THE FALCON
50
th
PLUS!
All-Female A capella Group pg. 26
TIS THE SEASON TO CELEBRATE INTERIM TERM Kinkaid marks the semicentennial of its one-of-a-kind enrichment program
FROM THE EDITOR JAISAL KALAPATAPU EDITOR IN CHIEF
Dear Reader, For three weeks in January, I do not worry about the stresses of everyday high school life. The reason? Interim Term. For three weeks, I get to take classes I enjoy, have minimal homework, and spend more time with friends and family. The long break, coupled with two weeks off for the holidays, is exactly what I need to come into the second semester with the energy I need. One other thing that I enjoy about Interim Term is seeing my teachers outside of how I normally see them. Seeing a math teacher share their passion for dance or listening to an English teacher talk about pop culture makes me realize just how cool our faculty is. At the end of the day, teachers are people too, and Interim Term helps me realize this. I am very grateful for Interim Term. Very few students have opportunities like the ones we are afforded. I encourage all students to take time to appreciate this opportunity.
Anywhere, Anytime thefalcon.kinkaid.org @thekinkaidfalcon
Best, Jaisal Kalapatapu
Contents
TABLE OF 10
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Bocce ball brings groups together
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06
You feel the weight of the bright red ball in your hand. You see the other ball within a couple of inches...
The debate around Christmas Music With campus trees beginning to shed their red coats, brightly colored Christmas wreaths...
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Teachers find joy in their collections
10
Stamps, Hello Kitty and Yeti cups. Every Kinkaid teacher is unique, but three teachers...
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All-female a capella group takes shape While the performing arts programs work hard to come back in full swing this year, five choir and encore...
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Campus
Garage On Guard
New measures by facilities team aim to make parking on campus easier, safer By Eshaan Mani, executive digital editor All photos by Eshaan Mani
New measures have been added to the parking lot to ensure the safety of students and faculty.
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New 5 miles per hour speed limit signs have been posted.
A new sign on the second floor of the parking garage flashes red to indicate cars are coming down
Gone are the days of students spraining their necks to check if a car is flying down the ramp of the parking garage. The campus facilities team added signs to the campus parking garage over the past summer to minimize the risk of accidents and to better ensure that students, faculty, staff and visitors have a safe parking experience. The Governing Council recognized that parking lot safety was a bit of an issue on campus at the end of the 2020-21 school year, so the Student Affairs committee lobbied for these new measures and supplemented them with announcements at assembly and videos.
Mr. Carter Metclaf, project coordinator, said the most prominent new measure is the warning sign for people exiting the second floor. The sign flashes bright red to let drivers know that a car is coming down the ramp. “Previously, a driver would have to ease out and look very hard to the left to see that a car was coming down,” Mr. Metclaf said. “We decided to install this sign after receiving feedback from the Governing Council.” Senior Henry Segal, president of the Governing Council, ensured these measures were put in place. Though Segal walks to school each day, he said he believes it is of utmost importance to institute these measures. “Students and faculty use this space every day,” he said. “It is not fair to members of
the community to use a space that can be very dangerous when there is a general lack of caution.” The facilities crew has seen very few accidents since the opening of the garage in 2015, which consisted of fender benders, run-over signs or collisions with a wall. Mrs. Julie Burris-Richardson, security manager, said the accident numbers are low and could be lower. “If everyone would slow down, adhere to the garage speed limit, be more attentive and stay off their phones, we would have a safer campus,” she said. Mr. Metclaf and Mrs. BurrisRichardson agree that the measures are effective ways to prevent future accidents. The facilities team is not anticipating any additional changes to the garage.
Mrs. Burris-Richardson said she is always looking for ways to improve campus security. “I have frequent conversations with Mr. Ramey, dean of students, in order to ensure accidents or incidents, traffic violators, students without stickers and the multitude of others various infractions are addressed immediately,” she said. Mr. Metclaf said safety in the garage is up to students. “If there is anything we can all do to help prevent an accident or injury it would be to slow down,” he said. “Students driving 20 miles per hour as they enter the garage cannot stop in time for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. So I put the onus on the student body to create a safer environment. Signs do not slow a vehicle down. Drivers do.”
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Campus
Students have a blast at Bocce Ball Tournament By Shaan Dhutia, staff writer
You feel the weight of the bright red ball in your hand. You see the green ball within a couple of inches from the jack. Your arm shakes as you pull it back, calculating the perfect throw. You gently toss it and watch it roll slowly across the floor. You think you’ve thrown it short, but the ball keeps rolling until it stops perfectly at the jack. You won. Bocce. A traditional Italian game with origins in Ancient Rome, he premise of bocce ball is clear: two players toss weighted balls towards a smaller jack to see who can get the closest. It may seem simple, but it takes a lot of skill. On Oct. 25, students in Mrs. Meghan McDonald’s 9th-grade global studies class eagerly filed into her classroom for a longawaited day. As their freshmen classmates Eva Humble, Kate Hyman and Anna Cate Wynne walked to the front board, a hush fell over the rowdy class. The three students gave their presentation on traditional games from around the world as the rest of the class watched intently. “The presentation was really interesting, but the main thing we were waiting for was the demo,” said freshman Andrew Lian.
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After the presentation, students were selected to participate in a demo bocce ball tournament. Freshman Gus Griggs was an instant pro. He managed to get his ball almost touching the jack every single round. He attributed his success to his pre-toss ritual consisting of arm stretches, dances, deep breathing and prayers. Maintaining a perfect undefeated streak all the way through, Griggs defeated Lian in the finals to win the title of bocce master. Bocce ball has a much larger significance at Kinkaid, however. Every year Kinkaid hosts a bocce ball service project with Special Olympics Houston. “It’s our biggest event of the year,” said Patrick Solcher, senior and Community Service Council president. “We work with Special Olympics Houston to essentially officiate a tournament for them and get our students involved.” Special Olympians typically don’t have the same resources as Olympic or Paralympic athletes, so Special Olympics as a nonprofit provides a space for them to explore their athletic interests and compete in a healthy environment. Solcher explained how the volunteers spend all morning setting up the courts on the football field and preparing for the big
day. The students don’t just set up games, however. They run the whole tournament, referee, cheer on participants, give awards, run extra activities, and create a fun, positive environment for the athletes and their families. This year’s event had to be scaled down significantly but COVID-19 restrictions couldn’t prevent volunteers from holding a successful tournament followed by a grand award ceremony. The service project was a huge success and everyone had a blast. Volunteers not only help the participants play games. Throughout the event, the athletes participate in multiple activities, which help them develop vital communication skills, independence, and a healthy competitive spirit. At the same time, the Special Olympics also works to expose volunteers to people with neurological differences and helps educate people about intellectual and physical disabilities. The annual tournament uses the power of sports to bring confidence, health and a sense of competition to athletes and puts the focus on the athletes’ talents and abilities and celebrate their accomplishments in overcoming their struggles.
To the left: Special Olympians participating at Kinkaid’s annual tournament. Above: Freshman Gus Griggs celebrates his success in Bocce Ball during a demonstration in one of his classes. Photos by Shaan Dhutia
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Features
Quiz Bowl All-Stars Team dominates with impressive performances Story by Madison Burba and Ana Susman, staff writers
“We each first got into quiz bowl because we thought it would be a fun, buzzer-based trivia activity,” explained Connor Blake, senior member of the Kinkaid Quiz Bowl Team. This is the perception most have about quiz bowl—that it is a simple, fun, trivia game, but it is far more complex than that. There is a lot of preparation involved in competing in quiz bowl, and it can be highly competitive. The game comprises five categories consisting of science, history, social science, art and literature and each team member chooses one or two to specialize in. In one match, 20 questions will be read, each one touching on one of the five categories. The two opposing teams race to be the first to answer the question correctly, as the most obscure information is read first and as more of the question is read, the more obvious the answer becomes. Kinkaid’s Quiz Bowl team has risen in national rankings, recently being named the No. 1 high school team in the nation in the Nov. 6, 2021 rankings by Groger Ranks, a quiz bowl site. When asked how he coaches a team that is so motivated and talented, Dr. Richard Parr, math teacher and coach, was quick to answer that he really doesn’t. “They know what they’re doing, I provide support. What I do is I open my room to their practices. I will read questions to them, but I can’t take any credit whatsoever for what they’ve achieved,” he said. In the Online National Championship Tournament this May, the team got a chance to see how they measured up on a national level. Senior Connor Blake was the highestrated science and math player in the competition, as well as the 10th-place
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player overall, while senior Vedul Palavajjhala was ranked first in religion, mythology, philosophy and social science. Third member of the team, sophomore Cole Hartung was the fastest history player and fourthhighest history player. According to Palavajjhala this was a huge achievement, “Cole is for sure a standout member of our team this year. He had almost no involvement in quiz bowl before starting high school last year,” he said. Blake said in order to prepare for one the five categories, they have 250 to 500 pages of notes to memorize. A large part of the team’s great success this year can be attributed to their extensive preparation and commitment. Even during the summer, the team members spent their free time preparing. “We write our own questions to study, and we wrote a tournament over the summer to help us study,” recalled Blake. It was months before the all-star pack was able to compete together nationally due to scheduling conflicts.
Vedul Palavajjhala, Vivian Finch and Connor Blake during their early days of Quiz Bowl. Photos courtesy of Ted Curry
It has allowed us to explore and develop interests we would have not otherwise. - Connor Blake, senior
Cole Hartung, Vedul Palavajjhala and Connor Blake pose for a photo following a quiz bowl win.
But according to Parr, a competition, through Vanderbilt University, was the most impressive to watch. In their first tournament as a team, Blake, Hartung and Palavajjhala’s chemistry was instantly apparent, and the team took first place. When asked about their favorite competition of the year, Blake mentioned a tournament called NASAT. The competing teams are generally composed of all-star players selected from different schools in their region to compete together against other regions, but they played just as Kinkaid. Even when facing large regional teams from large areas like Asia and Canada, the Kinkaid team works so well
together they placed 15th out of 32. The quiz bowl team got the opportunity to test their skills against their toughest competition yet, Arcadia from Southern California. “They have two really strong players, Amogh Kulkarni and Ryan Sun, who have lots of knowledge in every category, but we notched a tight win over them last April,” Blake said. The competitive nature is what makes quiz bowl so fun, but the boys admitted that it isn’t only about the competition. It is more than the game. It is what they get out of it. “They get a feeling of community that validates their knowledge and their intellect,” Parr said.
Participating in quiz bowl has inspired team members to pursue interests and consider what to pursue in college. “It has allowed us to explore and develop interests we would not have otherwise,” Blake said. Palavajjhala plans to double major in Classics and math in college due to quiz bowl’s questions on religion and mythology. Hartung intends to pursue a liberal arts degree due to his interest in history and arts developed through quiz bowl. Blake said that quiz bowl has rewarded him for spending lots of time studying topics that interest him and has taught him how to approach studying difficult concepts.
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Features
Teachers’ collections reveal interests Stamps, Hello Kitty and Yeti cups. Three Upper School teachers reveal personal interests through collections.
By Mia Price, assistant features editor, and Camron Baldwin, assistant news editor
Photo courtesy of Regina Ruiz
Dr. Regina Ruiz, Spanish teacher, has a Hello Kitty collection. Photo courtesy of Dr. Regina Ruiz
Dr. Regina Ruiz, Spanish teacher, has been collecting Hello Kitty figures since her childhood, when her mother used to buy them for her and her sister. “We had school supplies,
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pillow cases, lunchboxes, stickers...you name it, we had it,” Dr. Ruiz said. Since Hello Kitty mementoes remind Dr. Ruiz of her happy times during her childhood, she
100,000. That is the number of stamps that Mr. Jose Narbona, Spanish teacher, has. “I started when I was 5,” Mr. Narbona said. “I am originally from Spain, and when our dictator at the time died, I remember that I saw an article in a newspaper about a stamp collection and I was very impressed.” After the seed of stamp collecting was planted in his mind, his first stamp finally
keeps them in her room and continues to grow her collection. “I will always collect them. Why not?” she said. Three of her Hello Kitty items have special meaning to her. She has one “Teacher Hello Kitty” holding an apple that was given to her when she started working at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth. Another was given to her by a middle school student in Fort Worth. “She had survived a very aggressive type of cancer,” Dr. Ruiz said. “She used to take this Hello Kitty to her chemo sessions. She gave it to me once her cancer was in remission.” Lastly, her community group gifted her a Hello Kitty when they were at home
arrived at his doorstep. “Somehow there was this stamp from France that came to my place. I kept it because it really made me think ‘wow’ and I just kept collecting stamps,” he said. It has been decades since Mr. Narbona started his collection; however, he has never stopped collecting and has no plans to do so. “I am crazy about stamps,” he said. “I believe that right now I might be around 100,000 or more.” As time marches on, Mr.
doing distance learning. “I always tell them that they will be super special in my heart because they were my first community group,” Dr. Ruiz said. “Their first year in the Upper School was my first year as well. And we have grown together. We are like a little family.” Despite their sentimental value, Dr. Ruiz’s Hello Kitty collectibles are not her most prized possessions. “My most prized possessions are the memories of people that I have loved,” Dr. Ruiz said. “Some of those people have chosen to show their generosity by giving me a gift. Sometimes it is a Hello Kitty, a card or a sticker, but what matters is to leave this world better than how we found it. And if that means making others smile, let’s do that.”
Narbona’s 100,000 stamp collection has slowed its growth as he focuses more on specific types of stamps as opposed to the sheer number. “There are always tiny goals—you think about how to improve your collection or organize it in a better way— but it’s not about quantity. My collection has gone down a bit because I have become more selective,” he said. A selective collection, to Mr. Narbona, means
“I just have a bunch of metal cups,” Mr. Ted Curry, history teacher, said. Around 77, to be exact, and in over 20 colors. Mr. Curry is a loyal supporter of Yeti, a drinkware and cooler company. “I liked Yeti initially because it was a small company in Austin,” Mr. Curry said. “I just wanted something I could use to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot.” Now, whenever Yeti releases a new color, he buys it in three different sizes. “I use the camp cup for coffee in the morning, and I use the 20-ounce rambler when I drive. And then I use a bigger rambler when I drink iced tea,” Mr. Curry said.
focusing on mostly his favorite regions, periods, and countries. “Collecting stamps also has a lot to do with aesthetics,” he said. “Some of the most interesting stamps from history are those that were used by the colonies and territories of the British Commonwealth.” Mr. Narbona also wishes to spread his love of stamps to Kinkaid’s student body. “I am planning an interim term class about stamp collecting,” he said.
Spanish teacher Mr. Jose Narbona collects stamps. Photos courtesy of Jose Narbona
However, Mr. Curry is unsure if he will keep buying them at this rate. “I don’t expect to have all of them,” Mr. Curry said. “I don’t have a place to put them.” Over the years, Mr. Curry has accumulated enough colors to occasionally attempt to match his Yetis of the day with his tie. “People actually appear to pay attention to whether or not it matches, and they’ll say something,” said Mr. Curry. “It’s kind of funny.”
Mr. Ted Curry, US history teacher, has a Yeti collection. Photo courtesy of Ted Curry
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TECHNOLOGY
Intro To Unity Students Discover Computer Science Through A Different Lens By Ethan Jett and Elliott Crantz, staff writers
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An illustration of the Upper School Library created in Mr. Harlan Howe’s computer science class. Image courtesy of Oliver Crantz
The clicking sounds of the keyboard fill the computer lab as students get to work, creating intricate and complex algorithms for their video game. Upper School students in the new computer science class, Unity, experience this every day. Because of the removal of the robotics class from the Kinkaid course catalog, a class called Unity began this semester. Unity, a taught by technology coordinator and computer science teacher Mr. Harlan Howe, is a programming
software that allows students to create video games for different gaming platforms. The primary focus of the class is to teach students code through the lens of the Unity software. Under the guidance of Mr. Howe students design their own 3D environment, where they create scripted actions and behaviors. Unity uses the C#, pronounced “see sharp,” language and some built-in graphics. “Unity is one of the lenses we use to teach computer science,” Mr. Howe said. “We use things with processing.
We make art, we make video games with Python or with the C#, we make web pages.” Classes such as Unity can lay the framework for students who are interested in coding and will prepare them for the AP Computer Science class. Mr. Howe sees Unity as another example and preparation of computer science for his students because they will learn another variation of a coding language and will find the commonality with the languages of other computer science classes. “It is a lot of fun making
video games,” junior Hunter Robinson said. “It’s so interesting to learn the behind the scenes process of some of my favorite video games.” The first two assignments for Unity were to create a design of the Kinkaid campus and then create a maze. For the final project, students will create their own video game. There are no restrictions to what they can come up with, and the students will use their creativity to construct a game in a virtual world.
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Cover Story
50YEARS
Interim Term Returns and M By Trace St. Julian, news editor, and Kaveen Shahm staff writer
W
hile most people dread the day they turn 50, Kinkaid is happily celebrating Interim Term’s semicentennial, which is making a triumphant return after class time lost when COVID-19 forced regular courses to replace it in the 2020-21 school year. The idea for Interim Term, a program that allowed for students to learn what they wanted, originated at the dinner table of former business manager Bill McKinley. One evening, Mr. McKinley mentioned that his alma mater, Middlebury College, had a program that allowed students to choose which subjects they studied. His children Sherry and Jack McKinley, who then attended Kinkaid, asked their father if it was possible to replicate the program at Kinkaid. After months of preparation and intensive faculty study, the first Kinkaid Interim Term began in January 1971. Although some aspects of Interim Term have changed, such as reducing it to a three-week period from its
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Photo by Trace St.Julian
Mrs. Martha Kirkwood, career development director, works on internships.
original six, the basic premise of it continues today. And, just as the first Interim Term took much time and effort to plan and execute, Interim Term today requires a lot of behind-thescenes work. When Interim Term first appeared in 1971, internships (then referred to as “Career Lab”) were already a part of it. Today, seniors continue this legacy. The senior internship program is run by Mrs. Martha Kirkwood, director of career development, who has headed the program since Judy Muir left the position open in 2019.
and Marks a Major Milestone “I think it’s the crown jewel of Interim Term that the seniors get to go out into the working world,” Mrs. Kirkwood said. “There are too many benefits to count.” But those benefits only come after a long process of finding internships. After receiving interest forms from seniors, Mrs. Kirkwood organizes all interests by category in a spreadsheet. Next, she examines specific requests seniors make before she begins finding internship placements. Normally, she starts with medical internships. Despite the fact that Houston Methodist and MD Anderson have been a part of Interim Term since 1971, the accreditation process that goes into medical placements is time-consuming, consisting of video training, vaccination checks and drug screenings. After medicine, she secures easier internships and finishes with the “super specialized” internships. Her goal is to be completed with every placement by the first week of December but to find internships she must do her research.
“I usually spend some time stalking our alumni contingency. I try to find out if we have a Kinkaid connection… After that, I pull the company up to see if it’s a good fit. I usually will send an email to someone in the HR department or, if I’m lucky and know someone, I start with them,” Mrs. Kirkwood said.
For the past nine years, Mr. Ken Conner, an Upper School chemistry teacher, has been responsible for matching student requests to available courses.
Even when talking with companies that have no prior relationship with Interim Term, she often finds it is not difficult to convince them to take a Kinkaid intern. “I think the program speaks for itself. This is basically a marketing and PR position, and I’m selling a top product. I don’t think it’s always a hard sell,” she said.
Ken Conner
Although Mr. Conner teaches during Interim Term—his past courses include subjects such as fantasy
football and the history behind author Stephen King—he also is responsible for course placements.
With new companies, Mrs. Kirkwood’s success rate reflects this, sitting at what she estimates to be 70 percent.
During a set time window, each grade must submit course requests on a Google survey, which is sent to Mr. Conner.
But while seniors get their first taste of the working world, most students from the remaining grades in the Upper School will stay at Kinkaid where they will attend each day and take special courses that the teachers themselves put together.
He then takes each individual request and places each student into an available class of their choice. He repeats this process until each grade is complete. He said the work takes him about four hours to complete for each grade level.
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Cover Story Unique Class Puts Houston in the Spotlight When it comes to the classes themselves, in the recent history of Interim Term, one class has dominated in popularity: History of Houston, taught by Mr. Ted Curry, an Upper School history teacher. The course is designed to teach students their city’s history in an experiential way, something of which Mr. Curry finds to be valuable. “Experiential learning is the best kind of learning. Learning outside of the four walls of the classroom is the kind of thing that you’ll remember far longer…than what I could say to you…just sitting here [in class],” Mr. Curry said. Each day, the class travels to a different historical site or building in Houston before eating lunch at some of Houston’s oldest and most esteemed restaurants. Mr. Curry believes that it’s this aspect of the class—getting off campus and eating—that makes it so popular. And in terms of popularity, the numbers don’t lie. For Interim Term 2022, 66 juniors (nearly half of the grade) signed up for History of Houston. With only 18 spots in the course, those 66 will be put into a random lottery system; that’s only a 27 percent chance of getting in. But, of course, much work went into the class before it ever gained popularity. After leaving St. John’s to teach at Kinkaid, Mr. Curry’s first Interim Term was in 2012. “In the back of my head [when I was coming to Kinkaid], I had this idea that I could do really cool things with Interim Term. There were variations of this class that I had come up with. [The type of class] had existed before, but there was nothing that had been done like it when I got [to Kinkaid],” Mr. Curry said. Inspiration to teach the course came from multiple educational experiences
Mr. Curry has had. When studying at Richmond College in London, Mr. Curry took a course called History of London. In the class, students would read texts about the city’s history, go to historical sites, and then write about the experience. Additionally, as a teacher at St. John’s, Mr. Curry attended a summer enrichment course run by Oxbridge in Paris. During that course, each day included a trip to a part of the city and ended in a meal at a French restaurant. Combining these experiences with his love for Houston (Mr. Curry volunteers for Preservation Houston, where he gives walking tours of historical architecture), History of Houston was born. Mr. Curry floated his “half-baked” idea to then Interim Term director Mr. Tom Wey, and received approval. With the help of Mr. Charlie Sanders, a long-time Kinkaid student and faculty member, and Mr. James Glassman, a friend of Mr. Curry’s who runs Houstorian, an online forum for anything about Houston’s history, Mr. Curry put together a successful first year of the course. “I wasn’t making it up as we went along, but I was kind of making it up as we went along. But the concept was clear: the precise places were coming into focus,” Mr. Curry said. Today, the course begins the first day with a trip to the San Jacinto Battleground Museum and lunch at the Monument Inn. Days two and three are the same every year, but the course is more flexible after that, with some trips being moved around due to weather. According to Mr. Curry, the course is “always evolving...it’s not carved in marble.” During Thanksgiving and winter break, Mr. Curry drives to the various sites he plans to visit in order to make sure they are still open and that the roads to access them are clear. After securing a bus for each day of the trip, the rest of the class is put together by Mr. Curry’s expansive knowledge of history.
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Experiential learning is the best kind of learning. Learning outside of the four walls of the classroom is the kind of thing that you’ll remember for far longer… than what I could say to you… just sitting here [in class].” -Ted Curry, US history teacher
New Teachers Gain Chance to Share Leisure Activities While Mr. Curry has cemented his course’s popularity, for teachers who are new to Kinkaid, including Ms. Lauren Stutts, an Upper School chemistry teacher, Interim Term is an unfamiliar, yet exciting landscape. “When I first interviewed, they mentioned Interim Term, but I didn’t think much of it because I didn’t know anything about it,” Ms. Stutts said. But when Ms. Stutts looked at old Interim Term course descriptions, she began to get excited. The past course descriptions seemed fantastic, and she was determined to put together a course that was just as good. Ms. Stutts first thought about what leisure activities she enjoys doing. Lauren Stutts Although she likes arts and crafts, courses already covering those subjects were taken by other teachers. Eventually, this led Ms. Stutts to use her weekly yoga practice as motivation for her course. Ultimately, the idea for her course “Yoga, Health, and Wellness” was born. Ms. Stutts, joined by Ms. Sarah Shea, formulated the course to combine mind, body and spirit through its practice of yoga, with emphasis on longterm, sustainable healthy eating (students will read Michael Pollen’s “Food Rules” as part of the course) and mindfulness exercises, such as breathing techniques and journaling. This well-rounded approach sets the course apart from yoga classes of past years, where the focus was only
on the physical aspect. “The old one from the description I read only focused on the physicality: just ‘here’s the poses, let’s practice them.’ I think it’s best if you understand the breathing techniques and learn why you’re there. It’s more than just a way of exercising—it’s a way of bringing a sense of calm to your body and mind and being able to move forward with your day,” Ms. Stutts said. Because yoga courses had existed in the past, Ms. Stutts didn’t have to obtain additional approval for “Yoga, Health, and Wellness.” But just like Mr. Curry in his first year of Interim Term, Ms. Stutts is still preparing the finishing touches. Regardless, she’s still excited. “I’ve never taught anything other than science, so getting to teach something that’s physical—that someone can take home immediately and apply in their life—I find a lot of value in that,” said Ms. Stutts, who also cited her interest in exploring other courses during her free periods. No matter how one looks at it, Interim Term is one of the traditions that continues Kinkaid’s legacy as a school that seeks to develop its students into well-rounded intellectuals and individuals. As nearly every faculty member will say, there aren’t many schools in the nation that are willing to sacrifice three weeks of curriculum for their students’ benefit. So, whether students are a senior about to get their first taste of the working world or a freshman, sophomore, or junior getting ready to travel, undertake a independent study, or take some of the most interesting classes of their high school experience, all Upper School students should take a moment to appreciate the amount of time and effort that goes into creating a rewading Interim Term experience.
1971 first year of Interim Term
4 hrs
minimum time to set schedules for each grade
66
juniors seeking 18 seats in class
Design by Sarah Xu, deputy art director
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Opinion
Christmas Music is magical. The magic that Santa and Rudolph use has the same kind of magic as Christmas Music. Anyone who is a nonbeliever is a Grinch.” — Freshman Alexander Miles
Gingerbread houses created by Holiday Village Creating Event. Photo courtesy Parker Kubitza.
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ith campus trees beginning to shed their red coats, brightly colored Christmas wreaths now greeting Kinkaid students at every corner, and fragrances of evergreen wafting from classroom to classroom, autumn often brings cravings of the winter holidays and Christmas memories. But not all aspects of Christmas are welcomed with open arms, one of these being Christmas music. When to play Christmas music is hotly contested among Kinkaid students. For me, Christmas music isn’t too early to play in November. Something about “Last Christmas” and “All I Want for Christmas is You” lifts the spirits. Especially with the coming of midterms and studying filling most of the hours of the day, the Christmas spirit
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is exactly what is needed for me to push through. Christmas music is so good, regardless of the month, so I thought my opinion was unanimous. But according to a Fox online survey, 61.5% of Americans believe that Christmas music is only acceptable to play after Thanksgiving. This issue isn’t just contentious in the U.S, but also among students in Kinkaid. “There are only around 30 good Christmas songs that you hear on the radio. And by the time you’re 30 minutes in, you’ve already heard all of them,” said junior Kemper Hicks. “And I think that people are undervaluing Thanksgiving as a holiday by listening to Christmas music.” Although previously disliking Christmas music, freshman
Is Playing Christmas Music in November Too Early? Alexander Miles said that he had a change of heart and now supports listening to Christmas music during November. “Christmas music is magical,” Miles said. “The magic that Santa and Rudoph use has the same kind of magic as Christmas music. Anyone who is a non-believer is a Grinch.” Whether you think that Christmas music should be played year-round, only after Thanksgiving, or not at all, Christmas music is the unique type of music that has the ability to unite everyone under the joyful banner of the holidays. I can’t count the number of times just humming “Last Christmas” has brought a chorus singing around the room. So heading into the holidays, remember: Don’t be a Grinch.
EDITOR’S TOP 5 Eshaan Mani, digital executive editor, created a best-hit list of holiday music .
1
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey
2
“Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande
3
“Last Christmas” by Wham!
4
“It’s beginning to look alot like Christmas” by Michael Buble
5
“Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson To listen to our TOP 50 Christmas songs, scan this QR code: 19///Opinion
Opinion
Celebrating, embracing diverse holidays offers special opportunities Christmas trees, holiday carols and candy canes fill the hallways as November turns to December and the focus is shifted from Thanksgiving to Christmas. And as the holiday season rolls around, most of the attention regarding holidays is focused on Christmas. But in this period of time, many world holidays are celebrated as well. In November, Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, was celebrated. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah began on Nov. 28 and continues until Dec. 6. Kwanzaa, a celebration of African-American heritage and culture, spans from Dec. 26 through the end of the year. These are just a few of the holidays that occur in the same period of time as Christmas. But, aside from a few references to dreidels or a brief assembly referencing South Asian holidays, these holidays go largely unnoticed. For instance, the Jewish Heritage Affinity Group hosted a latke-making event, which was open to the Upper School, on Nov. 13 to celebrate Hanukkah. Junior Canaan Estes worked hard to organize a fun event to celebrate his heritage, which he viewed as ultimately successful. “I feel our cultural event was a fantastic success,” Estes said. “We had a good turnout with both members of our group and friends who just wanted to learn more.” Estes said that 10 students came on that Sunday morning to make latkes. He said that he appreciated Kinkaid’s support, but he did wish that more would have been done to promote the event. “Kinkaid did support us by allowing us to use the facilities and by reimbursing us for the supplies
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necessary to put the event on,” he said. “I wish they could have done a better job promoting the event, however. I worked alone to get the word out.” Similarly, the South Asian Heritage Club hosted a breakfast on Nov. 4 as well as a dinner and movie night on Nov. 10 to celebrate Diwali and other South Asian holidays. Senior Laxmi Thakkar, co-president of the club, shared similar sentiments to Estes regarding her event. “I thought that the breakfast was super successful because lots of people came and we finished all of the food,” she said. “Although we had a low turnout of only 10 students for our movie night, we still had a great time watching the movie and eating South Asian foods.” Thakkar also expressed her gratitude for Kinkaid’s support in the event, specifically that of faculty and staff, but she also acknowledged the difficulty in garnering an audience. “I think that the Kinkaid faculty and staff always do an excellent job of supporting my club’s cultural events,” she said. “I think in the future I would have publicized the event more. Since November is such a busy time of year for most students it was hard to make time. But I think a lot of people would have enjoyed it if they had been there.” All in all, although heritage groups have the resources and support needed to celebrate their customs, there still is work to do in order to truly create a school community in which all holidays and celebrations are truly valued. In part, this onus is on the student body to support these groups, while the promotion of the events could also be improved.
Photo by Eshaan Mani
Photo by Eshaan Mani
Photo by Jaisal Kalapatapu
Photo by Eshaan Mani
Top: Students and faculty enjoy Diwali treats. Left: Rangoli art created by students and faculty in celebration of Diwali. Above: Junior Canaan Estes spins a dreidel during an event put on by the Jewish Heritage Affinity Group.
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LIFESTYLES
WEAET
SWEET TREATS By Read Liuzzi, staff writer, and Josh Sweetland, staff writer
Lights, high spirits, and happiness — the holidays are a special time of year when many people spend time with their families and celebrate. One particularly special aspect about holidays is the traditional treats and desserts that come with the culture. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are three of many popular holidays celebrated during the winter season. Each of these holidays have fun, delicious and unique treats that their celebrators enjoy each year.
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HANUKKAH Nov. 28 to Dec. 6
layer. Often, gelt is used as a originating in the Jewish currency in the dreidel game communities of Poland and played during Hanukkah. Ukraine. Babka is a sweet braided bread with either Rina Presley, sophomore, chocolate or cinnamon favors sufganiyot, or Israeli mixed in. donuts that are round jelly donuts deep fried in oil, filled Ella Schmulen, sophomore, Richie Klosek, sophomore, with jelly or custard, and favors rugelach, which prefers gelt. Gelt, one of the sprinkled with powdered also originated in Poland. sugar. most popular Hanukkah Rugelach is a pastry in the treats, is chocolate in the form of a crescent rolled Henry Wizel, sophomore, shape of coins wrapped into a triangle and filled with prefers babka, a treat with a shiny metallic gold jelly, chocolate or cinnamon. Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, has a variety of traditional treats eaten throughout its eight special nights. Students who celebrate Hanukkah expressed their favorites.
Sufganiyot, Israeli donuts, is filled with jelly or custard, then deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
CHRISTMAS
Dec. 25
Several students around the school voiced their opinions about their favorite Christmas treats.
Peppermint bark is chocolate, often white, sprinkled with crumbles of peppermint candy.
Cooke Davis, sophomore, prefers peppermint bark—a piece of chocolate, either white, milk or dark—sprinkled with bits of peppermint. There
can be many variations of the basic idea of peppermint-based treats, like peppermint-coated pretzels or peppermintcoated cookies. Similarly, Jeffrey Jacobe, sophomore, enjoys peppermint candy canes. He also enjoys the different flavors they come in, like the Jolly Rancher and
SweeTarts variations, but his favorite is the classic peppermint. Cooper Buck, junior, loves gingerbread cookies, specifically when they are shaped like people. Gingerbread cookies come in different shapes, sizes, and icing patterns.
KWANZAA
Dec. 26 to Jan. 1
Yam are popular for sweet dishes like candied sweet potatoes or desserts during Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa is a holiday that is a celebration of life and African-American culture. It was first celebrated in 1966, and celebrations usually include feasting, singing, dancing and storytelling.
different dishes out of yams, and sweet potatoes that are toasted and rubbed with or sweet potatoes. spices. The sweet potato can be Dr. Kimetris Baltrip, Upper prepared in many different School journalism and ways during Kwanzaa yearbook teacher, said her celebrations. There may favorite dessert made from dishes such as mashed Although the holiday has no sweet potatoes or sweet yams for the holidays or for formal “sweets,” Kwanzaa Kwanzaa celebrations is potato puree, and there celebrations often put a fresh homemade sweet may also be other dishes an emphasis on creating like candied sweet potatoes potato pie.
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T
Arts
Sophomores Ben Evans and Ava Courville decorate a gingerbread house at Holiday Village.
Photos courtesy of Rochelle Barnes
The finished gingerbread houses from Holiday Village presented in the Ogilvie Lobby.
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Holiday Village Kick Starts Celebrations By Camille Dunn, staff writer
With holiday music playing and students laughing, Holiday Village was a frosting-covered hands-on experience. Upper School students of all grades participated in the event, which took place in the Ogilvie Lobby of the Katz Performing Arts Center. The Fine Arts Leadership Board organized this event. “It really started as an opportunity for the Fine Arts Leadership Board to do something else...It is meant to be right before the children’s theatre performance and creative writing, which is where it usually is, so we are able to make an evening out of it. It is to help people get excited about what is happening artistically,” Mr. Scott Lambert, head of visual and performing arts at Kinkaid, explained. The purpose of Holiday Village was to have students decorate gingerbread houses that would be presented together in the Ogilvie Lobby during the holidays. The gingerbread houses would then in return be displayed to be seen by many spectators, including faculty, visitors and students of all ages. “It brought the community together and it kicked off the holidays,” Mr. Lambert said. “It was a very joyful event.” This event has recently become part of the holiday traditions at the Kinkaid School, and due to the return to normalcy from COVID-19 this year, the event was able to house all students who had the desire to participate. ”It was something we were able to bring back. Like we were not able to do this last year… I think this is our thrid time we just started it recently… We have never had this many people show up. It was very well attended,” said Mr. Lambert. Each house has a unique design. Decorating supplies were spread throughout the tables in the Ogilvie Lobby, and students used their creativity
Seniors Sofia Liu and Brooke Martin frost the roof of a gingerbread house.
to design their gingerbread houses using these supplies. Many students collaborated together to design one house, however, some chose to create one themselves. Mini candy canes were used as trees, M&Ms were used as doorknobs, and gumdrops were used as bushes. Some houses had frosting-covered roofs to represent snowfall, and some had sprinkles shaped as twinkling Christmas lights. Holiday Village offered a chance for students to strengthen their community. Decorating gingerbread houses gave students a break from the daily rigor of the Upper School. Though Holiday Village has only recently been created, it is certain, through the positive experiences of students, that it will continue to be a tradition at the Kinkaid School that kicks off the holiday season. “It was a time for students to take a step back, to relax and find joy, and celebrate,” Mr. Lambert said.
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Arts
Five-Part Harmony Students come together to form a capella group, Perfect Fifth By Abby Johnson and Ellie Mehta, staff writer While the performing arts programs work hard to come back in full swing this year, five choir and encore students have joined together to work in harmony. In fall of 2021, junior Sam Dillon formed the first-ever all-female a capella group at Kinkaid, Perfect Fifth. Earlier this semester, Dillon noticed a lack of representation in a capella among the girls in the choir department and decided there needed to be a change. “There has always been the Falchords, an all-male group, so it was really important for me for there to be an all-female group as well,” Dillon shared. Instead of sitting on this idea, Dillon acted quickly and collaborated with Mr. Chip Colvin, Upper School choir director, who she knew would help her make a difference. Though Mr. Colvin has played his part in Dillon’s training, he gave credit where credit was due. “My role was guiding Sam Dillon; it was 100% her idea,” he shared. “I did offer her some guidance on things to think about regarding the vocal part and community, but ultimately, she was the one who came to me and asked if she could do it.” After conversing, Dillon and Colvin recruited junior Hannah Brenner and sophomores Claire Hartung, Alexandra King and Isabelle King. Despite the slight age difference, each of the girls shared that when working with Perfect Fifth, they never really felt that gap between them. “We’re all in different grades, but there’s seriously no seniority,” said Brenner. “It’s just a really good blend and practicing together brings us all so much closer.” Alexandra King feels the exact same way.
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“Being able to sing in front of people is kind of a vulnerable thing, especially in a group, and you just become friends from that,” she explained. Even Mr. Colvin was excited to note how well the group collaborated. “They are passionate and they all have a really strong desire for community through music, which is so important,” he said. “I love it when people love to sing, so as long as it’s bringing them joy, I’m happy.” Since the girls worked so well collectively, they were handed creative liberty when crafting their performances. “It’s a lot less structured than Encore and choir in the sense that we arrange everything ourselves,” Dillon explained. Brenner was quick to mention that the group figures out everyone’s part on their own and doesn’t use any sheet music when they practice. Each member has to figure out their harmonies with only their ear and the help of their friends. As they work out the kinks to their new group, Perfect Fifth takes the time to celebrate the small wins along the way. “Helping each other learn voice parts is really good for team bonding.” Hartung said. “I think my favorite rehearsal was when we recorded our first song as a group—’Killing Me Softly’ by The Fugees—and listened to the recording,” she shared. “We were all so surprised and excited because it was like hearing all the parts together for the first time.” Isabelle King was eager to mention one of her first times singing with the group. “I think everyone knows Sam Dillon has perfect pitch,” King said. “There was one time I tried to sing a harmony on the first try and she told me, ‘yeah, that’s the low part.’ I was so hyped.” As much fun as the five have together, a few noted that the brand new group has had a few obstacles on their journey to stardom.
Being able to sing in front of people is kind of a vulnerable thing, especially in a group, and you just become friends from that — Alexandra King, sophomore
Claire Hartung, Alexandra King, Sam Dillon, Hannah, Brenner and Isabelle King gather before a Tuesday rehearsal for their new a capella group, Perfect Fifth.
Once they conquered the hard part of finding their harmonies, it was time to think of a name, which when it gets down to it, might have been even more difficult.
Despite any bumps in the road, Perfect Fifth is already thinking ahead to what the future of their group might look like. Brenner is taking it one year at a time.
Originally called the Galchords, the girls switched to Perfect Fifth just days before their first performance.
“Our first performances were at Book Fair and our first choir concert, but I’m hoping by the end of the year we’ll be found at the Margaret Kinkaid Holiday Concert, Coffee House, and some spring choir performances,” she mentioned.
“We switched the name to the Perfect Fifth because we are our own group. It wouldn’t make sense for us to be a counterpart to The Falchords,” Dillon said. Dillon also mentioned a challenge she had found in regards to the group having no male voices.
All the girls agreed that they would love to have more frequent opportunities, but Alexandra King is still pondering what their plans look like going forward.
“When arranging a song for an all-girls group, sometimes it is difficult to find a way to keep the song moving because we don’t have a person to beatbox or a bass voice that can drive the song.”
“This is our first year, so I think getting the feel for it will help us grow in repertoire and grow in efficiency,” she said. “I don’t know what comes next for us, but I’m excited to see what it is.”
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Sports
Something To Cheer About A team comprising varsity, JV cheerleaders shows off its routine during a competition, gaining its highest-ever reward Story by Rina Miriam Presley and Morgan Suman Designed by Rina Miriam Presley
The sound of cheers rang through the gym as the cheerleaders flung their fliers high into the air and caught them, successfully completing their stunt. On Nov. 7, Kinkaid’s varsity and JV cheerleaders placed second in a Universal Cheerleaders Association competition, gaining a bid to nationals. The coaches said they have been preparing for the season all year, and have already begun preparation for the 2022-23 season. During the summer preparation intensifies, with the cheerleaders having summer practices and cheer camps. After the St. John’s vs. Kinkaid football game and SPC, competition mode was on. Preparing multiple routines for different venues all at once was a struggle with their busy schedules, but the team managed to attend the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) competition in Katy, Texas on Nov. 7.
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When choosing which JV members would get to compete with varsity, Coach Jessica Hawkes, varsity cheer coach, said she was looking for mainly cheerleaders who were entertaining to watch, good at learning choreography fast, good bases in a stunt, and strong. Traditional cheer competitions have limited time, which means perfection takes a while to accomplish. “That’s something people don’t realize, is that we’re expected to be perfect and we only have 3 minutes to prove it every time so it’s hard,” said Coach Hawkes. Sophomore and junior varsity co-captain Camille Weber said the competition was far different from what she’s used to. “It was with varsity, and we had new stunt groups, and we had to make sure we followed all the rules. It was a little more intense than a normal game,” she said. These few weeks were stressful, containing day after day of practice for all the different routines they needed to have set. However, the stress and continuous exercise connected the girls better than ever. “This team has bonded so much, joining with select JV cheerleaders on those mats was a great bonding experience,” said sophomore and varsity cheerleader Blakely Brown. Working together, the girls were able to combine efforts and make a hybrid team with attributes that led them to a historical success. Weber said she thinks they have grown to become a stronger team than most. “We spent the whole season getting sharper for
The varsity cheer team poses with the student section, in the hippie theme, for the popular Episcopal High School game. Photo by David Shutts
I’ve just never heard the crowd that loud, and I was just so proud of the girls, I just got chills at once all over once they finished their routine. It’s a memory I’ll have for a lifetime. — Jessica Hawkes, varsity cheerleading coach, on her favorite memory of the fall season competition and we all had the mindset to do better than past years. We’ve only gone to a few competitions before so we knew what to expect,” Weber said. With the team’s second-place position they had a nationals opportunity. However, due to winter sports beginning and travel complications, their bid was denied by the Kinkaid administration. “I think nationals would be really fun,” Weber said. “I wish we could go but I understand why we can’t; it’s not a normal cheer season.” The JV captains are excited about their approaching varsity careers. “I am looking forward to having fun cheering with the student section and getting to have more inside pep rallies,” said Weber.
Portia Robinson, junior, strikes a pose in her stunt at halftime in a Kinkaid home football game Photo by David Shutts
JV Team Improves Through Unity Story by Rina Miriam Presley
Junior varsity cheer started at the beginning of preseason with 24 girls. Their head coach Paige Springer partnered with assistant coach Megan Dagnell. The team had goals of encouraging each other, trying to improve at least one skill significantly, and presenting strong and fun stunts by the end of the season. “We wanted to move up in tumbling, have better jumps, better flexibility…,” Camile Weber, JV co-captain, said. JV cheer practiced with varsity cheer
for their Rice stadium performance, and these mixed practices helped the girls on the JV team meet their goals for the season. The team manager was sophomore, Talley Kirkwood, who was extremely attentive and present for every game and event. “I love working with Bruce [Varsity Cheer manager] to make practice run smoothly,” Kirkwood said. The cheerleaders were impressive this year, and the talent of the team was necessary for its success, including a mistake-free performance during the St. John’s vs Kinkaid game.
Photo by Morgan Suman
Junior varsity co-captains Camille Weber and Lilian Howard.
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Sports
Hunter Robertson, junior, in a lucha libre mask at the “War on the Floor” wrestling event held Dec. 1 on Sanders Field.. Senior Trace St. Julian dominates his opponent from St. John’s and gains a regular decision win with a score of 12-5. Sophomore Oliver Crantz gets hype up during the “War on the Floor” wrestling match, the first outdoor wrestling event in Texas. Photos by David Shutts
Michael Berry, a sophomore, gets set for the start of his round against a St. John’s defender. Far right: The school’s wrestling team has grown to include 25 athletes.. Photo by David Shutts
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War on the Floor By Jack Klosek, Opinion editor
Kinkaid wrestling returns after one-year hiatus
describe the wrestling program this year, it is growth.
With “Power” by Kanye West playing in the background, senior wrestling captains Odin Hicks and Trace St. Julian practiced their shots in a light sparring match ahead of the War on the Floor tournament. This event, held between historic rivals Kinkaid and St. John’s, had a fresh look this year. At the behest of head coach Justin Flores, the event took place on Sanders Field, the Falcons’ baseball field. Not only that, the wrestling meet featured a food truck, DJ, and Lucha libre masks for guests in attendance. “This meet showed the parents in the Falcon community what wrestling is all about and how much our program has grown,” coach Flores said. “We invited faculty members and the deans to sit mat-side in order to get an up-and-close view of the matches and demonstrate our hard work and preparation that has allowed us to grow as wrestlers and as a team.” If there is one word that can
“When I started in 2018, we had eight kids in the program,” coach Flores said. “Within three years we now have 25 kids in the Upper School program. We have never been able to fill out all weight classes before, and it is exciting to have the depth that we have this year and hopefully be able to compete for an SPC title within the next several years.” Indeed, Falcon wrestling has never won an SPC title and has not won the Prep State title since 2004. Senior captain and former state and SPC Champ Odin Hicks sums up the program’s mentality in one quote: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Hicks started the tournament and season off with a bang, pinning his opponent within the first minute and a half of his match. Additionally, fellow captain Trace St. Julian earned a 12-5 victory, while Hunter Robertson also earned a win via a pin. All told, the Falcon wrestlers
put up 49 points, the most in the War on the Floor match in many years, despite falling short to St. John’s. The atmosphere was lively, featuring a student section, parents, coaches, staff members, and even head of school, Mr. Jonathan Eades. “This is the most people we have had out to a wrestling event since I can remember,” said longtime wrestling coach Mr. Bobby Eggleston. “It is awesome to see what coach Flores has done with this program.” Following the match, coach Flores spoke encouragingly in front of the whole team and parents, praising the team’s efforts and continuing to push them to stay hungry. “I know one day we will win this event,” coach Flores said. “I am so proud of the work we are putting in, and I look forward to sending our seniors off to college in a big way and honoring them in years to come.” Kinkaid wrestling will look to continue their success as they will travel to Atlanta in the coming weeks in preparation for SPC and Prep State later in the season.
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This
OR
That
By Matthew Berman, staff writer
Hot Cocoa Ice Cream GroupMe Mac Basketball Elective Interim Term Doritos Skiing
Apple Cider Gelato iMessage Windows Soccer Free Period Independent Study Takis Sledding
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