FALCON
THE
The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024
May 14, 2019 Volume 72, Issue 6
2 | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
NEWS
THE KINKAID
FALCON staff
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.
News In Brief Compiled by Nicole Fernandez
New musical announced
The Visual and Performing Arts Department will dock its boat in New York City next year to present the hit musical “On the Town.” This classic tells the story of three fun-loving sailors, Gabey, Chip, Ozzie, who have a 24-hour shore leave in New York. The
sailors try to capitalize on their time on land and end up meeting and falling head over heels for three very different women: Brunhilde the taxi driver, Claire the anthropologist, and the actress, Ivy Smith. Auditions for the musical will take place in September at the beginning of the 201920 school year. “On the Town” features spectacular dance numbers as well as wonderful songs that allow people, no matter what their talents are, to shine. In assembly, Mr. Scott Lambert, VPA director, encouraged students to immerse themselves in the arts next year. This toetapping musical is sure to engage and captivate its audience and encourage everyone to get on the town.
Meet next year’s publication editors
The Falcon staff would like to celebrate and recognize next year’s publication editors. Congratulations to our future newspaper and yearbook leaders!
Newspaper Editors Editor in Chief: Madi Babine Deputy Editor: Megha Neelapu Managing Editors: Maggie Johnston amd Megan Riley Digital Executive Editor: Sally Buck News Editor: Ayush Krishnamoorti Features Editor: Mya Franklin Arts and Culture Editor: Nicole Fernandez Opinion Editor: Eliza Griggs Sports Editors: Charles Garrison and Wilson Kelsey Photo Editor: Frankie Wimbush
Yearbook Editors Editors in Chiefs: Claire Richey, Haylie Sims, and Will Mitchell People Editors: Maribelle Gordon and Claire Richey Sports Editors: Tyler Doan and Will Mitchell Index Editor: Haylie Sims Photo Editor: Meredith Burpeau Student Life Editor: Maribelle Gordon Ads Editor: Tyler Doan Activities Editor: Meredith Burpeau
Corrections
Upcoming Dates and Events Monday, May 13 Theatre 1-3 Showcase 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16 History Exam Friday, May 17 Senior Graduation Friday, May 17 Math Exam Monday, May 20 English Exam Tuesday, May 21 Science Exam Wednesday, May 22 World Language Exam Thursday, May 23 Make-Up Day for Exams Friday, May 24 Faculty and Staff End of Year Meetings Monday, May 27 Memorial Day
Yearbook staff names contest winner The winner of the 2019-20 yearbook theme contest is Lila Griggs. Griggs’ theme was the yearbook staff’s favorite pitch among 24 submissions. Her theme idea has earned her a special prize. She will receive free personalization on her 2019-20 yearbook. The yearbook staff congratulates Griggs on her winning theme idea.
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 5, published April 5, 2019: “Lacrosse by the numbers” on pg. 20: Jacob Magelssen’s (12) last name was spelled incorrectly as “Magleston” and Everett Easterby’s (11) last name was spelled wrong as “Easerby.” Additionally, Easterby had 13 steals, not 13 turnovers.
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. 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 FEATURES EDITOR Madi Babine ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Olivia Marrus 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 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 248 copies are mailed to subscribers. The Kinkaid Falcon is a member of the CSPA and NSPA.
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | NEWS
Showcasing their talent
3
BY FRANKIE WIMBISH
Mr. Anthony Suber answers questions about his sculpture to a viewer. This piece, among others by Mr. Suber, are on display as a part of the show: 3 The Hard Way, featuring Mr. Suber, Mr. Spencer Evans, and Mr. Vitus Shell. The exhibit is on display at the Houston Museum of African American Culture, and is open until June 29, 2019. 1
Shianne Hale (11) focuses on editing her work in post-production, as a part of the photography class' self portraiture project. The class has been working on improving their technical skills with a camera and editing images in Photoshop. 3 Jonathan Frumovitz (11) and Evan Godinich (11) practice their final project for orchestra. They create the sheet music for popular songs and then record their performances. These two students were rehearsing their performance of "Call Me Maybe."
1
2
2
3
4
4
Alex Frumovitz (12) and Ayush Krishnamoorti (11) discuss strategy during the changeover of their tennis match. While the Kinkaid boy's tennis team placed ninth in SPC, the matches were hard fought, even after many cancellations due to rain. Photos by Frankie Wimbish
Mr. Behr Speaks on the Upcoming GPA Change BY MYA FRANKLIN
A new weighted GPA for Honors and AP classes will come into fruition with the class of 2023. –Previously, there was a 0.6 bump for Honors courses and a 1.2 bump for Advanced Placement classes. For the rising ninthgrade class, this system will be replaced with a 1.5 increase that will be added to both Honors and AP classes. “Last year, I asked one of the deans, Mrs. Turville, to look into some of the bumps that she could find in local Texas schools so we could see where we were on the continuum,” said Mr. Peter Behr, Head of Upper School. A 12- to15-person leadership team discussed the change, including department heads and Dr. Ed Trusty, Interim Headmaster. Equipped with knowledge from local schools and prominent state schools that receive numerous college applications, such as the University at Texas at Austin, they debated everything from a “two-point bump to not changing it at all,” Mr. Behr said. “It was… trying to recognize, what does 0.6 mean when you look at an Honors course what does 1.2 mean?... How does the bump reflect the academic rigor of our courses and
is it within reason of the general number of the surrounding independent schools?” Mr. Behr said. However, the change is not implying that the rigor of an Honors and an AP course are the same. “It is trying to say that the rigor when you take
the course is going to be higher compared to the other option that’s available,” Mr. Behr said. “It is looking at the strength of your particular schedule that year and saying, did I take the most difficult courses that year or did I not.”
4 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
UH president to speak at graduation ceremony BY WILLIAM SCOTT President of The University of Houston, Dr. Renu Khator, will help congratulate the 2019 graduating seniors on Sanders Field on May 17. Her long, impressive career in education makes for a special opportunity to hear from someone who is knowledgeable about college life and academics. Born in Uttar Pradesh, she attended the University of Kanpur in India before pursuing her dream of receiving an extensive college education in America. She then earned master’s and doctorate degrees in political science and public administration from Purdue University. She credits her success in higher education to her experience at the University of South Florida as she gathered multiple administrative views, including a teacher’s when she served as a professor in political science there. Personal hardships that she experienced in her college career have helped her develop confidence. “Coming to America as a graduate student at Purdue with virtually no English was very challenging for me. I found myself having to learn the language at the same time I was in
some very demanding classes. But taking on that that challenge allowed me to develop the confidence I needed to keep following my dreams,” Khator said. Her many achievements and positions during her career include Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Athletic Conference; member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Academic Advisory Council; member of the Indian Prime Minister’s Empowered Expert Committee; Chair of the American Council on Education and of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; and a Texas Women’s Hall of Fame inductee. When asked which accomplishment she is most proud of, Khator responded, “I’m happy to say that’s a hard choice since UH has accomplished so much. That’s a reflection of the hard work of our faculty and staff, the strong support we’ve received from the community and the guidance we’ve been given from our civic and political leaders.” Among her most recent improvements to UH is the graduation rate moving from 42 percent to 61 percent this year alone. Her future ambitions for UH include continuing to offer
affordable and accessible educa- about Kinkaid and its historic have such a special and dedition and making every student success in Houston. cated individual as Dr. Khator valuable to employers. “The school has been such an speak at graduation. When “We want to use our resourc- important element of Houston’s asked what advice she had for es to improve our communieducational landscape for such the students in the Kinkaid ty – like the UH College of a long time. UH was established community, Khator respondMedicine we’re establishing to way back in 1927, but Kinkaid ed with her life’s philosophy: prepare more primary physihas us beat by more than two “When life gives you lemons cians and address health care decades, going back to 1906.” and everyone is busy making disparities in underserved comKhator added. lemonade, you make margarimunities. We want to help the Kinkaid is very fortunate to tas.” city of Houston improve its overall innovation ecosystem and see our Technology Bridge research center as a major component of that. And we intend to continue serving as one of the city’s main cultural anchors, like the current enhancement of our Public Arts program, for example,” Khator said. After moving to Houston to become the President of UH, she quickly learned Dr. Khator stands in front of Khator fountain at The University of Houston Photo by Eric Gerber
Farewell to 12 faculty and staff members BY CAMILA VICENS & JORDAN GUY
Ms. Claire Logsdon
Ms. Logsdon has been a dean at Kinkaid and will be leaving for another independent school similar to Kinkaid named the Shady Side Academy. She says she will miss her “incredible colleagues… teaching AP Government and all the great students.”
Ms. Sybil Obiri After a little under one year of teaching mathematics at Kinkaid, Ms. Obiri will be leaving campus to pursue other opportunities. Students remember her as having a unique personality and being “an interesting addition to The Kinkaid School,” according to Jamie Rubenstein (11).
Ms. Judy Muir
Ms. Muir, the Director of Career Development Internships at Kinkaid, Ms. Chiu has been The Kinkaid communiMr. or Senor Benge Ms. Horell has been an Ms. Turville has been will be continuing teaching Mandarin ty is fortunate keep one will be leaving Kinkaid an integral part of important part of the her career as she at Kinkaid for 14 of our beloved faculty: after serving in his Kinkaid as a dean. AfScience Department plans to work on years. She has helped Ms. Reza. Continuing role as a multi-level ter two years, she will here at Kinkaid, and a think tank called hundreds of students her passion for teaching Spanish teacher. He be heading over to the now plans to retire. POPULACE.org learn the beautiful math, Ms. Reza will be will be moving across She will spend her time St. John’s School to play with a Harvard Chinese language over moving to the Kinkaid the country from Texas “traveling to visit fam- a similar role as college colleague. After 40 the years. Many of her Middle School. Even to continue being an ily... as well as national counselor. She says she years of service to though she is moving a educator at the Crystal students recall her as parks.” Her lively spirit will miss the students Kinkaid seniors in “very kind-hearted,” few feet from her curSprings Uplands at Kinkaid, but equally will be missed in our search of internaccording to Duncan rent classroom, she will School near San Franas important, the science lab rooms. ships, Ms. Muir Hafner-Shnee (11). be missed. cisco, California. “breakfast tacos.” says she will miss “the energetic seniors that are so full of curiosity about what their futures might hold and the fresh perspective they bring back to school after they have pushed out the Mr. Nick Mr. Josh Ms. Dorian Mr. Stephen walls of their classrooms.” Her memShepard Hudley Myers Dowell ories at Kinkaid are Mr. Shepard has been a Mr. Josh Hudley has Mr. Stephen Dowell Since her arrival in plentiful, as she has part of the Kinkaid Sciserved Kinkaid as part plans to continue his 1998, Ms. Myers ence Department and of the Deans Office. education and career as served under five has been a beloved different headmaswill now be leaving His outgoing personalihe plans to be “teachmember of the Kinkaid Kinkaid. Audrey Ho ty stood out to students ing and attending grad- ters. Previously the faculty. After over 20 Reading Specialist (12) recalled his class and he will be missed uate school... working years at Kinkaid she in the Lower School as being one with “tons by both the faculty and on my doctorate from will be retiring to her and on the Admisof fun, and filled with Upper School stuMizzou.” He said home in Houston. She sions Committee, labs and disections.” dents as he moves on “this year’s freshman is excited to relax as Ms. Muir’s passion He will be missed by and leaves the Kinaid retreat was a blast,” she plans to be “sleepfor education will faculty and students School. and students recall ing in late.” be dearly missed by alike. similar thoughts about Kinkaid. his class.
Mr. Elliot Benge
Ms. Jenny Chiu
Ms. Letty Reza
Ms. Edith Horrell
Ms. Kenley Turville
ARTS & CULTURE
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ARTS & CULTURE 5
Theatre program wins Tommy Tune award BY AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI & FRANKIE WIMBISH
Thunderous applause rang throughout the auditorium as the curtain fell over the beaming faces of the cast of “9 to 5,” but their work was far from over. Even after the shows for Kinkaid were done, the cast and crew had to prepare for the Tommy Tune Awards a few weeks later. On April 30, 2019, 10 nominees performed in front of a large crowd, with one winner in the “Best Choreography” category. Sapphire Thompson (11) and Duryn Dunbar (11) walked up to the stage to accept the award as dance captains, and Kinkaid continued its dominance at the highest level. Mr. Scott Lambert, Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, and one of the main factors in the production of the play, said, “It is a tribute to not just what our choreographer can do but to the growth and talent of our students, many of whom cannot be done in class.” Lambert was thrilled with the win, as choreography “means a lot because it showcases the massive effort the entire staff puts together.” Kinkaid was recognized for far more than just choreogra-
phy, though. Three actresses, Caroline Moseley (12), Carlie Sachs (11), and Grace Muir (11) were nominated for the best actress award. According to statistics compiled by the Tommy Tune Awards, never have three actresses or actors been nominated for best actor or actress from the same musical. Priscilla Mach (11) was also recognized for her role as a supporting actress, nominated in the “featured performer” role. Along with Mach, Kinkaid was nominated for best direction, ensemble, musical direction, and stage crew and technical execution. Kinkaid prides itself on its diversity in roles and was one of just three schools to garner 10 nominations at the Tommy Tunes. Regardless of the nominations, both performer Sarah Stephens (11) and Mr. Lambert said the Tommy Tune Awards are a flawed mechanism to celebrate schools. While there are 52 schools that participate in the Tommy Tune Awards, only 10 are nominated for each category, and only a few judges see them. Even the few judges only see a few of the plays and
rank them with a rubric, which has several issues associated. With any judgment, there is subjectivity, but grading a play using a scale is a little “unfair,” Lambert said. The play stood out for several reasons. First, it is a grand display of the “talent that Kinkaid has to offer.” But on another note, it has importance in the new feminist movement today. A play with three lead
actresses, and one that focuses on women at work is relatively rare today, and so in this sense, the play “deserved its nominations that it garnered.” Given the relevance of the play in society today, it is not surprising it was nominated for so many awards. As Sapphire walked up to the stage to accept the award, she said she was speechless. The collaboration and happiness
that everyone shared in at the Tommy Tunes was the quintessence of the Tommy Tune and play celebrations. As Mr. Lambert said, “I think one of the most important things about the arts is that it teaches us collaboration and choreography and dance recognition highlights the fact that we are succeeding at a high level.”
Jennifer Sekili (12), Tristan Reiley (9), Lily Crowe (11), and Lexi Strauss (10) rehearse the routine for 9 to 5.
Senioritis: Commemorating a legacy of the arts BY FRANKIE WIMBISH After almost four years of creating images, paintings, sculptures and drawings, seniors were eager to share their work with the world. To celebrate the graduating seniors, a show was developed to put their talents in the spotlight: Senioritis. Senioritis is a way for seniors to demonstrate their growth over their high school career and to showcase their best work before they move on to college. Each senior in the Visual and Performing Arts Department staked their claim in the gallery space, curated their own space, chose which pieces they wanted to present, and
organized the work in any way they desired. It was such a unique experience for them to be able present their progression as an artist, and the seniors displayed exactly that. One senior in particular, Jason Gordon chose to demonstrate his progression by placing two of his self-portraits directly next to each other. “It should read like a timeline… every single piece that you do, you grow from it, and you will be a better artist from it,” Gordon said. The opening of the show allowed the artists to speak about their work and many students and parents were fascinated by the years of work on display. Alex Skidmore (11) studies the paintings of Jason Gordon, while passing through the halls.
Four Years Later BY GUEST WRITER, LARA LIN (12)
Writer’s BLOCK Spider webs appear beneath my feet. Weaving, spinning, its broodmother invisible to the eyes. They widen in trepidation, lungs caught on bated breath, pulse pounding as loud as the first crack.
After the beginning, there is only the end, and the finely threaded silk shatters. It as not meant to bear such a heavy burden, and I had not listened to the warning crack.
The spider composes the cocoon for its grandest catch, collecting crystalline water, to entwine and ensnare. Injecting my blood with poisonous cold, she stalls my breath, And I drift off in dreamless Sleep.
6 The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
Steel City Pops Starting in a small storefront in Homewood, Alabama, Steel City Pops has grown into 23 locations, two of which are in Houston. Opening their first location in the Heights, Steel City Pops quickly became one of Houstonians’ favorite popsicle places. Steel City Pops appeals to all
pallets as they offer fruity pops, creamy pops, cookie pops and paleo pops. Whether it be on a brisk fall day or in the 100-degree heat of August, our go-to pop is the strawberry lemonade, a fruity pop that is vegan and dairy free and always satisfies our sweet tooth. Steel City Pops prides itself in creating delicious popsicles that are made from all-natural
and local ingredients. Customer satisfaction is another aspect where Steel City Pops excels. Although we have never tasted a pop that we did not love, the staff assures that if you do not like the popsicle you ordered, they will replace it free of charge. Any popsicle is open for customization: you. You can choose to dip your pop in
milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. Or, you can choose from an array of toppings, ranging from toasted coconut to graham cracker crumbs. The atmosphere, accessibility and originality help highlight Steel City Pops among all other Houston ice cream options. The Steel City Pops experience is one that we highly recommend to Kinkaid students.
Amorino Staying true to its traditional Italian roots, Amorino is the perfect place for homemade gelato. As stated on their website, Amorino “strives to create unique and gourmet flavors.” Located in Houston’s River Oaks District for over three years now, the store has gained much of its popularity from its unique presentation. Each cone is beautifully crafted with any combination of gelato into the shape of a rose. A worker at the location informed us of the three-day training employees participate in to work at Amorino. The extremely picturesque nature of these creations are not even the best part.
Created with fresh whole milk and hand-picked fruit, Amorino’s flavors range from dulce de leche and caramel to fresh lemon and passionfruit. The co-creators, Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi, also value vegan and organic customers by offering alternative flavors that meet their requirements. Founded in 2002, in Paris, France, Amorino’s principal, according to the website, is to “make the highest quality gelato as naturally as possible with no artificial colours or flavorings.” They use a traditional Italian churning technique to achieve their
coveted flavors. Fast forward to 2019. Amorino has over 95 locations worldwide, 12 of which are located in the U.S. We loved Amorino for its friendly staff, fresh ambiance, and unbeatable flavors. We tried Litchi, (a native Chinese fruit from the berry family), and one of the most popular flavors among customers. The perfectly creamy texture and unique flavor melts into your mouth, satisfying a hot summer day. Amorino is perfect for those looking to escape the hot Houston heat and be transformed to a summer day in Italy.
Aqua S Bringing soft serve to the next level, Aqua S has worked to hand develop ice cream into a true work of art. Their website says “fun, innovative and exquisiteness” are the characteristics they strive to have their customers experience.
Located on the outskirts of Chinatown, Aqua S puts a unique twist on their soft serve ice cream through their uncommon flavors and distinct toppings. Their signature flavors during the spring season are sea salt, pandan (a flavor similar to coconut), blueberry milkshake, green tea chocolate, and honeydew. The topping list was most creative: fairy floss (a Tennessee term for Texan cotton candy), sweet popcorn, pop
rocks, toasted marshmallow and rainbow sprinkles. The vibrant pink, blue and green colors of these flavors stand out. Aqua S definitely won for originality. Being completely candid, upon trying the flavors, we really were not crazy about any of them, but we figured that since we had driven 20 minutes, we had to get something. The aqua colored signature sea salt ice cream topped with fairy floss and pop rocks was our order. The sea salt ice cream ended up being incredible—
maybe even addictive. In every bite was an array of textures and flavors, including the childish feeling of pop rocks exploding on your tongue and down your throat; the carnival feel of eating cotton candy off of a stick; and lastly, the distinct flavor of the salted ice cream that leaves you craving more and more with every bite. Aqua serves as the restaurants name and the uniting factor in the image of the corporation; the whimsical decorations and aqua clouds are featured to provide a dreamlike sensation. And, everything about Aqua S is dreamy.
OPINION
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | OPINION 7 PART 3 OF 3
Students, administrators confront sexism in debate
BY MEGHA NEELAPU After hearing story after story about the disturbing experiences that so many female debaters have, it’s refreshing to see those like Ms. Angelique Ronald, who steadily works to create safer spaces for female debaters. In her role as the vice president of activities of the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) and the tournament director of the state tournament, she tries to do “small things to work up to something bigger.” At the state tournament, Ms. Ronald organized an initiative to sell T-shirts with the words “debate like a girl.” Each shirt cost 70 percent of normal price to represent the wage gap between men and women. Ronald wears feminist T-shirts, a passive way of showing solidarity. “I want everyone in a leadership position to say ‘this is where I stand,’” she said. “The worst thing is for someone to think, ‘Nobody cares, I’m not even gonna bother.’” Ms. Ronald has taken several steps toward gender equality in debate. She implemented some gender neutral bathrooms at the state tournament. She strongly advocated for having a diverse tab staff at the state tournament, the end result being that 56 percent of the staff were women and 78 percent were diversity enhancing in some way. In the policy debate final round, three of the five judges
were women, the only major tournament in the country that had majority female judges at this level, according to Ms. Ronald. But not all tournaments are proactive. Ms. Ronald recalled an time when she went to a very large invitational and their tab staff was entirely white and entirely male except for one woman who was in the room. When she asked the tournament director why this was, their response was that there weren’t any other qualified people, she said. The invitational earns $500,000 a year, she said. “We need to vote with our dollars,” Ms. Ronald said. “The biggest thing is holding people accountable. They need to ask what the tab staff looks like. If they don’t think that they should answer, don’t give your money.” Ms. Ronald has also pushed for the adoption of sexual harassment and discrimination policy for the state tournament, the same policy that the National Speech and Debate Association has. It prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination and says that those who break this policy will be disciplined. Although seemingly inoffensive, there was some pushback to the policy, according to the CHSSA minutes of the meeting when the resolution was introduced: “What would stop an unscrupulous student from claiming harassment or discrimination to gain a competitive advantage?” asked
one person at the meeting. “Once we put the word ‘prohibited’ in there, we are now responsible for all of the students protection at the tournament. We can easily be sued… even though this idea may seem cute or nice, we are being naïve to think this resolution will actually help us or benefit us in the way it is being presented,” said another. Ms. Ronald continued to refer back to the safety of the students in responding to the concerns. “Coaches have stated that the 17-year-old girl won’t come to the help desk because they don’t think that CHSSA cares,” she said at one point in the meeting. “I have been told this. Kids have experienced awful things at competitions but because they don’t think we care enough they won’t speak up… they do not feel safe.” The minutes seem to show only a few loud opposing voices, as Ms. Ronald said, the vast majority of the 30 people in the room voted for the resolution and it passed. “These are kids that we are working with,” she later said. “They need a safe space. A safe space doesn’t mean the absence of differing ideas, but the ability to express those ideas in a safe way… We have an obligation to create those spaces because they don’t have them anywhere else. Men hollering at me on the street when I was a teenager—I can’t opt out of that world. If there is one space that is safe, it should be
Letter from the Editor
BY EMMA STOUT For my last letter, I will not be offering my political opinions. I will not be giving a synopsis of the highlight issues in this paper. I will not be writing a sappy goodbye letter or a prelude to college. And I will most DEFINITELY not be giving an anecdotal argument regarding the environment (of which I am sure you are all too tired of, but believe me, remains a pressing issue).
Rather, I will tell you a story. I was born in a quaint house in Portland, Oregon, to my parents, Ann and Tim, and my two older brothers, Andrew and Thomas. I do not remember much from that time. Lower and middle school appear as a hazy, uncharted land and many of the “milestone” moments from growing up I cannot recall. What I do remember is as follows: collecting soggy pine needles on my driveway. The indubitably abnormal scent of my brother’s car, stuffed with mildew cloaked lacrosse gear. Chasing my dog through our wood-floored kitchen as the morning light percolated through the sheer curtains. Suddenly, I was in Texas and attending Kinkaid. I had 612 days, 18,972 class periods, and 1.2616 x 107 seconds. But we don’t count our time in high school that way. We count it in the distant shrieks of our best friends, reverberating off the corners
school and speech and debate competitions. I don’t know why we act like nothing is more important than ideas and discourse.” In recent years, the NSDA has also implemented multiple inclusivity efforts, such as attempts to increase the diversity of national tournament judges and officials; reaching out to local districts and collecting information to increase diversity at that level; creating a webinar series of issues of identity; and creating an inclusive dress code. However, while structural changes should certainly be a priority, local and individual actions are still important to make debate more inclusive. Ahana Sen and Allen Abbott are two public forum debaters who have worked to create this change. In their senior year at the octofinals of the 2018 Tournament of Champions, they were running an argument about certain structural challenges that women face, arguing that they should win the round because they were using this time as an opportunity to bring attention to a topic that didn’t get it otherwise. In that octofinal round, a member from the opposing team asked Sen if their team would concede the round and just have a discussion about these issues instead. “Yes,” said Sen, without hesitation. Everyone in the room was in shock. “We weren’t just using this argument to draw attention to this issue; we were using it to win. I was debating myself about whether I was doing something morally right because, and I had spent time thinking about how to respond to this argument,” Sen said about the round later. “So when I was asked this question in first crossfire, what was going through my head was that I felt really bad about this, and this was a way to do something good.” The conversation quickly turned into a discussion about the challenges women in debate face. The impact that it had in the debate community was profound. So far, the video of the round has been viewed nearly 16,000 times on YouTube as of last Friday. As one fellow high school debater at the time, Megan Munce wrote in a Medium article, Abbott and Sen “lost
of the hallway. In the scribbled math formulas on graph paper in the corner of the (yes, sorry, unattractive) purple and gold carpet. In the ostensibly endless trek to the cafeteria on the left side of the walkway when it’s pouring. In the pungent green beans that are released from their plastic cage in English class after lunch. And in the mad dash to the Moran Library to print that essay we didn’t realize we needed to submit as a hard copy. These are the things we neglect. So, please, take time to observe. Our time here is one of the most forming times of our lives, and these images should not go unnoticed. Seniors, this goes for the rest of your life as well. Forget about your history test, forget about college, forget about that party, and look. Until next time, Emma Stout
their octafinals [sic] round, but won the TOC.” This round was not the only time that these two individuals have challenged sexism in debate. Sen played a major role in organizing a women’s invitational. “I have this friend from another school in the Bay. She started telling me about how she was thinking about quitting,” Sen said. “She just never felt like she was included… So, in this group chat we started talking about hosting a tournament that was only for girls… We were inspired by other round robins that were the same way.” Sen volunteered Quarry Lane to host the tournament, a small round robin with all female judges and all female competitors, the first time their school had ever hosted a tournament. Sen and other organizers planned to make it an annual event. “It was a very cool learning experience. The tournament itself was very relaxing—you just talk to girls and you feel a lot more at home,” Sen said. “It’s a very different environment.” Abbott explained how he tries to be aware of the implicit forms of sexism that he partakes in. “I am complicit in crossfire like mansplaining things,” he said. “I’m not a bad person, but I benefit from societal norms and the implicit power structure that is upheld in speech and debate.” Reflecting on each round and apologizing if you’ve done something wrong is important, Abbott said. To further understand gender inequalities in debate, Abbott conducted a statistical analysis of Public Forum debate, finding that only 38 percent of debaters were women and that two male partners were 16 percent more likely to win than a male and female team and 38 percent more likely to win than two female partners. While the study was not statistically conclusive, Abbott hopes it will jump start further discussion and research on gender inequalities in high school debate. “We need to have equality in a lot of different realms. [Debate] is a great starting point,” Abbott said. “Even if the rest of society sucks, we can do so much more.”
Got Opinions? Write for The Falcon.
Email eliza.griggs@kinkaid.org or student.publications@kinkaid.org.
Got Art?
Submit it to our website.
Email sally.buck@kinkaid.org or student. publications@kinkaid.org to have your media, print, visual, or film art uploaded to our website.
8 The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
To the Class of 2019, a reflection on the past 14 years BY EMMA GILLIAM & JORDAN JAFARNIA Dear Class of 2019, In case you didn’t know from the countless deans’ emails, your friend’s daily texts, or your countdown on your phone, we graduate in exactly three (!!!) days. It’s hard to believe that our past four, seven, 13, or 14 years are coming to a close after quite a few memories and lifelong friendships. In Lower School, we grew close to the friends we would spend the next 14 years with --we shared in the joys that were Friday Boomer Ball, birthday desserts, and convincing your parents of your extraordinary art skills. (FYI to all the parents who thought their 9-year-old was amazing at art: yeah, some of us were and still are, but really Mrs. Anderson should’ve signed 75% of those paintings.) We also shared our fears. Our biggest concerns were Bloody Mary and the mysterious crack in the bathroom mirror, and we all managed to cope in different ways: some of us sprinted in and out as fast as possible, others didn’t to go to the bathroom at all, and a select few just peed on the risers at Grandparents’ Day. To each their own. These times came to a close with the teachers’ rendition of “Fourth Grade You’re a Firework” and we said goodbye to KidPix, Curry Kisses, and most painfully, the musical policeman hat. Maybe it was the recent release of High School Musical 3, but a concerning amount of us cried as if we were graduating, despite the fact we were moving a building over and still had 8 more years left. Then came middle school, and you have to admit you
probably felt pretty cool on the first day of fifth grade (or as cool as an 11 year old can feel). Most of the girls treated lockers like their new apartments, installing that luxurious shag carpet, wallpaper, and chandeliers, while the boys went with the classic “laminated schedule” look. We were quickly confronted with the awkwardness that accompanies middle school, particularly as we sat uncomfortably in the amphitheater chairs listening to “Just Around the Corner” and questions you really wish you could unhear (yes, you know the one). We persisted against shoelace violations and faced the utter horror when your mom was banned from bringing you and your five best friends of the week Escalante’s for lunch. We coped through dance battles in the quad, which led to the creation of the walk, talk, and drink water ONLY rule. As a last resort, we took the dancing to the science room tables (or at least one of us did). Lucky for us, Bar Mitzvah season had commenced. Nothing is cooler than 100 13 year olds teaching each other how to Dougie, or making your friend uncomfortably slow dance with someone when Ed Sheeran comes on.
The unlucky 16 of us that had our phones stolen at one of these parties missed the rush of checking at 3:15 p.m. every day to see if you finally made it onto “Houston Cool People” Instagrams. Thanks to Mary Poppins, we closed out middle school as one big GANG. Most of you probably still remember the Supercal dance, Cade’s mic slip, Totz’ pink wig flying off, and the sound of Gleith hitting that high note and making a little girl in the first row cry. We were the top dogs of Kinkaid Middle School, unknowing of the hard times we would soon endure as fish. Finally, we got to high school and grew to 150. We knew high school was tough, but no one expected to start off their high school career with a C in Intro to Art. After long days of working as hard as we thought we possibly could (we seriously thought), we then went to practice where we spent the majority of our field time shagging balls for upperclassmen. As we awkwardly passed the time at homecoming dances, performing arts, or sporting events, we quickly learned many facts including that David
Shutts will most definitely attend way more Kinkaid events than you. Sophomore year we competed for cotillion dates, heard each other’s true singing voices in WHAP, and started mastering the art of writing our papers five minutes before the Turnitin box closes. Some of us traveled to China, where we learned getting a foot massage with a broken toe is not the move, you don’t really need that water, and when looking for jadeite, pay attention to color, translucency, hardness and workmanship. Some of us learned how to bargain, others bought fake New Balances at higher than retail price. Then we entered junior year, the Year of the Cougar. This year was characterized by constant Sri and Advantage visits, complaints about work that will just get 10 times harder, and squeezing in those last activities to add bullet points to your resume. (Emma’s parents were a little confused when she decided to join Model UN three years late, but hey it all worked out!) Finally, we made it to senior year and experienced what it was like to not have your grade hang-out spot taken
by upper and underclassmen. We shaped our odd, kind-offunny grade personality to be one that enjoys plague masks and trench coats. But at the same time, we had extremely high numbers of athletic commits and GPA performances, and, in our opinion, we’re probably the greatest people you’ll ever meet. Although this “unique” personality definitely drove off a concerning amount of people, we happy few have sincerely turned into a band of brothers (shoutout Mrs. Lambert and our Shakespeare class, we’ll never forget storming Kel’s Hill with you guys). In all seriousness, it’s crazy to think that in one week we’ll be saying goodbye to the last 14 years of our life. As much as you might say you can’t wait to get out of here, it’s pretty much impossible not to grow some attachment to the place and people you’ve spent at least 5,760 hours with (thank you Calculus -- couldn’t have done this equation without you). You probably had some of your best and worst memories here, but also some of the strangest, funniest, and most embarrassing ones too. We are so fortunate to grow up with such an amazing group of people. We love you guys and we’re going to miss you a lot. Sincerely, Emma Gilliam and Jordan Jafarnia
Thank you readers and staff! We’ll miss you next year.
Sarah Kate Padon
Olivia Marrus Graphics by Charlotte Carr
Lily Gunn
Jordan Jafarnia
Allison Le
Sterling Elias
Emma Stout
Emma Gilliam
Brady Brazda
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 9
Student creates website for service opportunities BY ELIZA GRIGGS Many students at Kinkaid are constantly looking for an edge or something that will make them stand out. For junior Megan Frankel, community service is her passion. She said she was constantly hearing students complain about the limited selection of opportunities offered through Kinkaid and the difficulty of finding suitable service opportunities outside of school, so she decided to create something that would allow easy access to service opportunities around Houston. Frankel recently launched a website called Teen Volunteer Houston. The website’s mission is to help students find community service opportunities in the Houston area. The website supplies students with over 70 different organizations to choose from. Some of the offered organizations
include Kids Meals, K9 Angels, and the Alzheimer’s Association. “I made the website because I have done a lot of volunteering over the years, and I thought it would be great for teens to have a variety of organizations to choose from to help out the community,” Frankel said. Each listed organization has its own tab, which includes a description of the nonprofits and a link to the volunteer website as well as contact information for the volunteer coordinator. The pristine layout of the website allows volunteers to search for categories they are most interested in volunteering in, such as animals, environment, or children.
As volunteer events become available, Frankel adds them to the Teen Volunteer Houston
calendar. In addition, there is a link for summer internships to assist teens in finding meaningful summer community service opportunities.
Frankel’s website has been written about by the Jewish Herald newspaper. The website has been viewed by over 1,500 people and has had 150 users since April. “I had been worried about how much activity the website would receive, but I am very happy with these numbers,” Frankel said. “I just hope people are finding it helpful and have been able to find meaningful service projects that they enjoy.” Frankel hopes more organizations will contact her and she will be able to list them on the website. She plans on featuring volunteer events on the calendar that are on the website as they become available. She is currently working to find ways to expand and
To access Frankel’s website, scan the QR code.
refine the website. “I hope to expand to other cities in Texas and am in the process of contacting other teens from other areas to start the organization for the community that they live in,” Frankel said.
For more information, visit https://teenvolunteerhouston. com/ or contact Megan Frankel at megan.frankel@kinkaid. org
Edited Out: How censorship affects private schools BY CONNOR BLAKE
T
he First Amendment often comes to mind when people think about what makes the U.S. one of the countries with the most freedom in the world. However, the amendment and its five freedoms— freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom to peaceably assemble and freedom to petition—have limitations. The affirmation in Tinker v. Des Moines that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate” has guaranteed the rights of students in public schools to express their opinions in nondisruptive ways for five decades this February. Even though the Tinker case took place during the Vietnam War, students’ rights is an ongoing and evolving issue. In mid-February of this year Senate Bill 514 was proposed by Democratic Sen. José Rodríguez in the Texas legislature to expand protection of free speech for public school newspapers. The bill was part of a campaign by New Voices, a student movement that fights to give more protections to student journalists. It has prompted a push for new legislation in almost a dozen states. But, it does not extend its reach to the 250,000 students at private schools in Texas, including Kinkaid. No state legislation has included protections to private school students, except California, which passed the “Leonard Law” in 1992 to effectively create a free-speech environment
for most private schools by granting them the same rights as students in public schools. Congress tried to pass a nationwide “Leonard Law” in 1998, but the push was unsuccessful. The First Amendment constrains the government from limiting freedom of expression. However, private institutions like Kinkaid are legally capable of suppressing speech both on and off campus.
“You are responsible for the core values...”
- Mr. Josh Ramey, Dean of Students
For example, in 1999, in Ubriaco v. Albertus Magnus High School, a student was expelled from a private Catholic school near New York City for posting obscene messages on a personal website that the school claimed were in violation of its handbook. The student tried to file a lawsuit against the school for violation of First Amendment rights, but the student’s case for redress was thrown out in court because the plaintiff could not classify the censorship as an act of the government. Kinkaid’s All School Handbook says students are “expected to behave in a manner that is representative of the Kinkaid community … interacting at any time on or off campus on any communications platforms, networks, or social media.” At a public school, there would be a strong case against the school’s ability to punish the off-campus conduct of students
and their families, but as seen in the Ubriaco case, private schools are fully capable of this level of monitoring of on- and off-campus activities. This stipulation means students posting on their Instagram accounts during the summer vacation could be reprimanded for content Kinkaid deems against its policy. “If you were to do something that was in clear violation of our values or you were to do something that was harmful or targeted against another member of the community, there could be repercussions for that... You are responsible for the core values in the summer as you are during the school year,” said Mr. Josh Ramey, Dean of Students. Apart from student speech at and away from school, Kinkaid operates multiple publications that have speech limitations. The school “exercises full editorial control over all such publications through its faculty advisors” for this newspaper, The Falcon, and all other Kinkaid-sponsored publications, including The Kinkadian and Falcon Wings. But, if The Falcon and other Kinkaid publications were classified as “public forums for student expression,” where anyone in the community could share ideas, there would be a strong case against school censorship. The idea of a public forum was established in the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case in 1988. When the Hazelwood East High School student newspaper tried to run an article about teen pregnancy and the effect of di-
vorce on students, the St. Louis school’s principal censored it. The students took their case to a U.S. District Court, and after many rounds of appeal and reversed rulings, the case found its way to the Supreme Court. In their ruling, the Supreme Court held that because it was a paper run by students in their journalism class and edited by a teacher, it was subject to control by the principal. Justices made the distinction that because the paper was school-sponsored and not independent, it was subject to control. The ruling also included that speech could be limited if it was “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns” and could disrupt the classroom. “Kinkaid is not too much different than any privately run institution in that it has its own values and its own mission that it wants to instill in its students and also project outward into the community,” Mr. Ramey said. “So I would say that the school wants to make sure that anything that is said that could be representative of the school is in line with those values.” According to Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel for the Student Press Law Center in Washington, D.C, “some—in fact, many—private schools have voluntarily adopted
policies/statements that do so. Where that’s the case—if the promise is specific enough— courts have looked at such documents as making contractual promises they must keep.” Kinkaid has made no such promise. Because The Falcon comprises articles written by students and later reviewed by student editors and The Falcon’s adviser, Dr. Kimetris Baltrip, The newspaper is far from being granted the protections against censorship that come with being classified as a “public forum.” This limitation is a uniquely high school problem: Suppressing free speech in private colleges is much different. According to the SPLC, almost all college newspapers fall under the “public forum” classification, including private school publications, so they would hold the same rights as professional newspapers. However, private college or university papers that are not considered public forums are still potentially subject to censorship by school administrators. The reason the private college press is less restricted is because the Hazelwood ruling generally limits high schools only, and most schools, public and private, have policies to protect free speech and expression that they are contractually obligated to uphold.
10 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
'19 Kinkaid Drive-Univer
S E N I O R S Portland, Lewis and Clark College: Christian Gipson
Corvallis, Oregon State University:
Northf ield, Carleton Co Darius Good
Wyatt Young
Boulder, University of Boulder: Chloe Fondren Anatoly Bourinen
Berkley, UC Berkley: Kenneth Lam
Los Angeles
Palo Alto, Stanford University: Callie Rosenthal Riley Shaper Colorado Springs AnaClare SolĂŠ Colorado College: Sanders Green Air Force Academy: Cade Moulten
USC: Reeves Cameron Diego Ramos Emma Sykes UCLA: Rorye Jones
University of Texas: Jake Adamson Eli Bakht Tyler Baldridge Simi Bontha Grace Breeding Patrick Brown Behr Bruce Madeline Butcher Sarah Grace Carr Nicholas Contreras Gleith Cozby Merrit Cozby Andrew Deuster Caroline DeWalch Nolan D'Souza
Preston Frede Lily Gunn Davis Havens Spencer Hickman Lindsey Ho Olivia Stuart Ison Jake Jacobe Will Jacobe Jordan Jafarnia Madeline Karkowsky Caroline Keller Matthew Kirkwood Caroline Kunetka Ellie Lucke Julian Meyers
Manoa, University of Hawaii: Zach Daniel
Emily Moak Roya Moradi Cole Nockolds Mason Nome Marilyn Nwora Morgan Parker Caroline Peterson Cameron Rudin Katherine Sarvadi Stephen Schnitzer Jeffers Shaper Quincy Steele Marynell Ward Claire Watson Holly Yeager
Dallas, SMU: Antonio Castro Olivia Holley Trip Horlock Karnett Huynh Rohan Kumar Sophie Lipman Bar Pierce Jack Scofield Jack Stallings Caroline Totz Alexander Treistman Cole Vicknair Louisa Zaharia
S D
Fortworth, TCU: Raybourne Burt Caroline Cone Gabriela Escolona Margaret Frandina Laine Jacobe Sarah Vandiver Lindsay Wells
Austin San Antonio, Trinity University: Rayan Itani Ameer Mustafa Austin Community College: Taylor Knauth Hudson Marix Baylor University: Jackson Mitschki Jennifer Sekili
U H N
Colleg Texas Annali Allison Madi M Celeste Joseph
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 11
rsity Station Exit from 201 Kinkaid School Dr.
Boston: Suff ield, Suff ield Academy: Kami Nader
Hanover, Dartmouth: James House Mikela McCauley
BY EMMA STOUT & SARAH KATE PADON
Hamilton, Centre County, Penn Hamilton College: State University: William Gordon Mason Freeman Cleveland, Pittsburg, UPitt: Case-Western: Madison Siff Josh Levy
ollege: dman
Madison, University of Wisconsin: Annie Holm
Chicago Northwestern University: Caroline Moseley Sarah Kate Padon University of Chicago: Nicholas Limon Hannah Shi
St. Louis, WashU: David Cook Nashville, Vanderbilt: Sterling Elias Cheyenne Friedkin Caroline Oster Beckett Toussaint
Harvard: May Moorfield Boston University: Brandon Swain New Haven, Yale Kate Carmain Seb Seagar New York University: Jason Gordon Avery Looser Princeton, Princeton University: Carlos Abello Philadelphia, UPenn: Alex Frumovitz Chloe Hunter Georgetown University: Arnold Bahati Katherine Jacobe American University: Onuchi Ndee Lena Provenzano Henry Stone
Athens, UGA: Nicholas Cox
Charlottesville: University of Virginia:
Charlote Carr Olivia Marrus Farise Cravens Lexington, Washington and Lee University:
Atlanta, Emory: Kendall Kalmans
Tyler, UT: Brady Brazda
Jack Mitchell
Durham, Duke University: Daniel King Colombia, University of South Carolina: Grace Hurley
New Orleans, Loyola University: Kate Petrovic
Houston Rice University
ge Station, A&M: iese Fowler n Le Malouf e Santos h Wagnon
Berklee College of Music: Joshua BenShoshan
Washington D.C.
Oxford, Ole Miss: Elizabeth Baird
Amy Ho Audrey Ho Remy Kalai Dani Knobloch Lara Lin CG Marinelli
University of Houston: Nicholas Medina
Tufts University: Emma Stout
Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Josh Williams
University of St. Thomas: Michael Warren
Auburn, Auburn University: Helena Johnson
Greenville, Furman University: Jacob Magelssen Stone Simmons
Fife, Scotland: University of St Andrews Emma Gilliam
12 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
SENIORS
THREE DAYS UNTIL
78 GIRLS & 72 BOYS
BY THE
NUMBERS
150 45 SENIORS
MEMBERS OF
BY LILY GUNN
THE CLASS OF 2019
19 SPC CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FOUR YEARS
2
9
SENIORS ATTENDI NG A N IVY LEAGU E S C HOOL
TALLEST SENIOR
17
80
SENI O RS STAYING IN
ATTENDING TH E UNIVERSITY OF T EXAS
TEXAS
118,022,400 30MEMBERS
SECONDS SPENT IN HIGH SCHOOL
22
SENIORS PLAYING SPORTS IN COLLEGE
OF
N U MBER OF T I M ES SENIORS H AV E BEEN K IC KED OU T O F T H E ST U DENT
MAY
CUM LAUDE
35
LIFERS
17
SENIORS
IN BAND & SHORTEST ORCHESTRA SENIOR DANI KNOBLOCH
WILLIAM GORDON
8.9 MILES: THE DISTANCE TO RICE, THE CLOSEST COLLEGE TO KINKAID
4,629 MILES: THE DISTANCE TO ST. ANDREWS, THE FARTHEST COLLEGE FROM KINKAID
ONE ACTS DIRECTED BY SENIORS:
4
PAIRS OF TWINS IN THE GRADE
4
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 13
One Acts put actors in different lead roles Seniors make their directing debut with short plays BY MADI BABINE In late April, four seniors completed their final senior project: One Acts. These 10-minute plays are a tradition for seniors who are well-versed in theater. They are transitioning from their past plays into their last piece of work in their high-school career. For many, it is their first time directing a play. “Not only do you have to have a clear and a distinct vision for every element of the play, but you also have to be there to support and help your actors as well as costume and tech crews. You really are the leader, and everyone is looking to you,” said senior Avery Looser, one of the directors. Some of the One Acts include as little as two actors, such as “Ladies and Gentleman, the Rain,” written by senior Will Eno and directed by senior Spencer Hickman. Their play told the story of two people who seek love by making dating videos, ultimately opening up to each other about their past and defining who they are and what they want in the process. Hickman explained the directing process and how different his play is. “The two actors on stage never interact – they only talk to a camcorder throughout the whole play….the text is very dense, poetic, and at many
times confusing. In some of the rehearsals we’d talk about a single line for like 15 minutes because Will Eno’s writing is so interesting.” Senior Caroline Moseley who directed five actors—the largest cast in the One Acts— produced “Bed & Breakfast,” originally written by senior Richard Dresser. Their piece is a light-hearted comedy about two American couples staying at a bed and breakfast in Britain. Their vacation takes a turn for the worse when they must deal with an attempted murder and two drug abuses, and they resolve their conflicts and leave others to deal with the consequences of their actions. Moseley explained how she wanted to direct something outside the box to challenge herself. “I honestly don’t think I would have been cast in ‘Bed & Breakfast’ if I had auditioned. The process has been really fun and experimental for me. My cast is so energetic and they impress me every day in rehearsal with their dedication to developing their characters,” she said. Looser delved into the process of grieving and coping with the death of a young girl in “Language of Angels.” Originally written by senior Naomi Iizuka, the play tells the story of a girl named Celie who disappears in a cave while out
with her friends and they must piece together what happened. “In the end, some of Celie’s friends rest in her presence... while others dwell in their sorrows, spiraling in their own isolation,” Looser said. Even more interesting, Looser’s cast do not interact with each other. The play is full of monologues, making the language very challenging, but Looser said “it has been fun piecing together this intricate story.” The fourth and final One Act, directed by senior Matthew Kirkwood featured Danielle, a girl in her mid 20s, trying to apply for a job but having trouble when answering some of the questions. Conflicted, she seeks advice from her old classmates and good friends Cindy, Dylan and Brian. “Slop Culture,” originally written by senior Robb Badlam has similar correlation to the TV show “Friends,” and Kirkwood chose this script because it is “one of the funniest scripts for a play [he had] ever seen.” Because all four seniors have acted in past Kinkaid productions, they all have learned the ups and downs of directing and the difference between acting and directing. “I definitely consider myself an actor, and I never considered how different [directing and acting is]” Moseley said.
From left to right: Lexie Strauss (10), Carlie Sachs (11), Joshua Ben-Shoshan (12), Alex Nigro (11) star in Avery Looser’s (12) One Act “Language of Angels.”
14 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
‘Potential’ gives artist new life, inspiration At his core, wellknown rapper, poet, author, and founder of the nonprofit Writer’s Block, AJ McQueen, is an organic man with a heart for serving youth throughout Houston. BY MAGGIE JOHNSTON Even after performing in front of thousands of people, speaking across the country, and receiving national recognition for his lyrics, genuine moments spent in thought-provoking conversation continue to propel AJ McQueen forward in his mission of service. In April, McQueen spent a day on the Kinkaid campus, and journalism students had the honor of having a candid, fascinating conversation about what inspired him to give back to the Photo illustration by Kimetris Baltrip
Photo by Trevoy Kelly
community in such a dynamic and positive way. His non-profit organization, Writer’s Block, has a roster of more than 30 members who use written word to inspire atrisk youth to express themselves through writing rather than turning to violence or other destructive behaviors. “I loved his ability to share his story in such an open way. I think our interview felt more like a conversation about his passion, which was really cool,” said Megan Riley (11). “I learned about the importance of the effect people have on others. AJ is changing the world by impacting and inspiring those around him constantly.” Unlike when McQueen speaks to large audiences, he was in his most simple, organic form when he spoke to the Falcon staff in the student publications classroom. Students were privileged to
interact with McQueeen beyond the cameras, lights, and the pressure of managers and press nudging him to live life in a rapid pace, running from one event to the next. Sitting in an ordinary classroom, it was easy to ask him any question that came to mind and he openly shared his story: where he came from, vivid moments of strength and times of weakness that he has encountered in all stages of his life. Born and raised on the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, McQueen started exercising his writing ability at age 11. He became known as one of the best freestyle rappers on the northwest and southwest sides of St. Louis, but he never would have guessed his lyrics and his heart for others would reach people across the world. An outsider might believe that McQueen’s life has been full of success; however, it is the antithesis of that viewpoint. Starting from day one, he battled for his life, as he was born weighing only three pounds, six ounces. The struggles of his life did not stop there. “Everything outside my front door was negative, so all I had to do was open my front door and pick my poison,” he said. By 13, McQueen became an active member of a neighborhood gang. “Where I am from, being in a gang was based off where I lived. I did not have a choice. I was involved without being involved,” he said. “Society does this to you. Sometimes you do not have the choice of privilege to decide what happens to you.” By 14, McQueen came home with a cry for help. “Mama, someone is trying to take my life,” he told his mom. And someone was. Right before turning 15, he underwent a life-changing
event. On the streets of the west side of St. Louis, on a bleak August night around midnight, he and seven of his friends were out when McQueen was struck by a bullet. He got hit again. Two bullets. He lay on the pavement and looked up trying to figure out what just happened. The world grew silent, the friends who had just surrounded him had vanished, and it seemed that all of the lights in St. Louis had vanished with them – it was just him and the dark night sky. “The thing that hurt me the most was not the bullets; it was my mom’s face. She came into the hospital room, and there was only sadness. It hurt my soul. I never wanted to make my mom feel this way,” McQueen said. He almost lost his life, and now he was faced with a feeling inside saying he needed to make a change. He took the opportunity to turn his life around. On a new path of self discovery and seeking to make monumental changes, McQueen moved in with a family friend in Houston. Through his time in Houston, he continued to write. The words of his songs and his thoughts began carrying more meaning and he began pursuing a career as a lyricist. He recorded his first song on a tape recorder and let the man serving as his father figure listen to it. “AJ, you have great potential,” the man said. The word – potential – took on a new meaning for McQueen, as it was the first word he ever heard that spoke life into him; it became the driving force for his life and his mission on earth ever since. “I started to realize that there is more to life than what is in front of us. I wanted to share potential with people,” he said. As a 16 year old, he started sharing his story with people whom he believed were on a similar path he took as a youth.
“I would just turn around to kids in my classroom who I knew were active in gangs, and I would say, ‘No man, do not do that. It is not what you want to do.’” With faith, perception, grit and love, opportunities began making themselves apparent to McQueen. At age 29, McQueen had achieved the unimaginable. He was recognized by President Barack Obama and received the White House Service Achievement Award for his service to his community and his book, “Art of Life.” He also received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from local Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Today, McQueen has two albums and 11 singles. He remains a positive lyricist who works to encourage those around him through his founding and leadership of the non-profit organization, Writers Block. He works daily to motivate those around him to turn to writing and positive expression – the idea that amid immense pain, one can find hope and joy. Journalism students felt the impact of hearing a fellow writer’s story and were inspired by the way adversity strengthened McQueen’s drive. His writing spans genres and he has managed to masterfully craft words into poetry, lyrics and nonfiction work. Additionally, he has inspired others through public speaking, spoken word, and everyday conversation. “The discussion with AJ, for me, was incredibly inspiring. Not only did it serve as an opportunity for our journalism class to hone their discussion and interview skills, but it enabled us to take a further look into what success is,” said Emma Stout, the Falcon’s editor-in-chief.
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon 15
ENTERTAINMENT
YEAR IN REVIEW august 17 25 september 27 october 28 23 BY OLIVIA MARRUS
Crazy Rich Asians, the first Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast, premieres in Los Angeles. The film had a budget of $30 million, yet grossed $238.5 million worldwide.
John McCain dies at the age of 81 after fighting a long battle with brain cancer. He passed away at his home in Arizona after a long, successful life, and military and political career.
Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding allegations raised by Ford that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a high school party in the 1980s. Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination was advanced to the Senate in a 11-10 vote.
november
6
Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2018 World Series 4-1. This marked the ninth World Series win for Boston and the second year in a row that the Dodgers have failed to clinch the title.
Bohemian Rhapsody premieres in London. The film tells the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen’s rise to fame, and it has since become the highest-grossing biopic of all time in addition to the highest-grossing musical biopic, drama film without action or fantasy, and LGBTQ film of all time.
8
The 2018 midterms produced the highest voter turnout since 1914 as Americans elected 35 new senators and 435 new members of the House of Representatives. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher was elected the new representative for TX-07, the district Kinkaid lies in.
december
6 january 7
february march
5 april 8
3
The New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII 13 - 3, securing their third championship title over the last five years.
19 28
15 6
The Jonas Brothers announce release of their new single, “Sucker.” Met with enormous amounts of enthusiasm and nostalgia, this single officially ends the six year hiatus the brothers took from making music as a trio.
In anticipation of Holy Week, the world-renowned Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is engulfed in a massive blaze. Many parts of the 850-year-old church were devastated by the flames, including the classic spire. French President Emmanuel Macron promises Parisians that they will “rebuild this cathedral together.”
19
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcome their firstborn child Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in the early morning of May 6.
The shutdown began when Republicans and Democrats failed to come to an agreement on funding for the wall on the southern border of the United States. It lasted 34 days in total, becoming the longest government shutdown in history. Thousands of women gathered to march the streets of Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19. These women were a part of the third annual Women’s March.
17
Kylie Jenner is announced the youngest-ever billionaire at 21 by Forbes, prompting controvery over whteher or not she is actually “self-made.”
Virginia beats Texas Tech 85-77 in overtime to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship.
may
22
“YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind” becomes most disliked video on YouTube with 16.5 million dislikes. It passed Justin Bieber’s “Baby” music video within eight days of its upload.
The Clemson Tigers defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football National Championship 44 - 16. The game was played in Santa Clara, California at Levi’s Stadium, home fo the San Francisco 49ers.
Beginning on Nov. 8, the Camp Fire quickly became the deadliest and most destructive California wildfire ever and the deadliest wildfire in the United States since 1918.
Game of Thrones will air its last episode ever on HBO. The mega-popular television series first aired on April 17, 2011, and will come to a bittersweet close in just nine short days.
George Strait, with special guests Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen, set the RODEO HOUSTON attendance record with 80,108 people in attendance.
16 ENTERTAINMENT | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
Alumni Olivia’s dog Stella Whataburger! have u guys been there Peaking in high school When your 69.5 rounds up to a 70 #hardwork #paysoff
HOT OR NOT BY EMMA GILLIAM & OLIVIA MARRUS
Kindergarten bullies
Rain on Fridays When restaurants don’t take Falcon card Spongebob backpacks When your parents try to get emo about leaving for college #stopmom #youre #embarrasingme When you find out you have to do Hot or Not one hour before the paper prints
Hilarities and controversies: A year of memes in review BY VEDUL PALAVAJJHALA
As social media increasingly becomes a platform not to connect with friends and new people but rather to boast about one’s possessions, the opportunity to make fun of this new trend grows. In the fall of 2018, for example, fed up social media users created the “weird flex but ok” meme to call out show offs and
“They did surgery on a grape” was a phrase that went viral along with an image of a grape being peeled by a surgical arm.
flexers on various platforms. The meme usually includes some sort of ridiculous attempt to brag in a post with the words, “weird flex but ok” photoshopped in. One of these posts depicted a yearbook photo with a special talent listed below reading, “Can cook Minute rice in 58 seconds.” The meme spread like a
wildfire and even became an advertising strategy for the company Flex Seal. The company shared a picture of one of its products with the words, “weird flex but ok” on Twitter. The joke was obviously one of the most mainstream memes of the year and earned enough votes to place second in a survey of the journalism staff.
The image originates from a video of a demo of the Da Vinci Surgical System uploaded by the tech site “Cheddar.” In November
2018, eight years after the original video was made, the image blew up on Instagram and led to a trend of people trying to mention the phrase “they did surgery on a grape” as many times as possible in one image. Alongside the popularity of the da Vinci Surgical System came controversy. The company has settled for $67 million in cases involving patients being injured by the device.
In October, President Donald Trump introduced a new nationwide alert system that can send an emergency message to every cell phone in the U.S. simultaneously. The new technology was controversial and some even took to Photoshop to create loony messages in place of the actual alert. The fake bulletins ranged from subtle polit-
ical jabs to outright jokes. Among them were messages that read: “How do I build a wall in Fortnite?” and, “It is Wednesday my dudes.” The meme was a break from the heated political atmosphere before the November midterms. This politically charged meme garnered enough votes in our survey to tie for first place.
empty chair in public, waiting for passersby to argue about political controversies displayed on a table cloth. As t with the presidenou is “ e l tial alert meme, cre” rtic s a ht silly i ators photoshopped h T rig advertisements on the cloth to display frivolous and outright silly texts. The A news site, “Loudmeme, although somewhat er with Crowder,” with controversial, received conservative host Steven enough survey votes to Crowder, has gained fame place fourth in our rankfor its debate forum called, ings. The image shows the “Change My Mind.” One original sign used on the segment involves Crowder “Louder with Crowder” sitting at a table with an show.
POP CULTURE CHART
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ENTERTAINMENT 17
Where we get to know the Kinkaidian tastes and the talk around campus. BY MEGHA NEELAPU & ALLISON LE
What is your favorite high school memory?
“Vegas.” - William Gordon (12)
“I don’t remember a lot from freshman year.” - Marynell Ward (12)
“Causing Coach Larned’s 1 loss record in JV basketball.” - Jake Adamson (12)
What is your biggest high school regret?
“Take a wild guess.” - Nick Limon (12)
“Not locking down Jack Mitchell.” - Caroline Kunetka (12)
“Summerfest.” - Raybourne Burt (12)
“Not trying until junior year.” Sarah Vandiver (12)
How have you changed since your freshman year?
“My spine got fixed.” Preston Frede (12)
“I got taller.” - Jacob Magelssen (12)
“I became unathletic: three sports freshman year to laying in bed and binging GoT senior year.” - Grace Breeding (12)
What song best describes the Class of 2019?
“‘a lot’ by 21 Savage.” - Kolby Davis (9)
“‘Party In The U.S.A.’ by Miley Cyrus.” - Evren Ozdogan (10)
“‘BFB’ from Victorious.” - Laine Woelfel (11)
“‘La Bomba’ by King Africa.” Antonio Castro (12)
Describe the Class of 2019 in three words or less.
“Humorous, special, gritty.” - Ms. Angela Wainright
“Exhausting but lovable.” - Mr. Josh Ramey
“Comedic. They never cease to entertain me.” - Dr. Susan Wheeler
“Nutty. Opinionated. Smart.” - Ms. Tamasine Ellis
“I don’t give a hoot what people think about me.” Madi Malouf (12)
“Winning three SPC championships.” - Kate Petrovic (12)
18 The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
Seniors sign to compete as college athletes BY ALLISON LE
Audrey Ho
Marilyn Nwora
Audrey Ho will pole vault for Rice University Track and Field this fall. Before, she always thought she wanted to do gymnastics in college but once she stopped she didn’t consider college sports at all. She started pole vaulting freshman year and now holds the school record for pole vaulting the highest at 11 feet 3 inches. “I hadn’t really thought about doing athletics in college, but I have been pole vaulting with the Rice coach for the past three years and kind of decided this [winter] that I wanted to continue vaulting with him,” Ho said. She looks forward to getting to know her future team and continuing to train with her coach.
Marilyn Nwora will be throwing shot put for University of Texas at Austin Track and Field. She was originally a volleyball player, but fell in love with shot put as a sophomore. “I think throwing won me over because I was a lot better at it,” she said. Nwora earned SPC champion titles in the shot put her sophomore and junior years, as well as All SPC and All South Zone mentions in both the shot put and discus. She also qualified for the Texas Relays both her junior and senior year, in which she threw her personal best of 44 feet 4.75 inches in the shot put. Nwora is most excited about the intensity level at which she will have to perform.
Cade Moulton
Josh Levy
Cade Moulton will be playing baseball at the Air Force Academy. The three-year varsity player is excited to be pitching for a Division One team after not being able to play his junior year due to an arm injury. Like other Air Force students, Moulton had to pass a fitness exam and “have the grades to get into the actual school,” he said, adding that he had to “get a nomination from the congressperson in my district, which requires interviews and additional applications.” After a successful season he looks forward to jumping out of planes, flying gliders, and playing baseball next year.
This coming fall Josh Levy will be playing basketball at Case Western Reserve University. The three-year varsity athlete has played since he was 9 years old. For him, the recruiting process was pretty short: a college adviser helped him get in contact with some coaches when they came to the Amateur Athletic Union tournaments and camps he played in. “[Playing college basketball] has always been a goal and has seemed like a good plan,” he said. Levy looks forward to the cold weather and playing with cool gear in a bigger gym, with tougher and more serious competition.
William Gordon
William Gordon will continue his basketball career at Hamilton College. He faced challenges with a torn ligament and ankle fracture playing Amateur Athletic Union in his sophomore year and endured a tough three-month recovery after a previous non-sports related injury prevented him from playing last summer, the most important time for college recruiters. Even though Gordon didn’t begin the college recruiting process until junior year, it happened very quickly for him. “I got connected with pretty much all the coaches I wanted to be in contact with pretty quickly and it became really a matter of keeping them interested and choosing which school, coach, and team I liked most,” he said.
Madi Malouf
After countless injuries and offers, Madi Malouf will go on to continue at Texas A&M University for track and field. She started competing when she was in the fifth grade and also played volleyball and basketball throughout her high school career. “I always knew basketball wasn’t for me, but volleyball was something that I truly loved and, honestly, considered pursuing in the next level. It got tough once it came down to track and volleyball, but just thinking about leaving track behind felt too wrong,” she said. Malouf is excited for the challenge of having to prove herself again as a freshman athlete and how she will develop as an athlete mentally and physically under a college training program.
Top (left to right): Audrey Ho, William Gordon, Cade Moulton, Josh Levy, and Marilyn Nwora. Bottom: Madi Malouf. Photos courtesy of David Shutts
Spring sports recap
Five teams take home SPC Championships to finish the school year BY WILSON KELSEY
Carlos Abello (12) Ella Brissett (10)
Charlotte Shively (10) Katelyn Gamble (11)
Will Jacobe (12)
Baseball
Girls Tennis
Girls Lacrosse
Girls Track and Field Boys Golf SPC CHAMPIONS
SPC CHAMPIONS
The baseball team had a stellar season, finishing with a 26-2 record, going undefeated in SPC play. They capped off their season with a 1-0 win over Episcopal in the SPC Championship game.
The girls tennis team went 8-0 and won SPC by beating Hockaday 3-2. This was their first SPC championship since 2007. Senior captain Merritt Cozby said, “We worked really hard all season and it paid off!”
The girls lacrosse team had an amazing year, finishing with a 13-2 record and a first-place finish at SPC. The team won second place in the state tournament for girls lacrosse.
The girls track and field team won all of its meets, leading up to SPC and came away with the championship and the second-highest score in SPC history, behind their record-setting performance in 2018.
The boys golf team had yet another terrific season marked by outstanding play from their freshmen. They won SPC for the fourth year in a row led by freshman Brooks Morrell with scores of 75 and 76.
SPC CHAMPIONS
SPC CHAMPIONS
SPC CHAMPIONS
Rohan Kumar (12) Jacob Magelssen (12)
Natalie Ou (9)
Softball
Softball had a solid season, finishing 16-11. Senior captain Olivia Stuart Ison attributed their success to “Coach Outon. Her positivity and confidence in [our] players has really motivated us to be our best selves.” Photos courtesy of David Shutts
Boys Tennis
Junior Russell Burrow said, “We went in strong and big this year. You win some and you lose some but that’s all right, because we’re improving. For what we have this year we’ve done an admirable job.” The boys finished in ninth place.
Boys Lacrosse
The boys lacrosse team played well all year and went into SPC as the fourth seed. Senior Jacob Magelssen said that the most influential player on the team was “Hudson McLeroy because he hypes up the bench and his speed and agility are one of a kind.”
Ethan Fang (10)
Allyn Stevens (9)
Boys Track and Field Girls Golf The boys track and field team had a decent season. “We didn’t place in the top 3 in any of our meets, but all of us got new personal records as the season progressed,” junior Mattlew Bale said.
The girls golf team had a great year, winning the Episcopal tournament at Quail Valley and finishing second at SPC. Senior captain Lindsay Wells (12) said that her favorite moment of the season was “winning at Quail Valley.”
May 14, 2019 | The Kinkaid Falcon | SPORTS 19
Wyatt Young (12)
THIS YEAR IN SPORTS: SPC WINNERS BY MADI BABINE & SALLY BUCK
Alexandra Blake (11)
Girls Cross Country Kinkaid girls cross country had a strong star in SPC, beating all competition with a final score of 66.
Kennedi Poullard (9)
Girls Track & Field With the second highest point total in SPC history, the team dominated with a score of 198 points, winning by over 70 ahead of the second-place team. All photos courtesy of David Shutts
Jackson Griggs (11)
Football For the second year in a row, after a riveting championship game against Episcopal, Kinkaid prevailed with a final score of 41 to 21.
Olivia Sullivan (9)
Girls Basketball Going into SPC with a near-flawless record of 22:1, girls basketball triumphed over Greenhill with a score of 56 to 38.
Mikela McCauley (12)
Girls Lacrosse In a match between Kinkaid and the Episcopal School of Dallas, ranked 2nd and 1st in SPC respectively, Kinkaid won with a score of 11-10.
Cade Moulton (12)
Baseball Tyler Doan (11) hit a sacrifice fly-ball for Behr Bruce (12) to score the only run of the game against Episcopal, ending the game with a final score
of 1-0.
Bain Williams (11)
Boys Golf After a successful season, boys golf finished off the year with a score of 312, winning the championship by 19 strokes.
Hallie Jeffers (9)
Girls Tennis After a three-hour match, Hallie Jeffers (9) won the singles with a match score of 7-3, leading the girls team to win against Hockaday 3-2.
MAGGLESON YOU’RE HOT
20 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | May 14, 2019
14
Lon
6’
100
ges
tD
5i M a scus r i l y -Th n N row AUD wo : REY ra
HO:
High
HOURS
C OF PRA TICE
n o s er t s e g aTt P Lon a i d Ly -
est P ole Vault
11’3
: i t u P r t a o M h S t 5s e g .7 n o L ’4 p: 44 m Ju
N n ly
ra o w
h Hig
2
t fEe HES INC Highest Jump
5
RECORD RELAY TIMES:
Girls Track & Field Team of the Year
VYPE
4x100 → 49.89 4x200 → 1:42.81 4x400 → 3:56.90
Soraya PaTterson
Head Coach: Ken CoNnor
Above: Sorya Patterson (9) completes the last hurdle of her race in a track and field meet hosted by Kinkaid.
GIRLS T R AC K & F I E L D BY EMMA STOUT & MADI BABINE