The Review: September 2014

ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER · SJSREVIEW.COM 2401 CLAREMONT LANE · HOUSTON, TX 77019 · VOLUME 66 · ISSUE 1 · SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

‘A SENSE ARCHITECTURE TRADITION,

OF PLACE’: BLENDS LANDSCAPE

COMPOSITE PHOTO BY CURTIS & WINDHAM, JESSICA LEE, AND JARED MARGOLIS

Model School Kendall-Heaton Associates commissioned a wooden model of the Student Center, which is currently under construction. The Student Center will feature exposed beams, wainscoting, chandeliers and custom hardwood tables and chairs. The construction project, which began in March, is scheduled for completion by August 2015.

O

by Tiffany Yue

ne day in 2003, a bout of sentimentality inspired former trustee Deborah Detering (’59 ) to drive off with a car full of limestone.

The pieces had been discarded during Quadrangle reconstruction and were headed for landfill.

“I ended up having the workers set the old limestone aside and using it in a new ranch house,” Detering said. “I just took whatever I could carry and the rest they threw in the trash.”

Farish Hall, better known as the Quadrangle building, was designed by Hiram A. Salisbury. It includes the oldest section of the school—the headmaster’s office. When alumni learned of the renovation plan, many bristled at the idea of losing a place where they had made so many memories.

“I think they wanted to make sure that when they walked into that space, it would retain its sense of integrity,” Headmaster Mark Desjardins said. “That’s where a lot of the tension was: the feeling of this wonderfully sacred space to us.”

Detering was the only trustee to vote against tearing the old building down, and her firmness for tradition earned her a seat on the building committee.

Detering is fond of quoting the late Jim

Elkins, former trustee and chairman, who hoped that students would return to campus and say they never realized the quad had two floors.

“I want the addition to feel like it belongs, and I think we did that,” Detering said. “There have been different compromises in money and function, but we want the new building to feel like the old one.

There’s a simplicity in the plaster walls and lines that set a tone for learning and education.”

HISTORY AND INFLUENCES

Current construction has rekindled the issue of maintaining tradition through architecture.

Alan Lake Chidsey, the school’s first headmaster, helped guide the initial efforts of St. John’s in 1946 with the hope of establishing a high-quality educational institution in Houston. Out of that vision developed an architectural style reminiscent of Oxford, Cambridge and Eastern prep schools.

“Oxford is obviously the epitome of academia. When the founders of SJS started building they kept that in mind,” art and architecture teacher Dan Havel said.

The first structure built was Farish Hall, later remodeled to include a second floor.

P5 Get to know new Head of Upper School, Hollis Amley

NEWS..................2 FEATURES...........4

CULTURE.............8 IN FOCUS..........10

The Hall, or Quadrangle, encompasses one of the school’s quintessential features—the so-called storied cloisters.

Cloisters are a feature of “monastic architecture where they have an open garden area surrounded by a covered portico where the monks could do their walking meditation and sitting in the garden,” Havel said.

The original plans for the building also drew influence from cultural circumstances.

“This was during the late 40s and 50s in Houston, and there was segregation going on,” Havel said. “They had designed this new building to accommodate the school’s African-American staff.”

The segregated bathrooms were omitted in later plans.

“A lot of people don’t know that many faculty lived on campus where the English rooms are now,” football coach Stobie Whitmore (’68) said. “The current technology area was also an apartment.”

SJS eventually moved away from on-campus faculty accommodation.

Despite the changes, the campus location itself has always been designated for education. “[Mitchell] Westheimer came here in the late 1860s, and he built his house and a school for his 16 kids at and around this

Center ‘Fish are friends, not food’: Seniors help their

freshman siblings navigate SJS seas

P7

BEYOND............13 SPORTS.............14

OPINIONS..........17 ODD & ENDS......19

property,” Dean Stephen Popp said. “It’s kind of neat that there’s been an institution of education at the intersection since the late 1800s.”

DESIGN PROCESS

Fast forward to December 2010. The Board of Trustees and key administrators chose two firms, Curtis & Windham Architects and Kendall-Heaton Associates, to design the Student Center, which will sit atop the site of the former Winston building.

Curtis & Windham is renowned for their traditional architectural designs.

“We are well-versed in the language of that particular style of architecture,” project manager Mark Ofield said. “We felt that [with Kendall-Heaton] each firm had strengths to bring as a team, so we went in as a joint venture.”

In their initial presentation, the team stood apart from others because their sketches showed consistency with the rest of the school.

“They would argue that the original building [Farish Hall] should be the thesis statement, or the DNA sample, that should run throughout the entire school,” Desjardins said.

Continued on Page 3

(81) Days of Summer

Class Act:

Is summer just another opportunity to pad your resume?

Read extended versions of new teacher profiles

sjsreview.com

@SJS_Review

Online

_thereview

SJS Review

2

NEWS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

New teachers reveal hobbies, fun factoids · La Salle University & University of Edinburgh · English · HISD Administrator, International SOS English teacher in Japan · Ashtanga yoga, painting, writing · “Game of Thrones” and “Doctor Who” · “Harry Potter” · Lived in seven different cities (five international) in the past eight years

Janette Hendrix

· Linfield College & University of Montana · Geometry · Accountant for University of Montana, Business Owner · Outdoor activities · “Blue Bloods” · Has two dogs named Eleanor and Wilma

Danielle Iseli

· Rice University · Spanish · Translator, teacher · Traveling · “Harry Potter” · “NCIS” · She once backpacked across Europe and has been to every European country

Andrea Hanhausen · Vanderbilt University & University of St. Thomas · College Counseling · St. Agnes College Counseling · Reading, traveling, fine dining, Zumba, step aerobics · Books by Malcolm Gladwell and David Sedaris · “The West Wing” · Named after the Bionic Woman, can say the alphabet faster in keyboard order than in alphabetical order

Jamie Kim

College Course(s) Previous Employment Hobbies Favorite TV Shows or Books Fun Fact

News Briefs Construction displaces juniors; SAC seeks solution

Nolan Harris · Rice University · Physics · High School for Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice · Fishing, basketball, weightlifting, spending time with family · “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” “Game of Thrones” and “True Detective” · “Lincoln” by Gore Vidal · Spent his early childhood in Panama

Allyson LaBorde · Vassar, USC & University of Texas · English · Georgetown Day School · Playing with her cats, hiking and cooking · “Ulysses” · Visited Ireland to present a paper in 2007

J. Bailey Duncan · Berry College (Ga.) & Auburn University · History · Darlington School (Rome, Ga.) & American School of El Salvador · Reading, playing tennis, visiting museums · “The West Wing,” “Sherlock,” “Downton Abbey,” “Parks and Rec,” “The Office” and “Mad Men” · Full name is John Bailey Duncan III

Photos by Jared Margolis, Marisa Murillo and Emily Ragauss Reporting by Ashwini Bandi, Emily Chen, Sophia Li, Marisa Murillo, Michael VerMeulen, Dani Yan and Olivia Zhang

Construction Update

JARED MARGOLIS

A Solid Foundation Over the summer the space that will soon be the Student Center underwent a transformation from gargantuan ditch to a steel-frame structure. The space will be home to the new cafeteria, college counseling, admissions and a meeting space to replace W-205.

Throughout construction, the school has done its best to return to normalcy, though a new Junior Country has yet to be created.

“The junior SAC reps met both during last school year and over the summer to design the space and work out the logistics and details of Junior Country,” Junior Class President Joseph Hanson said.

Junior SAC representatives and Dean Stephen Popp were even able to agree upon a location for Junior Country “The area adjacent to the art trailer was selected as the junior space,” Hanson said.

However, the lack of possible backup options for Junior Country began to create problems when the library underwent construction over the summer.

“Because of the extended repair work on the library roof, the area allocated for Junior Country is currently occupied with construction equipment,” Hanson said. “SAC and the administration have been working in tandem to devise a solution.”

Chapel retains continuity amid leadership changes

Following Reverend Greg Han’s departure, students should expect to see no difference in Chapel.

“Before [Rev.Han] left at the end of last year, we planned out this year with the new Guild leadership, and I don’t think the Upper School will notice any changes in the Chapel program,” said Chapel Guild Sponsor Scott Bonasso.

“The groundwork conceptualizing of Chapel is done by the students.”

Chapel Guild has plans for the year that include a diverse group of speakers and topics, but with similar formatting.

“We’ve found a good groove, and that will not be disturbed by Reverend Han’s departure,” Bonasso said.

“It’s business as usual, and we’re off to a good start.”

Cafeteria relocates to gym; student reaction varies

Construction has forced students to utilize the gym and Big Red as a makeshift cafeteria. The response to the move has been varied.

Sophomore Julian Peavy does not support the change.

“I have to walk farther to eat,” Peavy said.

Other students mourn the loss of the original cafeteria.

“The cafeteria was the best, end of story,” freshman Gracie Jing said.

Still, some students are more open to the new settings and welcomed the move after an initial period of readjustment.

“It took a while to get used to, but it’s great to get a lot of food variety,” said freshman Layo Laniyan.

Compiled by Alexander Kim, Marisa Murillo, Michael VerMeulen and Dani Yan

NEWS

3

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Desire for educational atmosphere influences design Programming & pre-design phase

Jan ‘11 April ’11

Dec ‘10

Schematic design pricing by contractor

Architects Interviewed and selected

Design development pricing by contractor

Sept ‘11

May ‘11 Aug ’11 Schematic design phase

Final Construction Pricing

July ‘13

March ‘13 June ’13 Design

development phase

Construction complete

March ‘14

Aug ‘13 Jan ’14

Construction documents phase

Aug ‘15

March ‘14 Building permit received; Start of construction

MATTHEW NEAL

KEY GREEN Architect selection process BLUE Design development ORANGE Early construction stage RED Final stage

Continued from Front Page

consider what are all the relationships between each of these functions. You Another concern for the student don’t want the front door right next center is coherence between the to the dumpster.” building Design development began in “The new building responds to the March 2013. existing heights of Farish Hall and “We met every two weeks in the the Science and Library building, conference room off Dr. Desjardin’s while the larger mass of dining hall is office,” Driskill said. “Many different strategically placed within appropripeople gathered to review item by ately sized roof masses to complement item various details and components. the surrounding residential neighThere are many less glamorous parts borhood,” project manager Michael of the design process, like ‘where does Driskill said. the grease trap go for the Schematic design kitchen?’”

SJS felt like an began in mid-2011.

Architects and board institution of During this phase, members spent hundreds architects focused on learning; it didn’t of hours discussing the balancing the initial seem like some ambience of the space. layout with what “It’s amazing how much vacuous space those in the industry input and clear conceptucall “programming.” that you could just al direction [Desjardins] get lost in.”

“When you’re in had,” Curtis and Windham the project programDean Popp principal architect Russell ming phase, you ask Windham said. “He knows questions about the future contents of what it should be. It’s been really the building,” Ofield said. “We want interesting to work with him. ” storage, offices for college placement The Student Center will feature a and admissions, fine arts classrooms fireplace, chandeliers and hardwood and so on. You’re trying to identify tables. Preceding research for the how many varying functions need to project included the study of instigo on inside the building and then tutions including Rice, Yale, Oxford

“

and Cambridge.

“In the architects’ presentation, they advanced this quad concept that quintessential 16th and 17th century English and East Coast schools were modeled after,” Desjardins said. “We wanted to keep that footprint here as well.”

Construction began in March 2014 and is scheduled for completion in August 2015.

A SENSE OF PLACE

School spaces have a tradition of transcending simple utility to leave lasting impressions on those who work, learn and grow here. Popp believes that the elements of the building combine to create a unique sense of place.

“I used to teach in a public school built during the 70s energy crisis.

There were no windows, although there was a pond—a concrete looking pond,” Popp said. “I remember coming in [to SJS] and looking at the circle. It felt like an institute of learning; it didn’t seem like some vacuous space that you could just get lost in.”

For others, the grand spaces of SJS were intimidating.

“When I interviewed here in ’95, I had to go through these big oak doors next to the fireplace into a room full of more oak,” Havel said. “All I could think was ‘Oh my god.’ Everything kind of reeked of that private school world, but when I met the headmaster [John Allman] he was great.

Instead of asking about my teaching abilities, he asked about my art, and that told me a lot about this school.”

Many others find comfort in the familiarity of the school’s design.

“My wife grew up in New England,” Desjardins said. “When she came here, she said this was the first school in the Southwest she’d seen that felt like a typical New England school.”

The architectural tradition of the school remains focused on the balance of collegiate grandeur with the intimacy of what many consider a second home.

“The feeling of the architecture and buildings is important—where you go every day impacts who you will be,” Detering said. “I think that feeling is important to education.”

Additional reporting by Brooke Kushwaha

Alum brings new life to old Quad fixtures Slate from a blackboard in between wood

Limestone from the original Quad exterior

Reuse, Recycle Detering reused the light fixtures from the front of Farish Hall among other architectural refurbishments.

Flooring from the Quad before renovation COURTESY PHOTO

by Tiffany Yue

Deborah Detering (‘59) graduated more than 50 years ago, yet she experiences SJS architecture on a nearly weekly basis.

During the Quad reconstruction that began in 2003, Detering salvaged discarded limestone, lighting fixtures, drains, doors, floor tiles and a fireplace mantle.

“I saw something that I was attached to being thrown away,” Detering said.

She was on the building committee and argued for keeping original hardware and building features.

“She cares about that kind of thing.

She tried to keep the old feel of the place,” Detering’s daughter, French teacher and Review adviser Shelley Stein (’88) said.

Detering incorporated these materials into her ranch home, which was undergoing construction at the time. The limestone went towards the home exterior and a screen porch fireplace.

“I tried to replicate the pattern,” she said.

Her ranch reflects the Quad’s bygone days.

“I loved the architectural hardware all over the school,” Detering said.

“The lighting fixtures are unique with their art-deco circles.”

Detering often invites her friends and family, who also include Middle School history teacher Gordon Center, Detering’s son-in-law.

“I hosted my class’s 50th reunion there,” Detering said. “And anybody

who has been to SJS always wants to take the tour to see all the things from the school.”

For Detering,the architecture has surpassed its physical qualities to attain a spiritual one. “[The Quad] is beautiful, endowed with a sense of the ages, of safety and character and has a solid foundation that I can feel,” Detering said. “The original quad building has a part of my soul in it, and it will always be a part of me.”

4

NEWS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

CAMPUS SECURITY

Amid privacy concerns, cameras provide watchful eye

In Case of Emergency Security cameras are in place to help ensure the safety of students and faculty during times of crisis.

JARED MARGOLIS

by Gabe Malek and Christopher Zimmerman

Though not as malicious as The HAL 9000 Computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the new security cameras installed in classrooms provide an omnipresent eye throughout the school.

INTENTION IS PROTECTION

Although many students are unsure about why the cameras were installed, the administration and security personnel claim that cameras are solely in place for protecting the community from on-campus predators.

“I am more concerned with the safety of students and faculty than the occasional theft,” said Richard Still, Head of Security. “Both are my job but safety is my primary concern. It is the goal of the headmaster and all the faculty that the students are in a safe and secure learning environment.

The cameras help us accomplish those goals.”

Headmaster Mark Desjardins does not foresee cameras affecting the proceedings of potential honor trials.

“The purpose of the cameras is to be able to monitor where faculty and students are in the event of a lockdown,” Desjardins said. “We want to walk softly but carry a big stick. [The cameras’ use in honor trials] is not the intention of the cameras nor is it what the use will be.”

A security incident in 2012 involving one of Desjardins’ friends caused him to consider installing cameras.

“You start to get into the mindset that it can’t happen here, but I had a friend who was the head of school at the Episcopal School of Jackson-

ville, and she was shot and killed by a disgruntled employee in her office,” Desjardins said.

The cameras do not constantly monitor student behavior and activity.

“It is not feasible for somebody to monitor the cameras constantly; we are not monitoring the cameras unless we are on lockdown,” Still said. “The recordings are only kept for a limited time until the storage overwrites.”

Desjardins sent an email to teachers before school convened, which explained the reasoning behind the camera installation.

“The email acknowledged that the cameras would be put in place, explaining that yes, he knew it looked Orwellian and that it was unfortunate, but [the intention was to] keep the school secure,” English teacher Ruth Bellows said. “If a predator is on campus, then he or she can be found quickly. [Administrators] explained that [the cameras] are not watching us, but that they are watching out for us, and I think that helped.”

Neither lower nor middle school classrooms have cameras yet, and other local private schools like Episcopal and Kinkaid have yet to take similar security measures.

Some students wish that the administration had been more transparent with students about the new security measures.

“I don’t think many people actually care about the cameras once they find out their true intention,” freshman Ben Cohen said. “If the administration had told people the reason behind the cameras at the beginning of the year, I don’t think anyone would have an issue with them.”

The administration focused on

informing faculty to control the information released.

“We did not really consider telling the students,” Desjardins said. “I think we want to be sensitive about sending out emails and publishing our response plan.”

Senior Hannah Tyler thinks that students should have also received an email from the administration.

“There’s definitely an information asymmetry between the administration and the students, and I for one feel like I don’t know much about what’s going on. Maybe that’s my fault, but I feel like there’s a bit of a wall between us,” Tyler said.

Administration and security stress that the cameras’ primary use is for security.

“If a teacher comes to me with something that is questionable, I will run it through the headmaster’s office, and Mr. Desjardins will have the final say,” Still said.

SAFETY FIRST

Although there has been some backlash against the new safety measures, many students appreciate the precautions.

“It can’t hurt to have more security, and it seems like they are just a preventative measure,” junior Hannah Curtis said.

Junior Jordan McLemore-Moon welcomes additional precautions after his laptop was stolen during the previous school year.

“If anything, I feel more secure in knowing that whatever is left in the hall when we all go to chapel or lunch has video footage to cover it,” McLemore-Moon said on a Facebook post.

Many students consider cameras beneficial as long as they are only used for security purposes.

“I don’t really care about them. I know they aren’t going to be watching every move we’re making. If it makes the school safer, I’m fine with it,” junior Nick Vogeley said.

BIG BROTHER

Some members of the community feel that the cameras are invasive.

An anonymous submission to the SJS Confessions Facebook page said, “Can we talk about the complete lack of privacy at St. John’s? We claim to pride ourselves on the Honor Code, but we have cameras at every corner of the institution. I get that safety is important, but where do you draw the line?”

Others echo the sentiments expressed in the confession.

“The honor code is a big part of the way the school is structured. The students trust the teachers and the teachers trust the students. If the teachers and administration don’t trust the students anymore, is there a point to having the honor code?”

Tyler said.

Some teachers were also originally uncomfortable with the cameras.

“I think most teachers react with some anxiety, either because there’s this sense of being watched and therefore having the intimacy of our classrooms being invaded or because it suggests that the world that we live in isn’t safe,” Bellows said.

“So it’s two sides; one, I don’t like people in my face, and two, I don’t like the thought that we have to do this to make sure that everybody is protected.”

Behind the shades: Walking the beat with new security team

by Amy Liu

The security guards aren’t just men strolling on campus in sunglasses with walkie-talkies; their ranks include a man who wanted to be a policeman since childhood, an Iraq veteran, and an artist and former entrepreneur.

New Head of Security, Richard Still, decided that he would work in law enforcement when he was only five. On his 18th birthday, Still flew to Fort McClellan, Alabama, for military police officer training.

“The military is all about disciplining every aspect of your life, whether it’s your honesty, your sleeping habits or your diet,” Still said. “It’s like living at school.”

One of Still’s most memorable incidents was guarding the bathroom for 12 hours as punishment for disrespecting a general. The general was removing a bicycle from a flagpole while Still thought he was actually raising the bicycle onto the flagpole.

When Still attempted to thwart his efforts, the general took him to the marshal’s office for disciplinary action.

“He didn’t have his ID and wore boxer shorts, so I couldn’t tell,” Still said. “But when a sergeant stood at attention and saluted when he walked in the office, I knew I was in trouble.”

He then worked garrison duty in Fort Lee, Virginia, and Homestead, Florida, before joining the Houston

Police Department at age 20 and staying there for 33 years.

“Not in two consecutive days have I ever regretted doing this,” Still said.

Still’s times of regret were when he witnessed the death penalty in action.

“We’re forced to see or do things that others don’t have to be exposed to,” Still said.

Oklahoma native Cody Scott has been a police officer for three years and started working for SJS in the spring. He served in the Iraq for two years as part of the Air Force.

“When I got back, I realized how well off the people in this country are to have the freedom to choose what we want to do,” Scott said. “We utilize this privilege on a daily basis.”

Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston University and is now working towards his doctorate degree.

“Criminal justice teaches you about the theories behind laws and what purpose they serve,” Scott said.

Ricky Flakes has patrolled SJS for two years. He previously experimented in medical and business careers. He attempted to start an online-based retail company.

He said, “After my business didn’t work out, this seemed to be the best option, and overall it’s more fun.”

SJS 5-0 Security Head Richard Still directs carpool.

Still joins the security team after 33 years with HPD.

AUSTIN ZHANG

FEATURES

5

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

AIMING HIGH

Amley artfully oversees campus-wide changes

H

by Oliver Ruhl

ollis Amley knew a thing or two about SJS long before she decided to apply for the job.

“I first heard about St. John’s from a college friend during an art history class,” Amley said.

Amley rediscovered the school almost by accident, originally applying for a position at a different Houston school.

“My cousin, who lives in Houston, told me about an available leadership position in town, and the timing was right, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring,” Amley said.

Amley considered looking around for other positions in Houston but ultimately decided against it.

“The agency conducting the search for St. John’s contacted me about the St. John’s opening about a week later,” Amley said. “The opportunity found me, I suppose.”

Amley initially admired the school because of the inherent civic focus of the Mission Statement.

“St. John’s feels a lot like an East Coast school, particularly with the quad and the architectural style, which makes me feel at home,” Amley said. “After meeting teachers and students, as well as sitting in on classes, I knew St. John’s was a good fit.”

Amley is ready to take on all her responsibilities as the new Head of Upper School, including shepherding the school through construction and the potential demographic growth as the Upper School grows by 100 students over the next four years.

“I love conducting change, and I think change is something that you can do well or poorly,” Amley said. “I want St. John’s to go

ANNA CAUTHORN

Art in motion Hollis Amley discusses Discobolus, a Greek statue of a discus thrower, in her senior art history class. As Upper School Head, Amley will usher the school through the ongoing construction process.

through the growing pains as gracefully as possible so we can become an even stronger school at the end of it all.”

Not only does Amley guide the school, she also teaches an art history class despite admitting to having hated museums as a kid.

“My parents were always lovers of the arts, but often when we visited a museum, it felt like we were trying to conquer it,” Amley said. “When I was little, I always associated art with sore feet.”

A high school humanities class with a focus on art history changed her perspective.

“I felt like I had put on glasses. The details and narratives of paintings started to make sense,” Amley said.

Amley has worked not only at coed schools but also at The Browning

School in New York City, an all-boys college preparatory school.

“A boys’ school is a lot louder,” Amley said. “I remember arriving to school early every day so I could gradually get used to the noise every morning as students filtered in” Amley introduced a history of art class at Browning and took students on field trips to nearby museums.

“We were right next to Museum Mile, so a lot of times we would take a quick field trip to look at the art we were studying and then go back in time for the students’ next class.”

Teaching at a boys’ school nuanced Amley’s approach to teaching.

“I was able to see a broader spectrum of masculinity as they reacted to the classroom curriculum, which is often not seen when the opposite gender is in the room. I also began

to present my course information in the ways which seemed to get the boys’ attention–I incorporated more photographs, maps, charts, graphs and visual resources,” she said.

Amley enjoys spending her free moments traveling, cooking and spending time with her three nephews, who live in Houston.

“I can only make a mean stick-figure, so cooking is one way I can express myself artistically,” she said.

Amley has a passion for discovering new cities.

“I love figuring it all out, everything from traffic and routes to meeting new people and learning the dynamics of a school,” Amley said.

Amley looks forward not only to spending time in the city but also working with a new group of students.

“The students at St. John’s do not take it for granted that they are at this school–they are appreciative of having the opportunity to learn here.

The faculty are renowned leaders in their fields, and the students know and understand the weight of that.”

Although Amley values the many extracurricular opportunities offered at SJS, she urges students to relish the little joys of each day.

“Students can do a lot of different things, but it’s okay to just enjoy learning and enjoy the school.”

For Amley, striking a balance between tradition and change in the upcoming years is essential.

“I want to lead in such a way that respects the tradition while also accommodating the inevitable changes, physically and demographically.”

The most significant new change will come in the form of the Student Center, which, according to Amley, “will create a new, strong cohesion in the student body, particularly after a year of construction and the inevitable disruption that accompanies it.”

New in Town Head of Upper School Hollis Amley greets juniors Phoebe Myers and Alex Ainbinder as she adjusts to her surroundings.

JARED MARGOLIS

6

FEATURES

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

SUMMER JOBS

Students weigh payment vs. career training

By the #s

by Cara Maines

F

by Cara Maines

or some students, summer meant memorizing menus, doing laundry for Major League Baseball players or decorating sundaes.

While many students dipped their toes into the professional world with internships and academic camps, others spent the summer gaining exposure to work through minimum wage jobs.

Junior Omar Stocks chose to work at Mediterranean restaurant Skewers after findAt the Gap, everyone was at least ing himself with free time ten years older than while doing lab research.

“My parents were dining me, so they were there and they got into conall surprised that I versation with the owner,” Stocks said. “He didn’t even worked there.” know me, but he offered me Julia Moody a job.”

Junior Julia Moody applied to several jobs before starting work at The Gap and gelato shop Paciugo.

“I just wanted any summer job,” Moody said. “I applied to probably over 20 places, but most of them didn’t get back to me, or I was too young.”

Requirements for job applications varied. Moody completed her applications online and called back potential employers frequently.

Once students started working, they were often tasked with additional duties.

“

AMY LIU

“My least favorite part was memorizing the menu,” Stocks said. “They say you should eat everything. The more you know it, the more you can recommend food to the customers. It really just makes your life easier.”

Juniors Jeffrey Paine and Prentiss Havens worked as ball boys for the Houston Astros. They helped players warm up before games, replenished the dugout with Powerade and sunflower seeds and did laundry. They still work weekends during the school year.

“My favorite part was being in the clubhouse and getting to know the players. Some outfielders I got to warm up were Josh Hamilton, Yoenis Cespedes, Robbie Grossman, Marc Krauss and L.J. Hoes,” Paine said.

“They are really fun to interact with.”

Though Paine had some co-workers his own age, others did not.

“At the Gap, everyone was at least ten years older than me, so they were all surprised that I worked there,” Moody said.

Stocks also was the youngest employee at his job.

“My youngest co-worker was probably in college. They were mostly in grad school or even past that,” Stocks said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 51.9 percent of students aged 16 to 24 nationwide worked in July. According to a Review Online poll, roughly 22 percent of SJS stu-

dents who voted worked in paid jobs this summer.

“Most kids at St. John’s are not struggling for money. For a lot of kids, a paid job is a necessity,” said sophomore Matthew Fastow, who worked without pay as a swim coach at the Briar Club. “It’s a lot more beneficial for your future to get an internship in your ideal field of work than to spend eight hours a day doing busy work.”

Many students opt for internships rather than paying jobs, choosing learning and experience in a professional field over monetary gain.

“Internships can give students experience in a real-world working environment. It provides you resources unavailable during the school year to pursue and explore your interests,” said junior Lillian Chen, who interned at an insurance brokerage firm.

“It allows students to do something worthwhile in their summer and meet new, interesting people.”

While Stocks said he will most likely spend his money on gas and Moody has put all hers in a savings account, Paine plans on “giving some, spending some and saving some.”

Yet not all summer jobs yield equal rewards.

“I got paid minimum wage for waiters, which is two dollars an hour, and I got to keep my tips,” Stocks said.

“So I worked 100 hours and made 400 dollars.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 51.9 percent of 16-to-24 year-olds, or 20.1 million youth, were employed this summer. A Review Online poll shows that roughly 22 percent of SJS students worked in paid jobs this summer.

July is usually the peak month for youth summer jobs. The percent of youth who worked this July increased by 1.2 percent from July 2013, but summer jobs for teens have been on a decline since before 2000.

The number of employed youth during July has declined by 25.6 percent since 1989. Though the percent of employed youth at SJS is below the national average, it represents the decline in summer jobs for teenagers across America.

Teenagers ages 18-19 are more likely to be employed than those ages 16-17.

In Texas, people over the age of 16 are subject to most of the same laws as adults regarding employment, though they are not allowed to work in occupations deemed hazardous by the Department of Labor.

Additional restrictions protect 14-and-15-year-olds, including limits on hours, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

Teenagers are typically paid minimum wage, $7.25 per hour.

However, for the first 90 days of employment, which accounts for the entirety most summer jobs, employers are legally allowed to pay them the youth minimum wage, starting at $4.25 per hour.

Most students who work during the summer are employed in the leisure and hospitality, retail trade, or education and health services industries.

The Monthly Labor Review suggested that school is the primary cause behind declining rates of summer youth employment.

College admissions pressure has caused some teens to take extra classes during the summer instead of working, while some high schools offer incentives for summer community service. The rise in unpaid internships for teens and competition for jobs from adults are other factors in this decline.

FEATURES

7

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

ALL IN THE FAMILY

School of Fish The Jaggis, above, run cross country together. While some sibilings like the Kramers, below left, seek each other out at school, the Jacksons keep a safe distance on campus.

separate spheres.

After Sachin joined his brother on the cross-country team this year, Akshay lamented, “I thought I had freedom.” Cross country formerly provided an outlet for Akshay not to have to worry about Sachin for a few hours at a time.

Despite the challenges high school might bring, siblings look out for each other.

“I’ve got faith in him. Someday he’s gonna be the CEO of a big company,

SOPHIA LI

O

n a Tuesday morning at 4:50 a.m., freshman Sachin Jaggi is startled awake by his brother Akshay.

Akshay’s big-brother duties include waking Sachin up for cross-country practice, taking him to school and helping him with geometry homework.

Akshay and Sachin are one of 18 freshman and senior sibling pairs this year. Most enjoy taking part in activities together and relating to similar problems.

Sarah and Grace Hansen attended cheer camp together and support the Mavericks from the sidelines.

Amanda and Cara Wolff play field hockey together and plan to manage the boys’ soccer team.

Freshmen enjoy certain perks from having senior siblings. While Cara relies on Amanda to guide her through the labyrinthine hallways, Ian Toubin appreciated finding out about the stash of mints at the Parent’s Desk and other helpful hints from his sister Josie.

“I told him about going to Whataburger, how everyone does pots and pans, described freshman hallway and how it’s such a pain,” Josie said. “Also Episcopal week—in middle school they don’t realize we get shirts and stuff for it.”

Seniors also aid their younger siblings in their academic pursuits. Sarah advises Grace to take classes seriously and tutors her in several subjects.

“I wish I would’ve had a fresh start, but it’s also nice to know all the teachers,” Grace said. “It’s nice to have someone to help you when you need it.”

Aside from academics, having a senior sibling can have social consequences.

“Considering that my brother runs cross country, he sees most of my friends on a daily basis. He loiters when my friends are over,” Akshay said.

For Cara Wolff, having a senior sibling has led to romantic hijinks.

Her sister Amanda and senior Sarah Dyer, whose younger brother is a freshman at Episcopal, have conspired on two separate occasions to get their younger siblings to go on dates.

“Nothing’s ever going to happen between us,” Cara said.

But some seniors feel that the age gap prevents social interaction at school.

“I’m three years older than she is,” Sarah said. “We’re interested in different things.”

Sachin claims that Akshay plays an almost patriarchal role in his life, hinting at the unique dynamic in such disparate developmental periods.

“Akshay is the dad of our household,” Sachin said.

At school, siblings interact differently. While some decide that they see enough of each other at home, others enjoy their time together at school.

“Now I can park in Senior Lot and walk with [Ian] to school,” Josie said.

“I also like seeing him in the hallways and get really excited whenever I do.”

Luke and Jordan Kramer make time to talk to each other at school.

“We actively seek each other out,” Jordan said. “He came in after my science test to check up on me.”

The Jaggis also have a special high five that they begin by saying, “Slide me some suga’!”

Some sibling pairs have an edge to their relationships.

“We have a competition to see who can get the highest grades on each subject,” Luke said.

Others lament the loss of living in

JARED MARGOLIS

by Anna Cauthorn and Inaara Malick

JARED MARGOLIS

18 senior sibs help ‘fish’ navigate new waters

and I’m going to be living in my parents’ garage,” Akshay said. “So I need to be nice to him right now.”

Having a senior sibling does involve certain expectations for freshmen and might prevent them from carving out their own path. The challenge lies in creating a unique identity.

Sachin realizes that, for now, he will be living in his brother’s shadow.

“I plan to make my own legacy,” Sachin said.

by Michael VerMeulen

When exchange student Anna Szinyei learned that she was leaving her hometown of Münster, Germany, to come to Houston for an entire school year, she tried to get over her initial disappointment.

“Growing up, my vision of visiting the United States was of going to the East Coast and staying in places like New York City,” Szinyei said. “I was surprised that my student exchange program ASSIST (American Secondary Schools for International Students and Teachers) placed me in Houston, which I had only barely heard of while living in Münster.”

After arriving in Houston a few days before the school year started, Szinyei immediately took to the city after observing its differences from her hometown.

“Houston is incredibly fascinating,” Szinyei said. “In Germany, cities have a very different layout and style. They have a main center and villages surrounding it. In Houston, everything is spread out and the city seems even

larger. There is so much to do and see that I really want to experience while I am here this year.”

Partaking in an exchange student program was not a sudden decision on Szinyei’s part. The idea had been formulated for a long time.

“From the time that I was in sixth grade, it had always been a dream of mine to become an exchange student,” Szinyei said. “Only seeing my small part of the world wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted to see the whole world and leave my comfort zone. Becoming an exchange student was the best way.”

Szinyei has not only adjusted to a new environment but also to the rigors of American education.

“At my school, homework is not considered nearly as important,” Szinyei said. “While I always do my homework, others feel that it is useless or that it is not important to one’s overall grades. At SJS, homework is one of the main ways that a person learns the material.”

Socially, Szinyei has felt welcomed.

“The first day, I was quite nervous

and felt a little isolated because of the newness of this school,” Szinyei said. “However, everybody has been incredibly kind to me. People have offered to hang out with me and take car rides with them, and I have made friends with many people. I really feel accepted here, even after only a short amount of time.”

Szinyei’s host family, sophomore Arisa Sadeghpour and parents David Sadeghpour and Rozita Mesbah, have observed her smooth adjustment to life away from home.

“She is very excited to be here and wants to experience it fully,” Sadeghpour said. “She is amazed by size of the city and its amenities. She is also trying to adjust to our hot weather climate and has done very well so far.”

Sadeghpour and Mesbah were inspired to volunteer for the ASSIST exchange student program in order to host students like Szinyei.

“We were excited to make it possible for a student to have exposure to our great city, SJS and American culture,” Sadeghpour said. “We hope that this experience will follow her for the rest of her life and be beneficial to to her and others around her. We also feel that it will be a positive learning process for our family, and we can learn from Anna’s cultural heritage and the way of living in her country.”

Szinyei has already made an impression upon the community.

“Anna is great and has embraced SJS so far,” junior Jennifer Trieschman said. “Some friends and I decided to take her out on the first weekend after school and had no idea what to expect, but she fit right in.”

Guten Tag Exchange student Anna Szinyei adjusts to U.S. education and culture. Szinyei, 15, is taking junior-level classes.

MARISA MURILLO

For German exchange student, ‘Seeing my small part of the world wasn’t good enough’

8

CULTURE

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Exploring hidden treasures of our ‘cultural capital’

by Ben Bieser So who is this poseur (who even has the gall to spell ‘poser’ like someone who would break into a rambling parenthetical in the first sentence of his first article) professing to possess an understanding of the term ‘culture’ enough to accept the title of Culture Columnist for a high school newspaper? I guess it’s me. Or I. Whatever.

As I like to remind people, I have worked at Cactus Music, an independent record store, for two summers in a row. There, my good-natured co-workers opened me up to another side of knowledge than what I’d accumulated at St. John’s.

A greater cultural education awaited me at Cactus, from Alejandro Zambra’s Bonsai to the new Protomartyr record, a gritty iteration of Detroit post-punk.

Other cultural highlights of this summer included a show by Swans, a band with unquestionable prescience and viscerality. To give you a better idea, the venue cut the air conditioner to magnify the “intensity” of the experience. Most in the crowd wore earplugs. If you like loud, check them out; if not, steer clear.

Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” stood as an epic and thought-provok-

ing piece of cinematic art that was 12 years in the making.

As for the literally tangible, the Soto Summer installation at the Museum of Fine Art was an Instagram classic, a provocateur of the not-so-original “obligatory insta” post.

Suffice it to say, summer here was packed with things to do and absorb, and I challenge you, reader, to make use of the cultural capital at our disposal.

For many of us, Houston is a daunting, sprawling and decidedly unattractive city. Certain parts are littered with cheap stucco strip malls, poorly poured asphalt and wretched office buildings that would fit seamlessly into some underdeveloped Soviet bloc (see: St. John’s Middle School).

But this line of thinking (one that has dominated my views for most of my life) only constrains and dissatisfies.

It is instead much better to cultivate an appreciation of the swooping live oaks at the Menil Park, the welcoming lawn at Discovery Green, the twinkling luminosity of the Medical Center. That is a more nuanced and rewarding perspective.

Houston is the fourth largest city in the US as well as a cultural epicenter, and in future columns I hope to discuss some events, ideas and issues that might resonate with you.

Ideally, I’ll be able to highlight (and

TIFFANY YUE

Flying Spaghetti Monster Visitors flocked to “Soto: The Houston Penetrable” over the summer at the Museum of Fine Arts. The installation featured 24,000 hand-painted PVC tubes suspended from the ceiling two stories high. Jesús Rafael Soto’s final work was one of the few he created for an indoor setting.

you’ll be able to discuss with me in the hallways or the Review comments section) more specific upcoming events in Houston as well as some fascinating music trends and developments within the multidimensional, macrocosmic threads of the great

Class of 2015

COME FLY WITH US THIS SUMMER!

www.ThirdRockEurope.com

Contact ThirdRockMarty@gmail.com

cultural forum we call the Internet.

This is exciting for me, and I sincerely hope you guys will appreciate some new perspectives on music, film, art and the gelatinous, abstract mass of ideas constitute our culture.

CULTURE

9

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

THINK INK

Tattoo, piercing trends leave mark on student body

A

by Brooke Kushwaha

mid rigid private school dress regulations, alumna Stacie Dudley (‘14) found a way to sport ten piercings.

“I get them because I like the look, and I think piercings are cool,” Dudley said via instant message.

The student handbook prohibits girls from wearing non-ear piercings and boys from piercings altogether.

The regulations back up the existent stigma against multiple piercings, but trends in student fashion show an evolving perception of body modification.

“Piercings, like tattoos, are getting a lot more popular in our generation.

When my dad was a kid, only sailors and criminals Eventually, we’ll had tattoos,” Dudley be running companies said.

Although most of her with the tattoos we piercings technically fit got in our twenties. in with the dress code, They’re becoming Dudley also wore an normalized.” often-concealed septum nose piercing as a Stacie Dudley student.

“When I say I have ten piercings, people are usually surprised because they don’t actively see them,” Dudley said. “Half of the time I get a new ear piercing, nobody notices.”

Double piercings are a popular addition to the standard lobe-piercing, inserted into the softer part of the ear. Cartilage piercings generally pierce the upper curled parts above the lobe.

Senior McKenna Gessner got a double piercing after admiring those of her friends.

“I just liked the look. Most of my friends outside of school have piercings, so I don’t see it as rebellious, just more of a matter of taste,” Gessner said.

“Personally, I don’t like tattoos, but it’s easy for me to get a piercing because I know I can take it out.”

The growing popularity of multiple ear piercings lies in their lack of commitment, especially in the context of today’s disposable fashion society, with trends that come

“

and go over the course of months.

Senior Valentina Diaz does not belabor her piercings.

“If I ever feel like getting one, I just sort of get one. I’m more likely to get piercings than a tattoo because you can take them out. If I ever got a tattoo, it would have to be very meaningful,” said Diaz, who wears two double piercings and a cartilage piercing on her right ear.

Another temporary method of body art is henna, a reddish-brown dye used in some cultures to make intricate, symbolic tattoos that wear off in several weeks. Henna tattoos have been featured in many African and South Asian traditions and are now surfacing as an indie fashion trend.

“I think it’s awesome because who wants a tattoo that can stay forever? It’s all natural, so it doesn’t do any damage to your body either,” senior Aanie Phillips said. “There are definitely people who take it out of its cultural context, but I don’t think it can be owned by only one culture.

Even at the rodeo there are people doing henna, and I totally support it.”

Although students praise henna for short term convenience, junior Yousef Gaber plans to inscribe a permanent ink version of his own design.

“I wouldn’t get a tattoo unless

it has meaning, but for my brother’s wedding I got a henna design that I want to have made permanent. I also want a tattoo of a feather on my foot because in Egyptian lore a feather is what you weigh your heart against to get into the afterlife,” Gaber said.

While the tattoos of yesteryear feature aesthetics most similar to Ed Hardy, a Californian artist inspired by classical Japanese tattoos, innovations like watercolor tattoos, which imitate abstract paintbrush designs, and tattoo minimalism correspond to an expanding demographic. Blogging sites like Tumblr and Pinterest also circulate new trends in tattoo fashion faster than ever before.

“I think the accessibility has grown to meet the demand,” senior Eleanor-Day Kornberg said. “Like anything, tattoos are a form of self-expression, and these forms evolve. The minimalism of many of the tattoos I’ve seen recently may correspond with fashion. Especially when considering how tattoos look with clothing to create a particular look or style.”

The growing popularity of body art challenges its alleged future stigma in the workplace. Most piercings can be removed for an impending job interview, but tattoos, especially in conspicuous places, still may draw

controversy among employers.

“It depends on the piercing, but for instance, I was just opening a bank account and the teller had a nostril piercing and a lip piercing,” Dudley said. Eventually, we’ll be running companies with the tattoos we got in our twenties. They’re becoming normalized.”

Some students regard tattoos as their own art form, contrary to older generations’ perception. Gaber appreciates tattoos for their symbolic properties.

“I don’t get why people think tattoos are for slobs. My body is a canvas, and I want something so that when I see it, I have a chance to be introspective,” Gaber said. “My sister has a tattoo of a broken obelisk on her back, and it represents all things broken in her life. Whenever she sees it in the mirror, she takes a moment of reflection.”

Body modification coincides with an increase of self-expression and individualism in the millennial generation. Along with selfies, online profiles and viral media, today’s students have found tattoos and piercings to be another utility for personalization.

“More people aren’t as afraid anymore of expressing themselves as a couple of decades ago, where people were more afraid of societal pressure,” Diaz said. “It’s much more acceptable to do what you want.”

MODELING BY MCKENNA GESSNER | DESIGN BY JESSICA LEE

Mod Bod Senior McKenna Gessner sports five ear piercings. Twenty-three percent of teens reportedly have piercings somewhere other than their ear lobes.

10

IN FOCUS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

“I HATE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I DID

OVER THE

SUMMER.”

Senior Andrew Jing gesticulates furiously, recounting tales of his three months free from the daily grind of academia. But they aren’t stories of late nights around a bonfire at wilderness camp or days spent lifeguarding for minimum wage, classic tales of summer ennui to recuperate for the fast-approaching onslaught of schoolwork.

An internship downtown followed by an evening SAT class. Weeks spent researching cancer drugs preceded by a volunteer trip abroad. The typical SJS summer reads like an exercise in resume-building.

“The college process is so competitive that if you don’t do anything in summer you’re going to be a random Billy Joe with decent grades and nothing ‘special’ about you,” said a senior, who wished to remain anonymous. “St. John’s buys into this, but it’s one of those things St. John’s should buy into because it’s a fact of life.”

To get a leg up on their competiton, many students choose to attend a variety of academic camps.

Over the course of three weeks, Jing took college-credit classes at Stanford and wrote a 16-page paper about space policy.

“In my free time I played music and volleyball, but the reality is that I didn’t have much free time,” Jing said.

Some think that sacrificing time off for academic improvement is a worthwhile use of their summer.

“I knew that the summer before my senior year I would have to work,” senior Eugenia Kakadiaris said. “It was the year that I knew I would be most ready to make my decision about whether I wanted to do research in college, and I knew extended exposure would either make it or break it.”

Kakadiaris did research at M.D. Anderson this past summer. Other summers, she attended camps at Yale and Johns Hopkins.

“It’s not completely a vacation but not as pressure-filled as school,”

Kakadiaris said. “You’re learning for sake of learning and seeing what you’re interested in, while in school you can’t do that because you always have an ulterior motive.”

Senior Stephen Wang also conducted summer research at M.D. Anderson. He worked 70 hours a week for nearly the whole summer in Dr. Zhen Fan’s lab, where he tried to find a less toxic and more cost-effective treatment for head and neck cancer.

Wang hopes to submit his research to the Siemens Foundation’s research competition.

“Besides being a well-known competition, I think Siemens is a way for me to get

(81

Story by Rebecca Chen, Gabe Malek and Megan Routbort Additional reporting by Iris Cronin, Brooke Kushwaha and Irene Vazquez

feedback from professionals and see if there’s any way I can improve my researching methods,” Wang said.

Wang did not conduct his research to impress universities.

“College has been on my mind, but it hasn’t been the deciding factor in anything. I put in a lot of effort in the lab because I really like it, not just because I want to get into a good college,” Wang said. “Dr. Fan gave me a wonderful opportunity, and what fueled me through the grueling summer was the possibility of discovering a little piece of knowledge that I can say I contributed to.”

Students also explored career options at camps.

Junior Mia Mirkovic took a five-week course at the University of Houston to gain experience in architecture. She admitted that she both enjoys architecture and could see herself working in the field some day.

“The main reason I took it was to build a portfolio in case I seriously intended to go to an architecture school,” Mikovic said.

Junior Drew Guillory attended the same architecture camp as Mirkovic but solely on the request of his parents.

“My mom said it would be a good thing to do for college, and it didn’t

SU

OF

11

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

“I gained confidence and took ownership of the college application process,” senior Emily Sherron said.

“Now I have a definite idea of what I’m looking for in college because I visited lots of places,” Cral said. “Something did come out of the trip, I’ll be applying to three or four of the schools, and when the trip started, I wasn’t considering any of them.”

While visiting colleges gives students a sense of where they go, internships give them a sense of what they want to study.

“Internships are more akin to extending your resume and do more to help you get into college than visiting,” Sherron said.

Some students view summer as a time for unstructured freedom, but they soon discover that their schedule is beyond their control.

“Parents are too stressed out and care too much about their chil-

64%

56%

41%

Poll results taken from Review Online survey of 87 people.

Respondants could choose more than one option.

40%

Summer job

Internship

College visits

Enrichment program

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS SUMMER?

Sports

)DAYS 1UMMER

dren’s summer,” sophomore Evan Eisenberg said.

Sophomore Hayden Simmons, who was pressured into attending an SAT camp by his mother, feels less of a slight.

“As long as you have the majority of the time of your summer spent for a break, I don’t mind spending some time focused on academics,” Simmons said.

In some cases, the variety of activities that students are involved with over the summer may not spare adequate time to enjoy the summer months.

Students can get too preoccupied with college and building their resume—but that may be okay.

“I don’t think badly of people who do things just for college because I’m one of those people. Not everything, but definitely some things are just for college,” the anonymous senior said. “It’s going to be hard to find someone at this school who hasn’t done something just for college.”

Volunteering

sound terrible,” Guillory said. “It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I might go into architecture, but it’s not at the top of my list.”

One summer SAT prep camp was taught by Curriculum Coordinator Dwight Raulston and math teacher Martha Childress. For two weeks, senior Joanna Franco attended the camp, her first and only prep course.

“Some of the stuff I’ve already been told over the years, but some was helpful in helping me figure out what kind of test-taker I am,” Franco said.

The SAT camp encouraged students to try multiple strategies in order to find what works best for them.

Most, if not all, upperclassmen visited at least one college over the summer to prepare for the decisions confronting them senior year.

“I visited 15 colleges in seven days. There were some days where I was seeing three per day,” senior Jordan Cral said. “I started in Pennsylvania, and we ended up in Georgia. It was the most exhausting thing ever.”

Although most college trips are not as tightly packed as Cral’s, students do feel the need to see colleges in person before they apply.

Travel

IN FOCUS

38%

36%

22% MATTHEW NEAL

Photos by Jared Margolis | Modeling by Alexander Kim and Sukul Mittal | Design by Jessica Lee

12

CULTURE

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Life abroad provides enlightenment, surprises

1.

2.

3.

4.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Spanning the globe Junior Anirudh Suresh speaks about American culture to Malaysian students (1) and visits Ubudiah Mosque dressed in a traditional baju melayu (4). Senior Eleanor-Day Kornberg rides bikes in China (2) while senior Collins Yeates kayaks in Spain (3). After their time abroad, students view American culture in a new light.

C

by Irene Vazquez

ollins Yeates harbors a dark secret about his time in Zaragoza, Spain.

“I ate more McDonald’s than I would ever want to admit,” Yeates said. This summer, the senior spent five weeks in Spain, studying with the School Year Abroad (SYA) program.

“In Spain, fast food has a higher social regard,” Yeates said. “Here, we look down at fast food for being unhealthy, but they all go to fast food for dinner.”

Interacting with Spanish people, Yeates noticed the fascination with American culture.

“Their English isn’t perfect, so they wear shirts that say phrases in English like ‘I love you more than I love cactus. And I like cactus a lot,’” Yeates said.

Yeates is one of many students who spent parts of their summer or school year in a foreign country. SYA has programs in Spain, China, France and Italy. Summer programs feature intensive language programs and emphasize cultural immersion.

BREAD AND BUTTER IN BRITTANY

Senior Lin Guo, who spent her junior year abroad in Rennes, France, with SYA, also noted a cultural disconnect.

“The French think you’re an idiot if you smile at people in public,” Guo said. “They think ‘why are you smiling without a reason to,’ whereas here people just think you’re being friendly.”

Guo became accustomed to French culture, especially French food.

“I grew to love salted butter,” Guo said. “Brittany is the only part of France that has salt in the butter beforehand, and I was disappointed to find out how hard it was to find.”

Guo enjoyed the country’s famed baked goods as well.

“Everyone in my class was such a big fan of French bread. You can’t even compare it to bread here,” Guo said.

Since her return to Houston, Guo views her classes and schedule differently.

“The day feels shorter,” Guo said.

“People lead fast-paced lives. In France, some people just go to a cafe and sit and drink coffee for an hour.”

Guo has a markedly different school schedule. In France, she had a threehour block of free time after lunch, followed by classes until 5:10 p.m.

“School in France was a lot less rigorous, homework-wise, which I think was really important because we needed the time to explore the city and spend time with our host family,” Guo said.

SPANISH SIESTA

Senior Sasha Clonts, who spent four weeks in Málaga, Spain, with the International Studies Abroad program, noted the relaxed nature of European culture.

“We would take a siesta,” Clonts said. “My host parents would come home from work at 2:00, give us lunch, sleep until 5:00 and go back to work until 8:00.”

Because of siestas, Clonts had to adapt to a different schedule for meals. Her host family did not eat breakfast, so they would come home for the siesta to have a large meal in the mid-afternoon.

“My family usually didn’t eat dinner until 11:30 at night and then wouldn’t go to bed until around 2:00 a.m.” Clonts said. “I’d have to go out and buy food because around 9:00 p.m. I’d want dinner.”

Clonts found that Spain lacked certain items she had grown used to

having on a daily basis.

“I missed vegetables,” she said. “I could never find them. You’d order salad, but nothing would have vegetables.”

CHINESE CRASH COURSE

Senior Eleanor-Day Kornberg spent her junior year inBeijing, China with SYA. “The minute we opened the door to leave the airport, what hit me first was the smell,” Kornberg said. “It smelled like coal smoke, cigarettes and all sorts of food mixed together.

Once you live there, it’s your new reality.”

Even common tasks such as laundry were different for Kornberg. Her host family, like many Chinese, did not use a dryer, so they hung their clothes to dry. Because Kornberg had taken just a year of Chinese, she had difficulty with simple exchanges.

“On the flight, I decided to stay up so that I wouldn’t have jet lag because we got picked up around midnight. I was exhausted, and I remember only being able to say ‘hello’ and ‘thank you.’ I tried to formulate another sentence and it just crashed and burned,” Kornberg said.

Kornberg experienced Chinese traditions such as the cupping therapy.

Flaming alcohol swabs are placed in glass cups, which are then put on a person’s back. As the swabs cool, skin gets sucked up into the cups. The red marks result from ruptured capillaries.

Kornberg is unsure if the treatment has the health benefits as it claims.

“I thought it felt pretty nice—painful but not in a bad way—while it was happening, and also I felt pretty healthy after, but that may have been because we were on vacation,” she said.

MINGLING IN MALAYSIA

Junior Anirudh Suresh spent his sophomore year in Ipoh, Malaysia.

“It’s not what you would expect.

The streets are clean. There are lots of cars, and even more motorcycles,” Suresh said.

Suresh went to a school based on the British educational system, and many of his classmates had known each other for years.

“Some of my classmates knew more about American pop culture and politics than I could ever claim to know,” Suresh said.

Suresh had to adjust to several aspects of life in Malaysia, including a rice-based diet, cultural taboo against using one’s left hand, and technological differences.

“Each room in the house in Malaysia has a separate air-conditioning box, so if you got hot, you’d have to turn it on for that specific room. It’d take some time to cool down, and the climate was definitely challenging to get used to,” Suresh said.

During his spring break, Suresh visited a local school in Johor Bahru and talked to the students about American culture and his experience in Malaysia.

“I received several stimulating questions that gave me insight into foreign perceptions of the U.S. and its diversity,” Suresh said via instant message. “It was certainly a very eye-opening experience and one that made a mark on my year there.”

Students agreed that no matter how extreme the change was, life in another country eventually became routine.

Some even had trouble adjusting back to life in the U.S. Guo said, “I’d wake up in my bedroom here and look around wondering why I wasn’t in my bedroom in France.”

BEYOND

13

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Alum exchanges greenbacks for collard greens After investing in national grocery store chain as a student, Schaffer continues to practice pediatric medicine

The Doctor is In Don Schaffer (‘69) examines student-athletes at Rice University. Schaffer, who now runs a pediatric practice, invested in Whole Foods during its infancy.

by Gabe Malek and Christopher Zimmerman

W

hile Don Schaffer’s (‘69) classmates spent their limited finances on bulk packs of ramen, Schaffer decided that his money would be better spent investing in his friend’s startup company.

That business became Whole Foods.

“In 1978, I was sitting in my duplex. At the time, I was doing my pediatric residency, and a friend named John Mackey came over,” Schaffer said. “He was wondering if I wanted to invest in his health foods business, Whole Foods, starting in Austin. I did not have much money, but I made an initial investment of $2,500.”

Mackey was a graduate of Spring Branch High School, and his father was a successful businessman as well.

“Generally, I invest with devoted people who seem to have the desire to make sure things work,” Schaffer said. “[Mackey] had advice from his father and input from his friends. He was very sure of himself and that this was the business he was meant to run.”

Schaffer served on the Board of

Directors at Whole Foods until 1988. He is still invited to shareholder meetings and other company functions.

He has remained involved with the school community even after the success of Whole Foods.

“I gave some [Whole Foods] stock to SJS a few years ago so they could build the language lab, and the school had a party in honor of the donation,” Schaffer said. “Ironically, it was catered by Central Market.”

His investment experience gave him a unique outlook towards venture capitalism. Schaffer is fond of Warren Buffett’s philosophy of investing with people as opposed to concepts.

He will invest more if he knows the people are devoted to their ideas and beliefs. Schaffer believes that best thing to do with an investment is hold on to it for a long time: the best time to sell is never.

Although Schaffer had success with his investment, he strayed from venture capitalism and continued with his pediatric residency. Schaffer advises anyone interested in pursuing medicine to expect constant and vigorous work.

“If you feel that medicine is what you want to do, you have to be will-

ing to let it take over a big chunk of your life,” Schaffer said.

Schaffer attributes his work ethic to SJS. “The fact that SJS was difficult helped me moving forward because everything from there on was easy,” Schaffer said. “I was in the lower half of my class, but moving on to college I was at the top a lot of times. If you can get through SJS, you can get through anywhere.”

While Schaffer’s patients usually refer to him as Doctor, fellow members of the class of 1969 might remember him as “The Toe,” a nickname he earned from his high school football days.

“I was a senior on the football team, and I was a barefoot kicker,” Schaffer said. “We were playing in the Kinkaid game, and a cold front had just come in after it rained all day, so neither of the teams could get anything going offensively. With the game tied at 0-0, the coach put me in to kick a field goal victory.”

Schaffer’s two daughters Jamie (‘03) and Madison (‘10) graduated from SJS, and he still attends school sporting events.

“I go to the SJS vs. Kinkaid game every year, and I went to a lot of the

AUSTIN ZHANG

basketball games over the past few seasons,” Schaffer said.

Schaffer’s love of sports also led him to become a team physician at Rice University, where he has worked with athletes for the past six years.

Schaffer also practices pediatrics and allowed seniors Allison Burch and Rebecca Chen to shadow him for two weeks this summer.

“He was hilarious,” said Burch.

“He would always make jokes, and I remember he would sometimes impersonate George W. Bush.”

Burch would follow a physician’s assistant during the preliminary examination and then follow Schaffer during the full checkup.

“It’s hard to shadow a doctor because there isn’t much you can physically do, but Dr. Schaffer was really good about letting us interact with patients,” said Burch.

Burch remembered how Schaffer would always chat with patients about sports and school during their examinations, and she got a feel for his bedside manner Burch said, “He was really honest and funny, but he was also straightforward and worked extremely hard.”

Catching up with

former Girls’ Cross-Country Captains

Carson Gibson (’12)

Martha Daniel (’13)

Molly Vitek (’14)

Although I only ran cross country for two years at St. John’s, the experience and skills I gained will stay with me for the rest of my life. Cross country taught that a little optimism goes a long way. Before joining the cross-country team, I never understood how running could be a team sport. Now, I marvel at people that run alone.

Running cross country also taught me the value of what Coach Fabre calls “positive self-talk.”

Nowadays, I only run casually, but I hope to take it more seriously again someday. My perceptions of my own capabilities are forever altered and “can’t” has been all but removed from my vocabulary. I work to find the positives in every situation. I am forever grateful for the lessons I learned from cross country, but I am more grateful for the people that taught me them.

I’m really enjoying my time in California, double majoring in Print/Digital Journalism and Gender Studies at USC. This year, I hold a leadership position within a branch of the university’s undergraduate student government called the Women’s Student Assembly. I also intern for a project called Naked Narratives, which brings women together to write about their bodily experiences and build a collective understanding of the intersections between their world, their bodies, and their experiences as women.

Besides that, running is still a big part of my life, and I’m living in a teeny apartment off campus with my wonderful roommate. I’m loving working my way through Los Angeles’ restaurants, museums, and concerts, and I’m finding that this city and this school have amazing things to offer. Fight on!

So far, I am involved in a service-based Freshman Leadership Organization, a sorority, and Christian Campus Fellowship. I have not been able to run because I am recovering from an injury, but working out in college is great. Georgia Tech’s pool was built for and used in the 1996 Olympics, so that’s pretty awesome. And just in general the workout facilities at Tech or any college are insane, so you have no reason to be out of shape, even if you’re injured.

I like my intro to computer science course, which I was not expecting. And all my other classes are core classes, which aren’t too different from SJS classes. One of the biggest differences is that there are many more ways to find help. Honestly, SJS prepares you very well for college because most of these kids have never studied half as hard as I have going into their first year.

14

SPORTS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Athletes, artists take world-class skills to next level

COURTESY PHOTOS

Dancing Queen Dara makes her Indian classical dance debut in her arangetram. Batter Batter Swing Gobillot takes a hack at a pitch in the World Series semifinal.

Dara performs classical Indian ‘graduation’ dance

Gobillot tosses Senior League World Series victory

by Matthew Neal

by Matthew Neal

O

OT

PH

SY

RTE

As sophomore Joe Gobillot took the mound for the West University Senior League Team, he felt the eyes of the world staring down on him.

Just three hours later, he completed his 10-year transformation from teeball rookie to world champion.

On Aug 16, Gobillot was the winning pitcher in the championship game against the international finalists from Curaçao. Gobillot pitched 5.1 innings and recorded six strikeouts in the 7-4 victory.

“This was probably the best baseball moment I’ve ever had,” Gobillot said.

“I knew we had a really good team and thought we would go far, but I didn’t think we were going to make it all the way there and win it.”

Though he appeared cool and confident on ESPN, Gobillot experienced his fair share of nerves.

“It was kind of nerve-racking getting all these texts from people saying ‘Good luck; I’ll be watching you,’” Gobillot said. “I knew everyone was watching, which was also a motivation to do well.”

Before reaching the World Series, Gobillot and his team had to advance through four rounds of play. The team suffered its first and only loss of the summer in pool play at the Senior

League World Series against Curaçao.

West U was able to avenge that loss by winning the championship.

“I’d never played against any team from Latin America before,” Gobillot said. “They were pretty cocky.”

While the victory was sweet, the celebrations were even sweeter.

“We rented out Tiny Boxwoods and they let us have a big party. Then we got to go on firetrucks on a parade through West U,” Gobillot said.

Gobillot also played on a select team, the Columbia Angels, and was invited to a Team USA tryout in North Carolina. Gobillot spent most of the summer playing across the country and even played in front of college coaches and professional scouts.

Gobillot’s baseball dreams extend much farther than just helping the Mavericks win SPC. “My goal is to get drafted out of high school, but I want to play for a [Division I] school in college,” Gobillot said.

CO U

After three hours of solo dancing, one costume change and years of preparation, senior Meghna Dara completed her arangetram.

An arangetram is a debut performance of Indian classical dance. The thousand-year-old art form focuses not only on technical moves but also on telling a story.

There are eight types of Indian classical dance, of which Dara performed bharatanatyam and kuchipudi.

Because the dance form is rooted in Hinduism and Dara is Catholic, she decided to act out a Christian dance.

“I had two Christian dances, and my main dance was a Christian dance telling the story of Jesus, which is kind of unheard of with arangetrams because most are Hindu stories,” Dara said.

Eight years ago, Dara took her first dance class to learn a Bollywood routine for her sister’s birthday. She decided to go back for Indian classical dance classes.

“I live in America, not India, but I love my culture, so I started taking these dance classes,” Dara said. “It’s something that no one in my family had done before, so it was a new experience for all of us.”

Dara has been learning Indian

classical dance for seven years, with one-and-a-half years’ training specifically for her arangetram. Though there is no set structure, Dara plans to continue her Indian dancing.

“Some people almost call [the arangetram] a graduation performance.

It’s important to know that it’s not the ending but the beginning of a new level,” Dara said. “It’s something I want to pass down to my own kids.

When I’m in college, I want to join an Indian dance team.”

During the preparation for her arangetram, Dara also had a few unintentional run-ins with the police.

One occurred at Machu Picchu in Peru where the security guards believed Dara, dressed in her elaborate costume and jewelry, was shooting a commercial when she was just posing for a picture.

Back home, Dara set off the glass breakage system in the living room while practicing her dance, which includes much stomping. The police came and said that Dara triggered the alarm.

“There were a lot of times that I doubted myself, whether I would be able to do [the arangetram] in terms of just stamina, like dancing for three straight hours,” Dara said. “Completing it has taught me to believe in myself more and have faith in myself.”

Pitching Ace After winning the Senior League World Series, Gobillot was invited to try out for Team USA.

Child cancer patients cheer on Mavs at football tailgate

by Inaara Malick

Child cancer patients and their families joined the SJS community on Skip Lee Field Sept. 12 for Friday Night Lights Crushing Cancer.

“We invited them and their families to a football game where they can forget about their worries and go to a sporting event,” Community Service Coordinator Marci Bahr said.

When the children and their families arrived, they took pictures with the football team and cheerleaders. At the tailgate party, which included games for the children, volunteers served the families a dinner from Chick-fil-a.

The families attending had a reserved section at the 40-yard line where they watched the game. At halftime, the chil-

dren lined up and high-fived the players as they exited the field. They watched the cheerleaders perform and then helped hold up the run-through banner.

“This was the best night of my life,” said Tabitha Morales, 15, a leukemia survivor who attends Jefferson Davis High.

Junior Nicholas Vogeley and senior Kate Bomar were in charge of the event.

“The event is aimed at helping the children and families involved in Candlelighters have a fun high school football experience that maybe they haven’t gotten to or won’t get to experience otherwise,” Bomar said. “We hope to have a lot of fun with the participants as well as give them the feeling of Maverick pride that all of Upper School shares.”

Additional reporting by Sophia Li

SPORTS

15

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

PAR FOR THE COURSE

Golfer brings talents down south, prospects for season looking up

E

by Megan Shen

yeing the deceptive green of the 18th hole in a six-man playoff, Cam Chottiner faced one final challenge—a 20foot birdie putt to secure a position in the US Open Sectionals.

Despite being one of the youngest players in the field, Chottiner drained the shot to advance.

“Sectionals had mostly professional players, so I wasn’t expecting too much, but winning the playoff to earn a spot was I like the individu- one of my most memoraalized aspect of golf: ble experiences,” he said.

For Chottiner, a junior You have to rely on transfer student, the yourself. But at the accomplishment was the same time, I also en- culmination of all his joy the team aspect efforts in the sport that he that high school and had loved since childhood.

“When I was about two college add.” years old, my dad started taking me to the driving Cam Chottiner range,” he said.

“From then on, I really loved golf but didn’t pursue tournaments competitively until around 13.”

After years of training in New Canaan, Connecticut, Chottiner moved to Houston this summer, a relocation

“

that brings many changes to his golfing schedule.

“In Connecticut, I would play in tournaments mostly in the summer, about two to three days a week,” he said. “Here, I’ve been practicing for one or two hours after school at our local club, and I plan to play in tournaments every few weekends throughout the year.”

Among other accolades, at 14, Chottiner qualified for the Callaway Junior World Championships, held at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. He hopes to bring his experience to the SJS team in the spring.

“It’ll be great for the guys to have someone who can potentially make all-SPC,” senior Monica Dayao said.

Although not a traditional team sport, golf offers a unique experience for students who play for their schools.

“I like the individualized aspect of golf: you have to rely on yourself, and there’s no one else to blame. But at the same time, I also enjoy the team aspect that high school and college add,” Chottiner said.

He says that the mental aspect of tournaments, which are typically multi-day, is the most challenging part of the game.

“The first hole of any tournament is

always very stressful,” Chottiner said.

“Golfers just learn to deal with it, and then the rest of the tournament will be fine.”

Chottiner is also an avid hockey player and community service participant. This summer he utilized his golfing skills to raise funds for Folds of Honor, an organization that provides scholarships to kids of children of killed or disabled military veterans.

“For two months, people would donate a certain amount of money per birdie I made,” he said. “I ended up making 130 birdies to raise a total of $4,625.”

Though there are misconceptions about the sport, Chottiner believes that his golfing career has been a valuable learning experience.

“Golf is really all about work ethic.

You have to put in a lot of practice,” he said. “Some people also find golf boring, but I think it’s really relaxing to be out on the course.”

Chottiner looks forward to pursuing his passion for golf.

“My goal for now is to play in Division I,” he said. “I’d love to play professionally, but I don’t know whether that’s realistic or not right now.”

Sports Shorts Conference Changes

In a decision made last spring, the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) has removed Division II from SPC tournaments.

Previously, the top four teams from the North and South Zones competed in the Division I grouping while teams placed fifth and below participated in Division II. Now the top six teams from each zone will be eligible for the championship.

The new format is intended to increase competition because teams are no longer guaranteed an SPC spot.

Athletic Director Vince Arduini said that the changes have merit.

“Now, we have to earn the right to get to the tournament.”

Rally Lacks Pep

The relocation of pep rallies to Skip Lee Field may be affecting school spirit. Before construction, pep rallies took place in the plaza.

Because fewer students eat under the Big Red pavilion than in the plaza last year, pep rallies have experienced lower attendance rates as many students prove unwilling to make the trek across the street.

“It’s great that we found a place to have pep rallies with the construction, but it’s hard to motivate people to come. A lot of times people leave lunch and walk back over before the pep rally starts, so they miss it,” cheer co-captain Brooke Upchurch said.

“Pep rallies are way more fun if we have more people because it’s kind of hard to cheer at an empty crowd.”

Pep rallies once took place in the Quad, but they were relocated with the renovation of the Quad building a decade ago.

Volleyball Nets Strong Start

Boys’ volleyball hosted the Houston Cup, Sept. 6-7, competing against Casady, Greenhill, St. Mark’s, Kinkaid, Episcopal and the Tejas Boys’ Volleyball Club.

The Mavs beat both Fort Worth Country Day and Episcopal 2-0 and lost to St. Mark’s 2-0.

“We played well,” junior middle blocker Hunter Hasley said. “I feel we got a better sense of what we are up against for SPC and what we need to work on.”

The team reached until the semifinals before their loss to St. Mark’s, finishing 3-2 overall.

EMILY RAUGAUSS

Friday Night Ferocity

Hole in One Junior Cam Chottiner qualified for the US Open Sectionals this summer in Fairfield, Connecticut. He looks to contribute to the golf team this year.

The football team has stumbled out of the gate during non-conference play, going 0-3 while being outscored by a combined score of 142-40.

This season has been atypical for the Mavs, who have not posted a losing record since 2008 and qualified for the SPC playoffs each of the past three years, including playing for SPC Championship in 2011 and 2012. The Mavs look to return to their winning ways against SPC opponents, beginning Saturday versus John Cooper.

Compiled by Brooke Kushwaha, Sophia Li, Christian Maines, and Michael VerMeulen

16

OPINIONS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Wellness initiatives catching up to student needs The Wellness Club intends to help students reduce stress, sleep well and ace school. Until recently, it seemed the only way to accomplish all three was to change schools.

by Brooke Kushwaha

The Wellness Club aims to help students reduce stress, sleep well and ace school. Until recently, it seemed that the only way to accomplish all three of these things was to drop out of SJS. Over the past few years, SJS has taken several measures to ensure the mental health of its students, including the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Welch as the Director of All-School Wellness in 2013. These measures are significant leaps from the previous method of stress management: being reminded that you go to SJS and that this is simply “what you signed up for.”

The Internet Age has helped lend a voice to students who would normally suffer in silence, and the rise of SJS Confessions in late 2012 played an important role in allowing students to be heard in an honest forum that was more effective than any Student Council suggestion box. The Facebook page provided an outlet for students and showed the realities of “#SJSlyfe” in a manner that could not be ignored.

That’s not to say that I believe the administration willfully turned a blind eye to our mental health, but as with individuals, the signs of stress, anxiety and other more serious mental conditions can be difficult to detect within an entire student body, especially with no outward symptoms of distress.

That being said, the signs of dangerous stress levels should have been

MARISA MURILLO

Random acts of happiness Surprises like this smiley balloon hanging out in the Quad remind students of the simple joys in life. Groups such as Wellness Club try to ease the stress of students, improve their state of mind and encourage healthy habits.

dealt with a long time ago. Telltale signs showed in the bags under our eyes and the heavy backpacks slung over our shoulders. The now-defunct Nap Club was known for its famously low turnout in meetings, probably because students would rather have completed their homework during lunch than catch up on an hour of sleep.

The American Psychological Association reports that the average teenager experiences higher levels of stress than the average adult (5.8 versus 5.1 on a 10-point scale.) Even worse, most teenagers reportedly underestimate the mental and physical consequences of their stress and in these cases do nothing to alleviate it. Wellness Club’s responsibility should not only aim to reduce stress, but also to manage it in a healthful way.

The school may be taking a greater interest in students’ mental state, but

the stigma of mental illness, often exacerbated if not caused directly by stress, remains prevalent in society and especially SJS, an institution intent on preserving a certain reputation. That reputation includes challenging students but not literally driving them crazy. The school probably reached the conclusion that, PR-wise, employing a policy of preventive care saves the headache of a more serious mental health-related situation that could stain the school’s reputation.

I may sound cynical, but the infamy of SJS’ workload has followed me since before I came here, and my personal experiences have done little to refute them. When I got accepted to SJS in sixth grade, my classmates at Annunciation Orthodox School, probably a little bit jealous, told me that I would get so much homework I would commit suicide. A

Celebrity photo scandal puts blame on victims, exposes double standard

by Megan Routbort

The comments section is the tenth circle of hell.

If you’ve ever scrolled to the bottom of even the most innocuous internet article, you’ve encountered most of the seven deadly sins. Wrath. Lust.

Envy. The theoretical point of the comments section is to foster incisive, two-way dialogue. There’s no issue if comments become a little scandalous or divisive. But too often they are downright offensive.

In the wake of August’s “Great Naked Celebrity Photo Leak,” the comments sections took a turn for the worse. They were filled with vitriol against the victims, decrying them as naïve and promiscuous for sharing photos. Success Kid memes announcing “we’ve finally seen Jennifer Lawrence’s ****s” were endlessly upvoted.

The list of cruel, biting comments went on and on. The women were objectified while their male partners, like Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, were merely collateral damage.

Their bodies became the focal point of critiques—complimented, criticized, and everything in between.

In our evolving digital era, both

young men and women are sent confusing messages about sexuality.

We tell women to be just promiscuous enough to be sexy but forbid them from crossing the blurred line that makes them loose. The internet ran replete with lewd comments about the women’s bodies before the photos were leaked, begging to see more skin, but after the photos were leaked, internet posters turned on the victims, shaming them.

There is a double standard in action that requires women to bear the majority of the burden with respect to self-expression. No one begs to see men naked. No one calls out boys who go shirtless or wear compression shorts for being licentious.

Growing up in a world where we’re accustomed to sensory overload, it’s hard to know our role as young people in the wake of this situation.

Everyone knows not to take nude photos. We are surrounded by a constant barrage of warnings that one’s online profile is permanent, that snaps don’t actually go away. And yet victim-blaming still happens.

There is nothing wrong with being comfortable with your appearance.

There is nothing wrong with shar-

ing your body with your partner.

These women took photos under the impression that the images were, and would remain, private property.

We shouldn’t take umbrage because they took these photos. We shouldn’t lose our respect for their triumphs and accomplishments and their beauty. We should blame the hackers for being so impudent to secure images that were in no way theirs.

We shouldn’t conclude that sexuality is shameful, or that if you dare to expose it, your reputation and career prospects will be damaged beyond repair. Women’s bodies are not simply objects. Our morality is not defined by various states of (un)dress.

Yes, keep your photos off the internet. Don’t make the mistake of putting anything online that you wouldn’t want the world to see.

But don’t take this incident as a message that the victims are in the wrong. Don’t take it as an edict that women are not allowed to be sexual or else bad things will happen.

Look beyond the scandal. Seek punishment for the hackers, the real perpetrators.

And the next time someone’s privacy is invaded, resist the urge to click.

sensational statement made from an eleven-year-old, yes, but at that time, SJS was still in the wake of a horrible mental-health related tragedy: the suicide of a ninth grade boy.

While I’m in no way insinuating that SJS was to blame for the tragedy, I’m disappointed that it has taken several years for serious mental health care reform to take shape. The suicide of Robin Williams in August sparked a national debate on the stereotype that depicts depression as something that can be easily detected—when really the disease can affect anyone for a number of reasons. Like most national debates, its focus fizzled as the media’s attention strayed elsewhere.

The Wellness Club is a step in the right direction, but as far as shedding light and handling mental health issues, both the school and society have a way to go.

School Getz cyber safety lecture

MARISA MURILLO

Digital drama Internet Safety Specialist Lori Getz discussed sexuality in the context of the internet during her Cyber Education presentation, Sept. 10. She told students that there is no distinction between their realworld and online actions; sharing your body online is the same as sharing it with others in person. “Over two million people go online every day,” Getz said. “No one will be looking for your information unless you give them a reason to.”

OPINIONS

17

SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Are cameras a necessary evil or invasion of privacy?

GRAPHICS BY MATTHEW NEAL

by Christian Maines

The installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras throughout the Upper School came as an unwelcome surprise for many this past August.

The school has given its rationale for installing the CCTV throughout the Upper School, and at first glance, the security angle seems rather straightforward.

Dr. Desjardins has even acknowledged that the cameras may seem Orwellian, but that is the price the school is willing to pay for security.

The Upper School Student Handbook cites Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract” in its description of the Honor Code. “The Social Contract” suggests that the people should unite and protect everyone’s best interests by passing laws while maintaining essential freedoms.

Rousseau argued for popular governance—the idea that the power to make rules governing the people should rest with the people them-

NO

by Iris Cronin selves.

Unfortunately, our school does not operate under a democracy. Students, The recent installation of CCTV faculty and parents had no say in has both students and faculty crying the decision to use CCTV. In foul. People are perturbed by the fact, few of us even knew of violation of trust and insulted by the the CCTV installation, invasion of privacy. Opponents of the let alone had a chance cameras insist that the classroom is to voice our opinions no place for the omnipresent eye of about it. security cameras.

The cameras are not But here is my question: Are we in our best interest. being too sensitive?

Whether or not the After all, the school has been security camadamant that the installation eras actually of these cameras is for Do you agree with the deter any security, not use of security cameras for spying. crime is beside the point because they I see no in classrooms? create the perception of reason to *from a Review online survey, 130 responses paranoia and mistrust. mistrust this Although these cameras assertion. are supposedly to be used only for No one is watchemergency security purposes, they are ing video footage still recording constantly. The videos all day long, so contain the potential to be used for why the shock and anything. outrage? Even if someInstances of grand theft or tresone were watching this passing are so rare in our relatively footage, that someone would not be a tight-knit community that installing creepy, binocular-wearing voyeur. It’s security cameras is akin wearing a a member of the school security staff, parka in 60-degree weather. the same officers who help us cross streets and the same folks who would

67%

spring into action in the event of a lockdown.

These cameras are not about a witch hunt. We wouldn’t have an honor code if the administration considered us all budding criminals. A signature on the honor code has been enough since the school’s founding; why now would the character of the student body be called into question?

The answer is this: no one is questioning our morals. The administration is not concerned with keeping us in line; they are concerned with keeping us safe. There is a fine line between realism and paranoia. These cameras have been installed as a nod to the former. Critics need to put their big-kid pants on and realize that increased security is neither an insult to their morality nor an infringement of their privacy. In fact, it has little to do with us.

So buck up. Calm down. Wave at the cameras in the hallway and know that probably no one is watching, but there may come a day when you’re glad to be seen.

YES

33%

Tradition or Bad Habit Pots and Pots and Pans Pans Anyone who has attended a football game at Skip Lee Field recognizes the particular cacophony emanating from the far side of the bleachers.

Drowning out both Drum Corps and cheerleaders, freshman boys enthusiastically bang pots and pans to the point of obliteration. While some may call it obnoxious (and they would be correct), students consider the pots and pans both an important tradition and form of initiation for the freshmen.

On game day, the average passersby can see both new and not-so-gentlyused kitchenware littered around the freshman hallway. In the absence of a coordinated marching band, pots and pans serves to motivate fans and intimidate opponents.

Students first introduced pots and pans along with other noisemakers,

but gradually an exclusively cookware-based tradition formed. Although spectators may shy away from the clamor, and drum corps may throw scathing looks, this tradition reverberates longer than the sound they impact on our eardrums.

Pots and pans brings a greater sense of unity to underclassmen who otherwise have little to do with football games besides spectating. Alums distinctly remember the enthusiastic and boisterous air at games, and those who participated in pots and pans speak of their noise-creating experiences with glee. Giving freshmen pots and pans helps to integrate them into football culture, even though they are too young to play under the Friday night lights.

Verdict: Tradition

Bla Bo Pai

Black Body Paint Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder refuses to change his team’s name, which is a Native American slur, because doing so would undo 81 years of tradition. Lamar High School shared the same controversial mascot but caved to pressure last year to become the Lamar Texans.

SJS experienced a similar period of upheaval when we changed from the Rebels to the Mavericks eleven years ago, but the distinction between tradition and bad habits remains blurred in some of our practices.

During football season, the same freshman boys clanging pots and pans also parade around shirtless, covered in black body paint. Some students and teachers notice the racial connotations of painting oneself black; similarly, earlier in our history, few questioned the propriety of

waving around a Confederate flag at sports games. In fact, there are more complaints about the boys’ clatter than their choice of adornment. If the freshmen wore red and black, the school’s actual colors, one could justify the body paint. Painting their bodies all black for the sake of tradition ignores the same racially charged imagery that caused our mascot change in the first place.

Many students defend the paint on the grounds that their faces are left uncolored, thereby eschewing the term “blackface.” Face unpainted or not, the freshman practice stains the reputation of a school that’s already seeking to distance itself from its politically incorrect past.

Verdict: Bad Habit

18

OPINIONS

THE REVIEW I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Editorial: Get your thoughts in line, not your ducks

MATTHEW NEAL

Once more into the fray.

As the oppressive Houston heat looms and we all get in our weightlifting, carting 20-pound backpacks from the far corners of the Quad all the way to third floor Mewborne, we’re settling back into the sometimes monotonous rhythm of the school year. Studying. Fine arts rehearsal.

Sports practice. Test. Sleep (if you’re lucky). Repeat.

For freshmen, not yet adjusted to tests and quizzes, a bad test grade can feel like a death sentence. For seniors dealing with the added stress of college applications, the future seems hazy and replete with uncertainty.

Seven hours of school topped off with sports practice or a fine arts rehearsal can be overwhelming even on a good day.

If you’re feeling stressed out, know

this: you are not alone. Feeling anxious, worried, or just generally sad is okay. No singular force—not teachers, not the workload, not you—can or should be blamed.

The Editorial Board calls for the pursuit of a psychotherapeutic process known as cognitive restructuring: when you have irrational, negative thoughts, take a minute to reflect.

You are privileged to have the opportunity to attend this school. But being a teenager is also hard, especially when you add hours of homework and the pressure to get into the ‘right’ college. When you get a C on your physics test, you shouldn’t despair that you won’t get into your dream school, or that your life is essentially shot. The bad and good in your life can coexist. Your struggles and triumphs are equally valid and import-

ant to the shaping of your character.

We recognize that cognitive restructuring is no easy task. When you’re used to a train of thought centered around exaggerating the small things, taking a step back to think about the big picture seems impossible.

So yes, when you get a bad grade, it’s perfectly okay to cry. When you don’t get the lead in the musical, go ahead and vent. You are even allowed to be sad for no reason. Sometimes things are inexplicably hard. Sometimes we reach a breaking point.

But after catharsis, take a step back and analyze. Remind yourself that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. All you can do is try your hardest and try to enjoy some parts of the process.

Comparing yourself to others is the thief of joy. When you’re knee-deep

in a culture that puts high achievers on a pedestal, it’s easy to despair over your own perceived inadequacy, especially if what seems important to you barely gets any recognition.

Remember that everybody feels the same way you do sometimes. Even if they put on a great facade, everyone struggles. It’s normal. Even those people who seem perfect to you have their own ideas of how they’re falling short.

Life in high school can sometimes feel like the be-all, end-all. Everything, victories and losses included, is magnified and at times blown out of proportion. So let yourself be sad sometimes, but also recognize your own personal triumphs, especially if no one else does. And remember that at the end of the day, it’s still just high school.

B over A According to a Psychology Today study, high-strung Type A personalities are more likely to suffer heart attacks than their laid-back Type B counterparts.

From the editors

Sanity-saving secrets from sleep-deprived seniors Dear Readers, Three years ago, two total strangers walked into their first day of English class. We were both new to SJS and not yet acquainted with the expectations that come with being a Maverick. On that first day, we barely said a word to each other. We don’t even remember how we first met.

But during that first year, as the Review became a presence in our lives and not just an eighth period study hall, we became fast friends. We discovered subtle similarities as we bemoaned our biology lab grades, complained about our younger sisters (named Emily), salivated over cupcakes from Senior Tea, and somehow survived all 24 books of The Odyssey in Ms. Carswell’s English Class This year feels a little bit like coming full circle; we both start the day, albeit bleary-eyed, in Belles-Lettres. We still play flute in band, and (most importantly!) we now have the privilege of heading down to the quad four days a week to soothe our insatiable sweet teeth.

As we confront our senior year, we remember some tips that have kept us (relatively) sane.

First, stop stressing out. It’s a hard lesson to learn, especially at SJS, where we compete to see who got the

least amount of sleep the night before. Yes, we might be hypocrites for saying this, especially since we’ve sat together through total meltdowns over infinitesimal issues more times than we’d like to admit. In hindsight though, many of the exams, papers, and projects that we have fretted about are not worth the tears, headaches, and hypertension. If you fail a test, you can get extra credit or make up for the grade on the next assessment. If you receive a B-ish on an English paper, you can take your teacher’s advice to write a phenomenal essay that merits an A-minus.

Second: take some personal time. We do not mean skip school whenever you want; instead, carve out just a few minutes each day to take your mind off school. This does not include the Buzzfeed-scouring sessions that we know all too well. Use that Warm Vanilla Sugar bubble bath that you bought last year but never tried, play tug-of-war with your dog and feel overly triumphant when you win, or try the pilot episode of that new Netflix show (but only one episode, promise).

Third: don’t be afraid to try new things. Many people have undergone a metamorphosis since freshman year, including us. This does not connote an equal transformation

for everyone: a tuba player may delve into the thespian world, an athlete may discover his culinary skills when making late-night study snacks, and an intern who did research purely for college apps (hey, no judgment), may discover his future career.

If you try to follow this advice, we will do the same. Letting go of the competitive drive SJS students are infamous for is no simple task, but surviving to see college will require learning to breathe and expanding your worldview.

If you work hard and follow your passions, you will end up where you belong. For the remainder of the school year, we’ll trade off writing letters from the editor. We look forward to learning alongside you and sharing our lessons and mistakes during our final year as Mavericks.

Sincerely,

Megan and Rebecca

The Review · St. John’s School · 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019 · review.sjs@gmail.com · 713-850-0222 sjsreview.com · Facebook SJS Review · Twitter @SJS_Review · Instagram @_thereview Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association--Silver Crown 2014, Gold Medalist 2012 & 2013 · National Scholastic Press Association--6th Place Best of Show (2012), First Class 2012 & 2013 Editors-in-Chief Rebecca Chen, Megan Routbort Deputy Editor Iris Cronin Senior Design Editor Jessica Lee Online Editor Cara Maines Assignment Editors Brooke Kushwaha, Oliver Ruhl, Megan Shen Design Editors Matthew Neal, Tiffany Yue, Christopher Zimmerman Photography Editor Jared Margolis Video Editor Emma Gobillot Copy Editors Gabe Malek, Matthew Neal, Irene Vazquez Asst. Online Editor Amy Liu Social Media Editor Inaara Malick

Business Manager Gabe Malek Asst. Business Manager Lucy Elkins Staff Ashwini Bandi, Anna Cauthorn, Emily Chen, Lin Guo, Alexander Kim, Sophia Li, Christian Maines, Sukul Mittal, Sadde Mohamed, Marisa Murillo, Emily Ragauss, Kanchana Raja, Michael VerMeulen, Max Westmark, Dani Yan, Collins Yeates, Austin Zhang, Olivia Zhang Advisers David Nathan, Shelley Stein (‘88)

Mission Statement The Review strives to report on issues with honor, 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 eight times a school year. We distribute 950 copies each issue, most of which are given for free to the Upper School community of 574 students and 80 faculty.

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 (Q-210); or mail letters to The Review, 2401 Claremont, Houston, TX 77019.

19

ODDS & ENDS

Sixty Seconds with Joseph Hanson

At the beginning of the month, we offered Junior Class President Joseph Hanson the opportunity to fill out a “Sixty Seconds” for the Review Online. When asked, he was visibly distraught. “Not the Print Version?” He lamented. “You know that’s my life goal.”

Name Josh Hanson...oh wait...

Grade 11th State of mind Seersucker Known for Always being pressed and overdressed Hate to love Chopped Love to hate Cargo shorts Happiness Torchy’s Misery Being ashy

Sports team Maverick Boys Volleyball Olympic sport Trampolining Fav spot on campus Great Hall construction Dream date 3rd wheeling with Josh Peck and Oprah Relationship status Aggressively single Comfort food Cane’s Guilty pleasure Extra guac Place to live Africa I wish I could be as humble as Kanye West Treasured possession My weave The best thing Teahouse Spirit animal Slow loris Hero Abigail Moorhead (Operate) Superpower Writing SAC speeches

Fictional character Olaf Book A to Z Mysteries TV show House of Cards Movie Mean Girls Video game The Kim Possible game on disney.com Website Facebook Phobia Socks ‘n’ crocs Anthem National Motto Yeet Doppelganger See question one I am Just realllllyyyy tan I’d rather be Mr. Beyonce Knowles Follow us? Everywhere. You’ve never seen me walking behind you?

Snarknado

Word for word Soundbites around campus Evan Hammerman: Cyrus and me got kicked from the GroupMe. Dr. Raulston: Cyrus and I. Evan H: What did he just say?

Dr. Raulston: It’s called a driveby shooting.

Grammatical Gang Wars on freshman couch Mr. Quillen: And in this case, the limit doesn’t exist. I said that because of that movie, “Average Girls.”

Student: You mean “Mean Girls”?

Mathematical and Pop Culture knowledge combine in AB Calculus

Mr. Zartman: Some say Stalin’s behavior drove his wife to suicide.

Then his daughter moved to America.

Noah Flowers: It must have been because of his domestic policy.

Examining the important political issues in America and the World Dr. Romero: I’m sure you’re feeling uncomfortable not knowing what’s going to be on the quiz tomorrow.

Cyrus Lee: Do you feed on that?

The day before the first BC Calculus quiz

Blast from the Past

Charted

Havel discovers artistic talent in chemistry

By Matthew Neal

$2

monsters—and they would all be holding up placards with the wrong answer on them. I passed the class, but barely. However, my teacher had copied my lab reports, including the large bad grade scrawled on them, and hung them up behind his desk throughout the year. I wish I had those lab reports back.

.16

97

41

$2

$1

.49

80

.38

$1

44

.41

ENGLISH

WORLD LANGUAGE

00

HISTORY

250

.38

300

HANNAH WORSCHEH

$2

MATH

Mr. Havel’s newest art installation, Three Houses, will debut Friday, Sept. 19 at Art League Houston. Havel Ruck Projects received 2014 Texas Artists of the Year, and their piece will be displayed in the main gallery, 1953 Montrose Blvd., through 350 Nov. 1.

SCIENCE

When I was a high school student in 1977, I did not have to take art at my school to graduate, so I didn’t.

But I was a freelance cartoonist and all-around goofball and designed shirts for clubs and teams. Swimming was and had been my life since junior high, so I wasn’t interested in much else. I was not a real stellar student.

Chemistry was one of my worst subjects.

I just could not give it my attention and inevitably would get D’s on my lab reports because of mistakes.

However, I enjoyed drawing cartoon characters along the margins of my lab reports—gorillas, wizards in pointy hats, mad scientists doing experiments,



By Brooke Kushwaha

Information from bookstore prices

20

REARVIEW

s g n i t e e Gr m o fr

1.

CAMBODIA

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE INDIA

3.

SAN DIEGO

2.

CANADA

NORWAY

4.

5.

Internships. SAT classes. Summer Express and Summerfest Houston ran replete with activities for students to pursue during summer vacation, both educational and recreational. Many found themselves blown by the four winds to every corner of the globe. Senior Paxton Lambright volunteered in Cambodia (Photo 1) with Rustic Pathways, spending time working with children and immersing herself in the community and culture.

Senior Matthew Zlotnik stayed closer to home, repping Maverick football while deep-sea fishing in Tofino, Canada (2). Zlotnik declared himself the Halibut King even though Canada no longer operates under a monarchy. Tofino is located in British Columbia on Vancouver Island and is renowned

for its impressive fishing opportunities.

Junior Francesca Farris scaled the Himalayan mountains during her visit to India (3). Don’t let the snow fool you: India in the summer is prime monsoon season, with heat and humidity that rival Houston. Farris attempted to get a nose ring, but since it was against her program’s policy, she settled instead for shaving one side of her head in the style popularized by actress Natalie Dormer for her role in “Mockingjay”.

Senior Dara Ladjevardian was stopped by IGN reporter Brian Altano during his annual trip to ComicCon in San Diego, the largest worldwide multi-genre entertainment and comic convention (4). Ladjevardian voiced his skepticism about the quality of

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” after attending a panel discussion.

Smart move. The movie received only 19-percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

No one could disapprove of senior Monica Dayao, our resident PGA pro in-training, travelling abroad to perfect her putting (5). Dayao, along with Morgan and John Sholeen, spent balmy summer afternoons training at the Stavanger Golf Club in Stavanger, Norway. The three hiked, boated and went sightseeing but spent most of their days at the driving range.

Mavericks are enthusiastic about pursuing their passions across the world. Whether they’re training, volunteering or fanboying, they’ll go to great lengths to do what they love.

Photos submitted by SJS students | Story by Brooke Kushwaha and Megan Routbort