Graduation 2016

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Under the Weather

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Houston rebuilds and rebounds after the flooding of April 18

Setting the Pace Key victories in relays propel boys’ track to first title in 31 years.

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What’s Inside News Features Sports Centerspread

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Culture Opinions Odds & Ends.........

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ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER | SJSREVIEW.COM | 2401 CLAREMONT LANE · HOUSTON, TX 77019 | VOLUME 67 · ISSUE 6 · MAY 17, 2016

DESIGN BY JARED MARGOLIS It’s time to celebrate the Super Sweet 16 stories of the year. Instead of throwing an MTV-worthy bash, we’re dedicating our center spread to the movers, shakers and headline-makers of the past school year.

The biggest change came with the new Great Lawn and Campus Center, which quickly became focal points of the community. Students played rousing games of kickball and sipped on sugary lattes from the new café.

Whether it be our mathletes hauling a giant $20,000 check through Manhattan or the softball team hoisting their SPC trophy, our brains and brawn have been busy.

We welcomed Rev. Mulligan as the new Director of Spiritual Life, as well as new college counselors including Director Wendy Chang.

Bulgarian exchange student Viktor Slavov quickly assimilated into student life. In the spring, the class of 2016 greeted Maddie Tufts, who moved from New Orleans. The cutest addition was Campus Cat, who gave café patrons a pick-me-up even better than the coffee.

In October, seniors donned boas and sequins for Dress Like Kinkaid Day. Friday night, the entire school cheered loudly at Rice Stadium.

Fall SPC gave both field hockey and cross country front-page-worthy wins, while the

Fine Arts department scored with the outdoor performance of “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat,” a bedazzled, punk rock ode to the Biblical story.

In legal news, Houston voted down HERO, the equal rights ordinance. Emboldened by HERO’s failure, legislators in North Carolina and Mississippi took a page from the Houston playbook and instituted their own transphobic legislation.

In January, the school announced a radically new rotating schedule and later start time for the next year.

This year’s presidential election cycle was

more divisive than ever before, with the new youth political groups leading the discourse.

Liberals and conservatives alike found themselves choosing between a bevy of eager candidates.

By the spring, senioritis had taken full force, but this lack of focus didn’t affect the Mavs at SPC. Girls’ lacrosse, boys’ track and field, and softball all brought home first-place trophies, and the LAX girls even won City and State titles, completing yet another triple crown.

It’s been an exciting year, so feel free to look back on it with us and smile.

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Commencement moves to Great Lawn* 1984

May 19

Meet the Online graduation speaker

P4 Athletic center construction starts

News Briefs They came, they saw, they conquered: Latin scholars perform at state JCL Latin students won big at the state level of the Junior Classical League competition, with Linda Yu taking first place in Advanced Certamen. The competition was held at Atascocita High School April 22-23.

JCL conventions include academic tests of proficiency in Latin language as well as athletic events and cultural competitions, like the mythological costume contests or the Classical civilization-themed art categories.

“JCL is a fun day to hang out with friends and also compete in Latin, which I really enjoy,” sophomore and Latin Club president Olivia Zhang said. “I like Latin because the language is really interesting and it’s also fun to learn about Classical culture.”

JCL plays a significant role in the high school Latin community.

“JCL is great for Latin as a discipline.

Latin could easily die out. If Latin classes were just about translating or declining all the time, interest in Latin would die and we’d stop teaching it,” Latin teacher Mindy Wolfrom said. “JCL is important because it revitalizes Latin. JCL is a fun thing that keeps kids interested.”

SAC Representatives elected On April 12, Upper School students gathered in the VST to listen to speeches from prefect candidates. The results were announced April 27.

Next year’s Head Prefect is Cam Cook. Prefects are Peyton Brown, Camille Dawson, Ellie Faraguna, Matthew Fastow, JaDa Johnson and Sadde Mohamed.

“I’m really looking forward to doing what I can along with the other prefects to make next year great,” Cook said.

Junior Class President Samuel Ho and Vice President Johnny Coudsi are joined by class representatives Zachary Boroughs, Kennadie Jake-Turner, Kevin Jung and Dani Yan. Sophomore Class President Juliette Draper and Vice President Stephen Kim will lead representatives Wesley Gow, Gray Watson and Sebastian Varma.

“The challenge of being a successful group of SAC members is representing the Upper School well,” Cook said.

“With this group, I think the sky’s the limit.

Briefs by Emily Chen and Sadde Mohamed

1986

by Christian Maines *Update: Weather forecasts indicate that heavy rains may necessitate moving the graduation ceremonies to the SSAC. Please check the school website for the latest news.

Getting fitted for the cap and gown, marching down the path to the tune of ‘Pomp and Circumstance,’ walking up the stage to receive the coveted diploma — these are the hallmarks of graduation that students across the country await.

The ceremony that the Class of 2016 anticipates is scheduled to take place on the Great Lawn, in a return to the earliest traditions of SJS history.

With the construction of the past two years finally complete, seniors will experience this milestone in a new venue.

According to Graduation Marshal and History Department Chair Wendall Zartman, moving graduation outside is not a novel idea, but a return to the traditions of years past.

“In the big scheme of things, we are returning to tradition because the earliest graduations and Commencements were held in the Quad,” Zartman said. “As the population became larger, it was moved indoors to St. John the Divine.”

According to Zartman, who has helped organize graduation for over 15 years, looking to a new location to stage graduation became a matter of necessity rather than choice due to increasing class sizes.

“We’ve outgrown churches,” Zartman said. “We can no longer fit in St. Luke’s. Two years ago was the last time, and it’s kind of bone-crushing because it is so crowded.”

Headmaster Mark Desjardins sees the transition as a way of bringing the graduation experience to the whole school community. This is why, last year, graduation was held on Skip Lee Field.

“The motivation to move Commencement outside was to allow access for every member of the community to attend the school’s most important and significant ceremony,” Desjardins said.

Desjardins also says the return to tradition is a positive change for the community.

Desjardins points out that St. John’s is one of the few independent schools in Texas that, in recent years, has not held Commencement outside.

“Historically, St. John’s held graduation in the Senior Quad,” Desjardins said. “I view this move

1951 SJS Archives

Back to basics Graduation ceremonies have occurred outside since the first class graduated in 1951, but from 1986 to 2014 Graduation took place in indoor venues such as St. Luke’s Church. as going back to our historical roots.”

Just as last year, with graduation outside, students will be able to bring as many guests as they like to the ceremony.

“In the past, families were given a limited number of tickets and thus many students who had close relationships with people could not invite them,” Desjardins said.

Zartman views eliminating the ticket system as a step in the right direction.

“We had to limit the number of guests each family could bring,” Zartman said. “This way, in theory, we don’t give out tickets any longer, and so we believe that most everyone who wants to come can attend and sit comfortably.”

If weather becomes an obstacle, the graduation organizers have a backup plan to move the ceremony inside to the new gym.

“That’s what it was last year,” Zartman said. “We had our ceremony on Skip Lee Field, and if there were to be rain or storms, we would go into the gym, which was also set up just in case.

Rain or shine, there will be additional seating in the Lowe Theatre in the VST where Commencement will be livestreamed.

Before the Great Lawn was even built, Desjardins had a vision for it.

“When we created the concept of the Great Lawn it was our intention to design a space that could handle Commencement,” Desjardins said.

Seniors and faculty will assemble in the science building and process through the plaza and under

the arches to the Great Lawn.

The stage will be set up on the east side of the lawn so that the audience’s backs will be to the sun.

According to Zartman, graduation officials considered several different scenarios for procession and seating.

Usually Zartman has time to explain all the specific details of Baccalaureate and Commencement to seniors, including how the students should proceed from one location to the next and how to go up on stage.

Because of the frequent school cancellations this semester, Zartman has not had the opportunity to guide the seniors through a rehearsal of the ceremony.

Zartman has confidence in the seniors’ ability to follow along. Both he and Desjardins look forward to the Handshake Ceremony, which will take place at the very end of celebrations.

“My favorite part is the final handshake at the end of the ceremony where seniors get to shake the hand and say a final farewell to every member of the faculty,” Desjardins said. “I appreciate the opportunity to gather as an entire community and celebrate the accomplishments and journey of the senior class.”

On May 17, Baccalaureate will take place in St. John the Divine. The ceremony will feature Dr. Warren Rawson as keynote speaker.

Review makes waves, wins national awards

by Sophia Li On Nov. 14, The Review team, running late for a flight home from a journalism convention and weighed down with heavy luggage and Florida sunburns, rushed into a bus parked outside the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and sped towards Orlando National Airport.

At the security checkpoint, a Twitter notification pinged from faculty sponsor David Nathan’s phone. The Pacemaker results were out. The Review had won for the first time.

Travelers watched as 16 students and two teachers abruptly cheered in the middle of the security line.

“I was engulfed in pride. It felt as though our work had finally materialized into something tangible,” Editor-in-chief Gabe Malek said.

Considered the Pulitzer Prizes of student journalism, the National Pacemaker Awards are regarded as the highest honor for student newspapers. Entries sent to the National Scholastic Press Association are adjudicated by professionals based on coverage and content, the quality of writing and reporting, photography and design.

“It’s one of the best ways to commend all the work that we’ve put into the Review,” assistant on-

line editor Sadde Mohamed said. “Especially given how dedicated everyone — including editors, staffers and advisers — is to this newspaper. I hate to sound cocky, but I truly believe the Pacemaker was well-deserved. ” Previously, the Review Online was named a Pacemaker finalist in 2015.

“We would have been happy to have just been a Pacemaker Changing of the guard New Editors for the 2016-2017 school year gather finalist,” Nathan said. in the quad. The Review won its first National Pacemaker Award from NSPA in “So winning was a wel- November. The newspaper also won the CSPA Silver Crown Award. come surprise.”

The Review was one ciation. of seven publications to receive a Pacemaker in According to CSPA, the Crown Award is the the category of newspapers under 17 pages. highest level of recognition the organization gives The September Issue placed seventh in Best of to a student print or digital medium. The Review Show judging. won a Gold Crown in 2015 and a Silver Crown In March, The Review also received a Silver in 2014.

Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Asso-

Philip Kensinger

Reading Day

THE REVIEW I MAY 17, 2016

NEWS

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

City copes with recent flooding

by Sophie Gillard

“It makes you wonder, is it only hard work that lets you succeed in America? Is it sometimes just luck?”

For junior Jared Aiman, the recent deluge brought back strong memories of the damage to his house last year.

“On the day of my math final, I woke up at 3 a.m. because my parents were making a lot of noise. They were picking things off the ground and putting them on counters,” Aiman said. “I saw that my computer and all my schoolwork were on the ground as water was coming into my room, and I had to quickly pick them up.”

damage in the recent flood.

“There was a while when I didn’t like the On the morning of Monday, April 18, freshsound of the rain,” Aiman said. “It’s hard to man Grace Sanders scrambled out of bed to just pick up and move.” salvage belongings from her rapidly flooding After the rain subsided on April 18, junior garage.

Frances Hellums walked to Buffalo Bayou to “We woke up pretty early to clean our garage see the effects of the deluge. because half of it was flooded, but most of the “The streetlights on the side of the bike trails things that were stored in it were destroyed,” were completely underwater. You could only Sanders said. “We went outside to help our see the tops of them,” Hellums said. “It didn’t neighbors, but by that point, it was 9 a.m., and look like a bayou anymore. It looked like a most of their things were ruined. All of their lake.” houses were essentially ruined.”

What made Hellums nervous was not the Sanders lives one block high water level, but from Brays Bayou, and the bayou’s swift curmuch of her neighborhood rent. was flooded in the torren“You see a lot of tial rains that drenched standing water, but Houston last month, less seeing the power of than a year after devastatthe water’s movement ing floods swamped the was terrifying,” Helcity in May 2015. lums said. “Standing Governor Greg Abbott on some of the bridgdeclared a state of emeres and watching how gency in nine counties, quickly the water including Harris County, moved under me gave due to the severity of the a sense of anxiety.” flooding.

Many Houstonians Sanders’ father’s car also around Hellums were flooded because it was chronicling the deparked in an underground struction. garage while he was at “They were taking work. photos like it was some “He was basically trapped kind of spectacle, some JILLIAN TICATCH at work,” Sanders said. cool thing to look at,” “All of his belongings were Hellums said. “But NOT-SO-LITTLE LAKE Junior Jillian Ticatch captured the rising floodwaters outsoaked.”

I’ve watched the reside her home in Bellaire. In the floods on April 18, the waters rose halfway up Middle School history construction of those Ticatch’s lawn. In the flash flood on May 14, her car was nearly flooded. teacher Gordon Center, a Bayou trails since they volunteer with the Southhad to be redone after side Fire Department, the rain in May. It was helped patrol the streets frustrating and tragic for five hours, making sure to see the whole thing that flooded cars were vaunder water.” cated. One of the first disEight people in patches was to pick up the Houston died in the Chief of Police, who was flooding. stuck in high water.

“I know the awful ef“We were driving down fects this flood has had Buffalo Speedway, going on the city of Housthrough West U, and there ton, so it felt weird to were cars floating left and see people treating it right,” Center said. as if it were a show,” After dropping off the Hellums said. “The chief at the police station, flood may not have Center went back to the damaged any of our firehouse to grab radios, property, but it hurt a gear and a boat before lot of people, and I felt heading back out to Holreally conscious of that combe with some more as I was looking over firefighters and a police the bayou.”

JILLIAN TICATCH officer.

Despite the losses the “The flooding was pretty extensive. At the The Aimans scrambled to line their door with flood brought to the 610 Loop, we probably saw 30 or 40 cars towels, but by then, the water had already en- city, Center says it brought out the willingness washed out,” Center said. tered the house. By the time the rain stopped, of Houstonians to help their neighbors.

Later that day, Center took his daughter Anna they had about a foot of standing water.

“It’s a great thing that people have this men(‘21) to see the extent of the flood damage, “I was up from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. constantly tality of, ‘My neighbor’s house is flooding? Let which affected more than 1,000 homes and moving things, but I still showed up an hour me help them pile sandbags’,” Center said. caused almost $5 billion in damage in Harris late to take my final,” Aiman said.

“The moment something happens in HousCounty alone.

Aiman’s house is located in Meyerland, an ton, what do people do? They go out and help “In America, we talk about being one pay- area that was hit hard once again by the recent each other.” check away from homelessness. For a lot of flooding. After the Memorial Day flood, he Houstonians, it can take one natural disaster and his family moved to an apartment buildand your family never recovers,” Center said. ing. Their house did not suffer any further

In Memoriam

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Andrea Hanhausen: World Traveler Spanish teacher Andrea Hanhausen passed away on April 19. She is survived by her husband, William, her sister and two children, Anna Lauren, a high school freshman, and Thomas, a college junior. She was 52.

Hanhausen came to St. John’s in 2014 and taught Spanish I and II. Funeral services were held at St. Michael’s Catholic Church on April 25. Upper School classes were not held so that students and teachers could attend.

Hanhausen previously taught at St. Michael’s School, Presbyterian School and in HISD. “She was very genuinely interested in people and how they were doing,” Spanish teacher Cara Henderson said. “She would take time for other people, whether it was a student or a teacher. She was very authentic.”

Many students cited her presence on campus as a constant source of support and friendliness.

“She was always a really friendly face around the school,” sophomore Sean Paul Gras said. “I could always talk to her about whatever. I remember I was going to tell her about this Spanish movie I had just watched over the weekend.”

Hanhausen was born in Mexico City, where she learned English and Spanish and cultivated a love for languages. She became fluent in French in four months and backpacked through Europe with her sister. She had visited every European country except Portugal and Poland.

A memorial grew organically outside the door to Hanhausen’s classroom, which will no longer be used this semester. Students and faculty alike placed notes, flowers and mementos at the door.

“I’ll remember her passion for teaching and for her students and her infectious smile,” said Aline Means, chair of the World Languages Department.

Hanhausen graduated from Rice University in 1987, where she received a Bachelor’s in Sociology and French.

Junior Emma Robinson, a student of Hanhausen’s at Presbyterian, recalled Hanhausen’s genuine interest in her students.

“I missed school once, and I had a Spanish test the next day. Ms. Hanhausen met me at a Starbucks and reviewed all the material that would be on the test. I will always remember how she helped shape my personality.”

Hanhausen’s advisory has been meeting with Upper School counselor Kelli McCarty while several Spanish teachers have been teaching her classes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Andrea Pinson Hanhausen Education Fund at Chase Bank (account No. 3046061064) to contribute towards the education of the Hanhausen children.

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NEWS

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

New athletic facilities coming to Taub Campus eas for baseball players to hit and more teaching space. It will also reduce the number of rainouts.

“We have a lot more canceled practices and Four years since the Taub property purchase, the first phase of construction will materialize games than other sports, and it’s important to get all that missed work in,” senior Alex Ainthis winter.

The $8.8 million new athletic center will in- binder said. “Other baseball teams like John clude a relocated baseball field and an indoor Cooper have indoor facilities, so it’s hard to multi-sport facility scheduled for completion compete if we can’t be practicing as hard.”

The orientation of the baseball field will be in December, as well as two multi-purpose turf fields that will be completed in August. An ad- flipped, based on research determining the opvanced turf field hockey field will also be com- timal location of the field in relation to the sun.

Finnegan Field, home for field hockey pracpleted in August for an additional $3 million.

Larry Burns and Nobu Shoga, with Kendall/ tices, will have its grass field replaced with artifiHeaton Associates, Inc., are the project archi- cial turf by August, and will include three water cannons on each side, which will flood the field tects.

“We really wanted to make sure we constructed before each game and during halftime in order fields that could be used for more than just base- to increase the speed of play. The field will also ball,” headmaster Mark Desjardins said. “Given include an elastic layer to help prevent player the number of sports teams that we have, and injury.

“Water helps the ball bounce and roll more how the Upper School is growing, we wanted to make sure we had the capacity to allow teams consistently, and makes the play faster and more exciting,” Shoga said. to practice.”

Finnegan Field will become the only water A new parking garage will also be completed by January in partnership with St. Luke’s field hockey field in Texas. An 8,000-gallon unChurch. The 3.5-story garage will occupy the derground water tank will be installed to supply current shared lot. St. John’s will contribute $2 the necessary volume of water at the required million to the total cost of $11 million, and will speed.

“Field hockey is supposed to be played on share the 477 parking spaces with St. Luke’s.

“It will probably start out during the school turf,” junior Reese Vogel said. “It makes a huge difference. On grass, you can’t day being limited to sophomores, juniors, and move the ball as fast or whatever seniors don’t get a spot in the as far, and you can’t Senior Lot,” Director of Finance and use specific skills Operations Greg Swan said. like sweeping.

The new 10,000-square-foot I’m excited beindoor practice facility will feacause it’s goture five batting cages, an artiing to help ficial turf floor and removable me prepare netting for multi-sport use. for playing “If athletes want to play field hocksome other sport, if it’s a 10,000 sq. ft. practice facility ey in colrainy day or if it’s not baseball lege.”

477 Parking Garage Spaces season, other sports can come Other upin and use the indoor facility,” 8,000 gallon water tank grades to FinBurns said. negan Field will The baseball field will feature for field hockey field be new bleachers artificial turf with cork infill, which and improved lightwill significantly lower the turf teming. perature.

A synthetic turf surface will According to Head Baseball Coach Timothy Riley, the new facilities will provide multiple ar- allow the school to share the fields during winter

Construction By the numbers

PHILLIP KENSINGER

by Claire Furse

BIRD’S EYE VIEW A drone offers a view of the current Taub Property. The space will be converted into a new $8.8 million athletic center later this year. and summer off-seasons.

“In the past with grass fields, we had to allow our fields to rest,” Desjardins said. “Now there is certainly going to be capacity for the facilities to be utilized during off-seasons, hopefully by St. John’s students. We also have the opportunity to do outreach into the community to support other sports.”

Athletes using the new fields will be able to cross Buffalo Speedway instead of the more hectic West Alabama, currently used by field hockey, soccer and lacrosse programs.

“If we can minimize the number of people that have to walk across West Alabama, I’m sure that’s a lot safer for students and for faculty, especially in the evening when there is a lot of traffic,” junior JaDa Johnson said.

A tunnel underneath Buffalo Speedway will not be included in the long-term plan due to a network of utility lines underneath the street that would require the tunnel to be built three stories underground.

Instead, the school will likely receive city approval to build a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) system to improve the Buffalo Speedway crossing.

More athletics fields will also make school-sponsored sports available for sixth grade students who could only participate in P.E. or track. The need for scheduling evening games will also be reduced.

“We will be able to play middle schoolers, JV and varsity all at the same time,” sophomore Kennadie Jake-Turner said. “We won’t have to wait for one game to finish to start the next. It’s hard to get home at 9 p.m. after games with all my homework to do.”

Swimming pools and tennis courts are included in the long-range master plan, which tentatively includes gym workout facilities, six to eight tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, the relocation of the softball field, and a multisport competition stadium.

“These projects enable us to better support our mission of developing well-rounded students,” Desjardins said. “That is an important aspect of this project, that our kids will have facilities that will give them the chance to practice and develop into their full potential.”

NEWS

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SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Eco-marathon races against time

by Maggie Ballard

material, it was such a relief.”

The St. John’s Eco-marathon team was not For the Eco-marathon team, the race began the first to be hindered by unexpected damages.

“I would say that on average the cars break the moment they landed in Detroit and opened two times each,” senior driver Margaret Trautthe box containing their car.

“We opened the crate and found a suspicious ner said.

Although the Shell Eco-marathon event has hole in the box and then found that it had been been held in Detroit for the past two years, the plowed by a forklift,” junior Marisa Murillo event used to take place in Houston, so the team said. “The entire windshield of our car was comdid not have to deal with shipping the vehicle. pletely shattered.”

On Saturday, the team discovered that some The team discovered that their shipping comfairly serious non-visible damage to the steering pany had damaged the car after the team paid $3,000 for it to be safely shipped to Detroit and had occurred, causing the vehicle to crash into a wall after two trials. back. They later received a refund.

The team competed in the gas category, which “We couldn’t prepare for the fact that the shipper would damage our car. The vehicle was even measures fuel efficiency. They had competed in the electric vehicle category for four years, but boxed up and had signs on the box that switched to gas two years ago after said ‘Fragile,’” team sponsor Doug discovering that electric was too Elliott said. difficult.

The team only had half a day “The gas car is much more We were expecting to repair the damage, since complicated mechanically, the vehicle was to be testa calm evening, but but the electric car needs ed for efficiency on Friday instead of readying the the kids to design a comand driven the day after. puter controller to run the car for inspection, we had “It was a total shock bemotor, and that proved to cause we had made a lot of to fix the car first. be something we weren’t effort to make sure the car able to do,” Elliott said.

Richard Appel was stored properly,” senior “Which says something, beteam leader Richard Appel cause we had some really smart said. “We were expecting a calm kids working on it.” evening, but instead of readying the Th e team competed on a six-milecar for inspection on Thursday night, we long track and had to finish in under 24 minhad to fix the car first.”

The team was able to find some spare Lex- utes.

“Going fast isn’t the goal,” Elliott said. “It an glass, trace out a template, borrow an angle grinder from a team from Puerto Rico and re- would just burn more gas.”

Of the 124 teams entered, only 26 were able place the windshield. to compete. Despite their damaged vehicle, the “We were sort of panicked and afraid. I was team placed 25th overall. thinking we could get a trash bag if worse came “We’ve had better results in the past in terms to worse,” Murillo said. “When we found spare

“

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of our standing, but we got double the mileage as last year with 203 mpg,” Elliott said.

After the competition, the team entered a re-evaluation period in order to see what aspects they could improve.

“This year we learned that we should have an electric starter so we can turn the vehicle off and on when we want to,” junior Austin Zhang said.

“We made several other changes to decrease our energy losses.”

Five students attended this year’s MARISA MURILLO competition, yet any number can THE HIT OF MOTOWN Senior Margaret Trautner crosses the finish help in the model- line at the Eco-marathon competition in Detroit, April 25. Despite ing of the car. damage incurred during shipping, the team got the vehicle up to “This summer and 203 mpg. next year we are gocle more efficient,” Elliott said. ing to strive to open Team members agree that experiences from the group up to more people because it’s a great opportunity if you’re interested in mechanics the competition will serve them well in the real world. and engineering,” junior Cooper Lueck said.

“I learned to communicate with adults and Next year, the Eco-Marathon team will collaborate with the physics department to improve people in the industry in order to get the parts that we needed, which was a great learning expethe car’s design.

“We are striving to make it so that they can rience,” Lueck said. give some of their expertise on making the vehi-

Math team beats the odds at NYC competition

by Kara Wollmers As the math champions boarded the plane back to Houston, they struggled to find a place to put their huge $20,000 check without taking up the whole aisle.

On April 25, the team won first prize in the Moody’s Mega Math (M3) Challenge. In its eleventh year, the M3 competition poses real-world mathematical problems to be solved through advanced mathematical procedures.

The team included seniors Nancy Cheng, Eric Gao, Daniel Shebib, Anirudh Suresh and Margaret Trautner.

Back in February, the team worked for 14 hours straight to write a mathematical paper describing a solution to a problem related to the car sharing industry.

“None of us were too familiar with the car industry, but that wasn’t important because our mathematical problem solving abilities were solid,” Cheng said.

The group submitted a 20-page paper using advanced problem-solving strategies for their solution.

“This competition truly required a team effort,” Shebib said. “We couldn’t have done it without each member because everyone contributed a significant amount.”

After submitting their solution, the team was later selected out of over 1,000 entries to be one of six finalists.

“We worked really hard on this competition, so being selected as a finalist made all the hours of work worth it,” Trautner said.

After the team advanced to the final round of competition, they flew to the Moody Headquarters in New York City where they presented their work to a panel of judges and Moody employees.

“When we found out we were finalists, we couldn’t believe it because none of us had ever done anything like this, whereas many of the other teams enter these kinds of competitions regularly,” Shebib said.

The team enjoyed traveling for the competition.

“One of the coolest parts of being a finalist was the all-expense-paid trip to New York. We were actually paid to do math,” Shebib said.

Once in New York City, the team presented an overview of their solution.

“I was so nervous presenting in front of the judges,” Shebib said. “I actually made our entire group knock on wood beforehand.”

Before presenting, the group had plenty of practice. The team’s coach, Dwight Raulston, organized a time for the team to run through their presentation in front of the Math Problem Solving Club.

“Presenting in front of MAPS was very helpful because we were able to do a full run-through in front of our peers who gave us honest feedback,” Gao said.

The critique allowed the team to polish their presentation before presenting in front of the judges in New York.

The team was allotted 15 minutes to provide a summary of their solution.

“The time constraint was tough,” Cheng said.

“We had to organize our parts beforehand so that we wouldn’t go over time.”

Teamwork proved vital to their success.

“Each person did a great job presenting their respective part of the solution, and I felt very good about our presentation,” Trautner said.

After the presentation, the three judges could ask the team any question.

“The most nerve-wracking part of this stage of the competition was answering the questions for the judges because you had no idea what they might ask,” Cheng said.

“We were so surprised the judges only asked us three questions,” Trautner said. “I watched another group and the judges asked that team many more questions.”

Because the team presented third out of the six finalists, they were able to watch the remaining three teams present.

“I thought the other teams did a good job presenting, but we found some flaws in their reasoning that made me feel confident about our work,” Cheng said.

As winners of the competition, the team received money for scholarship funds.

“When they announced we were the winners, we walked up and took a huge check,” Trautner said. “It took at least two of us to carry the check around.”

As part of their prize, the team members also got to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

“I feel like that’s the type of thing CEOs at

MOODY’S MEGA MATH CHALLENGE

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS After taking first place in Moody’s Mega Math Challenge, the SJS team got to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The team also won a $20,000 check in scholarship money and a chance to apply for an internship. companies do, and the fact that we as high school students got to do that was really cool,” Cheng said. “I feel like my life peaked at that moment.”

With the check in hand, the team headed back to Houston.

“We looked so ridiculous walking around Times Square with an enormous check,” said Gao. The competition provided more than just money.

“Not only did M3 improve our mathematical abilities, but it also helped us become more experienced with being poised in public speaking and thinking on the spot,” Shebib said.

The team has the opportunity to learn even more from the Moody Corporation. Each member was offered the chance to apply for an internship this summer.

“During this competition I was able to explore the field of applied mathematics,” Trautner said. “Now, I think that’s what I want to do in my career.”

Not only did the competition expose the team to the field of applied mathematics, but it also provided the members with the opportunity to improve as students.

“This was such a surreal experience,” Shebib said. “I can’t believe we won, and I’m so proud of our team.”

by the numbers $20,000 top prize 6 finalists 5,000 contestants nationwide

F

Alice Nelson • 27 years • Faculty emeritus • Calculus • retiring Cara henderson • 10 years • Spanish II, spanish seminar • new Director of Student Life at emery/ weiner school emily baker • 9 years • ap coordinator , psychology • pursuing a career in psychology

paul quillen • 9 years • Calculus • retiring

melinda sloan • 5 years • Ap world history, ap us history • having a baby

THE REVIEW I MAY 17, 2016

Flowers leaves to build new curriculum

by Sadde Mohamed Whether dancing and acting professionally in New York City or leading inspired discussion, English Department Chair Angela Flowers has made her mark as a core member of many communities.

Flowers is leaving to become the new Director of Curriculum Instruction at St. Francis Episcopal Day School in Memorial. She will develop a curriculum for their new upper school, which will open in 2018.

“It was a really sad day for all of us when she told my class she was leaving — lots of tears and hugging,” junior Sophie Clayton said. “She reassured us that the reason she was moving on was because of a fantastic job opportunity.”

Flowers has taught English at St. John’s since 2003. She will arrive at St. Francis equipped with the administrative skills gained by serving as a department chair and earning a master’s degree in independent school leadership from Columbia University through the Klingenstein Center.

Flowers will help shape the entire St. Francis upper school.

“We are creating a high school curriculum, and this is unusual because normally, schools only have a chance to make small changes; building the curriculum from the ground up is a really exciting opportunity,” Flowers said. “I was not being purposeful about the career steps that led me to this opportunity. My graduate school focus and the roles I took on at St. John’s were led by my interests; however, all those prior experiences prepared me for this next position.”

Flowers finds the opportunities that come with her new job at St. Francis most enticing, in particular the challenge of hiring an entire faculty.

“School communities don’t often get the chance to start from the beginning and ask the big questions: Who are we? Who do we wish to become?

How do we get there?” Flowers said.

In addition to chairing the English Department, Flowers has sponsored the African-American Affinity Group (AAAG), directed one-act plays, co-coordinated the original freshman retreat, oversaw the peer leader training and led ninth grade advisers.

Through the years, Flowers has been a constant presence in the AAAG community.

“The affinity group developed primarily around mentoring and developing personal relationships.

We did not start out as the organized group we

have today,” Flowers said.

“There were a few kids, and I was told to get to know them and see if they were all right.

I honestly can’t explain how it went from that individualized support group to the current model.

I learned how to mentor students over time and through experience.”

Flowers has always been invested in the success of her students.

“As a teach- A CAREER IN BLOOM Flowers looks back on her time at SJS while preparing to er, if you love assume her role as Director of Curriculum Instruction at St. Francis Episcopal your students, Day School. it’s wonderful was also my English teacher, so I saw her first thing to see people excel and equally wonderful to see in the morning for advisory and at the end of the them happy.” day during eighth period for English. It makes me Flowers relishes enthusiastic class discussion. sad that next year she won’t be a part of my day.”

“To see my students engage in the kind of conFlowers has taught all four grade levels, includversations that one would hope adults would have ing a performance-based senior English seminar, a the courage to engage in has been really transcourse on Shakespeare’s comedies. formative,” Flowers said. “Watching these young “I don’t even like Shakespeare,” Alston said. people who are so smart, so fearless and so respect“But she made it easy to read for all of us. In colful of one another’s opinions gives me hope for lege, I had to read ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ and it the future.” was easy because she helped us so much.”

Flowers has mentored four advisory groups.

Her students and colleagues will remember the “She is very open and always started converpassion she brings to the classroom every day. sations with us, so advisory was never awkward,” “She has an ability to guide students. She’s one of said Brandon Alston (‘15), a former advisee. “She those people that everyone loves. She always has a is a genuine person who wanted to know people smile on her face,” Alston said. “Ms. Flowers gave and help them.” us energy. Even to this day, I’m still texting and Even though Flowers will no longer be teaching talking to her, and it’s hard to see her leave.” at St. John’s, she will still attend school events as a parent for her eldest son, Christian, a sophomore.

Flowers’ current freshmen say they will miss her.

“I’m sorry to see her leave, but I hope my advisory can manage,” freshman Lena McZeal said. “She

JARED MARGOLIS

F

TURE S A E

FEATURES

7

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

‘This has been our home’: Seventh Elkins graduates Elkins Family in 2004 Margaret (‘04)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNY ELKIINS

FAMILY MATTERS Dressed as the Easter Bunny, Elkins (‘76) hugs her daughter Lucy, now a senior (left); although she has served in a slew of diverse volunteer positions, Elkins has consistently played the kindergarten Easter Bunny. The whole family gathers for a photo (right).

by Gracie Blue and Emily Chen It has been 46 years since Jenny Elkins (‘76) entered St. John’s School. Her seven children have logged a combined 92 years as students. She has attended 44 back-to-school Parents’ Nights and 184 parent-teacher conferences. She was the kindergarten Easter Bunny for 13 straight years and has attended at least 125 football games on Skip Lee Field, including 32 St. John’s-Kinkaid football games.

Since graduating, Elkins has chaperoned field trips and organized senior tea, served on the Alumni Board, the Lower School Parents’ Guild and the Board of Trustees.

Elkins came to St. John’s for seventh grade in 1970, and she credits the school with shaping her own life and helping raise her children.

“I made exceptionally wonderful friends and became involved in a bunch of things that I couldn’t have done if I had stayed in public school,” Elkins said. “It helped make me the person I ended up being.”

According to Elkins, the school has continued to improve since her time as a student.

“St. John’s just keeps getting stronger. In the years since Dr. Desjardins has been here, it has become an even better school, more focused on character and the students being well-rounded,” Elkins said. “St. John’s is a great academic institution, the best education in Houston by far and one of the best in the country, but it’s much more than that.”

Jenny Elkins’ husband Jim (‘70) attended the school as well and later served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Jim Elkins died in 2010 of a heart attack while on vacation with family in France at the age of 58.

“My father loved SJS and has encouraged all of us to do the same,” Lucy (‘16) said. “My St. John’s family has meant even more to me and to the rest of us since he died.”

Because she and her husband both attended SJS, they were delighted to enroll their first child Margaret 04) and her six (‘04) siblings.

“Jim and I drank the Kool-Aid. We both believed that it was the finest school,” Elkins said.

“It makes boys and girls into very fine

young men and women. It’s about character as felt at home at school. much as it is about education.”

“Every teacher knew who I was as I entered the The Elkins children share their mother’s love for class at the beginning of the year,” Sam Elkins (‘14) the school and appreciation for the role it played said. in their lives.

More important than her involvement in school “It’s hard to imagine what my life would be like were the values that the Elkins parents instilled in without St. John’s,” Margaret said. “I met most their children and their constant of my best friends, mentors and my hussupport. band during my 13 years there. My “Both my mom and son’s godfather also graduated dad taught us the from St. John’s, and my husGolden Rule above band [Warren Davis ‘04] will all else, and when be the best man in his wedit came to acding next year.” ademics, they Elkins admires the indipraised us for 44 Parents’ Nights viduals who contributed our effort,” to her children’s experiMargaret said.

184 Parent-teacher conferences ence at St. John’s in all as“As long as we 125 football games pects of their lives. studied and “I see what a fine parttried our hard32 Kinkaid games nership St. John’s is between est, they were 13 years as Easter Bunny: the parents and the faculty proud of us even and the advisors. And there are when we didn’t re92 total years of children at people like coachceive a great score on SJS an exam or essay.” es and trainers who Harry also feels the school you wouldn’t necesplayed an integral role in his upbringsarily know would mean so much to your child, but they ing. do,” Elkins said. “Everyone “It is difficult to put into words my mother’s love seems to work together to for St. John’s. The St. John’s family helped her raise raise these children.” seven children, and I am sure that she is eternally The Elkins children feel grateful for that,” Harry said. “There isn’t much to strong ties to the school. say other than that this has been our home, and “When you are one of five there is no place like home. This school has given boys who all look remark- us so much.” ably similar, teachers Ever since Margaret began kindergarten in 1991, tend to confuse you,” there has been an Elkins child at St. John’s. Lucy, Harry (‘13) said. the youngest of the Elkins siblings, graduates this “Other than year and will be attending UT. that, it really “St. John’s is all I know,” Lucy said. “I’m ready to affected me so- go to college. High school is great, and I loved my cially more than St. John’s experience, but I think everyone is ready anything else; to start a new life, even if they haven’t been here knowing a lot since kindergarten.” of kids in many While Jenny Elkins has the highest respect for different grades the school and feels that it was beneficial for her and spending family, she is not concerned with continuing her lots of time at family’s St.John’s legacy.

St. John’s.”

“It would be wonderful if some of the [future The Elkins Elkins] children who are suited to St. John’s could children always come. But it’s not something that has to happen.

It should only happen if it’s right for them,” Elkins said. “I don’t feel like there’s some big legacy to MOTHER be proud of; I’m just grateful for all nine of us to KNOWS BEST have had the opportunity to attend this fine instiJenny Elkins tution.” celebrates her Elkins plans to stay involved with the school even seventh child’s after Lucy’s graduation, “whether or not they want graduation [her] to be.” from SJS. Elkins is still involved in the current construction project as well as the capital campaign committee.

“I’ll do whatever they want me to do because I believe in St. John’s.”

elkins Family by the numbers

Jim (‘06)

Buck (‘07)

John (‘10)

Harry (‘13)

Sam (‘14)

Lucy (‘16) PHOTOS FROM 2003-2004 YEARBOOK

CAROLINE RAMIREZ

OR TS P S

S

Girls’ softball hits a grand slam

P9

LAX coaches outstanding in their fields

P12

Track and field Meet of Champions

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Back on Track: Boys end 31-year drought

May 21

Sports Shorts TENNIS

Boys show resolve

The boys’ tennis team (6-7, 6-4) entered the SPC tournament as the 4th Seed in the South Zone.

The Mavs beat Trinity Valley 4-1, in the first round of the tournament before losing to eventual champion Greenhill, 3-0, in the second round.

Play was suspended after three matches because of rain.

The team then beat Casady, the North Zone’s 3rd seed, 3-2, to claim 5th place.

“We’ve lost key players every year, but I’ve had teammates step up and compete well,” senior captain Eric Gao said.

During the season, the team showed their progress in a 3-2 loss to Kinkaid, the eventual SPC runners-up.

“Even though we lost to Kinkaid, it was a close game and showed that we have gotten better since the start of the season,” freshman Bryan Trammell said.

GOLF

SPC performance par for the course

The girls’ golf team finished 3rd in SPC. Boys finished 12th.

Junior Grace Wilson and freshman May McCabe were both named All-SPC, placing seventh and ninth, respectively.

“We can definitely improve on our performance at SPC this year,” sophomore Henry Philpott said. “We have to know how to bounce back from a bad hole instead of letting that hole influence how we play our next shot.”

North Zone teams dominated this year’s tournament, but the Mavericks hope to improve next year with younger players taking on larger roles.

“For next year, I want to help the younger players more because they will be taking some of the important spots on the team,” sophomore Gregory Dayao said.

Both teams look to work on their chipping and putting before next year’s tournament.

“The short game is something we can always improve on, and it actually determines how far you go in the tournament,” Head Coach Jack Soliman said.

Briefs by Alexander Kim and Dani Yan

PHILIP KENSINGER

Running Start Senior Toby Emiola, center, explodes off the blocks in the 100m race. Emiola placed 1st in his heat and 7th overall. The boys took home the overall title for the first time in 31 years. The 4x100 meter team and senior Trey Lewis in the high jump broke school records.

by Philip Kensinger

own, the girls’ lacrosse team shouted words of the capacity crowd in Hunt Stadium erupted.

“The crowd was deafening and extremely en- support to Hooper-Price.

“It was really nice having everyone there couraging,” Randall said. “It pushed me and it really helped me push myself through that last 100 meters when I was dying.” knowing everyone believed in me,” Hooper-Price said.

Randall passed the baton to The race came down to the anchor, freshman Genson the wire, and when the two Hooper-Price. Hooper-Price runners crossed the finish started his run in third place, line, Hooper-Price came just and he took off with the lead 6’ 7” Winning High Jump short. The crowd hushed as runner locked in his sights.

42.52 Winning 4 x 100 time the results flashed up on the “I saw how hard my team44’ 8” Winning Triple Jump scoreboard. mates ran, and I wanted to go St. John’s finished second. St. all out,” Hooper-Price said. He Mark’s crossed the line in fifth. strode past the second place runner on the backstretch, and the noise of the “I was looking down the straightaway and I saw Genson coming, and I crowd crescendoed as he began to close the distance between himself and the leader, a runner looked back and there was no St. Mark’s. Before St. Mark’s even finished, I was like, ‘Oh my god, from Greenhill School.

As Hooper-Price rounded the last turn and start- we won this,’” Mercado said.

Spectators were unsure who had claimed the ed down the homestretch, he was within mere feet of the leader. championship and looked towards the finish line After as the St. John’s team celebrated while the St. c l a i m i n g Mark’s team looked on with shocked, empty exan SPC pressions. title of “After the race, we were all asking around, tryt h e i r ing to find out if we had actually won. Nobody seemed to know for sure, but looking at the track team, it seemed we had enough points,” said senior Jennifer Trieschman, a member of the champion girls’ lacrosse team.

It wasn’t long before everyone heard the official word: The track team won SPC for the first time in 31 years.

A throng of parents spilled over the fence to celebrate with the team, which jumped up and down and belted out the alma mater in triumph.

“The key thing for the meet was getting balanced scoring in all the relays, distance races, sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws, and we had 17 points from guys who finished sixth, seventh, or eighth, so it was really a team victory.”

Among those strong performances in other events was surprise winner Trey Lewis, who won the high jump after competing in only one other meet in his career. Lewis, who usually plays lacrosse in the spring, gave the Mavericks four critical points over St. Mark’s after winning the high jump SPEED with a height of 6 feet 7 inches, beating OF Clay Morris of St. Mark’s by two inches.

Lewis almost broke the SPC record of 6 SOUND feet 9 inches.

Senior Chris The 4x100 meter team took first place and Randall books broke a school record with a time of 42.52. it around the Hooper-Price also won the triple jump.

The late afternoon sun began to cast long shadows across the St. Mark’s School of Texas as the SPC championship came down to the very last event. The St. Mark’s and St. John’s boys’ track teams were separated by only four points going into the 4x400m relay. A nervous silence fell across the grandstand as the runners took their places.

The Mavericks needed to make up four points to claim sole possession of their first SPC championship since 1985.

That meant St. John’s had to finish two places ahead of St. Mark’s.

The crowd erupted into cheers of support as the sound of the gunshot cracked through the air.

Sophomore Ian Thakur ran the first leg.

“We weren’t even thinking of winning outright.

They were the top seeded team in the 4x400,” said Head Track and Field Coach Richie Mercado.

“I was very tired after a long two days, and I just needed to run,” Thakur said.

Thakur bolted down the track, but as he passed the baton to senior captain Joe Faraguna, the team was not in position to take the SPC title. Faraguna, who had placed sixth in the 1600m race just minutes before, struggled to improve the Mavs’ position ahead of the St. Mark’s runners.

“After two hard races earlier that day, I could barely feel my legs,” Faraguna said. “I was lying in the infield with bags of ice on me just trying to recover. As soon as I took off, I knew it was going to hurt.”

Faraguna kept the Mavericks in the running, but it still was not enough. The track team watched helplessly from the sidelines as their 31year SPC dream was slipping away.

Faraguna passed the baton to fellow senior captain Chris Randall, who was a last-minute addition to the relay team.

“We were a little concerned because Chris had not run a 400 all season. But he came in clutch,” Thakur said.

Randall raced towards the front of the pack.

“He ran so fast down the backstretch that I thought there was no way he could keep up the pace,” Thakur said. “But he just kept going.”

The entire St. John’s and St. Mark’s track teams ran across the middle of the field to cheer on their runners. The Mavs jumped up and down and shouted as Randall rapidly closed the distance to first place. Randall passed two runners by the time he reached the homestretch.

The team ran back across the field to cheer PHILIP KENSINGER him on, and

Track by the numbers

track.

SPORTS

9

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

NOTHING SOFT ABOUT IT

Softball knocks it out of the park with SPC win Last year in the SPC tournament, the Mavericks lost to Episcopal 4-3 in the finals. This year, the team vowed to clinch the championship.

“We couldn’t live off what happened last year.

This was a completely new year and team. We needed to remember that,” said senior captain Anna Brooks Pacha, who will be playing for Georgetown next year.

The Mavericks finished the season 24-8 (9-0 in conference play) to clinch the No. 1 seed in the South Zone.

In the SPC quarterfinals, the Mavs defeated John Cooper, 4-0, with junior Alyssa Barrett striking out nine batters. In the semifinals, Pacha threw a complete game, 14-strikeout, shutout over Houston Christian, 2-0.

“Houston Christian really adapted the way they played against our defense since our first game,” Coach Isis Barron-Hutchinson said.

“But we were prepared for that and made some great offensive moves against them.”

In the championship, the Mavericks faced off against Episcopal once more.

“We had played them one time before, but neither of our teams had been playing our A-game,” Barron-Hutchinson said. “We didn’t have a strong idea of what to expect for the final game.”

Throughout the season, the Mavericks had prepared for the championship against their crosstown rivals. Despite being favored, the players were nervous.

“You should never underestimate your opponents. You can’t depend on a pattern,” Pacha said. “Each year is different and every game we play requires a new mental game.”

For the finals, the Mavs went back to their ace, and Pacha didn’t disappoint.

Episcopal proved challenging. In the last inning, the Mavericks were clinging to a 2-1 lead, and the Knights had loaded the bases with only one out.

Pacha struck out the next hitter.

With two outs, Pacha ran the count full, three balls and two strikes. On the next pitch, the Episcopal batter swung and missed.

It was Pacha’s 16th strikeout of the game.

“I really thought she could do it. She’s an amazing pitcher,” junior Alara Burgess said. “We were all watching her standing up on the mound. I trusted her that she could get a win for us.”

Pacha did.

Pacha finished the year with an astounding 258 strikeouts and 758 for her career.

The team credits much of their triumph to their chemistry and teamwork.

“A lot of our success came from how tight-knit we are,” Pacha said. “It ensures that the team will remain as close as they are now to play well in

COURTESY PHOTO

by Stephen Kim

had me in stitches (from left) Seniors Anna Brooks Pacha, Jessica Vlasek and Gabby Otey celebrate their 2-1 SPC win against the Episcopal Knights. Pacha pitched complete game victories in the semifinals and finals, racking up a total of 30 strikeouts. future seasons.”

For captains Pacha and senior Jessica Vlasek, their high school softball careers began and ended with an SPC victory.

“In my freshman year, our captains were incredibly supportive and kind,” Vlasek said.

“They left a lasting impression on me and AB to act in the same manner they did for our senior year.”

The two captains operated differently in guiding their team.

“Jess really led the team vocally. She always got everyone pumped up and ready to play,” Pacha said. “I lead more by example.

We complemented each other well because we were quiet and loud at different times, which was what the team needed.”

In a 18-0 victory over St. Mary’s Hall, April 2, Vlasek hit three home runs, including a grand slam. She finished the year with 11 home runs and 25 runs batted in.

Vlasek will play for University of Texas at Dal-

softball by the numbers

18 runs in shutout vs st. mary’s hall 4 runs allowed against south zone teams

las next year.

“Softball has been a huge part of my life so far, and I think it’ll be a pretty exciting experience to play next year in college,” Vlasek said.

The captains hope the team will continue working together, not individually.

“We had to look and feel like family on and off the field,” Vlasek said. “Individually sharpening skills would not be nearly as effective as if we grew in strength together.”

In order to increase team camaraderie, the cap-

tains instituted required team lunches, which enabled players to grow closer.

“We end up having to interact with each other whether we like it or not. This has helped us so much to understand and support each other,” freshman Sophie Lazear said.

This closeness has allowed the team to support each other regardless of circumstances.

Junior slugger Alex Jones said, “Since our team is close, we can pick each other up if we fall.”

10

THE REVIEW I MAY 17, 2016

Now Showing

Carswell’s day in court

Top Stories of The 2015-2016 School Year

When English teacher Linda Carswell’s husband Jerry died unexpectedly following a routine procedure, she began a journey that took her all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. Carswell wants hospitals to be more transparent during incidents like these so that they can be held accountable. In 2011, the Texas Supreme Court passed the Jerry Carswell Memorial Act, which put in place a standardized autopsy form. The verdict will not be announced until June. Carswell intends to stay active in autopsy reform groups, including the Safe Patient Project, an organization that lobbies for reformation in the medical system.

Open Carry prohibited voters reject ‘hero’

On Nov. 3, Houston voters rejected Proposition 1, known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, HERO, by a margin of 61 to 39 percent. The proposition was intended to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but an aggressive ad campaign preying on the fear of bathroom predators led to the Proposition’s defeat. More recently on May 13, the Obama administration issued guidance to allow transgender students to use bathrooms matching their gender identity nationwide. North Carolina politicians severely criticized the Obama administration for the guidance and requested action by Congress, and Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick accused the Obama administration of “blackmail” and “social engineering.”

Schedule unveiled

In late January, the administration unveiled a radically new schedule to be implemented starting next year. After two years of research, the committee decided upon a schedule that features seven academic days (lettered A-G) with courses changing periods each day. Administrators intend for the schedule to facilitate a more relaxed environment for students. While lunch time will be reduced to 30 minutes, new break times between periods will allow students the opportunity to eat over four hours. In another step to ameliorate student stress, the school day will begin at 8:30 a.m.

On June 13, 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed into effect a law that triggered a wave of protests, resignations and nationwide controversy. The law allowed concealed carry into college classrooms. Supporters claimed that gun-wielding, law-abiding citizens can prevent mass shootings, while critics claimed dangerous individuals could use their new power to engage in violent and criminal acts. On Jan. 1, 2016, Abbott signed another gun law, allowing licensed gun holders in Texas to carry openly.

St. John’s promptly installed ordinance signage that prohibits both concealed and openly-carried handguns.

Brain power

SPC to NBA Graduating St. John’s? Check. NCAA National Championship? Check. No. 10 pick of the NBA Draft? Check. NBA Playoffs? Check.

It took Justise Winslow only 13 months to get from St. John’s to the NBA. Winslow provided the Miami Heat with strong defense off the bench in addition to increasing his scoring throughout the season. Before the season started, Winslow returned to SJS and took time to speak to the class of 2019. Expect him to contribute even more to the Heat next season as he continues to develop his game.

Competition isn’t only for athletes: The Hyperlift Team developed a design for the SpaceX Hyperloop, a revolutionary high-speed ground transport rail system. The team competed at the Hyperloop Design Weekend at Texas A&M, Jan. 29-30, and advanced to the next round, projected for August 2016. This phase will require the team to build a prototype of their design. Two months later, five seniors competed in Moody’s Mega Math Challenge. At the national competition on April 25, they were declared the winners and took home a $20,000 prize. See Page Five for additional coverage.

Kelsey’s a keeper Design by: Ashwini Bandi, Jared Margolis and Chris Zimmerman Photos by: Kelsey Bing, Nyla Jennings, Philip Kensinger and Jared Margolis

After contributing to two SPC field hockey titles and helping Team USA earn a berth in the Field Hockey Junior World Cup, goalie Kelsey Bing will become a Stanford Cardinal this fall. Since seventh grade, Bing has played for SJS and has honed her skills as a field player and goalie. She has been playing at the national level since ninth grade.

“Kelsey’s work ethic, drive and passion for the game will be exciting to coach,” Stanford head field hockey coach Tara Danielson said. “We are looking forward to developing Kelsey into a top collegiate goal keeper and strong leader in the pursuit of excellence.”

11

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Campus Center opens

Class 9 expands

This year’s campus expansion provided the St. John’s community with a variety of venues to study and relax. Key additions include Flores Hall, the Maverick Café and the Great Lawn, which provide spaces for myriad activities from formal events like the fall musical to informal pastimes like pick-up soccer and football games during lunch. Space that was once college counseling and advancement transformed into “innovative classrooms” with mobile seating arrangements and write-on glass walls.

Katrina’s impact, 10 years later Email hacks Continue

The subject line read: “Important documents.” Those who opened the message and gave out the requested information allowed hackers to violate the St. John’s community. Students and teachers who followed the link gave their credentials to a fake login page that hackers used to send more emails, enticing and then stealing information from more victims. During spring break, the hackers struck again, resulting in more email account casualties.

Musical controversy

August marked the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking New Orleans. The aftermath of the storm displaced 400,000 people, including 25 students who joined the Upper School. This year’s freshman class is the last to have vivid memories of the storm.

“I’m very proud of how Houston responded to the evacuation,” English teacher Angela Flowers said. “We immediately said ‘come’ and didn’t put any barriers in people’s way. As a city and as a school, we did the right thing. It’s the best I’ve ever felt about being a Houstonian.”

PRISM revitalized

PRISM had a big year, firmly establishing itself as an active campus organization. PRISM intends to “provide community and support for LGBT+ students” while addressing issues of importance to the LGBT+ community within an inclusive, welcoming environment.” In pursuit of this mission, the group has hosted myriad events, from a screening of “Billy Elliot” with the Unity Council to inviting guest speakers like Lane Lewis, the openly gay Chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party. According to faculty co-sponsor Kem Kemp, this year’s activity is largely due to the initiative and drive of the eight student board members.

In two years, almost 700 students will be enrolled in the Upper School. The increase in freshman class size began this year. For the next three years, incoming freshman class sizes will continue to increase by approximately 25 students (and all of them will be in the lunch line ahead of you).

The larger class size will necessitate some logistical changes. According to Head of Admissions Courtney Burger, as the student body continues to grow, chapel will move to St. Luke’s Church.

Trump triumphs

And then there was Trump. From the get-go, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump insulted Mexicans, women, the handicapped, and Muslims. After 11 months of a chaotic and brutal 17-person dogfight, Trump emerged victorious. He will most likely face Hillary Clinton who fended off a challenge by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Seniors, many of whom participated in a voter registration drive hosted by the Young Political Organization, must decide between the two remaining candidates in the most contentious and controversial election in recent history.

Inman nets deanship Elisa Inman eased into her role as Interim Dean of students from her position as Assistant Dean. Inman had the “interim” tag removed in December. Next year, history teacher Bailey Duncan will become Assistant Dean.

In a related development, the Class Deans for each grade will be reconceived as Class Chairs to differentiate themselves from the Deans, who have disciplinary authority and responsibility.

In August, many students were dismayed to hear they could no longer play a winter sport and partake in the spring musical, “Oklahoma!”. In an attempt to reduce student stress, regulations were imposed in order to prevent overcommitment by students. After students expressed opposition to the new rule, the administration reconsidered and allowed seniors to partake in both athletics and the musical. Both male leads, seniors John Ballard and Chris Zimmerman, would have been prohibited from participating under the original conditions.

Hail, St. John’s The Mavericks brought home seven SPC titles this year.

Girls’ lacrosse completed the triple crown (City, SPC and State) for the second straight year, and boys’ track and field won for the first time since 1985. Field hockey won SPC for the first time since 2012. Both cross-country teams outran their competition. Softball won SPC, preventing a potential three-peat for Episcopal. Wrestling won SPC for the third time in four years with senior Yo Akiyama, junior Josh Thomas and sophomore Peter Chen qualifying for Nationals. Boys’ soccer, girls’ swimming and girls’ tennis all qualified for SPC finals.

12

SPORTS

THE REVIEW I MAY 17, 2016

2 COACHES, 1 GOAL

Developing character through lacrosse

JARED MARGOLIS

PHILIP KENSINGER

LAX TO THE MAX Kensinger celebrates 20 years as a lacrosse coach. She is considered the winningest coach at SJS.

FOUNDING FATHER Chambers strategizes with players during a game. Considered a pioneer of Texas lacrosse, Chambers is the only head coach SJS lacrosse has ever had.

by Dani Yan

by Dani Yan

In the span of 20 years, Angie Kensinger has become the winningest coach in St. John’s history.

Over the past three seasons, the Mavericks have won 38 consecutive games and, since the 2002-2003 season, have never had a season-winning percentage of less than 75 percent.

Kensinger has coached the girls’ lacrosse team to three undefeated seasons, 11 SPC titles and 12 State titles, including the Triple Crown of city, SPC and state over the past two seasons.

This year the team defeated The Woodlands to win city and Episcopal School of Dallas to clinch both SPC and state.

“Every single day we want to go to practice, we want to play for her. Whenever we want to hype up the team we say we want to continue Coach K’s dominance — it’s not about us, it’s about her,” Northwestern commit Lindsey McKone said. “Just having her out there, it makes us play better.”

Seniors Kara Wollmers and Winnie Branfield-Harvey will also be playing college lacrosse at Williams College and Princeton University, respectively.

The key to Kensinger’s winning ways is her focus on the players.

“It’s such a privilege to coach these girls because they’re innately competitive and supportive of one another,” Kensinger said. “They buy in to the program and love lacrosse, and that just builds on itself and creates its own success.”

Kensinger focuses on bringing out the best in her players through situational and motivational coaching. McKone considers Kensinger’s coaching style compassionate.

“She’s really good at reading situations,” McKone said. “Even when she’s mad, she spins it so that it’s about how she wants us to be better and how she wants each player to play their best.”

The Mavs have already become a fundamentally solid team, so most of their improvement comes from refinement. After two decades of coaching, Kensinger maintains her motivational presence and goal to work hard and enjoy the sport while also approaching each practice as an opportunity to sharpen the more detailed aspects of their game.

“First and foremost, we try to work hard and have fun. My many years of coaching have given me a broad perspective as well as attention to detail,” Kensinger said. “I try to motivate the kids each day in practice.”

Kensinger values sportsmanship and character in her players as well as herself.

“Coach K always stresses sportsmanship,” Senior Gracie Firestone said. “She encourages

us to play with grace and reminds us that the refs may not always make the calls we want. She leads by example and never yells at the ref or players on our team. St. John’s lacrosse is a dominant program, but Coach K grounds us and makes sure to keep us humble.”

Kensinger’s style has translated to wins, but she has difficulty choosing a single victory as the highlight of her career. The Mavs’ state titles have ranged from hard-fought, close games to dominant blow-outs. Kensinger values the challenges of each season and seeing her players reach the collegiate level over any win.

“Every season is unique, and I really enjoy each season while I’m in it because there are always different challenges,” Kensinger said. “In more recent years, we’ve had girls go on to play in college, and that’s really special because they serve as good role models for other girls. St. John’s has a great reputation because they have been leaders and have all done well.”

Mavericks have gone on to serve as team captains and been all-conference selections in the NCAA. Her players emphasize Kensinger’s connections to college coaches and her involvement in their recruiting as important parts of their paths to collegiate lacrosse.

“Her connections with colleges help us get in.

She’s the in-between step with every coach that I talk to. She keeps you informed,” McKone said.

“I really credit my going to college for lacrosse to her.”

Many players leave Caven Field behind for college, but Kensinger always looks forward.

She is optimistic for the future of the sport and her program, with many eager players following in the footsteps of those before them.

“We always try to stay abreast of the changes in the game so we’re always trying to keep up with current trends and keep moving forward,” Kensinger said. “The girls who are coming up to the program are always really excited and that’s what’s really exciting about coaching at St. John’s.”

The girls can expect to meet the same coaching and commitment from Kensinger and hopefully, the same success.

“The care, love and support we get from Coach K cannot be matched,” Firestone said.

“She is such a successful coach because she dedicates unbelievable hours to making sure this program succeeds and because there is such a strong bond between coach and player.”

Kensinger by the numbers

20 years at St John’s 11 SPC titles 12 state titles 20 NCAA athletes

Lacrosse in Texas would not be the same without Sam Chambers.

Chambers is the only coach boys’ lacrosse coach SJS has ever had, and he will be stepping down at the end of the 2016 season.

Chambers, a graduate of SJS (‘77) and the University of North Carolina, began his coaching journey in Charlottesville, Virginia, as a coach at St. Anne’s-Belfield School. Chambers identified lacrosse as his focus and built the base for his career.

“Lacrosse is really something that I had a passion for. It was a big learning curve early on, but it was so exciting, just learning and growing during my formative years,” Chambers said.

“When I came to St. John’s, I just took that foundation and really tried to develop a complete program from the bottom up.”

Chambers returned to Texas 24 years ago with a plan to develop the St. John’s lacrosse program and spread the sport throughout the state. He has won over 350 games, including two state titles (2001, 2006) and one SPC championship (2001).

When Chambers arrived at St. John’s in 1992, there was only one team. He added junior varsity and middle school teams and has been a staunch supporter of the girls’ lacrosse program.

“When I got to St. John’s, it was about developing the program,” Chambers said. “It wasn’t something that we did all at once — it was a gradual progression.”

Involved at every level of development, Chambers fostered interest in lacrosse in middle and elementary school students by personally talking to students while taking his club teams to the northeast to play against elite competition.

“When I got married, my wife didn’t realize that she was going to be a lacrosse assistant coach of sorts, going to all those tournaments in the summer,” Chambers said. “Those tournaments were the seeds that were planted for youth lacrosse in Texas.”

In 1995, Chambers took a group of sixth grade lacrosse players to play against a team from Plano, the only other youth lacrosse team in Texas. Just six years later, the number of youth teams in Texas had grown to 33.

“We were really a part of establishing lacrosse in Texas, maturing it and making it grow,” Chambers said. “It was a pioneering effort, and it is really rewarding to see something continue to grow right in front of me.”

After 30 years of coaching, Chambers’ philosophy has changed.

“As a younger coach, I was always focused on

the winning part of the sport, but as I’ve matured, there are other intangibles like character development and sportsmanship,” Chambers said. “Trying to instill those traits and behaviors in the players has become more important.”

Chambers places emphasis on conduct and self-improvement.

“He coaches the players to play with class and dignity,” Assistant Lacrosse Coach Stobie Whitmore said. “He is very passionate about not only the sport but also about kids playing and representing St. John’s well. He combines intensity with humor.”

Chambers refrains from rushing through the season, preferring to understand and benefit from each game.

“I try to capitalize on mistakes and also feed off of successes,” Chambers said. “If you look at each season and develop instead of trying to do things too quickly, you can have an organic season where things develop and players grow mentally and physically.”

In order to face elite competition and increase team camaraderie, Chambers has taken the team on a spring break trip every year since 1996.

“We weren’t just trying to be the best in the state, we were trying to be the best on a national level,” Chambers said. “I wanted to make the season exciting by giving players exposure to some of the best teams in the country.”

The Mavs are optimistic they will continue performing to the standard set by Chambers.

“Because he has given it such a great base, I expect to see St. John’s lacrosse continue as one of our most successful and joyous sports,” Whitmore said.

David Cohn, a former assistant coach at Air Force, will be the new head coach next year.

“Coach Cohn has big shoes to fill,” sophomore Charles Sampson said. “We’ll need to get right to work.”

As he steps down, Chambers hopes lacrosse will remain significant to his players.

“I want to show the kids that it’s more than just lacrosse, it’s more than just the sport. It’s something that you will always have even after you graduate. It’s stories you can tell, something to keep in your back pocket when you need it.”

Chambers will no longer be head coach, but his presence will still be felt.

“His lasting legacy will be his relationships with other coaches and players,” Whitmore said.

“If you mention Coach Chambers to anyone that has ever played for him, they immediately smile.”

Chambers by the numbers

24 years at St John’s 1 SPC title 2 state titles 27 NCAA athletes

LTURE U C

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SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Glassell Gallery displays community artwork

Kantorei Farewell June 9 Concert

French students P14 venture abroad Third annual Online Art Junction showcase

Culture Briefs Dance concert celebrates Houston Dancers from all levels performed pieces celebrating Houston in this year’s recital.

“Houston Proud” dances took their inspiration from the city, depicting themes ranging from traffic and hip-hop to debutante balls and immigration.

Elise Anthony, a freshman in Advanced Caprice, performed “All That’s Left is Hope” about the rebuilding of a historic church in Midtown.

“Our choreographer, Oliver Halkowich, told us about his love for the old churches that can be found in the fourth ward,” Anthony said. “This helped develop the sense of pride and hopefulness we felt towards his piece.”

Deciding on this year’s theme was a collaborative effort, dance teacher Victoria Arizpe said.

“We tried to find a topic that would fit slow and fast dances, as well as different styles,” Arizpe said. “We picked something we knew that we could interpret to bring variety to the program.”

Photography teacher Chuy Benitez and art teacher Dan Havel curated this year’s fall, winter and spring exhibitions in the Glassell Gallery, located adjacent to the Great Hall. Featured are sculptures and drawings from 2-D and 3-D art students.

“Untitled,” by Hollis Cooper (‘94), is one of the paintings featured in the spring alumni exhibit in the Glassell Gallery. Cooper is an artist and university lecturer based in California. Her abstract mixed media work has been featured and reviewed in New American Paintings, Art Papers and Alarm Magazine. Cooper also sits on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Art Resources, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting non-commercially viable artists. Senior Madison Trice (right) examines Cooper’s 2009 mixed-medium panel.

Kantorei to perform in cathedrals, castles This summer, Kantorei will head across the pond to sing throughout the United Kingdom and sightsee in London and Edinburgh.

Led by Scott Bonasso, the ensemble will depart for England on June 11 and perform at Southwark Cathedral, Bromley School, St. George’s Chapel, St. Gile’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh Castle.

“I’m super excited for the trip,” Choir President Matthew Brown said. “I think the trip is a great way to bring Kantorei together. We’ve been working all year and this is the big payoff.”

Kantorei will perform a farewell concert in St. John the Divine with songs from their repertoire before they leave for the trip.

“The trip gives you the opportunity to spend time with new people and to become really close friends with people I already knew, and I think that’s really special,” Brown said.

The group will return to Houston on June 19.

Briefs by Sophie Gillard and Christian Maines

Freshmen Will Symmans, Malcolm Sturgis and Alex Tinkham examine a display of shoe sketches from in the fall exhibition. The showcase includes works by Havel’s art students and Benitez’s photography students.

Austin Schultz, Aileen Zhang and Julia Giordano (all juniors) admire photos in the fall student showcase. Benitez exhibited photos from each of his Photography I and II students. Featured are photos taken by sophomore Zach Boroughs and junior Christina Ru. Written by Christian Maines Photography by Jared Margolis

14

CULTURE

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Where in the world are SJS students?

Bolivia Destination: Cochabamba Dates: June 16-27 Faculty sponsors: Brian Beard, Jessica Lopesuarez Number of students: 10 Goal: teach a group of 60 Bolivian orphans science, music and arts and crafts

Costa Rica

by Maggie Ballard Nine French students will travel to France this summer in the first school-sponsored trip of its kind, combining sightseeing with a family homestay in Toulouse.

“We had a lot of kids who seemed very enthusiastic about French and also about the travel idea,” said trip organizer and French teacher Shelley Stein (‘88). “I wanted there to be a linguistic and immersive side to the trip.”

A student travel organization, Vistas in Education, will place students in separate host families.

Each student will stay with a family that has children near their age.

“Most students are nervous about the homestay, but it’s what I’m looking forward to the most,” freshman Sophia Kontos said. “After learning another language, I understand that the only true way to learn a language is to live in a country where

they speak it.”

In January, students hand-wrote letters telling their potential host families about themselves, detailing their love for the French language and their interests. Some have already received messages from their host families.

Many of the travelers expressed nervous enthusiasm about their upcoming voyage.

“I’m excited to be pushed past my comfort zone because going to a new country with a completely different language will be nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time,” freshman Josephine Dodd said.

The students look to refine their spoken French around native speakers.

“It’s just a great opportunity to improve my French. It’s important to talk to people who natively speak the language you’re trying to learn in order to hear their accents, speech patterns and mannerisms,” said eighth grade student Abigail Price, the trip’s youngest participant.

In order to prepare for the journey, the students have been attending French tables during lunch and practicing their conversational French.

D

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Destination: Tamarindo Dates: June 10-24 Faculty sponsors: Marci Bahr Number of students: 51 Goal of trip: Sightseeing, fiveday home build, and teaching English, math, art, and science to elementary school children.

Students plan summer trip to France “I’ve been trying to learn new and more helpful vocabulary on my own,” freshman Eli Maierson said. “Because my parents speak French, we talk with each other, and I do my best to answer them in order to practice.”

The French high schools, or lycées, will still be in session, so the students will attend school with their host siblings.

“It will be a really cool experience to see what a French school is like because I know they are very different from schools in America,” junior Helen Dodd said.

The students will spend the final days of the trip sightseeing in Paris. They will visit museums such as the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie, as well as a boat ride on the Seine, in order to further observe the culture of France. Their hotel will be located near the Eiffel Tower.

The students are looking forward to forming relationships with their host families.

“I’ve had friends who have had foreign students in their homes, and I know they’ve had lifelong friendships with these people,” Kontos said. “I’d really like to have a similar experience.”

Edward Aviles (‘88), father of French student Juliana Aviles and one of the trip’s chaperones, grew up speaking Spanish and has spent time in both Germany and France learning those languages.

“These kinds of trips are crucial for broadening your horizons,” Aviles said.

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Kantorei Destination: United Kingdom Dates: June 11-19 Faculty sponsors: Scott Bonasso Number of students: 44 Goal of trip: Sightseeing throughout the UK and performing their music at several venues

SUMMER 2

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LA VIE EN ROSE French students Raunak Kundagrami, Lexi Lozano and Josephine Dodd plan for their upcoming trip to France. Besides visiting Toulouse and Paris, students will tour historic sites and immerse themselves in the language through a homestay program.

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SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

Driver’s Ed is Dead!

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SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

ON POINT Finishing school before Memorial Day First female majority for Prefects Beyonce announces Sept. 22 show in HTX

OFF TARGET Once-in-a-lifetime floods are yearly Juniors already broke the Senior Lot gate Rain forecast on Graduation Day

Awards: motivation or aggravation?

PRO CON

The academic awards ceremony honors a select few hard-working students who work all year to achieve excellence in a subject.

Academic awards spark our competitive nature.

It’s no secret that awards motivate many students to do well in school and extracurricular activities for the awards. While the prizes shouldn’t be the only reason students want to excel in a subject, some students do set goals with the silver crosses in mind.

Fundamentally, the awards present tangible objects people can work towards achieving.

Many people work towards winning awards, and résumés lined with awards do look good. I don’t think students should work hard in their studies solely for the purpose of winning awards, but the recognition does help college applications.

In a culture of seemingly endless participation ribbons, it’s refreshing to have awards in which only the top few are honored, and we should do our best to maintain that tradition.

Not everybody is going to win an award. The awards are limited compared to the number of qualified students, but that’s because the awards honor the best of the best.

The awards ceremony causes some students to face failure. Failure can be positive. It’s inevitable that sometime in your St. John’s career, and in life, you will fail.

While there are definitely hurt feelings for those who do not win, yet failure can lead to some of the greatest successes. Failure fuels fire, so by not winning an award, a student could be more motivated to strive for success.

Failure to win an award can help a student realize that there are others working just as hard as they are, if not harder. St. John’s is an amazing school, and just because you don’t win an award, you shouldn’t think any less of yourself or your abilities.

Just because you didn’t win the biology award doesn’t mean you can’t be an award-winning biologist some-

kara wollmers

day.

Keep it in perspective. Just because you didn’t win an award, it’s not the end of the world. These special awards are designed to honor only a few students, so purely based on statistics, there will be a large percentage of students who do not win anything. It is more important to focus on doing your best than focusing on others’ work.

The academic awards allow people to recognize the top in each subject.

One of the defining characteristics of St. John’s is its competitive nature, and it makes sense that we should value and celebrate that in the awards ceremony.

Many students want to be the best and will work tirelessly to achieve their goal. The academic awards help encourage the students’ competitive nature and allow the best of the best to be recognized. Without academic awards, a competitive aspect of academics is lost.

emma shea

Academic awards should be the grades you receive in your classes.

St. John’s is already an increasingly competitive, and students feel pressure to excel from their parents, their peers and themselves.

Although recognition can be a positive motivator and push students to achieve, our school is not lacking in pressure for students to achieve. The last thing we need is more academic stress weighing down students, especially awards that recognize students who are already excelling in their respective fields.

Recognizing students for charity work, athletic success or extracurricular achievements is one thing because these are so often prioritized below schoolwork and not given proper recognition.

On the other hand, awarding students for merely making good grades is excessive. We already place a huge emphasis on excelling academically, so an awards ceremony just adds to the already heavy bur-

den that students bear.

Students who make outstanding grades are already awarded through scholarships and internship opportunities that will ultimately lead to getting into a highly selective

college.

There are plenty of facets of Upper School life that deserve recognition. For example, since many of us won’t go on to play college sports, high school athletes should be recognized for their skill at the Athletic Awards Ceremony.

Volunteer hours should not go unnoticed either because community service must be undertaken in one’s free time and in the service of others.

In contrast, most students will go to college on the merit of their grades and test scores. Their payoff is college admission. The hours they put in working with teachers and studying accumulate into higher GPAs and Cum Laude membership.

Why should we give these students more recognition? It’s redundant and, frankly, a little insulting.

As students, we should want to learn for the sake of learning as well as for the achievements of scoring well on tests and getting accepted into programs of higher learning — not for a moment on stage and an audience politely clapping.

If we strip away the value of academics to a purely rewards-based system, we’ve destroyed the goal of academia in the first place. Awards should not be our primary focus in high school. Our passions should not be cultivated for the chance to win an award or for the chance of acceptance into an elite university.

We should be able to pursue what we love without worrying about the legitimacy or the value of our passions.

BROOKE KUSHWAHA

Affinity groups foster community, not discord a need to address why affinity groups are more than just social networks. They are absolutely necessary.

The notion that minorities are “playing victim” is problematic. One of the things I appreciate about EAAG is that while we enjoy game nights and potlucks, we never forget to discuss the issues Asian Americans face in the world. Having more sensitivity to these issues should not be a negative.

Participation in affinity groups does not damage our relationships with other students — just because we discuss racism during an affinity group meeting, it doesn’t mean that any one of us goes to class, turns to the nearest white person in the room and lashes out in anger. If people think we seem angry, they should know we’re not targeting anyone in school; rather, we address broader problems that pervade society and provoke personal responses.

Ethnically victimized? That’s not a fake feeling. We don’t want to live in ignorant bliss.

I understand why some think that affinity groups practice self-segregation, but this idea is a distorted view of celebrating a culture we’ve had our whole lives.

In many ways, I don’t relate to the majority. The school community is kind and supportive, but sometimes the sense of isolation is inevitable with the racial makeup

we have. Affinity groups combat that feeling.

For once, we know what it feels like to be the norm. Without affinity groups, we’re under greater pressure to conform; if anything, that can worsen race relations because it doesn’t let people be who they are.

Accusations of segregation miss one important point: While in an affinity group, we’re only physically isolating ourselves, and in the presence of the majority, only physically integrating ourselves. Greater intergroup contact does not

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With racial issues taking hold of the political arena, the dispute over “safe spaces” has never been more relevant. Students from Oberlin College, Northwestern, ColumAmy Liu bia and numerous other universities have begun to demand locations on campus meant only for students of marginalized groups. In response, opponents have lamented how political correctness and “attacks on free speech” have weakened the current generation.

While we don’t have official safe spaces at St. John’s, some students see racial affinity groups as the next best thing. In East Asian Affinity Group (EAAG), I find myself speaking with less inhibition and feeling more emotionally connected. I didn’t realize that this sort of feeling could be interpreted as something that excludes those who are not of my race.

Those who oppose racial affinity groups argue that they stifle social integration. According to James Sidanius, author of “The Diversity Challenge,” universities should do everything possible to increase contact between different ethnicities and to “fight against students’ natural tendency to segregate themselves.”

Some also believe that minorities who mainly interact with those of more similar backgrounds will develop a bias against others, perceive more racial discrimination and, as Sidanius says, feel that they are “ethnically victimized by other student groups.”

I am proud of how St. John’s is exceptionally supportive of racial diversity. Still, I do feel

always promote greater acceptance; it’s not that simple. If a community has strong undercurrents of racism, minorities will never feel a part of it, no matter how often they interact across ethnic lines.

To those who say that racial affinity groups only emphasize our differences, I say that minorities don’t experience any validation by showing how similar they are to the majority. Yes, it is possible to take pride in our differences without being stereotyped and labeled, as long as people let us speak for ourselves.

Keep in mind that even within affinity groups, nothing is homogenous — there are people who identify strongly with their parent culture and those who feel distanced. Ironically, those who say that affinity groups create greater disparity are already boxing us into the former. We shouldn’t have to mute our identity in order to feel accepted. Why can’t others understand our nuances instead?

Despite the positivity that racial affinity groups bring, they risk being judged as exclusionary. That’s why in public, it’s so much easier for me to talk about the light-hearted festivities EAAG enjoys and not delve into anything deeper. When minorities say they are uncomfortable, they are dismissed as oversensitive, yet when we make others uncomfortable, suddenly we’re the vindictive proponents of “reverse racism.” But in reality, we don’t have the luxury to be mean, only the heart to love one another.

To “otherize” white people is unnecessary and, quite frankly, impossible. I hope that in the future, people of color will not have to prove that when they support each other, they’re not inherently tearing others down or rejecting society.

OPINIONS

17

THE REVIEW I MAY 17, 2016

Deal with it: Protection from rejection

by Brooke Kushwaha If you’re a senior reading this, you’ve probably been rejected from at least one college. If you haven’t, you can liken this feeling to ordering a Coke and having the waitress ask you, “Is Sprite okay?”

Pepsi is inherently worse than Coke, but Sprite (or even... Sierra Mist) is something completely different. It doesn’t have quite the same brand recognition, but hey, you might enjoy it more than Coke. Or you might spend the entire dinner stewing about how the guy at the other table managed to get a Coke, probably because his dad works at the restaurant. My point is, don’t be that person who ruins a great meal because you don’t get exactly what you want. But if you’re going to be that person, here’s how to do it with grace.

The first step to not accepting rejection is to take it very, very personally. As schools read your 600-word essay, the admissions committee probably looked into your soul and decided that you, as a person, are bound to be a disappointment. The non-profit organization you founded? Trash. The hours of community service you spent giving ___ (item we take for granted) to underprivileged children in ___ (formerly colonized country)? Laughable. The 500 clubs you started and led yourself, including Romanian Film Club and Yodeling Appreciation? Waste of time. The truth is, unless you found the cure for at least three different strains of cancer, or happen to be really good at a sport, that school doesn’t want you.

The second step is to publicly insist how much you never wanted to go to that school in the first place. The breakup is always mutual, especially when you got dumped first. After all, people have always talked about how Harvard is going downhill (it isn’t), and how Stanford has a stu-

pid mascot, so it’s not even worth attending (it does, but I’ve heard it’s okay). If you talk loudly enough, you may be able to convince people that you never applied in the first place. Note: This step may be complicated if you made the wait list.

“Yeah I’m totally over Dartmouth; I don’t even

want to go anymore.”

“Dude, aren’t you still waiting on them to take you off the wait list?”

“Yeah, only because I know they’ll come crawling back to me. They’ll call. You’ll see.”

Don’t be that desperate ex, afraid to commit because you’re still waiting for the one that got

away.

The third step is to undermine everyone else that got into your dream school. You can use any means necessary for this step, including, but not limited to: insisting that they got in “just for sports,” blaming affirmative action (Trump supporters, this is a golden one!) or rationalizing that they must be a legacy kid. Remember, there’s no real reason why anyone would be better than you! It’s all an unfair conspiracy/crapshoot/byproduct of the liberal agenda. Bonus points if that student went to an “easier” school than St. John’s (e.g., every other school). Smart people don’t exist outside of St. John’s, and they probably benefited from grade inflation.

Now you’re ready to accept your mediocre “second tier” school. Whether this be a lesser Ivy or some other glorified community college with an acceptance rate above five percent, it’s about time you settled down. You’ll probably be top of your class, anyway. Life’s not so bad. If you end up going to a — God forbid — public university, you can always take a gap year to regroup and try again next year.

Last step: Really accept your rejection and move on. You got into some good schools. Some people were probably dying to go there and didn’t get in. In fact, they may have gotten rejected from a school you considered your “anchor.” So be kind, be grateful and don’t be salty.

The next four years will be amazing. If they aren’t, you can transfer and start fresh. It’s only four years, and you have more possibilities than ever before. Think really hard about what you saw in that other school anyway. Was it the prestige? The bragging rights? Maybe your first choice really was perfect for you, but in the meantime, you may find you actually like the school you got into more than you imagined.

After all, it’s nice to feel wanted.

AMY LIU

Beyoncé inspires nation into formation

by Sadde Mohamed Beyoncé is the greatest artist of all-time of any genre and all your friends know it and agree. To be frank, I don’t care if I sound biased or delusional, or if you disagree — I’ll just go ahead and say it.

As a core member of the #beyhive at St. John’s, it is my duty to protect and support Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Hyphen Carter. This honor includes responsibilities ranging from memorizing lyrics to all the songs on her self-titled album to spending what is quite frankly an obscene amount of money on tickets. Tickets to her Formation World Tour that I may have purchased.

Tickets that cost as much as 1,680 lemons.

Tickets that cost as much as 956 large cups of lemonade from your nearest Chick-fil-A. Tickets that probably would have gone to buying myself a used car. Oh well.

“Is Sadde not financially conscious or wise in the slightest? Does he know how many worthwhile causes that money could’ve been directed to? Is he insane?” The answers to these questions are probably, indubitably and hell yeah.

I spent a whole lot on these tickets. Correction: A whole lot of my parents’ money on these tickets. My parents weren’t very happy with this.

Honestly, and maybe even unfortunately, I don’t regret this purchase. Side note: It did not help my case when two of my friends won better seats for free through a radio competition.

Beyoncé spent a significant portion of her childhood in Houston’s Fourth Ward. From astoundingly humble beginnings, Beyoncé rose to stardom and is now arguably the biggest player in the game (music industry speaking). Her fifth album sold 617,000 copies in the U.S. and 828,773 copies worldwide in its first three days of availability, becoming the fastest-selling album in the history of the iTunes Store. This would’ve been impressive on its own, but this feat was accomplished without any advance advertising or any hint of an imminent album drop. Beyoncé is in a league of her own. Beyoncé is also the first and only artist to have all six studio albums hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

On Feb. 6, Beyoncé dropped “Formation” two days before her Super Bowl halftime performance. Oh sorry, she was a “guest performer” during the Coldplay show. Ha. After the performance, Beyoncé announced her world tour, and I made the decision right then and there that I would be at her Houston concert. This came at a great cost, but it was worth it.

Fun fact: The first song I ever learned the words to as a three-year-old was “Baby Boy.” Thanks, Mom! While die-hard Drake fans were satisfied with the drop date he released (April 29) for “Views,”

Beyoncé fans notably struggled with the lack of updates since she announced her world tour. It wasn’t until she released the trailer for what can be aptly described as a lengthy concept video, “Lemonade,” that a release date for that album was implied. You read that correctly.

On April 23, Bey dropped “Lemonade” through her visual album/HBO special. It features the emotions and stages she went through when she found out her husband Sean “Jay-Z” Carter cheated on her, possibly with fashion designer Rachel Roy (not Rachel Ray as many Beyoncé fans erroneously targeted, which is still tremendously funny but also sad).

And. It. Was. Unbelievably. Sick.

I now know in my heart I made the right decision, and I cannot wait to experience it live again. The tragedy of “Pray You Catch Me.” The aggressive devotion of “Hold Up.” The hurt intensity of “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” “Lemonade” was masterfully done.

I can’t stress this enough — “Lemonade” is art in the truest sense and the greatest thing I have ever seen. Seeing it live further elevated “Lemonade” on my Things-Really-Important-To-Sadde List.

Major developments from the concert: We made eye contact! She looked me in the eye and in that moment I was revitalized — everything suddenly made sense. I was close enough for her to kick the water on the stage from the “Freedom” performance and douse me but, by God, she knew how much being dry means to me and refrained. One Direction’s Liam Payne sat three rows in front of me, which was a surprise, but pleasant, I guess.

Beyoncé’s work ethic, discipline and drive is something I admire and try to emulate before undertaking any major challenge. I love her music, which I realize is a personal opinion, but hey, if she’s not your thing, no biggie. Even though your thing is probably being contrarian for the sake of being contrarian and being an active member of the hater committee. It’s okay; it’s your thing.

I, on the other hand, bought my tickets for a reason, and attended her concert wearing as much of her merchandise as I could without coming off as tacky.

There are few things I care about as much as Beyoncé. You probably are not one of them (unless you’re reading this, Mom. I love you). If Beyoncé were to walk up to me and spray hot sauce into my eyes, I’d let her. I’d keep my eyelids open and cheer her on.

Ed. note: Beyoncé will be coming back to Houston Sept. 22. Friday, Sept. 23 should be a school holiday.

BROOKE KUSHWAHA

18

OPINIONS

SJSREVIEW.COM I MAY 17, 2016

STAFF EDITORIAL

‘Or’ mentality challenges academic culture The staff editorial differs from opinions pieces in that it is written by the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editor and Senior Design Editor.

Earlier this year, The Review covered the decision to prevent winter athletes from participating in the spring musical and the pros and cons of the new schedule. Looking at these changes in a larger context, the Editorial Board worries that the school’s academic culture is beginning to shift; while in the past students have been encouraged to experiment with a multitude of activities, they are now being urged to limit their coursework and overall involvement in order to improve mental health.

Though we support the attempt to increase wellness on campus, the Editorial Board, in a vote of 5-0, urges the school to maintain its “and” culture, which helps prepare students for life in college and beyond.

Our concern stems largely from the new schedule, which will require students to have at least one free period and will force students to limit the number of classes and extracurriculars they can take.

The ability to experiment with different extracurricular activities allows students to become more well-rounded. In film depictions of high school, cliques form based on interests: athletes group together, artists have their own table, nerds work in their corner.

St. John’s defies most of those stereotypes.

Students still specialize in certain activities, but with the current “and” mentality, the football captain can star in the musical, and a nationally

recognized math student can lead the cello section in orchestra. Encouraging students to try new activities better prepares them for college, where many will be pressured out of their comfort zones and forced to adapt.

Avoiding an “or” mindset also helps students learn how to fail, arguably the most valuable lesson high school teaches. Coursework can be overwhelming at times, especially in conjunction with extracurriculars, but students need to learn how to handle stress before living independently without a personalized support network.

The Editorial Board proposes that instead of trying to change the academic culture, the school should destigmatize wellness counseling. We commend the mental health initiatives taken following the death of PRITHVI KRISHNARAO Andrea Hanhausen and

hope that the school continues to encourage students to seek help when needed.

Although these recommendations pose no small task, we believe that in the long-term, improving the wellness of the student body is more beneficial than changing the school’s academic culture. The “and” mentality that SJS has always fostered has served as the lifeblood for scholarly excellence and innovation and sets our school apart from others.

Letter to the Editor Due to space limitations, a Letter to the Editor regarding our April editorial on “voluntourism” will appear in the Review Online.

From the editors

BILL MAINES

Our years in review

Dear Reader, When we look back on the past four years, the one constant we’ve all shared is The Review. We’ve started and ended our days in Q210, commiserated over everything from prom to college together and rewritten far too many articles. The Review has been the subject of our college essays, the reason we’re the only seniors still on campus this week and above all, our home.

When we started as freshmen, The Review was an exciting — and intimidating — way to learn about the school.

By interviewing faculty and researching our articles, we learned about everything from Mr. Turk’s kickboxing to what goes on in the PUMP and SUMP rooms. Even in the years since then, working on The Review has given us opportunities to meet new people and explore SJS. Sophomore year, The Review was where we started to speak up. We made our voices heard through opinions articles, and we made suggestions when we wanted to see change. In the supportive environment of The Review, we were able to take risks and learn from our mistakes.

screaming as we plummeted down roller coaster tracks in Orlando and screaming even louder as we exported our first issue to the printer. From Indiana to Columbia University, “Jaywalking” to “Focus on Cinema,” Vogeley to Reagan, The Review has been one wild ride, and we wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Peace,

Love,

Joy,

VIEW

R

RE

Junior year, we stepped up into leadership positions. As we assumed more authority, we found ourselves confronting more challenges: how to motivate staffers, navigate sticky situations and lead by example.

Our advisers always tell us that The Review is authentic preparation for the challenges of the working world, and that was especially clear last year. We problem-solved, we cried, and at one point when everything seemed to be falling apart, we had a cringeworthy dance party.

This past year has been, in our humble opinion, the best year yet. We have used our role as student journalists to further facilitate school dialogue. Covering the oil crisis, presidential election, gun control and more SJS-specific issues has helped us better appreciate our responsibility as journalists and has encouraged us to pursue journalism in the future.

But, most importantly, we have become a family.

Working together over school holidays, on weekends and late at night has brought us together. And together, we have stepped out of our comfort zones and taken risks,

The Review · St. John’s School · 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019 · review.sjs@gmail.com · 713-850-0222 x373 sjsreview.com · Facebook SJS Review · Twitter @SJS_Review · Instagram @_thereview Member Columbia Scholastic Press Assn.: Gold Crown 2015, Silver Crown 2014, 2016 · National Scholastic Press Assn.: Pacemaker Award 2015; 7th Place Best of Show, All-American 2014-2015

Editors-in-Chief Cara Maines, Gabe Malek, Chris Zimmerman Managing Editor Brooke Kushwaha Senior Design Editor Matthew Neal Senior Assignment Editor Megan Shen Assignment Editors Christian Maines, Irene Vazquez Online Editor Amy Liu Design Editor Ashwini Bandi Photography Editors Philip Kensinger, Jared Margolis Copy Editors Sophia Li, Claire Furse Assistant Online Editor Sadde Mohamed Business Manager Grace Amandes Video Editor Max Westmark, Michael VerMeulen

Staff

Maggie Ballard, Roosh Bhosale, Gracie Blue, Gwendelyn Butler, Sophie Caldwell, Ryan Chang, Emily Chen, Iris Chen, Nancy Cheng, Ellie Davidson, Andrew Duong, Sam Foshee, Claire Furse, Shomik Ghose, Sophie Gillard, Kate Habich, David Hammer, Joseph Hlavinka, Nyla Jennings, Reygan Jones, Alexander Kim, Stephen Kim, Prithvi Krishnarao, Sukul Mittal, Anish Nayak, Saswat Pati, Daniel Poag, Robert Rae, Emily Ragauss, Caroline Ramirez, Emma Shea, Henry Still, Gray Watson, Kara Wollmers, Dani Yan

Advisers David Nathan, Shelley Stein (‘88)

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

Publication Info The Review is published six times a school year. We distribute 1,000 copies each issue, most of which are given for free to the Upper School community of 607 students and 80 faculty members.

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

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 columnists are encouraged but are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, accuracy and good taste. On occasion, we will publish letters anonymously, provided the editor knows the author’s identity. The Review reserves the right not to print letters received. Either email letters and guest columns to review. sjs@gmail.com; give them to David Nathan in the Review Room (Q210); or mail letters to The Review, 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019.

19

ODDS AND ENDS

Word for word

Funny soundbites across campus

Sixty Seconds

Mr. Harris wooing with physics

with Lucy Elkins

“The Red Scare? I thought you meant The Bread Scare!”

August Schwanauer gives a half-baked APUSH pictionary answer “What’s in the box?”

Michael VerMeulen entertains the Review staff

Dept. Profile Math Dept. Head Martha Childress

JARED MARGOLIS

35 years, AB calculus, Math in contemporary society

NAME GRADE STATE OF MIND KNOWN FOR COLOR HATE TO LOVE LOVE TO HATE HAPPINESS MISERY OLYMPIC SPORT DREAM DATE RELATIONSHIP STATUS COMFORT FOOD SPIRIT ANIMAL PHOBIA I WISH FOLLOW US?

Lucy Elkins 12 Graduated 3 months ago Being an only child Maverick Scarlet Taylor Swift Jerry Gergich Graduating Graduating Running...late to class April 25th because it’s not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.

I saw Taylor Kitsch at the airport once Cornbread muffins Julien the lemur king Slow walkers They hadn’t butchered the remake of ‘Arrested Development’ Of course

Veterans Doug Sharp 42 years, Statistics, BC Calculus JARED MARGOLIS

Bobbie Oldfield 35 years, Algebra II

Key Additions Bethany Goldman Rookie, Pre-Calculus

JARED MARGOLIS

Austin Garvin Rookie, Geometry-Trigonometry



Kushwahaha

By Brooke Kushwaha

ELLIE DAVIDSON

“I should really tell you the story about how I met my wife. A story of electricity and magnetism.”

2. Sabina Madland

CHILD’S PLAY 1. Isabella Sturgis

5. Jennifer Trieschman

3. Michael Cowan

4. Matthew Brown

Every year, as seniors prepare for graduation, their parents take a trip down memory lane and hang their baby photos in the hallway. We asked several seniors to revisit their days of nap and snack time. Oh, how little has changed.

Baby photos courtesy of their parents, new photos by Dani Loya (1) Jared Margolis (2), Philip Kensinger (3, 5), and Nyla Jennings (4) | Story by Gabe Malek

THE REVIEW I SPECIAL SECTION

g ra du at i o n

142 students

59 colleges

1 alma mater

S1

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Graphic design by matthew neal

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additional design by chris zimmerman and nancy cheng senior group photos by Jared margolis and helen beckner college choices as of may 16

Bland

obins

Lummis y Paine

Charles Dorfman

Francesca Farris

James Southwick

Claire Gorman

Winnie Brandfield-Harvey

Hannah Curtis

Noel Higgason

Harrison Hawes

Madison Cotton

Nalyah Johnson

Olivia Havel

Jessica Vlasek

S4

the texans Starring: Baylor, Rice, St. Edwards, SMU, Southwestern, Texas A&M, TCU, Trinity, North Texas, UT, UT-Dallas

the athletes Starring: Amherst, Columbia, Georgetown, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, Trinity College, Sewanee, UT-Dallas, Wake Forest, Washington and Lee, Williams

the editors Starring: Megan Shen (Rice), Brooke Kushwaha (Wesleyan), Philip Kensinger (Washington and Lee), Cara Maines (Columbia), Chris Zimmerman (Amherst), Gabe Malek (Yale), Matthew Neal (Rice), Michael VerMeulen (Rice)