The ReMarker | November 2017

The ReMarker newspaper • St. Mark’s School of Texas • Dallas, Texas • Volume 64, Issue 2 • November 3, 2017

REMARKER

WASTED. See story, page 7

• Story André Arsenault, Mike Mahowald, Rett Daugbjerg, Colin Campbell Photo illustration Riley Sanders, Kobe Roseman

26 minutes with...

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I think the U.S. still is the land of opportunity, no matter what.

Jorge Correa Page 15

News in brief

For the record

Senior publishes book

Rothkrug named semifinalist Senior Cal Rothkrug was recently named a regional finalist and national semifinalist in Siemens, a high school math, science and technology competition.

Submitting a 24-page research paper, Rothkrug was one of 11 high school students from Texas to advance to the regional finals with his research project on energy efficient gas separation.

News in brief

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Wins

Loss in counter play

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

Available now on Amazon, senior Waseem Nabulsi has published his book, “Under my Grandmother’s Olive Tree: Poems and Art About Being Palestinian.”

Consisting of his own poems and artwork, the book follows the theme of the Palestinian aspect of Nabulsi’s identity.

The book is currently the top selling book on Amazon’s chart for newly released Middle Eastern Poetry.

Inside News The manual Life Perspectives Buzz Commentary Sports Back page

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Page 2

Teenage guys do stupid things. I know because I am one.

NEWS

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ne willingly jumped over a rail and into a crocodile pit.

One passed out while driving because he was seeing how long he could hold his breath.

What do these two people have in common? They are both teenage boys.

We do stupid things. A lot.

And when the inevitable conversation with a parent comes after we are caught or sometimes saved, it usually begins with, “Why on earth did you do this?” and usually ends with, “if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?”

The answer to that last question — no, obviously. But the answer to the first: “Um, I don’t know?”

And sometimes Reece we truly Rabin don’t. We Senior get caught writer up in the moment, misjudge a situation and make the wrong choice. It can be little or big. But it usually comes down to one thing… impressing someone.

Last week in a baseball game I stood on the mound ready to deliver a pitch. The batter had fouled off three straight fastballs and I knew it was time to go with a changeup. When my catcher held three fingers down, calling for that pitch, I knew that was the right decision. But my teenage boy brain got the best of me (again).

“Throw a fastball!” It urged me. “This guy can’t touch it!Those people in the dugout are saying ‘wait on his fastball’ — you can’t allow that disrespect!”

So, I decided, why not? Let me show this guy who’s boss.

I shook off the sign, threw the fastball and within three seconds I was dejectedly jogging to back up home plate as the ball bounced off the fence.

“You are so dumb,” I thought.

I think that sequence symbolizes much of what teenage boys go through. We look at everything as a challenge ready to be beaten — and not just beaten — beaten with bravado. I undoubtedly should have thrown that hitter a changeup off the plate, but I wanted to prove to him (and myself) that I had the fastest fastball. I clearly do not.

As a senior, I want to be a leader on campus that everyone looks up to and thinks, “Wow, I wish I could do what he does.”

That admiration seems easier to obtain through performing some miraculous action, like jumping off a roof into a pool, doing a backflip in assembly or throwing a 100 mph fastball.

But there is a lot more to leadership than being the manliest, the boldest or, sometimes, the stupidest.

Let’s go play Spikeball on the quad or pickup basketball in the gym. Let’s be the best — the most engaged, the most devoted to making our senior year great for those in our class and those around us.

That is not to say teenage boys will never stop doing stupid things. It is who we are; this is the time to make mistakes that shape our identities and will help us in the future.

But even when we make mistakes, let’s stay away from crocodile pits, breathless driving and fastballs down the middle of the plate.

RACKING UP CASH Fifth graders Russell Higgins, Jacob Cohen, Zachary Andrews, Ethan Cohen, Will Clifford and Nicholas Dickason lend a hand selling food for a We Charity bake sale Oct 20. in the A. Earl Cullum Jr. Alumni Commons.

“It’s fun to make the food and sell it,” Clifford said. “You get the feeling out of it that you’re doing the right thing.”

NEWS Adnan Khan photo

News in brief COMMUNITY SERVICE CANDY DRIVE STARTS UP The Candy Drive, which started Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 8, will donate candy to various children around the Dallas area.

The Salvation Army, West Dallas Community Center and Martin Luther King Community Center are some of the major organizations that will benefit from the drive.

The Candy Drive capitalizes on the leftover candy from Halloween festivities and makes sure that no piece of candy goes to waste.

The community service board aims to collect around a thousand pounds of candy for donation this year.

SOPHOMORE CLASS COMES TOGETHER AT ANNUAL RETREAT The sophomore retreat was held Oct. 5 at the Double-D Ranch.

The goal of the sophomore retreat is to bring the grade together as they approach their later high school years and to establish their identity as a grade.

Students met in groups led by members of the Junior Class and participated in various team-building exercises and discussions about their grade’s future, coming up with various ideas to bring the grade together.

PEANUT BUTTER IS NOT ALLOWED IN PANINI PRESSES ​SAGE Dining Services would like to remind the community to not use any of the panini presses with peanut butter.

There is a peanut butter station set aside to prepare peanut butter meals, but no panini machine.

Peanut butter is not safe for the panini presses because of allergy concerns.

SENIORS CHOSEN FOR COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Seniors Jimmy Rodriguez and Kobe Roseman were chosen to be the school’s Morehead-Cain Scholarship nominees, while Owen Berger and Sam Sussman were chosen to be the Jefferson Scholarship nominees this year. These are merit scholarships to UNC-Chapel Hill and UVA, respectively.

Students are chosen from a committee comprised of faculty members and administrators.

This is the first year that both scholarships are allowing schools

to nominate two students, as they were only able to choose one each in the past.

SIXTH GRADERS TO VOLUNTEER AT PROMISE HOUSE NOV. 10 The sixth grade class will volunteer at Promise House Nov. 10, helping the organization provide aid to homeless youths.

The purpose of the trip is to raise the boys’ awareness of homelessness and explore its various types, ultimately providing them with an opportunity to make an impact on their community.

MATH TEAM WINS AWARDS AT STATEWIDE COMPETITION The Math Team finished in

fourth place in the annual Texas A&M High School Mathematics Contest (TAMU) Oct. 21.

The team competed in three different areas of study including math beyond calculus, consisting of both individual and team categories.

In the EF division, which tests students’ knowledge of calculus and beyond, senior Kevin Feng and junior Dylan Liu finished in fifth and tenth places, respectively.

In the open division for the best student category, Liu, senior Jesse Zhong and Feng finished in second, eighth and tenth places, respectively.

In the power team category, the team of Liu, Feng, Zhong, juniors Albert Luo and Richard Shen and senior Cal Rothkrug finished in fourth place in the competition.

­­­­­­— Alec Dewar, Wallace White, James Rogers, Michael Lukowicz, Kamal Mamdani

Say what?

Inside

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Allman speaks out

Headmaster at New York’s Trinity School sends a letter to his school community.

Comments made by students, faculty and staff around campus

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You are what you eat, and I’m a saltine cracker. ­— Senior Andrew Smith as he pulls out a sleeve of saltine crackers

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Jordan’s 50th

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Lower School instructor Frank Jordan celebrates his 50th year of teaching and 75th birthday.

Around the corner On campus

Organ recital and choral Evensong · Where: Chapel · When: Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m. · What: A musical performance by the choir All-school Thanksgiving convocation · Where: The Great Hall · When: Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m. · What: The school will gather to give thanks

Nothing makes me happier than running... except for everything. ­— Junior Seth Weprin

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Crown awards

Three Marksman publications win Columbia Scholastic Press Association coveted crowns.

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Failed experiments

Science instructors relive some of their failed science experiments.

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Do y’all ever freeze your ketchup, and it’s like a savory popsicle? ­ Senior Riley Sanders — on his favorite snack

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Freestyle is the easiest because you can do whatever you want! ­—Freshman Harrison Ingram on swimming

HEADMASTER DAVID DINI

Off campus

Dallas Zoo lights · Where: Dallas Zoo · When: Nov. 17 · What: The zoo showcases nearly one million lights after dark Turkey Trot · Where: City Hall · When: Nov. 23, 9 a.m. · What: Annual eight-mile race downtown

News • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 3

TRANSCENDING THE TRANSACTIONAL Defining private education

Former St. Mark’s instructor, now head of one of NY’s oldest private schools, questions the reasons behind private education.

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For more on Allman’s letter, read “Can prep schools fight the class war?” nytimes. com/2017/09/22/ nyregion/trinity-school-letter-to-parents.html

hat is the real purpose of a private school education? What can parents expect of the thousands of dollars in tuition they spend in their children’s education?

These are the questions Trinity head of school John Allman, who taught here in the 1980s, attempted to address in a letter to parents over the summer which has garnered national attention — including mention in the New York Times.

His evaluation of the current culture of the school suggests something needed to be changed.

•••

ESTEEMED EDUCATION The front doors on one of Trinity’s buildings reflects the school’s legacy and traditions that Allman hopes to uphold.

Years before he joined Trinity, Allman was a

coach and English department head here. His experience at the school has carried with him for decades, and he still sometimes draws from St. Mark’s when making decisions today.

“Within the school, we’ve been looking “I have a great deal of admiration for the pretty intensively for the past couple of years way the school has been run for a long time,” about student well-being,” Allman said, “and Allman said. “In fact, I still have the policy the threats to that well-being posed by inmanual that was used when I arrived at the tensifying pressures that students feel. These school in 1985. I pull all the time from discuspressures are created by an increasingly highly sion that we had there in policy and procedure selective college admissions process and amthat were developed when I was there.” bitions to garner admissions to Due to the similarities between the two those schools.” schools, the topics discussed in Allman’s letter What Allman realized are pertinent to discussions being held on was there were parents campus. Headmaster David Dini understands and students who viewed the fundamental goals specified by Allman are the school as more of a applicable to education itself. stepping stone to prepare “[School] is not a transactional enterprise,” them for the future rather Dini said. “It’s a human enterprise. It’s about than a community of investing in potential. upstanding people.

• This is not a check Given all the external presIn his back-to-school the box, pay your John Allman sures of the world around tuition and gain welcome letter to the Trinity head of school us, that our purpose as a admission to a parents, Allman explored selective college or school community togeththe ideals of a community in which people university. This is er is about addressing the would use it for more than just its surface level preparation for life. fundamental purpose of Headmaster purpose. helping our students beDavid Dini “At times, we feel the disconnection from come their best selves.” consumerist families that treat teachers and the While academics and extracurricular school in entirely instrumental ways, seeking to activities are of utmost importance, Dini says use us exclusively to advance their child’s narwhat a parent most cares about when sending row self-interests,” Allman wrote in the letter. their child to school is the character of the He went on to emphasize the notions of student. social contract versus covenant. In a contract, “Who you are and the development of the parties involved in the community are all your character that fundamentally is most seeking to gain something out of their involveimportant and what we care about most,” Dini ment, while in covenant, they are giving to the said. “When you ask a parent what they really community, ultimately benefiting everyone. value and what they want for their children, As soon as the letter was sent, the commuwho they are as people is paramount.” nity responded.

Allman still remembers This continued to evolve when The WE FEEL THE DISCONNECTION FROM CONSUMERIST the school as an institution focused on character and FAMILIES SEEKING TO USE US EXCLUSIVELY TO New York Times leadership, and he still apADVANCE THEIR CHILD’S NARROW SELF-INTERESTS. wrote an article plies what he learned here Trinity Head of School John Allman about the letter while leading his school sparking discusin New York. He wants to sion across the give his students chances nation. However, to experience defining moments, similar to the Allman said the article did not properly encapPecos Wilderness trip, so he can continue to sulate the meaning of the letter. evolve the culture at Trinity in the future.

“The New York Times article doesn’t get the “I think that the Pecos Wilderness trip is letter exactly right,” Allman said. “It pulls some so distinctive, and we’re trying to create some of the elements of the letter together, but the arof that here,” Allman said. “You pull a little bit ticle misses the basic thrust, which is this notion from every place you’ve been and seeing the of covenant and understanding the relationship things that they do.” to the school is one of covenant not contract.”

• Story Kamal Mamdani, Sid Vattamreddy, Reece Rabin Photos Courtesy John Allman

The letter Excerpts from Allman’s Aug. 30 letter to parents

Dear parents...

We seem to have lost the necessary balance in the timeless need to balance our separateness and our togetherness, our differences and the common good, our diversity and our community...

First and foremost, let’s build a school counterculture that enhances student well-being.

Second, let’s build transformational opportunities to “engage the City, Nation, and World.”

Third, let’s build a coherent K-12 curriculum that empowers us to work together to advance important shared curricular and mission commitments.

Excitedly, John Allman, head of school

Our parents Parents’ Association President Debbie Jenevein speaks to the value parents have in sending their children to the school.

Why did you and other parents send your children to St. Mark’s?

We looked for skillful teachers and adults of solid character.

We wanted to expose our kids to other children who wanted to learn and be challenged. Although we recognized that there are many pathways to becoming successful, learning to be Debbie Jenevein a critical thinker was key. We saw all these criteria and qualities in St. Mark’s.

How much weight do parents place on character when deciding on a school?

I believe all families realize how important these formative years are for our children and look for similar characteristics when choosing a school.

How does St. Mark’s influence the development kids in terms of character?

Our teachers, coaches and administration are giving our children life skills to become good citizens.

There is so much more to a St. Mark’s education than the curriculum found on the syllabus! I’m thankful that St. Mark’s has a long lens and keeps the big picture in sight.

Page 4 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • News

FIFTY YEARS LATER In conversation

TENURED Donning his classic happygo-lucky smile, Senior Master Emeritus Frank Jordan leads his third grade class to the lunchroom.

Third grade instructor Frank Jordan celebrates his 50th year at the school and his 75th birthday this school year.

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ince 1968, Lower School instructor Frank Jordan has been teaching at 10600 Preston Road. Since 1990, Jordan has been taking rising fifth graders on a week-long trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks. Forty-nine years, seven teaching awards and countless pancake breakfasts later, Jordan is still teaching, still leading clubs and still in contact with alumni. Soon, it will be 50 years.

When I first came here, he greeted me so warmly and has always been a great source of encouragement and comfort.

He has such a big heart. He’s just a great guy. ­—Head of Lower School Sherri Darver The words ‘energetic’ and ‘inspiring’ immediately come to mind when I think of Mr. Jordan. He brings a level of energy and enthusiasm to his work every day that brightens up any room and brings out the best in every Marksman.

—Headmaster David Dini When I hear ‘Mr. Jordan,’ I think of the Wyoming trips.

—Third grade instructor Catherine Wetzel It’s hard to sum up somebody that complex in only a few words. He’s genuine and curious.”

—Suzanne and Patrick McGee Master Teaching Chair J.T. Sutcliffe I think he really loves the boys and that love transfers.

They know it. They know his feelings for them are genuine and he genuinely wants everyone to do well.

—Administrative Assistant to Head of Lower School Kathy Mallick Mr. Jordan connects incredibly well with our youngest Marksmen because he understands the unique qualities of boyhood. He brings a wonderful mix of play and seriousness to his classroom, inspiring boys to work hard, learn from their mistakes. We are incredibly fortunate to have an extraordinary teacher like Mr. J. who has devoted his whole professional life to our school community.

—Headmaster David Dini My favorite thing about Mr. Jordan is his kindness and thoughtfulness. I have received some of the most lovely and thoughtful gifts and cards from Frank over the years, and I will always treasure them.

—First grade instructor Teri Broom To work with the little guys, you have to have a lot of

patience, and you have to be a great role model since they watch your actions as well as your words. He expects more of himself than he even does of his kids, so he is such a great mentor for them as well as a teacher who helps them get excited about learning.

—Suzanne and Patrick McGee Master Teaching Chair J.T. Sutcliffe One of my favorite memories [of Jordan] was the day it snowed. It snowed really hard, and we were both of the same accord that the boys were able to go out and play in the snow, no matter what they had on, and we both loved watching them, and that was one of our favorite memories together.

—Third grade instructor Catherine Wetzel I know this year has been interesting for him to look back and say, ‘Wow, 50 years.’ But I also know he feels like he first started here yesterday. This is his home. This is a part of who he is. The school is part of who he is and he is part of what the school is. To have the longevity in one place and dedication to one place is so unique. Our world changes so fast, it’s rare to find someone who will stay in one place for 50 years.

—Head of Lower School Sherri Darver He still remembers me from such a long time ago. I made a thank-you card for him and drew a picture once, and he still calls me ‘The Artist.’ Every time he walks past me he still says, ‘Hey, The Artist!’ and that’s been nine, ten years since I had him. He still remembers me.

—Senior Kannan Sharma The first thing I think of when I hear ‘Mr. Jordan’ is his baseball card collection and how it made class so fun when we were little.

—Junior Will Kozmetsky

• Interviews Andy Crowe, Chris Wang Photos Riley Sanders

Korey Mack ’00 works with Dallas City Council

by Chris Wang dmissions officer Korey Mack ’00 serves as the representative for District Seven on the Dallas City Planning Commission, a committee responsible for making recommendations to the Dallas City Council regarding planning and zoning matters.

Mack spends every other Thursday at City Hall working as a member of the commission. He cares about serving and advocating his own, and others’, ideas, so he’s able to look over the time-consuming aspect of the job.

“It’s a non-paid position, and I spend about 20 hours every month doing this,” Mack said. “I think it’s important for me to serve in whatever capacity that I can, and I think I have the skillset necessary to be able to listen to folks.”

Mack believes his Upper School experiences have helped him in his work on the commission.

“St. Mark’s has equipped me with a valuable set of tools to help meet this tremendous challenge,” Mack said. “The public speaking and debate program, experience on the Upper School Community Service Board and experience on the student council as Senior Class president specifically stand out as Marksmen experiences.”

From these programs and experiences Mack has been exposed to as a Marksman, he has gained qualities which benefit his decision-making skills.

“I think the most important of those tools

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include the ability to listen attentively and actively,” Mack said. “To read and follow directions, to evaluate evidence objectively and not only make a sound decision, but to explain clearly the reason for the decision and finally to empathize and see perspectives outside of my own.”

From his time on the commission, Mack has also learned new skills by working with constituents of different communities.

“I understand much more how community members and neighborhood residents convey their vision for their community and leverage the democratic process to advocate in support of or in opposition to proposed development that will have an effect on their daily lives,” Mack said. “Most importantly, I have gained valuable experience of how various departments in our city work together to enhance the lives of residents here in Dallas.”

As Mack continues to serve and advocate on behalf of others, he hopes more people will get involved with their community and government.

“Government goes to those who show up, so get involved in your neighborhood,” Mack said.

“If you are of voting age, vote in every election. If not, realize that many methods to engage with your local government and community exist. I wish I would have seized more opportunities to be active in my community, and I’d be happy to help anyone identify and make the most of those opportunities.”

News • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 5

NOT JUST ANOTHER TWEET Mead National Geographic blog

After writing a new blog for National Geographic, McDermott Master Teaching Chair in Science John Mead plans to start new projects with Dr. Lee Berger.

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t was just another tweet.

McDermott Master Teacher in Science John Mead had been tweeting about the school’s developments with Dr. Lee Berger, one of the world’s most noted paleoanthropologists, for a while now, so he didn’t expect anything big to happen.

A couple of likes, a couple of retweets, maybe even a response or two.

That’s all Mead anticipated.

He never would’ve thought that his posts would attract the attention of National Geographic. And he never would’ve thought they would offer him an opportunity to do what he loves: blog. ··· Mead has been blogging through National Geographic’s educational branch, and he’s now written five blog posts about Berger’s connection to the school.

“I’ll have a couple blog posts later that will deal with just Homo naledi,” Mead said. “One will be on the science of it, and then another one on how this expedition has changed the face of this type of science.”

Mead started after talking with National Geographic over Twitter, when they had the realization that there was little content about human origins on their website.

“They wanted to bring me in as someone who is a middle school expert to help share my experiences there,” Mead said.

In addition to blogging, Mead has worked with Berger to inspire students entering the field of science.

For example, Mead set up a video chat with Berger for a Middle School assembly, in which the researchers surprisingly made a discovery.

“They [Berger’s team] actually found a rib bone as a question was being asked,” Mead said. “We’re getting the world aware that science can be done in a much more engaging fashion.”

In addition to improving his classes’s experiences, Mead and Berger have requested a grant from National Geographic to create a textbook accessible to the masses about evolution and recent developments in the field.

“There’s really an unintentional block to information getting out,” Mead said. “So we have a grant, and we’re waiting to hear from National Geographic now. That would allow us to start creating basically a textbook of human origins, that we could then give away free to students throughout the world.”

Mead will find out later this month

PARTNERS After working in the field together, science instructor John Mead (above right) and paleoanthropologist Dr. Lee Berger (above left) might get the chance to work on a National Geographic publication together.

if the grant will be accepted.

He thinks the textbook could be distributed as an electronic book for students in third-world countries.

“They’re going to use it academically in ways that we don’t think of doing,” Mead said, “so we want to make it friendly to all devices.”

If approved to work on the book, Berger would be a key contributor, but Mead would take lead on the project because of his educational background.

This year, Berger visited the school Oct. 10 through funding by benefactor Lyda Hill, chairman of the Lyda Hill Foundation, to talk about the Homo naledi discovery and the cave in which it was discovered.

“The connection of a researcher and a school is very unusual,” Mead said.

“That basically does not happen except for a handful of places around the world, that’s a big deal.”

In five to ten years, Mead also expects to create a workshop for teachers who are interested in human origins but don’t have their facts up to speed.

“If you’re a teacher and you want to get into this topic, there’s really no place to go on a regular basis,” Mead said, “so

• Story James Rogers, Ishan Gupta Photo Courtesy John Mead

the idea of having a workshop over the summer or year in year out where we can bring in experts like Berger or other people to talk to teachers, that’s something that I think, from the start that we’re at now, can blossom into something much bigger that way.”

Science Department Chair Fletcher Carron is glad Berger is able to create genuine interest from the school during his visits.

“He’s the man out there right now,” Carron said. “Whenever there’s a new educational initiative connected either specifically to the finds in South Africa or to just the teaching of evolution, specifically human evolution, to middle school and high school ages, he’s the name you’re going to find.”

After Berger’s talk to the Upper School, dozens of middle schoolers were waiting outside for the researchers to sign their books.

“If you can get young people that excited about any aspect of science early on,” Carron said, “then that’s going to make them more excited about class, more interested in doing homework, caring and thinking in their free time about connections in science and doing independent reading.”

Middle School Community Service Board formed

by Mateo Guevara new Middle School Community Service Board has been created to help organize new service opportunities for all middle schoolers.

The new board, consisting of 19 Middle School students, will be in charge of planning advisory drives independent from the school-wide food and clothing drives.

They will also oversee the new service opportunities the middle schoolers will have together as a whole grade which in some cases may include Hockaday students.

Meagan Frazier, Director of Middle School communitd service, elaborates on the new service activities for the middle schoolers.

In addition to the grade-wide service projects, each grade will explore a certain theme over the year, and their events will be centered around that theme.

“Each grade has an event they are going to do in conjunction with Hockaday,” Frazier said, “and each event has a theme that they are exploring.

So, the fifth grade is going to the North Texas Food Bank because their whole theme this year is the idea of local hunger.”

The visits to the tree farm for the eighth grade are over as they will spend their day of service doing something a little different.

“The eighth grade will spend a day learning about food deserts and environmental justice,” Frazier said, “An idea that you have this group of people that have access to healthy food that is affordable and within half a mile walking distance.”

With these new changes, Frazier hopes to instill a sense of purpose in the middle schoolers so they may continue to serve the community as they enter the Upper School.

“When any of those guys [Upper School community service chairs] stand up and speak in front of middle schoolers,” Frazier said, “there is this level of ‘I want to do what he does,’ and now they don’t have to wait four years to get up to that level. They can start laying the ground work now, and I think that is really the coolest part.”

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Middle School Community Service board members: • Aadi Khasgiwala • Aaron Greenberg • Alex Thomas • Bijaan Noormohamed • Henry Piccagli • Jack Burdette • Keats Leffel • Niles Harvey • Rishab Siddamshetty • Sahil Dodda

• Shreyan Daulat • Spencer Burke • Sprios Hallax • Svanik Jaikumar • Thomas Goglia • Will Grable • Will Pechersky • Zach Lightfoot • Zubin Mehta

Page 6 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • News CSPA Crown finalists

MAGAZINES SWEEP CROWN NOMINATIONS F our years.

It had been four years since the last issue was published.

Meanwhile, The ReMarker and The Marque were earning prestigious, national level awards.

However, last spring, a group of students decided that it was time to finally change that — it was time to publish the magazine for the first time in four years.

And they managed to do just that.

But the magazine’s success surprised everyone, even the editors-in-chief themselves.

That magazine, The Scientific Marksman, has just been announced as a Crown award finalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), the highest award given to a student publication by that group.

The Scientific Marksmen now joins the school’s two other literary magazines, the Marque and the Mini-Marque as crown finalists for their 2017 publications.

Former Scientific Marksmen co-editor Killian Green ’17 first joined the magazine late in his junior year to help the staff publish its first issue in four years — only two weeks before the production deadline.

“The Scientific Marksman started off from a very precarious situation, existing off and on for who knows how many years,” Green said. “It was the 2016 editor [Kevin Wu ’16] who decided to revive it after a four year drought. I hadn’t planned on being involved in the magazine that year. It just kind of happened last minute. Kevin reached out to me for some design help, since he had seen my work and knew I was editor of the Marque that year as well.”

With staff members on the Scientific Marksman not having experience in the classroom with journalistic writing, Green soon realized that he would have to implement major changes if the magazine were to be published.

“There were just too many moving parts, and they weren’t working cohesively,” Green said. “I stepped in and

For first time in school history, all three magazines earn CSPA Crown designations.

CROWNING MOMENT Senior Cal Rothkrug (left), eighth grader Jeffery Chen (center) and junior Matthew Coleman (right), editors of The Scientific Marksman, the Mini-Marque and the Marque respectively, will learn whether their productions will win the Gold Crown award in March at the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association conference in New York.

helped organize and guide, essentially starting from the ground up. By some miracle, we finished the entire magazine from the ground up in two weeks. And we were pleasantly surprised by the community’s response. They flew off the shelves. We simply couldn’t print enough.”

Using his experience on the Marksmen

yearbook and the Marque literary magazine, Green wanted an issue incomparable to previous ones — one with a unique design style and an inclusion of STEAM-related stories Green looks forward to seeing where the magazine will go with new leadership. He hopes it stays unique and has its own special feel.

“I’m extremely optimistic for the future of the magazine,” Green said.

“I think that it can really bring a new dynamic to the St. Mark’s publications scene not present before, joining the technical with the artistic.”

For Cal Rothkrug, Scientific Marksman co-editor in chief, the Crown nom-

ination means the current staff has to maintain the quality and content.

“Killian [Green ’17] and Rohil [Rai ’17] did a great job last year in terms of design and revitalizing the staff,” Rothkrug said. “The award is nice because it validates our work, but it also means that we have a better reputation, which means we’re going to have to work even harder this year to produce another quality magazine that can win another Crown.”

Rothkrug also believes the Crown is not a means to an end; he hopes to further establish the reputation of the Scientific Marksmen by garnering more awards.

“The Crown is nice and all, but our current staff is really looking towards applying for new awards,” Rothkrug said. “Building on our recent Crown nomination, we want to apply for the Pacemaker Award, which is sponsored by the National Scholastic Press Association.”

Award or not, Rothkrug knows current staff members will keep the

Three magazines, three Crowns Last month, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association announced its magazine Crown finalists. Three local magazines were honored: • Marque, Upper School literary magazine • The Mini-Marque, Middle School literary

magazine

• Scientific Marksmen, Upper School

special interest magazine

high expectations and appreciate how far the magazine has come in two years.

“When my brother founded the magazine five years ago,” Rothkrug said, “I know he wasn’t expecting to win something this prestigious. We’ve gone from years where we haven’t even published the magazine to being nominated for a Crown — all because our staff has really put in the time to understand what makes a good magazine. I think that’s a job well done.”

• Story Michael Lukowicz, Zoheb Khan Photos Riley Sanders In the picture

School hosts more than 100 North Texas-area teachers

Teacher Institute helps supplement English classes

by Wallace White ver 100 teachers from around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex gathered at the school Oct. 27 to refine their English teaching skills in a workshop that has been active for more than 25 years.

Trustee Master Teacher Lynne Weber-Schwartz and Middle School humanities instructor Rebecca Jenkins spearheaded the teachers’ institute and organize the event every two years.

“It’s an opportunity for other teachers to get to go to a place of learning that is very different from their own environment,” Schwartz said. “These teachers have been in the classroom a long time, but they’re coming to St. Mark’s because they know our reputation.”

The very best from the English faculty give workshops on a range of different texts and techniques they use in the classroom. Visiting teachers also can attend classes in session.

O

“We use our faculty’s expertise as a springboard to help these teachers that come to the institute learn something different on the way to apply their trade.”

Weber-Schwartz said. “For example, Mr. Brown gives a section on The Great Gatsby, and Mrs. Jenkins gives one on techniques of teaching close reading to middle schooler teachers.”

Weber-Schwartz feels that the institute allows teachers from public schools which lack some resources and have larger class sizes teach more effectively.

“We certainly gain from getting the perspective from outside teachers, but usually the outside teachers are so impressed with the school, they’re blown away with the kind of resources we have.” Weber-Schwartz said. “It’s good for us at St. Mark’s to hear the stories that we get from public school teachers that we don’t get at private school and some of the problems they have, so we realize how fortunate we are to be here.”

PARKING LOT PARTY Before the “Pink Out” football game Oct. 13 against Houston Christian, the senior class threw a tailgate party in the junior parking lot. Seniors Will Wood, Jimmy Rodriguez, Davis Bailey and Harris Wilson played Spikeball while other seniors played games such as ping-pong, cornhole and street hockey while enjoying food with faculty. The Lions went on to win the game 41-0.

News • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 7

WASTED.

Cover story | continued from page one

After deaths at LSU and Penn State this year, fraternities remain in the national spotlight. But as Marksmen become leaders of chapters and others are hazed out, students stand at a blurry crossroad — facing a college decision many overlook.

Editor’s note: Tyler and Barrett are pseudonyms used to protect the identities of the subjects — both alums — interviewed. t’s a Sunday in late August, and Tyler* eagerly bounces from house to house with hundreds of other young men, looking for a place with that perfect combination of brotherhood, social opportunities and, eventually, a home.

It’s rush week — and Tyler is just another college freshman looking to join a fraternity. After touring ten houses and attending multiple off-campus events, he rushes three fraternities.

Within days, he gets a bid. He’s “super pumped.” Everything seems to fall into place, and he’s so excited to join a fraternity.

But then it begins.

First it was just the alcohol. Then, it got physical.

He and his pledge brothers are packed into a cramped hallway for two hours with no air flow, mindlessly reciting their fraternity’s docet information. Every time they mess up: 30-minute wall-sit.

Herded like cattle. Pushed to their physical limit. More wall-sits, more push-ups and more planks. Subjected to freezing ice baths.

The horrors go on and on and on until Tyler begins to convulse — he collapses in a seizure caused by dehydration and exhaustion.

The alcohol, the abuse, the ensuing “physical and emotional distress” — Tyler was done. After much deliberation, he walked away from his “brothers.”

I

ica Pulido sees students evaluate both the pros and cons of fraternity life when considering college decisions and pledging.

“I think for our students, they are taking the recent events with a grain of salt in terms of that it is a real possibility with the negative influences of fraternities,” Pulido said. “But I think our students are still thinking about it as more of a networking and camaraderie event and hoping they find something similar to St. Mark’s. I don’t think our students are completely turned off or have a different idea simply because they do see the positives that come out of being in a fraternity.”

Barrett came into college with this exact mindset, believing that fraternity life was right for him despite the potential risks.

“I believed the environment a fraternity provided suited what I wanted,” Barrett said. “It didn’t. While the Greek system has its perks, often times the people within the organizations maintain a different series of values and characteristics that differ from how a Marksman would act.”

Barrett identified “blatant racism and disrespect towards women” as just two of

The first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, was

founded in 1775 at the College of William and Mary as a way for students to convene and discuss topics considered inappropriate for the academic setting. Founded on the principles of leadership and service, fraternities can serve as valuable platforms for personal growth and social change.

“Coming out of St. Mark’s and the Dallas bubble, the question often isn’t ‘Where are you going to college?’ but rather ‘Are you rushing?’” Barrett*, another alumnus, said. “The natural transition from high school to college seems to be joining a fraternity. Also, coming out of St. Mark’s, the all-guys fraternal environment is exciting.”

Although humble in origin, fraternities are often stigmatized by a darker side that taints this image: drinking, partying, hazing and misogyny amongst the culprits. And with an increasing number of news headlines capturing incidents — deaths at Penn State and LSU, and hazing at SMU in recent months — hidden dangers are becoming more apparent, even causing some students to forego Greek life entirely.

Director of College Counseling Veron-

The breakdown A look at fraternities across the nation — and why they’ve come into the spotlight.

66 6186 800 6 67

WELCOME TO THE HOUSE

the problematic actions he witnessed during his brief association with fraternities.

“When at St. Mark’s, locker room jokes are made and often cross lines,” Barrett said, “but in the Greek environment, it seemed as though people often took these things seriously and to heart. Often times, people were harmed physically simply for the twisted pleasure of someone else.”

The injustices Barrett witnessed made

it “difficult to see me being friends and brothers” with many of his fraternity members, and the toxic culture ultimately led him to jump ship. For Tyler, a similar cultural issue, coupled with intense hazing, led him to leave Greek life as well.

“There have always been stories of hazing within Greek life,” Tyler said, “but when I personally experienced them in conjunction with recent fraternity horror stories, I realized how dangerous these institutions could be. There are definitely great fraternities out there. Philanthropy, brotherhood, a foundation of friends — these are all realities for some fraternities and sororities — but in my experience, those things were secondary to the idea of suffering, shutting up and moving on.”

Although recent incidents have garnered national attention, University of Texas Interfraternity Council (IFC) president Danny McNamara ’14 believes these events are the exception, not the rule, insisting most fraternities offer positives for incoming students.

“Fraternities are values-based organizations that offer men the opportunity to gain leadership skills that will be valuable far after college.” McNamara said. “Frater-

Tomorrow’s decision

A notable part of college social life, faternities are often the part of seniors’ college descisons many people look over.

54%

20%

number of campuses with at least one member fraternity

fraternity-related hazing deaths since 2016

fraternities suspended in 2016

Source: North-American Interfraternity Conference, The Doan Law Firm

13% 13%

Partying Beer Fun Brotherhood — Poll surveyed from 82 juniors and seniors

62.2% 37.8% NO

YES

Percentage of seniors who said they planned to join a fraternity

‘

number of U.S. member fraternities of the North-American Interfraternity Conference number of chapters in the North-American Interfraternity Conference

What is the first word that comes to mind when you think of fraternities?

For me, I feel like Greek life in college is much less important. I wouldn’t be that interested in Greek life, but sure, if I find one that I like then, sure, I’ll join it.

Andrew Li

‘

I think that there’s a good balance between having a Greek life and having a non-Greek life in order to not feel the pressure of being forced.

Mohit Singhal

• Story Andre Arsenault, Mike Mahowald, Rett Daugbjerg, Colin Campbell Photo Riley Sanders, Kobe Roseman

nities provide a support group, guidance and even mentoring.”

Former Vanderbilt Sigma Alpha Epsilon president Patrick McGee ’11 believes some fraternities are plagued with problems, but these issues can be resolved with effective leadership.

“It all happens on a micro level and starts with each indi• ‘Often times vidual chapter, and it the people within starts with individual the organizations leadership,” McGee maintain a said. “It starts with different series of values and guys seeing risky or characteristics dangerous behavior that differ from and stepping up and how a Marksman saying ‘You know would act.’ what? We’re not going Barrett* to tolerate that.’”

In light of national headlines, the IFC, a major governing body for national fraternities, has made a recent push to combat issues such as hazing by emphasizing national policy and working cooperatively with university leadership. McNamara stresses the importance of safety in fraternity activity.

“Safety for members and those in the UT community is a top priority for us,” McNamara said. “The IFC Council does not tolerate any hazing activities or culture. We also proactively educate to try and prevent issues that are critical across college campuses — not just Greek Life — right now, like sexual assault, alcohol and substance abuse, hazing and intolerance.”

McGee believes proactivity is the best

combatant against fraternity-related issues.

Coupled with campus initiatives, a positive relationship with university administrations can help reshape fraternity culture, thus preventing incidents before they happen.

“It takes leadership,” McGee said, “it takes thought, it takes being proactive and it takes a lot of respect for everyone you’re dealing with. It takes respect for other chapters, people outside of fraternities and for the administration, and that’s how you build a healthy culture and don’t have one of these big breakdowns occur.”

Grand Master of Ceremonies at Stanford Kappa Sigma, Matt Mahowald ’14 believes fraternities can stay true to their mission by offering professional events and services to members.

“With instances like the Penn State one, we’re really aware of the reputations frats have garnered as social clubs where kids congregate to drink,” Mahowald said.

“These incidents sort of extremify the view that fraternities are a place where kids go to party and drink. We view our fraternity as a lot more than that.”

Among the recent opportunities endorsed by Stanford Kappa Sigma, for instance, are alumni events “where we bring in alumni to talk about certain things” and career panels “for active members to talk to older members about their industry,” Mahowald said.

“We use that as an opportunity for fraternity members to come up with ideas about their careers,” Mahowald said. “So it’s a great opportunity for mentorship and networking.”

Although fraternities are a popular option on campuses nationwide, Barrett maintains there are plenty of other opportunities to become involved on campus.

“Greek life is great for some people,” Barrett said. “It provides a phenomenally quick and easy way to become thrown into a social scene, but this can be done in a number of other ways. College has plenty to offer and lots of roads to take — the path is for your steps alone.”

While the decision to drop was difficult for Tyler, he has no regrets.

“I did like a lot of my pledge class, and living in the house would have been very nice later on in college,” Tyler said.

“But I haven’t looked back since my decision. I stuck to my values, and I’m having a good time without the fraternity.”

Page 8 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • News 34 minutes with... Umer Nadir

THE FIRST RESPONDER

Rushing after class to save a fellow student from a medical emergency is all in a day’s work for Umer Nadir ’15 after forming an emergency response club.

LIFESAVING TIPS At the UTD Club Fair, Umer Nadir ’15 (left) advises two fellow college students on medical procedures and methods they can use while at home, some of which could potentially save lives. Nadir’s organization was founded after he noticed a long wait time for college students waiting for first responders,

E

very single mistake falls on his shoulders—and in his field of work, mistakes are a matter of life and death.

Whether it’s something as small as a misplaced defibrillator or something as big as a botched rescue call, every mistake is his fault.

He rarely gets accolades or praise for the work he does as a first responder on a college campus. His work is frequently tedious, jumping through different hoops and student government organizations in order to serve the community.

It’s hard work, but it’s work he’s willing to do everyday—and it’s all volunteer work. When not mixing music, Umer Nadir ’15 can be found helping the University of Texas at Dallas community through University Emergency Medical Response (UEMR).

Nearly as soon as he got into college, Nadir founded the UEMR because of a need on the UTD campus of a quick, free and reliable first emergency response team.

“The Health Center at UTD closes at five, yet there are so many emergencies that happen at any time in the day,” Nadir said. “Richardson Fire Department

sometimes has trouble coming over to campus because they’re a busy service.

The need for more EMS coverage was the reason I formed the UEMR.” Through different ways of providing free healthcare to the UTD campus, the UEMR has helped nearly the entire school community.

“UEMR is responsible for staffing special events alongside the UTD Police Department,” Nadir said. “We help the UTD Community by increasing access to emergency healthcare and by decreasing response time.”

After trying to learn from veteran certified EMTs and first responders, Nadir instead decided to do something good with his certification.

“I got my EMT certification right after I graduated from St. Mark’s,” Nadir said.

“I wanted to shadow in ER’s around town, but none of them allowed me to use my EMT license as a volunteer.

Instead, after doing initial research, I figured out that other college campuses were doing something similar to what I was envisioning.”

Much of the inspiration for Nadir’s organization came from the community service he engaged in and outreach ideals

instilled in him while a student at 10600 Preston Rd. “St. Mark’s has always tried to instill community outreach and servant leadership in all of their students,” Nadir said.

“I used to go to Austin Street Shelter with the Blues Club from time to time and that was my first taste of community outreach and service. The heavy emphasis on community service at St. Mark’s easily set the foundation for me to think of UEMR as a volunteer first responder agency.”

Through his work both at the school and at UTD, Nadir has found a new passion.

“Community service used to be one of those things that I used to check off on a list for my requirements for the trimester,” Nadir said, “now, it is something that I live for. I found that community service is so much more rewarding when you’re doing something that you like doing.”

The school here also instilled an outgoing nature in Nadir, something else that inspired him to start UEMR and serve his community.

“I always felt like St. Mark’s was an accepting environment with a certain

standard that I had to meet,” Nadir said. “The relationships that I had with teachers, administrators, coaches and staff all helped me reinforce the idea that everyone is willing to talk to you if you show interest, too.”

Although founding the UEMR was hard work and took a lot of time, Nadir doesn’t plan on stopping to help his community with his organization of 24 EMT-certified students.

“With UEMR, I’m engaged every day, and I would easily exceed the community service hour requirements, if there were any for the [position of UEMR] chief,” Nadir said. “But by far the most challenging thing I’ve done as an EMT is be Chief of UEMR.” For anyone looking to serve their community and help the people around them, Nadir has one piece of advice.

“You have to plant the right seed with everyone for your garden to start growing,” Nadir said. “Talk with everyone, make sure everyone knows your name.

The goal in doing all that is so that the person you’re bringing on board understands everything about the program so they can brag about it to other people.

It’ll start a chain reaction of good.”

• Story Sam Shane, Mateo Guevara Photo Courtesy UTD News Center

Visiting Scholar Robert Edsel ’75 fascinates students

by Ishan Gupta Distinguished alumnus Robert Edsel ’75 visited the school Nov. 1 and 2 to talk about his research of the artwork stolen by Nazis in World War II. Founder of the nonprofit Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art, Edsel participated as the Willard E. Walker, Jr. ’66 Visiting Scholar this year. In the span of two days, Edsel held an Upper School assembly and talked to AP European history, tenth grade history and eighth grade humanities classes about his work.

Visiting Scholars Program Director Marjorie Curry and her student advisory board chose Edsel to be a visitor last spring.

“I think being able to see how history, art and military forces all come together for one unified purpose, that’s something that’s pretty unique,” Curry said, “and so is being able to see how he can tie that to topics that are current to today.”

A New York Times best-selling author, Edsel has written three non-fiction books: Saving Italy, Rescuing Davinci and The Monuments Men. Monuments Men was later turned into a movie in 2014, starring Academy Award winning actors George Clooney and Matt Damon.

Edsel also co-produced the 2006 Emmy-nominated documentary film The Rape of

Europa, starring 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Maria Altmann.

Although most of his work is based off the Third Reich’s actions from more than 70 years ago, Edsel was able to relate his research to modern issues.

“I think that being able to bring things that are topical – the destruction of things by ISIS or the taking down statues in the US – makes it relevant to the whole student body,” Curry said.

Before Edsel became an advocate for art preservation and art stolen by the Third Reich during World War II, he was the founder and chairman of the Gemini Exploration, an oil company that pioneered the use of horizontal drilling technology. By the time Edsel sold his oil company and moved to Europe, Gemini Exploration was the second most active driller of horizontal wells in the country.

“There must have been something that was so intriguing that it was important enough to him to devote his life to it,” Curry said.

Curry sees Edsel as a great supporter of the school and is thrilled to have him as a part of her program.

“He’s donated signed copies of his books and his heart is really in it,” Curry said. “For him it’s not a job, going home to his alma mater and sharing his experiences.”

News • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 9

Science lab bloopers

EXPERIMENTS GONE WRONG

From dead sea turtles to exploding beakers, science instructors look back on some of the most dangerous, expensive — and embarrassing — moments.

Dead turtle air and failed gels

“I used to do necropsies of sea turtles. I would cut them open — the dead ones that would wash up on the beach — and I used to go collect them and put them in a freezer. If I had time, I would thaw them out and cut them open to see what was inside. One of the tests to see how decomposed it was to cut the trachea, put a hose in the trachea and blow on the hose and see if the lungs will blow up.

After doing a couple hundred of these turtles, you could tell the state of the decomposition. If the lungs did not blow up, then the turtle was pretty decomposed. We had this scale of classifying the decomposition of the turtles — a five was skin and bones and a one was freshly dead. I thought this turtle was like a three, and I thought the lungs would not inflate. I took the hose and blew, and the lungs inflated. I’m like, “Woah, they’re actually inflating!” It surprised me so much that I forgot to take my mouth of the hose and all the air came back into me, so I got mouthful of dead, rotting, decomposing sea turtle air. It was pretty nasty.”

“When you run gels, electro freeze gels, you can do protein or DNA. I had to run a bunch of protein ones, and I had loaded this gel with the protein samples. I was really meticulous about loading it carefully. I set it all up, and I went home and let it run the whole night. I came back the next day, and my boss was like, “how does the gel look?” I went into the lab, and plugged the gel machine in, but I realized I forgot to put the negative and positive terminals onto the gel itself so it didn’t run. My boss was like, “Yeah, I’ve seen every mistake made possible, but I have never seen someone forget to put the lid on and start it.”

— Science instructor Mark Adame

WHEN THINGS GO AWRY, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

Flying beakers, shattered glass

“You have a platform, and it has these strings coming up from it. The idea is that you can put a beaker of water in it and swing it above your head and the beaker doesn’t fall off. It is supposed to be a demonstration of centripetal force and inertia. It only really works if the beaker doesn’t break.

One year I was swinging it around and

around and got overconfident. Many other class periods, I had reversed it and swung it around backwards, but this time I didn’t realize it was spinning laterally. As I transitioned, the beaker flew off and smashed on the ground. It broke into a million pieces, and that made everyone happy.”

— Science Department chair Fletcher Carron

Not quite catching on fire

“The time I set myself on fire was when I was doing a demonstration called “The Tornado of Fire.” I had a beaker of acetone, I had been doing this demonstration all day, it was the last period, and I was tired. Mr. Houpt brings his class over. I get the thing going, and I start my talk on why it happens and why the tornado or fire vortices happen in forest fires.

The process involves having this little tin inside this big cage, and I pour the acetone into the tin and drop a match in, and then I spin it. For some reason, I had it spinning first, and I drop the match in. I hear the match hit the bottom of the tin, and I think, “Oh, I forgot to put the acetone in.” I reach over for the beaker of acetone and pour it onto the match, which was a fantastic demonstration of how fire jumps up the fuel and into the container. The beaker is on fire, and I jerk my hand away because I see the fire developing and go to put the beaker down.

As I bring it up and away, it sends fire everywhere. As I put it down, it splashes flaming acetone onto my hand. I miss the edge of the table and drop the beaker onto the floor, and it shatters. I have a pool of flaming acetone on the floor, my hand is on fire and throughout the entire process and I am maintaining my own calm description of what is supposed to happen and what to look for.

I wash the acetone from my hand, and everyone is just watching me. I knew the moment I panicked, everyone else would panic, so I kept my calm throughout the whole thing. Houpt’s eyes were as big as dinner plates, and he was standing next to the fire blanket trying to decide whether he needed to use it.”

— Green Master Teacher Stephen Balog

Interviewing with burned hair

“I burned the hair off the front of my head two days before I interviewed here. I was doing a chemistry show at the Oakridge School, where I

• Story Lyle Ochs, Wallace White Photo Riley Sanders

UP IN SMOKE Science instructor Ken Owens ’89 blows off steam. worked, and I used balloons that were too thick for this experiment, so they weren’t igniting well.

I got closer to light the balloons, and they blew up in my face. In the balloons there was methane and oxygen, and they were supposed to explode and make a nice, big noise.

I was trying to light it, and it wouldn’t light.

I leaned in too close to light the balloon, and it blew up. The fireball from the balloons came up and got me in the face. I had my goggles on so my face was fine, but the fire burned the hair on the front part of my scalp. I had to go through later and pluck all the singed, curly hairs. Two days later, I was here on my interview.”

“We had a piston experiment where you could put a little cotton in the piston and slam it down. As the pressure increases, the temperature increases, which would light the cotton. Mr. Hoehn and I thought it would be a good idea to put a little gun cotton in it instead to see if we could get a flash. We blew the thing apart. It just shattered. It was really loud, and we had the safety shield up so nobody got

hurt. We thought we would get a little flash, but that sucker split right open. It was about half inch thick plastic.”

— Science instructor Kenneth Owens

Fire was covering the floor

“One of my failed demonstrations was when I lit a long plastic tube filled with ethyl alcohol vapors. What was supposed to happened was the flame would start at the open end of the tube, travel down the tube to the closed end and then go “bang!”

What actually happened was the flame started down the tube, when it got to the bottom, close to the closed end, it blew out of the stopper in the closed end and alcohol spilled out on the floor and was set on fire. The floor was ablaze.

This happened at parent’s night with a St. Mark’s mother holding the tube. Fortunately, no one was set on fire, and the parents thought it was part of the show. I somewhat quickly put out the fire.”

— “Doc” Nelson Master Teacher Jon Valasek

News • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 10

THE MANUAL Your guide to all things manly

FIXIN’ IT UP

Chilly weather is upon us — which means it’s time for everyone’s favorite cup of ‘fire’ — homemade chili. Here are two versions that will warm you up.

In this issue: Chili Recipes How to Get Started Hunting

Ultimate venison chili Ingredients

Chilly nights call for chili nights • Chili con carne was introduced to America

by the “Chili Queens,” women who served food in San Antonio’s Military Plaza as early as the 1860s.

• Chili con carne is not an import from Mexico, it is uniquely Texan.

• The invention of chili powder by William Gebhardt and others around 1900 standardized the flavor of chili and made it very easy to prepare in any restaurant or home kitchen.

Chili camps are divided into “beans” and “no beans.” Here are recipes that will satisfy both camps: SOURCE: HOUSTONPRESS.COM

No beans necessary Ingredients

1 pound ground beef 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup red wine vinegar Directions

1. Crumble the ground beef into a stock pot or large Dutch oven over medi-

um-high heat.

2. Add the onion and garlic, and cook stirring frequently until beef is evenly browned.

Drain off excess grease.

3. Season with chili powder, oregano, cumin and hot sauce. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about one hour or longer if you have time.

Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.

1.5 pounds cubed sirloin or venison (half-inch cubes) 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 large red onion (diced) 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 can beer Gebhardt Chili Powder Cumin Powder Paprika Directions

1. In a large iron skillet, put brown cubed sirloin/venison and diced onion in two tablespoons of olive oil on high heat.

2. Once meat is browned, add Rotel tomatoes, four tablespoons of chili powder, one tablespoon of cumin powder, 1/2 tablespoon paprika, one tablespoon of seasoned salt, green chilis and one 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of brewed coffee and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1.5 hour, stirring often to ensure that the meat is covered with at least one inch of liquid throughout the process.

3. After 1.5 hours, transfer the skillet contents to a large stew pot and add one beer and simmer on medium heat. Pierce jalapeño pepper several times with a fork and add to the stew pot. In the skillet, cook two pounds of ground beef and minced garlic on

Sea Salt Black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small can green chilis (diced) 1 large fresh jalapeño pepper 1 can Rotel “Chili Fixins” (or Rotel tomatoes with green chilis) 1/2 cup of brewed coffee 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons flour or masa

high heat until browned. Add two tablespoons of chili powder, one tablespoon of paprika, 1/2 tablespoons of cumin, one tablespoon of seasoned salt and 1/2 tablespoons of black pepper to ground beef and reduce heat to low.

4. Once mixed throughly, transfer the browned ground meat mix to the large stew pot containing the cubed stew meat, increase heat to medium and add water to cover meat.

Simmer uncovered for one hour, stirring regularly. After 1/2 hour, add one tablespoon of chili powder. Add water regularly to ensure a thin consistency.

5. After one hour, mix two tablespoons of flour or masa with water in a cup to a thin paste and stir mix into chili to thicken to your desired thickness.

Reduce heat to low and serve.

• Recipes Zach Landry, allrecipes.com Graphic Naftal Mautia.

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE T0 HUNTING

It’s cool outside. The leaves are falling. Hunting season is right around the corner. Follow this step-by-step guide so you’ll be ready for opening day.

2 Get legal

1 Get educated

H

ead to the nearest Academy, Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops to purchase your hunting license for as little as $25. On the Texas Parks and Wildlife website, you can find a full list of hunting licenses and regulations. It’s important to be familiar with the regulations and seasons for your area.

T

exas requires that anyone who wishes to hunt legally complete a hunter’s safety course.

This usually involves a four-hour online course followed by an exam.

Once you have passed your test and received certification, you can purchase your permits for your hunt.

TAKING THE COURSE You can either take an online course or a four-hour class.

LICENSE TO HUNT The Super Combo license includes tags for deer, turkey and a red drum.

F

H

ere are the basic necessities for your hunt: • Your gun (obviously) • Blaze orange hat and/or vest (worn 100 percent of the time for safety) • Ammunition (depending on what you’re hunting) • A sharp knife (for field dressing) • Warm gloves, hat, jacket and pants (for those cold winter hunts) • Your permits (essential)

3 Get geared up

inding a place to hunt can be difficult. If you don’t own land, either find some public hunting land in your area or obtain permission from a local landowner. Never hunt on private land unless you have asked for permission. Make sure you scout the land before you hunt. Being familiar with the land you’re hunting gives you the best chance of encountering game.

JUST THE ESSENTIALS Don’t be overwhelmed with the gear. Stick with the basics at first, and you can expand your repertoire as you become more experienced.

• Compilation Zach Landry Photos Kathan Ramnath, William Hall.

Pro Tip: TAKE IT IN Don’t be too concerned with the hunting aspect. Take time to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

Visit www.tpwd.texas.gov for more information about public hunting in Texas.

4 Get afield

Page 11

Hanging out with...

Sophomore Obaid Akbar

Find out about the goals and inspirations behind Akbar’s rapping.

LIFE

Riley Sanders photo How did your rap career start?

I made some stuff back in fifth and seventh grade that wasn’t that big, but we are trying to get something big happening now.

What are you and [sophomore] Matthew Raroque doing to make music?

Matthew is making the beat for the song, and I’m making the lyrics and rapping them.

What is your most recent song about?

This song is basically about what I’m not, so it’s about me rapping about things that other people rap about and then talking about how I’m not that.

How did you get into rap?

I was inspired by people blaring rap out of their cars at gas stations and people around me.

I wanted to do something like that, but my raps were pretty trash back in fifth and seventh grade. I didn’t record anything, so this is going to be the first song I’m recording.

What type of music/beat did you go with this song?

We are still trying to appeal to the crowd of today. We wanted to do something old school, but we have to do something new school to get it started.

Who do you get inspiration from?

Number one rapper of all time is Slick Rick. That’s who I get inspiration from.

Kathan Ramnath photo

MINI FARMERS

During their visit to a Paul Quinn College farm, second-graders Bo Womack (left) and David Waterman (right) picked and tasted some of the okra crops on the farm. As part of their science and language unit, the second graders visited the college Sept. 26 after reading Charlotte’s Web. This is the first time the second grade has gone on this trip.

Life in brief QUIZ BOWL TEAM TO ATTEND NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Varsity quiz bowl team members will attend their first national tournament of the year at Harvard University Nov. 11.

Varsity quiz bowl team member Connor Pierce believes the team’s cohesive play and sharp responses will grant them similar success to what they found at their recenttournament at Greenhill, where they took first place.

The team’s next local tournament will take place Dec. 2 at Greenhill.

FIFTH GRADERS TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE The fifth grade will participate for the first time as a class in a

Inside

12

SEVENTH GRADE PREPARES FOR ANNUAL CAMPOUT Seventh-graders will load their packs and head to Lake Texoma for the annual campout Nov. 9-10 as a continuation of the school’s wilderness program.

Serving as an introduction to backpacking, this campout will give the seventh-graders their first taste of packing, carrying their own food, shelter setup and other supplies, as well as teaching the seventh-graders the skills necessary for camping and hiking on the Pecos trip.

EVENSONG TO FEATURE ORIGINAL CHORAL PIECES Evensong will occur Sunday evening at 7pm in the Chapel.

For the first time, the service will feature original pieces composed by choirmaster Tinsley Silcox.

Silcox believes what sets Evensong apart from other choir exhibitions is that it also serves as a spiritual event that helps listeners disconnect from the modern world and recenter themselves.

BLUES CLUB PLANS NEXT AUSTIN STREET SHOWING The Blues club will have its next performance at Austin Street Center Nov. 30.

After a grand revitalization, the club has plans to continue to play for Austin Street Center throughout the year.

Headliners

Club sponsor Stephen Houpt believes Dallas has always been a blues town and attributes much of the club’s strong connection with the people there who have continually supported the club over the years.

JUNIOR WINS STATE PIANO COMPETITION Junior Dylan Liu took first place in the Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) competition for ninth- and tenth-graders hosted June 15.

Liu attributes much of his success to Willard E. Walker, Jr. ‘66 visiting scholar Alex McDonald, under whom Liu currently studies.

There, Liu won the competition with Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Jorge Correa citizenship

14

Tasty Club

What is your goal for performing in the future?

Maybe doing a few coffeehouses, but I don’t know if this will get big.

20

< Jay-Z Fall Out Boy Imagine Dragons

21

Best boba places

Reviews of both the best — and the worst — of the boba tea stores Dallas has to offer.

Nov. 7 Nov. 8 Nov. 13

ALBUMS

‘

Junior Raymond Jurcak and his music There’s so many forms to playing the electric guitar, so you can never really hit the top because you can always find a harder song to play or a completely different style of music.

100+

The Thrill of It All, Sam Smith Nov. 3 Red Blue Pills, Maroon 5

< Reputation, Taylor Swift

Homecoming

A visual glance at the Upper School’s fun and entertaining weekend in Bora Bora.

Artist in action

CONCERTS

Jorge Correa’s early life ­— and how he’s on the verge of becoming an American citizen.

Culinary interests are honed in this relatively new club, whose members love cooking.

What’s your goal with rapping?

To make good music that people enjoy.

ORCHESTRA TO HOLD AUDITIONS FOR ALL-STATE Orchestra auditions for the Texas Private School Music Educators Association All-State will be held tomorrow and Nov. 11.

Excerpts for the audition will be chosen from two études, which depend on the instrument. Results

will be released in December, and students who pass auditions are sorted into sections, such as first violin or second violin.

In January, students audition again to determine chair positions for the All-State concert.

­­­­­­— Mark Tao, Tianming Xie, Matthew Zhang, Sam Goldfarb, Eric Hirschbrich

What is the possibility for rapping as a profession?

I don’t think I could ever do that.

What’s the next stage for your music?

Just make more songs and probably get a mixtape out.

community service trip at the North Texas Food Bank from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 14.

Each grade level is assigned a certain service issue and an area of influence. The fifth grade focuses on both short-term and long-term service to reduce local hunger.

Before departure, the fifth-graders will meet with their advisors to prepare and discuss how poverty, hunger and health are related.

Nov. 3

Number of songs learned

14

max number of hours practiced in a week

Nov. 10

MOVIES

Raymond Jurcak >

< Thor: Ragnarok

Nov. 3

Daddy’s Home 2

Nov. 10

Justice League

Nov. 17 Lee Schlosser photo

Page 12 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Life

‘IT’S LIKE A FIDGET CUBE. WHAT GAMES ARE ON HERE?’ Young kids, old tech

Lower School students, old technology. What could possibly go wrong?

W

hen it comes to technology, the difference in knowledge be-

tween generations is massive. We may teach our grandparents how to use an iPhone or how to download files.

But what if the tables are turned?

How would today’s younger students react to technological devices that have long since hit the recycling bin?

That’s what ReMarker staff members wanted to find out when they invited six lower schoolers over for a visit to try out these technological devices of yesterday.

WRITING TECHNIQUE Playing with a different generation of print, first grader Kenneth Gatherer tinkers with a typewriter.

ReMarker reporter Tianming Xie sat down with second grader Graham Smith to get his reaction to — among other things — the outdated Blackberry phone. His reaction? Utter confusion.

Tianming Xie: What is your first thought when you see this (Motorola Razr)?

Second grader Graham Smith: Can you even turn it on? Because this is like — from the prehistoric age.

TX: What do you think is the price of this phone?

GS: Kind of depends, but normally like $200 (trying to guess the price of an iPhone).

TX: What do you think of this phone?

GS: It’s pretty hard since my fingers are so big, I have to use my fingernails (typing on a blackberry).

TX: Have you ever seen anything like this?

GS: It’s like a fidget cube.

What games are on here?

Xie also visited with fourth grader Charlie Mapes, who thought an ancient manual typewriter might be a printer of yesterday.

TX: Have you ever seen anything like this before?

Fourth grader Charlie Mapes: Every boy needs two phones (proceeds to hold two old flip phones with antennas stick-

ing out to both ears).

TX: What do you think this antenna on the radio does?

CM: I thought it was just the wi-fi thing.

TX: In what ways do you think this typewriter works?

CM: Well. Does this open up?

It’s a printer. You have to put paper in it, then put the ink on the paper.

Life Editor Mark Tao spoke with second grader Jake Cuban, who thought that a floppy disk player was actually just a printer in disguise.

Mark Tao: What do you think this black, wired box receptor that’s connected to this computer do?

Second grader Jake Cuban: The black box is probably a battery to the computer, since it’s so old, it might not plug into the wall.

MT: What is this (floppy disk player)? And what does it do?

JC: This is a printer. You would open it, put the paper inside, or you could put it in the back. You would put it in, and then it would come out of the other side.

MT: What is the coolest thing about this radio?

JC: I think it’s cool that this radio can listen and play sounds, because our radios right now just play except they have better sounds.

MT: Any thoughts on seeing this

technology?

CM: I get that it’s old, but why does it have to be this old?

Life Editor Sahit Dendekuri met with first grader Ishaan Siddamshetty, who thought Abraham Lincoln had something to do with the creation of the Apple II computer.

Sahit Dendekuri: What purpose do you think the antennae serves on the radio, if it does anything?

Is it necessary?

Ishaan Siddamshetty: I’d say it’s better because you have more stuff to do.

SD: What do you think FM and AM stand for on a radio?

IS: AM is like in the morning and FM is like in the afternoon and evening.

SD: What do you think this is (pointing to an old phone)?

IS: A calculator.

SD: Who do you think manufactured this computer (Apple II)?

IS: Abraham Lincoln?

SD: How fast do you think this computer runs?

IS: 50 miles per hour?

SD: What is this device (floppy disk player)?

IS: Are these printers?

SD: What does this iPod do?

IS: Is it a GPS? It can tell you which direction you’re going to.

ReMarker reporter Sam Goldfarb talked with first

grader Logan Ziegler, who thinks older computers are bigger so they can fit more stuff inside.

Sam Goldfarb: How do you think it you get pictures back from this disposable camera? How do you think you could print them out?

Logan Ziegler: Well, you just plug it into the printer!

Where’s the plug for the printer?

SG: Why do you think this computer is so massive?

LZ: Maybe so they can fit more stuff inside, so it’s faster.

SG: What things can you do with this computer?

LZ: Use the Internet, type words. But it’s way too old to play video games. I don’t get what the joystick is for.

Goldfarb also visited with first grader Kenneth Gatherer, who had trouble recognizing a PDA phone and what purpose it served.

SG: Have you ever seen this kind of device before? It’s called a PDA phone.

Kenneth Gatherer: Wait, what is this supposed to be? I don’t recognize this.

SG: What other purposes do you think this phone serves, other than calling people with it?

KG: Uh, you can make it light up? Do a Google search, maybe?

A NEW SET OF TOYS Clockwise from the top left, first graders Ishaan Siddamshetty and Logan Ziegler both explore the ins-and-outs of the PDA phone, second grader Jake Cuban attempts to figure out the intricacies of both an old radio and its complementary cassette player, while fourth grader Charlie Mapes fidgets with an old Canon Camera, trying to figure out how to take pictures with it.

• Interviews Sahit Dendekuri, Mark Tao, Tianming Xie, Sam Goldfarb Photos Kyle Smith, Riley Sanders

Over the years

The timeline: As the

lower schoolers interact with various old devices, they had the opportunity to learn about what tech was like before they were born and how far it has come.

1910s Rotary Dial Telephone

‘

I think I know [my mom’s] number, but I think I forgot it.

— First grader Ishaan Siddamshetty

‘

I think this computer is around 1000 years old. Maybe 1500.

— First grader Logan Ziegler

1963 Lettera Type Writer

2001

1986

Apple iPod

Disposable Camera

‘

Wait, how do you see things? You can’t see out of [the camera]. It’s like looking through glasses.

— First grader Kenneth Gatherer

‘

Like when you’re getting lost, you can look on this, and then you can go the right direction.

— First grader Ishaan Siddamshetty

‘

This is going to burn me to death.

— First grader Kenneth Gatherer

2003 Motorola Razr

Life • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 13

PERFORMING FOR A CAUSE In their element

Once a month, members of Piano Club, including various upper schoolers and a middle schooler, perform pieces to brighten up the day of residents in nursing homes.

FOCUSED FINGERS Sitting in front of a piano in a nursing home, senior Calvin Hosler diligently performs a piece for its residents to enjoy.

A

small, frail woman approached senior Calvin Hosler and four other members of the Piano Club, standing in front of a cardboard cutout of biblical figures Mary and David in a Roman Catholic retirement home in South Dallas.

A 90-minute performance is what Hosler considers the most moving moment in the club’s history.

“I was in the most horrible depression, but your music gave me hope,” the woman said.

Hosler believes responses like these from the residents are what make his efforts in the club truly meaningful. ··· While Piano Club, founded by Hosler and senior Kal Buscaino, currently makes profound impacts and contributions to the community, it began as a group of Marksmen seeking opportunities to use their talents to perform in nursing homes.

“We’ve always been looking for somewhere to play to make an impact, and we wanted to serve our community in some form,” Hosler said. “Piano is Kal’s, [senior] Jake [Horigome-Pigg]’s and my defining talent, and in order to best serve St. Mark’s and represent

it in the best way, we formed a club to pursue our passion and serve.”

The club regularly performs in various community centers throughout the city of Dallas usually once a month. To find opportunities to perform, however, both Hosler and Buscaino must take leadership roles in the club to communicate with nursing home staff and residents.

“I introduce the members and I give the residents a speech about what’s going on, what types of songs we’re going to play,” Hosler said. “Kal handles the • ‘We’ve always contact work, so he’ll been looking for reach out to different somewhere to nursing homes. They play to make an love it when he conimpact and serve tacts them because it’s our community a special treat that they in some form... [so] we formed usually don’t have an a club to pursue opportunity for.” our passion and Because the memserve’ bers of the club offer Senior Calvin many different genres Hosler of music, Hosler feels the club is able to cater to the musical tastes of almost all the nursing home residents.

“Jake is really good at jazz and classical, and the Zhao brothers are

really good at classical music,” Hosler said. “[senior] Fausto [Reyherf], me, Kal and Zach have a different taste in music.

We like to play contemporary and pop instead.”

Because Hosler can choose his pieces, he feels that his love and passion for music has grown significantly.

“I know from personal experience that a lot of people quit in the earlier stages, but what’s been really rewarding for me is that I have finally transcended that stage and I can now play enjoyable pieces,” Hosler said. “Whenever I hear a song on the radio, I can always think that I can play that song in the next month. That’s something I didn’t feel like doing as a little kid because learning a song took almost a year.”

Similarly, Pigg views his experiences in Piano club as an enjoyable alternative to his work in the studio in which he studies.

“I have a piano studio I go to, and so I was always just sort of a competitive player,” Pigg said. “When I’d perform, it would be because I won something or a studio recital. For me, this was just an opportunity to do something different by just doing community

service, and I enjoyed it a lot.”

For both Pigg and Hosler, the most worthwhile moments as performers for the nursing home come from the reactions of the nursing home residents themselves.

“There was someone who overheard us at the cafeteria when she was eating lunch,” Pigg said, “and she just came over afterwards and was like, ‘I heard you from the cafeteria, and my friends and I were all just remarking how beautiful the playing was.’ They’ll come and talk to us after performances like that. That’s why performing here is so fun. The elderly people there are so grateful.”

Because a majority of the club’s members are seniors, Hosler, Pigg and Buscaino are looking for more students to join. Pigg is even thinking of expanding Piano Club into a club for music in general.

“We’re looking to get more underclassmen to do it, so I’ve been taking notes who I know plays piano,” Pigg said. “I also want to expand it beyond just piano and into music in general. So many upperclassmen play an instrument, and I feel like they can be involved in this opportunity as well.”

• Story Dylan Liu, Albert Luo Photo Zach Gilstrap

Investment Club revitalized for 2017-2018

by Dylan Liu The idea of revitalizing the Investment club stemmed from co-president Hill Washburne’s strong interest in investment and economics.

“I read The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times every day,” Washburne said. “I’ve spent a ton of time on the side studying and researching this kind of thing, and this personally has become a passion of mine.”

Washburne’s ideas for the club officially materialized after meeting with members of the Board of Trustees’ investment committee, where he pitched several of his new ideas for the club.

“I pitched him on the idea that we’ve got a lot of successful business people on our Board,” Washburne said, “so [Investment club co-president] Garrett Mize and I are creating ‘themed months.’”

These “themed months” will entail a variety of investment-based topics that change from month to month and feature experts in each field to speak to club members.

“One month will be ‘Debt Month,’” Washburne said, “and we’ll go over corporate debt, government debt and we’ll bring in

corresponding speakers to whatever that theme is for the month.”

The club’s focus has shifted toward a more structured, educational theme from last year’s more casual emphasis on investment games and activities.

“We’re switching more to the educational side and being more thorough about it,” Mize said.

“That’s the major change this year.”

Eventually, Washburne hopes investment with real money will occur. However, he believes the club should primarily focus on the principles of investment.

“I would say that eventually that might be a target,” Washburne said, “but the downside to doing [real money investment] is that you get too focused on making returns and making real money as opposed to just the fundamentals. This is your first day of algebra I. You’re not trying to solve a differential equation.”

Additionally, Washburne hopes that over time the club members will form connections with each other that surpass just a common interest in investment.

“A main goal in the future would be making the club more united,” Washburne said.

In the picture

Ryan Norman photo AUCTIONING IT OFF Standing on the stage in Decherd Auditorium, seniors Will Wood, Garrett Mize, Reece Rabin, Sam Sussman, Omar Rana and Jimmy Rodriguez showcase their item—a basketball party, ultimately won by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban at the Senior Auction held Sept. 24. Emcee David Baker (above right) offers items to the audience.

Page 14 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Life

COOKING, ELEVATED Revamped Tasty club

The Tasty club of years past is gone. Under the name, Elevated Cooking club, the organization promises more commitment and, ultimately, tastier food.

F

ive people out of 20.

Already an hour after the scheduled start time for the potluck, Tasty club president Darius Ganji could only count five people in the house.

Even though this was the final party for Tasty club, an organization that allows foodies to cook and share recipes, only a quarter of the 20 members of his club showed up. All he requested was members make their own dishes and show up to the potluck in the summer.

That’s when he knew that next year, things had to be different.

Next year, he was going to make the club more serious. As a proof of change, he first started by changing the name to Elevated Cooking club.

For the past few years, Ganji has been one of the major proponents of incorporating cooking into school life. However, his cooking skill did not come without guidance and mentorship. Ganji has received training from his travels to France and his internship and job in Dallas.

“The first restaurant that I worked at was called Ten Ramen,” Ganji said. “I had this idea in my mind for Persian ramen, and he [my boss] was like, ‘I’d be down to try it if you made it,’ so I made it and brought it over to him. He saw it and saw that I actually put effort into cooking, so when I asked him for a job, he told me, ‘We don’t have any openings, but if you want to come and help out, we’ll teach you some stuff.’”

After working at Ten Ramen over the summer, Ganji went to the parent restaurant of Ten Ramen — Tei-an. One major difference between working at Ten Ramen and working at Tei-an was that Ganji was not allowed to cook for customers in Tei-an at the start.

“I learned how to break down fish, and I saw all the cool nuances they are doing in a high-class restaurant,” Ganji said. “I would come a couple hours early to see the Soba guy make Soba, and I would take notes on how he made the noodles. At Ten [Ramen], I would cook for the customers pretty often, but at Tei-an I did prep work until towards the end.

Right before I went to France,

they started letting me cook select dishes for customers.”

Ganji travels to France every few years. On his most recent trip, he visited his mother’s friend to learn about presentation. In addition, he took a bread-making class.

“My mom has a friend who does high class catering, and so I went over to her when she was planning her new menu and saw how she plated stuff,” Ganji said.

“She had beautiful plates, which were essential for presentation, and she used micro-herbs, which are these special small herbs that have intense flavor.”

One major improvement to the club this year is the facilities provided by the new Sage kitchen.

Instead of having to cook all their dishes at home, club members are now able to take advantage of the cafeteria kitchen.

“Last year, we had to do everything at home and then bring it,” Ganji said, “so we could only talk about skills and dishes theoretically and not have a hands-on experience. Also, the [Sage] chefs are experienced, so they could show us some stuff around the kitchen, which is cool. They have professional equipment that lets us do some things we can’t do at home, which is • ‘We want to awesome.” refine people’s After watchcooking skills, but having good food ing Ganji cook a is what’s most couple of times, important. ’ Sage executive Elevated Cooking chef Marshall club president Garrett has been Darius Ganji surprised by Ganji’s culinary knowledge.

“Darius has made pork dumplings, and it was interesting,” Garrett said. “I was impressed that he knew that he had to first sear the dumplings, then add water, then cover it to steam them.”

However, the club has come under scrutiny for its policy requiring a tryout dish to qualify for membership, but Ganji says the process has benefited the club’s focus.

“Tryouts are basically a filter for people who are passionate about cooking,” Ganji said. “Those people can get through, and the people who just want free food and to talk to [club sponsor Michele] Santosuosso get filtered out,

• Story Eric Hirschbrich, Matthew Zhang Photos Riley Sanders In the picture OPERATION “Removing” a playing card from senior Kanaan Sharma’s stomach, senior Davis Bailey performs one of his several magic tricks at Coffeehouse, which took place in Decherd Auditorium Oct. 14. The German-themed event featured many performances, including singing, improv and various special talents.

The next Coffeehouse will be held in December, showcasing the diverse abilities of the student bodies here and at Hockaday.

FEAST Club president Darius Ganji (wearing apron) and club sponsor Michele Santosuosso (right) direct the Elevated Cooking Club through sampling and evaluating dishes.

as well as the people who are too lazy to cook.”

However, tryouts are not based on skill level but rather on attitude and commitment to the club. Ganji thinks that some important parts of learning to cook are passion and interest.

“It’s only based off of ambition and effort because that’s what gets you skill in cooking,” Ganji said. “I don’t have any parents that like to cook or anything. I just saw cooking, thought it was cool, went online, saw some videos, started experimenting around and slowly started getting to more complicated dishes.”

To branch out and apply the skills that the club promotes, Ganji plans on possibly hosting cooking workshops and cooking for the community along with other events to give the club experience in cooking and reaching out to the community.

“We’re thinking of doing cooking battles between people for fun,” Ganji said. “We could cook for the football team for once so they don’t get spaghetti every time. We’re thinking about doing a dinner for some faculty if that’s allowed and they’re down for it.”

Ganji plans to continue developing the club to suit the goals of its members, but he notes that the development of cooking skills will continue to be at the forefront of the club’s intentions.

“I talked with my dad, and his friend knows a restaurant that’s holding a charity event for Hurricane Harvey,” Ganji said. “Maybe we’ll try to take some people over there and try to help out with the charity event, or maybe we’ll hold our own charity event to help with all the recent disasters going on. Obtaining the cooking skills to ascend from the store-bought stuff is the goal.”

Junior Class begins shaping McDonald’s Week

by Matthew Zhang McDonald’s Week, an annual fundraiser for Austin Street Shelter hosted by the Junior Class, will take place Nov. 15-18 at the McDonald’s at Preston and Royal.

Co-chairs Parker Davis and Blake Rogers are hoping to increase participation in the event by involving Hockaday, making this year the second year to do so.

“We’re really trying to involve Hockaday just as much as St. Mark’s is,” Rogers said, “and that’s like twice of St. Mark’s involved in all the raffle items, buying t-shirts, stuff like that.”

Rogers also hopes to not only increase participation outside of the school but within the school as well.

“We just really want to make it inclusive for the whole school,” Rogers said.

“We really want to make it intriguing to Lower School and Middle School, to get out there before school and just have fun and contribute to a good cause.”

Junior Class sponsor Joe Milliet believes one way the juniors are making the event open to the whole school is through the theme.

“They worked very hard on choosing a theme for the McDonald’s Week that would be inclusive to the entire student body, that would be well-known to all,” Milliet said, “because they felt like if they did that, then it would make the most money for Austin Street Center.”

Regarding meal nights, the class is trying to get some of the newer restaurants around the school such as Shake Shack involved.

“Right now, we are working on Cantina Laredo and Fish City Grill,” Rogers said.

“For the sponsorship, Shake Shack was a big goal from the beginning, just because they are opening so close to our deadlines.

It’s not for sure yet, but that’s our plan.”

In the end, however, Rogers says that behind all the fun and excitement, the purpose of the whole week is to raise money for Austin Street Shelter and should not be overlooked or forgotten.

“The goal every year is to raise as much money as you can,” Rogers said. “That’s the whole point. Sometimes it’s overshadowed by your theme, how good it is and stuff like that, but in the end it’s how much you can do for your community.”

At a glance

Rohit Vemuri photo

Monday

Dinner night, Cantina Laredo

Tuesday

All-Day day

Wednesday

Lower School day, chemistry show

Thursday

Dinner night, Fish City Grill

Life • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 15

A NEW IDENTIFICATION

27 minutes with... Jorge Correa

After over twenty years of living in this country, Spanish instructor Jorge Correa is working toward reaching his goal of becoming a citizen.

H

e left a place he called home for his entire life, with no plan. He had no idea of living conditions or where his four kids were going to go to school, or where he and his wife could get jobs. He had a hunch, just a hunch after a two month adventure in this “New World.”

All of their belongings, stuffed into a red and white U-Haul truck, driving toward a new life, with no clue what the future would hold.

Now he has a waiting game, a test to determine his fate away from home, in a land of new opportunity.

Spanish instructor Jorge Correa made a spur of the moment decision when he took the risk to leave his home in Chile to chase the “American Dream.”

Correa is now finally able to apply for citizenship for the U.S. after he served his required time in the states with a visa. He is currently in the third part of the process, a 100 question test about the States. Now, Correa is awaiting his testing date.

In preparation for the test, Correa has asked his two classes of eighth and ninth grade students as well as his senior Spanish class to help test his knowledge for the citizenship test. By involving his students in this process, Correa believes they have had the opportunity to understand the true struggle immigrants have to endure.

“I thought there could be a teaching possibility,” Correa said.

“It could be something that could benefit them. It’s a win-win for them. If I pass it, we will have a pizza party; if I don’t, we will have an empanada party in Chile. It’s been a great learning experience for them, and I think it’s personal too.”

Deciding to come to the U.S. was one of the biggest risks Correa has ever taken. He and his wife found jobs teaching in Louisiana, and after some time there, they decided to head west.

The family loaded all their belongings in a U-Haul and headed

···

for Dallas, even though Correa and his family had no relation to the city.

Soon after, Correa’s wife found a job at Hockaday. Because of this connection, Correa was eventually able to get a job here.

“Once she got there, her colleagues, they started telling me ‘hey, there is the all-boys school,’ and I was fine at public school,” Correa said. “But one day there was an opening, and I interviewed, and I don’t regret it at all. It’s been a great journey for me of almost 18 years now.”

Looking back at his 20 plus years

in America, Correa never regrets leaving Chile, even with both the positive and negative outcomes of moving all the way from home and to a new country.

“The things that could have been different, how our life would have been different if we had stayed, and that sometimes, you know you have to ponder and think not everything goes like you expect,” Correa said. “Some things happen, and sometimes they aren’t very positive things.”

After losing his wife Patricia Inda-Correa to depression in 2014, Correa believes the U.S. has still benefited his family by providing positive outcomes and effects.

“Professionally and personally we all have learned and advanced, my kids, they have done great things

FROM RESIDENT TO CITIZEN After spending nearly 20 years in the U.S. as a resident, Spanish instructor Jorge Correa is ready to fully gain his citizenship.

with their lives, I think the U.S. is still the land of opportunity no matter what,” Correa said. “Here you can be anything you want to be.

If you work hard, • ‘We aren’t if you do the right here by accident. things, if you folWe took the low the rules, then decision, and with that good things will we take the happen to you. You consequences.’ can make things Jorge Correa happen to you, anybody can do that.”

Now, the citizenship test is the only thing standing in the way of

Correa gaining U.S. citizenship.

Although a teacher of almost eighteen years at 10600 Preston Rd., Correa believes this is just the beginning of his new life.

“Getting to this point is like a closing a circle of personal and professional life as a family,” Correa said. “It’s not the end of the road, but it’s the beginning of a new life as a new citizen. After 20 plus years, it makes sense; I’m here, I’m not planning on going anywhere. It makes sense to become a citizen. It’s not like your job; this is part of your life.”

• Story Sam Ahmed, Sahit Dendekuri Photo Riley Sanders

Blues club plans Austin Street Center performance after undergoing major revitalization

by Tianming Xie reparing to perform at Austin Street Shelter Nov. 30, the Blues club, led by club sponsor Stephen Houpt and president Raymond Jurcak, has undergone a revitalization.

Last year, due to lack of organization and members, the club was discontinued.

“Since the Blues club was shut down last year, my goal was just to re-establish it because it has been a big part of the St. Mark’s community,” Jurcak said. “It’s been around as long as I’ve been alive. I think it’s intimidating for some people because those people that are more or less experienced — they don’t want to drag the club down.”

In the first meeting, Houpt gathered the eight members of Blues club in his office and emphasized the commitment that has allowed the club the opportunity to perform for the larger community.

P

“At the beginning, we weren’t playing at Austin Street [Center],” Houpt said. “We would just play, and we had a reputation for being nothing but really loud. And then as time went by, we weren’t as loud anymore, but we got better. We play the blues, especially regarding Austin Street [Center], because a lot of people there grew up listening to blues, and they like it.”

Throughout the year, each member has an input to which song the club decides to play. Currently, the club plans to perform a Fleetwood Mac version of “Long Grey Mare,” “Fried Hockey Boogie,” “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Have You Ever Loved a Woman” at Austin StreetCenter.

“There’s no sheet music,” Houpt said. “It’s all played by ear, the solos are improvised and there’s a certain chord progression that’s in the song, and so we just listen to the song and

try to figure it out, and then we have to practice it. We’re only meeting once a week for 45 minutes, so we do what we can.”

Although the club struggled to pull in willing participants last year, Jurcak believes that the consistent skill level amongst all participants this year will make members more comfortable by leveling out the level of skill amongst the members, helping to strenghten the members’ unifcation.

“Last year, there weren’t so many people that wanted to join,” Jurcak said. “It was kind of intimidating for newer players to play with people like Chirag [Gokani ’17] who are just on another level. There was this fear of dragging the club down, or that they weren’t good enough, which we have gotten rid of this year.”

The ensemble this year is one of the biggest in recent time, and it

consists of mostly underclassmen.

However, neither this situation nor the loss of seniors has proved a problem for the group’s sound.

“The younger guys have been really stepping up this year,” Jurcak said. “We’ve also replaced a couple of our old standby songs with some new favorites, though “Mustang Sally” might come back.”

Like in years past, the club will play their long-standing Austin Street Center gigs throughout the year, giving its members the experience of bringing the blues to some of the genre’s most dedicated fans in the city with the added bonus of racking up a few community service hours on the way.

“Dallas used to be, and has always been, a blues town,” Houpt said. “The people at Austin Street [Center]; this is what they want to hear. This was their music. Those people are why we play the blues.”

Page 16 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Perspectives

From the past

PUTTING US ON THE MAP The story of the school traditions, graphing calculators and one revolutionary science building, all made possible by two families.

• Story Davis Bailey, Blake Daugherty, Alec Dewar Photos courtesy St. Mark’s Archives, Davis Bailey

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n Palo Alto, California, at the center of one of the most prestigious college campuses in the world, the chiseled letters in the beige sandstone sign atop Stanford University’s main library announce a name familiar to any student, alumnus or teacher who has spent time at 10600 Preston Rd. Cecil H. Green Library.

Right here at home in Dallas, both the main library and signature renowned scholarship program of the University of Texas at Dallas share a name that is emblazoned on the side of the McDermott-Green Science and Math Quadrangle.

Eugene McDermott Library, McDermott Scholars Program.

In North Oxford, England, smack dab in the middle of campus at the oldest English-speaking university in the world, a brick rotunda bears a familiar name: Green Templeton College.

These programs and buildings at reputable, acclaimed universities all around the world take the same names that adorn the buildings at this school.

So here’s how these two families, the McDermotts and Greens, made St. Mark’s into St. Mark’s:

Board President The burning down of Founder’s Hall in 1943 marked the beginning of Eugene McDermott’s involvement with the school.

In the ashes of the heart of the campus, McDermott, as a new board president, planned to build a new soul.

“He [Eugene McDermott] got engaged and help raise money for the building (Wirt Davis hall),” Eugene McDermott Headmaster David Dini said. “My sense from interacting with Mrs. McDermott and to some extent Cecil Green was that their aspiration was to create the best educational opportunities in America here in North Texas for boys.”

This goal resulted in McDermott spending ten years as the board president, rather than the typical two, devoting time and money to transform the school.

McDermott shortly invited the Green family’s partnership, being that McDermott and Green were already partners at Texas Instruments, and the school took off.

Calculators With the McDermotts’ and Greens’ involvement with math and science technology, alongside Texas Instruments’ rise to prominence as the premier calculator hardware and software manufacturer, TI machines quickly became 2 permanent facets of high school classrooms around the country.

With the families’ involvement in the development in the school, TI’s technology became deeply rooted in the lives of the students and faculty.

TI continues to support math departments around the country, and math instructors here are at the forefront of the new technology, hosting workshops and demoing calculators. “[Math instructor Janis] Oprea has conducted workshops for TI’s Teachers Teaching with Technology in the past,” Joe Milliet, Thomas B Walker III ’73 Math Department Head, said. “[Math instructor Paul] Mlakar and I have conducted teacher training workshops on graphing calculators also.”

OUT OF THE ASHES Founder’s Hall burns to the ground, forcing McDermott to rethink the goals for the school, leading to the building of Davis Hall.

CALCULATINGThe school’s math department has beta tested TI’s newest calculators before they are available to the public.

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The Bottom Line

Involvement of the Green and McDermott families in shaping the history of the school Since the merger of the Cathedral School and Texas Country Day School in 1950, the McDermott and Green families have remained an integral part in transforming the campus, technology and mission of 10600 Preston Rd to create the institution the school is today.

1943

1956

1967

2003

Founders Hall burns down

McDermott retires as president of Board of Trustees after ten years

New library named in honor of Cecil and Ida Green

Cecil Green dies at the age of 102

Eugene McDermott raises money to replace Founder’s Hall

McDermott Green Science and Mathematics Quadrangle opens

Cecil and Ida Green Establish first Master Teaching Chair

1946

1961

1977

Perspectives • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 17

A LIFETIME OF INFLUENCE School benefactors Ida Green, Cecil Green, William Eppler, Margaret McDermott and Headmaster Ted Whatley make announcements about the future of the school. The Green and McDermott families have impacted the school throughout its 111-year history.

Master Teaching Chair While the Master Teaching Chair position is now a staple of the school community, a way to reward teachers for classroom excellence, until 1977, the school had no such endowed positions.

With a gift of $200,000, it was Cecil and Ida Green who sponsored the first Master Teaching Chair for then first grade instructor Evelyn Boone.

Forty years later, the Cecil H. & Ida Green Master Teaching Chair position is currently held by Marsha McFarland.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for something I have dedicated my life to.” McFarland said. “Being a Master Teacher inspires me to do my very best.”

Now the Greens have since endowed another Master Teaching Chair, the Cecil H. & Ida Green Master Teaching Chair in Science, held by Dr. Stephen Balog, and the McDermotts have endowed the Eugene McDermott Master Teaching Chair in Science, and Eugene McDermott Headmaster positions, held by John Mead and David Dini respectively.

Science Building Blending together their passions for education, science and technology, the McDermotts’ and Greens’, alongside various members of Texas Instruments, planned the McDermott-Green Science Building, an innovative building that would support discovery and learning for decades.

The building’s planetarium, observatory and other facilities prompted TIME Magazine to call the school the “best equipped day school in the country” in an October 1962 article.

“They built [the McDermott-Green Science Building] in an attempt to lift up our program and attract the best teachers from the country to strengthen our program,” Dini said. “That facility created such a tidal wave of progress.”

After decades of service to students and teachers alike, the school is replacing its oldest building on campus with a revolutionary new Science Center. Using a $10 million grant from the Winn family, the school is constructing the Winn Science Center to live up to the prestige of its predecessor.

Cecil H. and Ida Green Library Students frantically grab papers from printers, study groups collaborate on various projects, and study for tests, all in the Cecil H. and Ida Green Library. A foundation for students to learn how to work for the future. A center in which students can collaborate in learning innovative thoughts, complex mathematical functions and skillful rhetoric.

Cecil H. and Ida Green’s donation of the library represents their greater contribution to St. Mark’s as a whole throughout our history. Just as students use Cecil H. and Ida Green’s donation as a foundation of discovery, the Greens have been fundamental in helping the school pursue these discoveries throughout its history.

“It is humbling, and it reminds you how fortunate we are to be the beneficiaries of such extraordinary leadership from families that have been so remarkably philanthropic in their lifetimes,” Dini said. “The impact is inestimable and the reach is truly remarkable in terms of the people and places they’ve touched.”

THE MASTER The Cecil and Ida Green Master Teaching Chair and the first master teacher, Mrs. Evelyn Boone, a beloved first grade teacher.

THE TRENDSETTER The McDermott-Green Science Quadrangle propelled the school into the national spotlight, attracting top level instructors.

ENDLESS BE YOUR FAME Cecil Green poses with Marksmen on his 90th birthday. Until his death in 2003, Green devoted himself to the school.

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4

The Families: Libraries and science buildings all over the world bear the name of Green and McDermott. St. Mark’s joins institutions like Stanford, Oxford, the University of British Columbia and the University of Texas at Dallas in its

Cecil Green

Born in England in 1900, Cecil Green eventually moved to Boston, where he graduated from MIT. He and his partners eventually bought Geophysical Service Inc. (GSI), a technology company that would eventually turn into Texas Instruments.

Ida Green

Born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1903, Ida Green moved along with Cecil to Dallas for the foundation of Texas Instruments.

In the city, Green became involved in various civic boards such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Children’s Medical Center.

5

benefit from the Green and McDermott families. But why did they choose us? To understand this, we need to first look at a brief snapshot of who these families were and are and how they came to Dallas in the first place.

Eugene McDermott Alongside Green, during WWII, Eugene McDermott was at the helm of GSI as it produced electronics for the U.S. Millitary.

In 1961, he cofounded the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, which became University of Texas at Dallas in 1969.

Margaret McDermott Margaret McDermott was alongside her husband at every step of his career. She endowed the UTD Eugene McDermott scholars program in 2001. Now, her philanthropy remains a driving force at UTD, St. Mark’s and the greater Dallas community.

Page 18 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Life

A LEGACY RINGS OUT

Chapel Bell Tower

Senior Jake Horigome-Pigg prepares to pass on the responsibility of ringing the bell tower to eighth-grader Daniel Uglunts.

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p on the choir loft in a corner behind the vibrant glow of organ pipes rests a hidden gem of the campus.

A dark, firm door leads to a narrow staircase ending in a room with only an odd piano-esque instrument.

This piano with oversized keys controls the carillon, the set of bells in the bell tower that sound at the end of every period.

Senior Jake Horigome-Pigg stands tall in front of those bells, ready to play. ··· “Think of a piano keyboard, except instead of piano keys, there are wooden pedals that come,” Horigome-Pigg said. “It’s still in the same shape as a keyboard, just a lot bigger. There’s wooden knobs that you have to hit with your fists instead of playing with your fingers.”

Playing on the carillon is no simple task — in fact, experience as a piano player is extremely helpful, if not almost a requisite.

That’s why Horigome-Pigg was able to take on the instrument in place of his predecessor.

“I learned how play the carillon at the end of my eighth grade year because Raymond Guo ‘14 was graduating,” Horigome-Pigg said.

“They always take a new apprentice to do it. It has to be a choir member, so because of my piano experience, they asked me to be his apprentice.”

Being a carillonneur in itself isn’t very common.

“There aren’t a lot of carillonneurs in the country,” Choirmaster Tinsley Silcox said. “There aren’t that many places that have these big sets of bells that people play. So it’s a pretty big responsibility on campus.”

Despite Tinsley what some Silcox Choirmaster may think, carillons can play more than that simple tune in between class periods.

“With the right training, someone can play some very complex music on that,” Silcox said.

Horigome-Pigg’s first time playing for an audience was at graduation.

“One of the main things the carillonneur does is he plays the peals at the graduation ceremony,” Horigome-Pigg said. “Obviously Raymond Guo was up on that stage, so that was my first time playing it.”

Of course, the graduation cere-

mony isn’t the only time he plays the instrument. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with the position.

“He has to provide carillon music before the evensong performance and to play it before and after the lessons and carols service,” Silcox said. “Also after the baccalaureate service and commencement.”

But these aren’t the only instances where they’re played.

“Last year, Mr. Gonzalez asked me to play some patriotic pieces for President’s Day,” Horigome-Pigg said. “I’ve also done theme songs for some senior pranks. I play at open house events too.”

After several events, HorigomePigg does have a few he really enjoyed being a part of.

“One of the coolest ones was the wedding,” Horigome-Pigg said.

“It was [Malcom K. and Minda Brachman Master Teacher] Martin Stegemoeller’s wedding, so it was fun to do something for a faculty member that I’d had as a teacher.

And then I played Harry Potter for McDonald’s Week.”

Not a lot of people know about this specific role in the community.

“It’s just a cool aspect of campus that not many people know about,” Horigome-Pigg said. “One of the most common questions I get is, ‘do you have to leave class early every period to go run a play?’ And the answer is ‘no’ because that one is automated. But a surprising number of people actually don’t know that it’s a thing that is played by a student on campus.”

And as Horigome-Pigg nears his last year on campus, a new carillonneur must be prepared — eighth- grader Daniel Uglunts.

• Story Naftal Mautia, Albert Luo Photos Riley Sanders

SIDE BY SIDE Eighth-grader Daniel Uglunts (left) and senior Jake Horigome-Pigg (right) sit beside the carillon in the bell tower as they work together to learn the bell carol.

“We’ve only just started,” Horigome-Pigg said. “So far, he only needs to take over for me by graduation, so we have a lot of time.

But for now he’s just been watching me before evensong. I’m going to gradually start let• ‘That’s something we do ting him do pieces really well here before evensong at St. Mark’s. just so he knows We ride on the what goes on.” shoulders of Silcox looks those who have come before us.’ at this tradition Choirmaster as just another Tinsley Silcox amazing part of the community.

“It’s just the value of anything we can do on our own,” Silcox said.

“The pride of accomplishment. The pride of a new tradition we’ve now started, passed down from generation to generation. That’s something we do really well here at St. Mark’s.

We ride on the shoulders of those who have come before us.”

Silcox looks at this tradition as just another amazing part of the community that helps build and connect the relationships between generations of Marksmen.

“It’s just the value of anything we can do on our own,” Silcox said.

“The pride of accomplishment. The pride of a new tradition we’ve now started, passed down from generation to generation. ”

Fall play premiered last night at 5 p.m.

The situation: Twice every year, in the fall and Behind the scenes Fall Play

‘

together.

spring, St. Mark’s and Hockaday launch a joint-coordinated play. This year’s fall play, The Odd Couple, tells the story of Felix Ungar, played by senior Niteesh Vemuri, and Oscar Madison, portrayed by senior Dalton Glenn, two polar-opposite men forced by circumstances to live

I kinda got lucky because we’ve done these scenes before a little bit. In the past years during acting class, she gives us a couple of scenes to do, and we do those just for practice, ISAS and stuff. I already knew a lot about the character going in, and that helped me get adjusted.

Niteesh Vemuri, Lead Role

‘

The selection of the play happened over the summer, and during that time, I’m poring over the script, reading it and trying to figure out how I’m going to stage things. We started rehearsals really the first week of September. Right now we’re working on getting the actors off book, props in the hand and working on the energy for the show.

Marion Glorioso, Director

‘

LOOKING UP The spiral staircase leads up to the room containing the instrument that controls the bells that ring at the end of each period.

The rundown Where

Black Box Theater

When

Thursday, Nov. 2 Friday, Nov. 3 Saturday, Nov. 4 Sunday, Nov. 5

The story is really interesting, and there is a good dynamic between the two leads.

For the last three productions I’ve been in, I’ve been the lead. In a way, I’m kinda used to that, and that’s a little scary because in the future when I’m in a much bigger world and I’m a much smaller fish, I’m not going to always have the lead.

Sunny Agrawal, Lead Role

5 p.m.

5 p.m.

7p.m.

2 p.m.

Life • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 19

made in Texas Photography Credit: James French Photography

Since 1958

8 201 CELEBRATING 60 YEARS 1958 –2018 A PARTY WITH A PURPOSE Gilley’s South Side Ballroom Saturday, January 20, 2018 Beth Ryan Hockaday School

William Paredes Jesuit Dallas

JSB Co-Chairs (Left to Right): Casey Bowden Ella Kelly Highland Park HS Episcopal School of Dallas

Bryn Klingaman Highland Park HS

Alec Dewar St. Mark’s School of Texas

Featuring:

St. Mark’s Underwriting Class Co-Chairs: Carson Crocker (12th), William Hall (12th), Colin Campbell (11th), Lyle Ochs (10th)

JUNIOR SYMPHONY BALL

Sign-up online at www.JSBdallas.com

Page 20 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Life 1. NOMINEES The ten king and queen nominees met at the 50-yard line during the Homecoming football game Oct. 20. Nominees— Fausto Reyher, Olivia Naidu, Abdullah Akbar, Shannon Dorey, Avery Pearson, Clare Beck, Omar Rana, Genny Wood, William Hall and Kaleigh Beacham—were introduced during halftime of the football game against Fort Worth Country Day, which the Lions won 21-6.

2. ROYALTY Homecoming king Abdullah Akbar and queen Genny Wood enjoy their slow dance at the end of the night. Upper School students voted from a pool of nominees picked out by the Student Council.

3. TROPIC-ALL NIGHT LONG Upper School students, led by senior Edward Ro, jump around during the dance, which was held at 6500. With DJ Umer playing music and a light show behind the stage, students danced throughout the evening.

4. SENIORS GET LOUD Seniors get loud for the class cheers at the Homecoming pep rally Oct. 20. The pep rally included senior football player introductions, a performance by the cheerleaders and other festivities.

1

2 Lookbook

A NIGHT IN BORA BORA

Homecoming celebration kicked off Oct. 20 with a pep rally and football game, and the festivities continued through the Upper School dance Oct. 21.

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4

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• Photos Riley Sanders, Lee Schlosser

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5. LITTLE LIONS Unlike other pep rallies, the Homecoming pep rally includes the Lower School, Middle School and Upper School. Hick’s Gym was filled with students excited for the Homecoming weekend.

6. THAT WINNING FEELING Senior Seun Omonije enjoys himself on the sidelines after the Lions’ won the Homecoming football game.

Life • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 21

BUZZ

Fat Straws $ • Grade A-

T

Reviewing the best of the best... and the worst of the worst.

In this issue: boba, music

A

h, bubble tea. As one of the latest culinary immigrants to the United States, “Boba” tea, as it is called, offers a simple, straightforward combination—the flavor of tea, frequently with milk, and the texture of tapioca, which while usually appearing in puddings and other desserts, takes the form of chewy pearls.

Other ingredients—fruit and jelly seem common— can be added as well. As a newcomer to the world of tea in general, let alone tea filled with balls of cassava root, I was curious and, as such, set out to discover exactly what had led bubble tea to its meteoric rise and to find the best place to get it.

— AUSTIN MONTGOMERY

he first stop on my journey brought me to Fat Straws, a prominent Dallas chain opened in 2004.

The ambiance at the location I went to was nice, featuring ultramodern furniture reminiscent of a friendly staff that walked me through the menu.

Taking the recommendation of the six-year-old girl standing behind me in line, I ordered the Thai milk tea with bubbles.

While I found this beverage rather tasty, I nearly choked from sucking down too many boba at once.

Don’t do that.

The tea itself was just strong enough to enhance the drink without overwhelming the palate, while the tapioca balls added a new dimension to an already complex set of flavors.

They also have a nice seating area with couches and outlets so you can hang out and work or chill on your laptop, Starbucks-style.

With its incredibly quick service, it's clear that whenever you want to get boba, Fat Straws is a solid, tasty and reliable choice.

5301 Alpha Rd #38, 75240 Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fruitealicious $ • Grade B+

G

oing to Fruitealicious was an exercise in nostalgia— the room is decked out with literally hundreds of board games, ranging from the old standbys Clue and Monopoly to obscure titles not even Amazon has.

I sipped my tea here as I handed my brother a thorough thrashing in Battleship, and I’m happy to report that the tea is just as impressive as the selection of board games.

Fruitealicious offers a number of specialty drinks and can create nearly any drink you can come up with.

I was in the mood for something refreshing, and once again taking advice from the crowd, I ordered the mango peach frozen lemonade, adding lychee

jelly at the cashiers suggestion.

While I did find it a bit too sweet, though I was happy to discover that the store offers the ability to adjust your level of sweetness—my second drink, another Thai milk tea, was much more palatable at 50 percent sugar.

What did disappoint me were the tapioca balls, which were for some mysterious reason, hard on the inside—I’d recommend sticking with the bubbles.

Fortunately, they have a "Guarantee You Will Love It, Or We Will Make It Again" promise to their buyers, so even if you’re dissatisfied, you can take another swing.

8300 Gaylord Pkwy #14, 75034 Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Bobaland $$ • Grade B

T

Gucci Mane's brand new musical revelation: Mr. Davis

by Austin Montgomery or better or worse, recent years have transformed Gucci Mane’s image from that of the artist, one of the key forerunners of southern hip-hop, to Gucci Mane the character, the ex-con turned goofy uncle who writes autobiographies (you should definitely read his autobiography though, in case you were wondering).

With his much awaited album Mr. Davis, Gucci seeks to remind everyone that the old artist is still there. Does he succeed?

Well, kind of.

Gucci's classic mixtapes have a certain energy and vibe that’s difficult, nearly impossible, to recreate when transplanted into a slower, more modern style that favors smoother, more melodious beats and lyrics to chill out to rather than get hyped to.

And when the beats do hearken a return to Gucci’s past, his flow, for better or worse, remains in the present.

There are obviously some exceptions, but a few of the songs on this album come close to Trap Back, EA Sports-center, or Writing on the Wall.

It’s a more mainstream, pop-friendly sound than his earlier projects, but whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is in the eyes of the beholder.

That’s not to say Mr. Davis is a bad album though. While some tracks are forgettable, there are plenty of stand outs ­— “Members Only” and “Jumped Out the Whip” come to mind.

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The features are all great. Migos, especially, Takeoff, turn in an excellent performance on “I Get the Bag,” The Weeknd kills “Curve,” Schoolboy Q is predictably amazing on “Lil Story” and Rico Love is a hidden gem on “Miss My Woe.”

he final stop on my tour was Bobaland, a small Plano joint nestled amidst a sea of Vietnamese restaurants that offered a somewhat different experience than my first two.

The owners have imbued the place with a sort of inimitable uniqueness, serving up creative, occasionally bizarre sci-fi inspired concoctions.

Many of these are hit-or-miss, but when they hit, they really hit.

With the help of the employee behind the register, who explained a few of the more out-there teas, offered samples and suggested a few favorites, I

eventually decided on the “Red Galaxy,” made from premium black tea and flavored with lychee, strawberries and Thai basil seeds.

Calming music and homey furniture lends to the atmosphere, which somehow makes one feel more relaxed the moment they walk in.

Weird, yes, but delightfully so. With the seemingly polarized flavors, it really is all about finding one that appeals to you.

Make no mistake, when you do find that flavor, you'll love this place.

240 Legacy Dr #110, 75023 Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Reviews Austin Montgomery Photo Riley Sanders

Do you have high grades in math but not on the SAT/ACT? I can help bridge that gap.

Creative Commons photo

The best surprise, perhaps, is Slim Jxmmi doing the entire first 2:20 minutes of “Stunting Ain't Nuthin” solo, proving once more that he can carry a track by himself and almost making the listener forget that Swae Lee, Gucci and Young Dolph are also on the song.

In addition to providing a solid soundtrack for any party, Gucci delves deeper into his own soul with this album, taking the listeners on a funny, interesting and occasionally profound tour of his life.

Even if the old Gucci isn’t quite back, the new version is still more than welcome.

Private tutor with a proven track record of success.

469–544–7276 Stanford L Chancellor

Page 22 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Commentary Staff editorials

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE REVIEWED

REMARKER

Students’ required classes in high school do not necessarily help them strive for excellence in areas of their choosing.

A

lthough the education of the whole boy is one of the most important aspects of the school’s philosophy, some students feel as if they are being forced to take classes as a requirement rather than taking them for the enjoyment of a different source of education.

For example, in classes such as freshman film studies, seniors are of such prevalence that a second section of the class had to be implemented to accommodate the large number of seniors needing to fulfill their fine arts requirements.

We believe that adjusting the course requirements will improve the contentment of many students for a variety of reasons: • First, if a student chooses to wait until his senior year to take a fine art, he does not get the chance to fully immerse himself in the full scope of the fine art. For example, if a student waits to take a ceramics class until his senior year, he may miss out on learning to create different types of pieces, one of which might be a skill he truly enjoys learning.

Without this knowledge, the student would never think about taking a ceramics course in college. Students who form a liking to a fine art during their earlier years of high school have plenty of time to explore their interests throughout the rest of high school, while seniors who are forced into a fine art never form a full liking of it.

• Second, some underclassmen who may legitimately want to take a class for the love of it are not getting to take the class because their spot is taken by a senior who is only taking the class for his requirement.

This is exactly what should be avoided with students who are trying to take a course because those who actually want to develop a different aspect of their education are being prohibited from doing so due to the requirements needed for seniors to graduate.

• Finally, many students who may not have an interest in a history, a science or a fine art believe that having to take one of these classes during their senior year is wasting the opportunity to take another core academic class where they can ex-

pand their knowledge, better their chances of acceptance into college, and enhance their GPA. Students who wait until their senior year to take a fine art, U.S. history, or physics often do so because of their lack of interest in these classes themselves.

For example, if a student is more interested in taking another science class or an engineering class, which may help his chance at getting into an engineering program in college, why should he have to take a history class or a fine art just to fulfill his requirements? A student should not be forced to take a class not in his interests just to graduate when he might have been able to explore an area he might enjoy more thoroughly if he could take a different core class.

One solution to this problem could be allowing students to fulfill their course requirements during the summer at credible colleges. Colleges such as Southern Methodist University offer many different summer courses, and if students were able to choose one of these programs and get the administration and the department of the respective class to validate the summer course, students would still be fulfilling their requirements with college-level courses.

In this scenario, students would still be educating themselves in the realm of these courses of their choosing, and they can also still take whatever academic courses they might want to take.

Then, if a student really enjoys the course he takes during the summer, he has the chance to pursue his newfound interest in the upcoming school year.

Allowing students to fulfill their requirements in the summer would allow them to not be frustrated by having to take an introductory course instead of a class they are interested in, while still introducing and exposing them to these classes.

We urge the administration to allow students to take credible courses off campus to fulfill their requirements. They should not be forced to take classes which will hurt their chance of getting into a college. If students could take classes during the summer, students would still

be introduced to all of the topics necessary to educate the whole man, while those who may not be interested in a course can still take the classes they desire, which will give them an advantage as they apply to college.

Graduation requirements Graduation requirements go well beyond the required curriculum for college admission.

Students may also take additional courses each term to add depth in areas of special interest. Boys should aspire to the most challenging program of study they can successfully undertake. This goal is discussed yearly between families and each boy’s advisor.

Students must successfully complete the equivalent of 18 full-year liberal, fine arts, and elective courses, physical education or sports, community service, the Pecos Wilderness Experience, the Senior Exhibition and optional extracurricular activities.

Distribution requirements include: • Twelve credits of English • Nine credits of social studies: foundations of world societies, the modern world, U.S. history • Nine credits of laboratory science, including biology • Nine credits of mathematics, but not less than completion of algebra II • Nine credits of one foreign language, but not less than completion of Level III equivalent • Three credits of fine arts • Three credits of elective courses • Four years of physical education or athletics (seniors are exempt from P.E. or athletics if they pass the Physical Fitness Test.)

Students in the Upper School must satisfy the following co-curricular requirements: • Fifteen hours of Community Service during each school year.

• Completion of the Pecos Wilderness Experience (required for all students entering St. Mark’s in ninth grade).

• Satisfactory completion of the Senior Exhibition.

Additionally, a student must achieve a cumulative Upper School grade point average of 2.0 or better to be eligible to graduate from the School.

Source: smtexas.org

EDITOR IN CHIEF KOBE ROSEMAN

MANAGING EDITORS DAVIS BAILEY ZACH GILSTRAP

EXECUTIVE PAGE EDITOR MIKE MAHOWALD

ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR ANDRE ARSENAULT

CREATIVE DIRECTORS NAFTAL MAUTIA RETT DAUGBJERG

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER RILEY SANDERS

ISSUES EDITOR BLAKE DAUGHERTY

COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR ALEC DEWAR

COMMENTARY EDITORS JIMMY RODRIGUEZ SAM SUSSMAN

SENIOR WRITER REECE RABIN

RESEARCH DIRECTORS ZOHEB KHAN NICK MALVEZZI

COPY EDITORS

MICHAEL LUKOWICZ SAM SHANE

PHOTO COORDINATOR OWEN BERGER

FOCUS EDITORS CJ CRAWFORD DUNCAN KIRSTEIN

LIFE EDITORS

SAHIT DENDEKURI MARK TAO

LIFE WRITERS SAM AHMED SAM GOLDFARB ERIC HIRSCHBACH DYLAN LIU ALBERT LUO TIANMING XIE MATTHEW ZHANG

NEWS EDITORS KAMAL MAMDANI LYLE OCHS

NEWS WRITERS

ANDY CROWE MATEO GUEVARA ISHAN GUPTA JAMES ROGERS SID VATTAMREDDY CHRISTOPHER WANG WALLACE WHITE

SPORTS EDITORS PARKER DAVIS CONNOR PIERCE

SPORTS WRITERS COLIN CAMPBELL JOSH DANIELS NATHAN HAN JAHAZIEL LOPEZ AARON THORNE NICK WALSH

Reaching epidemic status, vaping must be addressed

SPORTS MAGAZINE EDITOR WILL FORBES

Student vaping on campus has become more prevalent in the past two years. Something must be done about it.

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR ZACH LANDRY

REVIEWS SPECIALIST AUSTIN MONTGOMERY

F

or the last two school years, there has been a rise in the number of students who bring illegal or prohibited substances onto campus.

Not alcohol. Not marijuana. Not tobacco.

Vapes.

Of course, not every student is guilty of using the flavored e-cigarettes during school hours, but the problem of student vaping — illegal for those under 18 years-old — must be addressed.

At any point during the day, at any given location on campus, one may find a student either carrying or using a vape — the senior lounge, in the restrooms, even in classrooms.

Lion Tracks prohibits the use of illegal drugs and “other potentially dangerous or damaging substances” on campus; however, the student handbook never specifically addresses what these “dangerous” substances may be.

Because Lion Tracks declares that any illegal drugs are prohibited, we wonder why this aspect of student behavior has not been better contained. However, we applaud the administration for taking this situation into consideration in planning their revisions of Lion Tracks in the future, as we

believe the situation cannot improve if kept under the rug.

However more must be done.

Not only is it illegal and prohibited by the school, but vaping is detrimental to a student’s education and learning environment when his peers are distracting him with their inappropriate school behavior.

• We urge instructors to learn what these devices are, as they are difficult to detect: the vapor disappears nearly instantly, and the device itself is similar in appearance to a flashdrive. By learning what vapes are, instructors can better help in the effort to control the problem.

• We hope administrators will be more rigid in their control of this situation, as increased vigilance will have a positive impact on the school and its environment.

• Students: it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to use vapes. Not only is it illegal, but it is harmful for the learning environment we seek to create here and it can have undesirable effects on grades and overall performance in school.

Certainly, it is hard to put an end to a problem that is so well kept hidden from adults and supervisors, but the situation must be addressed by the administration and instructors alike.

WRITING CONFERENCE STRUGGLES

What people think before their first writing conference KANNAN SHARMA, SAMMY SÁNCHEZ, MICHAEL LUKOWICZ

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS. 10600 PRESTON ROAD DALLAS, TEXAS 75230 214.346.8000

This paper doesn’t feel right to me.

What’s wrong with it?

How Batman Beat the Joker and Saved Gotham

ARTIST

MATTHEW COLEMAN

CARTOONISTS SAMMY SANCHEZ KANNAN SHARMA

BUSINESS MANAGER CARSON CROCKER

ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER PAXTON SCOTT

PHOTO EDITOR KYLE SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHERS MATEO DIAZ ADNAN KHAN CHRIS MCELHANEY RYAN MCCORD RYAN NORMAN KATHAN RAMNATH CHARLIE RUBARTH LEE SCHLOSSER ROHIT VEMURI

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIAISON HENRY PICCAGLI

ADVISER

RAY WESTBROOK

ONLINE VIEWING.

Each issue of The ReMarker, along with archival copies, can be viewed on the school’s website, www.smtexas. org/remarker.

READER INVOLVEMENT.

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offended.

The ReMarker encourages reader input through letters, guest columns and story ideas. Contact the appropriate editor for submissions. Suggestions will be given due consideration for future publication. Letters should not exceed more than 300 words in length.

ADVERTISING.

Contact the business staff at 214.346.8145. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Inclusion of an ad is not an indication of an endorsement by The ReMarker, any of its staff members or faculty or staff members of St. Mark’s School of Texas.

DISTRIBUTION.

English Instructor

Press run is 3,800 copies. Copies are provided free of charge to students, faculty and staff at various distribution sites on campus. More than 2,600 copies are mailed out to alumni courtesy of the school’s offices of External Affairs, Development and Alumni divisions.

MEMBERSHIP.

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the Joker How Batman Beat and Saved Gotham

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Commentary • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 23

Sunday school, Sunday shoes

The time I thought I killed Michael W

B

y 11 o’clock every Sunday morning, I’d have the best-looking black leather shoes of the whole congregation.

While sweet Ms. Howard, my third-grade Sunday school teacher who could still remember the founding of our then 83-year-old church, would trace the path of Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt or mark all the different locations of Paul’s established churches on her well-worn laminated maps, I would use a twig or a pencil or even a lollipop stick to trace the groves in the rubber underside of my Sunday shoes, knocking out dirt clods, pebbles, and other treasures.

I’d comb over the tops of my loafers with my fingernails until every last speck of dirt, mud or dust had fled elsewhere. By the time Ms. Howard would wrap up her lesson with a prayer, I would be kneeling in a halo of dirt, twigs, mud and anything else I had tracked in.

On Sunday mornings, my parents would never have to drag me out of bed, or even really struggle to get me dressed in my Sunday best.

While my dad would often have to spend 30 minutes negotiating with my four-years-younger brother over whether or not a too-small Batman costume was appropriate church attire, I would spring out of bed ready-to-go. I really did love church. I loved to imagine ringing the steeple bells, venturing down into the sanctuary’s basement or asking Ms. Howard exactly how old she was.

So every Sunday, my parents would drop me off for my sole-cleansing Sunday-school experience and then pick me up for pancakes afterwards.

As I worked my way through elementary school and middle school, I left Ms. Howard and her laminated maps behind – and stopped leaving rings of dirt wherever I was seated. I had graduated from sitting crisscross-applesauce to keeping my back straight on top of the velvet cushions and hard wooden backs of the main sanctuary’s pews.

When church stopped including graham crackers and apple juice, I had no choice but to dial back my enthusiasm. Through middle school, while I could run the board in Gospel Trivia in Sunday School, I had gotten to the point where I could understand my

‘

Word on the

STREET

Students and faculty share their opinions on issues in the news and around campus.

You shouldn’t be able to own multiple automatic weapons even if you pass a background check because it’s dangerous and there are people out there who wouldnt use them in the right ways.

Henry Schechter Eighth grader

GRID

THE

Our opinions on what’s going on around campus, all in one place.

NOTICED

Spirit Week Student Council President Canyon Kyle’s implementation of a Spirit Week the week of Homecoming was a great way to take some of the stress of school away by having a fun and relaxed dress code each day. Tropical Thursday was the most popular theme-day of the week, as the creativity in the costumes the students wore was a joy to see.

BAFFLING

Carpool lines Students are beginning to show up to class late due to the length of the carpool lines before school, which sometimes take 10-15 minutes to finally get through the line and find a parking spot.

Food Drive participation We were disappointed to learn that some advisories did not contribute to the Food Drive, whether because the advisors forgot or because they did not receive word of the requirement of participation. We urge each advisor to pay closer attention to the various drives in the future.

‘

I don’t see any real need for them. We have a wellgoverned militia and an army, and we haven’t been under any threat, and it seems to me that most people that are threatening us are actually citizens of our country.

Scott Gonzalez Provost

Availability of basketball courts Although there is always an open field during the Fall, students who might be looking to spend their time after school playing indoor sports do not have this opportunity due to the consistent occupation of both gyms.

Lee Berger We’d like to show our appreciation for Dr. Lee Berger and his most recent gift to the school. His commitment to maintaining his relationship with St. Mark’s gives the students cool insight in a field of science we do not normally get to explore.

Homecoming dance The Homecoming dance was another huge success this year.

The “Bora Bora” theme along with a cool, new setting at 6500 gave students the break they needed from their rigorous school activities.

BRILLIANT

hat the hell were we thinking.

Two scrawny, eleven-year-old boys, all skin and bones, on one of our first canoe trips ever. Just standing there as everyone else picked a partner and picked a boat.

Moments pass. Everyone was paired up and we were the last two standing. Just me, Michael Lukowicz and the forest-green canoe.

That meant we had to be partners for the whole trip.

We realized our combined 140 pounds had nothing on the ten-foot aluminum boat the moment we got into the canoe.

••• Weeks before the trip, our tour guide —the Canoeman— came up to school and lectured us on boat safety.

The Canoeman stressed one thing over everything else.

Take care of yourself first. Over the boat, over your partner, over the group.

As a young, impressionable fifth-grader, I figured he was the expert, so I took everything he said to heart, wordfor-word.

••• Michael and I climbed in, and I decided to get in the back of the boat. Little did I know the back seat was made for someone strong in order to steer. If the opposite of strong could be a person, it was me.

Our only focus was to follow the rest of the group down the river. Apparently that’s a lot harder than it sounds. Zig-zagging across the San Marcos River, we looked like kids who’d never done this before. Oh wait, we Kamal were.

Mamdani News Halfway down the river, we editor came up on a turn just like any other. The only difference was that if you didn’t make this turn, you go straight down a waterfall.

Good thing Michael and I were expert paddlers.

The Canoeman was in his own canoe, parked just past the turn and making sure everyone made it safe.

“LEFT! TURN LEFT!” Michael and I heard him, and we instinctively started paddling on the left side of the boat. We figured we were following his instructions perfectly. The only problem is that when you paddle on the left side of a canoe, you turn right.

We somehow positioned ourselves to go in the exact direction of the waterfall.

“Paddle on the RIGHT side of the boat!”

As we got closer and closer to the waterfall my mind was racing, but one moment floated to the top.

Take care of yourself first.

I knew exactly what I had to do. Our boat was just starting to tip into the rapids at the top of the waterfall, so I used all seventy pounds of my strength to grab my waterproof lunch sack and stand up. “Good luck,” I whispered to Michael. That’s when I jumped right out of the boat and into the water.

I swam as fast and as far away from that evil waterfall as I could. I honestly thought I might have lost Michael. For all I knew, he shot down the falls and disappeared into the depths of the river no canoe had ever traversed.

It turns out that Michael was already too far to jump out with me. He picked up his oar and tried to lodge it under something, but it was no use. All he could do was grab the sides of the canoe and hold on for dear life. He might have been the luckiest man in the world, as the canoe got stuck on a boulder jutting out from the rapids.

The Canoeman was able to go in and make a rescue, getting Michael and the boat back on to the water.

As I got back in to the boat, everything stopped. I couldn’t hear anyone yelling at me or asking if I was okay.

I sat there and thought back to moments ago when I felt bold, scared and helpless all at the same time, I could only think of one thing.

Sorry, Michael.

faith, I could explain it, I could quote a few verses, but I never struggled with it, I never challenged myself, I never tried to wrap my head around the gravity of the questions I was asking.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was a “Cultural Christian.” I celebrated the Big 2 (Christmas and Easter), probably had a Bible verse in my seventh grade Twitter bio, but never really made sacrifices to live through my faith.

A Friday morning my sophomore year, however, that all changed over a short-stack of Corner Bakery pancakes.

Four of my closest friends, friends I had spent entire Saturday nights with hitting slap shots in street hockey, hot summer days wasting jungle zombies with laser guns and a near-all-nighter trying to drill the Gas Laws into our heads for Mr. Valasek’s chemistry exam, sat in a booth around the Davis wood-topped restauBailey rant table.

Managing editor Instead of looking up at a laminated map of Israel or uncomfortably shifting in painful wooden pews, Jimmy, Zach, Blake, Canyon and I sat around a cracked-open bible in the hands of Canyon’s dad.

Together, with plenty of maple syrup, inside jokes and deep, meaningful questions along the way, we struggled through Solomon, trudged through Titus and grappled with Galatians. As we unpacked books, chapters and verses together, we grew tighter and stronger, both in our faiths and as friends.

Facing the stresses, temptations and struggles that come with navigating an Upper School career, I needed — we all needed — friends that would hold us accountable, lift us up when we fell down and make fun of us when we needed it.

So while now I wake up three times a week to crack open my leather bound Bible, I actually remember the path of the exodus from Egypt, I absolutely love the fellowship of faith that I’ve been lucky enough to find.

And my shoes, well, my shoes are always dirty.

Sage Dining Services We appreciate the willingness of the new dining service to listen to our concerns about the length of the lunch lines and quantity of food given to students from the beginning of the year. The lines have improved dramatically and students seem to be receiving more food originally.

OVERLOOKED

‘

‘

If the background checks are actually worth anything, then clearly the right people should be getting the guns. There is nothing wrong with having guns if you use them respectfully.

Carr Urschel sophomore

If you can buy one, why can’t you buy mutliple?

Alexander Zuch freshman

Do you think people should be allowed to buy multpile automatic weapons leagally even with a background check?

‘

I think people with high enough firearms licenses who have served in the military should be able to own automatic firearms, while normal citizens should only be able to own semi-automatic ones.

Andres Arroyo sophomore

“

‘

I don’t think there is any use for them, and anything people want to do with guns, they can do without the gun being automatic.

Edward Ro senior

‘

Automatic weapons are too dangerous for anyone to have around.

James Carr freshman

‘

People should have extra training for fully automatic weapons.

Colton Wheatley sophomore

Page 24 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Commentary

I remember him as the man who taught me generosity

M

y mother shouts from the den with a twinge of annoyance in her

wooden walls covered in Spanish moss, roof sagging from years of rain and voice. lack of upkeep. There’s a boat ramp “7:30!” behind the restaurant where rednecks After repeating myself four or five in fishing boats and barges alike moor times, I’d be annoyed, too. their boats and drink away the hours, I stroll lazily to my room, grabbing listening to Zydeco music and the chatmy wrinkled jeans from the day before ter of old friends. and throwing on a neatly folded polo We sit down at a large table in shirt, reach up to the top shelf of my the far side of the dining room. To my closet, grab my Sperry’s and I’m ready left, my grandfather. To my right, my to go. uncle. Adult talk follows – legal jargon ••• concerning my uncle’s firm, the current Within minutes, we’re in the car trends in the stock market and gossip of barreling down I-49, heading towards who’s moving around in town. Adult my grandtalk dragging on for what seems like father’s hours to freshman me.

André favorite I look over the menu, hoping to Arsenault restaurant. pass the time.

Assignments SandBlackened Gulf shrimp…red beans editor wiched and rice…grilled quail… between “So André, are you excited for high my aunt and my cousin, I wiggle school?” my cousin Kristen asks me. I around attempting to make myself respond and quickly follow up, quescomfortable. tioning her about grad school.

Family dinners are, after all, not Seafood gumbo…shrimp etoufalways comfortable. fee…catch of the day…

It’s a pleasant evening though. Late Talk carries on, and eventually the in July, sweltering during the day, the food arrives. We eat and converse and temperature is now a balmy 75 degrees eat and converse some more. with a slight breeze drifting across the Finally, the waitress comes around. empty country land and across Kincaid My father, uncle and grandfather all Lake. It’s just a typical night in central scramble for their wallets, racing to pick Louisiana. up the tab, begging, “Let me get this!”

The car comes to a stop along the “Oh, you can get the next one…” gravel road, and my eyes dart up at the “No, I insist!” tattered, old neon sign. “Tunk’s Cypress Each one thrusts his credit card Landing” it reads in big block letters towards the waitress, insisting she take with two figures vaguely resembling his. cypress trees painted in the background “Gentlemen, there’s no need,” the of the picture. waitress explains. “The gentleman two From the outside, the restaurant tables over picked up your tab.” looks like a rundown boat house – Wow, I think to myself. That’s

incredibly generous of him. Dinner for a party of 9 could easily break $250.

My head swivels to see who covered our meal: my 82-year-old neighbor gives a quick wave, grinning with that characteristic today’s-a-great-day smile, the smile that always seems to grace his face.

“Mr. Sammy!” I call out, jumping up to head to his table. I’m happy to see him at first, but the grin that flashed across my face gives way to a pang of sadness – sadness caused by the sight of his caretaker sitting next to him.

His health must be getting worse, I can’t help but think. But he’s in good spirits.

I smile at him. “Thank you for buying our dinner. It was extremely generous.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” he brushes the thank you aside. “It’s always a pleasure to see y’all.”

••• Fast forward four months. Thanksgiving break. We leave at 6 a.m., and five hours later we turn into the driveway of our old home in Louisiana.

And I glance at the house across the street – Mr. Sammy’s house.

Glance and see the normally perfectly manicured lawn voted “Best yard in town.” It’s overgrown and dying.

See the usually tidy-looking house.

It’s covered with ivy.

See, and my heart sinks as reality hits me.

Mr. Sammy passed.

I’m told it was Alzheimer’s, later aggravated by a stroke. He’d been in and out of the hospital, but in the end, he didn’t make it.

My mind instantly wanders back

TAKING

Unsung hero

A note regarding September column • Roderick Demmings ’12 clarifies aspects of September’s “How a senior changed my life” column

Alicia Muratalla, Dora Turcios, Shawn Robinett

Members of the cafeteria staff who clean up after us every day

My family and I stayed in a homeless shelter while we waited to move in our new home.

Our lease was up before our new home was ready. We never stayed in Austin Street and neither did I receive a piano from there. Although basic, this story is nonetheless true.

— Roderick Demmings ‘12

W

Ar

oun

d the glob

e

e would like to show our gratitude for those who work at the dish drop-off station in the cafeteria in this issue of The ReMarker.

By removing all of the trash bins which in previous years were stationed next to the conveyor belt for students to throw away their leftovers and other trash from their meals, the amount of work these women and men have had to complete for three periods each day has increased drastically.

We do not believe the cafeteria workers, especially those working in the clean-up station, receive enough praise for the hard work they put into each day here. Every day students leave a mess around the conveyor belt or on the tables, this hard-working staff cleans up after us without a second thought.

Once again, we would like to thank Dora Turcios, Shawn Robinett and Alicia Muratalla for the hard work they have done and the dedication they have shown to the school this year.

Thank you!

A discussion of issues outside the scope of campus, around the country and across the globe.

Harvey Weinstein reminds us why character education matters

O

ver the past month and a half, more than 60 women have bravely come forward with accusations of sexual assault and abuse toward them from producer Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein reportedly raped and molested multiple women working with him, using his power as producer to force them into doing sexual acts they did not want to do.

With this recent news, it is important to realize and remember why the character education at our school is so important and why we must always treat women with the respect they deserve.

We are ashamed on behalf of men everywhere to hear of the gross misconduct brought to light by the investigative journalism conducted by The New York Times and The New Yorker.

It is a shame to see high-profile people setting such poor examples of character and judgment. We hope this does not become a recurring story in the film world.

STOCK

to that night at Tunk’s – the last time I saw him.

I remember word for word our conversation. Picture the smile glowing on his elderly face. Him ever-so-nonchalantly paying for my family’s entire meal as he ate in the company of his caretaker.

I silently grieve for the loss of our family friend.

But my mind can’t get over that simple act of generosity. For Mr. Sammy to not even bat an eye left such an impact on me.

You see, Mr. Sammy was quite wealthy. He had a nice house, he drove a Rolls Royce, he lived comfortably.

But he was even more of a philanthropist. What he did for my family wasn’t out of the ordinary. He was known to surprise neighbors and friends with gifts. He donated large portions of his money to charity. He hosted fundraisers and supported local organizations. He served as a leader for the local rotary club, YMCA, Salvation Army, and various art programs. He was a role model and the epitome of a good samaritan.

I’d known him for some seven or eight years. But the best I ever came to know him was in the last few months of his life.

To this day when I think of Mr. Sammy, I think of the kind-hearted, generous neighbor who lived across the street from me. The man known for his quiet and unassuming demeanor. The man who always waved at the little seven-year-old riding his bike up and down the street.

Most of all, I remember him as the man who taught me generosity.

Looking at the rising and falling stocks around campus

FCD Prevention Works A week of talks about the harms and risks of alcohol and other drugs both intrigued and entertained the students, as they were able to learn about situations that they might face in their lives while getting to hear the stories of men and women who have struggled to overcome addiction.

Games on the quad We have been pleased to see so much activity on the Perot Quadrangle during passing and free periods.

Members of all grades have come together this year to play games such as touch football, frisbee and foursquare, adding to the morale of students of all ages on campus.

Position of sign-out sheet The sign-out sheet for students who plan to leave campus is in a location that makes it much harder to sign out. Because signing out is a requirement for students who leave campus, we urge the school to move the sign-out sheet to a more logical location, such as Nearburg Hall.

Colored printers With only one color printer accessible by students on campus, located in the library study room, which is often locked off for individual classes, many students find trouble as they try to print off their assignments for class, which may need to be in color.

Page 25

Every time I get in that car...

T

he batter lines the ball my way. Easy catch. I jog towards where the ball is headed, thinking about where to throw it once it lands in my glove.

Crap! I misjudged it.

In desperation, I quickly change directions, sprinting toward the rapidly descending ball. I dive, extend my arm, and pray for it to land in my glove.

My prayer is answered. I feel it hit the leather less than an inch from the grass.

The crowd erupts, and my teammates congratulate me as we head back to the dugout.

Everyone at the game is happy for me. Everyone. Except for me. That’s because I know that my dad, who also played Connor Pierce cenSports Editor terfield during his playing days and watches my every move at the position, noticed me misplay the ball.

And because of that, I know the look is coming when I hop into the passenger’s seat after the game.

The look comes whenever I make a big mistake or a mental error during a game. Whether that’s misreading a ball in the outfield or striking out looking at the plate, I can always expect my dad to give me that same look as we start our drive home.

It’s not an angry look. It’s not a condescending look. It’s not even a look of disappointment.

It’s a look that says, “I know you can be better than that.”

We win the game — a great 3-2 victory over ESD. I’m excited and celebrate with my teammates, but I dread what’s coming after we clean up the field.

I put my bags in the trunk and sit down next to my dad.

The look. There it is. I know exactly what my dad is thinking.

So, instead of waiting for him to explain my mistake, I immediately launch into a defense of my misplay during the game.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal. I made the catch anyways. I still played well.”

My dad just chuckles. He knows from experience that all of my excuses are a desperate attempt to wipe that look off of his face.

I finally give up trying to change his mind about my mistake. So, he tells me to learn from the play and move on, and we drive home.

But I can’t move on. His look is what drives me. Every time I see that familiar face as I get into the car, I tell myself that I have to work harder next time. I have to spend more time in the batting cages, more time taking fly balls, more time running sprints so that I don’t misread the next ball that comes my way.

I can’t stand the look. I despise it more than anything. But my dad’s look makes me better.

The look makes me better because it makes me fight to make sure I never see it again.

SPORTS SPORTS Christopher McElhaney photo

OPPONENTS VANQUISHED

Senior voleyball captain Toussaint Pegues (center) stares down his opponents with his teammates junior Albert Luo (left) and senior Edward Ro (right) looking on after spiking the ball over the net to score the point for his team. Despite their effort, the Lions would go on to lose their match to Casady 0-3.

Sports in brief JV SPORTS FIND SUCCESS AS SEASON COMES TO CLOSE The school’s JV teams have begun to imporve and find success.

Led by second-year head coach Jeffrey Hale, the JV football team won their first game of the season Sept. 27 against ESD. The team’s record is currently 1-5.

The JV vetVAN AYVAYZIAN erans volleyball team have stormed out to a 4-2 record, with both of their defeats coming at the hands of Greenhill.

They will face off with the Greenhill squad twice more this season.

Continuing their strong start to the season, the JV rookies volleyball team has improved its record to 5-1.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS

WIND DOWN FALL SEASON Middle School football and volleyball teams are looking to finish the seasons on a high note and maintain their current winning records.

The eighth grade football squad has blown out their competition recently, forcing shutouts over Good Shepherd and ESD in two of their first five games. With a 5-0 record, they will look to continue their undefeated season throughout their few remaining games.

Coming off a three-game losing streak, the Middle School gold volleyball team looks to bounce back and improve upon their 5-5-1 record.

The Middle School cross country team capped off their successful season with a victory in their final meet, which took place Oct. 26 at Hockaday.

ANNUAL WATER POLO TRIP TO ROMANIA CANCELLED The water polo team will not travel to Romania over spring break. The grueling and memorabe trip that brought together many of the top water polo players in head coach Mihai Oprea’s home country with members of the school’s water polo team was the victim of the school’s new travel policy.

Held annually for the past couple years, the trip was shut down due to a new rule, part of the larger overhaul of the travel policy, that puts a limit on the amount of repeat international trips.

FENCING HOSTS ANNUAL ST. MARK’S OPEN The varsity fencing team hosted the St. Mark’s Open Oct. 7 in Spencer Gym.

The tournament was the team’s only home event of the year. Lion fencers competed and found success in all three categories: epee, foil, and saber, against other club athletes and collegiate athletes from around the state.

In the Men’s Senior Saber event, brothers sophomore Eric and eighth-grader Adam Lai finished first and second, respectively.

Senior Jake Horigome-Pigg came in fifth with sophomore Michael Then (sixth), sophomore Jason Peng (seventh), freshman Tamal Pilla (eigth), and freshman Siva SQUARING UP Uppalapati (ninth) rounding out the top ten.

The Men’s Senior Epee had the largest field of all of the weapons.

Senior Abdullah Akbar was the top finisher for the Lions, coming in ninth.

In the Men’s Senior Foil competition, sophomore Christopher Wang finished the tournament tied for third.

CREW COMPETES AT FALL REGATTA IN AUSTIN The crew team’s top boat finished second at the Pumpkin Head Regatta, which took place in Austin Oct. 28.

In preparation for the meet, which was made up of five kilometer races called head races, the crew team rowed at Bachman Lake every day after school. Training consisted of doing long rows on the lake to build endurance in addition to short sprints to build speed.

The team was eager to face the stiff fall competition, and a varsity squad is beginning to form for the spring.

­­­­­­— Nathan Han, Josh Daniels, Jahaziel Lopez, Aaron Thorne, Colin Campbell

Inside

26-27

The scoreboard Varsity Football

5 2

Money in sports

A deep dive into the advantages and importance of the dollar on high school sports.

Wins

JV Football

1 5

29

Dream school?

Looking at senior athletes decision between continuing their career or focusing on academics.

30

Wins

31

Fall SPC previews

Taking a look at fall athletics just a week before this season’s SPC Championships.

Losses

Varsity Volleyball

7 3

Wins

Losses

‘

4 3

Wins

Losses

Truthfully, you just need to go all out out and not care what other people think of you. The more you scream, the more ridiculous you look with face paint on, and the more you show up to games are all major keys.”

— Senior Sam Sussman

‘

‘

Our goal is to win out and give ourselves a shot at a championship. For that to happen, we need to remain focused and take everything one day at a time.”

1

— Junior quarterback Colin Neuhoff

JV Volleyball

SPC spectating tips from the Superfans

Math instructor flies gliders

Talking with Amy Pool about her favorite hobby–flying RC gliders.

Losses

Highlight reel

We need everybody’s full support for each of our teams. We owe it to the athletes to be the most raucous, supportive, and wild fan section in all of SPC. If we can create that environment, I’m liking our shot at bringing home a title.

— Senior Will Wood

3

Rushing TDs

16

Passing TDs

1827 Tota rushing and passing yards accumulated over during the season.

Page 26 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Sports

THE MONEY MACHINE Matching Cam Newton Under Armour cleats. Olympic athletes as personal trainers. Enrolling in out-of-state camps at age five. The amount of money funneled into youth sports is staggering — fueling a machine that impacts athletes and families across the country.

• Story Parker Davis, Connor Pierce, Zoheb Khan, Jahaziel Lopez Artwork Naftal Mautia

Many factors — not just money — impact athletic success

T

he game-winning touchdown catch. The buzzer-beating three-point shot. The 12-foot putt to clinch the SPC title.

That’s what high school sports are about.

But behind those victories, something often plays just as big a role as the skills of an athlete.

The difference between catching the ball and dropping it. The difference between making the shot and clanking it off the rim. The difference between sinking the putt and hitting it past the hole.

Money.

For as long as he can remember, junior Matthew Pollock has had tennis coaching outside of school.

“Until I was about nine, I would take lessons,” Pollock said. “I would have one about every week or so in my backyard, but when I was nine, I started going to Brook Hollow [Country Club] and played group practices every weekday.”

Pollock, who now starts on the varsity tennis team, credits much of his early success with tennis and his ability today to the advantage that paying for lessons and group practices has given him.

“When I came to Brook Hollow, I was already way above everyone else my age,” Pollock said, “and I owe that to my lessons. Having practices every day has also gotten me a lot better.”

Not only has it helped him, but Pollock also believes outside coaching is pivotal to any player who wants to play tennis at a high level.

“I would say pretty much almost every top player will have lessons or practices,” Pollock said. “A lot of people drop out of school to play, and they’ll play pretty much all day. The ability to have practices is definitely a huge advantage over people who wouldn’t be as fortunate.

Once you get older, the prices keep rising, and I could see people stopping playing tennis because of that.”

Varsity basketball and golf head coach Greg Guiler agrees athletes with access to private lessons have an advantage.

“There’s definitely some built-in privilege for families that have tons and tons of resources,” Guiler said. “I don’t think you can argue against that. I • ‘I think we’ve got an adequate think someone who is able to hire the number of bells instructor they think is best for their and whistles for kids to play with a kid, and make it a private lesson [has an advantage].” lot of pride.’

In other sports, however, outside Varsity golf and basketball head practices and lessons may not be as coach Greg Guiler critical. Cross country captain Mateo Diaz sees true value in self-determination and doesn’t feel money plays a significant role in the success of a runner.

“People use private training for cross country, but it’s by no means common,” Diaz said. “The great thing about cross country is running with a private trainer isn’t necessary because you can just wake up at 6 a.m. and go for a run by yourself. Your success is dependent on yourself, not whether you can afford a trainer.”

Diaz says the lack of expenses in cross country also extends to equipment making the maximum equipment cost

for a season of cross country around $100. In comparison, Pollock estimates the base annual tennis equipment cost to be over $500.

“Thankfully, cross country is a pretty equipment free sport,” Diaz said. “Cost definitely isn’t as much of a factor compared to other sports. I mean, shoes are really the only important thing, so every runner is on a level playing field.

I think this is a pretty big plus because, [again], at the end of the day, the only excuse you have for not performing well is yourself.”

Diaz believes the lack of expenses in cross country has benefitted him.

“I think the ease of accessing cross country means I spend more time training rather than worrying about Josh Friesen costs or other factors related Assistant to costs,” Diaz said.

Athletic Assistant Athletic DirecDirector tor Joshua Friesen also sees the importance of equipment in high school sports and the advantages it can provide some of our students.

“I do think that a lot of our students and families are able to afford some of the best equipment for some of their personal items in sports like baseball or lacrosse,” Friesen said. “When it’s not a school-issued piece of equipment, I think our boys definitely have some of the top-notch equipment.”

Despite the importance and high cost of equipment, Friesen has never seen an athlete prevented from playing a sport due to the cost.

“I’ve never seen a situation [where a student couldn’t play due to cost],” Friesen said. “In the event that a student is hindered by his own specific financial situation, the school would definitely step in and make it available for that family. The Athletic Department will step up to make sure that any boy who wants to play a sport has that opportunity.”

In the end, despite the importance of money in high school sports, Guiler believes it is just one factor of many in determining the success of an athlete and a team.

“I think our guys work hard,” Guiler said, “and those with or without certain privileges still achieve at a really high level because of their own work ethic and dedication.

We all have limitations in different ways that keep us from doing what we want to do, but we also all have strengths that allow us to thrive in ways that other people can’t thrive.”

By the numbers

The facts and figures behind just how prominent the youth sports machine is in America today.

The Consensus

2% • STUDENTS WHO GO ON TO PLAY DIVISION I SPORTS • STUDENTS WHO DO NOT

3

YEARS

of a declining trend of participation in youth sports

55%

growth of the youth sports industry since 2010

$15.3 Billion

the current size of the worldwide youth sports market

20%

decrease of participation in little league sports teams

SOURCE: TIME MAGAZINE

Sports • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 27

Thomas Jefferson High School baseball players fight through the struggles of financial shortcomings­— on and off the field

E

arly mornings.

Late nights.

Long days.

For most Marksmen, more than 50 hours spent at school each week as a part of the typical Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. grind.

After that, hours of homework each night. For many, there are really two chances outside of the weekend to escape the world of academics: sleep and sports.

Ten hours each week – and sometimes more – of practices, games, strength and conditioning sessions. Ten hours to put aside all of the worries and troubles a typical high school life brings.

But for so many teenagers, life just isn’t that simple.

In the first scrimmage of the 2017 season, the varsity baseball team played Thomas Jefferson High School. The school, part of the Dallas Independent School District, presented the perfect opportunity for the first competition of the year because of one factor: proximity.

“I like to play teams that are from around the school,” varsity baseball head coach Johnny Hunter said. “And frankly, it cuts down on a lot of travel. It gives us more time for classwork, community service and the notion that we’re staying engaged in our local community as well.”

But the Saturday afternoon game was cut short. Not because of bad weather or a run rule, but because many of Thomas Jefferson’s players had to leave in time to make it to work that evening.

And because most of them didn’t have cars and some not even parents to drive them, • ‘Baseball is a the coaches had to jump in to help. super expensive Thomas Jefferson Varsity Baseball Head sport when Coach Frederico Trevino said that while it comes to buying all the students at 10600 Preston Rd. may not equipment. If see that often, it is a relatively common you want to get good, you’ll have occurrence in his experience.

“That’s something that we do to start spending more money.’ because they can’t,” Trevino said. “They Junior Cole drive, but if they don’t borrow their Arnett parent’s car, they can’t drive. So, it’s just like, ‘Bro, I’ll take you.’”

There are also other obstacles players and coaches have to overcome as a result of students missing because of their jobs.

“We don’t get to put our best team out there on the field,” Trevino said. “As a coach, yes, that’s one of the

things that hurts, that you can’t put your best team out there, and you don’t get to represent your school in the way you should be.”

Hunter encountered the same problem during his time coaching at Arlington Martin High School and also at Keller High School, a 2,600-student institution that is part of its namesake district.

“There were plenty of guys that I coached that would have work, especially on weekends,” Hunter said. “So especially when the conflicts were there, I was supportive of guys going where they needed to go.”

He also believes the school, and especially the community service program, helps Marksmen better understand life beyond campus.

“I don’t think the message is lost on our students here,” Hunter said. “Maybe they’ve never had to do that personally, but I think that most of the guys are aware that other teams are not built the same way we are.”

Junior outfielder Cole Arnett thinks that, while the financial situation into which kids are born creates inherent unfair balance in athletics, the difference is simply emblematic of a larger trend in the world, an unfairness so many have to overcome in their daily lives.

“Of course you can’t be mad,” Arnett said. “First, it’s a bummer because we didn’t get to play the full game. And second, it’s that there are people in that situation where they have to work during their school year from such a young age.”

Growing up in Dallas in a single-parent home, Trevino worked through high school to help his father support the rest of the family.

While he was fortunate enough to be able to play baseball during those years, so many of the students he sees at Thomas Jefferson do not.

“One of the things that I think isn’t talked about enough is how many kids don’t get to participate in sports because they have a job,” Trevino said. “We have more athletes, more baseball players around campus who couldn’t play because of work issues or because of work-related situations.”

For Trevino, the hardest part of it all is knowing how much those students will miss.

“The big thing when we talk about life is that we deprive these kids,” Trevino said. “They don’t get to see what it’s like to play a sport. They don’t get to enjoy their childhood because they’re having to work.”

IT GOES BACK TO SOMETHING I WAS TAUGHT. IF YOU LIKE YOUR COACH, IF YOU BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, IT’LL DO WONDERS FOR YOU. BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING ELSE THERE TO MOTIVATE YOU. Thomas Jefferson varsity baseball head coach Frederico Trevino

Ryan Norman photo BASE TO BASE Players from Thomas Jefferson High School pass the ball from base to base during a game against St. Mark’s Feb. 18.

15 minutes with... Athletic Director Mark Sullivan

Athletic Director Sullivan examines the school’s role in mediating economic disadvantage Jahaziel Lopez: Do you think that sports that require more of an economic demand might keep a certain student from playing them?

Mark Sullivan: I hope not, and I think here at St. Mark’s the way our financial aid works, that there shouldn’t be anything that we do that a kid wouldn’t have an opportunity to participate in, if they wanted to. So I would hope that’s not the case.

JL: How do you think a family’s financial situation might influence sports here?

MS: I don’t necessarily see that affecting, I think there are cultural differences in what kids are presented with. But I don’t know that it’s an economic thing, so much.

Kids that start in our lower school, for example, those kids, no matter what they’re socioeconomic background, they are exposed to all of the same sports. Then again, my hope is there isn’t a financial reason why they wouldn’t continue to pursue some of the sports that we have to offer here at Saint Mark’s.

JL: Just going off that, do you see a disparity in the amount of funds that are required for certain sports, than others?

MS: Some sports by nature are more expensive, in terms of operations. Maybe it’s facility upkeep, maybe it’s the equipment necessary for the sport itself, or the game itself. Some just cost more than others.

But I think everybody here at St. Mark’s and all of the different sports here get the money they need to operate

in a fashion that we would hold at our standard for them.

JL: Then, what does the athletic department do to try to help cover costs for students that maybe want to play a more expensive sport?

MS: That’s really more of a question for the financial aid people here at St. Marks, because that’s how a student that might want to play a particular sport or need equipment gets that done.

Those sorts of arrangements are really not held, because I wouldn’t know one way or the other what a student’s financial agreement with the school is, so that’s held more privately with Mr. Baker and the financial aid Mark people.

Sullivan Athletic Director

JL: What are your thoughts on out of school private lessons in general, and what advantages that might give some athletes?

MS:That’s kind of a complicated question, because there are a lot of people out there making a living nowadays offering their services to teach a variety of skill sets.

You pick the sport, there’s a private coach in it nowadays. Depending on who that individual is, they may or may not be effective.

My experience here is typically if a kid is willing to invest his time with the coaches that we offer, typically those kids have the same means to excel long term, as some of those kids that often times are tutored from a

young age.

I think that’s the nice part about a school like this, is you don’t have to be a lifelong tutored athlete to be a part of our teams. I don’t know that I see those kids necessarily excelling anymore.

Obviously it depends on the sport a little bit. A golfer that goes out, or a tennis player that goes out and plays the golf circuit, and the club circuit, is gonna compete more than a kid that just competes for our golf team, or our tennis team.

But I don’t see the kids, for example that go out and play select soccer, I don’t see them necessarily excelling at a higher rate than the kids that just play for us.

ONLINE POLLS: FAMILIES WITH CHILD ATHLETES Income: $100,000 or more

DOES YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS? YES 41%

NO 59%

Income: $25,000 or less

DOES YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS? YES 19% SOURCE: TIME MAGAZINE

NO 81%

Page 28 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Sports

SKATING FORWARD 23 minutes with... Luke Adams

Sophomore Luke Adams pursues his passion for hockey at the cost of an opportunity to play sports for his school.

S

ophomore Luke Adams skates hastily down the wing of the rink.

Finding a hole in the defense, he knocks his stick on the ice three times in succession, signaling to his teammate that he’s open.

The center on the team places a perfect pass to Adams, the puck landing smoothly at the base of his stick, leading him skillfully in stride to shoot his shot.

After glancing up at the goalie, Adams flicks his wrists so that the puck whizzes by the ear of the goalkeeper into the top corner of the net.

The siren sounds. Goal.

Adams proceeds to skate easily and adroitly back to his position for the faceoff, receiving encouraging fist bumps and high-fives from his teammates along the way. Glimpsing up at the stands, Adams is pleased to see parents in green and black, representing his youth hockey club, Dallas Stars Elite, hollering and cheering him on.

But that’s all he sees. No blue, no gold. Nothing in honor of 10600 Preston Road. In fact, no one from his school is even there.

Adams may be a star hockey player with serious college potential, but because his sport is practically unheard of in his school community, his athletic efforts go essentially unrecognized by his fellow Lions.

Adams’s mother, Dr. Jennifer Jordan, thinks that not being able to play for the school has been hard for him, especially because he plays a sport that is not one that people see and understand as much as school-related sports.

“It still is really tough for him to not to be recognized for what he does on the same level as other sports and I think he would really like to play a sport for his school,” Jordan said. “It might be hard for him sometimes to not be able to do that but unfortunately he just really can’t play other sports and still do hockey at the level he’s playing at.”

A plastic surgeon, Luke’s dad worked as a team physician for the Stars. Luke’s love for the sport first grew at the many Stars games he attended.

“I was inspired to play hockey because my dad was the team doctor for the Stars so I went to a lot of games and watched a lot on T.V.,” he said.

“His work was really where my love for

hockey began.”

Adams practices four times a week, and along with a game every week, he travels to tournaments eight times every year.

“It definitely affects my St. Mark’s experience that I have to miss a lot of events due to practice,” he said. “Also, the not playing sports part limits me socially a little bit, and I have to make my schedule so that I am able to get my homework done before practice.”

However, even though his hockey travels make him very busy, Adams doesn’t feel affected by the time he has to put into the sport.

“The travel doesn’t affect my work because I’m organized,” he said. “It doesn’t affect my play either because I’ve learned to deal with it.”

Over the summer, Luke received a in-

vitation to go to Slovakia to play on an international level against other countries. He was a member of the Western Canadian team.

“I got invited to go to a tournament in Slovakia with a lot of the different countries and represent a team that represented Western Canada,” he said. “It’s a week long tournament and you get to see the city as well. I really enjoyed the atmosphere there.”

But Luke’s path towards playing sports collegiately will be different from almost any other athlete on campus.

“The recruiting process for hockey is kinda messed up because usually you have to play two years of junior [hockey] before you get to play for college,” Adams said. “So for me that would be after graduation because I’m not gonna leave St. Mark’s. I’m in the phase where junior teams scout you.”

The last hockey team St. Mark’s fielded was a recreational team put together by a few seniors during the 2011-2012 school year. But since then, there has not been enough interest to field a team.

Even though hockey doesn’t allow him to play in a blue and gold uniform, Adams feels it’s necessary to sacrifice his athletic representation of the school in order to follow his passion.

“I do care a little that I don’t get to represent St. Mark’s,” he said. “But in the end, I’d rather pursue what I love, which just happens to not be affiliated with the school.”

• Story Aaron Thorne, Nathan Han Photo Courtesy Luke Adams

EYES ON THE PUCK Sophomore Luke Adams prepares to make a play as he skates his way down the rink during a game.

The bottom line Offseason practices

The situation

Due to SPC rules, coaches of winter and spring sports are not able to run practices this fall. The guidelines, which prohibit coaches from holding instructional workouts in their respective sports during the school year when the sport is not in season, have caused student-run practices to become a common occurrence on campus for multiple sports: • Senior Sam Schroeder, a three-year member of the varsity lacrosse team, is part of a group of seniors who organize and run bi-weekly pickup games for lacrosse players not playing a sport this fall.

• Soccer players have ample opportunities to practice and play with each other during the fall, whether it’s shooting sessions or three-on-three minigames.

‘

I’m not allowed to have the whole team out and have the whole team practice. They can’t get any formal instruction from me until we start the preseason... I will text the captains and say, ‘If anyone is interested, there will be a pickup game Sunday,’ and they’ll come out, but I won’t say anything to the players.

While head soccer coach Corindo Martin can organize such events, he can’t teach the players any concepts until later in the year.

• Junior Blake Rogers plans to make the most out of these student-run practices this winter and sees them as an opportunity to make sure he’s at his best when the season starts.

• Assistant Athletic Director Joshua Friesen feels that although these practices are well within SPC guidelines and examples of coaches’ commitment to their teams, players should consider the benefits of playing other sports rather than taking a season off for the purpose of participating in these practices.

These are just some of the many students and coaches who face the difficulties of how to handle offseason practices:

‘

Corindo Martin, head varsity soccer coach

‘

Not having a coach there gives us, the players, time to build camaraderie and strong relationships that will be essential for us when the season comes around.

Even though Coach Lee is not with us when we play, our overall goal is still the same: to leave the field better players than we were when we walked on it.

Sam Schroeder, senior lacrosse player

It makes me feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I’ll have the practices in the winter to get ready for the actual spring season. I hope to use these practices to be at my best when the season starts. I also want to get stronger and faster with Coach Dilworth in his after-school PE program.

Blake Rogers, junior lacrosse player

‘

Our coaches go above and beyond trying to help kids in the offseason get better — within the rules.... But we encourage guys not to be doing that offseason training because we want them playing multiple sports.

Josh Friesen, Assistant Athletic Director

Sports • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 29

WEIGHING THE OPTIONS Next level

G

rowing up, senior Seun Omonije always had one goal — to play college football.

The sport has been an important part of his life from the time he first put on the pads in fourth grade, and watching the successful college and National Football League careers of alums like Ty Montgomery ’11 and Sam Acho ’07 encouraged him to pursue this dream.

Omonije always hoped to follow in their footsteps and earn a scholarship from a major national powerhouse, but once he reached high school, his perspec-

tive changed.

“I love the game, and I need to go to a place where I feel like I can continue to play,” he said. “If I were to go to some big school where I’d be a backup the whole time, it wouldn’t really be fruitful at all because I want to be on the field.”

Omonije dedicated himself to bettering himself both as both a student and an athlete with his sights set on the Ivy League.

From extensive weight and speed training to specialized wide receiver coaching, Omonije transformed himself into the best player possible — all while maintaining grades which would help him get into an academically rigorous Ivy League school.

Reaching out to coaches and attending summer scouting camps, Omonije got on coaches’ radars, and during the spring of his junior year the offers began to roll in.

Columbia. Davidson. And finally, Yale, where Omonije quickly committed. In this choice, Omonije feels he has found a very good balance between education and football.

“I can’t ask for anything more,” Omonije said. “It’s literally for me my dream scenario because I get to play football with a championship-contending team, which I love to do, and I get to have a great PICK AND CHOOSE For senior Seun Omonije, the education on top of it.” balance between education and sports was crucial in choosing to commit to college football.

While Omonije believes in his

• Story Nick Walsh, Will Forbes Photo Riley Sanders

After years of training, future college athletes have to face the challenge of choosing between their dream school and sports when committing.

ability to get into a good college without help from his athletics, he also understands the benefits of being a talented athlete.

“Football helped a big amount in my application process,” Omonije said. “It’s very hard to get into a school like Yale, and I honestly think without football I may be able to get in but my chances of getting in are much, much higher because of football.”

Senior Zach Landry has gone through a

similar situation to Omonije, as Landry recently committed to Division III Haverford College for baseball.

Ever since the end of his freshman year, Landry has known he wanted to play baseball in college; but he also had a specific aim for where his athletics would take him.

“My ultimate goal in playing college baseball was using my baseball talents to give me a better chance of getting into the schools I would normally not get into as a regular student,” Landry said. “I was looking for a great academic school and also a place where I would have fun playing baseball too.”

While baseball will still play a big part in Landry’s life after high school, he made education his main priority when making his college decision.

“At Haverford, it’s academics first,” Landry said. “The coach understands if somebody has to miss a little bit of practice for a lab or a big paper or something. Baseball is still a priority there, but

academics come first.”

One of the main reasons Landry prioritized his education with his college decision was because of the uncertainty surrounding playing sports at a professional level.

“I think you should go to school wherever you have the best academic opportunity,” Landry said, “because there’s so few people who end up playing at a professional level, so you’ve got to go somewhere where you can get a good degree and succeed in life after sports.”

While Landry prioritized his education when choosing his college, he understands those who prioritize their sport and the different goals people have because of aspirations of going pro.

“If you’re a stud baseball player who has a shot at going pro, you don’t want to sacrifice going to a LSU or a Texas Tech level baseball school for better education,” Landry said, “because you’re still going to get a good education there, but it’s where you’re going to develop better as a player.”

Overall, Landry feels the factors which go

into one’s college decision are unique for each person, and one must try and find the best fit for each specific situation.

“Everybody has different goals,” Landry said. “You want to go somewhere where they want you there and you want to be there, which is where you’ll have the most fun and where you’ll thrive; whether it be at a small liberal arts college, an Ivy League school or anywhere else.”

Page 30 • The ReMarker • November 3, 2017 • Sports

HATS ON, WINGS UP Pool RC Gliders

AIRBORNE Standing with her head turned skyward, Pool (above) pilots her glider, which flies for miles without a propellor.

Sally and Edward Genecov Master Teacher Amy Pool leads the math team to competition wins, but in her free time she competes at a high level flying remote-controlled (RC) gliders.

T

wenty-one years.

That’s how long Sally and Edward Genecov Master Teacher Amy Pool has been flying remote-controlled (RC) gliders competitively.

Her passion for flying developed into more than a hobby after she became involved in a club. Initially, however, she had no intention to fly. But, an eagerness to learn all about the planes sparked a desire in Pool to do more than merely watch her friends fly.

“I knew someone who flew RC gliders,” Pool said, “and when I first went out to a contest, I really liked the people and thought what they were • ‘You find doing was cool, but I really your own style, didn’t have any interest and it takes you to a whole in flying myself. I was curious about what was new level.’

Master Teacher going on, and I asked lots Amy Pool of questions and learned a lot about the different kinds of planes. I was an active member of the local club in Portland for about four years before one day I just realized I wanted to fly.”

In Portland, Pool primarily flew in the summer due to the rainy conditions in the fall, winter and spring.

Once she moved to Dallas, it became tougher to fly in the summer due to the hot weather.

In addition, there are certain factors that limit her ability to fly, so she makes the most of every opportunity.

“I try to fly whenever there’s either a local contest or the local club is having what we call a fun fly, an unorganized flying event,” Pool said. “That’s where I get most of my practice in. I can’t go out and fly whenever I want to. I have to spend part of my weekend taking care of school work, and I can’t fly on the weekdays. The other limiting factor is I can’t launch my own plane.”

Although Pool has become quite the accomplished pilot, it took a lot of work and dedication to attain such a high level of success. Constant polishing of her skills

allowed Pool to reach a certain level of comfort that helped her progress as a pilot.

“When I first started flying, I flew a ton,” Pool said. “My first year that I flew, I was so in love with what I was doing that I went out and flew everyday. On the weekends, I’d be out at contests, and during the week, I’d be practicing even though I was a ranked novice. That was true for the first several years that I flew.”

There are lots of different types of pilots. Pool considers herself to be more of an instinctual pilot.

“Some pilots are very analytical about what they are doing while other pilots are more instinctual,” Pool said. “It’s kind of surprising for a lot of my friends and probably for me as well that I’m actually more of an instinctual pilot. I just respond to what I am seeing. A lot of the time the question is ‘why did you go that direction?’ And the answer is ‘I don’t know; it felt right.’”

RC gliders come in various sizes. The

smallest planes have a meter and a half wingspan from tip to tip, while the largest measure four meters. The plane’s size determines its launch conditions. Certain contests require a specific sized glider.

“The kind of plane you are using depends on the contest format,” Pool said.

“The smaller planes are small enough to where you can actually throw them. If you don’t have a good shoulder or arm, you can launch them with a high-star, which is similar to the idea of a slingshot. However, for the larger planes, we launch them using wenches.”

Pool primarily competes in the F3J contest format. Every contest she flies in bases scores on flight time and landing.

The time length varies for each event, but the goal of any pilot is to find air currents that will help keep the plane aloft for the allotted time.

The difficulty lies not only in flying, but also landing at a very precise time and

location.

“In an F3J, your time limit is 10 minutes,” Pool said. “You have to get the longest flight you can in 10 minutes. You fly a format called man-on-man where a quarter of the pilots are all launching, flying and landing simultaneously if they all make their times. You work with a team of four, and at any point, one of the pilots is flying.”

Pool recently competed in a team selec-

tion event in California during September, finishing eighth overall. The top three adult and junior pilots from the competition advance to the world championship which occurs every two years.

Pool was one of 36 pilots chosen to compete for a spot on the national team. If she had done some things differently, Pool believes her overall score could have been improved.

“It was really windy, and that in itself can be a challenge because flying downwind means you have to have enough altitude to be able to get back into the wind where you started,” she said. “I simply didn’t have enough practice landing. My landings were never awful, but at a team selection event, you need to be landing 98, 99, 100 all the time. Although I had scores up there, I also had a lot of 92s, 94s, 95s. If you are landing at a 95 level, you are giving up points every time, and overall that ends up eating away at your score.”

Currently ranking fourth in the F3J category, Pool has high hopes as the season progresses. Despite this being her 21st year doing what she loves, Pool still feels as if she is new to flying RC gliders.

“I tend to think of myself as still being a relatively new pilot because I fly with a lot of people who have flown longer than me,” she said. “It’s early in the season.

There’s still some big contests coming up.

I believe as of right now I am ranked in the top five. My guess is by the end of the year I will probably drop to sixth, seventh or eighth, but maybe not. It depends on how the contests go.”

• Story Josh Daniels Photo Riley Sanders

Three cross country runners earn spots on school’s all-time leaderboard

by Nathan Han unior Seth Weprin and sophomores Andres and Pablo Arroyo ran the third, fifth and eighth fastest times in the history of the cross country team.

Running 15:56, 16:01 and 16:11, respectively, in the 5K the three runners set a blistering pace at the Southlake Carroll Invitational Sept. 9.

Led by Weprin and the Arroyo twins, the team placed tenth out of 42 teams in the prestigious 6A division race, which was their third of the season.

After placing his name in the record books and setting a personal best, Weprin, tied for the third best time in school history with former captain JT Graass ’16, is looking towards the future.

“It felt great as soon as I crossed the finish line,” Weprin said. “But then the next week, the Arroyos beat me. So it felt nice for a little bit but then you have to get back on the grind.”

Setting almost identical times in their meets, the three runners

J

challenge each other in practices and in races.

“Running with Andres and Seth helps me to set high goals for interval workouts,” Pablo said.

“On race day, the only thing I can think about is beating them rather than trying to just keep up.”

The team has consistently had top finishes throughout the season, setting their expectations high for an SPC title bid.

“It’s a great team and we’ve got some great depth,” Weprin said, “but there’s a lot more competition this year. St. Stephen’s is probably a little ahead of us now.

We have our work cut out for us.

It’s not over yet just cause we’re a good team.”

The team has its sights set on the prize — the SPC Championships — which has eluded it for the past three years. The last year the team won was 2013.

“We’ve got a great chance at winning SPC,” Weprin said. “No one on this team has won SPC before, so it’s a pretty exciting feeling knowing that we have a shot.”

In the picture

• Story Josh Daniels Photos Riley Sanders

Riley Sanders photo CYCLING CLUB The Cycling club has continued to get more people involved and educated about cycling and bikes. Led by club sponsor Mark Adame (above center), club members participate in rides on Tuesdays and Wednesdays every week for approximately an hour at different parks, including Harry S. Moss Park and White Rock Lake. The club participates in both mountain-biking and road-biking and looks to compete in races later in the year. In the future, Adame hopes to get more students involved and aware of the club.

Sports • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 31

Two minute drill

>

Volleyball hopes to build on strong start, earn first SPC title since 2014

2017 RECORD 7-3 2016 RECORD 17-7 NOTABLE The team went on a five-game win streak from Sept. 28 to Oct. 20 during which they only lost three out of 18 total sets played.

THEY SAID IT “The number of errors that we have committed as a team has started to decrease significantly. I’m confident that the team will continue to progress as the season goes on.” — head coach Darren Teicher

EYES DOWNFIELD Junior quarterback Colin Neuhoff (center) prepares to throw a pass to sophomore wide receiver Paxton Scott (above right) in the Homecoming football game Oct. 20.

>

Bouncing back from two-win 2016 season, football on pace to compete for SPC spot 2017 RECORD 5-2 2016 RECORD 2-7 2016 SPC FINISH Did not qualify NOTABLE By defeating Houston Christian 41-0, the team earned its second shutout win of the season.

THEY SAID IT ”If we keep staying hungry and staying consistent — and I’m big on consistency... that is why we’ve been playing well and how we’re going to play well and finish the year out strong.”

— head coach Bart Epperson

ONE MORE KILL Senior Fausto Rehyer spikes the ball into the ground during the team’s game against Casady Sept. 15. The team went on to lose the match 0-3 in the team’s third match of the season.

>

Cross country aims to top last year’s second place SPC finish

NECK AND NECK Senior Mateo Diaz (center) races two runners from Texas public schools during a meet Sept. 2. The Lions finished 12th out of 41 teams competing at the meet.

2017 BEST FINISH 1st at Trinity Valley Invitational 2016 BEST FINISH 2nd at Lovejoy Fall Festival 2016 SPC FINISH 2nd NOTABLE The squad, which head coach John Turek touts as one of the best the school has had since the 1950s, is led by junior Seth Weprin and sophomores Andres Arroyo and Pablo Arroyo.

THEY SAID IT “The captains and leadership on the team this year are really good, and they’ve done a great job keeping everybody together and everybody focused. Having a good team is one thing. Living up to that potential is another thing..”— head coach John Turek

>

Fencing sees strong finishes at season’s first tournament

NOTABLE Brothers Eric and Adam Lai competed against each other in the finals of the sabre category of the tournament here Oct. 7. Eric came out on top.

THEY SAID IT “We went into the event with lots of new guys who had never fenced in a tournament before so

we didn’t quite know how the tournament would go.

However, our practice paid off, and many us of went far. Eric Lai even won the sabre event. It was great to see how much the team had improved.” — senior captain Jake Horigome-Pigg

PLAYING CATCH-UP Sophomore Christopher Wang’s sensors light up as his opponent earns a point during a match during the fencing tournament Oct. 7. Wang tied for third in the Men’s Senior Foil Event.

• Compilations Josh Daniels, Jahaziel Lopez, Nick Walsh, Aaron Thorne Photos Riley Sanders, Chris McElhaney, Owen Berger

In the picture SPIRIT UP Senior Class members erupt during the class cheers at the Homecoming pep rally Oct. 20. The pep rally culminated the first annual spirit week and kicked off the Homecoming weekend.

REMARKER

St. Mark’s School of Texas

10600 Preston Road Dallas, TX. 75230

Sports • November 3, 2017 • The ReMarker • Page 32

FREE FALLIN’ Instead of buying a lottery ticket when he turned 18, senior Tucker Ribman decided to jump out of a plane.

Thirty-four jumps later, Ribman now has his skydiving license and jumps regularly. The ReMarker sat down for an interview.

Rett Daugbjerg: How did you start skydiving?

RD: What about skydiving makes you want to keep doing it?

Tucker Ribman: I started when I turned 18. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, so a week after I turned 18 I went out to the closest drop zone I could find and did my first tandem jump with an instructor.

My parents were really supportive of whatever I wanted to do, and my dad actually jumped with me the first time.

TR: It’s hard to replicate the rush you get when you jump out of a plane going 120

RD: Tell me about your first jump. Walk me through the process leading up to actually jumping.

TR: When you get to the drop zone, you fill out this huge waiver. Then they take you back to watch some instructional and safety videos.

Then you get suited up and head out the plane, and you get on and take about a 15-minute ride up in the plane.

The first time I actually jumped out was more disorienting than anything. You can’t really tell which way is up and which way is down for the first few seconds. You don’t really know which direction you’re headed and you can’t really see where the runway is or where you’re landing.

It’s pretty much just a huge adrenaline rush. It’s hard to replicate the first jump.

TR: Since I’ve gotten a lot of dives under my belt at this point, I’m a lot more calm and relaxed when I’m falling now. I’ve also learned a few tricks to do when I go.

So you jump out of the plane at 14,000 feet, and I’ve leaned how to turn and do flips and barrell rolls, but there is still a lot to learn. Then when you get to 4,000 feet, after free falling for 10,000 feet, you pull the parachute. It’s a little ball on your hip that you throw out, which releases the pilot chute that deploys your main parachute out of your pack. Then you steer it down to the landing zone and land.

RD: Any scary moments skydiving?

TR: I haven’t really had any scary moments so far — at least none that I couldn’t fix very quickly. It’s a pretty safe thing to do. Percentage-wise, there are more deaths driving on the roads every year than there are skydiving, so I never get too worried about it.

RD: What’s your dream skydiving destination and why?

RD: How many jumps have you done, and when did you get your license?

TR: I got my license at the end of this past summer and, right now, have 34 jumps.

miles an hour. So I guess there’s not really any activity like it that puts you in a situation that crazy in my opinion, so that’s why I keep going back.

RD: After you get the license, what do you have to do to maintain it?

RD: What is it like falling through the air? What do you have to do after you actually jump out of the plane?

TR: For me, it’s just doing one jump every two months to maintain my license, but I go a lot more regularly than that.

TR: I’m not really sure if I have a dream destination per se, but I think it’d be cool to go somewhere tropical. I also know Dubai has a really cool skydiving place.

Something I’ve always wanted to do is a HALO (high altitude — low opening) jump, which is a military skydive where you jump from up to 35,000 feet in the air. You get a lot more free-fall time and I think that would be cool.

RD: How much longer do you plan on doing it?

TR: I’m hoping to keep doing it in college, so definitely through the rest of this year and the next four years after that. As long as I’m able to maintain my license, I’ll keep jumping.

• Interview Rett Daugbjerg Photos Courtesy Tucker Ribman.

The jump

A quick look at what it’s like to jump out of a plane from 14,000 feet.

HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE After the 15-minute ride up, Ribman holds on to the plane, preparing himself to let go and jump out, beginning his fall.

Photos courtesy Tucker Ribman

LET IT GO Ribman lets go of the plane, falling out of the window, trying to figure out which way is up and which way is down, so he can properly orient himself.

TUCK AND ROLL With 34 jumps under his belt, Ribman flips out of the plane with a practiced ease, ultimately reaching over 120 miles per hour on the way down.

PLUMMETING Just after jumping out of the plane, Ribman must pay attention to the altimeter and deploy his parachute after a long 10,000-foot freefall.

NE F

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A supplement to The ReMarker newspaper â&#x20AC;¢ November 2017

GAZI

Inside What drove you?

Mihai Oprea, revolutionary

4

Fry Wernick ’95, attorney

7

Martin Tull ’91, innovator

9

What drives you?

Eric Ramsey, community leader

11

Taking a knee

12

Kyle Smith, STEAM leader

14

Breaking the bubble

15

Robert Edsel ’74, historian

16

Matt Osborn ’90, savior

17

Lyda Hill, philanthropist

18

Letter to tomorrow The issues

22

You don’t have to wait

24

Why act

26

From the editors

It’s eerie. Almost like the world is ending.

Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires — countries all on edge, waiting for the first strike.

Climate change, immigration, terrorism: none of it is going away on its own.

We don’t mean to blow things out of proportion or

to scare people, but it is scary nonetheless.

This and subsequent generations will need to step up to the issues that grow in danger each year.

While these problems may never be eradicated for good, we will need to counteract them, for they will the shape our future.

Even the smallest action can have the biggest impact, and the stories you will read in this publication reflect this truth.

From organizing political discussion to overthrowing a government, the scale of your contribution is monumental — with the right intent.

After a thousand little differences, the world will change for the better.

A lá the butterfly effect, good deeds inevitably build on top of each other to create something beautiful.

The things we can learn from the activists before us are innumerable.

As these generations interact, activists of today

and of the future can learn from the innovation of past movements under limitations like few technological advances.

These past activists can also learn from the present movers and shakers as their arsenal grows.

Online petitions, Facebook groups, crowd funding and countless other outlets exist to facilitate the expansion of support and awareness of a cause.

However, the oversaturation of hashtag movements has separated the groundwork from these small acts of advocacy, devaluing the purpose of tweets and Facebook posts and desensitizing multiple crises facing the world.

Activism exists not only behind a megaphone, under a sign or in a crowd, but it also exists wherever one’s passion lies — so long as it contributes positively.

Passion is the core of activism.

The nonprofits that

Focus Magazine • Staff Focus, a thrice-yearly magazine supplement to The ReMarker focusing on a single topic, is a student publication of St. Mark’s School of Texas, 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230.

Editors CJ Crawford Duncan Kirstein Head photographer Kyle Smith Photographers Riley Sanders Tucker Ribman

Writers Andre Arsenault Davis Bailey Andy Crowe Parker Davis Sahit Dendekuri Alec Dewar Zach Gilstrap Sam Goldfarb Zoheb Khan Michael Lukowicz

Mike Mahowald Nick Malvezzi Austin Montgomery Lyle Ochs Reece Rabin Jimmy Rodriguez Kobe Roseman Sam Shane Sam Sussman

strive to make a difference require an unfathomable level of dedication most known to all as faith.

Faith in the mission that they believe will make the world a better place.

Whether the activist is individual or one part of a whole, the passion remains a vital aspect of movements and crucial to their longevity.

Now we challenge you.

After reading this magazine, think about your contributions to your community, your nation and your world.

Rethink your passions and fuel them to affect someone else for the better.

We want to inspire you to get your hands dirty.

Rather than typing on the keyboard or posting on a Facebook feed, we challenge you to write in stone, to draw on the posters and to yell at the opposed.

We want you to act. To do something about it.

What drove you?

Whether they toppled a government, served the Third World or prosecuted terrorists, these activists have moved on to other endeavors in business, athletics, law and much more, but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t learned lessons and had experiences that have shaped who they are as members of the 10600 Preston Road community.

4 | Photo: Kyle Smith

S Something shifted in the air, and Mihai Oprea felt it in his body.

The feeling was exhilarating, euphoric.

The feeling was dangerous, illegal.

And he no longer thought of his life, his family, the consequences He was caught in the wave, and so were those around him, and Oprea realized he was but a drop in the growing bucket.

All he could do was let his instincts take over.

In the moment, with nothing to risk, he became an entirely different man.

And that’s what a revolution felt like.

…

The Socialist Republic of Romania, established in 1947, was a part of the Soviet Eastern Bloc and under communist Russia’s control for 42 years. For 42 years, freedom was suppressed by the government and the Securitate, the largest secret police force in the Eastern Bloc. Nicolae Ceaușescu became president in 1974, and by 1989, the highly censored, brutally policed state was in dire condition.

But when Oprea was a

A Romanian tale Water polo coach Mihai Oprea shares his story of Communism, a father’s mission and rebellion.

child, revolution was only a reality known to his father.

“He was an anti-communist fighter, a traitor for the state. And you are considered a traitor and less than a dog,” Oprea said. “So he was imprisoned for seven years and then for five and a half years in gulags. He was interrogated every week, just beaten up, tortured.”

In Communism, any form of dissent carried a foul stench, and it followed Oprea to his school life. His name had a stigma that resonated with his teachers, his classmates and his friends. But before he could understand the system his father stood against, the government sent a colonel of the Securitate to investigate his family.

And live among them.

“A boy at eight, nine, ten years old would not know the difference,” Oprea said. “I grew up with a colonel in my house who I thought was my uncle until I was 15. I played soccer with him, table tennis with him, had no clue.”

As Oprea matured, he began to see his country as it really was, and he found it eas-

ier than most to speak against it given his name. But conversing with anyone outside of his family remained nearly impossible, and extremely dangerous.

But he realized even his home wasn’t safe.

“When I understood what it was it was shocking, especially with the [colonel],” Oprea said. “I was actually afraid to talk to him after. I didn’t understand what to do anymore. I tried to continue to live the same life and not get in trouble, but now since I knew, it was a totally different way of looking at things.”

Anyone could be an informant.

“Anything you say could be turned around and hurt you in some way,” Oprea said.

“Anything from incarceration to torture, but protest was reduced to zero legally. So for anybody during that time to take a chance to say anything in any kind of context was a big risk. Because anyone could turn you in. You had no idea who you were talking to. At school, at work, in line for bread... you have no idea.”

Liberties that Americans

take for granted simply did not exist. Freedom of speech, freedom of protest, even freedom to carry foreign currency­— a Romanian could be arrested for possession of a single American dollar.

Nonetheless, Oprea persisted in small acts of protests.

He was arrested on several different occasions, sometimes as bait for his father, sometimes for crimes he allegedly committed. Although he avoided major sentences, he was familiar with the process.

“The ones I’ve been in it was isolation, by myself in the room,” Oprea said. “Taking off belt, shoe strings, so you don’t kill yourself. You are in a room and you don’t know what’s going on. I had no communication with any people. It’s just like two nights, one night, two days, it was random.”

The country was frozen at a standstill. Progress had nearly stopped as anti-communist sentiment was efficiently, suddenly suppressed.

Continued, page 6

Water polo and swimming coach Mihai Oprea (opposite) witnessed first hand the power of the Communist regime.

Story: Reece Rabin, CJ Crawford |

5

Dec.21-22, 1989 Romanian protesters in Arad storm City Hall; 38 killed

Arad

Timisoara

Nov. 1987-Dec. 1989 Unions in Brasov strike against Ceausescu; 20,000 participate

Braşov

Dec. 16-25, 1989 Protests in Timisoara become Revolutionary, and the story begins...

Sparks of revolution Sites where key events in the Romanian revolution occurred.

Dec. 24-25, 1989 Ceausescu is captured and put on trial; he is executed.

Tȃrgovişte Bucharest

This Romanian tale dominated Oprea’s early years ‘Communists did not fit the Romanian soul, spirit, population, history.’

Continued from previous page

But then the secret police colonel disappeared.

“One day, I left for all these meetings, and when I got home, he was gone,” Oprea said. “He just disappeared. I have never seen him in my life again. Both of them. No clue what happened or where they went. They left all their belongings… gone.”

And finally, as 1974 rolls around, the wave of revolution found its way to the hearts of Romanians.

For the first time, Communism begins to lose its stronghold over the country, and the colonel’s disappearance was symbolic of the times.

“Obviously [the Communists] were afraid they were gonna be killed because all these changes are happening,” Oprea said. “A lot of them disappeared.”

But Oprea knew the fight was far from over.

“You cannot replace 45 years of communism in one year.”

As massive protests began to appear across Romania, Oprea found himself in the middle of the movement.

A movement that was still very illegal.

“You are a little bit scared be-

6 | Story: Reece Rabin, CJ Crawford

cause you don’t know what’s going to happen to you,” Oprea said, “but it’s this dreaming of freedom that takes over. It’s something bigger than you. You don’t know, but you just feel it. It’s a feeling that is indescribable if you don’t live it.”

The Romanian government began to

fight back. Armed soldiers arrived at protests ready to kill. And still, thousands stood up to their oppressors.

Oprea stood with them.

“It’s exhilarating,” Oprea said.

“It’s powerful. But you do get shot at and people die. You pass by people dead in the street when you hear AK-47s. When you are ducking bullets and you hear the sound, it’s scary.”

No number of bullets can stop this revolution as it took down Communist leader Ceausescu.

Romania was free.

And so was Oprea.

Forty-five years led to this moment in history and Oprea had been given a front row seat to experience it. He knew this moment was meant for him, that it was in him all along to stand against injustice.

Because that’s what activism is.

“Activism is conviction,” Oprea said. “You have to have a passion to

be convinced about something. If you are an activist it means you are fighting for something. You believe in something. To be an activist is something that comes from passion, 100 percent convinced in his DNA that that is the right thing to fight for.”

And Oprea inherited this passion from his father.

A father that was tortured relentlessly.

A father that was marked as a traitor.

A father that was treated like an animal.

But a father who knew he was on the right side of history and would never stop fighting for the rights of his family and of his country.

“He believed that communism was not the right way,” Oprea said. “He believed that and risked his life one hundred percent for it. If he had been shot and killed it would’ve been fine for him. 25 years of torture was fine for him: because he believed in it. Nobody asked him to do it. Nobody paid him to do it. Nobody tried to convince him to do it. That’s what he believed in. To me, if you are activist for something, that’s where it starts, and that’s the only way to do it.”

TS

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ACT Armed with wits and secret information, Fry Wernick takes the fight to America’s enemies in the courtroom.

On the frontlines

phraim “Fry” Wernick ’95 wasn’t sure where he wanted his legal career to take him.

But in time, he would find himself and his passion in the criminal court.

Nearly 20 years later, Wernick fights on the frontlines of the legal field as a federal prosecutor in Washington DC. His name may not be well-known outside the courthouse, but the cases he won are infamous: corruption, both domestic and abroad, and critical cases involving the fate of those prisoners held at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay. “I had been in law school during the events of 9/11, and the Enron scandal right after that,” Wernick, now working on an anti-corruption unit said. “I felt some sense of duty to get back and do something in the national security context.”

Wernick, who got his undergraduate degree from Brown University, began his career as a federal prosecutor working lower level cases, but his big break would come after the 2008 Supreme Court case Boumediene v. Bush, which ruled that prisoners at Guantanamo Bay had the right to sue the government if they felt they were unlawfully detained. The Department of Justice, now forced to face the captives in court, initially struggled.

“The Department of Justice now had to prove its case against these people, and it wasn’t properly staffed for that,” Wernick said. “These people were detained in by soldiers and CIA operatives in battlefields or secret missions all over the world, and when they’re detaining somebody, they’re not doing so with the purpose of criminal prosecution.”

Wernick, along with a number of other prosecutors, were brought in to turn the tide, and turn the tide they did—with the help of his research on the Middle East at Brown­—Wernick worked with his fellow prosecutors to build cases against the captive inmates. Using classified data gathered by various intelligence organizations, Wernick and his colleagues used often scant information to assemble profiles of the detainees and uncover their true crimes. So effective was his work that the plaintiffs often dropped their cases rather than face trial.

“What you’ll often find is that when we went to the people representing the detainee and said ‘This is the case we’re presenting, here’s the evidence’, they would move to stay the proceedings,” Wernick said. “They knew they could fight a PR battle, and that we [the government] were unlikely to make any public statements one way or the other. If the person was detained, we’d done our job, and we weren’t going to sit there and explain ourselves.”

The only case that ultimately went to trial was that of Khirullah Khairkhwa, a Taliban official and one of the architects of 1998 Mazir-i-Sharif massacre, which killed an estimated 8,000 men, women and children of Afghanistan’s Hazara minority.

“They were claiming he was just a government minister, and wasn’t involved in any military activity,” Wernick said. “But the court found that he was lawfully detained, and we could continue to lawfully detain him.”

After the successful defense of the DoJ’s actions, Khairkwa was returned to his captivity, where he was later exchanged for a Taliban-held U.S. prisoner. Wernick, meanwhile, moved onto a new front in his battles for the federal government: corruption, where he now serves to uncover illicit dealings in the corporate world.

“I really enjoy the work I’m doing.

Even after most lawyers leave the field, they look back on it as the best job they’ve ever had.”

Wernick advises future Marksmen in all fields to follow their passion, to find their own ways to change the world.

“Work hard, find what you’re interested in, and you’re going to be better at it. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn’t know it was going to be this particular career path.

9/11 and Enron really struck a nerve, and it made me want to ‘I really enjoy the fight,” Wernick work I’m doing. said. “So I say Even after most you should find whatever it is lawyers leave the that makes you field, they look back want to fight on it as the best job and pursue they’ve ever had.’ that.”

— Fry Wernick ’95

Story: Austin Montgomery |

7

Keeping the peace From Africa to New York, English instructor Curtis Smith and Nick Monier ’04 have each spent two years impacting the lives of young students in need.

How exactly did you get involved with your organization?

Nick Monier ’04: I went to college in Vermont, and I did a lot of student government things there.

I was the class president my senior year, 2007-2008, when the job market was pretty scarce.

Teach For America (TFA) was going on to college campuses and recruiting people who were leaders and seemed like they were interested in something other than sitting in an office right out of college.

They asked me to set up an interview with them. I knew I wanted to go to law school eventually, but they really sold me on it.

It was a great way to give back, to earn a living, and try something new for a little while. It seemed like a really great way to make an impact and live somewhere new.

Curtis Smith: Right after I finished college, I was interested in boning up and learning a lot of French.

I just had an inkling of French, so when I finished college I wanted to continue to do that, so I wanted to go to an exotic part of the world.

It seemed like a good stepping stone after college, some sort of service for your country.

So I signed up for the Peace Corps. I went to a French-speaking part of West Africa to teach English.

What kind of work did you do?

NM: I taught fourth grade for a year, and then fifth grade for a year. I also taught special education, so at the end of the school year, I was given the choice by my school to get a new group of kids and stay in fourth

8 | Interviews: Sam Goldfarb, Jimmy Rodriguez

In action Nick Monier ‘04 interacts with his students while in the Bronx, where he worked with Teach for America. grade, or follow my kids to fifth grade. I opted to stay with the same group.

I really felt that I made a bigger impact because I knew those kids really well going into my second year.

I knew how they learned, who they were, and they knew me, so it was a big leg up on the school year that second year.

CS: I went to a place called Dahomey, now called Benin. There are probably 50 different African languages in this country about the size of Kentucky, but it had been colonized by the French, so the utility language was French.

They needed to learn English, so I went to a high school in the middle part of the country. My class was a straw hut, and I had 75 pupils in it.

I’d teach first year, second, third, fourth English to these students.

And it was great.

I lived there for two and a half years, the Peace Corps people were a good outfit. I enjoyed my experience there, and I learned a great deal.

What is one of the most memorable moments from your experience?

NM: The New York schools do a graduation in fifth grade, so I was with them for their graduation.

They make a big deal out of graduation in those low-income areas because they’re not sure everyone’s ever going to graduate high school, or have another graduation.

So that last day, having them in class for the last time, seeing them in their caps and gowns and watching them graduate, was really special. I felt like I had a big part in that. It was really moving; all their families showed up.

Peace Corps A young Curtis Smith (pictured above) on his way to Dahomey (now Benin), a small country in Africa, in an attempt to expand his French linguistic capabilities.

Instead, he would be making a difference and helping to save the world, one student at a time.

It was pretty cool to see how excited they were that they accomplished something, and I shared that excitement with them.

CS: I got sick with malaria and amoebic dysentery, and there are people there for you, but you feel a sense of not always being connected.

You don’t have phones or anything like that, but the great thing of that was I wrote endless letters to my parents and my family.

And I have them today. This big, fat brochure with letters that I wrote to them in tiny print. And I had a typewriter, and I used aerogramme, so I have all those letters and memories.

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Five things that have put Martin Tull ’91 in a place to make impact on a global scale. Retrofitting sports stadiums to be green through the Green Sports Alliance, this alumnus has truly put himself —

Spotlight At the first ever Green Sports Alliance Summit held this past summer in Sacramento, CA, Martin Tull ’91 discusses the importance of environmental activism.

1

From April 2010 through Sept.

2014, I was fortunate to serve as the founding executive director of the Green Sports Alliance.

We were able to elevate the importance of energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable purchasing and healthier food choices, and to inspire teams and venues to follow the leaders in the space in adopting more environmentally responsible practices.

After being a central part of the growth and success of the Alliance, I found myself wanting to work on some new projects.

Having the opportunity to then work with a range of non-profit organizations and leave the Alliance in good hands, I launched a consulting practice to support sustainability-related initiatives around the world.

2

Why did we decide to work with sports teams?

Well first, they have a huge audience, and the venues also have a significant environmental footprint. You have a chance to improve the performance of the venues and then share those stories with the fans.

If we could help to make sustainability and environmental issues relevant and even

Ahead of the game.

“cool” for the fans, we could help to bring those values back into fans’ homes and their communities at large.

So, we built a powerful network of experts, service providers and key stakeholders. Working together, we identified areas for immediate improvement, many of which also reduced costs for the venues.

Once people see that they can often reduce costs, reduce impacts and do the right thing, it’s a pretty easy case to make.

3

Some people can simply show up and work, do their job, take a paycheck and call it a day.

For me, if I wasn’t working on projects that truly inspire me and make a real impact in the world, I just wouldn’t be happy.

Being fortunate to work on social and environmental issues for many years now has brought me great joy, helped me develop a broad understanding of the key issues that we face and allowed me to work some brilliant and motivated colleagues.

If you have a chance to work on vital social and environmental issues, or bring that awareness into your workspace, you really can improve conditions for future generations.

4

We need passion and creative energy from students.

Students should always ask the question “can what I do for work also make a positive impact on society? How can I align my talents with issues that need attention and solutions?” You really can make money and do the right thing, but you must find that sweet spot for your own individual life’s purpose. That simply takes time to explore, listen and find.

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In high school, I wasn’t very focused on the long term.

In fact, it took me many years to really understand my strengths, my passion and find the direction that brought me to where I am today. I certainly could have been more focused back then on my education, but at the time, I was just another teenage boy trying to find my way.

I have always had a very deep connection to the outdoors and to environmental issues, so that has been a very consistent thread. The challenge that took some time was figuring out how to turn that personal interest into a lifelong pursuit.

It feels really great to be able to make an impact and also help inspire others to get involved as well.

Interview: Mike Mahowald |

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What drives you?

Different activists from different generations — none of whom have stopped fighting for what they believe in — talk about what they do and why. From a junior’s work advocating for STEAM to a 75-year-old’s financial contributions to cancer research and other causes, these people share one idea above all: nothing is going to stop them.

10 | Photos: Kyle Smith

Standing In Solidarity In Solidarity, a newly formed activist organization sparking protests across Dallas, has growing membership. They’ve made it clear: members are taking a stand.

Y

ou don’t care about your own race!

Race traitor!

If you don’t like Amer-

ica, leave!

Words filled with hate flash on his screen often. Ever since he started In Solidarity, Eric Ramsey has had a virtual target on his back. Some people would get upset. Some would get mad. There’s only one thing Ramsey thinks, though, when he sees messages like these.

“Ok.” Six years out of high school, Ramsey has received threats, hate mail and worse, but he believes in what he is doing.

This belief is what drives him, but protesting is something Ramsey has learned he cannot simply dive into: planning is key to assure the safety of those he cares about.

“We deeply care about these causes,” Ramsey said, “but we also deeply care about the people too. We can’t put anyones lives in danger.”

Ramsey believes that this danger should warrant caution, but cannot stop protest — especially now.

“Under the current state of things,” Ramsey said, “I think there’s been a new layer to activism added— a new sense of urgency.”

An aspect of volunteering to keep in mind, however, is to take a step back and look at a cause objectively. People are always asking Ramsey and his fellow representatives about their primary focus and mission statement, and Ramsey admits that In Solidarity doesn’t have one issue to solve specifically.

“We’re moving really all over the place,” Ramsey said. “But I think our biggest focus is just uniting people. Our biggest focus is educating and advocating.”

In Solidarity has worked to educate its community by hosting

tables during events to register people to vote for progressive candidates on the local government level.

“Let’s face it, politics in general are boring already,” Ramsey said, “but local level politics just — nobody really cares about local evel politics, even though we should. A lot of people don’t realize that it’s local level politics that affect you, as opposed to politics at the federal level.”

In addition to these events, Ramsey makes sure In Solidarity keeps a wide-range of issues to rally and organize a demonstration for. But even with this diversity, he also receives criticism.

“We’ve had so many white people messaging us,” Ramsey said, “commenting on our group saying, ‘Oh, I guess this is just an anti-white rally.’ People get so caught up in their own beliefs and in their own ideals, that they don’t stop, stand back and look at the bigger picture. I think it’s really important in issues like this that you’re able to have that sense of removal.”

Ramsey’s associate, Hieremila Haile, emphasizes the importance of fully understanding the causes that these movements’ leaders either advocate for or against.

“Listen to the leaders of those groups,” Haile said, “listen to the people who are experienced in the struggle, the oppression, the world they’re facing.”

Despite people interpreting their message of being extremely anti-white, or more importantly, anti-police, In Solidarity has done an admirable job of cooperating and communicating with the Dallas Police Department. During their numerous rallies, they’ve set up parameters and have set safe boundaries with the police in order to ensure the safety of those protesting, as well as the policemen themselves.

Even though members try to do everything they can, Ramsey knows that he and his fellow In Solidarity members are only human.

“We all have lives,” Ramsey said, “and we all work. I’m still in school. We all have things that are pulling us in different directions, so we’re kind of taking it day by day as a group right now. We’re always ready to mobilize whenever we need to. We’ve got such a strong base that we know we could put an event up tomorrow and we’d have people there.”

But with all the hurdles that

Ramsey must overcome, the finish line more than makes up for the toil. In Solidarity’s first rally was a shining success, and it pushed their goals into motion towards unity. The event was organized to show solidarity for those who were detained in DFW airport, as well as airports around the world.

But, as they soon found out, their demonstration meant a lot more to the participants.

“Once people started showing, piling in with their signs, seeing all of these people from all backgrounds: white, black, Indian, Muslim, Asian, Hispanic,” Ramsey said. “It gave me a newfound resolve as an organizer.

I had so many people come up to me after the event, thanking me for organizing it, thanking me for caring, thanking me for being a white man and caring.”

Haile had a similar eye-opening experience meeting those who are directly affected by the issues they strive to spark awareness for.

“When we think of police brutality, we see their faces, we see the hashtags,” Haile said.

“You know, here’s the story, the news of their death. It still doesn’t feel like a real person until you actually see the family, see the kids.”

She and Ramsey got the chance to meet the mother of Jordan Edwards, the 15-year-old black male who was fatally shot by police July 29.

“It really puts a whole new layer to the issue, because you sit there on Facebook, and you see the news articles,” Ramsey said, “you see people posting the Black Lives Matter slogans, you see people using the hashtag. You very rarely actually see the direct impact, and it definitely adds a whole new layer to the issue.”

Volunteering is not always easy, however, but its benefits are necessary: often times being the difference between peace and conflict. Many people have developed an idealized vision of what activism is, but it is not always the reality.

“It’s not always fun work, it’s not always easy work,” Ramsey said. “When I used to live in Houston, I volunteered at a place called “Children’s State Harbor, and I worked with children of sexual abuse. It was hard every day working with those kids, knowing what they’ve gone through.

Sometimes you just have to do the nitty-gritty stuff to try and make somebody’s life a little bit better.”

Organized by In Solidarity Hundreds gather in protest against hate groups in Charlottesville and across the country Aug. 19.

Story: Duncan Kirstein, CJ Crawford |

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Is this what activism looks like?

A company in which the employees are over 70 percent African-American. A company that brings in over $10 billion each year. A company whose five highest-paid workers are all white men. The company? The National Football League.

And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s redefining what it means to protest.

12 | Photo: Story: Parker Kyle Smith Davis, Andy Crowe

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T Cheerleaders, dance cams and tailgates sandwiched with protests, tension and controversy— all in the same stadium.

The recent national anthem protests in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League and other professional sports leagues have led to heated debates over the First Amendment, players’ contracts and the ability to use sports as a platform to express beliefs.

However, most people caught up in this football frenzy have missed the initial intention of these protests — drawing attention to violence against and unequal treatment toward African-Americans across the nation.

In recent weeks, hundreds of NFL players have chosen to kneel rather than stand during the national anthem.

And these protests are not new.

The first such demonstration happened last year when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee because of what he called “ongoing issues with police brutality and oppression of people of color.”

After President Donald Trump spoke out against players who decided to kneel rather than stand for the anthem last month, dozens more joined the protests, bringing them to the

forefront of national media.

Despite the protests’ added publicity in recent weeks, Marcus Master Teacher Bruce Westrate believes they are not achieving their original purpose. “[The players protesting] could get together and do a whole lot of good and fight against the issues they purport to be upset by,” Westrate said.

“It seems like moral preening to me where, for very little effort, they can seem like they’re down with the struggle.”

However, others argue that players, given the NFL’s immediate national recognition, have the respobsibility to bring attention to issues they are passionate about.

voices being heard.

“The point of the protest is to bring awareness to something that people don’t want to talk about,” Arbogast said.

“I don’t think that it really matters what the symbol is because the whole point of the symbol, whatever it is, is to bring awareness to the topic. If you’re going to become noticed, that is just going to be the most recent way people will be offended.”

Associate Headmaster John Ashton, on the other hand, thinks players who use their team and their games as platforms for their own protests detract from team unity.

“Using that platform of a team that has been given [to players], is not a platform Many players have begun rais- for your individual, rightful, ing money for organizations dutiful, courageous, well-oriworking to fight oppression. ented beliefs,” Ashton said.

Kaepernick founded the Colin “I feel there is an obligation Kaepernick Foundation and to the team and organization has donated over $900,000 to to which you are a part. If the the cause. team collectively chose to do Senior football captain something, perhaps then you Seun Omonije believes the can do something.” protests bring distractions to Omonije agrees. a team enviroment but also “I think that making a that players’ demonstatement on our team strations are still would be more of justified. a distraction “A good than a benefit, ‘For many reasons, portion of unfortunatepeople have attached athletes ly,” Omonitheir own beliefs to these grew up je said. protests. In a sense it has with “Honestly, been elevated to a ‘tugstruggles I don’t of-war battle between and have really politcal ideas.’ worked think there hard for is a major –John Ashton what they benefit to Associate Headmaster have,” Omonije make a statesaid. “They are ment in a high fighters. To me, they school football game. are fighting for what they The point of protesting is to believe in.” call attention to an issue in Chaplain Stephen Arbohopes of change, and doing gast sees the uproar created so in a limited environment by the recent national anthem probably won’t lead to much protest as merely a part of the change.” path toward these players’ Similarly, Ashton does not

see the school as an ideal place for protests, but rather encourages discussion.

“Let’s sit around a table and talk about issues,” Ashton said. “I’m not going to stifle that. Let’s stop class for the day and talk about these issues. But we haven’t been a place where anybody can come in and be politically active by separating themselves from the community.”

Ashton believes the discussions that follow initial protests are also crucial steps toward actual change.

“Getting people’s attention is really just step one,” Ashton said. “The next step requires the skill to sit down together, those who weren’t heard and those who are now listening, and discuss and truly understand what the other side is experiencing. Being willing to do that — suspending your own beliefs on a topic, and then as a group figuring out how to move to a better place for everyone — [are the next steps].”

However, listening to opposing sides is often quite difficult.

“Reconciliation of opposing viewpoints is hard work,” Ashton said. “Hard work in the sense because it requires great empathy, compassion and courage. Courage to say, ‘hear me,’ but also to say, ‘I’ll listen.’

And then real persistence on both fronts to figure out how we move forward.”

The protests have raised awareness. However, for many across the country, the real work of improving our nation has just begun.

“I think there is real potential in starting a conversation,” Ashton said, “but there is also a real hazard in not finishing that conversation and finding a solution that is better for all.”

Story: Parker Davis, Andy Crowe |

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Ever since the robotics competitions of his youth, junior Kyle Smith has had a passion for STEAM. His father, Jeff Smith, prompted him to participate in competitions that sparked Kyle’s interest in engineering and related areas.

STEAM, covering the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math, has grown significantly in popularity with Millennials, and Smith is part of the movement.

“My father inspired me to pursue the world of STEAM,” Kyle said. “He’s always pushed me towards that world.”

But Kyle is by no means pampered by fatherly guidance. When he entered the AT&T Fast Pitch at 13 years old, he declined his father’s help, coming up with an

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Like many of the school’s alumni, junior Kyle Smith has spent much of his life teaching, pursuing and preparing to enter the world of STEAM.

A STEAM powered future applicable fire tracking system, Fire-Fly, ultimately beating other adults to win the competition.

Kyle moved on to present his idea to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

“The most surreal experience was when I walked in and they had a placard for my name,” Kyle said. “All the seats were reserved, and one of the other speakers said that they were for speakers only. I got to say, ‘Yeah, I’m a speaker.’”

Last summer, Kyle traveled to Peru and Costa Rica. On his first trip, he built connections and worked with Steve Winter, a professional photographer for National Geographic.

On the second trip, he educated children up to high-school age on robotics and engineering, both well inside his comfort zone. iven Kyle’s background in robotics, Congo Robotics founder Fabian Segura requested for him to present in Costa Rica. Kyle woke up at 6:30 a.m. every day to visit multiple schools and spend time at the company.

In addition to spreading his knowledge, Kyle increased his communication skills, learning to interact with masses of people with completely different backgrounds.

“I think the thing that was most powerful was the public speaking skills

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14 | Story: Michael Lukowicz, Reece Rabin, Duncan Kirstein

that I got to practice,” Kyle said. “When you are placed into a situation where there are 500 people in front of you and English isn’t their first language, it’s intimidating.”

His presentations in Costa Rica were a step up from any that he had done before, and they offered a different experience, even with a topic so familiar.

Despite a new environment, Kyle felt at home and relaxed around everyone.

He was surprised that despite the large audience, he felt more comfortable talking about STEAM to an audience of, not unfamiliar citizens of a foreign country, but rather, people who were willing to learn about something that was gaining universal attention.

“The high schoolers were pretty much the same as they are here,” Kyle said, “and the kids as well.”

Many of Kyle’s dreams have already started growing into realities, despite him not yet sure which ones he wants to bring to fruition.

“Currently, I’m figuring out what I want to pursue,” Kyle said. “I have a plethora of interests, and I’m trying to figure out a way to pull them all together.”

A forward-thinking mindset drives Kyle’s enthusiasm for STEAM and motivates him to make a difference in the fields that will matter most.

“STEAM is the future; the integration of STEAM in everyday life is incredible,” Kyle said. “STEAM can be applied to absolutely anything.”

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One hour at a time.

Marksmen each year amass thousands of hours of community service. Director Jorge Correa, Assistant Director Isabel Toledo and Board Chairs Will Wood and Kabeer Singh organize activities to give students the opportunity to make change and help thousands across the city and Metroplex.

LO: What should people do to get more involved?

Isabel Toledo: For the past couple years we’ve been using x2vol, and it very nicely lifts all the opportunities.

There are organizations that constantly have different types of needs throughout the year—usually its just manpower. They need people to come in and help one person make something happen.

For example, tutoring, I think, is a good way for students, because you all already have that background. Maybe not as a teacher, but that background of working together when you’re studying, and it’s easy to redirect that energy and information to a different group of students.

FFO

Lyle Ochs: Does community service have a special importance to you?

Jorge Correa: It always has.

It has always been special because I strongly believe that we depend on each other.

I live here, and I want to be proud of a city where people do things for other people. You can walk around the school and see the names on the buildings and walls, and those names are the same when you see the buildings and works of art downtown.

It doesn’t have to be money; it could be time or your talent. I think it’s important for me to pass that on, that passion that is not holding hands, feeling good and then going home. No, this is real, and it happens everyday. There are people out there who are suffering because they never had the opportunity to do things with other people.

You can always give the guy on the corner money but you can also go to the sh,elter which is an organized place where they can get the help they need. We need to feed people.

If they are hungry, they won’t listen to you. You need to clothe people, but you also need to get in touch with these people. We need to listen to them.

Mental health is such a huge problem, and often it is because this person doesn’t have a friend. I’m not saying this is going to solve all of our problems, but it is a step.

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While Upper School students strive to meet the 15-hour community service requirement, community service leaders at the school know they are making a difference...

LO: Why do you believe community service is important?

Will Wood: I loved being involved in new things and to try to see which one I love and I’m passionate about, and community service has been one of those things that, by far, in a way, is the most fulfilling activity that I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s including sports, and academics, and clubs and everything.

I think your ability to change people’s lives in the two hours you’re there, or the hour a week you’re there, is incredible.

Seeing that difference in tutoring kids once a week, and at the end of the year they’re saying how excited they were to have you there and how they learn so much with your help. And it’s crazy to think that maybe I did just alter that kid’s life, and maybe I did just change everything just by, instead of messing around for an hour, going out and doing something.

So it’s something I definitely have felt that, even now, I don’t think I do enough of it. I get that people say that they might not have time or they put issues in the rear-view mirror because it’s something that’s not directly affecting your life until you go out and do it.

Until you make that choice that ‘oh, I want to help serve the greater community, the greater Dallas community, the greater St. Mark’s community.’ Once you do that you can see how much of a difference you make. But without it, it’s easy to put it down in the rear-view mirror.

LO: What does community service do to break us out of the “bubble”?

Kabeer Singh: I know it may sound cliché, but I wasn’t fully aware of the privilege I was born into until I met people who hadn’t been as fortunate.

When I spoke with kids at Genesis Women’s Shelter who were in an unsafe family situation, or kids who came through Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center because of a scarring incident, and even while tutoring children who struggled with basic English, I came to the realization that a lot of the issues these children had were out of their control.

I am lucky to say that I have a supporting, safe family situation at home and have been lucky enough to get an above-average education, but my experiences through community service have tangibly shown me that the masses haven’t had the same luxury I received by chance.

Most people believe that the unfortunate situations others find themselves in are a part of life, and if they so choose, they can pull themselves out of their unlucky circumstances. I believe that if you find yourself in a better situation than others, than it is your moral obligation to help them rise out of their hardship and progress to a better state. Through community service I have gotten closer to living by that philosophy, and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Interviews: Lyle Ochs |

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Development Office / Dave Carden

Honored Robert Edsel '74 (left) is presented with the Foundation for the National Archives Records of Achievement Award by former president George W. Bush in 2014 in recognition of his advocacy for art.

A monumental champion of the arts e wanted to do something “noble.” Robert Edsel ’74 has become one of the chief names in the world of art preservation through his work with the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. In the late 90’s, Edsel developed a passion for the history behind the protection of art during Nazi Germany — that intrigue soon developed into a passion for art preservation, leading to the establishment of his foundation.

Edsel’s 2007 book, Monuments Men: Allied Heroes,

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Honoring the soldiers who put their lives on the line for the preservation of art.

“To say 'thank you' to a group of men and women who risked their lives to do something that every person alive today benefits from without knowing how close we came to not having. Our work saves the lives of our soldiers today. It is an enormous undertaking, one that requires far more help from others in the future.”

2

Stewarding humanity’s artistic and literary legacy.

“Regardless of where a work of art is located, it is part of our shared cultural heritage. That makes each of us custodians of their fate.

They stand as beautiful evidence of the creative genius of our predecessors. As such, it is our duty and responsibility — and as General Eisenhower once said, 'our honor, to preserve them.'”

3

Protecting joyous testaments to humanity’s creativity.

“Immeasurable, not because of its monetary value as many who collect like to think, but for the joy it brings us; the escape it provides from problems, turmoil,

16 | Interview: Zach Gilstrap, Davis Bailey

Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History — which chronicled the recovery of rare artwork stolen by Nazi Germany -- was adapted into a feature film, Monuments Men, in 2014. In 2007, President George W. Bush awarded Edsel’s foundation a National Humanities Medal. Today, the Monuments Men Foundation continues to further its mission through championing society’s artistic marvels. Edsel spoke with Focus Magazine and detailed his five reasons for his art activism — a mission that is, to Edsel, both necessary and fulfilling.

and the uglier aspects of our society. Mankind has proven capable of incredible acts of cruelty over centuries, but it has also delivered to us the creative arts —paintings, literature, sculpture, architecture, music — that demonstrate mankind’s unique ability to create and inspire.”

4

Placing the country at the forefront of safeguarding historically important art.

“Our work with the U.S. Army is developing an important part of our mission.

We must learn from the experience of the Monuments Men during WW2 if we are to reestablish the United States as the world-leader in the protection of cultural heritage, a worthy and noble goal.”

5

Embracing the sacred and unifying qualities of art.

“To what end do we live? To work?

To make money? To accumulate? Sports, music and the arts: three areas of life that allow us to forget who we are — or who we like to pretend we are, to forget what we believe — including the prejudices we carry, and just breathe and enjoy.

The arts are a sacred part of life that can inspire us; serve as guideposts for how

we as a civilization arrived at this point on mankind’s journey; and remind us that no matter how great we may think we are, there is always something bigger than us, something majestic and noble, that provides perspective to life.

When we are down the arts can inspire us; when we are riding high they can humble us; when we are too serious they can make us laugh; when we are too cynical they can bring us to tears.

Did anyone at a U2 concert ever care about the religious beliefs of the person sitting next to them?

Robert Edsel '74 Does a person attending an NBA game care about who the people in their section of the stadium voted for?

Does the color of someone’s skin ever cross the mind of a visitor to a museum?

I submit that these three areas of life act as magnets to draw us together, to celebrate the best elements of mankind, and for that reason alone, they are not just invaluable to living a full and meaningful life, they are an essential part of it.”

Through Operation Underground Railroad, Matt Osborne '90 embeds himself in human trafficking rings.

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att Osborne '90 sits across the table from a human trafficker. He wants to strangle him, but all he can do is clink drinks for now.

Why don’t you take them to that back room over there and try out the goods and have some fun?

He is physically revolted by those words. Words he hears all too often in this line of work.

Nah man, that’s not my thing. I work for a big boss with big money, and he is the one with these proclivities.

The underage girls are presented to him, one by one, cowering in their skimpy attire, too broken down to put up a fight. Their expressions blank. Their eyes lifeless.

For Osborne, this part never gets easier. It takes a heavy toll on him each time he sees those same eyes.

But he has to do it. For the children’s sake.

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People often ask Osborne if

Kyle Smith photo

Liberator Osborne's work has saved over 700 girls from human trafficking rings.

open-sourced info on Bin Laden before he was known to the public, before the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

I did some rotational tours with the US Department Of State in Spain, Venezuela and Mexico.”

During his 12-year tenure as an operative in the CIA, Osborne was perfectly content with his job. He Leaving St. Mark’s, Osborne was stealing foreign secrets, had two interests to follow: briefing cabinet members, sports broadcasting and and informing the president, international relations. And and with his job came the he did. But after behindsatisfaction of serving his the-scenes work with FOX country. But he still felt he Sportsnet and ESPN to the could do more.

Atlanta Summer “Here I am Olympics, he was trying to make a ready to branch out drop in the ocean, into international in this big bureauaffairs. cracy,” Osborne And after he said. “Let’s try in a earned his graduates pond or in a lake. degree, Osborne got A chance his dream job: a poencounter with sition with the Central Matt Osborne'90 graduate school Intelligence Agency (CIA). classmate, Tim Ballard, gave “I did some written rehim the opportunity to do ports on Osama Bin Laden,” just that. Ballard started an Osborne said, “gave them initiative, Operation Under-

30-35 million men, women, and children in some form of slavery, forced labor or sexual servitude, and two million of those may be kids under the age of 18.

“There are some really sick people out there and unfortunately the majority are Americans,” Osborne said, “America is the number one consumer and producer of child pornography, the number one country in terms of sending child sex tourists.”

ground Railroad, to curb the human trafficking epidemic, supporting federal efforts through an independent party.

“He said ‘let’s become a force multiplier, let’s help them by working behind the scenes and providing them with the training, technology, and undercover operators,’” Osborne said, “‘Think about the children’ he said.”

After much soul-searching

and contemplation, Osborne came to the conclusion that he needed to pursue this opportunity and increase his impact on the greater community.

“When I became a father to a daughter and father to a second daughter,” Osborne said, “it all just came together that this is what I have to dedicate my life to, as scary as it was to give up my secure government job and pension.”

Human trafficking is a $32 billion a year industry, and there may be upwards of

he is really making an impact in stopping such an illegal and pervasive industry. They say it’s just a drop in the bucket.

“To me, it’s worth it if you can save just one kid,” Osborne said. “Then let’s save five kids. Then let’s save ten kids. Since early 2014, when we started, we rescued about 700 victims of trafficking.”

For Osborne, this part never gets old. To go back to these rehabilitation centers and orphanages and meet these victims and survivors.

All the dancing, all the singing and celebrating when he and his colleagues tell them the good news, is priceless.

It’s worth it.

And everytime Osborne looks at his two daughters, ages 15 and 12, he is reminded of the importance of the work he is doing.

“I saw in their eyes these victims who don’t have the lives they have, who don’t have the blessings they have, and who are really living in hell,” Osborne said, “So for me, I said I have to do something.”

Story: Sahit Dendekuri, CJ Crawford |

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Provider Lyda Hill (right), Lyda Hill in front of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, of which she was a major benefactor (next).

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Lasting Legacy Lyda Hill has been accumulating wealth her entire life, and it soon became a major facet of her legacy.

A legacy built from the first business she started as a small lemonade stand.

A legacy meant to benefit those who deserve it. For most, those deserving would be their family and close friends, those who have been crucial to your growth and success.

Instead, however, she decides to be one of two women to give it away to charity.

Every single penny will go to countless causes and funds, to countless children and families in need.

How’s that for a legacy?

…

The Giving Pledge is a moral commitment of philanthropy, of generosity, of service. But for Hill, service was a non-negotiable part of life, a condition of being on this earth. The Pledge is a way for her to learn more about what she can do for her community and the country.

“I thought ‘I can learn a

lot from these people,’” Hill said. “All of us are grateful for where we are in the world, and we wanna help others feel that also. It’s been a marvelous learning process for me, because it doesn’t tell you what to do, but it creates learning sessions where different people give talks about how you can really make a difference.”

From Bill and Melinda Gates, to Warren Buffet, the Giving Pledge is a fascinating group of billionaires that devote themselves to giving back in any way they see fit to benefit those in need.

But for all this talk of making difference, is anything being done? Yes, and so much more. Hill has more than fulfilled her promise to give back even before she signed the Pledge.

She has made countless contributions to the STEM field, as well as contributing a 50 million dollar pledge to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Moon Shots Program, a program dedicated to the elimination

18 | Story: Duncan Kirstein, CJ Crawford

Courtesy The Lyda Hill Foundation

of the disease, and her donation has made the center one of the largest cancer hospitals in the nation. Hill also founded the Oklahoma Breast Care Center and has donated millions more to countless other cancer research and STEAM-related programs. cancer survivor herself, she realizes the gravity of all the advances in the research field.

“I had my first mastectomy 38 years ago,” Hill said. “You will not find many people who have been survivors that long. Unfortunately, I send family members and friends down there on a regular basis to be treated.

Fortunately, they do an excellent job. Research in math and science has always been my gig. I always thought it was interesting, and now I know it’s important.”

As a major patron of projects such as the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Hill always has an eye towards the future, but she has an appreciation for the

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past that made her the philanthropist she is today.

Hill’s mother always took her along for her various volunteering ventures, including work with the then-called Dallas Society for Gifted Children.

She remembers being excited when they would always open envelopes to find money for gathering donations. She remembers running the machine that holds the bulk of envelopes.

She even remembers that fateful lemonade stand that started it all.

“A lot of people talk about ‘what are you leaving behind? what is your legacy?’” Hill said. “We happen to think that your legacy is that you have done a lot for a lot of people and enjoyed it. I’ve gotten into a lot of different stuff, and I’m having fun.

Walt Disney said, ‘it’s kinda fun to do the impossible,’ and some of the things I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do were kind of impossible.

That’s what draws me to keep doing things.”

FFO

THREE POINTS FOR RESPECTFUL POLITICAL DISCUSSION

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Seniors Hill Washburne and Waseem Nabulsi are making sure that students feel comfortable discussing their views in a respectable way around campus.

ersonally, I think that political discussion should never be something that we shy away from. Is having your views challenged uncomfortable at times? Of course, but when we allow ourselves to listen to perspectives different than our own, we open our minds to the larger world around us and gain greater empathy for our fellow citizens of the country and of the world. — Waseem Nabulsi

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s much as possible, I, along with Reverend Arbogast and fellow co-chair Zach Landry, am trying to keep the Chapel Council—and chapel in general—as apolitical as possible. Rather, what we are trying to do is create an inclusive environment where people of all religions and backgrounds can feel like they are equally represented or at the very least, like they aren’t being force fed a religion that is not their own. — Waseem Nabulsi

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Making their voices heard s

m ee

bulsi Na

ick Chaiken and I started the political speaker series in order to provide the student body with an array of different perspectives from those involved in both local and federal government. I hope that the series allows students to challenge their preconceived notions and be able to empathetically understand someone else’s point of view. If we are to be educated leaders in the world it is important for us to be able to competently discuss current events. — Hill Washburne

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Connected Flanking Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, seniors Nick Chaiken (left) and Hill Washburne, started a political speaker series to inform and educate Marksmen.

Interviews: Zoheb Khan, Sam Sussman |

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A LETTER TO TOMORROW By Zach Gilstrap Duncan Kirstein CJ Crawford Andre Arsenault Andy Crowe Kobe Roseman

20 |

T To the next generation: Every era has its own set of problems — its own set of issues to solve. For our grandparents, it was World War II. For the Baby Boomers, it was Vietnam and the counterculture movement. But for the next era, our own issues are piling up.

The activists of yesterday and today make it clear: something has to be done.

TO ACT IS A RIGHT. TO SERVE IS A NECESSITY.

Photo: Tucker Ribman

These issues can be resolved in a matter of days, months or years. But regardless, they will take time to fix — and they each need people to fight for them.

It is your duty to speak out for what you believe in, to never be a bystander, to intervene, and to always embrace the fact that change can often come in the most unusual places.

To act is a right. To serve is a necessity. And there won’t aways be time to wait.

Soon, we’ll receive the issues of today. We’ll discover the new challenges of tomorrow. We’ll inherit the earth.

And we’ll be damned if it’s not better than we found it.

— Focus staff

1. Climate change At the center of political discussion, opponents are passionate

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ne of the most fervently debated phenomena of our

time.

Generally, climate change’s critics on the right and activists on the left tend to clash while discussing the issue; climate change advocates cite defined empirical evidence for the validity of the issue, whereas skeptics deny the significance and correlation of that evidence.

The consensus is that there is no consensus -- unlike

other mainstream issues, climate change is not universally accepted.

However, Director of Environmental Studies Dan Northcut believes there is no need to debate climate change’s validity — he believes climate change is a daunting reality. And it will directly affect our generation.

“As your generation gets older and into middle age,” Northcut said, “you will start to see more and more of the effects of climate change. Many people of older generations

recognize the issue but know that it is in the future for them. They worry about it, but still go out and drive their gas-guzzling car. But, your generation is going to see most of it, and you already are — just look at the recent hurricanes.”

In lieu of the imminent changes and transformations of our climate and environment, Northcut feels it all comes back to “listening to the scientists.”

Through leading by example and championing green living, Northcut be-

lieves we can begin to make headway on solving the always debated but present problem of climate change.

“Climate change is not a religion — it’s science,” Northcut said. “Individually, you can watch what you buy, because everybody votes with their wallet.

When you’re out of college and buy your own car, make a statement with what you buy. It’s not just big items. By walking the walk, your generation can inspire others to enact change in their lives, helping alleviate the problem.”

Breaking down the issues A recent Focus poll surveying the Upper School proposed the question: “What are the most important global/national issues the millenial and subsequent generations will have to solve?” Of the 20 options and 171 responses, the following issues proved to be the five most mentioned.

2. Overpopulation Alarming rate of growth presents challenges for world’s population

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lthough population growth rate has been steadily decreasing over the past 40 years, the growth rate – currently 1.12 percent per year – has continued to increase the global population at what some people consider an alarming rate.

The recent poll revealed 11.7 percent of students believe overpopulation to be a serious issue that Generation Z must solve, placing the topic as the second most urgent issue behind climate change.

“I do believe overpop-

ulation to a certain extent is a negative externality,” said History and Social Sciences Department chair David Fisher, “and many people simply aren’t aware of the costs imposed by enjoying a large family or feeling that it’s necessary to have a large family, and there are a great number of costs to the environment and welfare systems of the countries where there are quickly growing populations.”

Though Fisher believes the issue of overpopulation to be prominent, he also believes the issue plagues certain developing coun-

22 | Stories: Zach Gilstrap, Andre Arsenault, Andy Crowe

tries more so than the global population in general.

“In the developing world,” Fisher said, “the fact that there are very large populations poses a big problem because are there going to be enough jobs to put that population to work to make sure they work efficiently and effectively? When you have a population that is quite large and there aren’t jobs for them, that’s a recipe for revolution. So, no question, larger population or uncontrolled population growth, we’re in for a bad future if that is the case.”

On the contrary,

well-developed European countries face another issue – underpopulation.

“Overpopulation is a problem a country like Italy would want to have since they don’t have enough people,” Fisher said. “And for a country like Italy that has a very low birthrate and entire towns are leaving and moving to the city, then I think there should be a government policy there that encourages more births, larger families, or that is more open to immigration because you do need a growing population to sustain a growing economy.”

3. Automation Technological innovations replacing human workers

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y the early 2030s, over one third of U.S. jobs will be at “high risk” to automation - the switch from human labor to the use of control systems, such as computers, robots and information technologies in industries.

“My prediction is by 2024, the effects of automation and AI will be fairly obvious,” Founders’ Master Teacher Douglas Rummel said.

Many companies like Amazon, Apple and

Walmart have already begun using artificial intelligence (AI) in their workplaces. However, automation now has the potential to replace workers in jobs other than factories.

“The biggest change in automation for your generation is going to be artificial information,” Rummel said. “Automating tasks that I do or accountants do or radiologists do.

If your job is just pattern matching, your job can easily be done by AI.”

With AI and automation quickly advancing, many workers will soon find their jobs being replaced by technology.

“It’s tough to keep everyone going along at the same speed,” Rummel said.

“Our education system is catch-as-catch-can. If you’re born in the the right part of town, you’re set. That’s the big challenge. There will definitely be winners and losers.”

Automation will eventually provide new opportunities for businesses and

innovation in people’s daily lives. However, the addition of automation and new AI technology in industries will also leave our generation with issues of job security and will redirect certain workers’ careers.

“The natural revolution gave higher standards of living and more opportunities for a lot of people,” Rummel said, “but it’s pretty painful at the beginning and it’s not going to be easy during this next round of automation.”

4. Foreign policy Insults exchanged by world leaders across the globe threaten stability

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hey will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”

President Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un have exchanged threats and the world has been their audience — mainstream news outlets cover this issue from many different angles, but the common consensus on social media, in classrooms and at family dinner tables is that the current state of foreign policy is uncertain.

Various other foreign powers — more specifically Russia and ISIS — serve as possible threats to the safety of our country and its inhabitants.

But how do we alleviate this uncertainty? Is there anything we can do to usher the nations of the world towards peace?

Surveying the current national psyche, Marcus Master Teacher Bruce Westrate recognizes the possibility for widescale conflict. However, he cites

many causes.

“We don’t know where history is going,” Westrate said. “It’s a nice idea that the world can just get together and get along and not have war, but it’s just not realistic. Often times, it’s ruinous. In the case of North Korea, the United Nations has been inept in handling relations, and now we’re at a point where warfare is a real possibility.”

Holistically, Westrate believes the most effective method of creating change

in the world of foreign policy is starting with the government. To Westrate, the change starts at the voting polls. Through decisive voting, we can express our voices for our future and affect positive change toward national security.

“We live in a democracy, we elect our leaders,” Westrate said, “and what it comes down to is that we have to make the right decision.”

5. Terrorism and homeland security Americans fearful in an uncertain age

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ata shows the domestic crime rate has trended downwards for many years now, yet recent studies show Americans today feel increasingly more at risk.

The alarm, though, comes from the apparent rise in terrorism and threats to security – the fifth most worrying issue from a recent student survey.

From threats to police at home, to mass shootings across the nation, to truck attacks in Europe, the issue

is present regardless of trends.

“Security is a number one issue in our country, all the way from the top down to the states and even local communities,” said Director of Security Dale Hackbarth. “We all need to be proactive.”

Hackbarth believes homeland security is a ubiquitous issue that with increased coordination can be addressed.

“We need to educate everybody,” Hackbarth said. “Security in general – you can’t just put it on

one department or entity.

It’s easy to say it’s just this team’s responsibility, but I’m saying everybody is responsible for security.

Whether it’s security on campus, in Preston Hollow, in Dallas, in Texas or the entire nation, we have to be on the same page.”

With respect to gun control, Hackbarth believes the issue must be addressed, but he opposes strict gun control.

“I believe we need to have more thorough background checks,” Hackbarth said, “and try

to target the source of the problem which I believe to be mental illness.”

Although terrorism and domestic security issues plague countries worldwide, Hackbarth believes the U.S. plays a particularly important role in fighting terrorism.

“People are looking at us,” Hackbarth said. “The United States is the big brother leading the way. Lines of communication between countries, sharing information with allies, we need to get everybody on the same side.”

Stories: Zach Gilstrap, Andre Arsenault, Andy Crowe |

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• A conversation with civic leaders

‘You don’t have to wait’

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Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and Dustin Marshall, Dallas ISD District 2 Board of Trustees representative, have decades of combined civic leadership — and both agree your impact should start now.

What do you see as our generation’s civic responsibility?

Dwaine Caraway: In your junior and senior year, in today’s modern activism, is early involvement. You don’t have to wait until you’re 30 and 40 years old before you start sitting at the table, making decisions that will impact the country and city for the next 40 or 50 years.

You can do that now.

There are current rules, policies on the books today that were written y a back in 1910, 1920, maybe aw ar some as old as the 1800s that we find ourselves still following today.

What is different today and yesterday — technology is different. Attitudes, opportunities are different.

You could not video, do a webcam or podcast back in the day, now you can.

Different rules and different circumstances apply to the times of change, and today’s activism is totally different because without technology, if someone has an issue or find themselves caught up in the middle of a situation — today that can instantly happen.

Yesterday, it could not.

We have to be prepared and more prepared on what can take place versus

24 | Interviews: Kobe Roseman, Duncan Kirstein

protecting the things that, for lack of a better word, not used anymore — outdated.

Even if we can’t get legislative work done, what can a non-voter tangibly do to make social change?

DC: Well, I’m a little older than you, that doesn’t change anything.

Earlier involvement is what I encourage for young people to get involved in.

If every student that walks across the St. Mark’s stage after you receive your diploma, and at the foot of the stage, there’s a pre-prepared voter registration card awaiting your signature — that’s the true beginning of involvement, changing, restructuring, and being in a position to help shape the role of the government and policies of what’s happening.

‘Earlier involvement is what I encourage for young people to get involved in.’

– Dwaine Caraway Mayor Pro Tem

The younger guys are more on top of it nowadays.

When I was growing up, I didn’t have facebook. We couldn’t communicate as you all can communicate today.

There’s a difference today than there was yesterday. We didn’t get involved at ages 18 and 19 years old.

Today’s technology dictates a different level of behavior.

What are some big issues that the African-American community are facing, and how are you able to be an activist for that issue?

DC: Getting people jobs, encouraging more entrepreneurship and economic development, keeping communities safe and not being so susceptible about gun violence.

• By the numbers

And it’s not just African-Americans, but gun violence.

This gun violence thing has really got up under my skin.

And that’s not targeted towards black people exclusively, nor white.

How did you get started as a Dallas ISD activist?

Dustin Marshall: Not every kid wins the educational lottery you all have at St. Mark’s. I really wanted to try to help other kids get on the pathway to success.

What pushed you to continue your work?

DM: We have a lot of problems in our society, but education is a solvable problem. To me, it’s frustrating when we know how to properly educate a child and we just don’t have the political will to do so.

Where else does the imbalance of education show up?

DM: What happens is middle and upper class families put their kids in early childhood education programs. Kids from lower socioeconomic classes don’t have that, and when they show up to kindergarten, only 55 percent of DISD students are ready.

What do you think are some of the biggest areas that need to be focused on right now in terms of education?

DM: There’s a whole lot of kids who are graduating, and they’re just not prepared for life. That’s where we’ve got to do a better job.

Du

What do you think is the quickest thing that can be solved right now?

DM: I would definitely encourage the young men at St. Mark’s who are coming of voting age to get involved in local elections and check out those Political Action Committees.

Getting involved Whether it’s this week or beyond, here are the facts, how to get involved locally, and why Dallas voters are lacking.

November

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All registered Dallas County voters participate in Constitutional Amendment Election voting to adopt or reject proposed Constitutional Amendments.

2016

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Special Elections in Dallas County

8

Dallas County cities with propositions for voters to accept or reject

1

Dallas County School Board Special Election

6.1%

For more info, visit the Dallas County Votes website

1,278,615

Dallas municipal election in 2015 voter turnout.

Number of registered voters in Dallas.

.83%

10,575

Voter turnout in Dallas ISD District 2 election.

Number of registered voters in Dallas.

stin

Marshall

17.7% 1.7% vs.

Turnout for voters over the age of 65 in Dallas Mayoral election.

Turnout for voters between ages 18-34 in Dallas Mayoral election.

Source: Dallas County Votes

Research: Zoheb Khan, Kobe Roseman |

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• More important now than ever

Why act

From action on campus to the streets of Dallas, the question remains: why is activism more important now than ever?

Lobbyist. Environmentalist. Advocate.

Activism comes in many forms — people all around the world in different communities find a cause they are passionate about and act to preserve, advance or champion that cause.

Advocates and activists populate our television screens and anchor our history books, but beyond the widespread coverage, the question still arises: why act?

Why should we become advocates for a cause?

In our campus community, you can see activism in our various community service organizations, advocacy clubs and groups and in the impassioned work of various student leaders.

One of the most prominent political voices in the campus community, the St. Mark’s Dallas Area Diverse Youth Organization (DADYO) chapter holds an open social discussion forum focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. DADYO President Sahitya Senapathy sees necessity in the organization’s activist work.

“There’s a lot of political conflict going on right now,” Senapathy said. “[In DADYO,] people from different perspectives are able to express their views

effectively, helping to eliminate stereotypes and greater understand our differences.”

For Senapathy, in particular, his work in DADYO has enlightened him on the issues of discrimination and inequity in mainstream industries — he believes the open discussions have the power to foster realizations that lead to possible action and reform.

“One meeting that struck me as significant was the meeting at St. Mark’s in which we talked about diversity in the work industry,” Senapathy said. “It impacted me because I was able to really understand how it worked and how it impacted the world. I was able to identify the problem and go about discerning how to fix it.”

Senapathy encourages others to become activists for a cause of their own choosing, stressing the importance of working in a community of others focused on the same sustainable goal.

In this, he believes, lies the impact of activism.

“Activism is important to express your voice and get your opinions out there,” Senapathy said. “If you don’t speak out, your voice will be drowned out and not heard.

Being an activist is not something you can just do by yourself.”

26 | Story: Kobe Roseman, Zach Gilstrap

‘The [Path to Manhood] statue stands for carrying the future on your shoulders. And so I think we see that as a critical charge here at St. Mark’s.’

– David Dini Headmaster

Student leadership and activism may have benefits in other seemingly unrelated spheres, such as the college application process. Associate Director of College Counseling Casey Gendason recognizes the benefit of putting a high position on your resume, but emphasizes the value in genuine engagement.

“Colleges view leadership through impact and initiative,” Gendason said. “They view leaders as those who make a contribution, get in the trenches, and really work at making something happen. If you have a title or a position, great. But what did you do with it?”

Marching on Between the Woman’s March at the start of the year, the Boston Free Speech Rally in August, and anti-hate protests in the Dallas streets (left), many at the school believe students should emerse themselves in issues and strive to create change.

Whether you consider yourself

an activist for a social justice cause or just a member of an active community, Director of College Counseling Veronica Pulido believes the most important facet of leadership is the ability to exhibit a unique voice.

“Colleges will see that the student can hold his own and that they have opinions,” Pulido said. “Colleges look for students who are separating themselves from their peers.

They will be the voices on campus.”

On the topic of the benefits of the “activist” label, Gendason has his reservations — while intensive advocacy looks appealing on a resume, he believes it all comes back

to the fundamental qualities of community leadership.

“In terms of activism and getting engaged with a social issue, I do not think that is a checklist item,” Gendason said. “If a student has really connected with an issue and believes in their mission, the question is what did you do with that group or initiative?

The label of ‘activist’ is not something colleges are currently emphasizing.”

However, Gendason believes the school community provides students with ample opportunities and outlets to find their own personal causes and passions that in turn foster community activism.

“There is a lot of autonomy to create your own

initiatives here,” Gendason said. “We give students lots of opportunities to display initiative and make themselves involved with a certain cause or interest. It is important that students dig deep into two or three causes. The impact is so much deeper.”

Headmaster David Dini sees the school’s role as a holistic expansion of skills that will build the framework needed to help students make change.

“You get all the skill development on the academic front, but hopefully lots of different exposure to the development of your identity to complement that,” Dini said. “So when you advance to the next stages of your life, you should have the tools in your toolkit to be

effective and make a positive difference. On a small scale, from a one-on-one setting, to a large scale — you can’t predict that.”

But despite the range of fields Dini has seen alumni impact, he ultimately believes it’s the school’s responsibility to prepare students for their varied impact.

“It could be business, civic life, medicine, research, education — there’s just so many different avenues that we’ve seen from experience that you guys will go out and experience,” Dini said. “Our hope and belief is that by helping you guys prepare for those responsibilities, we’re going to arm you with the resources you’re going to need to navigate some issues and challenges that are identified.”

Ultimately, Dini believes the school should embody aspects of the future — preparing students to better the world and create positive change.

“I feel that part of the responsibility here is what the [Path to Manhood] statue stands for in my mind,” Dini said. “It’s carrying the future on your shoulders. I think we see that as a critical charge here at St. Mark’s to help you guys build the skills, abilities, habits and the perspective that will allow you to go out and do these positive things that will make the world a better place.”

Photo: Andy Crowe |

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