FALL 2018
EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Second Edition
Fellow wildcats in the quad enjoying the fall weather and changing trees. FEATURED IN THIS ISSSUE
Radium Girls Lights Up the Episcopal Stage
Remember Ninth Grade? The Immigration Crisis: A Or Are You Trying To Forget? Student Perspective
BY SARAH WARE FINE ARTS PAGE 2
BY BLAINE CUNNINGHAM STUDENT VOICE: ACTIVISM PAGE 11
Sticks and Stones: Lacrosse at Episcopal
The D-Hall: A Focus on Grades?
BY JP BRAUNFISCH ATHLETICS PAGE 5
BY DR. HALL FACULTY VOICE PAGE 14
BY LILY RADTKE STUDENT VOICE PAGE 7
Get To Know the Faculty! FACULTY SPOTLIGHT PAGE 15
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FALL 2018
VOL.II NO.I
Fine Arts
Radium Girls Lights Up the Episcopal Stage BY SARAH WARE When radium was first discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie, the world was fascinated: the release of energy from minerals via radiation was thought to be a new force of nature. Though perplexing, scientists began to study the nature of radioactive elements, attempting to not only examine the reasons for such spontaneous emissions of energy but also to find potential applications of this new discovery. Soon enough, doctors found that the acute application of radium salts to cancerous tumors shrank them, opening the door to cure-all elixirs and medicines, evident in the influx of radiumcontaining products like the Radium Schokolade chocolate bar, made with radium water; the Revigator, a radium-laced bucket meant for storing water; and the Tho-Radia cosmetics line with creams meant to brighten and rejuvenate the skin. Possibly most famous of all was the use of radium in the production of “Undark” paint, a mixture of radium and zinc sulfide first invented by William Joseph Hammer in 1902. After being left in the bottle for many years, physician Sabin von Sochocky founded the Radium Luminous Material Corporation in 1914, using the radioluminous mixture to paint watches and clock dials so that they would glow in the dark. Upon the United States’ 1917 entrance into World War I, the company greatly expanded its production to accommodate the demands of the U.S. Army, eventually changing the company’s name to the United States Radium Corporation. Though the company’s chemists were often protected in their work by lead shields, the thousands of radium painters working in the factory—often young women—were not offered such protections. In fact, because the dangers of radium at the time were not well-known, many of the girls were encouraged to use their lips and tongues to make the tips of the brushes finer. Soon, however, radium’s harmful effects began to present themselves in the workers’ health, manifest in tumors, bone-marrow damage, anemia, mouth cancers, and deteriorating jawbones.
Actors listen to the director’s notes after rehearsal. In the final weeks of a production, notes are often the most crucial part of the rehearsal process, as they allow actors to get individualized feedback on their performances.
Once the ill-effects of radium became known to the public by the late 1920s, five of the painters sued the U.S. Radium Corporation for medical expenses and damages caused by their work as young women in its New Jersey plant. By the time of their 1927 lawsuit, hundreds of the so-called Radium Girls, the young girls who had painted clock dials in the factory, had died or grown ill. The ensuing litigation uncovered malicious attempts by the company to cover up its knowledge of radium’s dangers. Written over the course of a six-year period, Radium Girls tells the harrowing story of a handful of the workers inside the U.S. Radium Corporation, including the historical figures of founder von Sochocky (played by Adrian Rogers) and painter Grace Fryer (Sarah Tennille).
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Fine Arts
Episcopal Debate Team at Yale BY GABI RANCIFER When most people think of debate, they probably think about Model United Nations, Lincoln-Douglas debate, and Policy debate; however, whenever we look inside the gates of Episcopal Collegiate School, we see how quickly congressional debate is taking the Upper School by storm. During the 2017-2018 school year, Upper School debaters set up a strong foundation for success, with the team travelling around the country and eventually sending one of its own, then-junior Alex Martin, to the National Tournament of Champions. The 2018-2019 school year is once again a big year for Episcopal’s Congressional Debate team as they are fully emerging into the national arena; finally taking this big step into the national circuit means that more All-Star titles are on the horizon. National tournaments differ from state ones in that they allow those who advance to quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals the chance to receive a bid to the Tournament of Champions. Since debate team members will be traveling throughout the United States to compete for bids, the chances of some members of our own community going to the Tournament of Champions in the spring of 2019 have greatly increased. Because of the team’s growth, Episcopal students have been able to induct new members and add more titles to existing members in their National Forensic League chapter, demonstrating the team’s strength and influence within our community. This year’s team is led by Mrs. Campbell, A.P. U.S. History and A.P. Government teacher, and Alex Martin, a three-time national tournament competitor. After kicking off the season with a bang at the Yale tournament, senior Alex Martin says he is looking forward to an amazing rest of the year.
Left to Right: Forensics and Debate members Olivia Parker, Sarah Tennille, Gabi Rancifer and Alex Martin at the Yale Invitational.
What are you looking forward to this debate season? Mrs. Campbell -- Looking forward to seeing the new competitors on the circuit and working altogether. Alex -- Looking forward to road trips and team bonding. Why was it special starting off the season with the Yale Tournament? Mrs. Campbell -- First time to travel to the Yale tournament and this was exciting. We also received our first bid of the season, earned by Alex. Alex -- It was a hard competition and gave me good practice for the start of the year.
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Fine Arts
Senior Art Feature BY EVA ALLEN Though the Upper School contains many great artists, one recently stands out for her amazing pieces. This student is Senior Lucy Gatewood. Lucy took her first Upper School art class last year and like her brother, Episcalumn Ben Gatewood, quickly noticed her knack for it. She says, “I like it because I can spend hours on one piece and not even realize the time has gone by.” Gatewood’s primary focus is portraits and realistic creatures and objects, including a portrait of her grandad, two dogs, her cat, various people found online, and model Winnie Harlow. She does not have a favorite medium because she likes to use all of them to create different values, making her works look more realistic. “Values are kind of my thing,” she says. Although Gatewood enjoys creating art that can realistically represent a person or thing, she likes to create abstract pieces and add pops of color as well. Her current work in progress is a seemingly realistic portrait of a woman, but Gatewood plays with color in the shading of her face. The artist’s favorite work is the portrait of Winnie Harlow because her look goes against societal norms and embraces the unusual. Lucy Gatewood’s work can be seen all over the commons and school entrance. Her signature portraits, with a diversity of mediums, are easy to distinguish. The school eagerly awaits her future works! LUCY GATEWOOD
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VOL.II NO.I
Athletics
Sticks and Stones: Lacrosse at Episcopal BY JP BRAUNFISCH Among the many changes that have come to the athletic department this year, it is easy for one to get lost while meeting new coaches, getting used to seeing three fewer football players, and pushing themselves through Coach Johnson’s new and improved strength and conditioning programs. Despite these, perhaps the biggest change is set to come next spring with the addition of the new Episcopal Collegiate lacrosse team. The addition of lacrosse is already setting up the Episcopal community to provide more opportunities and new excitement for interested students. After a lot of hard work, a group of determined students has gone through a long road to bring lacrosse to the Episcopal Collegiate School. Although at this time the team is only meeting as a club, it has already drawn in many students who previously had never really been exposed to the sport. Led by Coach Collins, the team will not only give an opportunity to those students looking to join a new sport but also create a new source of excitement as the team is set to square off against potential rivals such as Catholic High and Pulaski Academy. The whole thing started merely as an idea of a few interested students who took it to the head of school, head of upper school, and athletic director for approval. After deciding to pursue the addition of a lacrosse team, the school then faced the challenge of finding a coach. After a long and thorough search, the school finally decided on Coach Collins, a lacrosse coach from Texas that Sophomore Seth Towe describes as “a good coach who loves lacrosse and is very competitive.” Coach Collins has already begun to recruit prospective players and is doing a good job so far of getting members of the team excited for this new chapter in the story of Episcopal athletics. Because the program is in its infancy, the team will be playing a 7-on-7 variation of the game, as opposed to the standard 10-on-10 format. This will allow the team to focus more on development and think more towards the future of the program. When asked about his expectations, Seth Towe explains that the main goal for the team is to “plan for the future to get a full team and hopefully be able to play and compete with more schools.” The new lacrosse team has already created a bit of a buzz around the school and as the season approaches interest should only grow larger. With the team in its first year at Episcopal, student support is as important as ever and the team is highly encouraging participation even outside of playing. In order to really get going, the team needs the support and encouragement of the student body.Where are you going to be during the first face off?
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Athletics
Wildcat Spirit: Pep Rally Pride BY CELIA KRETH Have you noticed an increase in pep or spirit around the school? Perhaps that is due to the new Upper School Commons furniture, but what about the increase in participation in pep rallies? According to Graham Gordon and Herschel Friday, the Senior Pep Rally leaders, we’ve had more spirit this year than we have had in the past five years. As Herschel says, this is because people are actually making an effort to increase spirit through fun activities in the pep rallies, like the dancing competition or putting on costumes. His favorite outfit was the hat and cut-off jeans combination of the first pep rally. Graham also shares this opinion, both confessing that they have to “make sure they look good” before starting the show. Graham says that the increased participation is because of more student involvement and participation. He thinks students “look at it as something fun to do and not like we have to go to another pep rally.” A prime example of this was the Senior Pep Rally held by the 12th graders. It was great for tons of people to get involved and help host the activities, whether it be doing the spirit stick challenge or throwing (and maybe getting hit by) the toy footballs, members of the senior class reported. But what exactly do Graham and Herschel do? Their responsibilities include getting a script of the activities that will be hosted, helping plan those, and putting their own spin on it. They get to decide the order of events and the typical functions of the pep rally. However, a significant portion of the planning comes from our very own Spirit Committee. According to Emma Patton and Zadia Hollis, Spirit Committee members, they get to come up with some of the games during the pep rally, make posters and themes for the game, and try to show the community’s appreciation for Wildcat athletics by sending food or candy to some of the teams. They also get to pick the team of the month to help with publicity and support for different athletic teams. Both the Spirit Committee and the Senior Pep Rally leaders encourage the students to let them know if they have any suggestions for pep rally activities or themes. They also wanted to add a special thanks to Mrs. Ratcliff for all the hard work she puts in behind the scenes.
Graham Gordon Favorite part of the pep rally: Coming out of the tunnel and seeing the excitement of all the students and the costumes, of course.
Herschel Friday Favorite part of the pep rally: I normally don’t like being center of attention, but hyping people makes it all really worth it.
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Student Voice
Remember Freshmen Year? Or Are You Trying To Forget? BY LILY RADTKE Ninth graders, freshmen, newbies of the upper school--whatever you’d like to call them, have officially survived nine whole weeks of high school. Although some may have just barely made it through the quarter, all students definitely have stories to tell. You’re probably wondering, “Hey, what embarrassing stories do these newbies have?” For one freshman, the tale begins when she was struck by the power of Jesus while walking down the stairs. She explains, “I was walking down the stairs and jokingly said, ‘I hate life.’” As those words came out of her mouth, she immediately tumbled down the stairs, fell flat on her stomach, and dropped everything that was in her hands. The most embarrassing part? She did it right in front of about a fourth of the high school student body.
She immediately tumbled down the stairs, fell flat on her stomach, and dropped everything that was in her hands.
Another person said that his most embarrassing moment happened in the recycling bin. He recounts, “As I climbed into the recycling bin and started to get wheeled around the hallway, Father Rob came yelling after me to make sure I put myself in the recycling bin, and not an upperclassman.” The biggest event of the quarter had to have been the freshmen’s first homecoming; boy, did that bring some embarrassing moments! For some freshmen, the homecoming dance meant sitting on the bathroom floor because they were not in the mood to dance. For one freshman, “slow dancing at HoCo” was her most embarrassing moment since being in high school, especially when the people dancing were mostly freshmen. From tripping down the stairs to running into upperclassmen, the freshmen have definitely taken away several pieces of advice: embrace the moment, do not dwell on the past, and do not be afraid to laugh at yourself! Now that the freshmen’s most embarrassing moments have been shared, what do you think:
Have this year’s batch of freshmen had it easy, or are their stories even more embarrassing than yours?
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Student Voice
Trends at Episcopal BY ADANNA MOGBO Air Force Ones While Episcopal requires us to wear white tennis shoes, the students are left to decide the style and brand of our sneakers. Air Force Ones, which have been sold by Nike since 1982, seem to be a popular shoe of the Upper School student body. Students gravitate towards these shoes because they’re comfortable, affordable, and most importantly, you won’t get dress coded! False Nails Short or long, squared or rounded, dip or gel, loads of female students have been adorning fake nails throughout school, especially in the wake of homecoming season. The freshly manicured look maybe pricey and painful when they break but are too much of a classic to give up. “I get dip powder for my nails,” Sophomore Scottie Traylor says. “I go to Fashion Nail over by Taziki's.” A Star is Born Actor Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is a hit among the members of the student body. Featuring singer and songwriter Lady Gaga, the film came out over Fall Break. The film is a remake of the 1976 version featuring Barbra Streisand, and it follows an alcoholic musician who falls in love with a young singer. “It’s super amazing,” Sophomore Gretchen Allen said. “It shows that music has to come from the heart.” New Episcopal Belts The guys of Episcopal replaced their ragged brown belts with a new blue one with green E’s printed around it. This accessory is sold in the new Wildcat Warehouse, along with many other pieces, but this one is by far the most popular. “It’s pretty cool, I guess,” says student Teddy Jones.
@episcopalwildcatwarehouse
9 FALL 2018
EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Student Voice
Seniors Advise Their Kindergarten Buddies BY JULIET OCCIDENTAL AND KENNEDY NEAL Episcopal Collegiate School is a place where community is important, and everyone sees that with the Seniors and their Kindergarten Buddies. Throughout the year, the Seniors with get to know their Kindergarten Buddies and grow closer to them with various activities such as the annual Halloween Parade in the Lower School or the Christmas cookie decorating tradition. A few Seniors had some advice they would like to give their Buddies when they begin to leave their print on Episcopal Collegiate School. Senior Nathaniel "Nate" Mangum would like to tell his Kindergarten Buddy, Henry Reno: "Enjoy middle school and don’t rush through it because it’s the time in your life when you start to grow up a little bit and have a good time with your buddies and actually remember those times when you’re older." Senior Noura Musallam would like her Kindergarten Buddy, Katherine Brantley, to: "Love yourself and become confident in your own skin. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Believe in yourself and your capabilities. Spread love and positivity to everyone around you." Senior Christian Thomas wants his Kindergarten Buddy Elijah Bailey to know how to: "Avoid malicious gossip; it never leads to good things." Senior Haley Tucker tells Janelle Jones: "Janelle, have a great year and make the most out of it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because your teachers are there to help you. Have fun at the socials, support the Wildcats at the games, and stay on top of your assignments! I know that you will be so successful in life, and I can’t wait to see all the wonderful things that you will do." These Seniors have seen all that Episcopal Collegiate has to offer from art to sports, and their advice will be taken to heart. The Kindergarten Buddies will appreciate the advice once it comes time to hear it.
nes elle Jo n a J y Senior budd Nate M er and k c u T angum aley H r o and b i Sen uddy Senior Mary Claire Briggs and buddy Henry Reno Meredith Martindale
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Student Voice
Need Advice? BY MAKENNA THOMAS
How can I stay organized throughout the school year?
That’s a great question! Staying organized throughout the year can be very challenging. However, there are a few ways to stay on top of everything. A good idea is to have a planner or write down your weekly schedule, along with all your assigned homework. Make sure to write down any tests, projects, and/or quizzes you might have each week. You should also consider labeling tabs in your binders so that when tests roll around, you will be able to easily locate the material you need. Lastly, make sure to always ask your teachers for any help you might need. Hope this helped!
How can I avoid being pulled into gossip?
Awesome question! Gossip is a tricky subject but can be avoided if handled carefully. If you feel you are being pulled into a situation, try telling the person that is gossiping to you that you’re not interested and would prefer to stay out of the matter. If that doesn’t work, you can always walk away. Gossip can spread quickly, so it’s a good idea to try and not associate yourself with it. Thanks for the question!
Tips for studying?
Great question! If you’re studying for an upcoming test, make sure to give yourself at least two days in advance to review and study so that you have ample time to ask the teacher questions and get extra practice on aspects you might be having trouble grasping. If you feel like you don’t have enough time to study, take one thing at a time. Hope this helped and good luck!
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Student Voice: Activism
The Immigration Crisis: A Student Perspective BY BLAINE CUNNINGHAM Many have heard or are familiar with the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border that has taken place and increased over recent years. The U.S. has more immigrants than any other country in the world, and those immigrants account for 13.5% of the U.S. population. Of that statistic, Hispanics make up 31%. These immigrants mostly come from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many are unaccompanied minors or women and children. The reaction of the U.S. towards these asylum seekers is one necessary of discussion. The action required must be mindful of natural human rights. The history of border patrol is important to understand that future action must be taken. In the 1980s and 1990s, illegal immigration increased in comparison to the previous years. New technology and manpower were implemented to combat the influx of immigrants. Operation “Hold the Line” was established in 1993 and operation “Gatekeeper” was implemented in 1994 to further control and decrease migration. They proved immediate successes and reduced apprehension. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, border security became an important topic of interest in Washington. In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security was established. These establishments decreased the migrant population overall, but there was and still is an increase in unaccompanied minors and women and children crossing the border to seek asylum. In 2015, the number of asylum seekers worldwide reached 110,000 and unaccompanied minors formed a large portion of this population. The U.S. has struggled to combat this crisis in a humane way. Confusion and misunderstanding have contributed to a contorted view of immigration. It is important to understand the reason behind immigration from countries like Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These regions, especially the countries in the Northern Triangle, are flooded with corruption, drug trafficking, and gang violence. The U.S. has given these governments billions of dollars of aid, but this money has had little to no effect. These countries continue to be some of the most violent countries not at war in the world. Their rates of homicide are higher than neighboring countries like Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Extortion also plays a prominent role in the rise of violence. A weak government and underfunded institutions have been unable to end gang violence and extortion. Ninety-five percent of crimes go unpunished in these countries, and many citizens do not trust police and security forces. Many strategies were designed to help these countries prosper, strengthen the government, and improve security. However, in 2014, there was an influx of unaccompanied minors, and in 2016, an increase in migrants from Central America. Former President Obama ordered the deportation of migrants whose asylum claims had been denied and even considered separating families. But the administration decided it was inhumane. These actions were meant to deter future migrants but in the last year and, even this year, it is clear that did not happen. During his campaign and presidency, President Trump took a strict stance on immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. He revoked 350,000 immigrants' legal right to live and work in the U.S. through the temporary protected status, which is only given to people in countries with severe hardships. Trump also expanded the wall and implemented policies to deter migrants. This included criminally prosecuting migrants and separating them from their minor children. They separated around 2,000 children from their parents before revoking the practice and “zero-tolerance policy” in June.
The “zero-tolerance policy” was wrong in many ways and lead to a national outcry against separating children from their parents. Detention and separation created stress and is proven to have long-term effects on a child’s development. It could affect a child’s sleeping habits and create anger. In a recent Frontline documentary, reporters interviewed many parents who were separated from their children immediately after crossing the border. Before crossing, the parents had no idea of the potential separation at the border. The separation was meant to deter migrants but served no purpose if those migrants were unaware of the threat. Upon crossing the border, the children and parents were lied to by border patrol to split the families from the children. The parents were told that they would see their children later or that there was no room currently on the bus for them. These lies were meant to separate the children from their parents without causing too much alarm. After President Trump revoked the policy, the parents were eventually reunited with their children. Many parents told the interviewers that their children change, noticing more anger that stemmed from the rough treatment. Some children would not even speak on the events that occurred in the detention centers. There will be lasting effects on the children who have experienced this terrible and inhumane action taken by the U.S.
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Student Voice: Activism I asked the opinions of students at our school on the immigration crisis. Their replies are anonymous and printed below:
“I don’t think it is fair for the families. Try to imagine if from your perspective. It would be awful if my younger cousins or I were separated from our families. That is not what America should stand for and goes against our values.” “It is wrong for the government to separate families from their children and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should tell families that they would be separated. There are technological ways to communicate this message.” “I think that when immigrants cross the border, they commit a crime. If anyone commits a crime, they are separated from their children. This situation is no different. I think the media hyped it up to more than it was, and that the separations was completely justified.” Some of you may not agree with these points. We all have different opinions and it is our right to think freely. It is also our right to speak about issues and controversies that need attention. These issues can be based locally, nationally, or worldwide. Use your voice for good and encourage others through it. The immigration crisis will continue to be a problem throughout U.S. history until we find a solution that is both humane and lawful. It is important to consider the history of Border Patrol in the U.S. and the reason for migration from countries like Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many migrants simply seek opportunity and asylum. They are not all criminals, but instead hardworking people looking for a better life in the Land of the Free. Who are we to not offer that? Sources: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/history http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/14/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/ https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/central-americas-violent-northern-triangle https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/06/1012492 http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/Flores-backgrounder-final.pdf https://www.npr.org/2018/06/22/622678753/the-history-of-the-flores-settlement-and-its-effects-on-immigration
The Importance of Voting: Midterms BY PHOEBE SANDERS November sixth was just yesterday, and the process of voting has just ended. Election season is upon us. As a student, you are likely asking yourself, “Why does this pertain to me?” As the thought of being eighteen lurks a few years into the future, the knowledge of this year’s elections comes solely from names on yard signs that receive only a quick glance as we continue in our busy lives. However, it is important for all of us— especially seniors who will be able to vote— to be informed on candidates for local offices and their values. It is our responsibility as citizens to use our voice to impact the future and ensure the potential of our government, both federally and more locally. Plenty of people buy lottery tickets, hoping for a slim chance to make their life better because at least it’s worth a shot— so why is voting any different? So this year, I encourage you to volunteer for a candidate or simply educate yourself on the different elections and candidates, like your future depends on it— because it does.
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
VOL.II NO.I
Faculty Feature
Who's Who on Campus BY PHOEBE SANDERS AND SCOTTIE TRAYLOR The everyday life of students begins with pulling through the gates, followed by our morning classes, leading to the best part of our day — lunch. At the end of the day, most students go to athletic practices, go home, or some remain in the Upper School, where they might notice the custodial staff. Students go through the daily routines, not always aware of the faces behind the scenes: Mr. Chuck Biggs, Chef Brooke Henley, and Mr. Dennis Smith. Sometimes their hard work goes unnoticed, but it should never go unappreciated. Scottie and Phoebe asked these members of our community a few questions so we could get to know the people we encounter every day. How long have you been at Episcopal? 3 years.
Mr. Chuck Biggs SECURITY GUARD
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? Play guitar, collect ball cards and coins, and watch my grandbabies! What is your favorite thing about your job? Meeting all of the people!
How long have you been working at Episcopal? 2 years. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? Rest!
Mr. Dennis Smith CUSTODIAL STAFF
What is your favorite thing about your job? The people!
Chef Brooke Henley SAGE STAFF
How long have you been working at Episcopal? 2 years. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? Hang out with my miniature Golden Doodle and Klein Poodle! What is your favorite thing about your job? Making the customers happy and seeing the joy on people’s faces on their favorite meal days!
When asked about their favorite part of their job, all three of them said that it’s the people in our community they get to meet! One of the great things about our smaller community is the fact that each and every single one of us have the opportunity to brighten the days of guests, faculty, and staff through small acts of kindness. Whether it is thanking these three individuals for everything they do or simply smiling to people in the hallways, our trust and kindness that we share makes this community thrive.
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Faculty Voice
The D-Hall: A Focus on Grades? BY DR. HALL One fine morning around 7:15 a.m., just before Fall Break, I was in my classroom surrounded by Sophomores completing re-tests for my AP World History course. Some of them were shivering (I keep my classroom at 70), some were biting at their lips and fingers, and some were weeping (on the inside). As the pity and compassion swelled inside of me, in that moment, I thought back to the ancient film (2005) Batman Begins – and not just because Batman is my namesake. In a particular scene, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Ra’s al Guhl (Liam Neeson) are talking after Bruce has fallen through ice into freezing water. Neeson’s character offers the following advice after watching Wayne rub his arms in front of a fire to try and warm up: “Rub your chest and the arms will take care of themselves.” I thought better of offering the same advice to my students, as they might have looked a little awkward. However, I started thinking (which is dangerous, I know) about why they were even there in the first place – all having studied information they were already tested on and now taking a re-test, and for what? – grades? It was (and is) all about the grade… isn’t it?
DR. HALL
It is a fact that grades are important, and it would be a misleading falsehood to say they don’t matter, at least right now. Grades are used for college admissions, financial aid, and permission from parents to drive. But on the larger stage of life, “did I get a good grade?” takes a back seat to the more important question “did I learn how to learn?” In the moment that I remembered the film scene, I also frowned at the dysfunctional, expendable, feckless, fruitless, futile, impractical, ineffectual, pointless, and utterly useless misuse of time that students spend focusing only on ‘the grade’ – like Bruce Wayne, rubbing his arms and never getting warm – instead of focusing on the core… Imagine for a moment that you are 23 years old, have just finished your college degree, and are being interviewed for your dream job. You and only two other candidates have been selected from a group of 100 applicants. How exciting… Then the interviewer looks at your resume and says “I see that you took a class on the History of Silesian Peasants in the 17th Century” (actually, no one would ever say that, but go with me on this). The interviewer continues, “I’ve been to Silesia many times! How do you think you could apply what you learned in that class to your work in this job?” OH NO! You spent so much time in that class cramming at the last minute making sure you parroted your professor’s ideas in order to get an A, that you can’t remember anything, including where Silesia even is! (Gold star if you know). Ooops. “Thank you for your time. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.” Here’s some sound advice. If you focus on learning how to learn, you won’t need to worry about the grade. If you focus on the core, your arms (and grades) will take care of themselves.
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VOL.II NO.I
Get to Know the Faculty!
Ms. Balcolm
Favorite...
Sports team: Chicago Cubs Book: The Great Divorce Musician/Band: Drew Holcomb and Van Buren, Arkansas the Neighbors, Billy Joel, Ed Sheeran Music Major and Spanish Education Movie: It's a Wonderful Life Major at Harding University
MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER
Favorite...
Mr. Compton
Sports team: USA Olympic Teams & SCIENCE TEACHER Freer, Texas Episcopal Wildcats Book: The Lorax by Dr. Suess B.S. Biology at Texas A&I University; Musician/Band: Anyone who can play M.S. Biology at Texas A&I University; or sing well M.S. Human Physiology at UTHSCSA Movie: Any Disney movie I see with (The University of Texas Health my girls science Center at San Antonio)
Mrs. Conyer
Favorite...
Sports team: Chicago Cubs Book: Under the Tuscan Sun, A Year in Tuscany (and any ENGLISH TEACHER other book by Frances Mayes), A Year in Provence, The (EMPRESS WANNABE) Fountainhead, To Kill a Mockingbird...too many to mention Bloomington, Indiana Musician/Band: Andrea Bocelli, Jimmy Buffett, Eric Indiana University, Bloomington; B.A. Clapton, Tom Petty...depends on my mood English, M.A. Secondary Education Movie: A Good Year, Something's Gotta Give, It's Complicated, My Fair Lady, Rear Window...too many to list with an emphasis in English
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Mr. Gooch
ENGLISH TEACHER Sports team: Wildcats Fort Worth, Texas Book: All the King's Men; A Song of English Major / Education Minor at Ice and Fire; The Plague Musician/Band: The Clash; Talking The University of the South; MEd at Vanderbilt University Heads; Daft Punk Movie: Children of Men; City of God; Terminator 2
Mrs. Hurley MATHEMATICS TEACHER
Favorite...
Sports team: Episcopal Wildcats! Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire University of Central Arkansas Musician/Band: Regina Spektor Bachelor of Science in Secondary Movie: Beauty and the Beast Mathematics Education and Master of Arts in Mathematics Education Fort Smith, Arkansas
Father Rob"Dr. Cool" Sports team: West Bromwich Albion Leacock Favorite...
FC DOCTOR OF COOL (AND CHAPLAIN) Book: Love in the Time of Cholera Gainesville, Florida Musician/Band: Wilco Classics at Davidson; Masters of Movie: Cocktail Divinity at Yale
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Coach Micah Marsh ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, HEALTH, GIRLS BASKETBALL, VARSITY TENNIS
Alcoa, Tennessee Accounting major at Arkansas State University, Masters of Business Administration at Arkansas State University, Educational Specialist degree at Lincoln Memorial University
Favorite...
Favorite... Sports team: Boston Celtics, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Braves, Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas State Redwolves Book: Anything James Patterson, Vince Flynn, or Steve Brown Musician/Band: I like all types of music Movie: Shawshank Redemption
Coach Richie Marsh
Sports team: Oakland (soon to be Las ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER Vegas) Raiders :( Alcoa, Tennessee Book: Do Androids Dream of Electric BS in Special Education and History Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick from Carson-Newman College; MA in Musician/Band: Muddy Waters History from Louisiana Tech Movie: Stand by Me University
Ms. Martin TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SPECIALIST, EXPLORATORY DESIGN TEACHER, ROBOTICS COACH
Ashdown, Arkansas Digital Media at John Brown University; Masters in Instructional Technology at University of Central Arkansas
Favorite... Sports team: WILDBOTZ "Robotics is a sport of the mind!" Book: Ghost in the Shell (manga) Musician/Band: Fleet Foxes Movie: The Others
18 FALL 2018
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Mrs. Morgan
Sports team: East Carolina Pirates! DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Book: Anything by Barbara Williamston, North Carolina Kingsolver, Marie Semple Musician/Band: Dolly Parton, Eagles, Political Science major at Sewanee, Chris Stapleton M.Ed. in Human Development Movie: Dirty Dancing, Shag, Steel Counseling from Vanderbilt Magnolias
Mr. O'Connell THEATRE DIRECTOR
Carrollton, Texas
Theatre major at Hendrix College, M.Litt and MFA in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance at Mary Baldwin University
Favorite...
Favorite... Sports team: Texas Rangers Book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime Musician/Band: They Might Be Giants Movie: The Princess Bride
Mrs. Wood
Sports team: AR Razorback Diamond ENGLISH TEACHER Hogs Holly Ridge, Louisiana Book: Today? The Nightingale Musician/Band: Which genre? Pink, Northern Illinois Univ., MA: Rhetoric, Linguistics Lady Gaga, Keith Urban, Sam Cook Movie: How to Train A Dragon
Check back next edition to get to know some other faculty, too!
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Thank You From Our Staff!
CELIA KRETH Editor & Writer
HEATHER HARPOLE Graphic Design & Photography
EVA ALLEN Copy-editor & Writer
ADANNA MOGBO Editor-in-Training & Writer
BLAINE CUNNINGHAM Academics Editor & Writer
SARAH WARE Fine Arts Editor & Writer
JP BRAUNFISCH Athletics Editor & Writer
PHOEBE SANDERS Student Voice Editor & Writer
SCOTTIE TRAYLOR MAKENNA THOMAS GABRIELLE RANCIFER Comic Strip Editor & Writer Writer Publicity Coordinator & Writer
JULIET OCCIDENTAL Writer
Logo by Coach Marsh
LILY RADTKE Writer
MR. GOOCH Sponsor
Found an error? We'd love to know! Please email us at episcatimes@episcopalcollegiate.org
KENNEDY NEAL Writer
DR. HALL Faculty Writer