FALCON
THE
The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024
reaching out. Mental health is affecting teenagers across the nation—including Kinkaid. It’s time to talk about it. [cover story on pg. 12]
INSIDE
News | 2 Arts & Culture | 8 Opinion | 10 Features | 12 Entertainment | 18 Sports | 22
March 1, 2019 Volume 72, Issue 4
NEWS
2 | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
News In Brief
Debate team dominates at annual Cal invitational in San Francisco The debate team traveled across the country to the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay to attend the Cal Invitational at the University of California Berkeley. The team had great success with two debaters reaching the top 64 out of about 200 other individual debaters and teams in their respective types of debate. Senior Hannah Shi reached the first elimination round in the Lincoln Douglas debate. In Policy debate, Juniors Spencer Powers and Sahar Punjwani also made it to the first
elimination round as a team of two. Prior to the tournament at Berkeley, Sahar and senior Amy Ho were invited to compete at the Cal Round Robin. This great honor is bestowed among only the top 16 teams in the country. In the same weekend, there were two additional qualifications to the TFA. Junior Karm Guy and sophomore Alison Zhang, along with senior Christian Gibson and sophomore Olivia Fowler, reached the eliminatory rounds to qualify for the state tournament later this spring.
Model UN team travels to Boston The Model United Nations team also had great success within the past few weeks, but on the other side of the country. History teachers, Mrs. Angela Wainwright and Ms. Tamasine Ellis, traveled with 12 students for the Harvard Boston Model Congress. The students competed in various
committees that represented sections of the U.S. House, and Senate. Several students participated in specialized groups such as the Republican National Convention and historical committees. Junior Camila Vicens won best delegate for her work in the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship committee.
Right to left: Mrs. Wainright, Camila Vicens (11), Evelyn Mineo (11), Christopher Gardner (10), Brian Shortt (11), Noah Rubinson (11), Avery Ham (10), Daryn Mehling (10), Surag Pandit (10) at Harvard Model U.N. conference.
Upcoming Dates and Events Saturday, March 2. US Musical Performance: 9 to 5 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Soccer serves community Every year, boys varsity soccer and girls varsity Soccer has a community service event together. This not only gives both teams a chance to give back to their community, but also gives them a chance to bond as teams together. This year, both teams went to Spring Spirit on Jan. 26 to play soccer with younger boys and girls. Both teams participated in this event previously and were excited to do it again. “It was a great opportunity for both the boys and girls teams to work together and share something they are passionate about with others,” girl’s varsity coach Angie Shotzberger said. Big smiles on little faces and laughs coming from
everyone, Caroline Peterson (12) stated: “The environment between the volunteers and kids was upbeat, fun, and competitive.” The teams split the kids into groups based on age and partnered each group up with volunteers. They played warm-up games, scrimmaged and learned the importance of pursuing an education. Coach Shotzberger said, “At the end of the day, everyone had the opportunity to hear from the directors and learn about their fantastic organization and principles they are instilling in their players.” Both the boys and girls teams had fun playing with younger kids and had the opportunity to reach out and use their own skills to make a difference in the commmunity.
Sunday, March 3. US Musical Performance: 9 to 5 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Friday, March 8. MS Quarter 3 Grades posted
Corrections
The Kinkaid Falcon’s mission is to be an accurate and reliable source of information for the Kinkaid community by informing readers about topics that are interesting, thought-provoking, and impactful from the school, local Houston area and Texas, as well as other parts of the world.
Letters can be sent to: The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024 Corrections will be addressed on our website and published in the subsequent issue. Please direct advertising inquiries to nicole. fernandez@kinkaid.org. The opinions expressed in The Kinkaid Falcon belong solely to the writer and are not a reflection or representation of the opinions of the school or its administrators. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emma Stout ASSOCIATE EDITORS Sarah Kate Padon & Emma Gilliam ASSISTANT EDITOR Megha Neelapu NEWS EDITOR Ayush Krishnamoorti ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Megan Riley
Monday, March 18. No School For Students
FEATURES EDITOR Madi Babine
Tuesday, March 19. Classes Resume for Students
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Olivia Marrus
Friday, March 22. Mid-marking Period Semester 2 Saturday, March 23. Festival of Color 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Tuesday, March 26. Culture Fest 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday, March 30. Breakfast & campus Tours
Becket Toussaint (12) smiles with a little kid from Spring Spirit
staff
Monday, March 11. First Day of Spring Break
Friday, March 29. Reunion Weekend
Brooke Ketterer (11), Caroline Peterson (12), and Emmy Stubbs (9) pose for a photo with a new friend.
FALCON
Questions or comments? We welcome your voice and feedback in the form of email, letters and guest articles. Please email student.publications@kinkaid. org or use the contact form at thefalcon.kinkaid.org.
Friday, March 1. US Musical Performance: 9 to 5 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sahar Punjwani (11) and Shreya Mehta (11) ride ferry on debate trip.
THE KINKAID
Saturday, March 30. Purple and Golden Luncheon
The Falcon welcomes comments and suggestions. We seek to publish corrections and clarifications in the subsequent issue. Please email any corrections to student.publications@kinkaid.org or megha.neelapu@kinkaid.org. Corrections in Issue 2, published Nov. 2, 2018: pg. 3: “Snapshots capture student involvement” Priscilla Mach (11) is not the not the president of the Student Leadership Diversity Board (SLDB); there is no president of officer positions on SLDB.
OPINION EDITORS Eliza Griggs & Maggie Johnston SPORTS EDITORS Sterling Elias & Jordan Jafarnia PHOTO EDITORS Sally Buck & Frankie Wimbish STAFF WRITERS Connor Blake Brady Brazda Sloan Colt Nicole Fernandez Mya Franklin Charles Garrison Lily Gunn Jordan Guy Kyla Henderson Wilson Kelsey Allison Le Vedul Palavajjhala William Scott Chris Stallings Camila Vicens Ali Yousuf ADVISER Dr. Kimetris Baltrip The Falcon is published six times a school year. Eight hundred free print copies are distributed to 613 Upper School students and 94 faculty members, and 235 copies are mailed to subscribers. The Kinkaid Falcon is a member of the CSPA and NSPA.
NEWS | March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon
Snapshots around school BY FRANKIE WIMBISH
Ms. Mary Anne Weber came from the Houston Audobon to talk to the "Birds of a Feather," and the "Forensic Files" classes during this past interim term. She spoke about owl anatomy, taking care of injured birds, and unique criminal cases involving Great Horned Owls just like Simon, the owl shown. 1
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Mr. Chip Colvin directs the choir as they take advantage of the acoustics in the Kinkaid lobby. The harmony rang through the halls as they practiced their parts to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," filling the ears of nearby classes, as faculty gathered around to listen to the practice. 2
Ameer Mustafa (12) acts uninterested as the cast of "9 to 5" works hard to get their routine down. Student actors rehearse each day, directed by Ms. Kirsten McKinney and Mr. Chip Colvin. Students Tristan Riley (9), Jennifer Sekili (12), and Megan Maclay (11) can be seen dancing. 3
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William Gordan (12) demonstates his dunking skills in a competition with Mr. Brian Burbank during the winter pep rally. Although Mr. Burbank took the competition, the crowd was surely stunned by the display of athleticism. Photos by Frankie Wimbish
Students, faculty getting set for Culture Fest BY ALI YOUSUF
Culture Fest has been a tradition at Kinkaid since 2007 and has grown over the years to become a captivating event for students and faculty of all ages to enjoy the foods and traditions of many different nations across the world. Started by Mr. Eric Emerson, debate teacher and Ms. Leslie Lovett, history teacher, who sponsored a group of students who were interested in informing the Kinkaid community through experiencing various cultures around the world. “It’s both to recognize the diverse communities within Kinkaid and... to give them an opportunity to spotlight their local foods, their community practices, and their cultural norms,” Mr. Emerson said. “It was also a chance for us to be able to bring the community together in order to be able to offer global awareness, to understand more about the world around us and the community of Houston itself.” Over the years the festival has grown. Mr. Emerson said there are now typically around 35 to 40 booths as compared to the 15 to 20 that existed when the tradition started. There was also not the same amount of entertainment and food back in 2007. Student clubs participate in Culture Fest with a booth to
complete their projects. “We have always offered clubs the opportunity to have a booth… and a lot of the booths have always been aligned with the mission of the club,” Mr. Emerson said. The time and effort required to set up and make sure culture fest runs smoothly is immense. “Behind the scenes there’s a lot of work by a lot of very motivated individuals that organize all the different booths. When you’re dealing with 40 something booths, it’s a very herculean task in terms of the number of moving parts,” Mr. Emerson said. “We have numerous committees that serve in the Culture Fest Committee that does setup and an entertainment along with a whole variety of other things.” Maintenence staff also plays an important role in planning and preparing for the afternoon. Additionally, the hundreds of people attending makes the task even harder. “Last year we guesstimated about 300 people or so were there,” Mr. Emerson said. Culture Fest is scheduled for March 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Harrison House green. The theme for the event is the Ring of Fire, selected by the Culture Fest Committee. Themes are brainstormed with the requirement to have variety, cultural and geographic diversity, and relevance to current events.
The flags of the world fly over Culture Fest, which recognizes countries reprsented in our community.
Photos courtesy of Sofia Bajwa (11)
A student tries various types of ethnic cuisine, prepared by Kinkaid club booths. Each booth, organized by one of the many Kinkaid clubs, is paired with a country in the region selected for the year. The booths then present highlights of the country's culture and most traditional foods.
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4 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
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2019 Interim Trips BY NICOLE FERNANDEZ
1. From the Great Wall to the Terracotta Warriors, the 30 students who traveled to China experienced eastern culture. Throughout their three weeks, they traveled to the cities of Beijing, Pingyao, Xi’an, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Students were given opportunities such as attending Opera shows and biking through cities. Along with tasting the food, seeing shows, and touring busy cities, the group was given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see giant pandas, which are now designated as an endangered species, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The China trip allowed the students to explore a culture completely different from the U.S.
1. CHINA
4. The students, swarmed with snow flurries, embraced all that France had to offer this Interim Term. They spent most of their time in Grenoble and the renowned Paris, as well as taking day long excursions to Vienne and Lyon. To embrace France’s history, the students took boat rides through the city, stopped to admire the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame, and visited countless museums such as the Musee De La Révolution Française. A favorite of the students was not in the hustle and bustle of the city, but up in the snowy mountains. Matthew Moseley (10) said the highlights of his trip were “on the weekends when [he] got to ski and when Charlie (10), Ryan (10), Daan (10), and I went hiking in the snow.” France was full of diverse opportunities for the students to enjoy themselves no matter what their interests.
2. FRANCE
In the jungles and oceans of Belize, students were given the unique opportunity to live as field biologists for two weeks. The students collected data on manatees, seagrass, and yellow-headed parrots to contribute to the Belizean organization Toledo Institute for Development and Education, or TIDE. TIDE will use the data to maximize their conservation and restoration efforts in these ecosystems. With the guidance of assistants to help with the research, the students were able to help make a positive impact on the wildlife of Belize. Aside from their field research, students explored this new environment by hiking through the rainforests and snorkeling between coral reefs, as well as experimenting with the native food by making their own tortillas and chocolate: “We saw some really cool fish and had a great time snorkeling,” said Lindi Ruthven (10). The students explored and protected the environment on this compelling trip.
3. BELIZE
Street performers and artists lining the streets brought life to Madrid as students admired and absorbed Spain’s rich culture. Throughout the three weeks, they traveled to Madrid, Seville, El Escorial, Grenada, Córdoba, and Toledo to learn all about Spanish culture. Spain’s complex and profound history dates all the way back to 1469. With the development of culture comes the development of their food; the students ate traditional meals, such as huevos rotos, and even learned to make tortilla de patatas and gazpacho. Along with the cooking classes, they participated in a ceramics class and a flamenco dancing class: “I loved the food and learning about the culture,” said Avery Ham (10). The host families gave our students a first hand experience of life in Spain and the cities that they call home.
4. SPAIN
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | NEWS 5
Getting to know Mr. Behr BY WILSON KELSEY
Mr. Behr gets a say in everything that goes down in the Upper School. Learn a little bit more about our fearless leader.
Education: He earned a BS in Marine Science and Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Miami.
Born: January 18, 1972 near Bolivar, Ohio. He grew up in Buffalo, NY.
Most Interesting Job: Cleaned seaslugs at the Univerity of Miami.
Favorite Part of Kinkaid: He enjoys the “student leadership and the opportunities we provide and the students embracing [them].”
Interesting Fact: He was a “crewmember at seabase alpha” (Mr. Behr chose not to elaborate).
Favorite Vacation: Taking his kids to Cape Cod.
In memory of two well-loved community members Ike McGowan Crews
Rosa Melida Hernandez
BY SARAH KATE PADON
BY AYUSH KRISHNMOORTI
Walking down the hallway last Interim Term, you could hear the words to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” blaring on the record player as Mr. Ike Crews prepared for his Music and History in the 60s and 70s class. Even though Mr. Crews was relatively young, he had an unrequited love for the music of this time period and he wanted to teach the younger generations about its greatness. He came into class every day eager to share his love for learning with students. As the Cooney Fellow, Mr. Crews’ presence was felt in each of his history classes across the Upper School last year when he eagerly shared his excitement for learning, contributed to discussions and took every opportunity to engage with and teach students. He also shared his experience with politics and his knowledge of the Middle East with students in his Interim Term class, which was Islam in the Middle East, and educated students on the religious tensions in the region and the U.S. involvement in the Middle East. Mr. Crews graduated from Davidson College and spent his days outside of the classroom in the wrestling room. His love for this sport took flight again
Each day Kinkaid students walk down the halls of the Upper and Middle School buildings, leaving remnants of foods or pieces of paper lying around. Yet no one questions how it’s all cleaned up. Rosa Hernandez was one of the forces behind the cleanup. While many people at Kinkaid may not have been familiar with Ms. Hernandez, her presence was felt each day throughout the campus. She and her cousin, Jennifer Quiroz, came to school each morning at the crack of dawn, before cars of students piled up on San Felipe. As a member of the facilities staff, she arrived earlier and left later than most. Ms. Hernandez joined the faculty in 2016, just as the Student Life building was completed. Her work ranged from team dinners in the student center to adding paper in the restrooms. “While many students may not have recognized her, the faculty truly appreciated her and her work ethic,” said Beth Crawford, head of the facilities staff. She could be seen around the school, always smiling. “She was a ray of sunshine for everyone,” Crawford said. Ms. Hernandez not only worked
Mr. Ike Crews
at Kinkaid, where he was a wrestling coach. He dove into the athletic program while he was here coaching not only the wrestling team, but also the JV boys lacrosse team and the varsity football team. “Coach Crews didn’t have a lot of experience with lacrosse, but the mentality he brought to coaching kept our team together,” said Matthew Moseley (10), a player on the JV lacrosse team last spring. Mr. Crews unfortunately passed away on Dec. 30, 2018. He was 29 years old. Mr. Crews’ presence at Kinkaid was missed this year when he returned home to Dallas to his alma mater, St. Mark’s School of Texas to teach sixth grade. His caring and fun spirit will be missed by all those he touched.
Mrs. Rosa Hernandez
throughout the Upper School but also assisted in the other areas of the school such as the Lower and Middle schools. Additionally, Ms. Hernandez was a mother of three, a 5th, 3rd and 1st grader who all go to school in Sugar Land. She drove from her house to their school and then to the Kinkaid school all before the crack of dawn. Ms. Hernandez passed away on Jan. 5 at age 30. She will be missed by her family. She is survived by her husband Miguel Garcia, her parents Victor Hernandez and Andrea Quiroz, her children Michael G., Andrea J. and Ashley D. Garcia, her siblings Victor Manuel Hernandez and Lilian Mavel Hernandez, as well as other loving family members and friends. “She was a hard worker and will be missed dearly,” Ms. Quiroz said,
6 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
Cold spirits in Sugar Land
FBISD school halts construction to memorialize bodies found on site Message from the FBISD board
BY MADI BABINE
The roar
of the cars passing by made the scene feel as if it was insignificant. The bodies that workers had covered with tarps were sprawled across the ground. They were not visible, out of view from the street. Newspapers such as the Houston Chronicle reported that storage containers are holding the remains behind the school off Highway 90, the one in Fort Bend ISD that appears to be almost halfway done. When Sugar Land, with a population of over 88,000 and over 35 schools in Fort Bend ISD, planned to open a new career and technical center, city officials hired a company to break ground for the project and an operator came across something unexpected: human remains. That happened in February 2018 and archaeologists began searching for more bodies in the area. According to a 2018 Houston Chronicle article “Historic cemetery found on construction site of Fort Bend ISD’s future technology center,” over 95 bodies had been discovered by April and FBISD was granted permission to exhume the bodies in June. The bodies were all African-American men, with the exception of one white
Photo courtesy of Marie D. De Jesús Over 95 bodies lie under tarps now in a storage container behind the FBISD facility off of Highway 90 and University Blvd.
died from diseases, malnutrition and overworking. According to a transcript of the State Convention of Colored Men of Texas in 1883, the prisoners worked until they “dropped dead in their tracks.” This is what earned the Prison’s nickname -- “Hellhole on the Brazos.” Slavery was abolished in 1865, but Texas cheated the law. The Central Unit set up a convict-leasing system, which leased out prisoners to private companies. Former plantations were then transformed into prison farms to force the convicts into labor. Reginald Moore, a guardian/ caretaker of the Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery explained how this system was “more or less slavery by a new name.” To many, this is of the past, but Mr. Moore has been searching for the bodies for nearly two decades. “These people were used, abused, neglected and taken advantage of without any rec- Mr. Kenneth Brown, ognition...I feel like it was an UH anthropology atrocity and somebody had to professor speak up for them,” Mr. Moore explained. According to a 2018 Houston Chronicle article titled “Fort Bend ISD finds historic cemetery near construction site,” Mr. Moore had pleaded with the city male, who were part of the for many years to survey the convict-leasing program at the land near the cemetery, as he beCentral Unit. The bodies date lieved bodies were lying under back to between 1878 to 1911, the ground. the Jim Crow era. The ages When FBISD broke ground of death ranged from 14 to 70 for the new facility, Mr. Moore years old. watched the construction progress, anxious for what they History of Sugar Land’s would discover. convict system “They’ve been trying to hide this history for years, and now Sugar Land, in Fort Bend we can finally hold them acCounty, is one of Texas’ most countable for the atrocities that affluent and fastest-growing happened that they didn’t want cities and home of the once fato be exposed,” commented Mr. mous Imperial Sugar Company Moore on the discovery of the and enormous sugar plantations. graves. But a century ago, the city Mr. Moore explained how also was known to many as the the discovery of the bodies “Hellhole on the Brazos.” “was just overwhelming...And In the mid 1800s, prisoners then sad at the same time, and convicts serving time in the because now [he knows] these Imperial State Prison, or Central guys are here. This really did Unit, were forced to work ruthhappen,” he said, in a 2018 lessly, and countless inmates
“[The prisons] could do pretty much as they pleased as long as they made a profit and paid the state for their lease.”
Washington Post article, “Bodies believed to be those of 95 black forced-labor prisoners from Jim Crow era unearthed in Sugar Land after one man’s quest.”
‘Human lives were not of value’ A survivor of the prison, Bill Mills, a former inmate, wrote about his time at the Imperial Farm in his 1910 book “25 Years Behind Prison Bars.” “Human lives were not of value...The guards often said the men did not cost them any money and the mules did. That’s why there was more sympathy for the mules than for the men,” Mills wrote. According to Mr. Kenneth L. Brown, professor of anthropology at the University of Houston, who advised Mr. Moore, the bodies discovered showed signs of stress and trauma: gun shots, severe whippings, beatings and malnutrition. It appears on the site as if the bodies were buried simply where people “dropped dead.” Some of the bodies were buried with tools. Mills continued to explain in his book that, “[the] whipping was not whipping with a bat... [the guard] would sit on his horse and whip the men like oxen, any place he could hit.”
owned and run by private companies: “Their only incentive was to produce sugar. The more they spent on food, better housing, medical care, etc. the less profit they made. There was little to no investigation of deaths from over work, mistreatment, lack of food, so they could do pretty much as they pleased as long as they made a profit and paid the state for their lease.”
In November 2018, a judge denied FBISD permission to relocate the remains to the Old Imperial Farm cemetery a half mile away from the burial site. “This find is very different from any other …... Families and communities are affected by this. You came here for permission (to build the school), I’m not going to give you permission,” said Judge James Shoemaker, according to a court transcript. However, a 2019 Houston Chronicle article, “Protesters rally against Fort Bend ISD’s plans to move skeletal remains of Sugar Land 95,” reported that FBISD resumed construction on the campus and has begun accepting applications and on Feb. 22, the FBISD board of trustees voted unanimously to find an alternate site for the FBISD facility to memorialize the bodies despite the construction progress made already made on the burial site. Jason Burdine, the president of the board released a press statement pertaining to the decision of relocating the facility: “Fort Bend ISD agrees that the Sugar Land 95 need to be memorialized at the site of discovery...We are hopeful and optimistic that by working together with the county these bodies can be interred so they can rest in peace.”
Not the only African-American cemetery The gruesome conditions the prisoners experienced led many anthropologists and archaeologists to believe there may be more cemeteries undiscovered in the Sugar Land area. Mr. Brown said he believes there are “at least three other similar cemeteries” that have yet to be discovered in Sugarland and the adjacent Missouri City, Texas. He described how the crimes committed by the convicts ranged from murder to jaywalking, with both receiving several years of hard labor. The true goals of the convict-leasing systems, he said, which were
The Imperial Prison Farm cemtery historial marker stands outinforming the historical significance of the cemetery. Photo by Madi Babine
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | NEWS 7
It’s not too late to get your flu shot Differing opinions on the vaccine raise doubt about its effectiveness BY ELIZA GRIGGS
50%
of the U.S. population does not get the flu vaccine
#1
prevention method
40-60% effectiveness
Many people are convinced the flu shot is the best way to prevent becoming affected by the influenza virus. However, according to a 2017 article from CNBC, more than 50 percent of the population does not get a flu shot every year, and this is primarily because many of these people believe that the near 40 percent effectiveness of the shot, a statistic from the CDC, does not justify the possible dangers of receiving the vaccine. According to the CDC, from 2017 to today, the flu vaccine has been, at best, 50 percent effective at preventing the influenza virus. In fact, the flu vaccine has never been more the 60 percent effective. In addition, FluMist, the nasal spray form of the vaccine, has proven to be much less effective than the shot; it had a shocking failure rate of 97 percent in the 2015 to 2016 flu season. Dr. James Crowe, director at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, explained that “the current vaccine varies in effectiveness year to year depending on how well matched the strain used to make the vaccine is to the virus that causes the epidemic in that year. If the match is good, the effectiveness is often quite high. If the virus that causes the outbreak is substantially different
from past strains, the vaccine matches less well and works less well.” However, In a 2014 analysis of all available research on influenza vaccines, the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that “injected influenza vaccines probably have a small protective effect against influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI),
“The current flu vaccines aren’t dangerous. Flu disease is dangerous and kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. each year.” - Dr. James Crowe as 71 people would need to be vaccinated to avoid one influenza case, and 29 would need to be vaccinated to avoid one case of ILI. Vaccination may have little or no appreciable effect on hospitalizations (low-certainty evidence) or number of working days lost.” Dr. Joseph Mercola, a New York Times best-selling author and licensed physician and
surgeon, attempts to shed light on the unpopular opinion that the minimal effectiveness of the flu vaccine does not justify the possible dangers. “While public health officials insist vaccination is the best way to prevent the seasonal flu, the evidence calls this assumption into question, and most health care professionals won’t even get the flu shot if it’s voluntary,” he wrote. The possible dangers of receiving the flu vaccine include the fact that flu vaccines possess a toxic amount of mercury as well as many other toxins. In addition, injection site infections and flu symptoms are a possibility upon receiving the vaccine. In response, Crowe argued that “typically, there are no injection site issues, but soreness or redness of the arm does occur in a minority. This isn’t ‘dangerous’ on an ‘injury.’ He also asserts that “the injected flu vaccine does not cause flu-like symptoms.” “The vaccine has some minor side effects, which aren’t not common,” Crowe added. On the other hand, Mercola argues that there are more effective ways to prevent the flu, the most significant being Vitamin D. One of the reasons flu season occurs in the winter is the lack of exposure to vitamin D, which
is found in sunlight. Mercola claimed that if one were to take 5000 units of Vitamin D a day or spend time in the sun, “the odds of obtaining the flu are virtually non-existent.” On the other hand, Crowe said that “this isn’t true. Vitamin C and D do not prevent the flu.” In conclusion, it is very difficult to navigate the decision of whether or not to get a flu vaccine when there are competing “facts” from both sides of the argument. It is almost impossible to know which “facts” are real and correct, because flu vaccine companies can be biased and so can anti-flu vaccine advocates. However, most physicians strongly encourage everyone to get the vaccine, and so does Kinkaid. According to an update in the Falcon Flyer from the Kinkaid Health Center, “We have seen a slight increase in the number of cases of the flu, but it is still a low percentage of our student population.” Nevertheless, the health center encourages Kinkaid families to consider getting a flu vaccine. They also encourage students to vigilantly wash their hands and to “please remember students with a fever must stay home and be fever free without the use of medicine Tylenol/Advil for at least 24 hours.”
Shutdown causes shortage of workers
Students experience travel delays during interim BY SALLY BUCK With this winter’s shutdown marking the ninth government shutdown in U.S. history and the second in the past two years, for many Americans, it was no more than another news story. And while hundreds of thousands of federal employees worked through the shutdown without pay, anyone who interacted with government services, including the everyday traveler, found themselves experiencing delays and a shortage of resources. One student, Eliza Lawrence (11), saw the effects of the shutdown firsthand while flying out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport this interim term. “I got a text the night before my flight saying since there weren’t enough TSA agents they had closed the terminal
and we needed to arrive earlier to avoid long lines in security,” she said. “Thankfully, it wasn’t crowded that day, so we didn’t have to wait very long.” While Lawrence was able to evade airport traffic, many travelers from across the country reported longer security lines and wait times. Adelaide Randall (11) and her mother also noticed a significant absence of TSA agents while on vacation during interim. “There were only a couple TSA agents working the security checkpoint, while there usually are a ton,” Randall said. “It was definitely noticeable.” Because only the Air Traffic Control and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) were deemed “essential” during the shutdown, other branches dedicated to regulating airline security were furloughed. One of these branches was the safety inspectors for the Federal Aviation Associated (FAA), in charge of
inspecting repairs and accidentents. Instead of reviewing each plane repair, FAA employees could only focus their resources when a repair or accident was deemed extremely dangerous and “high risk.” Despite being called in, thousands of TSA agents and Air Traffic Control workers around the country called in sick. “Even before the shutdown, controllers have needed to work longer and harder to make up for the staffing shortfall,” said Raul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). In his press statement, Rinald described the shutdown as making, “a bad situation worse,” in terms of staffing the Air Traffic Control industry. While there’s little government employees can actively do during a shutdown, groups like NATCA and the National Treasury
Employees Union (NTEU) have criticized the government for its treatment of federal employees, which they said is not only unfair but unethical. The largest federal employees union, the American Federation of Government Employees, went so far as to file a lawsuit against the government on account of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. With pushes from employee organizations and the looming end of finances, Congress opted to end the shutdown on Feb.
14, and President Donald Trump signed the deal later that day. With the deal came the return of hundreds of TSA agents and the reopening of several terminals that temporarily closed.
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ARTS & CULTURE 9
Cookies with Caroline
Senior, Caroline Moseley, shares some of her favorite cookie recipes BY SARAH KATE PADON
Copy Cat Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies Directions:
Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 410º F. Whip the cold butter for 5 minutes until it is fluffy and then whip the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then, add vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. Form the cookies into large balls and place on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment. Chill the dough balls in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then, bake for 10-13 minutes. When they are done baking, let them rest for at least 10 minutes to set.
- 1 cup cold salted butter - 1 cup dark brown sugar - 1/2 cup white sugar - 2 eggs - 1 1/2 cups cake flour - 3/4 tsp baking soda - 1 tsp cornstarch - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1 tsp salt - 1 cup dark chocolate chunks - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Aside from being a strong academic student and an active member in the Thespians group at Kinkaid, Caroline Moseley (12) spends her spare time baking. She is well known in the Upper School as a talented baker who whips up everything from macarons, croissants, brownies, and cakes, but her go-to baked goods are delicious cookies. Here are a couple of her favorite recipes.
Scrumptious Snickerdoodles Directions:
Ingredients:
Beat the butter and sugars together for 4 minutes. Add in one whole egg and one egg yolk and the vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Do not overmix. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325º F. Remove the dough from the oven and roll it into uniform balls. Make the balls tall. Then stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Rolls the dough balls generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake on a sheet lined with parchment or a silpat for 9-11 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool before enjoying.
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (80 percent melted) - 2/3 cup white sugar - 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed - 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk - 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract - 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour - 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar - 1/2 teaspon salt - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 3/4 teaasoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Coating - 1/4 cup of white sugar - 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Photos by Sarah Kate Padon.
Photo by Whole Foods Market
Photo by Houston Dairymaids
MANCHEGO If you are looking for a cheese that pairs well with bread, crackers, or other cheeses, Manchego is the answer. Whether the Whole Foods cheese is aged for three months or three years, the hard and solid texture of the cheese makes it an essential element of any cheese party. The unique taste of this Spanish cheese is somewhat ordinary. Rating:
7/10
T
H
E
CHEESE GUIDE BY AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI AND CAMILA VICENS
A panel of four Kinkaid students tried out cheeses from all over Houston’s local and chain cheese shops to bring you a new perspective on this tasty snack. Take a look at the panelists’ favorite four cheeses, and the different textures and tastes of each one.
TRUFFLE TREMOR
BLUE CHEESE From Houston Dairymaids, the Buttermilk Blue is a classic for anything from salads to crackers. The strong and pungent taste is an acquired one. If you like Blue Cheese, though, this cheese is for you. Rating:
6/10
The truffle cheese from Whole Foods was a crumbly cheese that looked like a brie. The cheese was creamy in taste, with it almost melting in the mouth. If you are a fan of truffles, this cheese is just for you. Rating:
8/10
ston
MIETTE
One of the best cheeses any of the panelists have ever tasted, the Miette was a mix of strong flavors and brilliant texture, that paired excellently with honey. The popular equivalent of this cheese is brie; however, the Miette is made locally and offers a more creamy texture. This one ranks as one of our favorite, and more adventurous cheeses. Rating:
10/10
Photo by Whole Foods Market
Hou o by Phot
s
maid
Dairy
OPINION
10 | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019 PART 1 OF 3
“He was beaten by two girls and he didn’t like it.” The first part in a three-part series on sexism in debate
BY MEGHA NEELAPU On Jeff Hannan’s blog, which saves many sexist ballots that debaters receive, a critique from a judge to the male debaters reads: “Very good, strong, forceful but clear speaking.” On the other side of the ballot, the same judge writes for the female debaters: “Monitor your emotions in response to your opponent” and “make sure you are not too overly aggressive.” This is just the tip of the iceberg of the sexism that is pervasive in the high school debate community. Female debaters can face a wide range of sexist behaviors, from being excluded from male prep circles, to being criticized for their physical characteristics, to suffering an environment of rampant bullying and even sexual harassment. The effects of sexism can be seen in the statistics of tournament success. Already going into Public Forum debate—as well as Lincoln-Douglas and Policy debate—female
debaters are underrepresented. According to a 2018 study by the NSDA and the Laurel Center for Research on Girls that looked at a total of 4,000 participants, female debaters makeup around 42 percent of the pool in Public Forum debate. And the more competitive the rounds become, the less female debaters there are: among the quarterfinalists at elimination tournaments, the number drops to 24 percent, and for finalists, it’s 6 percent. Another study by Allen Abbott, a former nationally competitive Public Forum
Female debaters can face a wide range of sexist behaviors, from being excluded from male prep circles, to being criticized for their physical characteristics, to suffering an environment of rampant bullying and even sexual harassment.
debater, compared the results of male-male partner teams to male-female and female-female teams. Though the methodology was somewhat flawed—as Abbott admits—the results of the study are still telling: male-male teams had about 16 percent more wins than male-female teams and 38 percent more wins than female-female teams. These gaps clearly shows that female debaters are disadvantaged in the debate space. Anna Waters, former high school debater and coach, wrote an article in the Washington Post when she was a junior at Northwestern University and exposed the similarities between the sexism high school debaters and Hillary Clinton experienced, showing how structural challenges in debate make it harder for women to succeed. As she explained, a big part of debate is about persuasion, and preconceived notions about gender differences can affect who is perceived as more persuasive. “Persuasion is just about how you feel. And when there are those types of nebulous feelings, it’s much harder for you to extrapolate your feelings from them,” she said. “Lots of studies will show that men—and people in general, even women—are
less likely to be persuaded by women. They think that they are less smart, they think all sorts of negative things about them just because they are women, just because that’s the way we’re raised to understand women as leaders or arguers.” Waters’ personal experiences with sexism when she was a high school debater clearly shows these structural challenges. She described deepening her voice to sound more persuasive, feeling excluded from male prep circles, and even experienced one incident where a male opponent screamed profanities at their judge and subsequently said derogatory things about her because, as she put it, “he was beaten by two girls and he didn’t like it.” Although much of the evidence of the sexism female debaters endure is anecdotal, physical evidence of sexism can be seen in judges’ ballots, and Hannan’s “badballotblog” records many these incidents. “We do not go to a [local] tournament where we do not get at least one ballot back with something that’s troubling for our students,” said Hannan, who is also the coach for the Evanston Township High School Speech and Debate team. “We were just frustrated that there was no mechanism to be like ‘hey, stop doing this!’” But the sexism that exists in debate isn’t exclusive to it—just amplified by the structure of debate. “I think what struck me the most is how many times I kept hearing the same stories but in different states and with different people,” Waters said about the female debaters she spoke to for her article. “There really wasn’t very much variation as far as the experiences of women in debate. Sexism really does exist everywhere.”
Many female debaters frequently receive comments about their appearance unrelated to their debate prowess, such as this comment from a judge on the debater’s ballot.
6 Percentage of finalists who are female in Public Forum debate
1 2 The total ratio of boys to girls in speech and debate
38 Male-male teams are 38 percent more likely than female-female teams to win rounds at national tournaments
12 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
FACING THE MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: no interest in things you used to enjoy; feeling sad, worthless, or empty; trouble thinking, remembering things, or focusing on what you're doing; insomnia or excess sleeping; crying easily or crying for no reason Please contact these resources: Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001, NAMI HelpLine 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 13
Teenage distress has become a national crisis BY MYA FRANKLIN “Being an actress” hid the struggles a Kinkaid student was facing behind the scenes. The student, a young woman who has asked to remain anonymous, was a social butterfly, flourishing in the Visual and Performing Arts program and thriving in her honors classes. But behind closed doors, however, she was struggling to juggle her social and academic life at a rigorous school like Kinkaid. When she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), everything fell apart. MDD is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness. It can impair one’s behavior, sleeping and eating patterns, academic performance and relationships. For this Kinkaid student, MDD manifested into intense feelings of guilt that turned into a vicious, self-destructive cycle. “[Depression] is not really something you can snap out of,” she said. “It’s almost like having the flu in your head.” The end of her freshman year abruptly turned into a dark cloud. She isolated herself and refused assistance from friends, teachers and loved ones. She was a shadow of herself; she attended school and completed her homework, yet she felt empty inside and numb to the world. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” she said. “I needed help. Something was seriously wrong.” Experiences like hers, mental health experts say, are on the rise among adolescents in America. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of youth diagnosed with clinical depression has steadily risen. Just last year, the amount of adolescents who have experienced a major depressive episode (MDE) have increased from 11.93 to 12.63 percent. “It is more than just this school—it is a problem in America,” said Dr. Jay Glynn, Middle School counseling psychologist. According to Mentalhealth.gov, mental health includes social, emotional and psychological well being, or, in other words, how people feel, think and act. Positive mental health can increase productivity and alleviate stress in life, but for someone with a mental health problem, just getting out of bed can seem impossible. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), almost 20 percent of all teens under 18 have or will have a serious mental illness. NIH also reports that an estimated 3.1 million adolescents from age 12 to 17 in the U.S. States had at least one major depressive episode with severe psychological impairment in 2016. That number represents 12.8 percent of the U.S. population. Today’s teens are often viewed as more overwhelmed and fragile than previous generations when they were growing up during adolescence. Sometimes they have a reputation of being spoiled and coddled, or there is an opinion that their mental health issues are only typical teen emotions. However, the anonymous student said, this was not a case of moodiness. “It was something that I really didn't think was a big thing at the time and it really did start affecting me,” she said. “You can't get up, you can't do anything, you don't want to be the person you usually are. It is the worst,” she said. The mental health crisis that affects all teenage demographics poses a question: Why are so many of teenagers suffering? Dr. Laura Lomax-Bream, Upper School couseling psychologist, said increases in technology use, societal expectations around social media, lack of sleep, and the double-edged sword of perfectionism are the biggest drivers of the growing mental illness epidemic among today’s teens, especially among young women. Social media plays a large role in girls’ susceptibility to mental health disorders, Dr. Lomax-Bream said. Distorted images of someone’s life can culmi-
nate into never-ending societal pressures to interact socially in a certain way. Although mental health disorders are prevalent in both genders, especially during adolescence, girls become more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. According to Child Mind Institute, by mid-adolescence, teenage girls are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder as boys. According to the Child Mind Institute, girls mature faster than boys in regard to emotional intelligence and recognition. That sensitivity makes them more susceptible to depression and anxiety. In this generation, where devices are at teenagers’ fingertips, technology has become a central component of daily life. Teenagers scroll through social media as they explore and try to understand the world largely through screens. Although technology has opened countless doors for exploration and entertainment, it could be doing irrevocable psychological harm. There is a link between mental toxicity and screen time, reports Common Sense Media, which states that teens spend around nine hours a day on devices. Around 2012, the increase in the amount of time teenagers spent on devices was directly linked to surges in depression and anxiety. According to Jean M. Twenge, psychologist and author of “iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us,” teens who spend more time online are more likely to have one major depressive episode, a period with depression symptoms such as lethargy. The numbers only paint an even grimmer picture. According to Twenge, nearly half of teens who said they spend five or more hours on a device (like a smartphone or a laptop) a day have grappled with dark thoughts at least once—compared to just 28
The mental health crisis that affects all teenage demographics poses a question: Why are so many of teenagers suffering? percent that spend less than five hours on a technological device each day. So, maybe, parents concerned about about their children’s screen time have valid reasons. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2016, nearly 1 in 5 Americans live with a mental health disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health, published by the American Mental Health Association estimates that 46.4 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at one point in their life. If mental health disorders affect a sizable amount of the population, why is there still a debilitating stigma surrounding mental health and asking for help? Many teens with a mental health disorder feel
guilt or shame and that exacerbates this vicious cycle. For some, asking for help could suggest a sign of weakness, so many adolescents suffer in silence. The nature of high school that urges students to continue to prove themselves can make the process of “getting off the racetrack” unforgiving and scary, said Dr. Lomax-Bream, who added that a high school environment can heighten the feeling of “I’m stuck on the track and I can’t get off.” When teens feel ashamed and feel like they cannot reach out for help, they can mask their feelings with a facade of happiness. They go to school and attempt to complete their normal routine, all while struggling to maintain a sense of emotional normalcy inside. The anonymous student said she hid her depression symptoms. “Smiling depression is more common at Kinkaid than people think,” she said. “The worse it gets, the more of a face [students] put on. It wears your body out. I used to get better and better at being an actress,” she said. Another young woman, who asked to remain anonymous, has personal experiences with the repercussions of societal stigma of mental health. She has dealt with mental health issues from a young age and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD, at age 14 and generalized anxiety disorder at age 6. She said she has internalized society’s perceptions of people with mental health disorders. People labeled her as “complicated” and “always depressed” and eventually, she believed them. She sequestered herself from the people she loved and lived in perpetual fear of being labeled “the basketcase” of Kinkaid, she said. She felt guilty for having a mental health disorder; she believed she was the problem. “[It] made me feel crazy, I felt like I was insane,” she said. Stereotypically, people with mental health disorders have been labeled as “weak,” “lazy” or even “insane.” According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, people with mental health issues can face consequences such as discrimination at school or work, difficulty seeking jobs, alienation from those they love, and even violence. To escape her sadness, the anonymous student said she found catharsis in school. By thrusting herself into her academics, her personal life seemed to disappear, if only for a moment. She said school was the only thing that kept her sane. There is no doubt that society has become more aware of mental health disorders in recent years. The general audience is grasping the commonality of mental health disorders among all age demographics, especially teenage youth and how important it is to prioritize mental well being. One Kinkaid student, who also wished to remain anonymous, has struggled with mental health issues and learned to balance his education and his mental well being. “While my education is definitely important, my mental health is more important,” he said. As a country, Americans have become aware of the gravity of mental health with the creation of Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949. Mental Health Awareness Month, which is in May, was created to educate the public about the realities and lives of people who live with mental health disorders. It attempts to provide the public with strategies to manage these disorders and strives to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. With Wellness Week and clubs like Psychology Club and Wellbeing Club, Kinkaid is doing its part to eradicate the stigma and spread awareness about the importance of mental health education. Dr. Lomax-Bream said she believes eliminating the stigma starts with having conversations. “I do think it helps when people speak up and talk about their experiences,” she said. “When celebrities or students that people look up to say yeah that happened to me, too, and I overcame [it] and I turned out OK. I graduated and lived a good life.”
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | OPINION 11
The Split: Hot vs. Cold for Spring Break BY ALI YOUSUF
A
fter a strenuous third quarter all students want to do on spring break is chill out and have a nice relaxing week with their family. What better way to wind down over spring break than to hit the beach. From the calm, pristine, bright blue waters of the Caribbean, to the darker blue water on the Atlantic or Pacific coasts of the U.S, there are many ways to have variety in a spring break beach vacation. Beaches provide the perfect mix of fun and relaxation as you can relax on the nice, soft sand with a chair or a towel just feeling the gentle ocean breeze and the warm rays of the sun. If you decide to go to the West Coast on the the Pacific, there are the great cities of San Diego and L.A. with plenty of other recreational opportunities. Not only are beach vacations fun and variant, they are also simple. There is no need to plan in depth like you would have to on a ski vacation, with equipment rentals or lugging around gear. There is no need to worry about the unpredictability the snow or if the slopes will be too crowded or if you lose your pole or skis. All a beach vacation requires is some simple packing and a great attitude. Another huge benefit is the cost. According to TripAdvisor, an average night at The Royal Hotel at wAtlantis for a night is $423 whereas an average night at a resort in Vail, Colorado is
$675, which does not include the cost of gear rental and lift tickets. If you decide to not go the beach route, there are many other alternatives that include white water rafting, fishing, spending a week at a lake, or even a staycation poolside. Great places for white water rafting include Buena Vista, Colorado, Hartford, Tennessee, or Bryson City, North Carolina. White water rafting provides the rush of adrenaline and thrill adventure seekers are looking for, while having a small boat out on the lake with your fishing gear would be a nice way to wind down and just relax. Some great fishing spots across the country are Innoko River in Alaska, or Cedar Key, Florida, or down in the Bahamas. Some fishing places in Texas are Baffin Bay and Corpus Christi, or you could go off the coast of Louisiana.
There’s also nothing wrong with enjoying spring break in the comfort of your own home with your friends, your television, and possibly just chilling next to your pool.
BY CONNOR BLAKE
S
pring break is always a welcome rest from the whirlwind of school and there are many destinations from which to choose that are known for their ambiance or climate. From Maine to Washington, spring break is a perfect time to visit some of the nation’s regions that still have snow on the ground. Whether simply craving one last chilly escape before summer arrives or desiring an exciting experience on the slopes, spring break in the colder regions can offer a snowy climate for a relaxing vacation. If you want to visit a colder climate while there is still snow on the ground but without bone chilling temperatures and depressing gray skies, spring break is the perfect time. For snow sports, such as skiing, March is the best time to hit the slopes because of heavy snowfall in Colorado and Utah where there are many sunny days and weather that is unbeatable for a sport so dependent on cold conditions. If skiing is not necessarily your thing or you just want to relax at the base, there are many events offered during spring break as well. Because many people flock to the slopes during spring break, resorts often host music festivals and events. These include the Hi-Fi Concert Series held in Aspen and the Park City Concert Series in Utah. Many people rush to the mountains for spring break, but
larger resorts like Vail have the uphill capacity to transport over 54,000 people up the mountain each hour to alleviate lift lines. Parks and areas in colder climates are often less crowded and rambunctious than popular beaches. Beaches at spring break can be overrun with college students and can get hectic, especially if you just want to relax outside and enjoy the weather without screaming children and wild partiers. Sitting around a fire on a chilly night is much more laid back than the partying antics of Florida or the Caribbean. Spring break is one of our longest breaks from school, so it is a great time to travel somewhere that cannot be reached on a weekend trip. Houston begins to heat up during the month of March, so you might have to travel a little further to reach truly cold temperatures, but it is one of the only opportunities to do so. If given the option, why go to a place so similar to Houston’s climate and geography? Galveston may not be the greatest beach, but mountains are a complete change of setting from Houston. Plus, traveling to a cool and dry area can be a great last escape before Houston’s muggy and humid summer rolls around.
Letter from the editor
Just last week, I stumbled across an article in The New York Times that opened with the sentence, “The age of climate panic is here.” This caught my attention for two reasons: one, I was already aware of this urgency and was surprised that such a mundane hook was being used. Two, I was stunned by how many people are not aware of this, as made clear by the article. As I read, I realized the article wasn’t a statement of fact or a release of some final set of data; it was an invocation to the American public, and to the world, to recognize, for once and for all, the severity of our situation—before it’s too late. In a national survey taken just this past December, only 73 percent of Americans said they believe global warming is happening. To be quite honest, this is absolutely absurd because
climate change is not based on an opinion. I have encountered a number of people at Kinkaid and beyond who believe climate change is not currently affecting us. The first response I have to this is assertion is, sure, the term “global warming” is misleading. The globe’s temperature is rising at rates faster than ever, the dominant cause being human activities (2017 release of “Global Warming of 1.5ºC” from the International Panel on Climate Change). This, however, is having more effects on our civilizations than just “warming.” Take Chicago this year, for example. I myself even questioned the notion of climate change after I was told that global temperature has risen 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (which as actually extreme but space is too short to convince you), yet at the same time, Chicago was plummeting to the coldest temperatures it has ever seen. It turns out, however, that as temperatures rose in Alaska and pushed the jetstream north, Arctic jetstreams were forced down into the U.S. Donald Trump’s tweet, in response to the horrors of the situation in Chicago, said “What the hell is going on with Global Warming? Please come back fast, we need you!” This is a prime example of how misleading the term “Global Warming” is and how fake news can easily
sway the bias of the public. You see, it’s easy to discard empirical news due to cognitive dissonance, and this extends beyond the topic of climate change. It’s hard to picture a world 30 years from now suffering mass migration from Bangladesh due to rising sea-levels or entire metropolises in California consumed by raging fires, so it’s easier to believe that it’s not true–or better yet, that it’s not important. I am not suggesting that people who do not believe in climate change are uneducated or gullible. I am, however, encouraging you to see past the cognitive dissonance you face and actually do your own research on the subject. Do more than this, in fact. Talk with professionals and friends, argue with them, get really, really mad about it. And after that, if anyone else still has concerns about the validity of the arguments for global warming, please, coffee’s on me. Sincerely, Emma Stout
Got Opinions?
Write for The Falcon. Email maggie.johnston@kinkaid.org, eliza.griggs@kinkaid.org or student.publications@kinkaid.org.
Got Art?
Submit it to our website.
Email emma.stout@kinkaid.org or student. publications@kinkaid.org to have your media, print, visual, or film art uploaded to our website.
FEATURES
14 The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
Not your average high school couples
Teachers changing the meaning of ‘high school sweethearts’ BY MADI BABINE
Most adults come home every day to see their spouse and catch up on the day’s news, but for some Kinkaid teachers, they encounter each other in the school hallways during the day. Here are just some of the faculty/staff couples in the Upper School.
s n o s r e d n The A
eyes Anderson laid y la C r. D e m The first ti Johns Hopderson in the n A ri au L . rs tell his on M shed home to ru e h e, or st k [he is] kins boo saw the woman st ju e] h “[ e found roommat dersons have n A e h T .” ry going to mar kaid. Being working at Kin h ot b es lv se ns still them s, the Anderso ar ye .5 19 r fo Johns married al moments at ic m co r ei th reminisce of ould r. Anderson w D en h w s in k Hop ork ht doing homew stay up all nig eep on erson would sl and Mrs. And keep pillow just to a h it w s le b ta the him company.
The Durnings
Dr. Patrick Durning an d Mrs. Bets found them y Durning selves both w orking for S Boarding S t. George’s chool, and n ow Kinkaid graduate sc after attend hool at Brow ing nU ings have ha d two childre niversity. The Durnn who atten Margaret, c ded Kinkaid lass of ‘17, a , n d cially nice to Henry (11): “It is espeall be on the sa of the same community,” me schedule and part Mrs. Durnin 23 years of g said. After marriage, sh e is still nost her husban algic about d’s proposa l: “Patrick su we visit Cad ggested illac Mounta in…. it seem we were the ed like only ones th ere.”
s t r e b m a L e Th
ert met r. Scott Lamb M d an t er a b took them over Mrs. Kate Lam it d an d ai k in at K to take the while teaching e they decided or ef b ip sh d n “[their] year of frie ar as friends, ye r ei th g n ri u and leap to date. D eet love notes sw ] em h [t e av le in actuality students would other’” (when ch ea y b ed n r. Lambert poems ‘sig them). But M en tt ri w ad h ] sevthe students ging “into [her ar b y b al ci fi er] of n in front of [h finally made it ow d g] n li ee n ass, [k brought them enth period cl g],” which has in os p ro [p d students an age. years of marri 22 wonderful
The Johnsons
Married for 14 years, Dr. Tara McDo son and Mr. nald-JohnJason John so n school at W inthrop Univ met in graduate ersity. They the same offi worked in ce, advising undergradu love workin ates. They g at the sam e place: “W common, in e have a lot cluding the in love of teach wonderful to ing, and it’s collaborate and suppor on a daily b t one anothe asis,” expla r ined Dr. Mc son. They a D onald-John dvise that “ m u tual respect other is key ... even thou for one angh Tara tea she really en ches English joys science , . While Jaso biology, he n teaches really enjoy s literature.”
4 days and 48 miles
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 15
Senior, Avery Looser, completes Disney World’s Dopey Challenge over Interim Term BY JORDAN JAFARNIA It is no surprise to anyone at school that senior Avery Looser loves Disney. Her family has visited Disney Parks multiple times a year since she was two years-old, and there is not a moment she can remember when she did not love it. Avery’s first stuffed animal was Dopey, a dwarf from Snow White. When she was in the 8th grade, she and her mother intensified their park experiences by signing up for different races within the parks, starting with a 5K. The next year, they completed a half marathon. So this past January, when Avery and her mother came across the Dopey Challenge at Disney, which entails a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and a full marathon, they were inclined to sign up. Although they train in Houston, they enjoy racing in the Disney parks, surrounded by their favorite characters, castles and carousels. After running several races at Disney, Avery and her mom discovered Disney hosted challenges that consist of multiple runs in different locations. The first challenge they completed was the Coast to Coast Race Challenge: a half marathon in Disney World and a half marathon in Disneyland. The next year they completed the Rebel Challenge at Disney World, which entails a 10K and a half marathon the next day; however, Looser and her mom
had their eyes on the Dopey Challenge and waited until Avery turned 18, so she could qualify. Ever since they started running together, Avery and her mom have been building up to running a full marathon together. “I had always dreamed of running a marathon before I turned 40. Well, 40 came and went so I just let it go. Through Avery’s love of all things Disney, we started doing Disney runs five years ago. She asked me if we could do The Dopey Challenge when she turned 18, which obviously included a marathon,” said Beth Looser, Avery’s mother. “I would’ve never done this without her, and I am so thankful that she wanted to do it. I’m so proud of what we have accomplished, and I am so thankful for this mother-daughter memory.” For each morning of the race, they awoke at 2:30 a.m. for the 6 a.m. races. It took a while to line up and get to the start of the race, so they had to leave hours of time in their schedule for preparation. Before and after each race, Avery and her mom took a video of themselves crossing the start and finish lines. Throughout the races, they would talk to each other the whole time: they never run with music, because according to Avery, they have some of their best conversations when they are running together. The most anticipated race
within the challenge was the full marathon, as it had always been a dream of theirs to complete together. For that marathon, Avery and her mother ran through all four parks at Disney World. After a tough 5 hours and 50 minutes, they turned the final corner and started sprinting to the finish line. Once they crossed it, Avery immediate- Avery (right) and her mom crossing the finish line for the full marathon. Avery ly looked over at dressed as Dopey and her mom dressed as Snow White. her mother in that surreal moment. She said her sister and father Although they accomplished Avery said she could not supported her in all ways behind their goal, Avery and her mother have done it without her family. are not stopping and have plans Throughout the training process the scenes. Aside from running the 5K with them, they would to continue their running career. and all four races, she said her wake up with them at 2:30, Because Avery will be attending mother was like her coach, making sure they had everyNew York University next fall, ensuring that Avery stayed on thing they needed for their race, Avery and her mom are already top of training and completed and gave them a present with a signed up for the New York at least two long runs a week. handwritten note. They cheered Marathon. She also helped Avery maintain on Avery and her mother in evStill, she is not completely a healthy diet and drink a lot of ery race with their Dopey Chalready to say goodbye to her water. lenge tracker poster, and every Disney runs, as she has her eye “She has been such a big night, Avery’s sister would roll on one more challenge called inspiration for me because I and stretch out their legs. the Castle to Chateau Challenge, do love running, but I never “I saw how hard they had to consisting of a half marathon in thought I would run races. She work and how dedicated they Disneyland or Disney World, has been a really big role model had to be leading up to the race. then a half marathon in Disneyfor me to never give up on your I wanted to do anything I could land in Paris within six months. dreams and make things happen to help them fulfill their dream She is also not opposed to runthat you wish you could do and and earn that Dopey medal,” ning another Dopey Challenge, never let anything stop you said Brock Looser, Avery’s claiming she felt a little “post from doing that,” Avery said. sister. marathon depression.”
New puppy spreads kindness in children’s book BY BRADY BRAZDA
Pictured above: Photo from the book “Jesse Unleashed,” which was Illustrated by Bill Meganhardt
At the beginning of every year as her sole New Year’s resolution, my Mom, Amy Brazda, a former HISD award-winning creative writing teacher, embarks on her mission to complete a children’s book. She has said for a while now that everyone told her she should write a book. One day, my mother, Halle, and I were on our way to the small town of Willis, Texas, a little bit farther than Bush intercontentaional airport, to pick up our new chocolate lab puppy. We got him last March as an empty nester gift for when I left. Her new task, rather than raising kids, would be to raise a new puppy. And so began, “Jesse Unleased.” After all of those years, her resolutions and others’ suggesting that she writes, it took her less than four months to knock out 32 pages, a standard length for a children’s picture book, of poetry stanzas about Jesse. The story is told from my dog’s point of view. The main goal of the book is overcoming fears and friendship. “As a teacher myself, I know how important it is for teachers to have fun reading aloud, but to always have students apply what they have learned after they have been read to and verbalise or write down their feelings,” my Mom said.
Themes included are Jesse’s move from the country to the city where he faces many brand new tasks and adventures, meeting people of all backgrounds, and being a dedicated pet and new friend. He does good deeds and spreads kindness wherever he goes. Along with these positive messages, students are able to find symbols of Texas throughout the book. The hand-sketched and watercolor illustrations are by illustrator, Bill Megenhardt. A local artist and kids art instructor at City Artworks, which is close to Kinkaid, Meganhardt has illustrated over 30 children’s books. “I met Bill when I was watching him present his work to a group of kids along with the author of the book. I told him if I ever got around to writing a book I wanted him to be the illustrator!” my Mom said. After she finished the text back in July, she contacted him, and they started working together weekly. First, he sketched the entire book and they came up with what they wanted on each page. He began to watercolor the pages and they continued to meet. “There is so much to do, nobody realizes the work involved. Like any major project, it takes tons of time to get everything right and complete the way you want so it turns out the way you expect,” Mom said. Other tasks included obtaining an ISBN number, which enables the book to be registered
in The Library of Congress, and purchasing a barcode for the back so that it could be sold. She has had to work on fonts, page breaks, editing, and all while working with the company that is printing the book. Mom was hoping for a release back in the fall for the school book fair, but it just wasn’t ready. She will for sure be at next year’s fair, and already has lined up tons of book signings at pet stores, libraries, schools, Texas Children’s Hospital, festivals and special events in the city. “I can’t wait to meet families out in the community and have “paw-ties” at which hopefully Jesse will be the main star if he is trained enough,” she said. She is especially thrilled to donate some proceeds to Kinkaid and the Alzheimer’s Association on behalf of her father who recently died from the disease. Her book is about to go to print within the next two weeks and is set for release in late spring. It will be sold on Amazon, in many local bookstores, and specialty toy and gift stores such as Berings. After it is printed it must go through a three-month overview for it to be sold at Barnes and Noble, but hopefully, it will meet or exceed the Barnes and Noble criteria. Any questions, comments, or for you to be placed on a preorder list please email my mom, at hallebrady2003@yahoo. com.
ARTS & CULTURE
8 The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
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Spots around town
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Photos by Madi Babine & Sally Buck
Some of the best places Houston has to offer BY MADI BABINE & SALLY BUCK As winter comes to an end and the temperatures begin to rise, it is hard to resist the lure of the beautiful outdoors. Home to several parks and public art installations, Houston is a hub for outdoor activity. Areas designated for public leisure attract thousands of visitors every year and each are unique in their own way. Some offer breathtaking views, gardens filled with hudreds of plants native to the Houston area and spaces for artists to share their enchanting work with the public. Although all of Houston’s attractions are definitely worth a visit, after searching for the perfect spring hangout, here are our top four picks:
1
James Turrell Light Exhibit
Hours 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesdays) Great for Watching the sunrise or sunset with friends or a date. The light is typically white, however, during sunset it displays vivid blues, purples and oranges. Price Free, no tickets needed Location Rice University campus
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The Orange Show
Hours Fall/Spring schedules are Saturdays and Sundays, 12-5 p.m. and summer schedule is Wednesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
3
McGovern Centennial Gardens
Hours Summer: 9 a.m. -8 p.m. Fall: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Winter: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Spring: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Exploring the architectural maze of walkways and exhibits decorated colorfully with mosaics.
Great for Having a picnic on the lawn, strolling around the gardens and walking your dogs.
Price Tickets are $5 each.
Price Free, no tickets needed
Location 2402 Munger Street Houston, TX 77023
Location 1500 Hermann Drive Houston, TX 77004
Great for
4
Smither Park
Hours Open all day
Great for Leisure activities, walking around the park, and for ceremonies! Price Free, no tickets needed
Location 2441 Munger Street Houston, TX 77023
16 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
A different type of deployment
Ramey’s career leads him from coast to classroom BY MAGGIE JOHNSTON
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Category 3 storm with 100 to 120 mph winds was about to hit land off the coast of New Orleans in August 2005. The news filled broadcast stations and struck fear in Gulf Coast residents. Homeowners bought necessities, boarded windows and packed their valuables. Conversely, first responders were forced to leave everything behind and follow the directions given to them by the the Coast Guard’s chain of command. For Mr. Josh Ramey, Upper School Dean of Students and history teacher, the news meant leaving behind his pregnant wife to follow deployment orders. Orders were orders. Mr. Ramey knew he had to comply with them, yet separating from his wife during a catastrophic event was the hardest part of the job. “Who is taking care of my wife? What will happen to my house?” he wondered, as he boarded a vessel headed from Pascagoula, Mississippi. The length of Mr. Ramey’s deployment was unknown, the destination ambiguous. He was laden with fear about what would happen to his wife and family who were left to deal with the natural disaster without him.
before completing the program. But not Mr. Ramey. He persevered and graduated in 1997. His four years at the Coast Guard were a lesson in humility:
“If you work hard, you can persevere no matter how challenging the situations are.” - Mr. Josh Ramey
In 1999, Josh Ramey and the men apart of LEDET, the US Counter Narcotics Team, were serving off the coast of Cartagena, Columbia. Ramey was the Officer in Charge on board the USS Thomas S. Gates serving deployment orders of three months overseas. Ramey continued to serve three month deployements as the OIC leading. Photo courtesy of Josh Ramey
active duty to getting a master’s in history from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Working a full-time job, coupled with caring for a newborn baby and attending classes for his master’s degree took discipline and stamina, something Ramey His journey to the had illustrated in the military. Coast Guard Once he earned his master’s degree, he began teaching night rowing up as a child of classes in world civilizations at the Cold War and son of the same university from which a Coast Guard retiree, Mr. Rahe graduated. mey’s dream was to be accepted Then, he worked into a military academy. Due to as a substitute the influence of an older friend Spanish teacher, who had attended a summer a night school program with the Coast Guard, history teacher, he narrowed his scope to serve and a permanent in the Coast Guard. This goal Spanish I and II soon became a reality. teacher at MoThe Coast Guard was the anbile’s St. Luke’s tithesis of anything Mr. Ramey Episcopal School. had ever known. After several As a student, he was used years of teachto being at the top of his ing, Mr. Ramey class, succeeding in all he had applied for a dean pursued; however, at the Coast position at St. Guard Academy, he struggled Luke’s. and faced hurdles with which he “I had no idea never had to deal. how this position “The Coast Guard Academy would be until looks for students at the top I took the job, of their class. They look for but I saw it as students that are well rounded, doing a service involved in sports, student leadto the school. I ership and have good grades. soon realized this Mr. Ramey (bottom right) and seven other members of the LEDET pose in the turpedo The Coast Guard Academy, the magazine, a locked and secure cabin of the vessel, the DeWert stationed in the Eastern Pacific position was very smallest academy, only accepts enjoyable,” he Ocean. These men stand beside 6,000 pounds of cocaine they had siezed from another vessel 300 cadets a year. Being sursaid. passing by. This photo was taken on one of the first digital cameras in the 2000s. rounded by all the best students Looking for Photo courtesy of Josh Ramey. quickly sent me to the middle an opportunity to of my class at the Coast Guard. be reconnected As a cadet in addition to your move that timeline up a little bit. with his family in Houston, Mr. Boarding Officer on a vessel. academic obligations, you also I did not want to continue being Ramey applied for the dean of While on deployment, he held have military obligations. These students at Kinkaid five years deployed and being apart from the position of Coast Guard include things like military ago. It is at Kinkaid where Mr. my family or having to move Liaison Officer to Destroyer science classes, drill in ceremy family so often,” Mr. Ramey Ramey is the beloved Dean Squadron 6 and was on the mony, intense physical training of Students and U.S. History said. tactical law enforcement team and a lot of cleaning floors and teacher, a challenging job that in Virginia. During his four scrubbing toilets. This was a lot allows him to balance his comyears serving at the Aviation to handle on top of your school Transition from passionate and stern demeanor. Training Center in Mobile, work,” Ramey said. active duty In addition to being regarded Alabama, he was the chief of The rigors of the Coast as a disciplinarian, Mr. Ramey human resources at the base, oving forward with his Guard Academy proved too is viewed as a trusted faculty proving how versatile he is. plans, Mr. Ramey commuch for many cadets, as half of member in which students Through every role, Mr. mitted his excess time while on Mr. Ramey’s class dropped out Ramey learned the importance
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“If you work hard, you can persevere no matter how challenging the situations are,” he said. For the next two decades Mr. Ramey was a part of the U.S. Coast Guard. In his 13 years of active service, he went on a variety of missions and held a myriad positions. His first position after graduating was Weapons Officer and
of tenacity and grit, and gained a sense of gratitude for all he had experienced in his life. His time in the Coast Guard taught him to be patient and detail-oriented, two qualities he needed in the next chapter of his life propelled him into education. “I always thought that my retirement job would be a history teacher, but I thought I would be in active service for 20 years. My wife and I just decided to
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“Although he might have to play the bad guy, he does a good job at being the disciplinarian and a friend.”
- Hudson Mcleroy (11)
confide, a skilled teacher and a sarcastic jokester. But ultimately, students understand that he is their biggest fan, always cheering for their ultimate success. “You can always have a conversation with Mr. Ramey no matter the circumstances. He does a great job at balancing being the big tough disciplinarian and being a cool guy to talk sports, history and even give you a advice. Although he might have to play the bad guy, he does a good job at being the disciplinarian and a friend,” Hudson Mcleroy (11) said. “He is always at my games, congratulating me on the goals I have achieved and he always encourages me when we lose,” said Jordan Williams (9). So now, as Mr. Ramey enters the halls of Kinkaid each morning, he still might face a type of Category 3 storm, one that can still have high winds. His time in the Coast Guard prepared him for all types of rough waters, and he knows how to handle them with grace.
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 17
Behind the curtains and costumes How designers prepare for the school’s production of 9 to 5 BY MEGAN RILEY Two minutes until the curtain rises. Students, now unrecognizable underneath elaborate disguises, rush behind the wings. The sounds of the awaiting audience mask the bustles and whispers backstage. Behind the wings, anticipation and nerves dominate everyone’s mind. The last thing needed is a torn petticoat or snapped high heel. The
disorganized search for a spare safety pin or extra pair of shoes moments before showtime is enough to add more suspense than there already is. The curtain rises, bright lights and rich music fill the theatre, sequins and vibrant hues of costumes light the stage. This March, Kinkaid’s Theatre Company is producing 9 to 5, The Musical. The story is set in the 1980s, and the costumes that complement it are far from simple. Ms. Dee Graham, head costume designer for Kinkaid productions and 2018 Tommy Tune award recipient for best wardrobe, talked about what it takes
to create a wardrobe for the musical. “My job, is to help, visually, tell the story everybody is trying to tell”, said Ms. Graham, as she described her process when preparing for a show. First, she read the entire script, and for 9 to 5, she watched the movie as well. For most of Kinkaid’s productions, Ms. Graham revealed it is all about the musical numbers. For the opening number alone, Ms. Graham was expected to produce 38 outfits solely for the ensemble. “It takes a lot of planning” said Ms. Graham. “Each character has their own color palette.” Graham describes her job as “visual storytelling.” The job of costumes is to direct the audience to the focus of a scene, or reveal more about a character. Costumes help distinguish fantasy scenes from reality and completely transform a time period. “Once you are in the scene, in the era, and in the costume, you feel like you are actually doing it,” said Ameer Mustafa (12), a main cast member in 9 to 5, when talking about the effect a costume has on
his performance. However, the added visual component of costumes creates more opportunity for malfunctions. The actors at Kinkaid, according to Mustafa, live by the old saying, ‘the show must go on,’ regardless of what happens during a number. “It is important as the story progresses, to show the characters progress too,” said Ms. Graham. In 9 to 5, particularly, one main character, Violet, changes many times throughout the musical. Initially she dresses in blacks and greys, but as she gains confidence
throughout the story, Violet is seen wearing hints of red. This play of color subconsciously shows the audience the development of her character. Very proud of her coworkers and everyone involved in this upcoming production, Ms. Graham is enthusiastically awaiting the final outcome of 9 to 5. “Everyone has worked extremely hard to put this huge art piece together, and I can’t wait until we get to share it.”, she said.
Ainsley Powers (9) and Larsen Weber (10) put on costumes and makeup for dress rehearsal. Photo by Megan Riley
Tristan Riley (9), gets ready for dress rehearsal. Photo by Megan Riley
Senior internship review
Students explore different professions during interim term
BY WILLIAM SCOTT Interim term, for seniors, offers a chance to explore a career path or an opportunity to find what one wants to study in college. Students cover a wide range of interests to deepen an understanding and gain knowledge of what each career requires and includes on a day to day basis. From working with the Houston Texans to observing a plastic surgeon at The Methodist Hospital, a search for possibility can lead to a potential focus. Although this three-week period is only enough time to explore one option, it does provide students new skills and ideas about whether to dive
deeper into such a subject or to pursue a different avenue in their respective future. Will Jacobe (12), along with his brother Jake Jacobe(12), traveled to New York City to acquire an internship opportunity with Intrepid Bank, a business that specializes in the energy sector. Will worked on spreadsheets for “top secret operations” as he expressed and operated under confidentiality on most information he discussed throughout the work day. In regard to what he found difficult, he responded, “I sent morning updates to the entire company about day to day current events and research pieces which was nerve racking at times.” This experience provid-
ed an opportunity to travel to an intense and unique working environment that differs from most local internships in Houston. Another unique internship gave Joshua Ben-Shoshan (12) insight into what he might desire to study for the next four years in college. He worked at Lakewood church here in Houston. During the final weekend of his internship he ventured to New York with audio engineer, Casey Graham. Together, they worked on set with Vevo, a music production company that produces and films music videos. His inspiration for an internship in the music production field originated from the experience in music production that he recieved during the previous summer. Ben-Shoshan is ecstatic to have had the opportunity to obtain such intriguing internships. “This experience with Vevo has been eye opening and has helped me figure out what path I want to take in college and my future beyond school as well.” said Joshua. His immediate impression from his time at Lakewood reflects a positive and helpful experience as he plans to continue working there throughout the rest of his senior year. “I am still working at Lakewood during Saturday services and want to continue working with Casey through the rest of this year.”
An exciting, local internship provided Sarah Vandiver (12) and several other senior girls with a chance to learn from multiple surgeons at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. They learned what a surgeon’s typical day at work included and picked up information from direct lessons taught by surgeons. By observing surgeries in specific areas of focus, the
Methodist Hospital interns had various experiences unique to the medical world. Seniors have consistently taken advantage of this helpful tool that is used to explore interests every year. Since seniors have a range of interests, this program provides a wide variety of opportunities to further explore potential areas of study.
Top left: Joshua Ben-Shoshan (12) monitors mixes in a soundbooth while performer is filmed on stage. Above: Doctor Jeffrey Friedman with seniors Sarah Vandiver, Sarah Kate Padon, and Amy Ho at Methodist Hospital
18 The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
The Jonas Brothers are back BY SARAH KATE PADON single is said to be a precursor to their new record “JONAS” that is supposed to be released later this year. “It’s nice to be able to finally tell somebody. We’ve kept this a secret now for almost seven, eight months. This is basically our first performance back.” Nick said on Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. A clip of an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden when the brothers all showed up in the car and started singing their classic song, “Burnin’ Up” was also released as a precursor to “Jonas Brothers Week” on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The whole week, starting Monday, March 4, the show will be dedicated to them in honor of the band getting back
together. “We’ve got to dust off the cobwebs,” Kevin said to James Corden in the car. After breaking up in 2013, six years later they are reuniting despite their differences. They decided to split up to focus on personal endeavors like Joe’s work with the band DNCE, Nick’s work as a solo artist, and Kevin’s focus on his real estate development and work with his construction business. Us Weekly stated that after taking time apart and focusing on their personal goals, they feel like now is the right time to get back together. Although their single was released on Friday, they will perform the song on TV for the first time in an episode of Carpool
Karaoke this coming week. “And yes they’re back…and may I say… hotter than ever. So proud of the family #Sucker
#JonasBrothers #MidnightET,” Nick’s wife, Piryanka Chopra, captioned her post on Instagram of their cover for the single. Photo courtesy of Consequence of Sound.
Growing up in the 2000s, we can all remember the days when we had Camp Rock movie marathons with our friends or rode in the back seats of our parents suburbans screaming the lyrics to “Year 3000” in the carpool lane. The Jonas Brothers were a classic band for our Lower School age selves. Their music has remained popular for many of us throughout the years, being featured in many throwback playlists or even when we just wanted some good music to sing to in the car with our friends. And now, the Jonas Brothers are back. They made an announcement on Twitter on Thursday, Feb. 28 that they are releasing a new single today, March 1, called “Sucker.” This
Spring Break Word Search
BEACH MOUNTAIN OCEAN RESORTS SKIING
SNOW SNOWBOARD SUN SWIMMING SWIMSUIT
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ENTERTAINMENT 19
POP CULTURE CHART The Pop Culture Chart: Where we get to know the Kinkaidian takes on the talk abround campus BY STERLING ELIAS & EMMA GILLIAM
What is your Dream spring break vacation?
What is your worst spring break experience?
“Just like sitting in a basement with all the lights off ” -Keller Horlock (10)
“Sandals, Jamaica” Brooke Jacobe (9)
“Schlitterbahn” - Eliza Moldawer (11)
What is your spring break essential?
Staff question: What is your favorite thing to do on spring break?
“When I was 5 at Atlantis I was forced to get out of the pool because someone pooped” Merritt Cozby (12)
“My family was going to Mexico, but we found out my passport was expired at the airport, so we ended up staying home all week.”
-Virginia Murchison (10)
“Getting attacked by turtles at the lake” Zack Nicolaou (11)
“My family accidently flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico instead of San Jose, Costa Rica”
-Mallory Sikes (9)
How do you pass time on the plane?
“This place called Atlantis” - Simi Bontha (12)
“I convince people next to me that I’m older than I am and then tell them how old I actually am to confuse them. Then I ignore them for the rest of the flight because it’s awkward” - Jon Jafarnia (10)
“On an international flight, I sometimes play video poker in the first class seats” - Jack Klosek (9)
“I lock myself in the bathroom, so nobody can use it the whole flight.” - Becket Toussaint (12)
“Trying to pry off the window” - Lauren Hankamer (11)
“Body Lotion” - Charlie Lamme (10)
“I have two: cat food and a baby bonnett” - Jack Randall (9)
“My custom one-piece that says L-PRO on it” Lena Provenzano (12)
“My speedo” - Haaris Dakri (11)
“Eat Cheese. Check out my article on page 9.” - Ayush Krishnamoorti, News Editor
“Read the AP Style Guide” - Emma Stout, Editor-inChief
“Sit in the journalism room and visualize how I can be greater” - Sarah Kate Padon, Associate Editor “Journalize” - Charles Garrison, Staff Writer
20 ENTERTAINMENT | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
Visions of time Annual celebration of black history recalls memories, draws ovations
By Mya Franklin and Sloan Colt
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ISE. That was the message when crescendos of recording artist Andra Day’s uplifting song, “Rise Up” pealed in the air as four beaming Lower School girls in multicolor dresses took the stage in the recital hall. A sea of people, some seated and some lining the walls, watched the girls twirl and leap. When they took a bow, they were met with adoration and a rapturous standing ovation. On Feb. 27, the girls performed in the 5th annual Celebration of African-American Heritage and Culture, which highlighted and acknowledged the struggles, as well as the triumphs, of African-Americans in U.S. history. The night featured performances by Lower, Middle and Upper School students and a speech from Mr. Rodney Brisco, an attorney who is the first African-American male to graduate from Kinkaid. The celebration is an opportunity for the entire Kinkaid community to embrace the contributions of African-Americans, said Dr. Ed Trusty, the interim headmaster. “The goal of the event each year is to have students from across all three divisions of the school representing various ethnicities and diverse backgrounds share what they have learned about the contributions of African-Americans, in general, as well as those who are members of the Kinkaid community,” Trusty said. “ The joy of the experience is that students in our Lower School participate with students in our Upper School in this formal way. There are not very many opportunities when this type of cross divisional presenting and sharing occur.” After the Lower School girls’ performance wowed the crowd, Middle School students
graced the stage and performed a poignant reading based on the book and 2018 motion picture “The Hate U Give,” a story about police brutality, justice and the power of voice. Other Lower School students performed an impassioned biography of Barbara Jordan, the first Southern African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Her “big bold, booming voice,” the students said, “spoke for those who had less power.” After that inspiring vocal and theatre expression, Middle School girls floated onto stage in beautiful, white dresses as they spun and danced to galvanizing spiritual music. The emotionally evocative dances continued as Upper School students performed a hip-hop and lyrical piece to the artists Common and John Legend’s song “Glory,” the soundtrack to the 2014 motion picture “Selma.” Mrs. Chelsea Collins, head of the Middle School, enlisted assistance from some of her staff to help with planning the event. She also helped to coordinate speakers and performers. “It is another opportunity to educate students and the community, as well as celebrate, the many contributions of Americans and American culture not typically recognized in mainstream educational institutions and resources,” Collins said. The keynote speaker for the evening was Mr. Rodney Brisco, an attorney in Houston who graduated from Kinkaid in 1976. Mr. Brisco attended Princeton University and The University of Texas School of Law. During his tenure at Princeton, he worked at the U.S. embassy in Paris and at the Texas legislature for William P. Hobby, lieutenant governor. Recognizing black history “is an opportunity to highlight the best and to remind ourselves
Photos by Frankie Wimbish TOP: Freshman Kevriana Scott performs a solo during the 5th annual Celebration of African-American Heritage and Culture in the recital hall last Tuesday night. LEFT: Lower School students, Langston Collins (4), Channing Suber (2), and sisters
“Our struggles and our accomplishments are part of the history of this country.”
- Rodney Brisco
of all the great things we have done to make this country what it is. Our struggles and our accomplishments are part of the history of this country,” Mr. Brisco said. “(African-American history) is a single, unique story that includes subjugation, racism and violence, but it is also a story of resilience, a story of the people who survived the
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Notable
LEGACY
Here’s just a few of many graduates who mark our distinguished tradition of success Photo by Frankie Wimbish
Gabrielle Williams (2) and Olivia Williams (K) receive applause after their dance. RIGHT: Nicholas Dillon (11) and Soraya Patterson (9) lead an ensemble. Routines were choreographed by Mrs. Danyale Williams, a new Upper School dance instructor.
horrors to create a rich culture and future.” The event was held in February, which marks Black History Month, recognizes the African-American diaspora and provides an opportunity to honor the achievements of African-Americans in the U.S. “This is something that Dr. Trusty really sort of started when he first came to Kinkaid,” Josh Hudley, US dean said. “It’s a chance for the school to recognize the contributions of the African-American students, both past and present, who have come through Kinkaid, their impact on the school, and I’ll say, the larger community.”
Langston Collins (4)
Uche Amaechi, class of 1995, is a lecturer on education for Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
Otis Latin Jr., class of 1986, pastors Revive Baptist Church and is a special investigator for Family and Protective Services.
Taylor Bass, class of 2009, is a lifer graduate and now works as an outpatient assessments case manager at The Menninger Clinic.
ZaWaunyka Lazard, class of 1997, is a tissue engineer in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at the Baylor College of Medicine.
Casey Cowan, class of 2014, attended the U.S. Naval Academy. He is the son of Kenneth Cowan, Kinkaid’s first African-American chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Stuart Pradia, class of 2001, is an assistant basketball coach at Millersville University. He also worked as the basketball operations assistant with the Houston Rockets.
Pictured: Rodney Brisco, a Houston attorney, graduated from Kinkaid in 1976. He is the school’s second African-American graduate, but he was the first African-American male to become a Kinkaid alumnus. Mr. Brisco was the keynote speaker for the 5th annual Celebration of African-American Heritage and Culture. His nephew, John Richards, started his freshman year at Kinkaid in 2018.
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ENTERTAINMENT 21
RODEO SZN PlAgUe mAsKs Respecting the Commons Adam Levine with a shirt on
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked 7-hour lunches Those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks
HOT OR NOT
Being barefoot at cotillion Using PROFANITY at basketball games The Journalism Hacker
Seniors working so hard. Y’all we’re so tired, you guys
30-minute lunches
BY EMMA GILLIAM & OLIVIA MARRUS
What to do on a flight In case you can’t figure it out yourself BY EMMA GILLIAM & JORDAN JAFARNINA
1) Get comfortable: take off your socks and put your feet up on the armrest in front of you. 2) Do your homework. You may be leaving home, but you should never forget your roots. Real students never take breaks. 3) Kick the seat in front of you 4) Ask to try on people’s neck pillows 5) Press the flight attendant call button Ask the flight attendants how they are doing. Like, how are they REALLY doing. 6) Play Cowboy Karaoke Lucky for you, this game only requires one person. All you need is some powerful headphones and a few of your favorite Pitbull albums. 7)Talk to the person next to you. No one likes to feel ignored. If you are even somewhat kind, you should talk to them for at least half the flight. 8) Put up the armrest so you can get close with your neighbor. Why bring a pillow when you can just use their shoulder?
As always, be sure to clap when the plane lands, shake the hands of your fellow passengers, and salute the pilot on your way out.
22 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
Seniors sign to continue their athletic careers With graduation just around the corner, 10 seniors find and finalize their future academic homes BY OLIVIA MARRUS & CHRIS STALLINGS
Top row, from left: James House (12), Nicholas Limon (12), Ameer Mustafa (12), Wyatt Young (12) Bottom row, from left: Carlos Abello (12), Kate Petovic (12), Joshua Williams (12), Mikela McCauley (12), Chloe Hunter (12), Zach Daniel (12) Photo courtesy of David Shutts.
Carlos Abello began playing baseball when he was 2 years old. Abello’s recruiting process was long -- he wanted to use his athletic abilities to enhance his chances of getting into an elite university. Luckily, head coach Scott Bradley and the Tiger’s coaching staff saw Abello’s talent, as well as his genuine personality and gave him his dream opportunity. Carlos does not plan on playing baseball after college, but he is thrilled with the opportunity to play at Princeton.
Mikela McCauley, a Dartmouth Girls Lacrosse signee, began pursuing her passion for lacrosse in fifth grade. After a recruiting process that involved sending film and scheduling calls to interact with coaches at the next level, she chose the prestigious “Big Green.” The coaching staff and setting of Hanover, New Hampshire was the deciding factor for McCauley. McCauley plans to play for the national team if the opportunity arises following her collegiate career.
Zach Daniel, starting quarterback for the back-to-back SPC Champion Falcon Football team, began playing football in seventh grade. Daiel was drawn to the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. His abilities as a playmaker on the field presented him with the opportunity to play for the Rainbow Warriors. He loved the community at the university and felt it was the best fit for his future. In college Zach hopes to compete for the Heisman Award, and he hopes to play football after college.
Ameer Mustafa will be attending the University of Trinity. His passion for football began when he was in sixth grade after his coach said, “all he had to do was hit people.” Being the biggest sixth grader on the field, Mustafa was ecstatic. His recruiting process had many twist and turns, but he found a home in Trinity’s academic benefits along with the coaching staff’s interest in him. Mustafa wants to acknowledge the impact Kinkaid has had on his career saying, “I want to make Kinkaid proud.”
Dartmouth baseball signee James House’s love for the game began in Pre-K. After a great junior year in both his highschool and select seasons, Coach Bob Whalen presented House with an opportunity to play baseball at one of the top schools in the country. The environment and comfortable setting of Dartmouth along with a great coaching staff and beautiful facilities made his decision obvious. House does not plan on playing after college and his ultimate goal is to develop lifelong friends.
Kate Petrovic’s love for basketball began when she was 5 years old. Her recruiting process was unpredictable because of her inability to play sophomore year, but with her family and friends supporting her, she was determined to reach her goal and play at the next level. Loyola’s environment, along with the caring qualities of the coaching staff, made her decision simple. With hopes to continue to craft her skills, Petrovic is excited about this opportunity but is unsure on her future after college.
A University of Pennsylvania signee, Chloe Hunter’s love for lacrosse began at the end of 7th grade. With her focus being to attend a high academic school, Hunter first attended camps and tournaments her freshman year, drawing attention from multipe schools. Philly, the title “Ivy League,” and UPenn’s appearances in the top 10 rankings were the deciding factors for Hunter. She does not plan on pursuing lacrosse after college, but she hopes to be contributor in the program all four years.
Joshua Williams started playing football when he was 3 years old. His recruiting process was intertwined with injuries during the football season. Though Williams received multiple Division I and III offers, none of these compared to a chance to play for the Tigers and the atmosphere of Louisiana State University. LSU’s proximity to home coupled with the high-level football and culture that Baton Rouge provides is what helped Josh make his decision. Josh hopes to play football after college.
Nicholas Limon started playing football in fifth grade. Limon’s recruiting process required his attendance at camps during the summer as well as continuous contact with coaches his application status. “When I found out [UChicago] offered me, I was in the middle of math class and I could barely speak”, says Limon. He likes UChicago for its rigorous liberal arts education, urban location, and most importantly, it’s intellectually driven and curious culture. He does not plan on playing after college.
Wyatt Young’s passion for baseball began when he was 4 years old and has been continually growing throughout his career. The baseball star will be attending one of the top programs in the nation, Oregon State. Though his recruiting process was a roller coaster of emotions, his connection with Coach Bailey and the Beaver community was the deciding factor. Wyatt’s goals in college are to become a better athlete and individual, and if the opportunity arises, to play after college.
March 1, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | SPORTS 23
Winter SPC teams bring the heat BY CHARLES GARRISON & AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI
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Record: Multiple 2nd Places SPC: 4th Place The boys swim tea, made a slight improvement on last years’ sixth place finish, as swimmers such as Charlie Brennig (11) finished 1st in the Boys 500 yard free, with a time of 4:45.95. Their 4th place finish was actually their best since 2002. As Michael Bell (11), said “The finish was a great way to wrap up a fantastic season” The boys swim team made an impressive statement in the SPC championships.
Record: 11-4 (7-2) SPC: 3rd Place Led by seniors Antonio Castro and Becket Toussaint, boys soccer won 3rd place at SPC. After only losing one game during SPC play, they entered SPC as the second seed. After easily winning their first game 2-0, a close loss to John Cooper, a 2-1 finish, sent them to the third place game. They won their final game against Casady in penalties to earn a final win. Eren Senyuva, who earned All-SPC honors, stated that “The injuries that plagued us all season caused the slight setback against Cooper... still a good finish.”
Record: 27-4 (6-0) SPC: 1st Place Girls basketball displayed pure dominance at the SPC level, finishing 1st for the third year in a row. Led by Onuchi Ndee and Nakeeya McCardell, the basketball team won each of their three games at SPC. After finishing first in their conference, the Kinkaid team won their first two games by 46 and 26 points, more than doubling the other teams’ scores in both routs. Their championship game was slightly closer, where they won by 17 en route to their three peat. “The thoughts right after were that we actually did it,” coach Stacey Marshall said.
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ing Charlie Brennig (11) receiving the gold medal in SPC.
Alberto Vargas (11) passes to a teammate.
Nakeeya McCardell (11) driving to the basket.
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Zelie Hughes (10) competing in the 200 yard free relay.
Record: Multiple 1st Place Finishes SPC: 2nd Place The girls swim and dive team came in 2nd. The girls’ second place represents a slight setback from last year, where they got first; however, they finished far ahead of third place. Representing girls swimming, Emily Moak, Zelie Hughes, Olivia Howard, and Laura Saunders finished 2nd in the 200 yard free relay. Several other swimmers placed well, including Kate Riley, who finished third in diving. As captain Camila Vicens (11) said, “The records our swimmers broke, and all our wins, made this year special, regardless of our 2nd place.”
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Jordan Williams (9) taking a three.
Record: 13-11 (3-3) SPC: 7th Place The boys basketball team started their SPC matchups with a close win versus Casady, 54-53, winning on a free throw by Jordan Ricks. They then lost their next two games to St. Marks and Greenhill, causing them to finish 7th in SPC, a setback after losing two All-SPC players. As for who was the MVP, Wyatt Bailey (11) said, “Sam Susman really brought the team together with his keen intangibles on and off the court.”
Catherine Scott (11) clears the ball.
Record: 10-6-1 (4-2-1) SPC: 9th Place After a strong season, finishing 4-2-1 in SPC play, girls soccer entered as the fourth seed and lost to Greenhill in penalties. “It was a disapointing end to an amazing season”, Jordan Guy said. The girls climbed back to win 1-0, and 9-1 in the consolation matches, leading to an eventual 9th place. The girls team was plagued by injuries late in the season, and it likely hurt their record, but they still did well. Eren Senyuva (11) runs past defender.
Charlie Brennig (11) dives into the water ahead of SPC race.
Taft Foley (10) pins opponent en route to victory.
Record: Multiple Top Finishes SPC: 7th Place The wrestling team, comprised of eight members, worked their way to a seventh place finish. Wrestler John Richards (9) finished in 4th for his weight class, and Taft Foley (10) won the state championship. Foley is heading towards a national competition in the upcoming weeks. The slight setback from last year can be attributed to the loss of two nationally-recognized athletes in Noah Chan and Colin Lawler.
SPORTS
24 | The Kinkaid Falcon | March 1, 2019
End Game: 56 - 36 BY EMMA STOUT AND ALLISON LE
This season, Varsity girl’s basketball took home its third consecutive SPC championship, 56 to 36 against Greenhill and fourth consecutive South-Zone championship. Let’s see how they got there.
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26 WINS - 4 LOSSES
Hours Of Practice
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KINKAID
EPISCOPAL
BIGGEST WIN
69 22 to
The lowest score Kinkaid held a team to: 48 - 13
[ THE TEAM ] ALL-SOUTH ZONE AWARD ALL-SPC AWARD
CACIE MERRITT GLEITH TRINITY KOLBY BELLA MEGAN CHLOE AVERY
CHATMAN COZBY COZBY CURRY DAVIS DAWLEY FRANKEL HUNTER LOOSER
NAKEEYA ONUCHI KATE DECEMBER OLIVA ELLINGTON JAZMYN HALLIE
McCARDELL* NDEE PETROVIC STEVENSON SULLIVAN WHITAKER WILLIAMS SIMS (manager)
*Nakeeya was also awarded All-South
Infographic by: Emma Stout