 other artists with Elton John. According to Vulture.com, “John indeed had more free time than expected in 2020, after originally being set to tour the world on his massive, final Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

Due to pandemic cancellations, the tour is now set to stretch into 2023.”

Until then, Elton John fans can listen to singles off the album that have already released, such as “Cold Heart” (PNAU Remix) with Dua Lipa and “Learn to Fly” with Surfaces, among others.

The Ugly Truth Behind the Bob Ross Inc. Empire

By PIPER RUTHERFORD ‘22

The curly haired, soft spoken and positive painter, Bob Ross, known for his friendly demeanor and nature landscapes, first introduced his groundbreaking instructional television show in 1983 with the debut of, “The Joy of Painting”.

He was the creator and host of this show for over a decade, forever leaving his mark in America’s hearts.

Although Ross was known for his happy clouds, and little happy trees, his life was far from perfect after the damage that his financial empire produced, smearing the paint on his life’s canvas permanently until his untimely death.

A new documentary produced by Netflix has sparked rumors and forced frayed relationships to resurface. Many are questioning the motives of Ross’s managers at the time, Walt and Annette Kowalski, who have been accused of stealing the Bob Ross name after years of deceit in the new film, “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed.”

Following this gentle soul’s loss to his battle of lymphoma in 1995 at the age of fifty-two, Bob Ross Incorporation was then handed over to the Kowalski’s de-

spite Ross’s wishes in his will where he stated that his life’s work would go to his half-brother, Jim Ross, and his son, Steve.

However, given Steve’s age at the time of his father’s death, Ross wanted to ensure that the money would be managed responsibly, therefore, giving Jim 51% control and his son only 49% until he was of a certain age.

The storm of financial misfortune began brewing the moment the Kowalski’s first walked into Ross’s life when Annette attended a workshop, where she sought comfort in painting, from a charming man, who stressed the importance of life’s “happy accidents,” a much-needed reminder after suffering the unexpected loss of her son.

A close friend to Ross and fellow artist, John Hamm, recalls when Annette approached his buddy after a tutorial and declared, “I don’t know what you’ve got, but I think we ought to bottle and sell it.”

Hamm then described how Bob was so down to earth. “He never wanted much. He was just not into it for the money. But the Kowalski’s certainly were,” John laughed.

Ross being young at the time, with no money to his name, told Steve and his wife, Jane, to back their bags after he was asked to move to Washington

D.C. to permanently live with the Kowalski’s in their family home.

Nevertheless, the situation within the home began to escalate as there were rumors of scandal.

“There was an affair between my father and Annette, yes,” Steve admitted as he took a long swig of his coffee.

Steve remembered overhearing arguments between his father and stepmother after he was confronted about the affair. Yet, the couple was able to resolve their issues before Jane’s tragic death a few years later.

Once Jane passed away Steve revealed that his father lost a vote.

“The Kowalski’s and my parents had a system and would vote on different matters. Once Jane died, my father had no say in his own life,” Steve shuddered.

It was only when Ross was losing strength that the Kowalski’s “asked” Bob to sign a memorial agreement.

“It looked to me like they were trying to get Bob to sign his name over to them. You could hear him screaming, ‘I’m not giving you, my name,’” Steve trembled.

It was no surprise, however, that the Kowalskis in a legal statement on behalf of Bob ross Inc. blatantly denied the affair and any dispute with Bob Ross.

This said, the documentary was unable to get more than a dozen people

who knew Ross to be interviewed for the film in fear of legal repercussions.

Once Ross was diagnosed with nonHodgkin’s, those in his inner circle reveal on the documentary his use of wet-on-wet paint that required the use of thinner, leaving many to speculate the chemicals within the paint to be the reason for his cancer.

Despite the suffering endured by Ross in his later episodes, producer, Dana Jester, talks about how he insisted on filming.

“When you see all those later series, he was literally suffering from cancer.

He wanted to film at least three episodes per day in his last months,” Jester said.

It was no shock that the Kowalskis were not in attendance at his funeral.

“Even worse, they tried to keep secret the fact that the funeral was even happening,” Jester retorted.

Despite what occurred behind the scenes, many will still remember this iconic perm, soothing voice, and vast mountains that will always live within the 31 seasons of Ross’s show.

Followers now hope that Ross is in a happy place filled with plenty of little trees.

“Nothing hurts here. No pain. Nobody’s unhappy. Everything’s nice here.”

The Bear Facts

.

.

Entertainment

17

October

Shang-Chi and Legend of the 10 Rings

By EMMA SWEENEY ‘22

Dragons, martial arts and mystical beasts: a combination like no other. The MCU introduces a new superhero, Shang-Chi, in an exciting, action-packed film.

ShangChi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, released on Sept. 3, made history as the first Marvel movie to have an Asian director—Destin Daniel Cretton—and a predominantly Asian cast.

The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy and Tony Leung Chiu-wai as Wenwu.

The star, Simu Liu, is known for playing Jung in Kim’s Convenience.

Awkwafina is most known for her roles in Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s 8. This is their first Marvel debut.

Marvel continues to amass a large audience for its films as it continues into Phase 4. As of Sept. 10, Shang-Chi grossed over $146.2 million in the box office worldwide, an impressive feat.

According to Rolling Stone, “The latest Marvel movie tells a crossgenerational, cultureforward superhero tale with style, grace and plenty of action.”

The story begins with Shang-Chi’s father Wenwu, who is the leader of the Ten Rings Organization that uses martial arts to train its warriors. He uses the all-powerful ten rings, which grant him immortality and great power, along with his army to conquer and destroy.

After centuries of victory, he still cannot find satisfaction until he meets his future wife Ying Li when trying to discover Ta Lo, a magical village which contains many mystical creatures. Ying Li leaves her home for true love.

Wenwu and Ying Li have two chil-

dren, ShangChi and Xialing. Wenwu is devastated when his wife dies from an attack from an enemy gang. After the result of such pain and loss, he trains his son to be a skilled assassin. He sends Shang-Chi on a mission to murder the leader of the gang who killed his mother.

After following through with the mission, feeling guilty and alone, he flees to San Francisco, changing his name to Shaun. Wenwu is grief-stricken from the loss of his wife, so attempts to bring her back, but only incites evil.

Shang-Chi and Xialing fight together to bring down their father along with the help of Shang-Chi’s best friend Katy and a familiar face from the Iron Man series.

In Shang-Chi, it is revealed that Wenwu is the true Mandarin.

This comes as a shock as the Mandarin’s identity has been teased since 2013. Wenwu felt insulted when he saw Americans make a mockery of his image. Marvel attempts to fix their mistake from Iron Man 3 with this reveal.

In Iron Man 3, “The Mandarin” was the leader of a terrorist organization targeting the United States. The Mandarin broadcasted nationally. The surprise twist in the film is that the mysterious “Mandarin” is a white actor from Liverpool, Trevor Slattery, who had no clue what was going on. The true mastermind is Aldrich Killian, who hated Iron Man. Killian attempts to kill the President of the United States, but Iron Man comes to the rescue and saves the President.

When escaping Wenwu, Shang-Chi, Xialing and Katy stumble upon Trevor Slattery, who was captured by Wenwu. He was acting as the true Mandarin’s jester to avoid execution.

They are just as surprised to see Trevor Slattery as the audience was. The return of this hilarious, naïve character is a nice tribute to the fans who have missed Iron Man.

The return of Trevor Slattery is not the only MCU character to make a cameo. Wong, from Doctor Strange, appears to fight a monster in a fight club in one of the scenes in the film.

Furthermore, like most Marvel side characters, Winter Soldier, Loki and Shuri, Katy stole the spotlight. Awkwafina’s comedic timing is perfect, and her delivery is flawless and allows for a break in the story. She even manages to fight in the final battle of the movie.

The best parts of Marvel movies are the end-credit scenes, which tease at future movies. The film includes not one, but two end-credit scenes.

In the first end credit scene, Wong asks Shang-Chi and Katy to follow him into a portal where Wong analyzes the ten rings.

Then, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel appear in this ho-

logram Zoom-like call. They exclaim that they have never seen anything like the rings before and that they are older than others claimed them to be.

Bruce Banner warns Shang-Chi by saying, “Welcome to the circus.”

In the second end-credit scene, we see Xialing as the new head of the Ten Rings Organization. Many wonder if she will become a new enemy to the Avengers or become an ally.

This film is a beautiful celebration of Asian culture. According to Richard Trenholm from CNET, “The style of the film draws on the rich history of Asian cinema, from martial arts movies to gangster films to romance and in particular the lush visual and emotional style of wuxia epics.”

Shang-Chi further proves Marvel is making strides in inclusivity and diversity. Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored the significance of a Black man taking on the role of Captain America.

Wandavision dealt with Wanda’s mental health as she experienced loss and grief. Shang-Chi introduces the first major Asian superhero in an alluring, unforgettable film that celebrates Asian history.

Marvel movies never disappoint. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is no exception.

All images courtesy of Google Images

18

October

Trending

The Bear Facts

Clutter in a House of Order

By LILLIAN ASHMORE ‘22

Modern houses with strict, boxy lines have been the outline that many builders have focused on in the past few years.

As homebuyers moved out of their parents’ shaggy, rugged and wallpaper-infested homes from the 80s, most wanted clean, sleek finishes to their own homes.

Minimalism has been on the rise since its start in the late 60s, and the increase of modern homes has not declined since.

White and grey are the primary color palettes of most new homes since many feel that colors are too distracting and eye-straining. After the Covid-19 lockdown, more people became open to the idea of colors re-entering their homes.

While the word “clutter” gets a bad reputation, it can create a cozier feel when executed correctly. With colors, patterns and texture making a comeback in interior design, organized clutter has become the theme of the newest design fad.

A home is supposed to emulate what an individual likes, so living in a home without personality can feel sterile and cold. This is why some people have started enjoying filling their homes with a lot of… stuff. Modern homes without hardwood or some sort of warmth can become very cold-looking and make them feel like a museum rather than a home.

Creating a space that is “intentionally busy,” said Houzz, allows for a beautiful space. The key is to stick with some sort of color scheme or uniting factor that

stays the same throughout the home.

Most homes have been renovated to remove dark wood to be replaced with

Courtesy of Pinterest light colors to open a space. This trend seems to be taking somewhat of a pause in the world of design. As more

eccentric colors for cabinets and backsplashes surface, people have begun painting their cabinets anything from forest green to plum. This new trend is not only broadening the horizon of kitchen design, but also in living spaces and dining rooms.

Architectural Digest is a magazine that focuses on interior design. This platform is known for visiting celebrity homes on their YouTube page to show interior design enthusiasts what their favorite stars enjoy.

The most recent videos on the account have shown more colorful and random room stylings. As new color schemes are being displayed in celebrity homes, more peo-

ple have started recognizing the prestige in a sophisticated color system.

Although painting a room can change the way your entire home looks, you do not necessarily need paint to achieve this trendy style. The once-outdated wallpaper and stacked, collaged frames are also making a comeback.

In a completely white, open and modern room, adding color with wallpaper and pictures has become very common.

Wallpaper can be a tricky piece to get right. This pattern-filled print can make or break a room, but by choosing a design that compliments a specific color in your home, the wallpaper can create a mature, coordinated effect. Incorporating a metal color with the picture frames makes for a good basis across the home. Piling and strategically placing gold frames on top of each other adds both color and elegance to a space.

Wallpaper can seem as permanent as paint when it comes down to actually putting it in your home, but by finding statement pieces that can be easily removed, the risk factor in redesigning your home does not have to seem so high. With thrifting and secondhand shopping becoming more popular, people have been able to find rare pieces that fit their decor. Combining different layers like rugs and knickknacks that would normally not go together can create a stunning space when assembled.

Britney’s Road to Freedom

By TESS BOWERS ‘22 After being practically enslaved for 13 years, Britney Spears is finally being freed from her father Jamie Spears’ conservatorship. “I’ve waited 13 years and counting for my freedom !!!!!” Spears said in a recent social media post.

On Tuesday, Aug. 7, Jamie Spears filed the formal petition that could potentially put his daughter’s life back in her own hands for the first time since 2008.

A conservatorship usually takes place when one is incapable—typically elderly or ill—of making their own life decisions but Spears took over his daughters’ social and financial lives completely until matters became abusive The conservatorship was put in place in 2008 due to Britney’s mental health struggles that led to her hospitalization.

Immediately after this event, her father went to court and the conservatorship became permanent. Jamie thought he was doing good for his daughter while working to get her back on track with her mental state, her kids and her music career. He only had good intentions for his daughter as he worked to get Britney’s estate out of debt and worth more than $60 million.

According to CBS News, Britney said, “I feel ganged up on I feel bullied and I feel alone. I don’t think I can live a full life.”

Courtesy of Google Images Many questionable claims have been brought up by Britney when talking about the conservatorship, including being forced to take strong drugs when she didn’t want to perform, as well as having almost no privacy.

As said on CBS News, Jamie’s legal team wrote “Throughout his service as Conservator, Mr. Spear’s sole motivation has been his unconditional love for his daughter and a fierce desire to protect her from those trying to take

Courtesy of Redbubble Britney has made multiple attempts to remove her father’s conservatorship, and she even threatened to press charges against him. This time, she even says she will put her entire career on pause. The 39-year-old star says she can provide and work for herself and does not think she should be in a conservatorship.

Due to her father’s hold over her, Britney was left without the choice to participate in normal tasks, including driving or even choosing her own lawyers and doctors.

Quoted in an MSN News article, Jamie’s petition reads, “If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance.”

advantage of her.”

Britney has reportedly not spoken to her father for years, and even her legal team said “it would be highly detrimental to Britney’s interests to allow her father to be the sole person in charge of her estate,” as quoted in the CBS News article.

Britney has recently told the world that she has repeatedly lied about being happy and okay, when in reality this situation has made her depressed and mentally ill.

It has been said that the petition was filed after ongoing pressure occurred from Britney Spears fans and the “FreeBritney” hashtag. Fans have

been protesting outside of the LA courthouse where Britney’s hearings are held in an attempt to bring attention to her ongoing battle over the years.

Ever since 2019, Jamie Spears has only been the conservator for Britney’s finances after Jodi Montgomery, a licensed conservator in LA, became her personal conservator. Because Britney’s father is asking for both sides of the conservatorship to be stopped, Jodi Montgomery will also be held accountable to testify on Britney’s mental state and whether his services will still be necessary for his client.

Before her conservatorship with her father is fully put to a stop, the petition must be accepted by Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny in Los Angeles.

The next hearing will take place on Sept.29, and Britney will be told the amount of money she owes her father for his 14 years of “help.”

The Bear Facts

.

Trending

.

19

October

Concert Prep for Dummies

By MONTSE SPENCER ‘22 From Luke Bryan to Harry Styles, it evident that Dallas’s concert life has resurrected. Since COVID’s quarantine kept Dallas’s concert fanatics on lockdown, it makes sense to be a little rusty when it comes to concert prep. Here’s a few things to avoid and to do prior to the concert in order to make sure everything goes smoothly.

One of the most important things to do is to make sure you have a ride both in and out. “I can’t even count the times I’ve been stranded at the House of Blues late at night. It always hurts to call my parents and ask them to pick me up.”

Caryline Bradford ‘23 said. To avoid situations like Caryline’s make sure that the ride that got you there will also be able to get you out of there. If the ride is unable to take you home, then make sure to ask a friend, or a parent to save a spot for you in the car.

Adding to the carpool dilemma, it is crucial to stay with your friends throughout the concert. Having to find your carpool buddies after the concert ends, not only will take forever, but it will also annoy your driver. Even if your friends have different rides than you, nothing is scarier and more unsafe than being alone in a large dark venue. “During Pitbull I lost my friends the second I got there, and I spent the entire night trying to find them. I almost cried when I found one of them.” Georgia Crumley ‘22 said.

Shockingly enough, being hydrated is often a factor that is skipped during concert prep. “At Pitbull I saw a girl just drop on the floor, she could barely talk but when she did all she said was ‘water.’ It made me so glad that I chugged a bottle of water before leaving.” Giselle Sethi ‘22 said. Even if getting hydrated means paying the overpriced fee at concert venues, it’s a must to truly experience your artist’s performance and avoid risking your health.

Alongside water, it is never a bad idea to be fueled up with food before

a concert. Especially due to expensive prices, why not eat before and avoid paying a hefty bill for semi-good fast food. “I eat a small meal before leaving the house, then halfway through the concert I splurge on a treat like a pretzel or ice cream to keep me energized.” Sydney Hatton ‘22 said.

On the topic of saving money, buying the concert ticket will always be the most expensive part. The cheapest and most ethical option is to buy tickets from the artist themselves. According to Live Nation, the day that artists drop their

Courtesy of Google Images

ticket their website reveals the prices to be over 34% cheaper. If you missed the artist’s presale drop and regular drop, you may be forced to buy resale. Resale platforms like SeatGeek and LiveNation offer various discount codes that are able to at least take off the expensive service fees, “I was able to take off over twenty dollars for my Pitbull ticket and I’ve never been happier” Donna Lerma ‘22 said.

Planning to purchase tickets ahead of time can save you money, as tickets get more expensive closer t o the events. If you’re planning on going last minute, buying tickets the day of can be a steal. Most ticket sellers will drop their prices significantly in a desperate attempt to get any money for their tickets before the event.

Lastly while this might sound obvious, it is crucial to double check to have a barcode or physical ticket before leaving. The worst thing that can happen at a concert, is not being able to get in at all. Once you organize your ride and buy your tickets, it is time to have a great time at the concert!

The Next Marvel Sage for the Next Generation

By NATALIE RO ‘22 After Endgame, Marvel fans left the movie theater sobbing thinking that Marvel could not top the Infinity Saga, but the Disney + new Marvel series seeks to prove it wrong.

Marvel studios announced that Phase Four would be launching its first series WandaVision January 15, 2021, on Disney + along with other spinoff series such as The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and Loki on March 19 and June 9 of 2021.

According to Entertainment Weekly, “WandaVision warped our minds, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier gave us a new Captain America, and Loki caused multiversial mischief on Disney+.”

Everyone cheered when it was announced that Black Widow would get her own solo movie which released on July 9, 2021. The movie left fans in tears of joy and sadness as fans realized that they would no longer see Scarlet Johansson on the Marvel screen again.

It is sad to see fan-favorite Marvel actors leave, but the new generation of Marvel movies seeks to live up to people’s standards. While no one can replace Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, there is room for new superheroes to rise with their own movies.

The New York Times writes. “A hall-

mark of the Marvel-Disney+ productions so far have been their self-conscious desire to show that they have more on their minds than typical superhero series.”

Each release since the original Marvel movies has left fans on the edge of their seat such as the new Spider-man, Spider-man: No Way Home. The trailer alone made fans lose their hats with easter eggs of past super villains coming onto the big screen again and the possibility of an evil Doctor Strange.

“Thanks to all the multiverse leaks that we’ve seen online for the better part of the year, we know precisely why No Way Home will be so exciting. It’s a multiverse movie that will reunite all the actors who appeared in Sony’s SpiderMan trilogies,” according to Ya-

Courtesy of Google Images hoo Entertainment.

The newest Marvel movie released is the Shang-Chi: And the Legend of the Ten Rings starring Simu Liu and Awkwafina. The movie has been very successful in the box office making over 35.8 million dollars in sales on the second weekend.

According to The Atlantic, “Bob Chapek, Disney’s CEO, describes the film as an ‘interesting experiment,’ given that it would be the company’s first franchise title since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic to hit theaters without simultaneously streaming on Disney+.

Simu Liu, who plays ShangChi, responded on social media: ‘We are not an experiment …

We are the

surprise.’”

Marvel Entertainment has not failed to impress us with their creative writing and amazing cinematography. The action alone can draw you in along with the amazing cast that are witty and fit the Marvel character profile.

Along with these upcoming movies, Disney + has released its mini-series the What If show including original new marvel casting. The show kicks off with the series with the episode “What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger.”

The series dives into the possibility of one character setting off a different reality because of one choice they made. The first episode focuses on Peggy Carter, Captain America’s love interest become the new Captain America or the British version of that. The season consists of multiple realities, each one different from the last.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “To hear the Watcher tell it, Marvel’s What If…? is “a prism of endless possibility” — an anything-goes sandbox where the wildest hypotheticals can be realized, freed from the obligation to fit into the established Marvel Cinematic Universe canon.”

Marvel fans can expect more amazing and original content in the theaters and Disney+.

20

Insights

October

The Bear Facts

UA Criminal Investigation Department

By EMMA KENCHEL ‘22

The forensics and criminal justice aesthetic are rapidly growing day by day due to the popular shows “Criminal Minds” and “Law and Order”. Fitting for its popular demand, what used to be an online only class, Ursuline Academy is offering their first in-person forensics class for the class of 2022.

This new class is already an Ursuline favorite and is expected to grow in upcoming years. “My favorite thing about this class is the hands-on experience and how you are actively learning how to do things rather than just taking notes on the material,” Isabelle Bruty ’22 said.

Forensic students are currently learning how to take fingerprints and how to identify the different minutiae to match it with a suspect.

“Taking fingerprints is actually pretty challenging because you have to be gentle, but not too gentle, and

ly gets easier as you practice it.”

Bruty knew four girls who dropped the class and believes that they did not give it enough time to be able to enjoy it.

“At first, I thought it was going to be the hardest class I’d ever take,” Bruty said, “but the class is organized in a very project-based way” A project-based class is popular amongst Ursuline students. The classes curriculum allows girls to manage their time and demonstrate their knowledge in a more effective way then a test. Projects help students keep the knowledge long term rather than cramming for a test and forgetting the information right after.

Lilly Schroeder ’22 said, “Ms. Hudak does an excellent job at keeping the class very hands on and project based. She really mirrors what an ac-

one interested in becoming a detective or even criminal psychologist because the classroom environment is very interactive. It is also a great class to take because unlike usual science classes, there is not much math to it.

“The only reason I do not like science is because it’s very math based.” Bruty said, “Whereas this class is more critical thinking and experiments. I get to use my reason rather than math skills” Many students prefer an actual in person class rather than online.

Danna Lerma ’22 who is taking the online version of forensics said, “I wish I took the in-person class so I can get the hands-on experience of labs because I am a very visual learner, and I feel like I would retain information better if I was actually in class.”

There are pros and cons to both the in person and online class. A plus

use a good amount of ink, but not too much ink,” Bruty said “It definite-

tual detective does in the real world.”

This class would be great for any-

about taking the class online is that you are able to do it from the comfort

of your own bed or in quiet coffee shop.

“It is beneficial for me to take it online because I can take my time on assignments.” Lerma said “It lowers my stress levels going the pace that is best fit for me rather than trying to keep up like I sometimes have to do in an in-person class” A pro to the in-person class is that focusing is much easier for the students.

“One thing that will not happen in the classroom is that you will not get distracted by outside factors, rather you get distracted because you do not want to stop what you are doing. It is easy to want to keep going and continue even when class has ended,” Schroeder said.

“My teacher lives in Kansas, and the only time I get face-to-face interaction with her is if I schedule a meeting with her” said Lerma. She explains that a con of her on-line class is that her relationship with her teacher is not personal like the ones she makes with teachers at Ursuline The Ursuline A c a d e m y Criminal Investigation Department is a first-year department that is loved by every employee that attends and is excited for the growth of the department in the following years.

Get Paid to Get Vaxxed

By EMMA KENCHEL ‘22

The United States hunt to inspire residents to get vaccinated has only exploded since the entrance of the Delta variant into the US. Ever since the Delta strain of corona virus mutated, the desperation for civilians to get vaccinated has skyrocketed.

This has caused univer-

sities, festivals and restaurants all over the country to offer incentives for people to get vaccinated.

There has always been a question of whether or not incentives work. A study by the British Medical Association found that pregnant smokers were nearly three times more likely to quit smoking if provided with financial incentives. With this being proven, leaders of all businesses have begun to announce their own spin on incentives.

According to Becker’s Hospital Re-

view, only 42 percent of Georgia residents are vaccinated. Fortytwo percent is not even halfway to Georgia’s goal.

Not surprisingly, they are ranked number 44 amongst all the other states as to how many of their residents are vaccinated. Because of this, the University of Georgia decided to have an incentive for their students.

The university is offering the opportunity to win $100 for anyone who gets vaccinated at the University Health Center or Tate Center Mobile Clinic. Around 40 students will be chosen over the four-week time period. In addition to the drawing, everyone vaccinated between August 13 to September 3 will re-

ceive a $20 gift card as well as a free t-shirt.

Similarly, the University of Texas at Dallas is offering all students $125 for getting vaccinated. The school is also offering ten opportunities to win $12,000 in tuition scholarship and ten opportunities to win $10,000 in housing scholarships. They hope to improve the state’s 42 percent vaccination rate to at least 80 percent.

Incentives for vaccines range from college campuses to the State Fair of Texas, Austin City Limits and restaurants like Krispy Kreme.

The State Fair of Texas is offering $20 worth of free food and games for anyone who gets vaccinated on site during the 2021-2022 fair season. Compared to last year’s drive through state fair, this year’s fair will be fully open

with the exception of a mask mandate.

Similarly, ACL will return this year and is predicted to have one of its biggest turn outs yet. The festival is offering a chance at winning a oneday free general admissions ticket to anyone who receives the vaccine.

Krispy Kreme is also giving

out away prizes for anyone who is vaccinated. If you show your vaccination card at any Krispy Kreme location, you are permitted to one free glazed donut a day. There are no limitations on how many times you can redeem this offer other than the one donut a day limit.

Despite the rising number of Covid cases, vaccine rates are still rising. To keep that continuation more and more, companies are beginning to announce incentives to do their part to stop the spread so the pandemic can be over once and for all.

The Bear Facts

.

Insights

.

21

October

Celebrating My Grandparents’ 50 Years of Love

By EMMA SWEENEY ‘22 50 years of marriage is a feat not “James Taylor was just becoming most can accomplish. According to re- popular,” she said. “He lived on the cent studies by the Census Bureau, only Vineyard during the summer, and we six percent of married couples make it went to a small concert up the island to their golden anniversary. Luckily, my to see him. It was maybe 50 to 100 peograndparents are a part of the six percent. ple. After that, he became a huge star.”

My grandparents, Karen and Rene Celebrity sightings were comHebert, celebrated their 50th anniver- mon on the island. My grandmothsary on Sept. 19, 2020. On Aug. 21 at er saw Carly Simon, many of the the Cathedral in Dallas, Bishop Kelly held a mass for 66 couples who celebrated being married for 50 years or more.

My grandparents’ story began in the summer of 1969 in Martha’s Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. My grandfather had recently graduated from the esteemed Culinary Institute of America and was the head chef and manager at Harborside Inn—still a common favorite among the Edgartown locals today. My grandmother was on summer break from the University of Cincinnati and was looking for an adventure.

She and her friends went to the island, and she quickly got a job as a waitress at the Harborside Inn. My grandfather was my grandmother’s boss.

1969 is very signifiCourtesy of Emma Sweeney ‘22 cant in American culture.

It was the year of Woodstock, one of Kennedys, Jim Belushi and oththe most famous music festivals ever ers, all followed by the paparazzi. held, the moon landing and the reWhile my grandmother was starlease of the Beatles’ last album, Ab- struck, my grandfather experienced bey Road. It was also a time of civil a looming fear. He now shares the unrest, distrust toward President Nix- fear and uncertainty he had of beon, racial divide and constant change. ing drafted to fight in the Vietnam My grandparents share their War. His number remained high most vivid anecdotes from 1969. on the list but was never called.

“One day on the way to work, I Moreover, my grandfather passed heard that the NASA astronauts were on the opportunity to attend Woodabout to land on the moon for the stock so that his employees could go, first time ever,” my grandmother said. and he still wonders what he missed.

“The closest TV was in a bar across My grandmother recently went into from their workplace. When anyone a store at Legacy West where all she asked, ‘Where were you when we first saw were bell bottom jeans, cutlanded on the moon?’ I wait for their off shorts, miniskirts and crop tops. expression when I say, ‘In a bar!’”

She said, “That is exactly what I used to

wear in the 70s! Been there, done that!”

When my grandparents first met, my grandmother thought my grandfather was cute, kind and responsible. Since he was her boss, she saw how hard he worked and how seriously he took his job.

My grandmother notes the moment she knew he was special.

“One day he loaned me his MG convertible on the island, and I ran over a cement barrier in the parking lot,” she said. “It ruined his car and I felt so bad.

He was so nice to me, and I knew he couldn’t afford to replace it at the time.

That pretty much sealed the deal for me.”

My grandfather takes a more practical approach. He had spent five summers on the island and was used to the seasonal workers coming and going.

His first impression was, “I thought she was a pretty sorority girl from the Midwest who probably shouldn’t plan to be a waitress for very long!”

My grandparents came from very different cultures and many states apart. My grandmother’s family lived

in Ohio and only met my grandfather a few times before they were married. Their home was a lovely, quiet and typical Midwest abode where my grandmother was one of two daughters.

My grandfather’s family is French, and she was the first non-French girl to meet the family—this is a very large, very loud, French Catholic Massachusetts family. They were intrigued by her Midwestern accent and perspective, sense of independence, Catholic faith and her height—she was a few inches taller than all of them. My grandfather was one of five boys, and my grandmother was immediately the sister and daughter they had never had. Both families found joy in their joining families.

Undoubtedly, a 50year marriage comes with its fair share of challenges, transitioning and changing with new phases of life. My grandparents both understood the struggle of balancing parenthood and a career.

“We moved a lot during the first 10 years of our marriage,” my grandpa said. “We lived in seven states while I was transferred for my work. That required a lot of flexibility. Once we landed in Texas 42 years ago, we didn’t leave.”

My grandmother added, “One of the hardest times was when he was traveling for work and was gone for weeks at a time. It was hard for me to parent two young children alone for the most part.

Thankfully, that only lasted a few years.”

Furthermore, they endured challenges through their dedication to their Catholic faith and the love for their family.

When asked how they maintain their marriage, they give endearing pieces of advice.

“It’s important to prioritize your relationship,” my grandmother said. “Be considerate and patient. Treat them as you would any good friend with politeness and humor. The old adage, ‘Treat your neighbor as yourself’ can apply to a spouse.”

My grandfather added, “Take one day at a time. You have to work at a marriage and strive towards stability. Every day is different. Always try to have gratitude for the love of your partner.”

22

October

Opinions

The Bear Facts

Van Gogh’s Not-So Immersive Exhibit

By LILLIAN ASHMORE ‘22

Visiting around 40 U.S. cities, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit gathers people of all ages to watch a 30-minute projected display of Van Gogh’s most popular pieces.

With an absence of weekend plans, 70,000 people from Dallas attended this event within the first month to see Van Gogh’s work come to life.

From floor to ceiling, this huge production is the talk of the week for every city to which it travels. Dallas specifically had many promotions leading up to the opening day, with their venue set up in a warehouse space near South Dallas.

Over 500,000 cubic feet of projections, 60,600 frames of video and 90,000,000 pixels, this “new way of encountering art” is presumed to be the future of displaying art for all to see, according to the Dallas Van Gogh website. Offering yoga and date passes, it aims to immerse viewers in the world of each painting in a more inclusive way.

While this immersive event is supposed to make viewers feel

one with Van Gogh’s creations as they move across the walls of the venue with peaceful music in the background, it did not achieve this effect for most. From the lack of seating options to the high prices, the 4.6star rating on Google Reviews has Ursuline students appalled at the undoubtedly “fake reviews,” Montse Spencer ’22 said after the seeing the exhibit two weeks prior.

Students and senior citizens alike have complained about this much-fancied function and its lack of substance. With tickets costing $50 at the door and $40 when purchasing online, many claimed this price was “too high for what you get,” especially with the unique seating arrangements.

Fifty dollars pays for an individual to stand within a projected circle for 30 minutes unless they spring the extra $20 for a seat cushion.

Olivia Gray ’22 said the function “was not worth the money for a 30-minute show” and that it was “overhyped on social media.” She regretted her purchase and became more upset over the fact that she brought her friend visiting from Canada to attend it with her. In newspaper class, Gray strongly advised everyone not to attend.

Similarly, senior citizen E d n a Ashmore, excited to see Van Gogh paintings displayed in a new fashion with her niece, said her outing was “uninspiring” and borderline “sophomoric.”

Ashmore made it known that she would rather see the actual paintings than watch a slideshow of Van Gogh’s work.

Van Gogh’s Immersive Experi-

ence focuses on creating an affair for the senses, with moving images a n d inspiring music, compared to the normal ordeal of staring at a painting.

The idea of incorporating more senses into viewing art can certainly revolutionize the way museums and new artists make money and create “buzz” for their artwork.

Because there is such a large social media presence, and the outcome reflected the strategic advertisements, there will definitely be more events like this in the future. Realizing that this large internet platform brought in a significant number of viewers who would not normally attend museums can help explain why some did not love the exhibit. On the other hand, regular museum goers can say they get the same feeling from going to a museum with headphones on, while paying a fraction of the price and supporting their city’s art fund.

Finally, although a lot of people in Dallas did not enjoy this immersive experience because of its price and location, this new form of art has not gone unnoticed.

With the millions of people who have attended the display, adjustments can easily be made with the large response the exhibit receives daily.

say no to unproductive things, rearrange my schedule, and change commitments.” Dr. Kubu, Cleveland Clinic neuropsychologist, agrees with Patton on decision making and recommends choosing to tackle one task at a time.

“It is crucial for productivity to have a set list of goals, anything outside of the list of goals must be discarded until said list has been completely finished, ” Dr. Kabu said.

Priorities. Get them straight. As Bruce Lee once said, “It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” Creating a list of assignments and ranking them from most importance to least importance will allow the brain to prep for the workload ahead. Without knowing an estimate of its workload, diving into homework and studying without foresight can slow down and tire the brain.

Similarly, multitasking happens to have the same side effects. While t h e thought of doing two assignments simultaneously sounds like an awesome way to be pro-

ductive, Dr. Kubu says otherwise.

Kubu’s studies show that when the brain is constantly switching gears to bounce back and forth between tasks, it ends up taking more time since tasks like schoolwork are complex and require active attention. The brain becomes less efficient and more likely to make a mistake. Additionally, multitasking cuts productivity by almost 50% so in the long run, it would end up taking more time to finish the tasks.

“The best way to be productive is without your phone. Put it away when you start working– out of sight out of mind,” said Mr. Chelule. Social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram can distract from your progress by changing your brains focus from school to social activity. Because the brain is hardwired to only be focused on one main thing at a time, it is important to make sure the brain is focused on work when doing school tasks. Otherwise, it will be harder and less time efficient when its constantly switching from social to work every other minute.

Although Community Wednesdays will be gone forever, homework will not. Make sure to keep studying and shoo away those distractions to keep from falling behind!

A World Without Wednesdays

By MONTSE SPENCER ‘22 “I’m dying! I’ve gotten almost zero sleep in between sports and all my homework and studying, I just need my Wednesdays back,” Janae Allen ’22 said. “I’ve fallen asleep in every place with a chair on campus. I don’t think I can keep this up much longer.” As late grades pile up and all-nighters increase, Ursuline students accustomed to community days desperately search for a way out of their productivity slump.

When COVID hit Dallas this past year, confused as to how to organize their student’s schedules, multiple DISD schools began to choose their varying school days. In between staying online for the entire school year, to going in person every day; 2020 school’s situations changed all around the city. Ursuline’s original hybrid schedule included students coming in every other day in separate cohorts.

This schedule the initiated the start of the famous Community Days. Strategically placed in the middle of the week, community days allowed both students and teachers to stay home and join a few meetings online. Students and teachers could both use the rest of day for their own productivity.

Community Days were so popular with the Ursuline community that they were continued throughout the full in-

person fall semester as well. Caroline McDaniel ’22 said, “I don’t even know how I survived going to school for five days in a row” and even teacher, Mr. Fred Schneider said, “I’m sure the teachers appreciated having Wednesdays off more than you guys [Ursuline students].”

Sadly, Ursuline’s 2021 schedule does not include the beloved Community Days, leaving both staff members and students out of practice on their time management skills.

Junior Nadia Shaaf is not alone when she says, “I keep putting off all my homework for Wednesday, but by the time I remember we don’t have community days anymore I’m already super behind on work.”

Ursuline history teacher, Mr. Patton said the best way to improve productivity is to “get a goodnights sleep, work smarter not harder, and learn to make mature choices.” Patton said the most useful thing he learned while in college was “how to

.

The Bear Facts

Opinions

.

23

October

He’s Not All That

By NATALIE RO ‘22 Another rip-off of a classic teen romantic comedy, He’s All That lowers everyone’s hope for a quality Netflix movie about the new generation.

Warning: This article is not intended to promote hate towards Addison Rae or the movie He’s All That, purely stating my opinion.

New York Times claims, “This gender-flipped reboot of She’s All That lazily rehashes the original but without its endearing weirdness.”

The plot of the movie is a cookie cutter version of every cliché high school movie rom com. The movie follows a popular girl who takes on a bet to turn a dork into a prom king. The movie consists of young stars attempting to act by making weird faces to make their characters seem quirky.

On the flip side, “Rae, whose acting talents may be best described as emerging, is still sunny and warm enough in the role that

Padgett comes off as overeager rather than loathsome,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Addison Rae, a Tik Tok personality, stars in the Netflix original movie, He’s All That. Rae tragically plays the innocent all-American schoolgirl who is a social media influencer. Her sponsor is none other than Kourtney Kardashian.

Along with Rae, Tanner Buchanan, star of Cobra Kai, is deemed the outcast with a weird knack for horses and photography. Even though he has an eight pack and is not conventional ugly, Padgett must him makeover to become the hot and popular prom king.

According to The Daily Beast, “What makes him a hopeless loser, apparently, are his long hair, his taste for photography and flannels.”

The more attractive male character subjectively, Jordan Van Draanen, played by Peyton Meyers, is the high school popstar with his hit single “Mean Streets of Pali,” which is not a horrible song if you do not listen to the lyrics.

The cast of the movie is almost as terrible as the plot. While this is supposed to be a remake of the 90s classic movie,

it does a poor job of adding modern twists, such as the prom committee hiring a kid to DJ the dance or the fact that everyone in the movie is obsessed with Tik Tok. Senior Emma Sweeney comments, “He’s All That is so bad it’s funny. It was weird seeing Madison Pettis as a side character, who is an actual actress, compared to Addison Rae, who is just a Tik Tok personality.

While Addison is the one of the most popular creators, besides Charli D’amelio, but that does not give her the talent or expierence to go into the acting industry.

According to the Guardian, the script by R Lee Fleming Jr, “is uninspiring, trying very hard to appear like it’s breezy, probably popular in the sense of cultural saturation but appealing deeply to no one.”

To make matters worse, there is a lot controversary that the filming of this movie caused a shutdown of a major COVID-19 testing center.

“Though Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti promptly shifted into damage control mode and tweeted that they would be reopening the testing center at Union Station, it was an

undeniably bad look to prioritize a Tik Tok celebrity’s film shoot in the midst of a devastating pandemic,” according to The Daily Beast.

This movie follows the trend of Tik Tokers or more broadly speaking social media influencers trying to act or record a single to boost their likes or get more publicity. Most of the time, these attempts flop. For example, Rae and Dixie D’amelio’s first songs blew up and then turned into memes.

He’s All That is worth watching if you are bored and need a good laugh or if you like watching cringy movies.

22 Tips to Freshmen From Class of ‘22

By EMMA SWEENEY ‘22

Dear Class of 2025, Welcome to Ursuline! Seniors all know how overwhelming and difficult high school can be. We hope to give some advice to ease the transition!

“Enjoy doing the Freshman Dance.

The Freshman Dance is one of the best ways to bring your class together.”

– Emma Sweeney ‘22

“Don’t stress about a homecoming date. Going with a group of friends is equally as fun.”

– Olivia Gray ‘22 “Utilize every opportunity. When things don’t go well, take it as a lesson.”

– Emma Louviere ‘22

“When you get a parking spot, let people out please. Be kind.”

– Eliot Fisher ‘22 “Cheer loud at Intramurals.

If you don’t lose your voice, I will be disappointed.”

– Mary Louise Theisen ‘22

“Join Journalism.”

– Lilly Ashmore ‘22

“Your planner is your Bible.

Don’t lose it. It has every possible piece of Ursuline information.”

– Isabelle Bruty ‘22

“Don’t be afraid of the upperclassmen and try to make friends with them.”

– Katharine Bales ‘22 “Take care of your grades. Don’t stress about them, but they still matter.”

– Emma Kenchel ‘22

“Get to know everyone in your classes! Be open.”

– Ella Kanelakos ‘22 “Freshman year is all about adjusting to the life of an Ursuline student. Learn how to manage your assignments and social life early on. Be actively involved at school. Participate in extracurriculars and go to homecoming and football games.”

– Natalie Ro ‘22

“Build relationships with your teachers.”

– Carlisle Myers ‘22

“Be respectful to upperclassmen and they will respect Quick Tips: you.”

1. Take everything day by day.

– Natalie Ro ‘22 2. Embrace change.

3. Learn from your mistakes.

4. Time will fly. Enjoy being on campus and seeing your friends and teachers.

5. Manage your time wisely. Stay organized.

6. Learn stress management. School is important, but take time for yourself. Meditate, exercise, and just breathe.

“Don’t let fear of a low GPA stop you from trying to succeed.”

– Natalie Ro ‘22 “Seize every opportunity. You will regret it if you don’t. You will be a senior before you know it.”

– Emma Sweeney ‘22

“Your freshman GPA matters since it sets up the rest of your four years, but don’t forget to enjoy and live life.”

– Abby Claybrook ‘22 Courtesy of Canva