April Issue 2018

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THE REVIEW

ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL 2401 CLAREMONT LANE HOUSTON, TX 77019

SJSREVIEW.COM APRIL 20, 2018 VOL. 69. ISSUE 5

working overtime

The facts and controversy surrounding extended time CAROLINE RAMIREZ

INSIDE NEWS 2 FEATURES 5 SPORTS 13 CULTURE 16 OPINIONS 17 PHOTOSTORY 20

End-of-year calendar changes aim to improve student wellness (P3) Bucket List: Faculty plan weddings, have children (P5)

KIMBERLY BURLESON

New Fine Arts Annex begins hosting events

A new chapter: library to expand

By Laney Chang After nine months, construction of the new Fine Arts Annex in the Lowe Theater courtyard was completed at the end of February. The School’s newest building provides space not only for fine arts activities, but also for Lower and Middle Schools events.

The annex was originally designed to serve as an additional “black box” space for the Fine Arts department, but the initial cost was too high. According to Director of Fine Arts Bill McDonald, the space will be used for dance classes and ensembles, and may also host musical rehearsals.

“What the Fine Arts department really needed was more space,” Chief Financial Officer Greg Swan said. “We revised the project to be a combination of a rehearsal space and additional space for Lower and Middle School meetings.”

McDonald and Assistant Director of Fine Arts Anthony Leakey worked with Swan, architects and administrators to develop the finalized blueprints.

“We looked at multi-functional rooms that serve both a fine arts purpose and as a general meeting space and then met with contractors,” McDonald said.

Even though the annex will not be a true black box theater, it can still be transformed into a theatrical space. Complete with a 20-foot ceiling and space for catwalks and lights, the annex can seat 250 audience members, according to Swan.

The new annex also has restroom facilities and a foyer for gatherings.

A built-in storage space allows for tables and chairs to be set up quickly for parent or faculty events.

Due to the location of the construction site, the Lower School carpool lane and Lowe Theater parking lot were closed until March 19.

The exterior of the new annex is composed of stucco on the sides facing the Lower and Middle Schools and limestone on the western façade.

Because the School’s “master plan” includes remodeling the Lower and Middle Schools, the architects decided on a simple stucco wall that can be modified once the plan is completed. This decision resulted cut the cost of the building from the allotted $5.5 million to $5.1 million.

Even though there are still a few finishing touches to be made, the annex has been open since the school received a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy on Feb. 26.

The first event, a Fine Arts Alumni Reception, was held on March 3.

Both Swan and McDonald are optimistic about the annex’s future on campus.

“I was worried that the building would stick out like a sore thumb, but it turned out wonderfully,” Swan said. “It’s a beautiful space — the building belongs there.”

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CURTIS & WINDHAM ARCHITECTS

Artistic renderings and blueprints depict the new Academic Commons and atrium, scheduled to open after spring break next year. The reimagined library will feature individual study rooms and space for student collaboration. It will encompass over 11,000 square feet and cost $3.7 million to renovate.

By Hrishabh Bhosale With the steady expansion of the student population over the last three years and a sharp increase in student activity during DaVinci and free periods, it has become evident that there is not enough room in the library given its current configuration.

“We were bursting at the seams,” librarian Peg Patrick said. “It was time to do something.”

Construction of the new Upper School library is slated to begin in late May after students complete final exams. The new library, dubbed the “Academic Commons,” will be larger than Flores Hall, providing 11,013 square feet for individual studying and collaboration.

The $3.7 million in renovations will come from the School’s Repairs and Replacement Fund ($1.5 million) and the remaining Opportunity of a Lifetime funds ($2.2 million). The Academic Commons will be the last project funded by the $70-million Opportunity of a Lifetime campaign, which helped purchase the Taub property and funded many other capital improvements in recent years including the Taub parking lot, Great Lawn, Campus Center, innovative classrooms, student parking garage and Fine Arts Annex.

In addition to the library renovation, the science building staircases, formerly the Stude-Sarofim Learning Resource Center, will be renovated to include an atrium space.

The switchback staircase on the north side will be replaced with a high-stepped collaborative staircase similar to those found on many college campuses. The staircase will have the capacity to host multiple classes while providing an efficient solution to hallway and staircase crowding.

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“After this project we will cease to have funds available for large capital improvements — all funds from the Opportunity of a Lifetime Campaign have been spent,” Chief Financial Officer Greg Swan said.

Future projects, including athletic facilities and the reconstruction of the Middle and Lower School, will require another fundraising campaign.

The new library space will address the growing student population by providing space for students and taking individual study preferences into account.

The collaborative space will feature multiple study commons, each fitted with two-person desks and four-person areas separated by low bookshelves. Glass-walled study rooms will provide a space for collaboration and group studying.

Repurposing the computer lab and math classrooms will create extra square footage.

Currently a math classroom, S202 will be opened up to create the East Academic Commons, while the Computer Lab and S209, another math room, will become the North Academic Commons. Commons space will be comparable to the current “collaborative side” of the library while the current “collaborative side,” known to students as the “loud side,” will become a silent reading room.

Math teacher Bethany Goldman’s classroom is one of the two rooms scheduled for demolition. Goldman, an avid reader, will miss her centrally located room with easy access to the library, but she looks forward to the renovation.

Although the new library will be larger, there will be less shelf space, so librarians have been paring down the collection. They will remove one-third of the current vol-

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umes by spring of 2019.

The books taken out of circulation will be shipped to Sub-Saharan Africa and distributed to schools and universities that participate in the Good Steward Global Initiative, a Houston-based nonprofit.

For junior Dhilan Lahoti, the removal of such a large number of books comes as a surprise. Lahoti worries that the decrease will do more harm than good.

“The lack of access to the books could harm the intellectual atmosphere of the school,” Lahoti said.

Patrick says that the weeding-out process is essential to keep the library up-to-date.

“It’s challenging. We check to see what we don’t need and what doesn’t fit with the curriculum,” Patrick said. “The books are going to a really good place.”

Students will have access to a limited number of books during renovations. Reference books and texts in high demand will be housed in individual classrooms, while the majority will be placed in storage.

“We have done a good job of selecting books that are commonly used in projects.

I don’t want kids to be worried about not having the resources they need,” Assistant Librarian Suzanne Webb said. “If they need a book, we will be able to get it.”

Architecture firm Curtis & Windham designed the library and intend to maintain the style of the school while providing a fresh, modern space. The library will mirror the Campus Center’s Collegiate Gothic style with peaked arches and beamed ceilings.

Construction of the library is expected to be completed when students return from spring break in 2019.

Grand finale: fewer exams, more projects

By Shani Israel In preparation for final exams last year, junior Caroline Burnett divided her class notes and grades into respective binders, organized each binder into units and made a detailed study schedule for every day in May, leaving a few days before exams to review.

This year, Burnett plans to allot just one week to prepare for final exams.

“The workload for the end of the year feels much lighter and has made me a lot less stressed,” she said.

With a focus on wellness, administrators decided that no more than three academic departments will administer a midterm or final exam in any given semester. This year, only math and world languages will have a spring semester final exam. In previous years, underclassmen could expect to take five midterms over the course of six days — including Saturdays.

“The new schedule enabled more conversations about instruction, which inevitably led to conversations about assessment,” Head of Upper School Hollis Amley said. “The final assessment doesn’t always have to be a test.”

Members of the Academic Team decided that courses not giving a final exam will instead require a final project that will be weighted the same as a final exam (either 20 percent for underclassmen or 25 percent for juniors and seniors). The final assessment grade will appear on report cards regardless of whether or not a course offers an exam or project.

Upperclassmen taking English classes have always written a synthesis paper in lieu of a final exam. Last year the English department decided to replace midterms and final exams with a culminating project for underclassmen as well. With major papers, teachers require graded checkpoint assignments.

“Having checkpoints for our theses and outlines has really been helpful to keep the topic fresh in my mind,” Burnett said. “It reminds me to keep working through it so I don’t end up having to write everything the night before and turn in a paper I’m not happy with.”

Administrators point out that projects can teach students many important skills that final exams sometimes cannot.

“When there are set dates for midterms and finals, it’s one-and-done — you have one shot at it, and whatever you get is the result,” World Languages Department Chair Aline Means said. “But with projects, students learn how to manage their time and how to work with others.”

Having just two or three finals each semester also reduces anxiety and exhaustion.

“Knowing I don’t have five finals this coming May has felt like a weight off my shoulders,” Burnett said.

Fall-semester midterm exams and projects were cancelled because the school decided to make up for lost instructional time due to Hurricane Harvey.

This semester, biology students are creating a portfolio of labs that they have conducted throughout the year. Students in Honors Physics will create a model race boat to apply concepts from a variety of units such as kinematics and electricity. Physics I students are writing up their own labs that apply information about any topic learned throughout the course.

Several AP courses exempt students from final exams or projects if they take the corresponding AP test in May. Amley says the move towards “a more hybrid or multi-dimensional way of thinking about semester assessments” is the result of “new pedagogical and curricular opportunities due to the changes in the schedule starting last year.”

Longer class periods allow teachers more opportunities for projects and discovery-based learning. Having just three days for finals will also allow more flexibility in scheduling end-of-semester events such as Candlelight and eliminating Saturdays as an exam day.

In order to alleviate the pressure and workload on students in early May, when most projects are due, many courses have students turn in parts of their papers and projects in stages.

“The tricky thing with assigning more projects is making sure they’re not all due at the same time and that they don’t become more onerous than a final,” Amley said.

Means said that the biggest challenge with projects is designing one that combines skills learned over the course of a semester or year into a meaningful assessment.

“You have to get pretty creative and find something that

GRAPHIC BY AMELIE PERRIER AND SIENA ZERR

is worthy of such a big grade,” Means said.

The school does not plan on completely eliminating exams because, according to Amley, exams can help students “reach a higher level of synthesis and understanding” while also preparing them for taking final exams in college.

Commencement Changes Graduation typically takes place the evening before Reading Day, but this year it is scheduled for the evening of May 24 — the day after finals end for non-seniors. Last year’s graduation fell on May 16. This year marks the first time that Commencement will take place after all classes have ended, the result of later-than-usual Advanced Placement test dates.

AP tests traditionally run for two weeks starting the first Monday in May. Since April 30 falls on a Monday this year, AP exams will not begin until May 7, the latest start date possible.

Holding graduation the night before Reading Day, May 17, would mean that some students might have an AP test the afternoon of — or the morning after — graduation.

Seniors will have their last day of classes on May 9 unless they have not completed all coursework, in which case they will remain on campus until all work is finished.

Upper School approaches maximum capacity

By Ryan Chang Starting next school year, the Upper on campus means that I have new people to School population will be the largest in meet,” Assistant Academic Dean Jennifer school history.

Kuhl said. “This increase grows the faculty In 2014, there were 583 students in the and enriches the community.”

Upper School. According to Courtney According to Chief Financial Officer Burger, Director of Admissions, there will Greg Swan, SJS generated about $300,000 be approximately 700 students next year. in extra revenue from the first group of 25 Until 2015, the school admitted between additional students in 2015.

35 to 40 new freshmen students. Now, the Starting next school year, the additionnumber of newly accepted freshmen has in- al 100 new students will generate about creased to approximately 60. $1,200,000, which, starting in 2021, will According to Burger, school leadership help the School pay off its $95 million debt wanted to increase class size to support accrued by purchasing the Taub property.

Houston’s changing demographics and The debt is scheduled to be paid off by cover the costs of the Taub property pur- 2043. chase and subsequent campus upgrades.

As a consequence of admitting more stu“Houston’s popudents, one of the lation had exploded, logistical chaland St. John’s enlenges has been rollment had been finding a way to somewhat stagnant,” seat all students Burger said. “With during Chapel the opportunity to and assemblies. purchase the Taub “Since the Upproperty and build per School will the Great Hall, the be the largest it’s School’s leadership ever been next felt it was the perfect year, we were time to increase the sort of dreading size of our freshman the seat arrangeclass.” ments,” Dean of The school has Students Bailey hired new teachers Duncan said. to accommodate the “We found that increased number of with a few simstudents while mainple fixes, we taining a small stucan actually fit dent-teacher ratio. everyone pretty GRAPHIC BY SIENA ZERR comfortably in “Having new faces

SJSREVIEW.COM

St. John the Divine and the VST.” Duncan and Director of Spiritual Life Ned Mulligan have opened up balcony and choir seating in St. John the Divine, and will rely on these spaces more next year to accommodate additional students.

Folding chairs in the wings of the VST have opened up more space for assemblies.

According to Duncan, the biggest challenge presented by the seating arrangements was seating freshmen and sophomores by advisory.

“There’s value in having students sitting by advisory, especially for the younger grades,” Duncan said.

“When you have so many more new students, it’s important for them to connect with their advisory. Ultimately, our goal is to make sure students feel connected on campus.”

Junior Lincoln Dow said it was difficult to know all his classmates as a freshman.

“There were so many new students, especially compared to Middle School,” Dow said. “It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I would have liked to connect with my classmates a bit more.”

Student Affairs Council began emailing a weekly infographic to all Upper School students and faculty to keep them informed.

SAC has also hosted House games to strengthen connections between students.

“There are some challenges that come with the increase, but there are also some opportunities for the student leaders to collaborate with us to make sure students feel connected on campus,” Duncan said.

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GRAPHIC BY AMELIE PERRIER

“The infographics make sure students are plugged in, and SAC’s done a great job with more House competitions and polls.”

Burger has also seen the positive effects of the increase in the Upper School population.

“When word spread in the Houston area that we were increasing the size of our freshman class, we attracted even more incredible kids to the school,” Burger said.

“These new students provide opportunities to expand our course offerings and extracurricular programs because we now have this broad pool of students with their own talents. Some students may even bring something new that we haven’t really explored before as a community, which contributes to even more growth.”

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Political clubs unite in gun violence walkout

By Maggie Ballard

Six weeks after a gunman left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, hundreds of Upper School students gathered on the Great Lawn with their heads down and posters raised high.

The March 23 walkout, led by students from both ends of the political spectrum, aimed to show solidarity with students affected by gun violence.

In the days after Parkland, members of Young Liberals Organization and Young Conservatives Club met to discuss how their clubs could address the tragedy. They decided to organize a walkout together.

Spring break prevented Upper School students from taking part in National Walkout Day on March 14, in which thousands of students across the country left classrooms in protest. Instead, the members chose the alternate March date because it was the day before the national March for Our Lives.

For junior Sophie Gillard, YLO co-chair, the walkout was also about gun control legislation.

“I’m a pretty cynical person when it comes to movements of change,” Gillard said. “But after the tragedy at Parkland, the students’ passion, anger, grief and their unabashed and fierce desire to hold people who waffle on gun legislation accountable is extremely inspiring.”

For YCC president Henry Philpott, the effort was about displaying solidarity and unity.

“It’s not an issue of our political ideologies — it’s more of a universal issue,” Philpott said. “We all need to stand together for change.”

The leaders insisted that the walkout was not a protest against school personnel or campus security.

“Nothing was meant to be targeted at the administration— it wasn’t meant to be disrespectful,” Gillard said. “Our purpose is just to be a part of this national movement and call for the change that we feel is so desperately needed in our country.”

During one informational meeting, students debated the choice to walk out during long advisory instead of a more “controversial” time, such as a class period or assembly.

“I totally understand why people would feel that there is a weaker effect,” Gillard said. “But I still think that our walkout was meaningful and showed SJS students’ commitment to changing the status quo.”

While official numbers are not ERIC HANG available, organizers estimated Students gather on the Great Lawn in solidarity with victims of the Stoneman that roughly half of the Upper Douglas High School shooting.

During extended advisory on March 23, students School students attended, along marched around the plaza, onto Claremont Lane and back to the Great Lawn. with a significant number of teachers and administrators. to them, as well as the national impact of Gillard then led a moment of silence as Many students marched with hand-made the activism of Parkland students. the names of the victims of the Stoneman signs, some of which were made in a meetAlthough the clubs do not agree on all Douglas shooting were read aloud, along ing the day before. Junior Sara Lichtarge’s points of the gun debate, they announced with the name of the country’s most recent sign read “Don’t Pray for Us, Protect Us.” four shared goals: instituting universal school shooting victim, Jaelynn Willey Lichtarge said she was marching because background checks, raising the minimum from Great Mills High School in Maryschool should not be a place of hatred and age for gun ownership to 21, banning land, who had passed away that morning. violence. bump stocks and prohibiting domestic Smith said she hopes the walkout will After leaving advisory at 11:05 a.m., stu- abusers from having guns, also known as spark further student political involvement. dents marched around the plaza and the closing the “boyfriend loophole.”

“The percentage of young people who circle drive, past the Headmaster’s house Beyond their support of specific legisla- vote is abysmal, and in order to increase and onto Claremont Lane before returning tion, the groups urged eligible students to participation in our democracy, students to the Great Lawn to hear speeches by YCC register to vote and cast their ballots in the have to engage students, starting early,” and YLO leaders. upcoming fall midterm elections. They also Smith said. “Hopefully the walkout did Philpott and YLO vice-chair Katie Smith encouraged students to contact lawmakers just that.” each spoke about what the walkout meant and advocate for gun control measures.

New SAC elections include incoming freshmen

By Natasha Faruqui

Last year, Athena Adrogué rose to face her peers, notes in hand, as she prepared to deliver her speech for freshman spring representative. After the applause died down, former Dean of Students Elisa Inman stepped forward to announce that there were no other candidates. The whole room filled with laughter when everyone realized that Adrogué was the sole candidate for the position, and that she had already won the election.

“I ran for SAC as a freshman because I wanted to put myself out there,” Adrogué said. “I was new to St. John’s, and I wanted to take an active role in the community.”

When Adrogué’s tenth grade classmates were in middle school, 13 candidates ran for the positions of president, vice president and fall representatives. The positions of president and vice president are year-long commitments, which means that incoming students from other middle schools can only run and vote for the two spring spots.

This year, the turnout was slim — only three candidates ran — not as slim as during Adrogué’s year but enough to suggest a trend.

Next fall, elections for freshmen will look different.

In order to provide an opportunity for incoming students to compete and vote for fall-semester SAC positions, elections will be held in August for the first time.

The timing will give new Upper School students a chance to get to know their classmates and run for office.

Frank Willey was among the group of prefects who proposed the reformed election process. Willey, who came to St. John’s his junior year, highlights his former school’s election system as his inspiration for change. At Trinity School in New York, freshman elections are held in the fall of ninth grade year, giving both incoming and returning students the chance to run.

Dean of Students Bailey Duncan cited community

“

building as the primary motivation behind the change and said he hopes that the move to the beginning of the school year will pave the way for more participation opportunities for freshmen.

“We wanted to make sure that everyone feels included and welcome,” he said. “There were merits to the old system in terms of having a structure in place for when the school year starts, but, in retrospect, that just didn’t feel as welcoming as it could have been.”

Some students have expressed apprehension about the change. Freshman Class President Thomas Chang recognizes both the advantages and disadvantages of the later election date.

“It may seem unfair that incoming freshmen don’t have a chance to run CAROLINE RAMIREZ for or vote on first-semester SAC posiFreshman Class President Thomas Chang practices a speech in tions,” he said. the Chao Room. Next school year, the ninth grade SAC election But, he added, SJS Middle School will not take place until August in order to allow all incoming students “have more experience at freshmen to run for SAC and vote in the election. the school and would likely be more suited” to run for coming freshmen a voice in student council. He also said it office and elect the class officers and is necessary to make the freshman process a little different representatives. from the other grades because of the large concentration of Mia Murillo welcomes the change in new students entering at one time. election dates and considers it a step “Being able to be in high school for a few weeks and ask in the right direction for SAC. Mu- high school students about what issues should be brought rillo was new to the school in ninth to the table rather than just voting for your friend is going grade, so she did not run for spring to be the big change,” he said. representative, waiting until spring of According to Willey, moving the elections so that new her sophomore year to run. students can get introduced to SAC and Upper School is“I was really discouraged to run sues early on will help democratize the process. freshman year because I didn’t know Duncan said the updated process will help the class focus a lot of people or how SAC was run,” on unity.

Murillo said. “It’s important that new “What we’re really hoping is that each new Class Nine students are also included because they are being represent- group feels like they’re one distinct class.” Duncan said. ed by SAC.” “One distinct grade.”

Willey said that the intent of the change is to give in-

It’s important that new students are also included because they are being represented by SAC. -Mia Murillo

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Students manage dietary restrictions

By Sophie Caldwell

When Claire Huff eats at restaurants, she pulls the waiter aside and asks to speak with the chef. Her meal must be specially prepared with gluten-free ingredients, and she has to know if any single bowl, cutting board, knife or spoon has touched gluten.

In eighth grade, Huff was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that triggers inflammation in the small intestine as a response to gluten.

Since she cannot control what goes on in the school cafeteria, she brings her own food.

“I have not eaten in the cafeteria since my diagnosis because, with celiac disease, you have to control every single thing you eat,” she said.

Now a sophomore, Huff plans every meal she eats, whether or not she makes it herself. Even when she informs restaurants about her dietary needs, Huff sometimes discovers the hard way that they are not cautious enough.

“Having a conversation with the chef or waiter can be really helpful, but sometimes they don’t know what I’m talking about or they don’t take it as seriously as they need to,” Huff said. “I’ll come home with a stomachache, and I know immediately where it came from.”

Unlike many other food sensitivities, celiac disease can have long-term effects.

According to Huff, she can’t “cheat” with celiac the way people can cheat on a diet — any gluten consumption damages her intestines.

There is no cure for celiac, but Huff has found ways to manage her condition. Huff loves to bake, so she devises mixtures of coconut, rice and oat flours that approximate

the texture of wheat flour.

Sophie Lazear has a moderate allergy to peanuts and related nuts. Even when food does not contain peanut products, some ingredients in preservatives can trigger her allergies.

In Lower School, Lazear sat at a designated peanut-free table for awhile, but she and her mother decided that her allergy was mild enough that she could risk being around peanut products.

Lazear, now a junior, carries an EpiPen in case she has a severe reaction, but she has not yet had to use it. Lazear exercises caution when eating in the cafeteria since certain foods, such as meatball hoagies, can cause an allergic reaction due to their preservatives. Experience has given her a general sense of which foods are safe to eat in the cafeteria.

After losing 30 pounds and suffering from severe fatigue, senior Michael Meaux discovered in August that he has type 1 diabetes. After administering several tests, doctors discovered that he had extremely elevated blood sugar levels and sent him to the hospital immediately.

“I had more blood sugar than their machine could register,” Meaux said. “My blood sugar was above 600 when it’s supposed to be around 100.”

Meaux now carries an insulin pen wherever he goes. He checks his blood sugar when he wakes up, before every meal, before he drives and before and after sports.

He pricks his finger and puts a drop of blood on a test strip, which determines his blood sugar level.

Like many with allergies and food restrictions, Meaux plans his meals around his

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLINE RAMIREZ AND PRITHVI KRISHNARAO

Students with allergies and chronic conditions have learned to work around their dietary restrictions by finding menu options that meet their needs. The school website’s Nustrislice menu helps students plan their meals in advance. blood sugar readings. who have severe allergies,” Stark said. “The “If my blood sugar is low, I’ll have more other added benefit is that students followcarb-heavy foods,” he said, “but if it’s high, ing special diets, or eating healthy in genI’ll stay away from carbs or I’ll take more eral, can also see that nutritional content.” insulin.”

Because there are so few resources in On the school website, students can Houston for kids with celiac disease, Huff access the Nutrislice online menu to filter started her own gluten sensitivity support food items for allergens, including milk, group, sponsored by the Gluten Intolereggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish ance Group. and shellfish.

“Resources for teens with celiac was someIn a November interview with The Re- thing that I thought was severely lacking,” view, Director of Clinical Services Tesa Huff said. “The biggest issue with having Stark emphasized Nutrislice’s importance a dietary need is in being away from the for students with food restrictions. house and having to educate your friends “We started using Nutrislice because we with what to do and not to do.” wanted to create more safety for students

Faculty plan weddings, welcome new family members

By Sinclair Mott

Unable to find time while school was in session, English teacher Kristiane Stapleton ordered decorations for her wedding during spring break, two weeks before the event.

Stapleton got married in March 2017 during her first year teaching at SJS. Almost one year later, she gave birth to her first child, a baby girl named Althea.

“Wedding planning was probably more stressful than the pregnancy,” Stapleton said. “While planning the wedding, I had to manage other people, but with the pregnancy, I only had myself to worry about.”

Biology teacher Carol Teeter became engaged to Nino Kar in December 2016. Since then, the couple has been proactive about managing plans for the wedding, which is scheduled to take place on April 21 by Lake Conroe.

“Before, if there was an assignment that I needed to grade, I had a little bit more wiggle room,” Teeter said.

“Now, as soon as I am done with school, I have to shift into wedding mode.”

Teeter has enjoyed learning about her fiance’s Hindu customs and blending them with traditions that have been passed down by her family. The wedding will include a traditional Hindu ceremony — Teeter plans to wear a headdress along with her white gown.

The couple will say their vows while walking around a fire.

According to Teeter, the fire symbolizes everlasting love in Hindu culture.

Teeter admitted that although she has enjoyed the experience, some aspects of wedding-planning are tedious.

“Some tasks are a lot of fun, like tasting cakes and picking out the menu,” Teeter said. “There are other tasks that aren’t as fun, like making seating charts and working around our busy schedules.”

Photography teacher and Review advisor Chuy Benitez will wed Annamarie Dober on May 5. The couple met through cycling and, following the wedding, they will lead a bicycle procession.

“We are going to get 60 to 70 people on bikes who will ride from the church over to the reception,” Benitez said.

“I have some friends in cars that will help block behind us, so we can cruise by and make a show of it.”

Benitez and Dober, who is Swiss, have planned a wedding that incorporates both Swiss and Mexican traditions. The ceremony will include an offering to the Virgin of Gua-

dalupe, and the festive reception will feature a mariachi band and a dollar dance, a tradition in which guests pay to dance with either the bride or the groom. To incorporate elements of the bride’s Swiss heritage, alphorns will play after the ceremony and a Swiss bakery will make the wedding cake.

Benitez has invited his advisory and a few of his closest colleagues to the wedding.

“I let my advisory know when we got engaged, and all of their parents mentioned the engagement during the following round of parent-teacher conferences,” Benitez said. “It was fun to know that they were excited, too.”

Stapleton occasionally found it difficult to balance teaching with her pregnancy.

“Working as a teacher is already more than a full-time job, and balCOURTESY OF KRISTIANE STAPLETON ancing that while being tired from English teacher Kristiane Stapleton gave birth to a baby girl, pregnancy was hard.”

Althea “Thea” Audhild Hollmer, on March 9. She got married Stapleton appreciates the help during spring break 2017 during her first year of teaching at St. that she received from her colJohn’s. Stapleton is on maternity leave until the fall. leagues. Although she tried to schedule checkups during her free began planning the wedding in November, but the weeks periods, Stapleton could always find a colleague to help leading up to spring break were especially hectic. cover her classes when needed.

“It got very difficult in the last month because there are After Stapleton took maternity leave at the end of Febru- lots of deadlines to hit when you are planning a wedding,” ary, members of the English department worked together Roquemore said. “That was especially tough because it was to cover her classes for two weeks before a full-time substi- coupled with comment-writing and grading ‘Frankenstein’ tute, faculty emeritus Ruth Bellows, took over after spring papers.” break.

Roquemore’s students have been supportive throughout Teeter’s colleagues from the science department, includ- the process, and she appreciated their curiosity and anticing Paula Angus, Doug Elliot and Graham Hegeman, will ipation. attend the wedding.

“They were always asking me questions, wanting to see “Because I work so closely with them all the time, I am pictures and getting me more excited,” Roquemore said. excited for them to celebrate with me,” Teeter said.

“I felt a little overwhelmed by the wedding planning more Kim Roquemore got married March 10 in Kemah. She than a few times, and their enthusiasm kept me going.”

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5

College visits prove essential, expensive

By Iris Chen

As juniors and seniors have discovered, college visits are a crucial piece of the college applications process. After all, students are committing four years of their life and possibly over a hundred thousand dollars to their chosen college.

Director of College Counseling Wendy Chang said that the greatest benefit of visiting colleges is finding that “gut feeling.”

“There’s nothing like physically seeing the campus where you could conceivably be spending four years,” Chang said.

According to Chang, nearly all students conduct college visits, usually targeting between eight and 12 schools.

College visits can cost several thousand dollars, a hefty price tag that some families cannot afford. According to the school website, 14.5 percent of students are on financial aid, yet Chang said she’s never personally had a student cite limited family income as a factor in not taking a college visit.

College counselor Jamie Kim notes that she knows students whose financial situation impacted their college-visit experience by reducing the length of visits and number of schools visited.

Some students consider demonstrated interest an important reason to conduct college visits. Many universities use official campus visits to gauge a student’s interest in attending, and a college visit may factor into the admissions process.

There are other ways for students to demonstrate their interest in a college, including meeting with a college representative on campus, attending Houston-area programs hosted by colleges and reading college emails and newsletters.

The College Counseling Team has funds to support highneed students, including application and testing fees when they cannot get waivers, but the department does not offer travel funds.

College counselors can find other ways to help students cut down on the cost of college visits, but the onus is on the students and their families to seek help.

To protect student confidentiality, administrators do not share students’ financial aid packages or family income information with college counseling. According to Chang, there are several questions in the junior questionnaire that ask for information about a student’s financial situation, but students can still choose to withhold that information.

Students can travel without their parents to curtail the

6

price of travel. They can also choose public transportation, use ride-sharing services like Uber over renting a car or stay with friends instead of at a hotel.

Chang offered one example of how students can budget their time and money: students often try to visit colleges in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island at one time because of their geographical proximity, but Chang said it would be easier to reach Staten Island by car from New Jersey because it is hard to get to from mainland New York.

Chang recommends talking to college counselors before finalizing college visit plans.

“Sometimes just looking at the map doesn’t give you all the answers.”

Fly-in visits are a more cost-friendly and sometimes more effective way of visiting a college. Some colleges offer fly-in programs, often partially or even fully covering the price of travel and accommodations, to recruit underrepresented students, such as students of color or female students in STEM programs.

Fly-in programs usually offer a wider array of activities for participants to learn more about the school, including access to professors and GRACE SANDERS advisory panels.

Applications for fly-in programs open in College trips can be a financial burden on students the summer, but most are due in the fall for seeking to explore their schools of choice, especially for seniors. The College Counseling department those schools that track demonstrated interest. Many usually notifies students of these opportunities schools provide fly-in programs for low-income students in the junior bulletins. who would not otherwise be able to visit.

In the era of rapid technological growth, virover 100 information sessions during the school day in the tual resources are bridging the gap between exploring a col- fall semester alone. lege at home and on campus.

Chang advises students to physically visit colleges whenMany colleges now offer online tours and webinars to ever possible because college visits yield practical informaanswer questions. These resources make it possible for stu- tion on transportation and housing, and also providing the dents investigate a college without extensive travel. student perspective on the school, Greek life and programs “Most of us college counselors went to college during unique to the school. an era when nothing was available online. You had to call “Online you can find information on academics and the school to get a hard copy of the catalog,” Chang said, clubs and things like that, but you don’t know if it’s right “so the idea that websites are so phenomenally robust just for you,” senior Riya Chakraborty said. “When you’re on changes the game.” campus, you can dispel some of the stereotypes. You can In addition, traveling admissions representatives host in- figure out if you can actually picture yourself there.” formation sessions all around the nation. SJS alone offers

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APRIL 20, 2018

Wag app employs dog walkers

Senior spends summer delivering food with courier service Postmates

By Sophie Caldwell and Dani Yan

KAREN DESENBERG

Daily Desenberg walks three dogs through her River Oaks neighborhood. She works for Wag, a mobile app that offers flexible scheduling and connects dog owners with prospective walkers and pet-sitters.

By Sophia Kontos Daily Desenberg’s after-school job comes with an unusual set of occupational hazards.

Desenberg, a senior, is a dog walker for Wag, a new app that allows dog owners to schedule on-demand services from vetted dog walkers through their smartphones — like Uber but for dog walkers.

Once, Desenberg tried to put a leash on a corgi before walking her, but it ran around the living room and unraveled an entire roll of waste bags.

Pet owners can track walks by GPS and monitor their dog’s activity. They can also set up pet-sitting and overnight stays for their dogs through Wag. According to Desenberg, most people who use the service are pet owners who work during the day and cannot walk their dogs.

Desenberg decided to apply for a job after hearing about Wag from senior Kate Habich, who discovered the app when her mom started using the service.

Both Habich and Desenberg were drawn to Wag because of its scheduling flexibility and their love of animals. Desenberg had struggled to find a job that was flexible enough to accommodate her school schedule.

“A job where I could work with dogs and pick my own hours was the perfect mix,” Desenberg said.

To become a dog walker, applicants go through a vetting process in which they demonstrate their ability to work with dogs of different sizes and personalities and to respond to occasionally difficult or dangerous situations. The time Desenberg spends with her own dogs helps her do her job well.

“I have three dogs, who are very different,” Desenberg said. “I know how to deal with them on walks. That was definitely helpful going in.”

Desenberg walks anywhere from three to seven dogs per week, although there is no minimum requirement from Wag. While Desenberg initially explored being an independent dog walker, she ultimately became a Wag walker because of the flexibility.

Independent dog walkers typically walk the same dogs at set times each week, building up relationships with their clientele.

During the school year, Desenberg could not commit to regularly scheduled walks, but she hopes to explore this option over the summer.

The Wag platform helps owners feel comfortable leaving their dogs in someone else’s hands.

“It’s is a really good platform,” Habich said. “I was worried about having really big dogs that would pull me around, but it’s nice because they tell you all the information up front, so you can decide what jobs

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you want to take and what you’re comfortable with.”

Habich enjoys working for Wag and meeting dogs.

“The dogs are super cute. I can’t get over it,” Habich said. “They’re adorable every time. That’s a bonus, for sure.”

Working for Wag has sharpened Habich’s dog-rearing skills at home.

“We have a dog park near my house, so [my dog and I] go on walks there twice a week,” Habich said. “[Being a Wag walker] makes me want to spend more time with my dog.”

Although Desenberg expected to primarily interact with dogs, she has also liked getting to know owners.

“They are friendly and will ask me about my life and offer me water,” Desenberg said.

“I get to talk to interesting people.”

Through working for Wag, Desenberg learned time-management skills.

She also learned how to interact with dogs, who, according to Desenberg, are similar to humans.

“Each dog requires special attention, and that translates to humans as well,” she said.

“No one human is the same — no one dog is the same.”

The Wag app is available for download on iPhone and Android. People over the age of 18 can apply to become a dog walker.

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APRIL 20, 2018

Like many students, Trip George spent the summer before his senior year traveling and interning. But in between beaches and offices, he also picked up a job working for Postmates, an on-demand food courier service. Postmates functions similarly to Uber in that customers can order goods through an app.

“Working for Postmates was easy and enjoyable because I got to choose my own hours,” George said. “I would pick up and order food for people and deliver it to their houses or workplaces.”

George was drawn to Postmates because of the flexible hours and quick registration. Instead of scheduling shifts, Postmates drivers can simply log onto the app to book jobs.

“I wanted to work with Postmates because it was a quick way to make some money, and it allowed me to have a flexible schedule,” George said. “I technically have not stopped working with Postmates, but school and extracurriculars started taking up a lot of my time when school started, so I haven’t worked in a while.”

Though George enjoyed his job’s adjustability, he found Houston’s crowded rush hours difficult to navigate.

“Payment is higher during rush hour, but traffic in Houston is horrible,” he said.

Postmates drivers must be 18 or older and possess an insured vehicle or bicycle. Drivers are paid a flat fee for each delivery in addition to a per-minute rate for time spent at the pickup location and a per-mile rate for the distance between the pickup and drop-off locations.

According to George, a quick pick-up and drop-off would earn him around $5 to $8, but longer runs in which he had to order food and drive further could earn him around $20.

George has not decided if he will make deliveries for Postmates again this summer, but he said he enjoyed his time with the courier service.

“I will definitely work with Postmates again if I have time,” he said.

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Helping students bring their ‘A’ game How and why students get support beyond the classroom Story by Claire Furse ILLUSTRATION BY MIA FARES

When junior Elizabeth McNeely is puzzled by a difficult concept in physics, her first step is to email her physics teacher Nolan Harris to schedule a tutorial. McNeely then makes a mental note to review the topic again with her outside physics tutor before the next test.

According to a recent Review Online poll, 48 percent of Upper School students have paid tutors to help them keep up with — or excel in — their courses. Although administrators encourage students to rely on their teachers for academic guidance, tutors are in high demand.

“People now understand that there are certain levels of achievement that have to be conquered in order to obtain a summer internship or college of choice,” said Sarah Downey, Head of At-Home Tutoring Services, a private tutoring company.

Years ago, students who were strong in humanities courses could focus on English and history, but today many colleges expect to see students take high-level classes in all subject areas, including honors-level science courses.

“A lot of kids sign up for Honors Bio, but it is brutally hard for some people,” science teacher Doug Elliott said.

“I know that if they were in Regular Bio, they could make an A on their own, or they could make an 88 in Honors Bio on their own, so they use a tutor to help them make an A in the honors course.”

In these higher level classes, a growing number of students find it necessary to lean on tutors for extra support.

“For honors courses, you don’t have teachers holding your hand all the way through and teaching you everything,” McNeely said. “You have to dedicate time to learning things outside of class that you might not learn when they first teach you.”

According to Elliott, science tutors are in high demand.

More than half the SJS science faculty currently tutors students after school or on weekends. Parents seeking tutors for their children typically find teachers willing to tutor by word of mouth.

According to Jay Resh, the Director of Advantage Testing of Houston, many students seek tutors to boost their academic performance despite already being skilled in the class.

“We often work with very strong students who want to excel in certain areas, just as accomplished high school athletes often use private coaches outside of their coaches at school even though they are already performing at a high athletic level,” Resh said. “The fact that one-to-one tutoring with an excellent mentor is massively more efficient than even the best classroom instruction justifies the use of tutors for students at any level.”

Some students feel the pressure to make the highest grade possible.

“It can be a tricky issue,” Elliot said. “The difference between your 92 and your 94 might be the difference between school A and school B. But there’s a part of me

8

that knows it just doesn’t matter too much, though often families don’t agree.”

Some students, including McNeely, use tutors to keep up with their assignments and tests. McNeely found her tutor, a physics major at Rice University, by placing an ad in the Rice Thresher, the weekly university student newspaper.

“Once I know about a physics test, my tutor and I will sit down and formulate a study plan so I’m not staying up late the night before cramming,” she said. “We just break it down into little bits and pieces so it’s easy to digest. By the end, I basically relearn and review what I’ve already been taught the first time, but I understand it more conceptually.”

Tutoring Services in High Demand Since starting At-Home Tutoring Services in 2014, Downey has seen a steady increase in demand for tutors.

The interest doesn’t stem solely from high school students; parents have sought her tutors for children as young as 18 months old.

Both Resh and Downey have a significant number of Lower and Middle School clients. Downey envisions that the tutoring industry will continue to adapt with trends like homework therapists and virtual tutoring.

According to Downey and Resh, students most frequently seek tutors for math and science classes, although demand for English essay writing help is also high.

“SJS students are very pragmatic at tackling the school work,” Downey said. “The subject matter tends to be above grade level, so we reteach concepts and help students stay with the pace of the class.”

Resh notes that due to the high quality of teaching and strong student motivation, students at SJS and other elite private high schools use tutors less frequently than students at many other high schools.

“Most St. John’s students who are struggling with a class are doing so not because of an intellectual limitation, but rather because they just don’t have enough time,” he said.

Reaching Out for Help Academic Dean Judy Edwards feels that teachers have more​to offer students than outside tutors can provide, although she understands that students might need additional help if they are ill or injured, or are frequently absent for other reasons.

“The philosophy of the school is that first and foremost a child works with his or her teacher using the tutorial system,” Edwards said. “Building a relationship with your teacher is the strongest way to learn, and that’s why most​ teachers teach only four classes. Teachers know the course

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well, while outside tutors really don’t know the courses in the way the content is presented here at St. John’s.”

According to Edwards, the tutorial system is a stronghold of the academic system, providing positive reinforcement and strengthening students.

“Discussing topics, reviewing for tests, discussing ideas — that’s a major part of what teachers do.”

Elliott concurs, noting that he has a standard first response when parents ask him about tutoring: has your child been to a tutorial?

“The first step for students who need academic help should be to approach their teachers,” Resh said. “The teachers themselves understand the nuances of terminology and subtleties of context of the material taught within their classes. And, of course, approaching one’s teacher requires no additional cost.”

Some students seeking help may feel that they are imposing on a teacher’s time if they ask questions for more than 30 minutes.

“It’s hard to stay for longer because you know there are other students who need help, and you can’t really expect a teacher to stay too long after school,” junior Abbey Hawes said. “It’s the teachers’ job to try to help, but some students are just more comfortable with outside tutors.”

Edwards maintains that no matter how long a student needs to stay in a tutorial, a teacher is available to help.

According to Elliott, an ideal “sweet spot” for tutorials is around 45 minutes.

“It’s absolutely the teacher’s responsibility to spend that extra time with the student. But I do ask the students not to just show up; you’ve got to give me a little heads up because, if I can, I’ll schedule two of you at the same time,” Elliott said. “That way, we can spend a whole hour, and it’s not intimidating to the one kid who maybe doesn’t know the answer to this or that. Students tend to open up a little bit more with their questions if they come with a friend.”

Some students may choose not to schedule tutorials due to a lack of connection with their teacher, yet there are almost always other teachers with experience in the same course.

“In biology, I reached out to Ms. Angus, and she was open to scheduling private tutorials outside of school,” McNeely said. “That definitely helped me a lot because her study plan was more comfortable for me.”

Elliott has noticed that older students are more reluctant to schedule tutorials.

“It’s a pride issue,” Elliott said. “I really appreciate upperclassmen who ask for help because I don’t want them to get discouraged and frustrated. On the other hand, freshmen almost overdo it on the tutorials because they’re just so nervous or worried about the tests.”

APRIL 20, 2018

Motivation & Emotional Support Academic stress has fueled a recent trend in tutoring: the emergence of “homework therapists.” These tutortherapists provide both academic and emotional support.

According to Downey, roughly 10 percent of her tutors function in this role.

“The tutors meet with the students on Sunday and plan their work, then circle back later and check in with students to see how they’re doing,” she said. “Some students are really organized and understand time management, and others just don’t, so having someone to teach those skills can really pay dividends later on.”

Resh agrees that some level of emotional support is inherently intertwined with academic tutoring.

“My role of providing psychological and emotional support is just as important as my role of providing succinct and clear explanations, in the same way that a great coach must not only teach techniques but also help provide morale for his athletes,” he said.

When parents dread wrangling their kids at homework time, tutors can be a welcome presence.

“Homework time can be emotionally charged for some families, so it can be more effective for a tutor to help with homework than parents or guardians,” Downey said.

While it is often tempting for students to wait until the last minute to begin homework or an assignment, some students rely on their tutor to prompt them to begin.

“I would push myself to study anyway,” McNeely said, “but having a tutor makes me feel like I have to get something prepared for them, so that does motivate me to do more work.”

Sophomore Mark Trautner does not use an academic tutor, but he often takes advantage of tutorial periods and finds them especially useful for English papers.

“I’ve met with teachers if there was an assignment that I kept putting off and didn’t want to start,” Trautner said. “Even if I don’t necessarily need the teacher’s help, it can be useful to just set up a time, and that will get me started.”

“

tor at some point in high school, many feel they are alone in needing outside support, which causes them to doubt their academic abilities.

“When I first started tutoring, I was afraid that a lot of St. John’s students didn’t have tutors, so I felt like I was lower or less smart than them,” McNeely said. “But when I looked at the big picture, I realized I shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, because I’m just doing whatever I need to do in order to reach my full potential.”

Trautner has also noticed school culture is not as accepting of tutoring. Students often admire seemingly natural skills without acknowledging the work behind those achievements.

“There’s an unfortunate stigma at St. John’s that the more you try, the less smart you are,” Trautner said.

“Kids will brag about how little time they spend doing their homework, or how late they start their paper, but this never really made sense to me. You should give yourself the best opportunities you can, and it doesn’t make you any less intelligent.”

For McNeely, seeking help in classes such as Honors Physics can be particularly intimidating.

“Since physics is a math-based science, sometimes I struggle more than other students, and I feel embarrassed to ask questions because I feel like I’ll be judged,” McNeely said. “Fortunately, I can go to one-on-one tutorials with Mr. Harris and feel a lot more comfortable asking questions there.”

Many parents are similarly reluctant to discuss tutoring with other parents for fear of creating the appearance of academic difficulties.

“I’m very open about it,” a mother said, “but some parents might perceive tutoring as a sign of weakness or a sign that their child is struggling.”

While comfort levels vary among parents, Downey has observed more acceptance of tutoring.

“Some parents are super candid about it, and they shout it from the rooftops. Other parents don’t want anyone to know that their child is using a tutor,” Downey said. “A decade ago, it was much more under the table, but now having a tutor is so much more commonplace that it’s less confidential.”

you should give yourself the best opportunities you can, and it doesn’t make you any less intelligent.

-mark trautner

Long-Term Effects of Tutoring Some parents wonder about the long-term impact of tutoring on their child’s academic development.

The mother of a current freshman boy has used a math tutor from At-Home Tutoring Services since her son was in sixth grade. While the preparation for tests and finals have proven helpful, the mother feels that her family might rely too heavily on outside academic support.

“If he didn’t have a tutor, my son would be forced to go to tutorials and reach out to his teacher on his own,” she said. “I personally wish that he would use his teachers more as a resource. His teachers have always been very willing to reach out and provide more help if needed, but he hasn’t taken advantage of that opportunity.”

In some cases, reliance on a tutor may affect a student’s work ethic and sense of discipline.

“When you’re tutoring for the right reasons, for a kid that really needs it, it’s very rewarding. There’s nothing like that feeling when you’re working with a kid who hasn’t gotten it before, and they get it,” Elliott said. “But it’s not so rewarding when the kid isn’t doing their best in class just because they know they have a tutor, or when you know the kid can do it, they’re just not making the effort.”

Resh agrees that students may rely on tutors for that extra push to work harder, but he contends that using someone else to provide motivation isn’t necessarily a bad habit.

“I go to a personal trainer once a week, and I have been doing so for several years,” he said. “I know every exercise I need to do in excruciating detail, but the habit of going to my trainer in person ensures that I actually do the exercises.”

Battling the Stigma Although long-term use of tutors may increase academic achievement, it may also risk eroding self-confidence, since students may come to believe that they are not competent enough to master some subjects on their own.

“My son has convinced himself that he’s naturally not good at math, even though his teachers say he’s perfectly capable,” the freshman boy’s mother said. “He’s psyched himself out.”

While the majority of students have had at least one tu-

Weighing the Costs Private tutoring often costs many thousands of dollars a year. According to EdSurge, the average American parent spends two percent of their annual income on extra academic support for their children.

While the School caps teacher tutoring rates at $80 per hour for SJS students, the hourly rate for popular tutoring companies can range from $100 to $300. Even for the 86 percent of St. John’s families not receiving financial aid, these costs can be prohibitive.

To help address this issue, each year a group of upperclassmen offer to serve as tutors for underclassmen or Middle School students, either as a community service or for an hourly fee of just $10 to $30.

While the size of the group varies, this year around 40 Upper School students from all grade levels provided tutoring services to younger students.

“We have a lot of kids who are very interested in helping others,” Edwards said. “It’s not a tutoring business — it’s more out of the spirit within the community of helping each other. If you can get help from another student who’s been through the course or with a teacher in a tutorial, then the need to seek outside tutoring should not be necessary except for extenuating circumstances.”

Parents often learn about these student tutors through word of mouth or by asking the school for help. According to Dean Edwards, this service is not widely publicized, but she keeps a list of available student tutors for those who request it.

Elliott finds that his AP Biology students can provide helpful support for anxious freshmen. Since his own tutoring work in college helped spark his teaching career, he understands firsthand the value of tutoring younger students.

“Parents will save money, it’ll be great for the student who’s tutoring, and it’ll be good for the ninth grader because they’re getting help and can build a friendship.”

Elliott, who is retiring this year after more than 33 years of teaching, plans to provide tutoring services to lower-income students.

“If I’m going to tutor, I’m going to volunteer at Cristo Rey — someplace where the kids really need me.”

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48% percentage of SJS students have had at least one academic tutor

DATA FROM REVIEW ONLINE POLL OF 128 STUDENTS Data takenAfrom a poll of 128 students on The Review Online

APRIL 20, 2018

GRAPHICS BY SIENA ZERR AND AMELIE PERRIER

9

tick-tock: The truth

story by gr

in the classroom When some people hear that senior Lexi Lozano has extra time despite not being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, they question why she receives extra time.

As a sophomore, Lozano began having trouble finishing tests on time. After she completed an evaluation, a therapist diagnosed Lozano with high levels of anxiety, which become especially prevalent in testing situations.

Test anxiety is one of the conditions that qualifies students for testing accommodations.

“I’m conscious of the time passing by,” Lozano said. “I see all my peers getting up to turn in their tests, so when I don’t, that contributes to this endless cycle of constant anxiety that prevents me from finishing on time.”

Many students assume that people with extra time have been diagnosed with ADHD, but anxiety, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, developmental coordination and other cognitive disabilities can qualify students for extra time and other testing accommodations.

Lozano never hesitates to discuss her condition with teachers and finds that SJS accommodates towards her academic needs.

“What really helps is that sometimes teachers let me take my tests in another room where I don’t have to see my peers finishing before I do,” she said.

After struggling to finish tests in sixth grade, junior Walker Black underwent a five-hour evaluation to analyze his mental processing.

“Most people have ADD or ADHD, but I don’t have either,” Black said. “I’m just a slow worker and a slow processor.”

Under less rigorous academic conditions, junior Emerson Knapp was able to compensate for his Attention Deficit Disorder without accommodations, but when he entered SJS in ninth grade, he found himself needing more time to process the increasingly difficult material.

“I fidget, I get distracted super easily, I hum, I snap, I whistle,” Knapp said. “There are kids who are at the level of intelligence that it takes to be at St. John’s, but sometimes it just takes them more time. For me, it takes more time to get my point across or to go over things.”

Knapp took medicine to mitigate his symptoms

“

and found that while the pills increased his stress and anxiety, they also boosted his productivity significantly.

“For me, medicine is more effective than the extra time, because when I’m on the medicine I don’t need the extra time,” he said.

Lozano does not take medicine for her anxiety because she does not want to be chemically dependent. While some students must take ADHD medication every day, Knapp only takes medicine as needed to avoid side effects.

“There is a really noticeable difference between being on the medicine and being off — I am a drastically different person,” he said. “Extra time gives me a good middle ground so I don’t have to take the medicine.”

Students with extra time accommodations receive 50 percent more time than non-extra time students on tests, quizzes and in-class essays. They do not receive additional time to complete out-of-school assignments unless they ask for and receive a formal extension.

Knapp finds it easier to use his regular time and extra time in one sitting, but he often has to break assessments up between the given class time and his own free time.

Students with extra time are expected to uphold the Honor Code if they split an assessment between two different sittings. Many teachers give students with extra time one page of the test at a time so they will not see sections of the test in advance.

Students with accommodations find their teachers generally considerate with respect to their academic needs.

there are kids who are at the level of intelligence that it takes to be at st. john’s, but sometimes it just takes them more time.

-emerson knapp

GRAPHICS BY ASHWINI BANDI

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standardized testing Students seeking extra time on AP exams, the SAT and SAT Subject Tests must apply to the College Board. Those who also wish to receive extended time on the ACT must apply separately to the American College Test.

Sally Seeger, College Counseling Administrative Assistant, currently coordinates extra-time accommodations with both standardized-testing companies. Next year, these responsibilities will be handled by the Academic Support Coordinator, a new position that will replace the position of Assistant Academic Dean.

Beginning in the fall, the new Academic Support

Coordinator will assist Jennifer Kuhl, the new Academic Dean, but will also work closely with Upper School counselors and college counseling to manage recommended psycho-educational testing and accommodations, along with the coordination of exams, including national tests like the PSAT and AP exams.

According to Black, people often say that students with extra time should be able to excel on the ACT just because of the extra time. Black disagrees — he says extra time is necessary to even the playing field on standardized tests.

“It’s not a different test from anyone else — you’re just moving at a slower pace,” he said. “It’s not like you’re getting an unfair advantage.”

Those who support extended time realize that extra time does not give students the right answers to questions; it just gives those who need it the opportunity to answer the questions they might not otherwise get to.

According to Seeger, a student’s history of needing extended time in the classroom is the foremost concern of both the College Board and the ACT. The College Board has less stringent requirements — students who have received four months of extended time at their school qualify for accommodations on the SAT, while the ACT requires proof that a student has used extended time for one year or more.

“The ACT digs into the diagnoses a little more,” Seeger said. “From what I’m seeing, the questions that they’re asking show that they want to know more about the need.”

The ACT also denies more requests for extended time than the College Board.

According to Director of College Counseling Wendy Chang, time is a greater factor in the ACT than the SAT, though she advises students with testing accommodations to take practice tests for both exams before making a decision.

“Chances are, with extended time, the ACT might feel pretty good,” Chang said.

When a request for extended time is denied, Seeger speaks with the parents and offers advice based on the reasons stated for the denial.

Students submit for reconsideration if they obtain teacher surveys or more information from their doctor to build their case.

Some students only use extra time in the

9.4% 9.4%

30% 30%

percentage children 2-17 percentage of of children 2-17 years age diagnosed with years of of age diagnosed with ADHD 2016 ADHD in in 2016

percentage patients that percentage of of patients that have both anxiety and ADHD have both anxiety and ADHD

DATA FROM THE CDC

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CENTERSPREAD

APRIL 20, 2018

about extended time

racie blue

classroom and do not apply for accommodations for standardized tests.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects college applicants from having to report disabilities that necessitate extra time. Therefore, if an individual uses extra time on a standardized test or in school, colleges will never know and cannot use it against the applicant in the admissions process.

school. Because students must prove an established history of needing extra time to receive accommodations on standardized tests, Chang does not see students scrambling to gain accommodations with the motivation of gaining an unfair advantage on standardized tests or improving their grades for colleges.

Common perceptions

Clinical psychologist Susan Costin’s patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation to assess potential disabilities that can necessitate access to accommodations or student support. The evaluation lasts up to seven hours and assesses intellectual, cognitive and academic functioning using the most current individually administered, nationally standardized tests.

The evaluation also includes a continuous performance test to tap visual and auditory attention, and a variety of timed assessments that help identify the need for extended time in reading, written expression or math. When testing or academic functioning is negatively impacted by emotions, as with anxiety, measures of emotional functioning are administered.

The purpose of testing accommodations provided under ADA is, according to Costin, to “level the playing field” by allowing students with disabilities to fairly compete and demonstrate their true abilities in a testing situation.

Under the ADA, a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, such as an impairment in seeing, hearing, learning, reading, concentrating or thinking, or a condition such as cerebral palsy, diabetes or motor impairments.

“It is important to remember that determination of a need for an accommodation like extended time is not based simply on a diagnosis,” Costin said.

A student must demonstrate a functional impairment that is documented through a comprehensive evaluation process that includes narratives; standardized test scores; national norms to support the diagnosis and functional limitation; developmental, educational and medical history; and parent and teacher reports.

Additional reporting by Claire Furse, Dani Yan and Sophie Caldwell

ILLUSTRATION BY MIA FARES

Some people may still doubt the validity of extended-time accommodations, claiming that extra time doesn’t exist in real life.

But Seeger cautions against this attitude.

“Students who need extra time to get work accomplished can choose careers in which they can pace themselves,” Seeger said, “and if they need more time to get things done, then they can do that.”

There are concerns that students might exaggerate their condition in order to obtain extra time.

“I would say it’s pretty easy to get away with it,” Lozano said. “Maybe people who don’t have it as severely take advantage of it, but if you feel like you need it, then you need it.”

Black finds that there is often a misconception at SJS about kids with extra time having an unfair advantage on standardized tests. He doesn’t know anyone who has tried to get extended time without actually needing it, but he trusts the accuracy and validity of the psychological evaluation that determines the need for accommodations.

According to Chang, most learning disabilities or cognitive impairments are caught long before a student steps foot into the college-counseling office, so she rarely has to suggest whether or not a student should get tested for accommodations.

Students usually obtain extra time in school well before they begin taking standardized tests.

Teachers, doctors or the Academic Dean often recommend students get tested before high school or early in high

clinical perspective

“In the general population, the likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD has increased over the past ten years,” Costin said.

According to Costin, there are varying opinions on what has caused the increase in ADHD diagnosis, ranging from increased awareness to over-diagnosis, poor sleep habits, lack of structure, too little time outdoors and the use of video games.

Accountability statutes and laws such as No Child Left Behind, which penalizes school districts when too many students fail exams such as the STAAR tests, may also have contributed to the rise in diagnoses.

Another possible factor is the promotion of stimulants and other medications by pharmaceutical manufacturers to treat ADHD. Adding to the mix, the 2013 Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders changed some of the diagnostic criteria, making it easier to diagnose ADHD. As Costin points out, the new manual stipulates that ADHD symptoms must be present prior to age 12, compared to age seven in the previous edition.

Learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia or developmental coordination disorder often coexist with ADHD (anywhere from 10 to 40 percent). Anxiety coexists with ADHD in as many as 30 percent of patients.

“Any of these individually or in combination can negatively impact a person’s ability to take tests under timed conditions,” Costin said.

Historically, ADHD has been diagnosed three to four times more often in boys than in girls, although the ratio of boys to girls has decreased over the years. National trends are consistent with what Costin sees at her Houston practice.

“While more students are currently seeking or being sent for an evaluation, the likelihood that I will diagnose someone with ADHD, learning disorder or anxiety disorder is not really much different than it was ten years ago,” Costin said. “If a student meets criteria and qualifies for accommodations, we describe the functional limitation and report it that way. If they don’t meet criteria, we have to report that as well.”

GRAPHICS BY SIENA ZERR AND AMELIE PERRIER

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Lucky 13: Mavs take win streak into SPC

By SJ Lasley

After reeling in 13 consecutive wins, the Mavs head to SPC as the top seed in the South Zone with a 17-1 overall record.

Their lone defeat was on March 6, when Seven Lakes High School beat the Mavs 16-8.

“That game was a wake-up call,” senior captain Charles Sampson said. “We played pretty softly, so for the next week, practice was pretty competition-oriented. We have a reputation of being soft, so that’s something that we’re trying to get out of.”

According to coach David Cohn, the team cannot afford to make any mistakes.

“The margin for error in those types of games against really good opponents is very small,” Cohn said. “We did not do a great job of handling the little things throughout the [Seven Lakes] game, and unfortunately, against a team like that, they will take advantage of your mistakes.

I certainly think our approach and attention to detail throughout practice changed.”

On March 23, the Mavs faced their rival Kinkaid. After the Mavs scored the first goal, the Falcons soared back into the game, beginning a back-and-forth battle. The score was tied 13-13 at the end of regulation.

“When it came down to the fourth quarter and we were tied, I knew we were going to win,” senior captain Brock Cannon said. “We were in good shape, and we had that momentum.”

Sampson scored the game-winning overtime goal to run the then-modest winning streak to five games.

“It was exciting — our hard work came to fruition,” Sampson said. “We earned that one.”

As far back as November, players started preseason workouts with Virgil Campbell, Director of Strength and Conditioning, providing a valuable head start that Cohn says enhanced the lacrosse program.

The coaching staff also focused on the small details and inter-player relationships to create a more cohesive team.

A typical practice starts with Cohn talking to the team for a few minutes before they begin stick work, which involves throwing drills and other exercises for the players

BENNY HE

Charles Sampson, No. 24, takes the ball downfield. The Mavs completed a 17-1 regular season and secured the top seed in the South Zone. Coach David Cohn has emphasized conditioning and effort in the both the offseason and regular season. to practice maneuvering their sticks fluidly. Coaches have players run through specific plays for the remainder of practice.

“We talk a lot about focusing on the little things throughout practice and making sure we do things in a fundamentally sound way,” Cohn said. “The captains have focused on that and held every player in practice, both varsity and JV, to our standards. I’m a firm believer that if you invest a lot into something, it’s much harder to lose it.”

As captains, Cannon and Sampson focus on including the whole team and checking in with the players on and

off the field. The captains also ensure that the entire team is putting in the effort necessary to keep up their winning streak and bring home an SPC title.

“We really have this culture of working hard,” Cannon said.

SPC will take place in Austin, April 20 and 21. The Mavs will face off against St. Stephen’s in the opening round game.

“We’re excited for SPC, for what we have in store,” Sampson said.

Feng expresses creativity through figure skating

By Mia Fares

When she was eight, Emily Feng attended an ice skating birthday party at the Galleria.

“The moment I got on the ice, I could balance just fine and was able to do something other people couldn’t do.”

Just as Feng was reveling in her newfound skill, she looked over and saw a girl spinning in the middle of the rink.

That was the moment she decided to become a skater.

After trying a couple of group lessons, Feng discovered she enjoyed figure skating because it gave her opportunities that were different from all the other sports she had tried before. Feng has been taking private lessons ever since.

“I was so small and bad at every other sport,” Feng said.

“I did swimming, soccer, tennis — and I was terrible at all of them.”

When Feng tried figure skating, she realized she had found her sport.

Feng, now a junior, spends about 15 hours training each week, both on and off the ice. She takes classes to help her jumping technique and additional stretching classes on weekends.

Although Feng is devoted to skating, school is still her top priority.

“It’s hard because I get home pretty late, but being busy taught me how to manage my time better,” Feng said. “If I am having a really bad school week with a ton of papers and tests, I do skip a day or two of skating.”

In the competitive skating world, there are eight levels: the highest level is for Olympic athletes and other professionals, and the first level is for beginners. Most people spend a year or two in each level. Feng currently competes in the sixth level. Each skater performs a program for competitions, and each level has requirements such as a specific number of spins or jumps and an increasing program length. During competitions, there are short programs or long programs along with smaller events focused on specific skills such as jumps and spins.

“

Feng travels across the country during the competition season, which lasts from April to September. During one season, she will enter four or five competitions.

“Each competition is stressful because you only have three minutes to show what you can do,” Feng said.

In Houston, there are three major skating rinks: the Bellerive Ice Center in Sharpstown, the Sugar Land Ice Center and the Memorial City Mall ice rink. Feng splits her time between Memorial City and Bellerive.

Figure skating is not an officially sanctioned NCAA sport, so colleges do not recruit figure skaters. Still, many schools with ice rinks have skating clubs that participate in competitions. Top colleges include UCLA, the University of California at Berkeley and Dartmouth.

As she ventures into the college process, Feng is seriously factoring in figure skating programs. Although she does not want to pursue a career in figure skating, she plans to continue competing.

Although figure skating is an individual sport, many skaters are taught by the same coaches and even train together, creating a team-like atmosphere. For Feng, working with other skaters on new skills is a significant part of the training process and contributes to her overall success. Feng also loves skating because there are always new skills to learn.

“There is so much to do — you can never truly get through every single thing,” Feng said.

“Having really supportive coaches and skater friends and learning new things is just one way to have fun. It’s what I love to do.”

Each competition is stressful because you only have three minutes to show what you can do.

-Emily Feng

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Emily Feng stretches forward into an arabesque as she glides across the ice at the Galleria. She has been skating since she was eight years old.

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APRIL 20, 2018

Sister act: siblings dominate two sports

By Laney Chang Hannah and Katherine Johnston are closer than most sisters: not only do they see each other at home and in school, but they also play tennis together on the courts and run side-by-side on the cross-country team.

Throughout their childhood, Hannah, a senior, and Katherine, a sophomore, have played a variety of sports ranging from softball to soccer to basketball. The Johnston sisters became part of the cross-country team at the same time when Hannah decided to join cross country as a junior, and Katherine, who ran track in eighth grade, joined the team as a freshman.

In her first season of cross country, Katherine placed 13th at SPC. Katherine was named All-SPC First Team both her freshman and sophomore seasons, and Hannah earned AllSouth Zone honors this year.

As much as Hannah and Katherine love cross country, tennis is their primary sport. Since both of their parents play tennis, it has always been a part of their family, but neither sister took the sport seriously until around age 10.

“I like that there are so many parts of tennis,” Katherine said. “You have to focus on so many different things, and it’s challenging mentally.”

Katherine is an alternate for the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch Touring Team, while Hannah plays on the Houston Racquet Club All-Star Team. Both are ranked as Super Champs in their respective age groups.

For their former coach Sandy McLanahan, who guided the Mavs to an SPC title last season, working with Hannah and Katherine required different tactics.

“They have wonderful, competitive spirits, but they have different strengths and weaknesses, so I treated them differently,” McLanahan said.

Over time, Hannah and Katherine have learned to both compete with and support each other. The support became necessary near the end of Hannah’s cross country season

in 2016. After suffering a stress fracture in her foot, Hannah needed to rest for three weeks.

“As athletes, you always go through these ups and downs and highs and lows, and that injury spurred Hannah to be even better this year,” cross-country coach Rachel Fabre said.

As the 2016 SPC cross-country meet approached, Hannah decided to participate, but because her foot had not healed fully, she was unable to finish the race.

“It was a devastating ending to my season,” Hannah said. “I had worked so hard, and it just went in the opposite direction.”

Katherine offered her encouragement.

“I felt really bad for her,” Katherine said. “She had been putting so much effort into her season and working so hard, so I wanted to be as supportive as I could and take her mind off of it.”

Last summer, Hannah trained for her second cross-country season, sitting out of some workouts to ensure her foot remained healthy. Motivated by her love of running, she completed her first race of her senior year, placing second for the team.

“When you’re running, you feel like you could go on forever — I love that feeling,” Hannah said. “I never feel more empowered or calm than when I’m hitting against the backboard or I’m going for a four-mile run.”

Hannah and Katherine both enjoy having each other for support during the seasons.

“It’s really nice to always have someone to practice with and to have someone pushing you to be better,” Hannah said. “There’s always a drive to stay focused because Katherine’s there, too, but we’ve always been supportive of each other.”

KRISTEN JOHNSTON

Katherine Johnston, with the SPC trophy, and her sister Hannah compete in tennis and run on the cross-country team.

MLB draftee becomes Mavs head coach

By Izzy Andrews

From Rookie Ball to coaching the Mavs: Everts’ long road

While many high school baseball players may dream of the big leagues, former professional pitcher Clint Everts also dreamed of returning to the high school fields as a coach.

The former minor league pitcher joined the Maverick coaching staff in 2014 and was promoted to head baseball coach in June. The Mavs are 17-7 so far this season.

Everts was raised in a family of ballplayers and was good enough to skip college and play professionally, but he had a vision for his future after professional baseball even then.

“I always told myself that when I was done playing, I wanted to be a high school coach,” he said. “When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it, and one thing led to another. Now I’m here.”

His mother and father played softball and baseball. When his older brother signed up for Little League, Everts, at the age of five, was eager to join as well.

Everts played baseball through high school, hoping to get a college scholarship, but his pitching prowess was so advanced that he earned much more than that. Upon graduating from Cypress Falls High School in 2002, he was drafted fifth overall in the MLB draft by the Montreal Ex-

pos, a now-defunct franchise that became the Washington Nationals in 2005. He pitched for the minor league teams of the Expos and Nationals until 2009. In 2010, he signed a contract with the New York Mets before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Everts’ favorite part of playing professionally was traveling, particularly the long bus rides. But in 2012, when he had a child, Everts found it much more difficult to be away from Houston, so he started playing with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2014.

After about a year and a half with the Skeeters, Everts officially retired from professional competition. He decided to pursue a job as a high school baseball coach.

Everts’ opportunity presented itself through an email.

Former Mavericks baseball coach T. Riley reached out to a friend of Everts’ asking if he knew anyone who could help coaching pitchers. Everts answered Riley’s call, and after coaching during an offseason, he was asked to stay.

“I couldn’t ask for a better situation,” Everts said. “The facilities, the community, the kids — it’s really fun.”

Everts played under many coaches with diverse coaching

styles throughout his career. He learned that he did not respond well to tougher coaches who “yelled a lot,” so he tries to be laid-back with the team.

“Especially here, you have so much pressure in school to perform, and when you come play baseball, I just want you to have a good experience,” he said.

According to players, Everts is easygoing yet committed.

“He’s a big believer in letting us play the game and not trying to micromanage every aspect of it,” senior captain Dylan May said. “That said, he definitely knows when it’s the right time to pull a pitcher or lay down a bunt in a close game.”

Players also notice and appreciate how Everts’ experience playing professionally positively impacts his coaching.

“He’s an expert in all the little things that make a close game a close win,” May said.

While Everts enjoyed his time as a professional player, he is more than happy with his role as coach.

“Working with young adults and kids and just sharing my experiences and helping them and watching them succeed is really fun for me,” Everts said. “You don’t want to go through life not having fun.”

GRAPHIC BY CLARA BROTZEN-SMITH

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Anderson creates whimsical ‘Isle of Dogs’

By Eli Maierson and Emily Chen

Wes Anderson’s whimsical stop-motion genre-bending adventure “Isle of Dogs” begins with a message in both Japanese and English informing the audience that “all barks have been rendered into English.”

Anderson (’87) is perhaps best known at St. John’s for his 1998 film “Rushmore,” which was filmed on campus. “Isle of Dogs” marks his return to the big screen following “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014), a four-time Academy-Award winner and his highest grossing film to date.

In 2009, Anderson directed “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” his first film using stop-motion animation.

In an interview with The Review, Anderson said that he wanted to return to animation since his last two films were live-action, the aforementioned “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012).

“This particular story seemed suited to this medium and might have been very difficult to do any other way.”

When read quickly, the title of his latest film sounds like “I love dogs,” but the storyline is not as lighthearted as that charming pun may lead one to believe.

While “Fantastic Mr. Fox” received a family-friendly PG rating, “Isle of Dogs” is rated PG-13 for graphic images including one dog biting off another’s ear and a gruesome stop-motion kidney transplant.

“Isle of Dogs” is set in a dystopian Japan 20 years in the future, where the fictional Megasaki City is led by dictatorial Mayor Kobayashi, the latest ruler in a dynasty of cat lovers who have a long-standing grudge against dogs. The villains give evil decrees while giant Orwellian posters of the mayor paper the city.

The film hinges on the decision to deport all dogs to Trash Island in order to prevent

the spread of canine flu and snout fever.

Mayor Kobayashi’s ward, a 12-year-old boy named Atari, builds a plane and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard dog Spots. He is aided in his quest by his “a pack of scary, indestructible alpha dogs” who are stranded on the island.

Meanwhile, on the FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES mainland, an American foreign exchange Wes Anderson’s new film “Isle of Dogs” features detailed stop-motion animation and a student at a middle star-studded cast, including long-time collaborators Bill Murray and Frances McDormand. school student newsthe form of a traditional fable and shoji cially in the dynamic animation. Materials paper tries to uncover the government conspiracy behind the screens in the background. Much of the such as cotton and sugar were used in the canine flu outbreak. Like other Anderson Japanese dialogue is not translated — the dogs’ sneezes, and foam mixed in a blender films, the story is divided into distinct audience is expected to understand the created leaves on trees. An astounding 240 chapters and studded with flashbacks and emotional cues through facial expressions sets were created for “Isle of Dogs,” charand tone of voice. In addition to the man- acteristic of Anderson, who utilized 535 non-sequential scenes.

The film features a star-studded cast datory indie-folk song present in every An- puppets in “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and had complete with frequent Anderson collabo- derson movie, Taiko drums pound away in over 3,000 Mendl’s pastry boxes created for rators, including Bill Murray, Frances Mc- the background of many scenes. The score “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

While Anderson enjoyed his return to Dormand and Jeff Goldblum. Oscar-nom- was composed by two-time Oscar winner inated director Greta Gerwig and musician Alexandre Desplat (“The Shape of Water” stop-motion filmmaking, he considers the style of his films secondary to the story.

Yoko Ono also have parts in the ensemble and “The Grand Budapest Hotel”).

Anderson credited “Neon Genesis Evan“It is more about the stories than the style cast. Jason Schwartzman, the star of “Rushmore,” is one of four credited screenwriters. gelion” and the films of Japanese directors — some way to bring the characters to life, According to Anderson, the contribution Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki as to make interesting scenes, to try any posinspirations for “Isle of Dogs.” The visual sible way to create something unexpected of the animators is especially important.

“Choosing animators in stop-motion is style also draws on the ukiyo-e prints of and new.”

In closing, we asked Anderson what he very much like casting,” Anderson said. Hiroshige and Hokusai, whose “The Great “Each one brings their unique skills and Wave off Kanagawa” is visually parodied would likely be doing if he had not become several times in the film. a filmmaker. personality.”

Anderson’s attention to detail is as prev“Maybe I might have tried to become an The film heavily references Japanese culture, such as the initial exposition taking alent as it has been in previous films, espe- architect.”

‘Black Panther’ phenomenon sweeps school

By Noura Jabir

Natalie Brown knew what to expect when she joined her classmates at Edwards Theater to watch Marvel’s box-office sensation “Black Panther.” The freshman had seen the film twice already, but when she heard that the African-American Affinity Group was organizing an outing to watch the movie, she couldn’t miss an opportunity to experience the impactful film surrounded by like-minded peers.

Senior AAAG leaders Cameryn Burnette, Kennadie Jake-Turner and Layo Laniyan organized the outing, which took place on Saturday, Feb. 17.

According to Jake-Turner, leaders saw the screening as an exciting opportunity to involve students in a cultural phenomenon.

Burnette extended an invitation to all students in order to establish connections between AAAG members and other students. AAAG had not previously hosted an open event, and “Black Panther” offered a convenient platform to test out the idea.

“The leadership team felt like this was something that would be of interest to non-members,” Burnette said. “It’s something easier to share because it’s a new experience to all of us, so we can all do it together.”

To spread word about the event, Burnette says she emailed a flyer to the leaders of each affinity group and St. John’s Political Education Club, which then notified their members of the event.

The movie’s record-breaking box-office returns reflect its popularity. In its first weekend at the box office, “Black Panther” earned $202 million, setting the film on the path to becoming the highest-grossing film ever. As of April 19, the film has grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide.

The movie, boasting Marvel’s first-ever African-American lead, centers on King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) of Wakanda, a fictional African nation rich in a valuable resource called vibranium. Wakanda was conceived as a composite of many cultures across Africa. What sets the country apart from many of its nonfictional counterparts is the absence of historical colonial influence.

“The movie puts Africa at the center of the story and portrays black people in a positive, empowering light, while addressing post-colonialism and Pan-Africanism,” Laniyan

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said.

In the film, Wakanda’s capital is portrayed as a bustling city with advanced technology and scenic landscapes, which contrasts with most of the world’s view of Africa as a dilapidated continent populated by starving, poverty-stricken families.

Wakanda serves as a testament to what Africans can accomplish without Western interference.

“I loved how powerful and advanced the black people were in comparison to the rest of world,” freshman Maxx Shearod said. “It’s something you don’t get to see in the media very often.”

Shearod, who had already seen the film once, went to the AAAG screening because the movie empowered him as an African-American youth.

“It’s an amazing feeling to see a superhero film with majority African-American characters,” Shearod said.

The movie’s abundance of black female characters is a welcome change, especially at a time when black women are double minorities in America and underrepresented in film, especially superhero movies.

“While the film focuses on a man, it is the first superhero film I’ve ever seen to surround its main character with powerful women who are in many ways equally powerful and who don’t depend on T’Challa for purpose or characterization,” Jake-Turner said.

Two strong women in the film include Shuri (Letitia

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Wright), T’Challa’s technology-whiz sister who spearheads Wakanda’s technological innovation efforts. Another is Okoye (Danai Gurira), the leader of Wakanda’s female warrior guild and T’Challa’s most trusted advisor.

Many students found the positive portrayal of black women inspiring.

“Even though you can be predominantly in a man’s world, you can still feel empowered to do your own thing as a woman and stand strong,” sophomore AAAG member Subi Farayibi said.

The film serves as a middle ground for comic book enthusiasts and social justice advocates. It brings together CGI animation, epic battle scenes and themes of heroic conquest, while highlighting issues of colonialism, gender roles and racial and economic inequality. “‘Black Panther’ is one of the few movies that makes me hopeful for a future with real equality,” Shearod said.

APRIL 20, 2018

How to maintain post-walkout momentum

By Sophie Gillard

I am not used to compromise.

As co-chair of the Young Liberals Organization, I have strong opinions, and while I welcome challenges to them, it is difficult for anyone to change my views on the issues most important to me. Like gun control.

So when YLO began considering a school walkout in support of gun control and in solidarity with the students of Stoneman Douglas High School, I was surprised and wary when the Young Conservatives Club proposed that our organizations plan a walkout together.

My concerns were not personal — I like the YCC board.

We had worked well together to plan meetings about net neutrality and we have debated each other respectfully in JSA meetings. But I was not used to finding common ground with people I disagreed with over such a thorny issue as gun violence.

Given the challenges in finding where YLO and YCC agreed on the issue of gun violence and the logistics of planning the SJS walkout, I was amazed by the number of students that filled the Great Lawn on March 23 and even more excited that so many participated in the March for Our Lives the next day.

To everyone who walked out of advisory on March 23, I want to say thank you. You painted signs, you chanted, you marched. For the first time you might feel optimistic that change is around the corner after so many years of violence without meaningful action. But after the catharsis of the March, I have a question for you: What next?

We must keep up pressure on our elected officials. Call your senators and representatives weekly and demand that they support sensible gun control measures. Do not forget your state senators and representatives, too! Attend your local town hall meetings and send them letters. And as soon as you are old enough, register to vote.

The most effective and important thing you can do to end gun violence is vote. According to a troubling statistic from the U.S. Census Bureau, less than 50 percent of Texans aged 18 to 24 registered to vote in 2016. Perhaps if more young people registered to vote and showed up to the polls in 2016, action could have already been taken to prevent the tragedy in Florida.

The upcoming midterm elections in November are our chance to change the status quo. Most current seniors and

some juniors will be eligible to vote this fall, so it is imperative that we do our research on every local, state and national candidate and make sure that they will be tireless advocates for us and not the gun lobby.

Older generations have failed us. There have been 19 mass shootings in 2018 alone. The United States has little to show for in terms of effective measures of gun control. As we reach voting age, it is our duty to do what our parents and grandparents could not and end gun violence.

Our walkout showed that gun violence is not a partisan issue but an issue of common sense. We demonstrated that

By Abigail Poag Your tablemates work through the most recent problem set, but you sit in silence, falling farther and farther behind the group yet feeling unable to ask them to slow down.

Or maybe you are the last student in your class to turn in a test, but when you leave the classroom, everyone acts as if it were the easiest assessment they’ve taken all semester.

All rational thought leaves you, and you suddenly feel stupid, a dunce amongst geniuses, a C in a class full of As. You realize you can’t keep up with them and that nothing — not late nights or hard work — will ever make any difference.

Even if we don’t mean to, we regularly disparage ourselves, and others, academically. The driven, motivated attitudes of St. John’s students are laudable, no doubt. That ambition makes St. John’s a dynamic place to learn. Yet problems arise when our competitive nature turns sour, and we see our classmates not as assets but as reminders of our inferiority.

Ideally, we would all realize that we are more than our ability to memorize vocabulary words or the speed at which we solve equations; we are all complex individuals, and our worth cannot be condensed down to a single grade written at the top of a paper. In reality, our obsession with academic achievement is ingrained and cannot easily be reversed.

We grow up learning that intelligence should be valued more than appearance or social status. Intelligence will not dull as we age nor disappear as soon as we change friend groups; it is not fleeting and is therefore significant. But when we feel like we lack intelligence, we feel as if we are devoid of some vital quality, and that is a difficult truth to swallow.

In the back of our minds, we know that others are just as insecure as we are about our grade point average. We know that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, that one cannot be good at everything. Still, as we compare ourselves to all the smart, talented people around us, it is easy to think that some strengths are valued over others.

We live in a day and age when teaching methods face closer scrutiny, a movement evident in the reexamination of the schedule and final exams at our school. Do tests assess how well students know the material or how well

they memorized it? Even as St. John’s moves away from the bygone methods of rote memorization and lengthy lectures, the question still remains: how much of our self-imposed criteria for intelligence is truly accurate?

A person bragging about writing a paper in one night might really be trying to cover up that they are frustrated with themselves for putting it off until the last minute. The person who raises their hand to answer every tough question in class might just be better at thinking on their feet.

There are also people who seem to be good at everything.

They balance challenging course loads made up primarily of AP and honors classes, all while juggling a slew of impressive extracurricular activities. To all appearances, they work hard, enjoy what they do and somehow find a way to cram two day’s work into one.

We consider how we stand relative to such outstanding students, and suddenly our A in English does not seem so impressive. If some students can simultaneously take honors math and science courses all while squeezing in a sixth class, why is AP U.S. History all we can handle?

While honors math and science courses are an option beginning freshman year, every student is required to take the same history class until their sophomore year. Honors English is not offered until junior year, and even then it is a required class. Wouldn’t it make sense that a student who leans more towards the humanities might feel unintelligent their first few years of high school because they are taking fewer advanced classes than their STEM-oriented peers?

What about the students who do their best work independently, who can solve complex equations with ease

ILLUSTRATION BY LILAH GABER

an ideologically diverse student body can find common ground and present a unified front in support of a cause that we are all passionate about. The March for Our Lives proved that we could take our anger and passion into the streets and let lawmakers know how we feel.

The next phase of casting ballots and putting pressure on our elected officials may by tedious and slow-moving, but we must do everything it takes to ensure that the horrors of Parkland never happen again. I have faith not only in my classmates, but in teenagers all over the nation. If others won’t look out for us, we will look out for ourselves.

As pressure mounts, maintain your confidence

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while working solo but freeze up during group activities?

What of the students who can write excellent papers when they are relaxed but feel flustered during timed in-class essays when they can barely write in full sentences? Although there may be no way to incorporate every student preference into the curriculum, we should keep these scenarios in mind the next time we size up our own accomplishments against someone else’s.

Feeling inferior should not be a regular facet of our school experience. Instead of being ashamed that we spent all weekend writing a paper and still earned a lower grade than some of our peers, we should be applauded for our diligence. The next time someone turns in a test with an anxious feeling in the pit of their stomach, we should choose another opportunity to bring up how confident we feel about our own performance.

Intelligence is an admirable quality, but so are persistence and patience and grit. We will always encounter those who seem superior, but that does not mean we need to feel mediocre. Being second best is not the same as being last.

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POEM FROM THE EDITORS

Oh! The places we’ll go!

CAROLINE RAMIREZ

With apologies to Theodore Geisel.

You’ll look up and down school. Look it over with care.

About some spots you’ll say, “I might just miss it there.”

With Smash games to play and tacos to eat, you’ve got lots to do to make the last few days sweet.

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

You have college ahead.

You have grades in rear-view.

You can now spend your time any way that you choose.

You’re almost done. But please take it slow, ’cause YOU are a senior with just weeks to go.

At your grad parties, don’t be scared to get down. ’cause in just months you’ll leave, and head straight out of town.

Show your teachers you care.

Stop and breathe in the air.

Take some time to reflect and enjoy what you do with your friends who took L’s and popped off with you.

And when things start to change, it’ll be sad. It’s true.

But go right along.

You’ll start changing, too.

OH! THE PLACES WE’LL GO!

Ashwini Bandi

Gracie Blue

Claire Furse

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHEN KIM AND MIA FARES

THE REVIEW

Member Columbia Scholastic Press Assn.: Gold Crown 2015, Silver Crown 2014 & 2016-17 | National Scholastic Press Assn.: Pacemaker 2015, 4th Place Best of Show, All-American 2013-14, 2014-15

St. Johns School | 2401 Claremont Lane, Houston, TX 77019 sjsreview.com | Facebook SJS Review | Twitter @SJS_Review Instagram @_thereview | Snapchat sjsreview Publisher Gracie Blue Executive Editors Assignments Dani Yan Design Ashwini Bandi Writing Claire Furse Assignments Editors Sophie Caldwell, Iris Chen, Alexander Kim Design Editors Stephen Kim, Prithvi Krishnarao Copy Editors Maggie Ballard, Natasha Faruqui, Sophie Gillard, Eli Maierson Photography Editor (Print) Caroline Ramirez Photography Editor (Online) Grace Sanders Business Editor Sukul Mittal Asst. Business Editor Andrew Duong Online Editor-in-Chief Emily Chen Asst. Online Editor Ryan Chang Online Section Editors Shani Israel, Sophia Kontos, Sophia Lima Social Media Editor Lilah Gaber Video Editors Jack Shea, Alex Tinkham

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Staff Izzy Andrews, Manar Ansari, Mehak Batra, Max Beard, Hrishabh Bhosale, Isaac Blue, Clara Brotzen-Smith, Laney Chang, Katina Christensen, Eli Desjardins, Fareen Dhuka, Sara Doyle, Nicholas Echeverri, Mia Fares, Matthew Giordano, Joe Griffin, Mia Guien, Eric Hang, Jackson Humphries, Thomas Hunt, Noura Jabir, Reygan Jones, Tyler King, Ethan Kinsella, SJ Lasley, Noël Madland, Scotty Malcolm, Lily McCullough, Camille McFarland, Will McKone, Sinclair Mott, Neel Pai, Amélie Perrier, Abigail Poag, Lucas Pope, Leila Pulaski, Eloise Reasoner, Claire Seinsheimer, Henry Still, Eric Strawn, James Sy, Mira Thakur, Sacha Waters, Shelby Wilson, Siena Zerr

Advisers David Nathan, Shelley Stein (’88), Chuy Benitez

THE REVIEW

Dani Yan

Mission Statement The Review strives to report on issues with integrity, to recognize the assiduous efforts of all, and to serve as an engine of discourse within the St. John’s community.

Publication Info The Review is published six times during the school year. We distribute at least 1,000 copies of each issue, most of which are given for free to the Upper School community of 662 students and 98 faculty members.

Policies The Review provides a forum for student writing and opinion. The opinions and staff editorials contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Headmaster or the Board of Trustees of St. John’s School. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the entire

OPINIONS

APRIL 20, 2018

Editorial Board unless otherwise noted. Writers and photographers are credited with a byline.

Corrections, when necessary, can be found on the editorial pages. Running an advertisement does not imply endorsement by the school.

Submission Guidelines Letters to the editor and guest columns are encouraged but are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, accuracy and taste. On occasion, we will publish letters anonymously. The Review reserves the right not to print letters received. Letters and guest columns can be emailed to review.sjs@gmail.com or handdelivered to an editor or adviser in the Review room (Q210).

60 seconds with sophomore standouts

ERIC HANG

Will Jackson

Nickname Buddy Next Netflix Binge Arrested Development (again) Comfort Food Chicken strips Dream Job Architect Favorite Spot on Campus Great Lawn Weird Hobby I love boats Quirk Braces Favorite Word Epiphany Spirit Animal Dolphin Song to Describe Your Life Sky Walker Love to Hate Bad drivers

Hate to Love Dad jokes Relationship Status On the market Celebrity You’d Want to Meet Neil deGrasse Tyson Olympic Sport Curling Dream Date February 11 Phobia Angry spiders Doppelganger Very Young Matt Damon Known For Happy Book The Boys in the Boat Movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Follow Us? Okay

Word for Word scheduling made simple

I don’t know my schedule. Kids just show up and i teach them.

-Mr. Guinn

ERIC HANG

Gabrielle Perkins

Nickname Gabby Next Netflix Binge House of Cards Comfort Food Grilled cheese Dream Job Aquarium diver Favorite Spot on Campus Science building hallways Weird Hobby Sewing Quirk Pouring milk before the cereal Favorite Word Mood Spirit Animal Cats Song to Describe Your Life Too Many People

by Palaye Royale Love to Hate Buzzfeed

a mach-ery of physics

Competently Incompetent

Mach 85? That’s 85 times the sound of light.

Wait. No, that’s right.

-naveen krishnan

If you’re supposed to be incompetent, and you’re incompetent, then are you really incompetent?

-jack day

Stephen’s Universe

By Stephen Kim

Hate to Love Reality TV Relationship Status Perpetually single Celebrity You’d Want to Meet Jeff Goldblum Olympic Sport Curling Dream Date Barnes and Noble Phobia Reading quizzes Doppelganger A trash can Known For Greta Cheese Book Pet Sematary Movie The original Ghostbusters Follow Us? Of course

CLEAN HALLWAY INITIATIVE SOLUTIONS

SJSREVIEW.COM

ODDS AND ENDS

APRIL 20, 2018

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ISAS Arts Festival

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By Sophie Caldwell and Sophie Gillard

Students from music, visual arts and theater traveled to The Hockaday School in Dallas for the ISAS Fine Arts Festival. The festival featured student-produced performances, along with visual art exhibitions from independent schools located in Texas, Louisiana, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Juniors Tara Samson-Williams and Emily Feng and sophomore Anna Childers tour the visual arts exhibition (1).

Sophomore Calista Smith plays the violin in the orchestra performance (2).

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THE REVIEW

PHOTOS BY BENNY HE AND GRACE SANDERS

From left to right, juniors Sophia Kontos, Lucy Curtis, Anna-William Kornberg, Juliette Draper, Gray Watson and Sophie Caldwell relax on the grass (3).

Sophomores Athena AdroguĂŠ and Skylar Williams and juniors Collin Fullen, Sara Koh and Elizabeth McNeely attend a dance workshop, one of the many classes offered at the festival (4).

Junior Naveen Krishnan discusses his sculpture with an adjudicator in the 3D visual arts exhibition as junior Raunak Kundagrami and sophomores Marcela Madrid and Caitlin Guidry look on (5).

PHOTOSTORY

APRIL 20, 2018