November Issue 2017

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The Review

St. John’s School 2401 Claremont Lane Houston, TX 77019

sjsreview.com November 14, 2017 Vol. 69. Issue 2

Will Varsity sports Be history?

CHUY Benitez

inside News 3 Features 6 CenterSpread 10-11 Sports 12 Culture 14 Opinions 16

What a World Series victory means to Houston (P16)

Curran named Associate Head of School

By Maggie Ballard

Current Lower School Head Chris Curran will become the Associate Head of School next year, marking the first time the position will be filled in a decade.

Curran will assist Headmaster Mark Desjardins in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Lower, Middle and Upper School divisions as well as academic programing. She will be focusing on academic operations in curriculum, working to create optimal faculty culture and helping to coordinate hiring for all three divisions.

“There’s been growth in the school, and we are going to be starting the second phase of our development of the south part of the campus,” Desjardins said. “We’re really trying to set up an administrative structure that is going to give me the flexibility to focus on some of those external priorities.”

According to Curran, managing each division requires thoughtful responses and coordination.

“I hope to support administrative teams in each division with the many layers of their REYGAN JONES work,” Curran said.

Current Lower School Associate Head Chris Curran sits with Lower School students at lunch.

Curran is to become Curran started her teaching career at St. the Associate Head of School next school year.

John’s in 1994. She spent five years teaching fourth grade and then moved on to fifth students, which is really impressive.” grade math for two years before serving as Assistant Head a childhood neighbor while she was living in Charleston.

Because she was attending graduate school at the time, she Junior Lucy Curtis remembers Curran being a sweet of Lower School from 2005 to 2008. told Shafer about the opening, who interviewed and began woman who wasn’t very intimidating, despite her being the Her favorite aspect of working in the Lower School is working at the school in the fall of 1991.

Shafer promised Head of the Lower School. watching the students grow up. that if Curran were ever to move back to Houston, Shafer “I’ve seen her out of school a couple of times and even “I have the joy and privilege of meeting children when would introduce her to people from SJS. now she remembers who I am and stuff about me,” Curtis they’re five or six years old, seeing them off to Middle Desjardins emphasizes Curran’s understanding and appresaid.

“It’s really nice to feel like the woman who was in School and staying in touch,” Curran said. “That has been ciation of the school’s mission charge of you 10 years ago still knows who you are.” something that’s been imstatement.

Th e administration is currently conducting the search for portant to me, to stay con“I can’t think of anybody that a new Head of Lower School and has contracted Brigham nected to students as they personifi es the values of St. Hill Consultancy.

Th e fi rm is based in Dallas and has grow and progress.”

John’s more than Ms. Curran,” helped St. John’s with several of its administrative searches Curran graduated from the Desjardins said. ”She’s going to in the past.

McCombs School of Business hit the ground running, know“There will be great opportunities for somebody stepping at UT Austin in 1988. While ing all of the strengths of the into the position,” Curran said. “It’s exciting to think about studying for her Bachelor of school and trying to work tonew perspectives and new visions.”

Business Administration, she wards making us better.”

As Associate Head, Curran will become the highest-ranktook a number of education Curran is excited to connect with Upper and Middle ing woman in the history of St. John’s. courses. Curran then received her Masters in the Arts of School students.

“It is important for students to see people of diverse backTeaching from the College of Charleston in 1991.

“I haven’t yet fi gured out how I will do that, but for me, grounds and experiences in different roles of the school,” Math teacher Kimm Shafer, who was Curran’s big sister I think I will die on the vine if I’m not connected in some Curran said.

“I’ve been grateful that St. John’s has been a in their college sorority, says that Curran was meant for the authentic way,” she said. very affi rming place for both men and women.” position.

Junior Matthew Giordano recalls that Curran would help “Back in the sorority she was an amazing leader with a the kids get out of their cars during carpool. very clever personality,” Shafer said.

“She was always really approachable,” Giordano said. “She Curran found out about an opening at St. John’s from really builds genuine relationships with the Lower School

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She was always approachable.

She builds genuine relationships with the Lower School students.

-Matthew Giordano

Heritage Hall honors school history Heritage Hall captivates onlookers with photographs to commemorate the traditions and evolution of the school, from its first buildings in 1946 to recent graduations. The photos displayed come from the school’s historic archives, a catalog of documents and images collected over the decades.

Headmaster Mark Desjardins proposed Heritage Hall to showcase the school through the generations. Art teacher Dan Havel and Director of Communications Susan Munson selected the images that are currently framed and displayed in the hallway.

The opposite side of the hallway, leading into the Chao Room, will serve as a pop-up exhibition room with a temporary gallery of images. Recently, the gallery hosted a refugee and immigrant exhibit and plans to showcase images that reflect current happenings around the school.

By Lily McCullough

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Cafeteria launches nutritional resource

By Tyler King

Ever wondered about the calorie count on one of the cafeteria’s most popular desserts, the “jiggly, wiggly” jello? According to the Nutrislice online menu, jello contains 80 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrates and 18 grams of sugar.

The Nutrislice lunch menu, which is accessible through the SJS homepage and a mobile app, delivers ingredient lists, calorie and carbohydrate counts and other nutritional information commonly found on food labels.

“We started using Nutrislice because we wanted to create more safety for students who have severe allergies,” Director of Clinical Services Tesa Stark said. “The other added benefit is that students following special diets, or eating healthy in general, can also see that nutritional content.”

Nutrislice shows pictures and descriptions of menu options. The website filters CAROLINE RAMIREZ the breakfast and lunch menus for all three Food Services Director Alan Mallett designs the Nutrislice lunch menu, school divisions for the most common alwhich provides nutritional information on food served in the cafeteria. lergens as well as vegetarian and gluten-free lett said. “This will help us see what foods of food weeks in advance is really helpful diets.

A built-in feedback system provides food are students’ favorites and will help us im- in making those decisions and planning ahead,” Theofanidis said. service staff with information about food prove the menu over time.”

Freshman Alexa Theofanidis says the webThe current online menu runs through the choices. end of the fall semester.

“We don’t get to interact with students ev- site allows her to make healthier choices.

“Being able to see the nutritional facts ery day,” Food Services Director Alan Mal-

THE REVIEW

NEWS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Disasters impact extended SJS community

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matt stein

Luis Angel serrano

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matt stein

A deer skull was singed by the massive California blaze that swept over 1,087,639 acres, destroying thousands of homes (1). Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, ripping apart houses and trees (2). Signs warning passersby to stay clear block a road in California (3).

By Mehak Batra and Hrishabh Bhosale

Maria hammers Puerto Rico Just weeks after Hurricane Harvey dumped 33 trillion gallons of water on Houston, Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico with 150 mph winds, destroying much of the island’s infrastructure and leaving millions stranded without electricity.

In Puerto Rico, Spanish teacher Margarita Serrano’s parents experienced the devastation firsthand.

Serrano struggled to contact her family days after Maria made landfall. She monitored the news until she finally received a phone call from her brother who had climbed to the top of a mountain to get cell service.

“You can’t sleep. You’re always thinking about the people that you love,” Serrano said. “You feel guilty because you’re fine.”

After learning about the lack of food and water in Puerto Rico, Serrano sent a box of chicken, tuna, salmon and chiles to her family. The box arrived at her parents’ home torn open and nearly empty.

Serrano expressed gratitude for the assistance from students and colleagues. The school has donated $5,000 to assist her family.

Even though Serrano has only been at SJS for two years, “it feels like I have been at St. John’s forever,” she said. “Everyone is concerned and wants to help out in any way they can. People have asked me for my parents’ address so that they can send food.”

Many Puerto Ricans are leaving the island in search of jobs. With much of the island’s infrastructure in ruins, tourism has fallen dramatically and the island’s massive debt is expected to grow.

“A lot of my old classmates are calling and asking me if they can come and get any kind of jobs here in Texas,” Serrano said. “They are professionals and have doctorates and various degrees, but they don’t care if they have to work in a supermarket. They need to pay their bills.”

Serrano recalls growing up in an environment free of stress.

“Caribbean life is tranquil and tropical,” she said. “You were never in a hurry, nothing bothers you and you look on the positive side of things.”

Serrano hopes conditions will improve once the island begins reconstruction.

“It’s going to take a long time to recover,” she said. “They don’t know how to approach the devastation. They don’t know where to start.”

Serrano is currently visiting her parents and helping with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

wildfires more frightening than the flooding from Harvey.

“The thing about fires is that you can’t go up to your second floor, you can’t wait on your street, you can’t wait on your roof until you are rescued,” Stein said. “Everything in its path is completely obliterated.”

Wildfires blaze through California

Two weeks before Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean on Sept. 20, Hurricane Irma destroyed the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the 50 years that sophomore Jonathan Lu’s grandparents have lived on the islands, they could not recall a disaster of this magnitude.

Lu said his grandparents are devastated by the destruction of the island but are thankful their house was not directly impacted by the hurricane.

Still, he pointed out: “It’s astonishing. [The Virgin Islands] are part of the United States, and they are not receiving help.”

To aid the thousands who lost electricity, Lu and his family sent over 200 solar-paneled lights to an elementary school in the Virgin Islands. They also launched a website, helpusvi.org, where they set up a donations page and designed a shirt to raise money and awareness for the islands.

Lu’s grandfather, a physician, has been volunteering his medical services at the local prison, which is serving as a temporary shelter for storm refugees.

The devastation in U.S. Virgin Islands is still affecting thousands because of the remoteness of the islands and the fact that very few are aware of the damage the Virgin Islands have sustained. To make matters worse, the U.S. has been focusing a majority of its hurricane aid on disasters in the contiguous U.S. “It’s going to take a long time to rebuild,” Lu said. “The Virgin Islands receive very little attention and they need help.”

When Middle School parent Matt Stein arrived in Sonoma County, California, to help his parents in mid-October, some of the wildfires that had started five days earlier were still burning out of control. There was so much smoke he needed a breathing mask.

“I didn’t sleep very much the first night,” Stein said. “You could see Mount Hood State Park was a line of orange the whole night.”

Stein is married to French teacher and Review adviser Shelley Stein and father to sixth grade student Yasmin.

Surrounded by vineyards in rural Sonoma County, Stein’s parents’ 55-acre farm is home to more than 30 animals, including yaks, miniature horses, llamas, alpacas and cows.

The fires started on the night of Oct. 8 when 50 mph winds whipped through east Santa Rosa and spread flames, placing thousands of homes in the path of destruction.

The sheriff’s department ordered an immediate evacuation as the fire raged on. Within hours, thousands of homes had been evacuated.

Stein’s parents had left the night before for Madagascar.

After receiving the alert from the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Department, they decided to fly back to San Francisco from their stopover in London.

Two caretakers live on the Stein’s property, tending to the animals year-round. When they heard about the fires, they sought help through a rescue group that brought trailers from San Francisco and evacuated the animals.

The fires burned a quarter of the Stein’s property and stopped 15 feet from the barn and caretakers’ house. The heat from the fires melted light fixtures and fried solar panels, but the house remained unharmed.

Thousands of homes were destroyed in the Sonoma Valley fires, and recovery efforts are still underway. Stein found the

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news

Irma ravages U.S. Virgin Islands

November 14, 2017

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3 alumni running in Democratic primary

By Sophie Gillard Three St. John’s alumni are vying for the Democratic nomination in one of the most hotly contested congressional districts in the country.

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (’93), Laura Moser (’95) and Alex Triantaphyllis (’02) are running to serve Texas Congressional District 7, currently held by Republican John Culberson, who is seeking a 10th term. District 7 is one of 23 traditionally Republican Districts, where Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, known in political circles as the “D-triple-C,” targeted District 7 as one that could be flipped, sending a Democratic representative to Congress for the first time in 46 years.

As a result, six Democrats jumped into the race that has previously fielded few Democratic candidates.

“It’s a positive that there are so many people in the primary,” Triantaphyllis said. “It means that there is energy and excitement about finally achieving change in this district.

I’ve been excited that there’s been so much interest and excitement in this race.”

Triantaphyllis, an executive at Houston nonprofit BakerRipley, has raised more than $666,000, out-raising Culberson by over $20,000.

Fundraising is seen as a benchmark for electability because well-financed candidates can typically run more effective campaigns.

Fletcher, a partner at Houston law firm AZA, is close behind Triantaphyllis in terms of fundraising, having raised more than $550,000.

Fletcher said she is focused on finding practical solutions to local issues.

“Houston is an innovative city, and we don’t let things get in our way,” Fletcher said. “I think those are qualities we are not seeing right now in Congress.”

Moser, a journalist and fiction writer, moved back to Houston in the spring after living in Washington D.C. for several years while her husband worked as a videographer

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in Barack Obama’s administration. She received national Vazquez, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Review, was attention for her text messaging service, Daily Action. The one of the first additions to Fletcher’s campaign, joining service sends users alerts that urge them to call their elect- her team days after she announced her candidacy. Vazquez ed officials or to attend protests to resist President Donald conducted research, helped organize fundraisers and met Trump’s agenda. with many leaders of local political organizations, as well as After starting Daily Action, Moser said she decided to run candidates in city-wide elections. because she was tired of seeing Democratic candidates run Now a freshman at Yale University, Vazquez hopes to orevery cycle without winning. ganize the Yale College Democrats to work the phone bank “On the Democratic side the same types of people keep for Democrats as the primary approaches. losing. Maybe it’s us,” Moser said. “Most people believe “Any chance I get, when Congressional District 7 stuff what we believe, but we can’t sell it.” comes up, I put it in our big GroupMe and ask who wants Moser spoke to the Young to hear me talk about the TexLiberals Organization on as 7,” she said.

Oct. 27. YLO plans to invite Triantaphyllis urges students Fletcher and Triantaphyllis to who are passionate about polspeak as well. itics and public policy to get Fletcher will be speaking to involved as soon as possible.

Women Helping Empower “Make your voice heard, and Each Other in December. if you want to do that by getAside from attending the ting involved in our campaign, same high school, the candiwe’d be thrilled to have you,” dates have other similarities. he said. “But find your areas Triantaphyllis and Fletcher of passion or explore some of have family members who are the different challenges you current SJS students, while see in the community, and try Fletcher’s and Moser’s fathers to do your part while trying to were law partners in the ’90s. learn from others about how Fletcher’s sister, Shelley Stein to be as effective as possible.” (’88), teaches French and adThe primary elections will GRAPHIC BY AMÉLIE PERRIER AND SIENA ZERR be held on Tuesday, March 6, vises The Review, while her DATA FROM OPENSECRETS.ORG 2018, with the winner combrother-in-law, Gordon Center, is a Middle School history teacher. peting for the seat against Culberson.

With so many alums running, a younger generation of current and former students are involved with the campaigns. Sophie Lanier (’16) interned with Triantaphyllis while Irene Vazquez (’17) and senior Katie Smith and interned with Fletcher.

THE REVIEW

NEWS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Former SJS head assesses private school culture

ANN WOZENCRAFT

Frank Willey attended Trinity School in New York for two years. Former SJS Headmaster and current Trinity Head of School John Allman’s openingof-school letter was covered in the New York Times; the letter gained nationwide recognition for its discussion of alienation in private schools.

By Izzy Andrews John Allman has always been an advocate for change. communication with a number of different things going on Serving as St. John’s headmaster from 1998 to 2009, one of simultaneously.” For this reason, he said, each reader may his most lasting legacies was the 2004 decision to change have had a different takeaway. For instance, the Times artithe school mascot from the Rebel to the Maverick. cle emphasized Allman’s mention of divisions caused by soFor the past nine years, Allman has served as the Head of cioeconomic differences as well as the attitudes of parents.

School at the Trinity School in Manhattan. Every year, AllWhen St. John’s Director of Community and Inclusion man writes an opening-of-school letter to the Trinity com- Gene Batiste read Allman’s letter, he too focused on the munity. This year’s letter surprised the school community socioeconomic aspects. Batiste has been aware of the isand made shockwaves in surrounding neighborhoods and sues Allman raised since he began working in independent even across the country. schools in 1990.

In his Aug. 30 missive, Allman addressed alienation by “There are all kinds of pervasive ways in which issues recognizing the “profound cultural climate change” occur- of class and socioeconomic background end up in class ring in the United States and the “radical disconnection” discussions, athletic events or fundraising events for the in his school. school,” Batiste said. “It’s something that you can’t comAllman specifically addressed the “consumerist families pletely ignore, and Mr. Allman’s letter was a wake-up call that treat teachers and the school in entirely instrumen- for a lot of us.” tal ways, seeking to use [them] exclusively to advance their Senior Frank Willey (’18), a former Trinity student who child’s narrow self-interest.” To justify the “extraordinary came to SJS in his junior resources” the school allocates towards student education, year, centered on Allman’s there must be a shift in the ethos of the community to- message of general alienwards one of “citizenship and public service.” If there is ation. According to Willey, not, he wrote, “I am afraid we are, for a majority of our students at both Trinity students, just a very, very, very expensive finishing school.” and St. John’s are uncomEven though the letter’s intended audience was the fami- fortable discussing class or lies of the roughly one thousand Trinity stusocioeconomic differdents, its impact extended far beyond New ences, but most will York City. As recipients shared his letter, it discuss their political became so widespread that on Sept. 22, the opinions.

New York Times published an article about Wiley said that it on its website and in print. the two schools respond differently to this political Reactions from more than 100 readers imdiscussion. At Trinity, there is an abundance of conmediately poured in from around versation about politics, but the school the country. Some wholeheart- Trinity Head of School John Allman is heavily liberal. In his two years at St. edly agreed with the issues that John’s, Willey has noticed that the school Allman raised, while others, particularly people who had tends to shy away from greater political discourse among attended independent schools, challenged his assertions. the student body. The SJS approach helps remove some of Allman and the Trinity Board of Trustees were surprised the political divisions that exist at Trinity. by the publicity the letter generated. In a phone interview “St. John’s is better at creating a unified community that with Allman, he said that Trinity has been discussing for strives toward the common goal of educating high school years the matters he mentioned in the letter, which he in- students, but that comes at the cost of losing much of the tended as a way to tie all the conversations together. It was political conversation and debate that is important to kids in no way meant to be “revolutionary.” finding their beliefs and their ideals on the political spec“It was a little more than my usual, boring opening-of- trum,” he said. “Trinity is very divisive, and often conservaschool letter, but it certainly wasn’t groundbreaking — with tive voices are tossed aside and silenced.” a standing ovation with trumpets or anything like that,” he Allman said that no matter how people interpreted his said. “When it got picked up by the Times, it gained legs.” letter, responses were “almost exclusively” positive. With Allman describes his letter as “a pretty long and complex the exception of one upset family, parents and administra-

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tors from other independent schools supported his ideas.

Headmaster Mark Desjardins agreed with the issues raised in Allman’s letter, but in order for change to be effective, he said that Trinity should implement a corresponding plan.

“There’s this commentary, but now what?” Desjardins said. “There were a lot of questions that it raised, and I’m not so sure that there are specific answers.”

According to Allman, his Board of Trustees has been thinking about solutions. The alienation he described mainly affects student life.

“We’ve been doing an extensive look at student wellbeing,” he said, “and that means, primarily, the threats caused by the intensifying pressures that students feel in order to do the things they feel like they need to do in order to make themselves appealing to highly selective colleges.”

In order to help students, Trinity is working to develop a plan with multiple “action steps.” The school will create a “signature grade-level experience,” allowing students to find new ways to connect. They will also improve the school’s advisory program so that students feel “as if they’re getting good counsel about workload and life-load.”

Academically, Trinity will consider the creation of an interim term, an independent study program and a capstone experience for seniors.

To address the stressful college admissions process, Trinity will adjust its college counseling practices, in part by changing the ways students and counselors work together to compose the lists of schools a student should consider.

Even if his letter was intended for just the Trinity community, Allman believes that his message and possible solutions can apply in some ways to many independent schools.

“The pressures that our students face, to seek admissions to highly selective colleges, are widespread. It’s not unique to Trinity, it’s not unique to New York, it’s not unique to the Northeast,” he said. “That particular challenge for students — you’ll find it any place where there are talented, motivated students and ambitious families seeking the best for their children.”

The pressures that our students face...It’s not unique to Trinity, it’s not unique to New York, it’s not unique to the Northeast.

-John Allman

SJSREVIEW.COM

NEWS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

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Group provides hygiene products for homeless

By Iris Chen When seniors Katie Smith and Mary Shannon Tompson learned that homeless people often lack access to menstrual products, they started Period POWER, a community service project that aims to bring feminine products to Houston’s homeless population.

According to the Coalition for the Homeless, more than 6,300 people in Houston are shelterless on any given night.

A growing proportion of this population are women, and while many homeless people receive support in the form of food, water, clothing and shelter, menstruation products are often overlooked.

“If [periods are] hard for us, you can’t even imagine how hard it would be for someone with no money, no home and no access to these products,” Tompson said.

Smith and Tompson have raised $3,620 on their GoFundMe pages, enabling them to create almost 700 care packages, which include pads, tampons, sanitary wipes and a hand-written note of encouragement.

Smith found her inspiration for Period POWER from reading about similar projects in other cities on social media. She had always been interested in women’s issues, so those projects appealed to her.

While Smith and Tompson were organizing kid’s meals packages through the National Charity League, they realized they could adapt that system to Period POWER. Smith and Tompson purchased the necessary supplies with a $700 grant from the Community Service Board and hosted their first packaging party in October 2016. They turned to crowdfunding to continue financing packaging parties when they realized how expensive feminine hygeine products are.

Smith and Tompson began their social media campaign in November 2016 through the Houston chapter of Pantsuit Nation, a Facebook group born out of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. They collected enough funds for a second packaging party in April and expanded the fundraising project beyond St. John’s.

“Most of the money came from people clicking on the link on Facebook,” Tompson said. “It got out to a ton of people — people we had never met, people from other cities.”

The majority of volunteers have been St. John’s students.

Tompson recalls her surprise at how supportive they were, despite not knowing much about the project.

Smith and Tompson decided to donate the packages to the Beacon, a homeless shelter in Houston that they have worked with previously.

They began their second round of fundraising in August, when they changed the name of the project from “Helping Homeless Women, Period” to “Period POWER” to incorporate transgender people who also use menstrual products.

CAROLINE RAMIREZ

Volunteers for Period POWER package tampons and pads for Houston’s homeless population.

Founded by Mary Shannon Tompson, far right, and Katie Smith, third from right, the organization has held three such “packaging parties.”

Smith added that there is a connection between the mys“We wanted to be more inclusive,” Smith said. “The altery shrouding the menstrual cycle and the lack of hygiene literation in Period POWER also makes it much catchier.” products for homeless women.

In addition to changing the name, Smith and Tompson “Part of the reason no one really thinks about how the replaced the logo designed by Tompson with a free design homeless need tampons and pads is because there’s such they received through an artist on RedBubble, an online a stigma around the period,” Smith said. “When you’re artist marketplace. afraid to say the words ‘pad,’ ‘tampon’ and ‘period,’ you At Period POWER’s most recent packaging party, held on don’t think about the fact that some people don’t have acOct. 29 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, volunteers assemcess to these necessary products. We want to de-stigmatize bled 190 packages. St. Luke’s United Methodist Church the period and raise awareness of this lack of access.” donated surplus menstrual products that they received after Smith and Tompson plan to continue hosting packaging Hurricane Harvey to the project. parties and to invest more time in the social media facet of Donating menstrual products to homeless populations the project. is not the group’s only objective — they also want to “We haven’t been going full throttle on social media yet,” destigmatize periods by raising awareness on social media, Smith said, “but we will.” sharing articles and stories about menstruation. Period Smith and Tompson hope that their campaign will enPOWER garnered 261 Facebook likes (@periodpowerhtx) courage more males to participate in Period POWER and and 239 followers on Instagram (@period.power). Other join discussions about menstruation and other women’s participants have also shared the links on their personal issues. social media pages.

“This is not just a girls’ thing,” Smith said. “Everyone is “[Menstruation] is not a secret or a sketchy, scary thing; welcome. Everyone should be talking about this issue.” it happens to over half of the population,” Tompson said.

“We need to talk about it.”

Mobile apps help navigate schedule

By Eli Maierson

Ethan Saadia was working on a solution to help students navigate the new schedule before he even entered the Upper School.

An avid problem solver who uses technology to help others, Saadia, a freshman, developed an app without any formal training.

Experimenting with software and learning through trial and error, Saadia finished the first version of Mav App during eighth grade, but his app was far from the finished product his classmates have been downloading from the App Store.

Saadia spent the majority of last summer rewriting the app from scratch. After two months, he released a beta version to get feedback from teachers and faculty members.

Saadia’s goal was to improve Mav App in the iOS 11 platform in time for an anniversary release.

“There were some days when I had

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time to do only a little development,” Saadia said, “but towards the end of the process I was working on the app almost the whole day.”

Freshman Lauryn Kapiloff said that

plans to add new features, including support for the Ensemble periods.

When the new schedule was first implemented last year, then-sophomore Matthew Giordano created the Block Schedule Helper app, so students could better understand their schedules.

Giordano is now one of three juniors, along with Ishan Kamat and Vijay Patel, who lead the Mobile App Development Club, which teaches students how to build apps on both iOS and Android.

Chief Information Officer Jeff Ritter, who sponsors the Mobile App Development Club, hopes to incorporate student apps into future courses, including Game Programming, Mobile App Development and Data Analytics.

“It’s great that we have a culture in which kids will just start a club to help people learn how to build an app,” Ritter said. “What we hope to do is take that, extend it and make it more powerful.”

It’s super helpful for the times in between classes. You just open the app and it tells you exactly where to go.

-Lauryn Kapiloff ninth grade students tend to use the Mav App because it is easy to use and already has the school schedule in it, so students only need to add their classes.

“It’s super helpful for the times in between classes. You just open the app and it tells you exactly where to go,” Kapiloff said. “It’s cool that someone in our grade created it.”

Saadia appreciates feedback, which allows him to tweak the app. He

GRAPHIC BY AMÉLIE PERRIER AND SIENA ZERR

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THE REVIEW

FEATURES

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION

Batiste brings fresh perspective to new position

By Claire Furse

Director of Community and Inclusion Gene Batiste says his new job is about more than promoting diversity.

“Diversity is about the numbers. What we’re really talking about is building and sustaining a community around what I call the Four P’s: people, programs, policies and practices,” Batiste said. “My work is not about the numbers — it’s about developing a sense of community and engagement.”

Batiste was named Director of Community and Inclusion in late September after joining the school community in August as Interim Director.

“Dr. Batiste will serve as an academic and institutional leader in the areas of equity, community and inclusion,” Headmaster Mark Desjardins wrote in a Sept. 27 email to faculty members and parents. “His portfolio of work will include planning and coordinating equity and inclusion-focused programs, events and professional development, as well as assisting in the recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.”

In February, Batiste came to St. John’s and led a diversity training session for St. John’s faculty members. Seven months later, he was hired full time.

Batiste’s hiring came with the recommendation from the Committee for Community, a group of parents, faculty members, alumni and members of the Board of Trustees that was formed in 2016.

“St. John’s represents excellence in so much of what it does in the school,” Co-Chair Karen Lu said. “Dr. Batiste represents someone at the top of his field in helping schools like ours to discuss very difficult issues that are being highlighted in society. He is familiar with independent schools, and our community will benefit from his expertise.”

According to the Committee, an essential part of a St. John’s education is giving students the ability to understand people who are different.

Batiste will help foster this diverse environment by promoting the admission, hiring and retention of students and faculty of underrepresented groups.

“It’s great that my office is in the admissions suite because it gives me a chance to learn the process of admission,” Batiste said.

He has been trained as a faculty interviewer and will be interviewing prospective students and their parents this year.

Batiste has worked as an educator for 36 years. His career began in Dallas where he taught AP European History, Psychology and Sociology before moving to St. Mark’s as a teacher and administrator. Batiste has also served as the Vice President of Leadership Development, Diversity and Inclusion of the National Association of Independent Schools. In 2015, he began his own consulting practice.

Batiste credits his interest in diversity and inclusion to childhood experiences. As the son of a military officer, he attended schools in Hawaii and Japan, though his parents and extended family hail from Houston.

“Back in the ’60s and ’70s when I was growing up, I would have gone to segregated schools, had my father not been a military officer. Instead, I went to greatly diverse elementary, middle and high schools at a time when Houston was not very diverse,” Batiste said. “The root of my passion around diversity and inclusion goes back to growing up in these very integrated schools.”

Batiste’s main goal for his first year is to complete a comprehensive assessment of what St. John’s has accomplished

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in the areas of community and inclusion.

In January, the school will conduct an online survey covering aspects of the school climate, such as a sense of belonging and safety. Every member of the community will take the survey, including alumni and board members. Students under the age of 12 will use facial emoticons to convey their feelings.

The survey results will be compared to other peer schools, and a final report will be shared with the school community.

Batiste has also created 10 GRACE SANDERS committees to help determine recommendations re- Gene Batiste strives to foster a sense of community and engagement in garding areas including stu- his new role as the Director of Community and Inclusion. dent life, school governance Trustees to review “Principles of Good Practice for Equity and leadership, and parent/guardian involvement. and Justice,” a document he helped develop with the NaAccording to Batiste, socioeconomic class diversity is one tional Association of Independent Schools that describes of the biggest issues at independent schools, which often the nine principles that schools should live by. The Board struggle to assemble a faculty representative of the student will explore ways the school can exemplify these principles. body’s racial and ethnic diversity. In some cases, schools Batiste is planning a similar retreat for administrators in avoid the topic of diversity entirely.

June.

“We can’t create a bubble where we don’t deal with chalOn Oct. 23, Batiste traveled to New York City and Washlenges that are happening in the nation and in the world,” ington, D.C. with the Advancement Office to meet with Batiste said. “We need to try to build opportunities to talk alumni. Many former students expressed their pride that with each other. I’d love to do a mixed group of a few parSt. John’s is headed in such a positive direction. ents, students and teachers who want to come together “There was something about their experience being unstudy some issue or great book on community and inclurepresented that was a challenge for them, so we’re going sion.” to use those experiences to help current students feel they Batiste is also working to integrate topics relating to combelong and are fully engaged with the school,” Batiste said. munity and inclusion in other divisions, through the MidBatiste has consulted with faculty in regards to sensitive dle School advisory program and the Lower School sharing topics that arise in class. circles.

“Having Dr. Batiste here helps because he’s a sounding “I’m very proud that the Lower School has a very strong board for us: we can run ideas past him and ask for suggessocial and emotional learning component, and there are tions on how to teach a certain topic,” English teacher Kim ways in which we can infuse community and inclusion into Olan said. “He’s a wonderful resource.” social and emotional learnOlan hopes that Batiste will serve as an advocate for stuing,” Batiste said. “A lot of dents who feel underrepresented or unheard, and that he what we’re asking St. John’s can convey their thoughts in a productive, meaningful way. to do is to learn skills around “The students do not feel heard. They don’t feel that the cultural intelligence, and a administration is transparent with them, and the adminislot of cultural intelligence tration has heard this,” Olan said. “But we, the faculty and deals with building empathy administration, needed somebody like Dr. Batiste, who and active listening.” has the knowledge and background to go forward, to help According to Batiste, culus do the work on inclusion, so that we’re not just doing tural intelligence is the new things by trial and error.” frontier of diversity work.

Batiste has been working with Unity Council to help fos“Schools are building opter discussion about societal issues through the group’s foportunities for every member of the school community, inrums and screenings of documentary films. cluding students and parents, to become skilled in cultural Batiste is training Unity Council co-chairs Katherine Yao intelligence through interactive work like exercises, readand Layo Laniyan to be effective facilitators, teaching them ings and forums,” Batiste said. skills such as controlling the pace of discussion, reading the Whether he’s sitting in on classes, attending club meetroom and asking follow-up questions. ings or even singing with Kantorei in the upcoming Can“It’s really lucky for us that Dr. Batiste is here,” Yao dlelight performance, Batiste has become an active pressaid. “He knows how to deal with sensitive subjects in a ence at school functions. conservative environment like SJS. For every issue we’ve “I want to make sure that this role is viewed not as an covered, he’s had experience and can connect us to helpful add-on or something to be politically correct but as someresources.” thing that the Board has mandated,” Batiste said. “The only Upper School students will have an opportunity to hear way that I can fulfill my responsibilities is to be out in the from Batiste on Nov. 15 when he speaks at the Unity community. Community inclusion can’t happen inside the Council assembly. office.”

In January, Batiste will lead a retreat for the Board of

We can’t create a bubble where we don’t deal with challenges that are happening in the nation and in the world -Gene BAtiste

Batiste’s Book Picks White Awake

by Daniel Hill

Whistling Vivaldi

by Claude M. Steele

Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too)

by Keith Negley

SJSREVIEW.COM

FEATURES

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

We Should All Be Feminists

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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the review

ADVERTISEMENT November 14, 2017

Tandem biking group plans charity ride

By Noura Jabir Henry Philpott always wanted to do something extraordinary during his senior year. A mere two days after his final year at St. John’s began, Hurricane Harvey struck.

To raise money for Houstonians affected by the hurricane, Philpott decided to organize a tandem bike trip with his friends.

On Saturday, Nov. 18, six seniors will bike 50 miles from Houston to Galveston. Every mile they travel will aid a family affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Philpott and his friends will raise money through a profile on CrowdRise, a website that allows individuals to directly donate online.

Besides Philpott, the rest of the biking crew consists of seniors Julien Fenouil, Drew Woodfolk, Simon Jernigan, Jacob Roffwarg and Gregory Dayao.

A triathlete and experienced biker, Philpott says he was inspired by recent graduates Jake Schick and Grant Fischer (both ’17), who rode on their Razor scooters to Galveston. Schick and Fischer filmed their journey and produced an hour-long documentary on the excursion, dedicating it to physics teacher Erol Turk, who was injured in a motorcycle accident in April.

Philpott and his friends decided to use two-seat tandem bikes for their journey.

“We’re using tandem bikes to ‘make it

clown,’” Dayao said, explaining that they hope that the bikes will lend a comical element to the event.

According to Philpott, the biking crew aims to raise at least $2,000. They sent out letters out to news stations and local newspapers to ensure that the project reaches a wider audience.

“It’s a good idea and a good mission, so if more people are aware of it, hopefully we’ll get a lot of funds,” Philpott said.

The devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey serve as a shared motivation for the riders, especially for those whose properties flooded.

Dayao’s personal experience with flooding serves as additional motivation for his participation.

“Most of the people in our friend group were affected by Harvey in some way,” Dayao said. “I see this as a chance for me to give back to my friends.”

The bikers will have at least three other friends follow them in cars with snacks, water and first aid kits.

The support crew, which includes seniors Jacob Brown, Robert Gottschalk and James Talbott, will videotape the journey.

For months, the group has mapped out their route to Galveston and discussed logistics. The riders plan to get on the road

JACK SLOAN

Senior Henry Philpott will trade in his road bike for a two-seater and pedal to Galveston with his friends to help raise funds for those affected

by Hurricane Harvey. early in the morning, ride along back streets until they reach Old Galveston Road, and eventually pedal over the causeway and onto the island for the last leg of their journey.

After the ride, the group will spend the day relaxing in Galveston. Their parents will meet them at the beach, with trucks and trailers to carry their bikes back to

Houston.

The group of friends spent hours volunteering with Harvey relief, but now that Philpott has less time to physically aid those affected, he is glad to find more ways to help out.

“I now have the opportunity to help a person rebuild their house or find a place to live.”

Dawson’s Streak: 40 years at SJS and counting

By Natasha Faruqui

The first day of school can be a daunting experience, but when Joe Dawson began kindergarten this year, he had more than a few former St. John’s students around to ease his anxiety.

Since 1977, there has only been one year in which a member of the Dawson family has not attended St. John’s.

Joe’s aunt, Marcella Dawson Watkins (’81), was the first to graduate from St. John’s. She was followed by her brothers Bo (’83), Felix (’85) and Jack (’99).

The four Dawson siblings sent six children to St. John’s over the years, some named Watkins and some named Dawson.

“Most people at school [didn’t] even connect the dots and realize that there [were] that many of us,” Sydney Watkins (’16) said.

Marcella Dawson Watkins was named for her mother, who was a determined education advocate, which is why she enrolled her four children in St. John’s. She co-founded Palmer Montessori School in 1972 and established the Houston Montessori Center in 1973. She later taught middle school science at St. Agnes Academy.

According to Emily Watkins (’08), her grandmother was “a force of nature who mandated excellence” and felt “there was no way her kids and grandkids were going to get an education anywhere besides St.

John’s.”

In the decades between his time as a student and as a parent, Bo finds that the school hasn’t changed all that much. Even the rivalry with Kinkaid has stood the test of time.

“Every year, we would go [to Kinkaid] and roam around trying to steal the Falcon,” he said. “One year we even sprayed a bunch of chickens red and dropped them off at the campus.”

Over the years, some things have changed.

Bo’s graduating class was less than 100 students while his daughter Mary Elizabeth (’17) graduated among 141 classmates.

Emily Watkins says that when she was in Upper School, attempts to found an LGBTQ Allies group encountered numerous roadblocks. Today PRISM is a haven for LGBTQ youth and a safe space for discussion of issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

In addition to bonding over similar experiences, the Dawsons have found other ways to connect. When so many members of the same family attend the same school, seeing familiar faces on campus becomes commonplace. During Bo’s time as an upperclassman, he gave his little brother Jack a ride to kindergarten every morning. A decade later, when Emily was in second grade, she rode to school every day with her uncle

Jack, who was Head Prefect.

“It was pretty cool of two upperclassmen to carpool with a little kid every day,” Emily said.

The Dawsons also motivated each other to compete athletically. Emily recalls that her mother Marcella, who was on the track team at the same time as current boys’ coach Richie Mercado, was part of a record-setting 4x400 relay team. Her record stood for 20 years until Emily became captain of the track team that beat the record.

Many members of the Dawson family remain connected to the St. John’s community.

Jack Dawson was a varsity linebacker, and today he is one of the team doctors for the Maverick football team. Former team doctor Bill Bryan encouraged Jack to join the medical staff.

Jack met his wife Mary (’00) at St. John’s, and they now have three children, including aforementioned kindergartener Joe. Mary remembers her future husband as “the giant of the elementary school who wore red Keds,” but the two weren’t friends until Mr. Garwood’s Civics class in high school.

As parents, the Dawsons appreciate St. John’s even more than when they were students.

“From watching Thomas and Mary Eliza-

MARY DAWSON

Kindergartener Joe Dawson holds a picture of himself holding a picture of his father Jack Dawson holding a picture of himself on the first day of school. beth go to school, I can tell that the teachers still challenge the students to be themselves and question things,” Bo said. “I’m happy knowing that my children are benefitting from the same education that I did.”

All in the Dawson Family ‘04 ‘03 ‘79 ‘78 ‘77

Felix Dawson

Bo Dawson

Marcella Dawson

‘81

‘85

Emily Watkins

‘95 ‘86

Jack Dawson

‘99

‘01

‘17

Sydney Watkins

Margaret Watkins

‘99

‘83

Mary Elizabeth Dawson

‘16 ‘12

‘08

Thomas Dawson

1977

Joe Dawson ‘14

‘17

2017 First Generation: Second Generation:

CLARA BROTZEN-SMITH

SJSREVIEW.COM

FEATURES

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

9

disappearing act: how club sports cou Freshman Lyndon Way has played competitive soccer since preschool and clocked a sub-five minute mile in eighth grade. But he will never don a Maverick jersey.

Way’s soccer club, Texans Academy, does not allow its athletes to play any school sports. His team competes nearly every weekend and practices extensively 11 months out of the year.

“I really wanted to play for the school, but in order to play soccer at the top level, I had to make some sacrifices,” Way said. “My ultimate goal is to play soccer in college, or even pro if I’m lucky enough, and the Texans Academy is the best place for me to develop.”

Many athletes across the nation have been forced to make a similar decision: play club sports or varsity. In recent years, club sports have become more prevalent as a result of student-athletes wanting to increase their marketability to colleges.

“Clubs sell themselves as the best way to become a top recruit,” said Chris Hartley, Athletic Director at Lakeside School. “Families tend to believe that the club is the better avenue to college recruiting because teams travel to big tournaments where college coaches are present.”

Lakeside is an elite private school in Seattle with 585 students in its Upper School. According to Hartley, club sports have negatively impacted the Lakeside athletic program.

“With the academic load our students carry, they have to choose between a club sport or a sport that we offer,” Hartley said. “Feeling the pressure to excel in one sport so that they can be recruited in the college process, our students have a difficult choice to make.”

At SJS, the conflict between club and school sports has yet to become a major problem, but Headmaster Mark Desjardins is concerned that club programs are becoming too controlling of athletes.

“Club sports encourage year-round training for a single sport and

can often lead to club coaches mandating that athletes forgo athletics at high school,” Desjardins said. “It has been a source of frustration for us since we view team obligations to SJS as the highest priority.”

Athletic Director Vince Arduini expects an increasing struggle against club sports in the future.

“It’s already a tough scenario right now, and it’s getting more difficult as we move forward,” Arduini said. “I don’t know how it will be ten years from now because, you look at club sports and they’re not going away. Our philosophy is that we just have to manage it.”

Maverick field hockey and soccer players have been especially involved with club teams. Texas Pride Field Hockey and Rise Soccer Club, which recently merged with Express Soccer Club, are the leading programs in the Houston area.

Eighteen of the 21 varsity field hockey players at SJS also play for Pride. Maverick field hockey head coach Craig Chambers says that communication is the key to maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between school and club programs.

“As long as both sides are working together, a combination of club and school teams can create the best situation for athletes,” Chambers said. “We have open lines of communication so we can work through any conflicts. We all have the interests of the kids at heart.”

Pride has been the main avenue of college recruitment for St. John’s field hockey players. Since it was established in 2013 as the first field hockey club program in Texas, Pride has sent 24 athletes to play on the college level, nine from SJS. Jaya Krishnan is one of eight junior girls who play for Pride. She has been a member of the club since seventh grade.

“You can determine how intense you want it to be. When I first started I just did every Sunday, but then I joined the tournament

uld spell the end of varsity athletics team and that’s where it started to pick up,” Krishnan said.

Krishnan went through the college recruitment process as a sophomore, and she only recommends club sports for athletes looking to compete beyond high school.

“I think club is worth it if you are trying to play in college,” Krishnan said. “But since it’s such a big time commitment, I wouldn’t do it if you’re not looking to play in college.”

For junior William Wallace, a member of Rise Soccer Club, the prospect of college recruitment makes club competition more stressful.

“There’s much more pressure with club because the coaches almost assume that you’re going to play in college if you’re still playing club at my level,” Wallace said. “Every practice I think about college coaches watching our games. I tell myself I have to play the best that I’ve ever played or else they’ll just cross my name off the list.”

Wallace stopped running cross country before his junior year to focus on soccer, but he still values Maverick athletics as a welcome refrain from the strain of club sports.

“School soccer allows me to relax a bit; it has a totally different demeanor from club. The games are still important, but there’s no coach yelling at you from the sidelines, and it’s more of a relaxing environment,” Wallace said. “I am okay with the time commitment to play both school and club because it keeps soccer fun for me.”

For some athletes who play sports without organized club leagues, the most important competitions come during the school season, and

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the club season is mainly used for skill development.

“I’ll use club to make the big improvements from season to season; it’s where I can try new things and learn new technique,” senior wrestling captain Layo Laniyan said. “My style changes a lot during the club season; it’s not as intense, so I can do more to progress as a wrestler instead of worrying about staying in shape for competition like I do during the season.”

Arduini emphasizes the value of competing for the school alongside classmates.

“The benefit of being in a school program is the camaraderie, the allegiance you gain, the experience of representing your school.” Arduini said. “That’s really important.”

According to Hartley, schools should highlight the advantages of their athletic programs to retain student participation.

“We try to make participation in our athletics program really attractive. We celebrate our athletes and build school spirit to support our teams,” Hartley said. “The best thing any school can do is make their product so good that people want to be a part of it.”

For Arduini, that means supporting all student athletic endeavors, whether that entails club involvement or not.

“We’re not a line-in-the-sand type of athletic department. We want to be a program for everyone,” Arduini said. “We’ve had the Justise Winslows, but we’ve also had the kids who want to play three sports in high school and none in college. We want to provide for them and for everyone in between.”

We’re not a line-in-the-sand type of athletic department. We want to be a program for everyone.

-Vince Arduini

Burning out: How much is too much?

Sophomore Isaac Blue burned out in seventh grade.

Blue began playing club soccer in Louisville, Kentucky, as a six-year-old. His team competed in tournaments throughout the Midwest almost every weekend.

In fifth and sixth grade, he played up on the middle school eighth grade team.

In Kentucky, soccer is classified as a fall sport and basketball is a winter sport. When Blue moved to Texas in seventh grade, he was faced with a choice between his favorite sports.

He resolved to play basketball for the Mavericks and club soccer for the Houston Dynamo Youth Soccer Club.

Blue began to run out of steam juggling schoolwork, school sports and club soccer.

“By the time I got to seventh grade, soccer didn’t feel like something I loved to do; it felt like something I had to do,” he said. “It

became a chore.”

Blue said that club soccer made him a better athlete and gave him an advantage on the field, but its demanding time commitment drained his love for the game.

He stopped playing club soccer after one season with the Dynamo, choosing to focus on basketball instead.

“Although I was technically a better soccer player, I chose basketball because I loved it,” Blue said. “Over time, I improved just because I loved it organically.”

Since ending his soccer career, Blue has never looked back.

“I still love and respect the sport, but I overdid it for myself,” he said. “I never had regrets after leaving soccer behind because I lost the passion.”

Stories by Dani Yan and gracie blue design by ashwini bandi | photos by Caroline ramirez

O-Line bulks up, pushes defenses around

REYGAN JONES

After averaging just 200 pounds last year, the offensive line attended offseason workouts and gained an average of 50 pounds each. This season the offense scored on 91 percent of their trips to the red zone and had a third-down conversion rate of 55 percent.

By Eli Desjardins The Dallas Cowboys, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Katy Tigers. What do all three elite football teams have in common? A great offensive line.

The Mavericks coaching staff went into the 2017 season with the same mindset: In order to win games, the team needed people up front who could get the job done.

In 2016, the offensive linemen averaged just 200 pounds, but the Mavs line averaged nearly 250 this year. The transformation started with an offseason weightlifting program.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Virgil Campbell emphasized strength and flexibility.

“Leg and hip strength is important because it improves the guys’ movement and explosiveness off the line,” Campbell said.

The five linemen, juniors Roman Lewis, Emerson Knapp and Michael Spedale, and seniors Peter and Alex Buckman, bought into Campbell’s philosophy and attended a combined 400 workouts from January to August.

“The difference in my strength from sophomore year to junior year is incredible,” Knapp said. “I feel like a different player.”

On Aug. 7, the first day of two-a-day practices, offensive line coach Bob Bellard came together with the coaching staff and decided that those five were the biggest and strongest the team had. The Mavs would go as far as the O-Line went.

Lewis accepted the challenge.

“As a lineman, you’re somewhat forgotten, especially in an explosive offense like ours where we have so many good skill players,” Lewis said. “We knew that if those guys were going to have a chance, we needed to protect [quarterback] Wesley [Gow] and move some guys around. We took it upon ourselves to be the best unit not only on our team, but in the SPC.” The five worked through preseason practices, easily handling the starting defensive line.

12

“It’s difficult to beat a double team of Knapp and Peter Buckman,” senior defensive lineman Frank Willey said.

“Practice has been a grind for me because they are so good fundamentally and so strong.”

The offensive line continued to improve, waiting to show its vaunted level of play, until Hurricane Harvey brought the season to a screeching halt.

“Obviously there was more important stuff than high school football going on, but it was really hard not practicing for an entire week, and it threw everyone off,” center Michael Spedale said. “We had an awesome week of practice for Second Baptist. We got to go out Friday night and execute and show everyone that we weren’t messing around this year.”

The line paved the way for 156 yards on the ground and four touchdowns in the 54-35 victory.

“We set the tone for rest of the season,” Lewis said. “We were going to push you around, and there was nothing you were going to do about it.”

Over the next six games, the Mavs averaged 241 yards on the ground, which would rank 14th in college football (excluding triple option offenses).

The steady ground game made it easier for the offense on third downs. The Mavs converted on 55 percent of third downs, three percent higher than the best offense in college football. The offense also scored a touchdown on 91 percent of their trips to the red zone, averaging 30 points per game and keeping the defense off the field.

The Mavericks faced setbacks throughout the season and failed to qualify for the SPC Championship, but there was still plenty of optimism.

Lewis played the last two games of the season with an injured shoulder, which halted the con-

THE REVIEW

SPORTS

tinuity that had been built over the course of the season.

Three interior linemen are all returning and will spend another eight months in Campbell’s weight room.

Although the Buckman twins are graduating, junior Harrison Fernelius and sophomore Luke Venus are more than capable of filling in.

Just four days after their final game of the season against Kinkaid, a 42-21 loss, Knapp returned to the weight room feeling confident about the future of the offensive line.

“Losing the Buckmans is going to be tough, but we’ve got plenty of guys who can step up. People want to play offensive line because no one wants to face us in practice.

The culture change for our football team isn’t over,” Knapp said. “It’s just begun.”

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

PRITHVI KRISHNARAO

SPC Recap: Championships prove elusive

By Gracie Blue

Boys’ Cross Country The Mavericks continued their sixyear-streak of finishing first or second in SPC, but this year they fell two points shy of bringing home a fourth consecutive golden trophy.

Senior captain Drew Woodfolk placed third overall, but St. Stephen’s had the top two finishers, securing the win over the Mavs.

Junior Sam Faraguna was the second Mav to cross the finish line, coming in seventh overall. Senior captain Samuel Ho finished ninth overall.

“It was surreal to have eight seniors on the starting line who all wanted to go out with their best race yet,” Woodfolk said.

“Unfortunately, a few things didn’t go our way, and we ended up on the wrong side of a really close race.”

Seniors Pearse Higgason and Ian JOSHUA PESIKOFF Thakur served as captains alongside Ho and Woodfolk.

Senior Simon Jernigan registered a personal best time to become the fourth Maverick qualifier for all-SPC honors.

Field Hockey The reigning back-to-back SPC champions placed fourth in the 2017 tournament.

In the opening game, the Mavs shut out Fort Worth Country Day 3-0. The girls then erased a 2-1 deficit to beat Greenhill 3-2 in overtime.

The Mavs headed into their semifinal game against Kinkaid with hopes of a 3-peat, but suffered a 1-0 loss. They then faced St. Stephens to battle for third, but lost 2-1 in strokes. Led by senior captains Audrey Ledbetter at stopper and Avery Morris at right back, the team lost only two games in the regular season.

“Unfortunately our timing and play at SPC wasn’t necessarily reflective of our full potential, but that is the nature of athletic competition,” coach Craig Chambers said. “At the end of the day, we recognize and commend the efforts and accomplishments of our competitors.”

Last year, the Mavs won more games by larger margins with a similar team, showing the increased level of competition in Texas.

“The games played at SPC this year were all very close and could have gone either way,” Ledbetter said. “The team CAROLINE RAMIREZ that was playing at the top of their game was the one that came out with the win.”

Junior center-mid Frederique Fyhr looks forward to establishing a team dynamic earlier next season.

“We will focus on working together to connect our passes and to distribute the ball to players down field,” she said.

Girls’ Cross Country Led by senior captains Jordan Kramer, Olivia Barboza and Grace Melcher, the Mavs finished fourth in SPC. Kramer ended her record-breaking season finishing fourth overall, followed by sophomore Katherine Johnston, who was the 19th girl overall.

Kramer and Johnston both received all-SPC honors.

According to Kramer, injuries made the race especially difficult. Melcher, junior Emily Feng, and freshman Hope Doyle, all top-10 Maverick runners, would have competed in SPC had they not suffered season-ending injuries.

“Our team worked insanely hard this season, and we finished well even with setbacks,” Kramer said. “I’m really proud of how hard we worked this season, and even if our SPC doesn’t reflect it, we have been a really strong team all year.”

Girls’ Volleyball

LORI KRAMER

Boys’ Volleyball After losing to Trinity Valley 3-1 in the opening round of SPC, the Mavs rallied to win the consolation bracket, beating Kinkaid 3-1 and advancing to a rematch with rival St. Stephen’s.

The Mavs secured fifth place with a 3-1 victory over the Spartans.

Led by senior captains Ben Cohen, Michael Urdahl, who had 26 kills in the St. Stephen’s game, and Michael Meaux, the boys were undefeated in South Zone this season.

“Even after a big defeat, we were able to play a great game, putting St. Stephen’s exactly where they deserve to be: winless against us,” Cohen said. “We might not have won the title, but we solidified our place as South Zone Champions.”

GRACE SANDERS

The Mavs fifth-place finish was a marked improvement over the 2016 team that finished ninth.

They returned from SPC in Fort Worth with an optimistic outlook on the future. Senior captains Grace Hansen and Kennadie JakeTurner along with junior captain Alexandra Lewis met their goal of surpassing last season’s SPC outcome.

The girls set the tone for the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Oakridge. In the quarterfinals, the Mavs took North Zone top seed Hockaday to the limit in five grueling sets.

In their final match, the Mavs defeated rival Kinkaid in straight sets.

According to Hansen, the season’s success gave the Mavs hope for a future shot at the title.

“This was by far the best team we’ve had in years,” Hansen said. “It’s great to see so much improvement in just the three years that Coach Morgan has been here.”

Next year’s team will feature a number of returning key contributors, including defensive specialist Nova Manning, outside hitter Sienna Zerr, and front-row players Celia Adams and Savannah Farmer.

The end of SPC marks a farewell to volleyball for most seniors, but for Jake-Turner, who had 47 kills over the weekend, Monday morning meant signing her National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Connecticut.

Additional reporting by Sinclair Mott and SJ Lasley

ANTHONY DAYAO

SJSREVIEW.COM

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

13

Director spotlights modern issues In recent years, the titles of the Fall Play have always been recognizable: “The 39 Steps,” “You Can’t Take it With You” and “Blithe Spirit,” which were set in the early-to-mid-20th century.

Students find these plays exciting to perform and observe, but the scripts have rarely explored modern social issues.

Theatre director Kat Cordes wants to bring a new take to Upper School theatre.

“Sometimes with educational theatre, we get trapped with plays that we know work,” Cordes said.

“But there are tons of new plays being written, plays by people of color, plays by women, plays that deal with gender issues and LGBTQA issues, for example, that give us a different perspectives as theatre practitioners.”

Cordes joined the Fine Arts Department full-time this year after teaching part-time last year, when she directed the Fall One Acts and the Winter Play. Her positive experience working with students influenced her decision to accept a full-time position.

“Last year, I got to know the community,” Cordes said. “I saw how students responded to me and how I responded to them, and I really liked it, so I thought I’d stay.”

Cordes recently directed “She Kills Monsters” and is the assistant director of “The Music Man.” Next semester, she will direct Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for the ISAS festival.

Kantorei expands to record size Kantorei used to be known as a chamber choir, but now they’re outgrowing the chamber.

Membership has climbed to nearly 50 students, roughly 15 students more than last year.

Choral Director Scott Bonasso attributes Kantorei’s increased size to a particularly talented junior class, which constitutes 27 of the 48 students.

While large for an a capella choir, Bonasso said that he has not limited the size of the group, noting that adding more singers does not lower the group’ standards.

“I’m not going to turn away kids who are eligible to be in Kantorei just to try to keep the numbers small,” Bonasso said. “If anything, the standards are the highest they’ve ever been.”

With more students participating in Lower and Middle School choirs, a greater number of singers enter the Upper School choral program already singing at a high level.

“The students are coming in more prepared,” Bonasso said.

“Their musicianship is very advanced, which speaks to the musical training that’s happening at lower levels.”

By Sophie Gillard and Abigail Poag

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‘Monsters’ explores sexual identity

ERIC HANG

“She Kills Monsters” deals with LGBTQA topics through the lens of a Dungeons & Dragons-themed world.

Featured on stage are seniors Katy Shafer, Nicole VerMeulen, Frank Willey, Mei Leebron and Grace Vincent.

By Sophie Caldwell Qui Nguyen’s fantastical play “She Kills Monsters” ventures into the realm of identity.

Set in the 1990s, the play tells the story of English teacher Agnes Evans’ journey through a Dungeons & Dragons world replete with monsters, quests, romance and grief.

The play was performed Nov. 10 and 11 in the Lowe Theater.

Agnes (senior Nicole VerMeulen) is swept into the D&D realm created by her younger teenage sister Tilly (senior Katy Shafer), who died in a car crash along with their parents two years prior. Unbeknownst to Agnes, evil cheerleaders bullied Tilly, who was a closeted lesbian. As Agnes traverses Tilly’s world, she discovers more about her introverted sister while working through her frustrations.

According to Shafer, Tilly created the module to cope with the outside world.

“She made the world to be able to express her feelings outside of her mind,” Shafer said.

Within the game, Tilly was in a relationship with Lilly (senior Mei Leebron), the realworld girlfriend of a football player. Tilly and Lilly kissed once but never pursued a relationship.

Shafer recognizes the difficulties of playing a character of a different sexuality.

“It’s hard,” Shafer said, “but I look at all the gay actors who have had to play straight characters in romantic settings, and we don’t really pay attention until a straight person has to play a gay character. It really opened my eyes to how hard it must be. Everyone should have that experience of playing someone so different than they are.”

All the characters in Tilly’s D&D game are gay. According to Shafer, Tilly created such a world in order to find a place where she could feel normal and accepted.

Senior Frank Willey, who plays Orcus, the D&D alter ego of a friend of Tilly’s, says that his character is defined by more than his sexuality.

“Being gay is not a primary part of Orcus’ character — it’s only mentioned once,” Willey said. “It breaks away from typical acting stereotypes of homosexuality. Orcus has character traits that are more important than his being gay.”

For Tilly and Lilly, the characters’ sexualities factor more heavily into their portray-

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al. Shafer and Leebron underwent intimacy training to ensure a comfortable environment for their stage kiss.

Since part of the play takes place in the world of D&D, the cast had to practice stage combat. Most of the actors wielded exaggerated prop weapons, including a giant axe, a staff, an elaborate sword and a mace.

Other featured actors included seniors Noël Madland, Maddi Speed and Grace Vincent; juniors Gray Watson, Sebastian Varma, Anna-William Kornberg, Juliette Draper and Lauren Schwartz and sophomore Travis Bouchard.

“She Kills Monsters” was advertised as “containing mature themes” due mostly to the “language characters use, the casual mentions of sexual themes and some on-stage bullying,” according to director Kat Cordes.

“While the plot does have a very strong LGBTQA component, I don’t think that is included as being a ‘mature theme,’” she said.

Each character’s counterpart in the D&D world is an improved version of their real-life selves. Lilly is reserved in the real world, but in D&D she is Lilith Morningstar, a demon queen who is always ready to fight. Similarly, Willey portrays a slacker teenager named Ronnie, but he later assumes the role a hulking former demon lord of the D&D underworld.

“This is Tilly’s world, so we see people how she saw them,” Shafer says. “Tilly portrays Lilly as such a strong character, someone that she looks up to. They’re both so confident with each other, and you can tell that they love each other.”

In her D&D world, Tilly imagines the life she could have had if she was able to be open about her identity. She was never able to come out while she was alive, and Agnes struggled to understand why her sister never told her.

VerMeulen says that the D&D world helped Agnes understand that her sister still loved her, even if she didn’t confide in her.

“We see who Tilly truly was in the Dungeons & Dragons game,” Shafer said. “At the end, despite all the grief and anger, we see that her relationship with Agnes is still strong.”

Shafer found the themes of “She Kills Monsters” pertinent in contemporary society.

“It is such a relevant play, with modern issues that we’re dealing with today,” Shafer said. “We’re still dealing with LGBTQ people being targeted, and I really do feel like we’re changing SJS history by doing this play.”

ERIC HANG

Characters discuss the impact that the D&D game had on their lives. They all created improved versions of themselves in the fantasy world.

CULTURE

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

High school sweethearts tie the knot on campus

Joey thomas

Eleven years after meeting their junior year in the Taub Library, Hannah Jeffers and Evan Davis returned to campus for their wedding on Oct. 7.

By Laney Chang and Abigail Poag The Plaza usually serves as a carpool lane, study spot and meeting place. But on the evening of Oct. 7, it became a wedding venue.

Hannah Jeffers and Evan Davis (both ’07) met in the Taub Library during their junior year. Although the two spent a year in a limbo of awkward conversations and unrequited feelings, Evan managed to ask Hannah to prom. Ten years later, Evan proposed.

After the couple rejected wedding venues ranging from gardens in San Francisco to libraries and museums in downtown Houston, Hannah’s father suggested St. John’s Upper School. Once the couple toured Flores Hall, they knew they had found their spot.

“All the renovations made the school a very nice place – not that it wasn’t before – but the old cafeteria was never somewhere you would consider having a wedding,” Evan said.

The planning process began in July 2016.

In preparation for the wedding, many school employees took on new duties. Facilities Coordinator Brenda Aquino, who usually organizes tailgates and other school activities, worked closely with Hannah and Evan to plan the event.

“We have all the staff and manpower we need to coordinate and facilitate an event like that,” Aquino said.

Aquino acted as the point of contact on campus for the vendors, coordinating their arrival times on the wedding day. She also oversaw the layout and lighting of the Plaza and Great Hall, the location of the ceremony and reception.

“We take it for granted how we see the Great Hall since we eat here,” Aquino said. “Once you see the tables adjusted, special lighting up there or dancing and music, it creates a different atmosphere, and it’s very welcoming.”

With the ceremony taking place just feet from the library where they first met, the wedding was nostalgic for the couple and their 130 guests.

“You want a place that’s special to you and that means something,” Hannah said. “St. John’s is not only important to us but to a lot of our friends who are also St. Johns alumni.”

History teacher Gara Johnson-West, who taught both Hannah and Evan as seniors, was

in attendance.

“So many of our St. John’s kids marry other St. John’s kids that it makes sense [for them to get married at St. John’s] because this is the place where they met and fell in love,” Johnson-West said.

While a high school is an atypical location for a wedding, college campuses are popular. The nearby Rice Chapel hosts an average of one wedding a week, usually on the weekends. Many of these marriages are between alumni.

For couples like Hannah and Evan, who attended different universities, their high school was the more meaningful choice.

“We both have a much stronger connection to St. John’s than either of us have to our colleges,” Evan said. “It’s a lot more of an intimate part of us than the colleges are.”

St. John’s plans to host more weddings for alumni, with another already scheduled for next semester.

School employees who staff the next wedding will work in shifts, adjusting to the considerable length of weddings. Aquino was there the entire day for Hannah and Evan’s wedding. She arrived at campus on Saturday morning and didn’t leave until 2:00 in the morning.

“I wanted to be here to make sure everything went smoothly,” Aquino said.

In order to keep the campus safe, the school will only host weddings between alumni and others with special connections to the school. As long as the weddings are between members of the St. John’s community, Aquino added, the school is lending them its support.

The guests declared Hannah and Evan’s wedding a success.

“It was just so personal, and it was so meaningful to them,” Johnson-West said.

“It was true to who they were and to their relationship.” photos by Joey thomas

The former high school couple wed on Oct. 7. After rejecting several venues, they decided to hold the ceremony in the Plaza.

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culture

November 14, 2017

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Stranger Things: Astros win World Series

chuy benitez

During the World Series, several downtown buildings showed their support for the Houston Astros who won their first championship in 56 years.

By David Nathan This October, I spent my free time doing two things: My days as an Astros Buddy started in 1980, when I was laughed. Wouldn’t it be funny if they could bless a team for watching season one of “Stranger Things” and following in eighth grade. Since then, the Astros haven’t made the once instead of cursing those on the cover? the Houston Astros on the way to their first World Series playoffs often, but when they have, they found ways to lose A World Series almost came in 2015, but that year ended title. that shook the imagination. with a playoff loss to the eventual World Series Champion If you grew up an Astros fan, you know that winning The Astros lost in the playoffs seven times (I especially try Kansas City Royals. And just like that, a new generation of the World Series is far stranger than anything found in the not to think about 1986) before finally breaking through in Astros fans got to experience the agony of defeat.

Upside Down.

2005 and playing in their first-ever World Series. And then When it comes to being a fan of any sports team, but esFriends don’t lie: If you want emotional stability and a re- they got swept by the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox! pecially the Astros, you need to have a lot of Joyce Byers in turn on your karmic energy, baseball is a lousy investment.

But all that was prelude—either well before you students you. When faced with mounting evidence that your team The game is designed to break your heart. So many things were born or when you were too young to understand that won’t win, you have to keep saying, “I don’t care if anyone have to go right during the course of a 162-game season being an Astros fan was like living in baseball purgatory. believes me.” just to qualify for the postseason, let alone survive three Only love makes you that crazy, or that stupid.

This year, did you keep the door of curiosity locked? Did intense playoff series.

Throughout their first half century, the Astros were oc- you expect the Astros to get off to a record-setting start?

Mornings are for coffee and contemplation. And there casionally good, frequently mediocre and often quite bad. Did you think they would pull off a trade for Justin Verhas been much to mull over this November.

But they were never truly terrible. lander at the last second? Did you believe the city could Sports allow us to feel like we are part of something larger From their inception in 1962 as the Colt .45s until 2011, find the energy to recover from a biblical flood and literally than ourselves. Sports can form your identity, for better or the Astros never lost 100 games. Then the team got a new fall in love with the Astros? worse. owner and general manager and was forced to move to During the postseason, I attended games with my wife, In “Stranger Things,” Jonathan Byers teaches his little the American League (I now think the designated hitter my friends, my dad and one of my sons. The Astros won brother Will that “you shouldn’t like things because people is amazing despite my initial purist objections). Then they every time. I even went to Game 5 of the World Series tell you you’re supposed to.” It doesn’t matter if I think you became spectacularly abysmal. On purpose. by myself, a delirious 5-hour, 17-minute contest that even should love baseball or the Astros; we all develop our own That’s when they began strategically tanking games to the most jaded of fans consider one of the greatest games emotional attachments. And no one ever became an Astros save money and stockpile draft picks. Thus began the De- ever played. I was behind the right field foul pole hugging fan to be cool. mogorgon years. They lost a record 106 games in 2011. complete strangers and feeling absolute, unadulterated joy In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Then 2012 said, “Hey, watch this!” on the way to losing at 1:30 in the morning.

Harvey, Houstonians had every right to ignore baseball. We 107. Finally, 2013 showed everyone what true losing was And when we finally won Game 7 on Nov. 1, I experihad a 500-year flood event just a few years after three other all about. They lost 111 games as their TV broadcasts fre- enced unexpected emotions: Peace, Pride and Unity.

100-year floods. Astros fans rightly wondered why floods quently registered a 0.0 rating.

I got messages from friends and family sharing in the seemed to happen so often but the Astros couldn’t win once In 2013, we had Jose Altuve, Dallas Keuchel and a bunch exaltation. That’s the power of sports. Sure it’s a distraction, in 56 years. of cast-offs, from Rick Ankiel to Josh Zeid. but some days we really need to be distracted.

Instead, the team helped out, not just repairing our imThe next season rookie outfielder and future World SeI won’t say that waiting as long as I did for the Astros to mediate losses, but healing the damage caused by decades ries MVP George Springer made the cover of Sports Illus- win the World Series was worth it. of futility. trated. It read, “Your 2017 World Series Champions.” We But it was close.

Staff Editorial

365 Days Later: How life has changed since the 2016 election

Congratulations! You have officially survived one year since the 2016 election. One year removed from the most divisive election of our lifetimes—how are you feeling?

If the ‘Me on Election Day 2016 vs Me on Election Day 2017’ memes are to be believed, you might feel like Veronica in the movie “Heathers,” walking away from an explosion, covered in soot and blood.

Maybe that’s a little extreme, but after a year of crazy tweets and wild press briefings, Special Counsel investigations and Congressional showdowns, it’s not surprising that people are tired of all the noise.

Since President Trump’s election, every day something happens that divides us further. It’s become hard to keep track of which bill the Senate is voting on or which executive order the President has signed.

While there is a lot of information to process every day, one thing that has changed since the election is the number of people who are trying to understand politics, policy and how they can make a difference.

Students are making an effort to get involved and educate themselves politically. Student Political Education Club, created this year, is already one of the largest clubs on campus. Alongside existing political clubs, including Young Liberals Organization, Young Conservatives Club and Junior Statesmen of America, SPEC seeks to teach students about politics and policy issues by bringing in speakers to

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discuss their positions on a multitude of topics.

So far the club has hosted congressional candidates David Balat and James Cargas and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Alumni are becoming more politically active, too. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (’93), Laura Moser (’95) and Alex Triantaphyllis (’02) are Congressional candidates trying to secure the Democratic nomination for Texas District 7. All three are seeking office for the first time, and decided to run after the presidential election because they wanted to make a difference.

Before the 2016 election, political debate on campus was relegated to poorly attended JSA forums. Sure, those debates may have been more civil, but now JSA meetings on controversial current events are packed with students more eager to share their political opinions than ever before.

This is not to say that the last 365 days haven’t taken their toll on students. Political disagreements seem more personal than ever. It’s one thing to discuss differing political opinions in an ideologically diverse group, but in individual conversations, many of us avoid uncomfortable topics with our friends.

Let’s turn this increased political interest into concrete action: Congressional primaries take place this spring and midterm elections occur next fall. Voter turnout for these incredibly influential elections is usually abysmal. This year,

the review

opinions

students must come out and cast their ballots.

Whether or not you are old enough to vote, get involved with a campaign or find an issue you are really passionate about, be it immigration or tax reform or whatever, and become an effective advocate in your community.

It has been a long year, but you made it through and are likely more politically aware than you were 12 months ago.

Now it’s time for you to take your awareness and make a difference.

November 14, 2017

stephen kim

#MeToo: Will the movement make a difference?

By Sophie Caldwell In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault revelation, women have come out in droves on social media, sharing their stories of assault and harassment with the hashtag #MeToo. The number of stories is staggering. Thousands of women have given detailed, fiery testimony, and the movement has continued to gain momentum, with more allegations against other powerful men coming to light.

Under #MeToo, women stand together, but what do we stand for? Similar hashtag-driven movements have stalled in the past, including the #YesAllWomen movement that started in 2014 after the misogyny-driven Isla Vista killings. The routine is becoming familiar: after a catalyzing instance of violence against women, we flock to social media, desperate for solace and solidarity. We mobilize. We shout our stories from the rooftops in hopes that powers greater than our own will pick up our testimony. For a while, the world seems to recognize our pain.

After a few months, people forget.

Why should women have to dredge the depths of their most painful memories for us to recognize that our society has a problem? Why is the onus on women to stand up again and again, to teach men boundaries by pushing our own?

Society is always shocked by the sheer volume of women who have stories to tell. It’s an unfathomable truth to contemplate: according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, one out of every six women in America has been raped. Unfortunately, we often fail to contemplate what, exactly, those statistics mean for men. There are no statistics on how many men are rapists; the very idea sounds absurd, yet women are not assaulted in a vacuum. Instead of placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of rapists, we default to passive voice. Women are raped. Subject, linking

verb, past participle.

The language we use to talk about sexual violence removes all blame.

Rape is an occurrence, not a crime with a perpetrator. We can break it down to the facts and the numbers, but we still can’t stomach the fact that if one sixth of American women have been raped — 17.7 million women — a similar number of men are rapists. It’s an ugly, universal truth, but it’s one that informs how we teach girls to navigate the world. I have learned that sexual harassment is an ever-present threat, inescapable and heartbreakingly prevalent.

If a woman can’t be taught caution, she will be taught fear.

Without confronting these difficult truths, our stories will never have a lasting impact. For many people who are shocked by the #MeToo posts, these testimonies are too horrible to imagine, but for a vast number of women, the stories are all too familiar. My greatest fear is that Harvey Weinstein’s downfall, and the subsequent downfall of other sexual predators, will be used as a shield against lasting change. We excised Weinstein, haven’t we fixed sexual harassment?

In the weeks following the Weinstein scandal, many more women have named their high-profile harassers, and their accusations have garnered attention. As evidenced by Weinstein’s expulsion from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and by film director Brett Ratner’s

LILAH GABER

dismissal from Warner Bros. after sexual harassment accusations from six women, we as a society are allowing the spotlight to linger on sexual harassment, and the crimes it has exposed are not going unnoticed or unpunished.

As with all movements, the media exposure will fade. The only way #MeToo will change our society is if it demands radical change, from the ground up. Teach your sons that women’s bodies are not theirs for the taking. Create an environment in which your daughters can freely speak out.

Keep telling your stories, knowing that they may fall on deaf ears, but they might also plant the seed of change.

Redefining the ‘Middle Eastern’ identity

By Lilah Gaber

Can we broker peace in the “Middle East”?

This is the perpetual question Americans seem to concern themselves with surrounding my cultural homeland. The question itself reflects the remnants of an imperialist mindset, one concerned with imposing Western influence over and saving the supposedly backwards, undemocratic people of the “Middle East.”

But what is the “Middle East”? Asking my fellow students to name the countries in this region usually yields underwhelming results, but I can’t blame them. To me, the “Middle East” does not describe anything of significance.

The Middle East of where? Western nations? The colonizers of our homeland?

In reclaiming Arab identity, it is important to recognize the lasting impact of Western imperialism. For me, abandoning the identifier “Middle Eastern” is more than just semantics — it is a part of decolonization process. The term was created by the British who occupied Egypt, my family’s country of origin.

“Middle Eastern” also has no legal significance for Arab Americans like me. In order to survive in Western countries, Arabs have to assimilate by abandoning their culture.

In today’s society, Arabs no longer benefit from the institution of whiteness into which they were forced to assimilate.

The first wave of Arabs to immigrate to America around the 1880s came from Southwest Asia, around the same time negative sentiments toward Asian immigrants reached their peak. In 1870, Congress rewrote the Naturalization Act to exclude all Asian immigrants from obtaining citizenship.

In response, Arab immigrants fought in court to be classified by the census as “white” in order to receive citizenship and to avoid some of the discrimination other non-white groups faced in the United States. Those perks that came from being legally classified as white have now backfired on Arab American communities.

Arabs are presented as the “other” in American media and culture, a foil to righteous Americans. This is when the Arab terrorist trope began. The United States has always presented itself as the protector of freedom and liberty, so by juxtaposing Arabs with white Americans, the media implies that we are the antithesis of these values. In our modern surveillance state, Arabs are not perceived as white by police, courts, employers or anyone else. Instead, we’re perceived as a security threat or an attack on American values.

My identity has become inherently politicized. My safety and the safety of my family members depend on other people’s perceptions. No matter how aware I am of this fact, I was not prepared for the phone call I received weeks ago

telling me my 19-year-old brother was arrested during a peaceful protest. Every time I talk to him on the phone, I tell him to be safe, but I realize now that telling my brother to “be safe” is meaningless because I can never be sure when someone else will decide his skin is dark enough to threaten their vision of America.

Continuing to label Arabs as white in a nation where they do not benefit from the institution of whiteness is detrimental to the prosperity of Arab-American communities.

Grouping Arabs with the rest of white America inhibits the collection of data and research regarding the specific needs of Arab Americans. We cannot discern the income disparities between Arab and white communities, or even how many Arabs are living in America, because lumping us under the category of “white” prevents the collection of this kind of data. Our statistics are lost among those of white Americans, leaving our communities to bear the burdens of systemic discrimination.

When filling out standardized tests and government documents, why must I and other Arabs check off a box that wrongly labels me and my people as white, when

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whiteness is at the very root of our oppression? The identity of millions of Americans relegated to an afterthought, a counterproductive classification.

The Census Bureau has suggested the addition of a new racial category in 2020: Middle East and North Africa. This would be a step in the right direction, but not a complete solution. I’m not just arguing over semantics; I’m arguing for the decolonization of the language we use to talk about race.

Many activists and progressive movements have begun to redefine Arabs as a distinct racial group falling under the identifier Southwest Asia and North Africa, which describes Arab people in geographic terms, rather than by our proximity to western nations. SWANA is a term created by Arabs, not imposed on us, making it the more appropriate racial identifier.

I refuse to have my identity validated only by its relativity to the Western nations. Arab people and nations have a shared cultural identity, and it’s important that we define that on our own terms.

LILAH GABER

OPINIONS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

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Letter from the editors

Letter to the editor

Meaningful student participation makes Chapel better for everyone

By Ned Mulligan

PRITHVI KRISHNARAO

Feel like complaining about your life?

Try asking someone about theirs.

Traditionally, the November letter from the editors is written to freshmen, offering advice at the outset of their high school journey. We thought about what we wanted to say to the class of 2021, but could only come up with the same clichés: work hard, ask your teachers for help, get out of your comfort zone. You’ve heard it all before.

But then we thought about our classmate, Katharine Duffy.

As we sat in Chapel on Oct. 24 listening to Katharine’s moving story about the death of her brother, it made us think of our own freshman experiences. Many of us complained of our hardships, unaware that our classmate had lost her brother just three months before.

We took different paths to the Upper School. Claire and Ashwini have been at SJS since Lower School, while Dani and Gracie moved to Houston freshman year. We new kids felt like outsiders as we watched the students from local neighborhoods reconnect with their SJS friends after summer

break. On top of our heavy workload, we were trying to make friends in a new school, in a new state. Yet when the school day finished, we got to go home to family. We might have left our friends back home, but we still had our siblings.

Katharine faced the same daily struggles as all freshmen, agonizing over homework and navigating the social scene. Just like some of us, she knew no one when she came to St. John’s, but she faced it all while mourning her brother — and none of us knew.

Before we entered Chapel that day, seniors were in a panic over college essays, juniors were stressing over the SAT and underclassmen were worried about everything. But everyone in attendance stopped thinking about themselves for a few rare minutes as we listened to Katharine’s story. Her honesty and confidence reminded us of the triviality of our problems.

With change often comes hardship, but we challenge everyone, regardless of grade level, to stop playing the victim. School is hard, but the world can

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be even more unforgiving.

Today we walk through the halls not always knowing if our classmates have been affected by Hurricane Harvey, if they’re facing the death of a family member or if they failed an important test. So the next time you feel like complaining about your life, try asking someone about theirs.

In order to receive a helping hand, sometimes you have to reach out first.

With love,

Ashwini Bandi

I am writing to say thank you to Upper School students as a result of their enthusiastic willingness to speak in Chapel.

One of my goals for Chapel when I arrived in the fall of 2015 was to find ways in which to increase student participation in Chapel. I knew from my previous three schools that finding ways for students to take ownership in what happens in Chapel was the best way to make the program more meaningful for everyone.

The most significant success so far has been students, mostly seniors, volunteering to give Chapel talks during the second semester this year.

In fact, most Chapels for the second semester are now filled with student speakers, and the Chapel Guild and I could not be more grateful.

There are other issues remaining that I would like to address with meaningful participation and commitment from students. I would like to grow the Chapel Guild and make it more representative of our diverse student body. I would like to have a conversation about music and ways in which music in Chapel might be more inviting for everyone and, finally, I am happy to discuss any ideas that might improve the quality of what we do for each other in Chapel.

Thanks again to the entire community for your on-going support and participation.

Gratefully,

Gracie Blue

Claire Furse

Rev. Mulligan

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please email review. sjs@gmail.com or hand-deliver to an editor or adviser in the Review room (Q210). Please see full submission guidelines in the staff box below.

Dani Yan

St. Johns School | 2401 Claremont Lane, Houston, TX 77019 sjsreview.com | Facebook SJS Review | Twitter @SJS_Review Instagram @_thereview | Snapchat sjsreview

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

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, 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 Natasha Faruqui, Sophia Kontos, Sophia Lima Social Media Editor Lilah Gaber

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.

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Video Editors Jack Shea, Alex Tinkham Staff Izzy Andrews, Manar Ansari, Mehak Batra, Hrishabh Bhosale, Clara Brotzen-Smith, Laney Chang, Katina Christensen, Eli Desjardins, Fareen Dhuka, Sara Doyle, Mia Fares, Jordan Fullen, Thomas Goodgame, Joe Griffin, Mia Guien, Eric Hang, Eliza Holt, Jackson Humphries, Thomas Hunt, Shani Israel, Noura Jabir, Reygan Jones, Tyler King, Sarah Jane Lasley, Noël Madland, Lily McCullough, Camille McFarland, Will McKone, Sinclair Mott, Neel Pai, Amélie Perrier, Abigail Poag, Lucas Pope, Leila Pulaski, Henry Still, James Sy, Mira Thakur, Sacha Waters, Shelby Wilson, Siena Zerr

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

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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

OPINIONS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

editorials represent the opinion of the entire 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 hand-delivered to an editor or adviser in the Review room (Q210).

60 seconds with: Meryl Thomas

Thomas Carpenter

CAROLINE RAMIREZ

Nickname Meryl Next Netflix Binge How to Get Away With Murder Comfort Food Clementines Dream Job Movie producer Favorite Spot on Campus Tables outside by the Cafe Weird Hobby I collect gem stones Quirk Driving slow Favorite Word Ignominious Spirit Animal Panda Song to Describe Your Life Holding out for a Hero Love to Hate Shrimp - dead or alive

Hate to Love Manicures Relationship Status Taken Celebrity You’d Want to Meet Emma Stone Olympic Sport Speed walking Dream Date April 25th. Because it’s not too hot, not too cold.

Phobia Spiders (ew ew ew) Doppelganger Monica Geller Known For Brushing my hair in class Book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder Movie Django Unchained Follow Us? Yes

Word for Word

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CAROLINE RAMIREZ

Nickname Baby Bear Next Netflix Binge Stranger Things Comfort Food Ice Cubes Dream Job Philanthropist Favorite Spot on Campus 3rd Floor Mewbourne Weird Hobby Holding my breath Quirk What’s a quirk?

Favorite Word Enchiladas Spirit Animal Monkey Song to Describe Your Life Swag Surfin’ Love to Hate Novels

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Is hernÁn cortÉs the boy from “spy kids”?

-Senior Evan Hammerman

Worst case scenario, i’m a success.

-junior david seo

Stephen’s Universe

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“at a young age, i fell deeply and emotionally in love with taylor swift.

-Junior wesley gow

By Stephen Kim

SJSREVIEW.COM

ODDS AND ENDS

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

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Kinkaid Week 2017

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photos by grace sanders

By Iris Chen

Kinkaid Week provides an annual opportunity for students to poke fun at the rival Kinkaid Falcons, complete with dress-up days, flamboyant decorations, the highly anticipated Kinkaid video and the All-School pep rally.

On Thursday, Nov. 2, Mavs from all three divisions gathered on Skip Lee field in a massive show of support as football players, cheerleaders and the Maverick Guard united to vanquish the encroaching Falcon. After

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The Review

Chids the Maverick (1) and head football coach Steve Gleaves fired up the crowd (2), cheerleaders performed their iconic boom pyramid cheer (3). These festivities culminated in the traditional Kinkaid game under the Friday night lights of Rice Stadium (4). At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied, 14-14, but in the end the Falcons prevailed, 42-21, their ninth victory in 10 meetings. The Mavs ended the season with a record of 4-4.

Photostory

November 14, 2017