The Kinkaid Falcon - Issue 1, Vol. 71

THE KINKAID

The Kinkaid School 201 Kinkaid School Dr. Houston, TX 77024

FALCON

September 29, 2017 Volume 71, Issue 1

Kinkaid serves with kindness

BY MYA FRANKLIN

A City Underwater Hurricane Harvey leaves Kinkaid community and greater Houston united and ready to rebuild

BY ALLISON FAVALORO

It all began with a group of thunderstorms that moved off of the African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Those thunderstorms fed off the warmth and moisture from ocean waters near the equator, creating pressure before beginning to spin in a counterclockwise rotation. The storm, named Harvey, grew into a tropical storm on Aug. 17 but regressed into a tropical wave on Aug. 19.

The storm moved into the Gulf of Mexico where Harvey quickly reformed into a tropical depression on Aug. 23.

Fifty-six hours later, tropical depression Harvey turned into a Category Four hurricane and tore its way through the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

Hurricane Harvey reached Houston on Aug. 27. The storm’s eye did not pass through Houston, but because of the counter-clockwise rotation of the hurricane and Houston’s location east of the eye, the water that had just been enveloped from the gulf hit Houston directly. Additionally, winds blowing from the northwest kept Harvey over Houston for days.

INSIDE

According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, some areas along the coast received as much as 50 inches of rain which turned roads into rivers and houses–if lucky–into islands. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated about 40 percent of buildings flooded. Accuweather calculated about $190 billion in damage which would make it the costliest weather disaster in American history.

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The Kinkaid community’s response to the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey, which created catastrophic damage to the City of Houston starting Aug. 25 displayed Kinkaid’s four core values, particularly kindness. Assistant Headmaster Dr. Ed Trusty emphasized this value at the all-school convocation in September. “Our positive examples of kindness are an opporunity to dissuade others from being unkind. And, I juxtapose that with the events in Houston and Florida over the last few weeks,” said Dr. Trusty.

The Kinkaid community mobilized workers to respond to the Harvey recovery efforts with volunteers, donations, and financial assistance. The destructive and deadly effects of Harvey were “devastating,” according to Community Service Coordinator Ms. Tatum Branaman. Harvey was a “hit or miss - in some streets it looked like a war zone, drive down another and it looks like it never happened,” said Ms. Branaman. She marveled that Kinkaid had minor damage, considering the school’s proximity to the Bayou.

Despite the disheartening effects of Harvey, the city of Houston, as well as Kinkaid’s response, “mobilized and motivated people,” said Ms. Branaman. As the flood waters continued to rise throughout Houston, the flow of money, food, clothing, and support seemed to rise in unison.

Kinkaid’s response to Harvey addressed immediate needs during and directly after the storm: Headmaster Dr. Andy Martire and his family opened up their home to Harvey victims who are part of the Kinkaid community. Daniel King (11) volunteered at the NRG Stadium with the Red Cross to help the broader Houston community. The Kinkaid School started a relief fund for faculty effected by the storm. Parents and faculty organized a donation drive, and the extended Kinkaid community cleaned homes and organized supplies.

Because of Houstonians’ eagerness to donate to the relief effort, Ms. Branaman advised the Kinkaid community to “donate where your heart is,” but she also urged them to consider donating to smaller non-profit organizations, which may feel the need for monetary donations more strongly than larger, well-known organizations in a time like this.

After Harvey, the Community Service Council’s direction has shifted. Some community partners were heavily affected by the flood; one such partner is Habitat for Humanity. Branaman said that although some students are limited by the age requirements, the Kinkaid Community hopes to help Habitat rebuild homes and participate in Harvey relief in the coming months.

P. 8 | Pros & Cons of Cancelling Midterms

News | P. 2 Arts & Culture | P. 5 Op-Ed | P. 7 Features | P. 10 Entertainment | P. 16 Sports | P. 18 P. 5 | Houston Butterfly Art Installation

P. 15 | Teacher in the Times

P. 18 | Fall Sports Preview

2 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

One Last Blast

News in Brief

On Aug. 20, the class of 2018 gathered on top of the parking garage to paint cars and reunite after a summer apart. This annual celebration of the start of their final year at Kinkaid is a highly anticipated event. This year, the event was preceded by a meeting with the deans about college.

BY EMMA GILLIAM & OLIVIA MARRUS

“Almost, Maine” This fall, students will be performing in the play “Almost, Maine.” “The play is a quirky, lovable performance that shows different types and stages of relationships and comments on how love remains constant throughout the turmoil of day to day life,” said Avery Looser (11). “It’s a fabulous show that will make and break your heart all at the same time, and leave you with a hopeful outlook and this complicated array of emotions we summarize as love.” The performances will be on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 22 at 2 p.m.

Freshman Retreat 2.0 After the cancellation of the Freshman Retreat in August, the Peer Mentors planned a series of events to help bond the freshman class. During the weekend of Sept. 22, the freshmen were invited to a pre-homecoming game tailgate in the Houston Plaza, as well as a pre-party the night of the homecoming dance. In addition to these two events, another bonding opportunity is planned to take place during the weekend of Oct. 20.

Midterm Cancellation Plan Upper school midterms have been cancelled due to the scheduling issues caused by Hurricane Harvey. Instead, teachers will have the option to assign unit assessments on fixed days in the last week of the semester. On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the English department may collect their final grades. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Math and World Language departments may have their assessments. On Thursday, Dec. 14, the History and Science Departments may collect assignments. On Friday, Dec. 15, students do not need to come to school unless they have a Computer Science class or are submitting an English assignment.

“One Last Blast was a great way to reconnect with my peers and start senior year on the right foot.”

- Bennett Sikes (12)

Falcon Wings Debate Update Fall Submissions This year’s Falcon Wings, the annual Kinkaid literary magazine, is changing its submission process. In order to avoid the second semester of the Creative Writing class centering around the production of Falcon Wings, Ms. Jamail and the English Department decided to add a rolling submission date in the fall. The goal of this is to reduce stress on the Creative Writing students and to allow for more time to spend on developing writing skills during the second semester. Fall submissions are ongoing with a final submission date in January.

During the weekend of Sep. 8, the debate team competed in a tournament at Grapevine High School against 102 schools. Despite a seven day break from school, the debaters earned high rankings. Dani Knobloch (11) and Amy Ho (11) placed as the 18th seed in the policy debate with 3 wins and 2 losses. In the Lincoln-Douglas debate, a one-on-one debate about philosophy, Jiya Ghei (12), Jack Scofield (11), and Shreya Mehta (10) had 3 wins and 2 losses during the 5 preliminary rounds.

Freshman Election Results The freshmen voted for their class officers on Sep. 20. This year, Daryn Mehling will serve as freshman class president, Harrison Jones as Governing Council Representative, and William Watson and Alice Hogan as Honor Council Representatives.

“I’m honored to be selected by my peers to represent the grade and improve the Kinkaid community. Over the course of the year, I plan to make school less stressful academically and plan events to integrate our class into high school.”

- Daryn Mehling (9)

Banned Books Week

BY EMMA GILLIAM & OLIVIA MARRUS Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read, is taking place across the U.S. from Sept. 24-30 for its 35th year.

Hundreds of complaints are made each year to remove certain books from libraries.

Books including profanity, drug use, LGBT characters, offensive political viewpoints, and adult content are often subject to controversy. The host of this celebration, The Banned Books Week Coalition, condemn the challenging and removal of books and highlight the First Amendment and the rights of readers and authors.

Kinkaid currently teaches fourteen of the most highly-criticized books since 1996. Popular books amongst Kinkaid students that have been banned include John Green’s Looking For Alaska, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

books “I teach banned ’ because I s They Carried e are like ‘The Thing angerous’ if w ‘d is ea id no t believe tha critical lens. t it through a a ty, ok lo to g in will versial–profani ro nt co ed m ee d counter every What is often of what we en rt a p is – a um that we can’t sex, tra oesn’t exist or d it nd te re p an mind, day in life. To ers of the hum d on w e th ct lex, and reje for new, comp handle it is to ty ci a p ca s ou enorm owell which has an ” - Dr. Jenny H s. ea id le b a rt uncomfo

read Kurt “I think it’s important for my students to it challenges use beca Vonnegut’s ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ d notions of cize anti conventional wisdom, specifically rom ty, reali we can emwar. When we as readers confront war’s ty and we can pathize with the soldiers that face that reali banned the novel work to prevent future wars. Groups that y. I think they claimed they did so because of its profanit l would nove the that banned it because they feared quesask and encourage students to think critically quo us stat tions about war, thereby challenging the is her a teac and their authority. One of my goals as them k for to encourage and enable students to thin ers do selves, and ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ helps read n hnso d-Jo onal just that.” - Dr. Tara McD

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.

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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.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Arman Badrei & Allison Favaloro ASSISTANT EDITORS Katherine Berman & Nia Caldwell WEB EDITORS Ali Ammons & Katie Erikson NEWS EDITOR Caleigh Doran ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Emma Stout FEATURES EDITORS Emma Gilliam & Sarah Kate Padon ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Hana Keleta & Marley Orange OPINION EDITOR Megha Neelapu SPORTS EDITORS Mac Friday & Jordan Jafarnia BUSINESS MANAGERS Sterling Elias, Jordan Jafarnia, & Anna Leon-Amtmann STAFF WRITERS Madi Babine Brady Brazda Sally Buck Nicole Fernandez Mya Franklin Charles Garrison Eliza Griggs Lily Gunn Culley Harper Maggie Johnston Wilson Kelsey Ayush Krishnamoorti Allison Le Olivia Marrus Katherine Montgomery Megan Riley William Scott ADVISER Kristen Bird The Kinkaid Falcon is published six times a school year. 700 print copies are distributed for free to 597 Upper School students and 93 faculty members, and 220 copies are mailed to subscribers. The Kinkaid Falcon is a member of the CSPA and NSPA.

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | NEWS 3 1

Snapshots around School

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1. Freshman Avery Ham signs the Honor Code on Tuesday, Sept. 12 in the ampitheatre after hearing from the Honor Council representatives from each grade level.

2. Dr. Crystal Collier, the Director of the Choices Prevention Program & Prevention Research, addresses the Upper School on Tuesday, Sept. 19, with a presentation titled, “E-Cigarrettes: Craze or Crazy?”

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3. Grounds Technician, William Gibson, slept at Kinkaid for a week during Hurricane Harvey to monitor the school. He was recognized for his extraordinary efforts during the annual Convocation.

4. Students gather around a pen of puppies in the quad during Club Fair, on Monday, Sept. 11.

PAWS Club is one of the largest clubs at Kinkaid led by president Amanda Roff (12).

5. Seniors TX Harris and Barrett Crosswell were crowned Homecoming King and Queen at the Homecoming football game against Shadow Creek High School on Sept. 22.

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6. Kate Riley (10) and Katie Heldebrand (9) show their school spirit at the Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday, Sept.

22, which consisted of cheerleading routines, fall sports announcements, and the annual Homecoming Court relay race.

All photos by Kinkaid Falcon Staff.

Colleges and Universities stand against Trump’s decision on DACA

BY SARAH KATE PADON When President Trump announced the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Act (DACA) on Tuesday, Sept. 5, many dreamers believed that the unsettling news meant they could no longer begin, or continue, their education in the U.S. However, in the wake of President Trump’s announcement, many schools have spoken out against this decision.

DACA is a program that was initiated by President Obama in 2012. It allows children brought to the United States with their parents a two-year period of deferred action in which they are legally protected from deportation. By ending the program, 800,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children will be in danger of deportation as early as March.

Colleges and universities have been declaring themselves sanctuaries as well as standing up against the end of DACA to protect those affected by this decision. The University of California college system even went as far as suing President Trump over his decision that affects over 4,000 of their students

without legal documentation.

The president of the University of California system, Janet Napolitano, helped create DACA while working with the Department of Homeland Security in 2012.

“To arbitrarily and capriciously end the DACA program, which benefits our country as a whole, is not only unlawful, but is contrary to our national values and bad policy,” Napolitano said in an interview with the Washington Post.

While this is a more direct retaliation to the decision, other universities have also made statements against ending DACA. The University of Pennsylvania, President Trump’s alma mater, spoke out against his decision in a statement on their website.

President of the university, Amy Gutmann said, “This is a heartbreaking day for our country. President Trump’s decision to repeal the DACA program threatens hundreds of thousands of young people who were raised in America, love this country and are an integral part of the American Dream.”

University of Pennsylvania later put out a statement ensuring that immigration agencies will not be allowed

on campus without proper legal permission and that they will continue to provide financial aid to undocumented and DACA protected students.

Other colleges and universities are contributing to the cause by signing Pomona College’s letter of support for DACA. This letter has 704 signatures from presidents of schools all over the country who support the DACA program.

“These students, who have been raised and educated in the United States, are already part of our national community. They represent what is best about America, and as scholars and leaders they are essential to the future,” Pomona College said in their statement supporting DACA on the school’s website.

It appears that President Trump is trying to work with Democrats on this issue.

House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also seem to be willing to make DACA a permanent program.

However, President Trump’s meeting with the Democrats was a discussion, not an agreement.

4 NEWS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Twelve new clubs debuted at Club Fair Kinkaid offers an all-time high of 44 clubs this year

BY MAGGIE JOHNSTON The number of clubs available to Kinkaid students is at an all-time high for the 2017-2018 school year. There are 44 distinct organizations from which students can choose.

The first documented record of the Kinkaid club program occurred in 1946.

Margaret Kinkaid began the program with a total of seven clubs, and the options have grown and flourished since then.

Among those seven original clubs were the Poise Club and Spanish Club. Poise Club began at Kinkaid’s first campus, the Richmond campus; the mission involved shaping the women of the Kinkaid community into proper, collected, and graceful young ladies. The Spanish Club is the only original club that remains today, though there were a few years in which the Spanish club was largely unrecorded, according to Kinkaid archivist, Sarah Gessel.

The faculty works to guide students in constantly updating existing clubs and coming up with new, interesting options to add to the club schedule each year.

Their ultimate goal is to give organizations a prominent place in the Kinkaid

Spanish Club Booth was accompanied by lots of food at Club Fair. Ali Ammons (12), AnaClare Solé (11), Ava Lubetkin (12), Haley Schwager (12), Cammy Turboff (12), and Channing Allshouse (12).

Photo by Allison Favaloro.

community. This year, students can choose from the 32 returning clubs and the 12 clubs that are making their debut in 2017. The new club time on Thursday at 2:50 p.m. allows students to use their club periods to either participate in up to two clubs, or to forgo club participation at the end of the school day. Three new organizations in the club lineup include the Cards for Community Club the Conspiracy Theory Club, and the Rest Club.

“I think by starting a new club, you can get attention by having the opportunity [for students] to explore interests that they

Youth Against Cancer Booth was well-represented at Club Fair. Seniors Zoya Virani and Katie Erikson. Photo by Allison Favaloro.

couldn’t in the past,” said Caroline Keller (11), one of the founders of Cards for the Community, a club that exists to serve the community through writing notes of encouragement to the members of three organizations around Houston.

The decision to move clubs to the end of the day was one that caused controversy and questions for some students because it allows all grade level students the option to participate in clubs or not. “We want club participation to come from a student’s passion, not a requirement,” said Student Life Coordinator, Ms. Jennifer Kehler.

Students enjoy donuts at Club Fair.

Caroline Kunetka (11), Olivia Marrus (11), Sophie Lipman (11), Daryn Mehling (9), Quinn Gilmartin (12), Suzannah Gilmartin (9). Photo by Madi Babine.

Upper School Principal, Mr. Peter Behr, worked with his team to reconstruct the schedule in order to maintain an 8:30 a.m. start, add another block, and avoid special schedules interfering with academics. All of these factors resulted in club period being at the end of the day. This caused concern for many club office holders who wonder if attendance will be down as a result of students having the option to go home rather than attending club meetings.

Mr. Behr had an answer for those concerns: “We might lose a few students, but the ones that show up

will be the ones who are the most passionate, making a stronger impact in their clubs.”

According to Ms. Kehler and Mr. Behr, Kinkaid’s club program is extremely unique as faculty members treat clubs as they would any other leadership position, so students can participate as they are inspired and interested. It is also what will make Kinkaid’s club program stronger because committed club members will lead to more meaningful and appreciated clubs.

Science department adds two elective classes

BY EMMA STOUT

This school year, two new elective science courses were added to the science department: Marine Science (with a revised curriculum) and Science Research Methods and Applications.

Marine Science, a one-semester elective offered in the fall and spring, is taught by Mrs. Sarah Shea who has had professional and hands-on experience studying marine biology.

Students may take this course if they have taken Biology I and Chemistry I. Different versions of Marine Science classes have been offered at Kinkaid in the past, taught by Ms. Maggie Honig and Ms. Stephanie Toro. Unlike the previous Marine Science class, this course will focus on marine biology and oceanography and will be more tailored towards the interests of Mrs. Shea.

“The fate of the ocean is the fate of humanity,” she said. She plans to focus on

a biology based study of the ocean as well as human impact on it. In the classroom, students will have a hands-on based curriculum, participating in activities like labs, projects, and even dissections of stingrays, fish, and starfish. “[They] will be building off concepts they’ve previously learned [in Biology],” Mrs. Shea said.

Unlike the Marine Science course, Science Research Methods and Applications are two, semester-long elective classes taught by Dr. Clayton.

Students may take the Methods course in the fall followed by the Applications course in the spring. This course is unique because it can be taken multiple times.

In Science Research Methods, students will learn methodology, which is “the step-by-step process of figuring out how to ask the right scientific questions,” said Dr. Clayton, head of the Upper School Science Department. Students must

apply (applications open during the spring semester), and Biology I is a prerequisite. It is recommended for sophomores and juniors.

Typical classwork in the Methods class includes “discussing scientific papers weekly, discussion sessions with local scientists,...

Seniors Allison Favaloro, Jack Tower, Belle Martire, David Liang, and a few experimental designs for given ques- Will Langford learn about the features of the seafloor on a topographical map in Marine Science. Photo by: Katherine Montgomery. tions, learning lab techniques, different kinds of data analysis, much more narrow focourse was available only inquiry experiments, prepa- as an independent study, cused,” Dr. Clayton said. In ration for lab meetings and the Science Research Apbut it can now be taken as writing of lab reports, and plications elective, students a regular class. Students journaling,” Dr. Clayton will learn something difwill still be working indesaid. pendently, applying their ferent every semester with Students who have taken knowledge to an indepentheir independent research the methods course and dent research project. projects. have department permis“[The research projBoth classes expose stusion may then take the ects] are similar to what dents to possible research second part of the Science students would do for a opportunities in the future.

Research Course: Applicascience fair or a science They also prepare students tions. In the spring semescompetition,” Dr. Clayton for a college and real-life ter, students will apply said. Students will choose a setting of hands-on experiwhat they have learned in topic they’re interested in to ments and research, which the methodology course to research and they will then one wouldn’t typically see in real life experiments. participate in class discusa high school classroom.

Previously, the Science sions over scientific papers.

Research Applications “Other electives are

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ARTS & CULTURE 5

Community art project flies

Kinkaid art classes work to create four butterflies to raise funds for Spring Branch students to attend college

BY KATIE ERIKSON

A swarm of massive metal butterflies is set to take over West Houston this spring, and Kinkaid, along with other Houstonarea schools and artists, is helping bring them to life.

Each of the 50 uniquely-painted butterflies being made will be sold to companies and individuals for $7,500 or $10,000.

The more expensive ones are made with the buyer’s specific colors and logos in mind while the less expensive ones are just designed how the artist wants. The profits made from each butterfly will be given to the scholarship funds for the Spring Branch School District or Newspring, the organization sponsoring the project. The funds will then decide which students will receive the money.

Mrs. Grandchamp, the middle school art teacher and high school ceramics teacher, brought the project to Kinkaid because of her involvement with Newspring, teaching students and acting on the board. The people at Newspring “teach art and work with students from

Title I schools and help them from elementary to high school to create a college fund. [They] sell their artwork and promote events that create money, and 100 percent of the money that [they] get from selling their art goes to the student for a college fund,” said Mrs. Grandchamp.

Robert Westheimer, the chairman of Newspring describes the organization as one that helps students reach their full potential.

“We’re there particularly for the kids who are artistically talented ... We formed our whole organization around that concept, changing their life path,” said Westheimer.

Newspring gave each artist or school one or more large aluminum butterflies and $1,000 to spend on decorating them.

Kinkaid is creating four butterflies: one in the ceramics class, one in the sculpture class, one in the printmaking class, and one in the drawing and painting class. “Pretty much everyone who hears about his project says ‘yeah I want to do one,’”

said Westheimer. Memorial High School and Houston Christian High School are just some of the other schools and artists making butterflies.

Many of the butterflies are still unfinished, but were bought on preliminary drawings and designs. Two thirds of the sculptures have already been sold, including the one currently in the Kinkaid sculpture class.

Each buyer can choose to place their butterfly inside for their own enjoyment or outside for the public to see.

Before placing the butterflies around Houston, they will be put in an exhibit in Memorial City Mall in December for two to three weeks. In January, an auction will be held at the Hotel Zaza in Memorial to sell any remaining butterflies. In the spring, the butterflies will be spread out around the city, reminding Houstonians about the chance the butterflies gave students to spread their wings and pursue higher education.

One of the butterflies Kinkaid is making has an undersea theme and is being put together by the ceramics class.

Photos courtesy of Luiza Grandchamp.

Color Condition brightens up darkness of Harvey Art installation at Discovery Green brings splash of color and positivity

BY MEGAN RILEY

Artists installed this Houston exhibit post-Harvey. Photo by Megan Riley.

Colorful shower curtains and tablecloths have been taking the Texas art community by storm.

Two local artists, Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger, have created an artistic movement named Color Condition. The artists install art around the nation to encourage positivity in numerous locations. Their specialty pieces consist of radiant

streamers made from shower curtains and tablecloths flowing in the wind to make the mundane extraordinary. Normally the streamers are hung from light posts or metal frames customized for each installation.

Newson and Sliger arrived at Discovery Green in mid-August and put their magic to work around the park with

three main exhibitions: “Hopscotch,” “Double Dutch,” and “Rover.”

Some of these include LED lights that bring the pieces to a different level.

“Double Dutch” extends over the street separating the park from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

When the devastation of Hurricane Harvey hit, the duo created a fourth piece located at a stage in Jones’ Lawn right outside of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

This piece included countless streamers of all shades and textures, creating a backdrop for the stage. The artists’ customization to the city was weaving in vibrant red streamers that spelled, “HOUSTON STRONG”.

“It provides an array of light and positivity to the city,” said a Mississippi native visiting the city to help with the flood. The

exhibit’s purpose is to add color and “whimsy” to the park, as said in the artist’s statement. It has certainly brightened up the city, and it provided the evacuees in the Convention Center a distraction.

This installation is worth going to visit if you are looking to be inspired, motivated, or energized. It is open through Nov. 15 at Discovery Green near the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The “Double Dutch” exhibit hangs across Aveinda de las Americas.

Photo by Megan Riley.

“Hopscotch” adds color to the downtown park. Photo by Megan Riley.

6 ARTS & CULTURE | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Summer Music Review A Look at the Hottest Albums of the Summer

BY STERLING ELIAS & BRADY BRAZDA 4:44: Over a short 10 soulful beats, Jay-Z’s signature Brooklyn accent returns to the spotlight on June 30, 2017 in his thirteenth studio album, 4:44. While he features the likes of R&B singer Frank Ocean, reggae singer, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, his wife Beyoncé, and even his own mother Gloria Carter, Jay-Z very much dominates this album. HOV touches on various topics including race, family, his feud with former best friend, Kanye West. HOV produced another great album. which recieves a 9.5 out of 10.

Top Tracks: “4:44" “The Story of OJ” “Moonlight”

LUV Is Rage 2: After breaking the Billboard Hot 100 charts with popular songs like “You Was Right,” “Money Longer,” and “Ps & Qs,” Lil Uzi Vert dropped “Luv is Rage 2,” his second studio album on Aug. 25.

Last March, Uzi released the popular single “XO TOUR Llif3” that created hype for his new album “Luv is Rage 2.” After breaking up with his long time girlfriend, Brittany Byrd, Uzi made a lot of references to his failed relationship throughout the 16-song tracklist. With beats that rely heavily on electronic synths and deep basses by TM88, Don Cannon, and Maaly Raw, Uzi keeps his

audience listening intently throughout the album.

With catchy songs like “The Way Life Goes,” “Neon Guts ft. Pharrell Williams,” and “Sauce It Up” Uzi demonstrates his rapid rap flow.

Arguably Uzi’s best work to date, this album receives a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Top Tracks: “Neon Guts” “The Way Life Goes” “XO TOUR Llif3” Issa Album: Finally after a year wait, Atlanta rapper 21 Savage dropped his debut studio album Issa Album.

With help from notable beat producer Metro Boomin, 21 raps about his journey to the top of the rap game over 14 tracks. The album is named

after one of 21’s famous catch phrases “Issa Knife.” 21 has no features on this album.

“Bank Account,” the album’s most popular song, found its way on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 11 weeks. Although “Bank Account” was arguably the song of the summer, fans were left wanting more of 21 Savage. After the anticipated wait, Issa Album, was a bit of a let down. With only one major hit, 21 left fans feeling underwhelmed. The album receives a 5 out of 10.

Top Tracks: “Bank Account” “Bad Business” “Famous” Project Baby 2: Following his release from jail in June, Florida based rapper Kodak

Black immediately returned to his music career and released his mixtape Project Baby 2 which currently sits at number seven on the “Billboard 200.” On this 19 track mixtape, Kodak Black features John Wicks, JackBoy, Offset, and up-and-coming Floridian rapper, XXXTENTACION. Throughout this long-winded mixtape, Kodak returns with his signature, unique nasal voice and slurred words. This mixtape has way too many songs to keep listeners entertained.

The mixtape receives a 3 out of 10.

Top Tracks: “Transportin’” “Built My Legacy” “Roll in Peace”

The line between art and morality in music Can you separate an artist’s work from criminal actions?

BY ARMAN BADREI I try to keep an open mind when I listen to music. I don’t limit myself to one genre, I experiment with new albums fully, and I avoid judging music itself based on an artist’s controversies or actions in real life. But recent events in the hip-hop world have forced me to realize there’s a responsibility to decide whether or not I will appreciate the music as art, regardless of the artist’s choices.

The most illuminating and morally questionable example is rising Florida rapper and master of controversy, Jahseh Onfroy, more commonly known by his unique stage name XXXTentacion.

I’d say most members of the hip-hop community are familiar with the 19-year-old’s story, but for the unversed, Onfroy rose to fame on the audio distribution and music streaming platform Soundcloud. He began to release music in 2014 and caught

fire in late 2016, thanks to the success of his aggressive, fired-up single “Look at Me!”.

However, this success came at an inopportune time. He was in prison on charges of false imprisonment, witness tampering, and aggravated battery of a pregnant victim in October 2016. The list doesn’t stop there. Alongside his success came a steady flow of controversy.

Before his imprisonment in 2016, Onfroy was arrested for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. Aside from the legal issues, Onfroy’s concerts have been scenes of violent encounters, including fights, stabbings, and even a riot at his concerts. It’s important to know that Onfroy’s music does not directly encourage or incite violence, rather the music puts fans of his into a certain aggressively energetic mood. The rapper has by no means lived a law-abiding, calm life. But the horrific icing on the cake was the publication of a 142-page testimonial transcript from Onfroy’s girlfriend chronicling her alleged, repeated domestic abuse.

The testimony (which includes some details too inappropriate to share) chronicles Onfroy’s allegedly dangerous and possessive nature, a frightening incident borderlining on torture that forced the girlfriend to pass out,

and a description of multiple egregious, disturbing acts of domestic violence, including head-butting, punching, kicking, stomping, and tackling.

After I read the long list of abuses, I immediately picked up my phone, opened Spotify, and removed each song from Onfroy’s latest album from my playlist. I decided there was in fact a philosophical line that had been crossed, and that I was doing the morally right thing.

It was wrong to support the work of an artist who did these kinds of things behind closed doors, regardless of the quality of or my affinity for their work. I could not continue to listen to his music knowing what he (might have) done.

Some might argue his music does not reflect these violent tendencies, that I should respect the expressions of art and simply distance them from the actual artist, or that his personal life doesn’t matter if I like how the music sounds. While these points may be defendable, I find them to be morally unsound.

Good artists are credited for sharing their emotions, their pain, their feelings in their work, and great artists make you feel those same emotions, creating a connection and inspiring empathy.

While some may praise Onfroy’s latest album for sharing

his feelings and dealings with depression and suicide, he’s obviously not sharing everything: by ignoring his ex-girlfriend in this album he

“

An artist’s personality, voice, style, and inner thoughts spill into their music, so to say the art is acceptable but the actions are not is a bit hypocritical.

”

misses a level of honesty, even though he claims he wants his listeners to “literally [enter his] mind.”

I also think it is impossible to completely ignore the choices an artist privately makes when listening to their music.

I don’t think we can truly separate the music from the artist’s actions because music is self-expression; an artist’s personality, voice, style, and inner thoughts spill into their music, so to say the art is acceptable but the actions are not is a bit hypocritical.

Now I’m not saying you need to listen to wholesome, music created by virtuous people. I even believe that rehabilitated artists—rappers in particular like Notorious B.I.G. and Gucci Mane—rise

from their criminal mistakes and prison time with new ideas, a new direction, and an improvement in the quality of their work.

There are two factors that matter when considering the question of whether it is okay to listen to an artist when their actions in private are criminal or immoral: how severe is the action? Does the artist show remorse?

There’s a difference between supporting an artist who may use illegal substances versus one who beats women: that’s where the degree of the crime comes into play. In our society, the use of illegal substances is not as bad as domestic abuse because it doesn’t physically harm another person. Although they may just be covering their legal bases, apologies and remorse go a long way, and at times, they can even be heartfelt. We’ve seen nothing from Onfroy, however.

You are the judge of “how far is too far?” Understand the relationship between your musical taste and moral compass. Some of you might be thinking, “music isn’t supposed to be some huge inner conflict.” I get that, but one of the worst things we can do is to go through life without thinking, without questioning, and without being curious.

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | OP-ED 7

Make America Welcoming Again

BY NIA CALDWELL President Donald J. Trump proudly stated at a rally during the start of his campaign that he wanted to “Make America Great Again.”

He followed this slogan by his promise to “Build a great wall along the southern border” because “when Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best… they’re sending people that have lots of problems… they’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They are rapists.” His supporters then began to chant in haunting unison, “Build that wall.”

After making this campaign promise, the President has retracted his statements and agreed to work with Congress on letting DACA recipients stay in the country for at least six months in exchange for a bigger budget for border protection security which does not include building the wall. The very supporters he invigorated with his hateful rhetoric aren’t backing him anymore.

In fact, Newsweek reported that some of his supporters burned their “Make America Great Again” hats. According

to the Pew Research Center, 79% of Trump supporters were in support of Trump’s efforts to build the wall, which explains their disappointment.

Still, despite his fickleness, President Trump’s negative rhetoric on immigration has created an atmosphere of divisiveness. And while Trump may be becoming more lenient in his immigration policies, this doesn’t erase his past animosity with implementing the Muslim ban and the fact that Trump built his base on the exclusion of outsiders, fueling a whole group of people with the same attitude.

President Trump’s main argument against accepting people from foreign countries is that they bring crime.

President Trump has correlated illegal immigration and crime, demonizing outsiders. At a campaign rally in Arizona last year, President Trump said, “Countless innocent American lives have been stolen because our politicians have failed in their duty to secure our borders and enforce our laws.” He also claimed at the Republican National Convention that, “we are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities.” In reality, the FBI reports that violent crime has dropped 48 percent within the last four years despite immigration rising 5 percent.

3.3 percent of native-born

males are incarcerated while 1.8 percent of males the same age are. Also, according the the Sentencing Commision, only 11 immigrants were sentenced for murder out of 91 murders studied in 2015.

That same study showed that 95 percent of sexual assault cases were perpetrated by natural born citizens. Trump has built on the fears many of his supporters already have with propagating inaccurate facts and prejudices.

In fact, in the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice found in a 40-year study, researchers conducted as immigration increased in major cities, crimes of murder, burglary and robbery decreased.

According to the New York Times, there are 43 million immigrants here in America, most of them nonviolent and regular citizens. Along with this, there are many people in this country who are simply waiting to receive their green card and be granted citizenship.

It’s important to have empathy for those who leave their countries for a new opportunity like so many Americans’ ancestors did.

Except Americans’ European ancestors of yesterday didn’t come as peacefully as those that are today. Nevertheless, the first immigrants made America their home. They flocked to America for ample opportunity, and an escape from the problems of their homeland in search of a better life. This sentiment has not changed for most immigrants today.

Onuchi Ndee (11), moved with her family to Houston from Nigeria in 2005. They received their green card in 2017 after 12 years.

She said, “The process was beyond frustrating, my dad had to work in Canada away from us because he could get a work visa there, but not here. We felt like America was home, but it didn’t feel the same way about us.”

Ndee knows how complex the system is and understands the desperation of many who arrive here.

“I understand people risking it all for the opportunity for a better life for their children,” she said.

It’s easy to say “wait and trust the system so you can come here legally,” but as Ndee said, the process is “complex and intricate.”

Complex and intricate is right. Currently, almost 5 million people abroad are waiting on their visas.

According to the U.S Department of Homeland Security, there are about 230,000 people waiting in line for their green card and this converts to a 50-year wait.

Yes, it is important to make sure we prevent crime, but one must be cautious to not tread on the side of ludicrousy. We should open our arms to people looking for asylum or a new place for opportunity instead of placing bans and having an attitude of exclusiveness.

I give the President his props on coming to a compromise on DACA; but based on his previous comments

criminalizing the people who enter this country, I can only be so hopeful.

I think it’s important to add that many come to the defense of President Trump by saying he’s “changed” or retracted statements since first saying these outlandish sound bites. But he still said these things and they have an impact. He said them to appeal to his base supporters, thereby galvanizing them.

The President wants to Make America Great Again by “saving America.” At a rally in Phoenix last September, he said, “if we can save American lives, American jobs and American futures, together we can save America itself.”

“Save” suggests that America is in danger. What does America need saving from exactly? Because it’s not the recipients of DACA, 72 percent of whom received higher education. It’s not the hundreds of thousands of people simply waiting on their shot to come in the country, or even the illegal immigrants who commit less crimes than natural born citizens. The President should probably try to “save” us from the white supremacists he defended in Charlottesville, the Russians from interfering in another election, or maybe those who have been energized by his messages of nationalism, those who are opposed to outsiders who hope to share our American Dream.

Letter from the editors

BY ARMAN BADREI & ALLISON FAVALORO Dear Reader, The 2017-2018 school year has most definitely had an abnormal start. The staff feels the effects of Hurricane Harvey every day whether it be at home or in the classroom.

But although this tragedy has changed our lives—some more so than others—it has also motivated us with energy and inspired us to be as strong as the Kinkaid community.

We hope you and your family are recovering, and we wish you the best in the upcoming

months.

Before the hurricane, we met as an editorial staff to set some goals for the newspaper this year.

Above all, we hope to elevate the quality of the writing in The Falcon, providing intriguing interviews, well-written stories, and fascinating subject material. We also hope to couple this writing with eye-catching design that pulls readers in and complements the stories. Finally, as a high school newspaper, we aim to cover stories with unique perspectives, ones you couldn’t get from a national newspaper or the television channel of your choice. We want to bring topics we care about to readers in a gripping, truthful way and hopefully make you think a little differently about something.

As some of you may have heard, last year’s volume of The Kinkaid Falcon was nominated for the Pacemaker Award, a huge honor, by the National Scholastic Press Asso-

ciation. We have taken it upon ourselves to live up to this standard and if at all possible, raise the bar even higher. The goal is motivating and achievable, but by no means easy. We look forward to taking on the challenge.

We would love to hear any feedback you have regarding the paper. Feel free to reach out to us on Instagram @ thekinkaidfalcon or our email student.publications@kinkaid. org. We also post additional articles on our website, thefalcon. kinkaid.org, if you want to read more of our content.

Thank you for supporting The Kinkaid Falcon!

Sincerely,

Arman Badrei & Allison Favaloro

Have an opinion?

Write for The Kinkaid Falcon.

Email megha.neelapu@kinkaid.org or student.publications@kinkaid.org.

8 OP-ED | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

SAKUSBFUASDecember

STUDENTS DEBATE MIDTERMS Photo Illustration by Anna Leon.

No midterms? No problem.

Don’t be so quick to celebrate

BY ANNA LEON

BY CALEIGH DORAN

Midterms cancelled?

Sounds like Christmas came early.

After trudging through four feet of water and evacuating my own home in a kayak, I realized Harvey was not going away anytime soon.

I knew the devastations following the initial outbreak of the record-breaking rainfall would be unfathomable.

Even people who were not directly affected by Harvey were still worried about their friends and family and took to the streets to help others.

Those affected, like myself, wanted their daily routines back to normal ASAP. So when Mr. Behr’s weekly bulletin entered my inbox, I immediately opened it in hopes of finding a silver lining. Sure enough, in little black bold letters at the end of the email I read, “End of semester exams have been cancelled this December.”

A heavy load had been lifted off of my shoulders.

Within a couple of minutes of Mr. Behr’s news release, I received several messages from friends sharing their excitement about having exams cancelled. After coming back to school, we once again heard Mr. Behr state the cancellation of semester exams during morning assembly.

Walking through the hallways, I could tell there was a general sentiment and one specific feeling: relief.

While many students wondered if the workload would increase right away or towards the end of the semester, the administration responded with a caring approach and teachers tried to ease our way back into school without worrying about class assignments or homework.

It’s always frustrating to work hard throughout the semester and not do well: to have one single exam at the end bring down a grade you worked hard for and raise your stress levels even higher for next semester. The last thing I want to think about

is coming back to a stressful senior year when it should be an exciting one.

Furthermore, Mr. Behr addressed some of the possible concerns that could arise.

For example, even though there are regular classes in place of exams, there will still be regulations to follow in order to avoid rigorous workload. So students, do not fret.

As for work piling up towards the end of the semester, the assessment policy will still be enforced, which means no more than two major assignments or tests due on the same day.

Only departments assigned to a particular day can give a concluding assessment on a particular “Assessment Day” starting Tuesday, Dec. 12 to Thursday, Dec. 14.

In conclusion, teachers, especially those who teach AP classes: consider this as an opportunity to further expand your teaching creativity.

Freshmen: Let this be a smooth transition into high school. You have tons to look forward to; this is one of many.

Sophomores: Whether this affects you that much, who knows? But generally speaking, this is the year before you start to get serious about college stuff. Make sure you’re not substituting the stress of exams with something else, this is supposed to ease stress, not increase it.

Juniors: If only I could express the great amount of envy that I have of you all not taking midterms during debatably the hardest semester of your high school career.

One less thing to juggle while taking your ACTs.

Seniors: Consider this another perk to your final year. Of course, keep on pushing ‘till the finish line, but don’t forget to have some fun along the way.

We’re almost there!

Not having midterms will relieve stress, especially for seniors who have to worry about college applications too.

It’s a win-win.

-Harrison Turner (12)

Nothing beats the feeling of finishing your last midterm and knowing it’s finally Winter Break.

-Mary Claire Stevenson (12)

After one of the most traumatic weeks in our city’s history, Kinkaid students were offered a momentary sigh of relief at 2:58 p.m. on Sept. 3, when the revised “US Weekly Bulletin” appeared in their inboxes. As students glossed over the details for the upcoming week, the last bullet caused their heart to pound: “End of semester exams have been cancelled this December.”

While students were beyond thankful some relief had finally come from Hurricane Harvey, a category three storm that caused immense flooding and trauma in our community, consequences associated with the cancellation of semester exams seemed to be overlooked.

I would like to clarify that I am not complaining about the cancellation of Midterms, but instead, addressing the repercussions that have the possibility to appear as a result of their cancellation. My hope is that this piece will serve as a warning to students to be better prepared.

Although all the details have yet to be finalized, Dr. Martire explained in his “Headmaster’s E-Bulletin” that no first semester vacation days will be altered as a result of cancelling semester exams. However, don’t be too quick to celebrate. The email continues on to clarify that “second semester vacation days are still to be determined.” Therefore, while our two-hour a day exams may have been cancelled, the same fate may fall upon President’s Day or even a faculty inservice day or two.

On a similar note, the last week of classes, which usually consist of a series of half days, will be full days of school. Although teachers are not allowed to assign cumulative tests, the final week will be full of end of semester assignments and unit exams.

Most students don’t per-

ceive Midterms as something that raises their grade; however, there is always the cases of the dreaded 89.4 percent. Without Midterms, there is no final desperate attempt to achieve the A- for the semester. Not only may this change affect students’ grades, but also their understanding of material as a whole, which is especially important for AP exams.

“In many AP classes, we build on what we learn as we move forward (skills and concepts). Midterm is a great time to put all of it together and assess the students’ ability to make bigger connections and apply their specific knowledge to ‘themes’ and ‘big picture’ ideas. Not having a final will put us in a position to get creative in providing such opportunities organically throughout the fall and spring terms,” said Science Department Head, Dr. Sonia Clayton.

My final concern resides with the students. In knowing that Midterms will not pose a threat, many students may be tempted to coast through the final weeks of the semester. The cancellation of semester exams does not equal the cancellation of the end of semester workload; therefore, the lack of Midterms may actually cause a lower semester grade overall for some students.

Contrary to what this opinion may convey, I am in fact very appreciative of the administration’s decision to eliminate Midterms this Winter; I am simply being realistic as to address potential concerns. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to witness what effects Midterms’ cancellation will have on final exams as well as AP exam scores. An even more interesting question may arise if there are no effects at all: Is there any benefit to having midterms annually?

How to give better

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | OP-ED 9

Donations don’t always go where you think

BY MEGHA NEELAPU Harried workers struggle to rid themselves of the flood of unused items. Dirty sneakers, halloween costumes, Barbie dolls, used tea bags—the donations pile on top of one another in dingy mounds. The sheer size of the piles is depressing. This is the ‘second disaster.’

After every disaster thousands donate items for victims, but a lot of the time the donations simply go unused.

The jumble of items becomes a silent monster for emergency management; most of the time the donations are thrown away.

Here in Houston, we have to learn from the mistakes of the past—we do not have room for a ‘second disaster.’

For example, according to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, thousands of second-hand clothing sat on a beach in Indonesia. And they sat for so long, they became toxic.

Eventually local officials poured gasoline on the piles and set them on fire. The ocean took care of the rest.

Following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting in Newtown, CT, the town was barraged with 67,000 teddy bears. It sounds like a generous gesture, but Newtown’s total population is less than 30,000, so they were overwhelmed with so many toys.

“I think a lot of the stuff that came into the warehouse was more for the people that

sent it, than it was for the people in Newtown,” said Chris Kelsey to CBS News in 2016, who worked for Newtown at the time. “At least, that’s the way it felt at the end.”

Herein lies the bigger problem.

People donate items because they like to feel they are making a direct contribution; it feels more personal. But there is a chance that their contribution will literally end up in a landfill.

Our desire to help is actually harming those that are affected. We have to start to listen to what people need, rather than give what we think will be best.

“People don’t understand that we don’t need your dirty tennis shoes with your pinky toe sticking out,” said Ms. Branaman, the community service coordinator.

It’s uncomfortable to discuss, a harsh reality that our goodwilled efforts oftentimes hurt. Organizations are afraid to ask people to stop donating certain items for fear that they will stop donating anything, and NGOs that ask for only monetary donations are not usually successful.

We often say, “it’s the thought that counts,” but when we are faced with tragedy, we need more than just thoughts. Just telling people to give anything sets a low bar; it is important to give

C-Monster.net, Flickr

Above: Unnecessary donations can flood supply centers and cause major problems. back in the right way. While there have been many failures in donation efforts, there have been a few successes as well. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, relief efforts were organized by a group called Occupy Sandy. They created a sort of donation registry, so they would be able to convey to their donors which supplies they actually needed.

Similarly, after Harvey, organizations large and small have used Amazon Wish Lists.

Individuals can take action as well. Many people rush to donate blood after a disaster; however, blood has

Editorial cartoon

BY PRISCILLA MACH

a shelf life of 42 days so it is often tossed out when there is excess. Hospitals need people to donate blood yearround rather than in times of disaster, especially rarer blood types which they are frequently short of.

Canned food drives are also conducted not only after a disaster but often throughout the year. But donating canned food is impractical; according to a 2013 survey, fifty percent of all donated canned food is trashed usually because it’s expired or it’s already opened. Instead, donating money to food banks is more beneficial, since

they can buy healthier, fresh produce for a much cheaper price.

Most of the time, in fact, donating money is one of the most compassionate things a person can do. It is even better than donation registries, as with money, organizations can buy supplies in bulk for a less amount of money. Fundraisers like JJ Watt’s, which raised more than $37 million before closing donations on Sept. 15, can be extremely successful. Organizations can use the money in ways that will be most helpful; donations are far less likely to go to waste than donating items.

10 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

A city underwater Hurricane Harvey leaves Kinkaid community and greater Houston united and ready to rebuild

BY ALLISON FAVALORO Continued from Page 1 In wake of the disaster, Houston inspired the nation with the amount of generosity people showed to each other. Houstonians rescued Houstonians without thinking twice. People welcomed strangers into their homes via Airbnb for free.

“Mattress Mack” opened his furniture store to house evacuees. Houston Texans player JJ Watt created a Houston flood relief fund that raised over $37 million. People around the world also donated money to help relief efforts.

The Kinkaid School received miniscule damage: the athletic fields flooded, but the buildings were safe. Classes resumed for the Upper School on Sept. 6, just 11 days after the flood, with a reduced homework load and free dinner for families. Additionally, mid-term exams have already been cancelled.

Many members of the Kinkaid community still feel the effects of Harvey and will continue to do so for months to come. About six percent of Kinkaid families experienced flooding. Anna Hogan (12) and her family is one of that six percent.

The Hogans’ house, near Buffalo Bayou, was one of four houses with major flooding on their street. The house, built in the 1970s, has never flooded, so Hogan and her family prepared for a power outage at most. Her father was therefore surprised when he stepped out of his bed into a pool of water at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

They immediately began moving the first floor furniture and other valuables to the second floor and evacuated to a neighbor’s house across the street. Hogan recalls grabbing one T-shirt, her laptop, and her dog. At noon, they returned to a house that had been transformed into a fetid pond.

At the highest point of the first floor, the water was “just below [Hogan’s] rainboots.” The water

reached her chest in the living room; the water was at her chin in her parents’ bedroom. The garage–the lowest point of the house–received about nine feet of water. Everything that was left on the first floor was completely ruined, including her parents’ childhood Bibles.

“I got over losing the stuff kinda quickly,” Hogan said. “But it wasn’t about the stuff, it was about all the hard work that went into getting that stuff … We saved most of our photos because that was the first thing we started moving up, but it took a really long time to dry them all out. It was really sad seeing them all laid out and curling. It was more of just the general idea of so much stuff being gone.”

The next day, members from almost 40 families–mostly Kinkaid families–showed up at the Hogans’ house to move their remaining belongings. Hogan said, “They didn’t call and say, ‘Hey, can I come help?’ They just showed up to help.

And that was the best thing to do in situations like this because there wasn’t time for my parents to talk on the phone or anything. They just needed people there.”

The first few nights after the devastation were hard for every member of her family, but the Hogans have been focused on getting their lives back to normal. They currently live in a townhouse while their house is being repaired. All of the cars have been replaced. A contractor has already visited their home. Hogan has already written a college essay which demonstrated the importance of community after a disaster like Harvey.

Hogan has used her experience to grow. “It’s taught me so much about how to help people in times like this and what people want, how they’re feeling,” she said. “I don’t know if you necessarily want that quality because that means you’ve been through it, but I’m sure it will be useful for the rest of my life with han-

dling tragedies. Being there for your community–to have a good community and be a good community.”

World History AP teacher, Mrs. Angela Wainright, is also dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Mrs. Wainright lives near Brays Bayou, an area that can be prone to flooding, but her house has never flooded before because her house isn’t located in a floodplain. When she and her family heard about Hurricane Harvey coming, they immediately packed their bags and evacuated to Tyler, Texas and hoped that their house would survive "I got over losing another Houston flood. the stuff kinda While she and quickly. But it her family were wasn't about the away, her next door stuff, it was about neighbor sent upall the hard work dates on the status of the storm. They that went into received mostly good getting that stuff." news, but when her - Anna Hogan (12) parents visited the house the Monday after the storm, they learned that water had seeped into her daughters’ rooms and into the garage.

The Wainrights feel “very fortunate and blessed” that the damage wasn’t any worse, for neighbors five blocks away had to be evacuated from their roofs.

“When we drove back home, we could still see the remnants of people being on their roofs, and that was devastating to us,” Mrs. Wainright said. “There were boarded up doors where people wrote ‘HELP’ on it, and [we] could see that the waterlines on people’s houses were four to five feet high.”

The Power of

COMMUNITY The Kinkaid community worked together to help rebuild the community.

Upper School English teacher Ms. Casey Fleming organized a donations drive in her neighborhood to benefit those affected.

Sophomores volunteer at local shelter, helping with clothing drive.

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September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 11

Helping post-Harvey

BY MEGHA NEELAPU

For the time being, Mrs. Wainright’s youngest aughter, Haley, is living in her parents’ room, nd Mr. and Mrs. Wainright have converted the ving room into a bedroom that they call “the fficiency apartment.”

Mrs. Wainright says she is not particularly oncerned about what was in the garage because gave them an excuse to clean out everything.

Her step-daughter, Heidi, didn’t lose anything f significance in the flood. However, Haley lost lmost all of her toys, a nightstand made at er baby shower and a box filled with all of her rtwork.

“The most devastating thing, for my husband nd me, was a box that she kept under her bed here I had taken all of her best work all the ay from pre-K to second grade. We lost about 0 percent of that stuff. That’s what really made me cry. Yeah, they’re just things, but those are memories of hers from when she was little, and ou can’t get those back,” Mrs. Wainright said.

The New York Times actually featured Haley nd Mr. Wainright in an article of items Houstoians saved in the hurricane. The article focused n a Father’s Day card Haley made for her ather and it’s significance now because though was water damaged, it was still salvageable.

Like Hogan, Mrs. Wainright has received verwhelming support from the Kinkaid commuity, and since her husband is the Head of Secndary Education at Second Baptist, she and her amily have also received just as much support om Second Baptist.

“One of the thing I’ve learned [is to] accept he help when it’s offered and let [those helping ou] be a part of that healing process,” Mrs. Wainright said. “At first, you have the inclination o say that you don’t need [help] because you ave a working kitchen and stuff, but then you ealize that part of helping everybody through his is letting them help. I’ve heard a lot of peo-

Kinkaid football team cleans up hurricane destruction.

ple talking about ‘flood guilt’. This is how they’re processing it. Accepting that help is a big part of it, and letting them show the love and do what they need to.”

The generosity of the two schools has allowed the Wainrights to give to their neighbors who received water damage, as well. While they are in times of tragedy, they feel grateful to be able to give back to people who need even more help. “[I] want to write a thank you note to every single person that has done something for me, but that kind of defeats the process. They know that it would be more work for me, and that’s just what they’re trying to negate,” Mrs. Wainright said.

The most important thing for the Wainrights right now is to reestablish their routine. They are now able to function almost back to normal since they resolved most of their problems prior to returning to school. Mr. Wainright is optimistic that their home will be ready to host their family by Thanksgiving, but what would normally be a two-week project will take months because the need for contractors is so high.

Houston has a long way to go in the recovery process. It will take years and billions of dollars to restore what Harvey has stolen. But the hurricane brought more than 19 trillion gallons of water to Southeast Texas, it brought a sense of community and pride. It destroyed homes and buildings, but Texans are strong enough to survive the recovery.

Mrs. Wainright reflected on how Houstonians have changed since this tragedy: “Even the people that lost their entire houses, they have their lives. I think it’s made people find the silver lining and that life does go on. We will rebuild and we will have things again, but it just really helps you to be more mindful of your relationships and being grateful for what you have.” #TexasStrong

Kinkaid volunteers accept and organize donations from the community in the Ogilvie Lobby.

“It’s massive,” said Ms. Tatum Branaman, Kinkaid’s community service coordinator, describing relief efforts. “Harvey energized and motivated people to a level I’ve never seen before.”

Government, businesses, and just ordinary people have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and volunteered countless hours. Here at Kinkaid, parents, faculty and staff have coordinated efforts to help after Harvey.

“Literally as soon as it happened—we were taking inventory of families that were effected—we were getting so many calls about ‘how can we help?’” said Advancement Communications and Marketing Manager Ms. Georgia Piazza, who has been organizing and mobilizing staff, faculty, and families to help members of the Kinkaid community.

For every family hit, a volunteer has been assigned to ensure that their needs are met; these point-persons comprise the One Kinkaid Assist Teams, or OKATs. “We’ve been working with them all seven days a week, morning, noon, and night,” Ms. Piazza said.

Furthermore, the Kinkaid Proud Fund has raised $220,000 to help affected staff and faculty.

Many projects were conducted directly after the storm. An online submission process to volunteer was conducted on Aug. 31: there were over 500 online submissions. “We finally just had to turn it off,” Ms. Piazza said, half-laughing.

On the weekend of Sept. 2 and 3, about 100 people participated in the supplies drive, donating cleaning supplies and toiletries. The items were sorted into “cleaning kits” and taken to effected homes which volunteers cleaned. “There was a lot of concern, how everyone was doing,” Ms. Piazza said, describing the scene at the drive. “We were still hearing about families that had flooded. There were lots of tears. People feeling sad for their friends that have lost everything.

But then there was also happiness; people who felt so grateful for what the school is doing.”

Now that many people are getting back to normal routines, big projects are being conducted mostly on weekends. On Sept. 9 and 10, about 50 volunteers cleaned up seven homes. However, smaller ventures have been successful as well. On Sept. 11, a group of parents made 24 casseroles for those who needed help with meals.

Other operations include finding families places to live, putting together a list of car dealerships, and coordinating furniture donations. Future plans include providing vendor lists, helping families move, and continuing to check in with effected people. Relief efforts at Kinkaid will be continuing for a while. “Probably for six months,” Ms. Piazza said. “Maybe more. It just totally depends on each family—it’s a case-by-case basis.”

The student Community Service Council is also very interested in the Harvey recovery process. Since many places are only taking volunteers that are 18 and older, the student body will most likely be helping with the rebuilding process that will take place after the clean up a few months from now, Ms. Branaman said.

In the meantime, however, students can volunteer on their own time. Daniel King (11) volunteered at the George R. Brown Convention Center, admitting people into the shelter.

“It wasn’t always the easiest thing to do,” he said.

“Part of the application process is asking people what happened to them; it’s not just ‘what was your address’ and ‘what is your name.’ It’s more than that. You have to hear the stories of those people who were not fortunate during the storm.”

Not only did King personally help, but he also gave others a chance to help as well. Sitting in a cubicle, King responded to emails to the Red Cross from people who wanted to volunteer.

“It was kind of stressful to see a new email appear every minute—keeping up with those was not easy, and we didn’t get to all of them,” King said. “But it was nice to see how many people wanted to devote their time to volunteering and helping those who had been devastated by the storm. There’s no doubt in my mind that a number of those volunteers had been affected themselves, but they were still eager to help.”

In the months to come, he hopes to volunteer more.

“It’s important to go out and help your community whenever you can, especially during times of a disaster. Everybody should—when they get the chance—go out and help somebody else.”

12 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Weathering freshman year despite Harvey Peer mentors revise and reschedule freshman events

BY KATHERINE MONTGOMERY Suspended in the air on a tightrope, hoping you don’t fall, heart racing while your peers cheer you on: This is the freshman retreat. It brings the class together through multiple team-building activities, one famously being a ropes course that puts your bravery and confidence to the test. It helps the kids from other schools to meet their new classmates, and it helps the class as a whole transition into high school without the daily pressures of school

Freshmen Ayden Tanner, Ryan Jinnette, Chase Pelter, Matthew Moseley and Conner Heath play Spike Ball.

Photo by Katherine Montgomery.

getting in the way.

For the class of 2021, Hurricane Harvey put a damper on this critical event, so the peer mentor leaders-seniors Sara Burpeau, TX Harris, Julia Lasater, and Anish Odhavhave come up with several smaller events to replace the famous retreat.

Before the homecoming football game, the peer mentors and freshmen had a tailgate on the tennis courts with lots of food and games, and before the dance they

Get to know THE CLASS OF

2021

all gathered in the dining center for a dinner.

The weekend of Oct. 20 has also been reserved for an overnight event that has not been determined yet. Despite the new events, some freshmen seem to be disappointed about not having a retreat.

New to Kinkaid, Olivia Howard (9) said that freshmen are disappointed about the cancellation “because we heard from the sophomores that it was really fun.” Since Howard is new to Kinkaid,

she felt that the retreat “would have been beneficial to getting to know everyone.”

Freshmen may be doubtful about the changes, but the peer mentor leaders are working hard to make sure the class will bond as usual.

“Several events could be a good thing because advisories can bond with their peer mentors and [they] can see that progression of friendship throughout the year rather than just having that single initiating experience,” said Odhav.

79 GIRLS, 79 BOYS

31% 20

New to Kinkaid

Varsity athletes

48

With older siblings in the Upper School

Many high schools do not provide events to integrate their freshman classes.

Odhav thinks that any activity for the freshmen outside of an academic setting would be beneficial because “when you’re in a school setting, you act a certain way, and getting outside of that will help bond the class.” Lasater said, “No matter what we end up doing, our goal is to make sure the freshmen have a great year and bond with their peers.”

LEADERS OF THE CLASS Class President: Daryn Mehling Governing Council Representative: Harrison Jones Honor Council Representatives: William Watson and Alice Hogan

Students honored at summer events

Sophomores finish in top five at Genes in Space comptition and Zavitsanos brothers’ film debuts at San Antonio Film Festival

BY CULLEY HARPER While many of us may think of summer as a break, a number of Kinkaid students used the summer to accomplish great things.

This past summer two pairs of Kinkaid students, Ayush Krishnamoorti and Tanmay Srinivasan (10) as well as Dz and Socs Zavitsanos (12), achieved recognition at national competitions.

Krishnamoorti and Srinivasan participated in the International Space Station’s Genes in Space competition, and the duo finished as one of five finalist teams.

They attended the 2017 ISS Research and Development Conference in Washington, D.C., where they worked with scientists from Harvard and MIT and presented their project to a committee made up of scientists and teachers.

The Genes in Space press release states that “375 teams from grade seven through 12 proposed DNA analysis experiments to address real-life space exploration challenges.”

Head of the Science De-

partment Dr. Sonia Clayton said, “There is a tool called a miniPCR machine, and the challenge was based on using this machine aboard the space station to answer a real life question. Our Kinkaid team did such a great job of putting together a strong proposal on hypoxia and working with a graduate student from Harvard.” MiniPCR stands for miniature polymerase chain reaction and is a machine that duplicates specific pieces of DNA. Krishnamoorti and Srinivasan’s project aimed to figure out the cause behind hypoxia in space and whether or not “altered adenosine signaling pathway” is the cause for astronauts’ lower oxygen levels in space.

“Me and Ayush worked on our project for about three months,” Srinivasan said.

“The competition’s most fun part was meeting many new people and being able to present in front of esteemed scientists.”

Over the summer, twins Dz and Socs Zavitsanos (12)

attended the San Antonio Film Festival where their film Two of Five Million about Syrian refugees in Greece was screened.

Their film was shown in front of an audience made up of festival goers, and the brothers say it was met with applause. It was also accepted to 13 other film festivals where it will be shown. although Dz and Socs won’t be able to attend all of them.

Two of Five Million tells the story of two Syrian men living in a refugee camp in Filippiada, Greece. The brothers visited the camp in summer 2016 while on a family trip to Greece.

According to Dz, one of the best parts of the festival was the feeling of having a film addressing such an important topic.

“It was really cool to be able to share this story with everyone there,” Zavitsanos said. “We tried to not make it too political and just show the refugees’ story to get the viewer connected to it.”

The poster for Two of Five Million features an illustration by Taqi Hasnain (12) and the accolades earned by the film. Photo courtesy of Dz Zavitsanos.

Tanmay Srinivasan and Ayush Krishnamoorti (10) pose with Dr. Clayton after the Genes in Space contest. Photo courtesy of Dr. Clayton.

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 13

Backyard construction resumes

Harvey affects use of Backyard for athletics and classes

BY AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI & CHARLES GARRISON After nearly six months of construction in the Backyard, Hurricane Harvey has affected the area, leading to possible delays for future use.

Last year, the cross country girls’ and boys’ teams used the 3.9 acre Backyard as a “comprehensive training facility, with workouts ranging from anything to easy runs and cooldowns to repeat miles and hard days,” said Mr. Ryan Gillentine, head coach of the boy’s cross country team.

This year, however, the 1000-meter loop in the backyard has been closed because of the construction of the tennis and baseball facilities.

Mrs. Kate Lambert, assistant coach of the girls’ cross country team, said that the Backyard was great for preparing for SPC because the large trees shade runners from the heat.

“Because the sun is beating down on us during

The Backyard is still filled with water, and silt covers the trail, hampering cross country use. However, it will be available to classroom teachers again soon. Photo by Ayush Krishnamoorti.

August and September, the shade would help us on interval workouts,” said Mrs. Lambert. However, construction in the Backyard has commenced and will not stop until at least February.

Harvey struck Kinkaid facilities hard because the Buffalo Bayou ran right behind the school and spilled into the backyard.

Many teachers have said that the bayou rose so high

that the running trails are basically gone.

It will take a while for the Backyard to recover, but the new construction project looks to combat floods like Harvey through the building of a detention pond, which is essentially a recessed area specifically installed to mitigate flooding.

According to Mr. Gillentine, “When it comes to an event like Harvey, all bets

are off, as this was a 0.1 percent flood, and most people can’t design for that.”

Other parties use the Backyard as well, including many upperclassmen who took honors biology and recall taking first graders to the Backyard to help teach them biology lessons such as the parts of a flower.

Ms. Honig is in charge of booking teachers who use the Backyard and says that science classes use the backyard as a practical review for tests because many don’t have any other access to that kind of environment and situation. AP environmental science uses the Backyard to monitor populations and for invasive species studies, according to Ms. Honig.

The Kinkaid website describes the purpose of the Backyard in similar terms: “It has been designated and dedicated by The Kinkaid School as a nature study area, effectively making it an outdoor classroom in which natural systems are preserved and used as an

educational resource.”

Ms. Honig is hopeful that the Backyard will be able to recover and return to its previous state. When asked about how long it will take for the backyard to recover, Ms. Honig said, “Probably not actually very long because the backyard vegetation and animals are actually adapted to regular flooding. It is a riparian hardwood forest with plants like sycamore, and trees like that are used to being inundated for long periods of time.”

The running trail that leads further into the backyard is going to take longer to recover, since the small silt from the bayou has made the trail rather mucky and therefore unusable to the cross country teams for now.

Mr. Gillentine said, “There is going to be a Backyard, what it’s going to be is to be determined.”

2017-2018 AFS Student: Meet Mati

BY NICOLE FERNANDEZ & MARLEY ORANGE

Every year, Kinkaid welcomes a student from another country through the AFS program. This school year, the Stukalin family is hosting Matias “Mati” Vainstein, who flew from Argentina to spend his junior year in Houston.

Filling in the blanks with Mati

Mati’s favorite type of music is Old Argentinian Rock. The best American TV show he has seen is “How I Met Your Mother.” The best American food he has had is hamburgers.

We should follow him on instagram @mativ16. His favorite color is blue. His zodiac sign is Leo. The last person he texted was a friend from Argentina.

Photo by Megan Riley.

What is your favorite class at Kinkaid?

“I like all of my classes here, the teachers are great ... they know a lot and, they know how to explain it in easy words, so you can get it quicker.”

What is the biggest difference between kinkaid and the school you went to in Argentina? “[A] huge difference is the education system in both countries, here you can choose your subjects, like here I’m taking some sciences, and I’m not taking social sciences. In Argentina you have to take a lot of subjects, for example in my school I have 16 subjects.

But it’s different because you divide your week. It’s not like you have them all in one day.”

What is the city you are from like?

“It’s not a big city, but for Argentina it’s not a small city, it’s like medium size. It has like 400,000 people. It is called Paraña.”

What is your favorite place in Paraña? What is your favorite thing to do there?

“My favorite place is the club where I go to play sports because I spend most of my time there. My favorite thing to do there is to spend 6 hours, 5 hours there.

Sometimes I lie there and

do my homework with my friends, just to be there.”

What was Harvey like for you?

“Luckily, I didn’t have to live with much. But, what I saw on the news...It was rough, for some. For someone, like, losing their house, or I don’t know, having to change the furniture, like everything could have, like, a meaning for you, like it’s been there for 20 years.”

What is your favorite sport to watch?

“On TV I like to watch basketball, but going to a soccer stadium, the passion in a Latin American soccer game, it’s different, it’s amazing.”

If you could have any pet, what would it be?

“A dog, I really like dogs.

And not the small ones, I like the big ones, like the fat ones. My dog in Argentina, she is really fat. And I like grabbing her fat.”

Do you have a motto?

“Don’t waste your time, take advantage. I like traveling, I like knowing more things.

I don’t like to be established in one place, I think that’s what every AFS exchange student likes. We are going to move to another country, to have an open mind.”

14 FEATURES | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Kinkaid says “hello” to 11 new faculty members

BY MADI BABINE, SALLY BUCK, & WILLIAM SCOTT

Mr. Jarad Benn became a teacher 12 years ago, when he taught music class in Philadelphia. He has taught all ages, from younger kids to professionals. As soon as he saw a job opening at Kinkaid, he was thrilled to become a part of the community. Mr. Benn said that “the spaces that are here, from a theater standpoint, rival most colleges.” Excited to take this “teacher’s dream job,” Mr. Benn explained how the teachers care about developing and teaching the entire student.

Coming in as an Upper School Acting Teacher and Director, Mr. Benn is excited to be working with a program and school that values the arts as much as athletics and academics.

Mrs. Lakeisha Branch came to Kinkaid from Lee Community College in Baytown, Texas. She attended Southern Methodist for her undergrad and earned her master’s degree from the University of South Florida. She has worked with a variety of technology in her job as a program coordinator at Lee College, and she said that her transition has been smooth, and she is getting in the groove of new Kinkaid technology.

Additionally, she enjoys “working with students and the positive attitude and thoughtfulness everyone displays on a daily basis,” Branch said.

Mrs. Branch came to Kinkaid because it is a prestigious and wellknown school. She also loves spending time with her 10 month old baby.

Coming from St. Mary’s Hall, Kinkaid has always been Ms. Liz Chambers’ rival; however, now she is excited to be cheering on the Falcons!

She found her transition to Kinkaid seamless and almost “surreal.” Teaching all grades as a history and social science instructor, Ms. Chambers said that each class has a sense of community, making her feel welcome. Ms. Chambers studied at Vanderbilt University and pursued a career as an art consultant; however, she decided to switch to teaching because she said she felt that her job as an art consultant was unfulfilling. This is her third year of teaching.

Ms. Kenley Turville

has been in education since 2012, starting at the Webb Schools in California, then transitioning over to USC. At USC, Ms. Turville worked in administration for six years, overseeing Texas applicants. Knowing the challenge that comes with moving to a new school and living in a new city, Ms. Turville is enthusiastic to get to know the students as a new Upper School Dean.

Ms. Turville chose this job because she can be “more hands-on with students,” Turville said.

Adventurous as she is, she recently completed her journey by visiting all 50 states, with a one week fishing trip to Alaska.

Mrs. Jessica Hawkes is beginning her eighth year in education and her 17th year coaching cheer. She originally came to Kinkaid as varsity cheerleading coach and three years later, she is beginning to teach history. Becoming the new Kinkaid Cooks For the Community (KCFC) club sponsor this year, she is involved in all parts of Kinkaid. She said that her transition into the school has been easy because she was already a part of the Kinkaid community. In addition to playing various roles at Kinkaid, she also enjoys traveling, and she went to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

With 27 years of teaching and coaching in high school and at the collegiate level, the new Athletic Director, Mr. David Holm, joined the Kinkaid community. He was attracted to Kinkaid by the students he recruited at Georgetown University, and the balance of value between athletics and academics.

He has connections in Houston through his wife’s family with two nieces at River Oaks Baptist. “I had a great transition with the hurricane adding a little twist to it,” Holm said. Mr. Holm has always been a big time Green Bay Packers fan.

Mr. Ryan Call has been an instructor since 2007 and has taught high school students since 2011. He received a writing award in 2011 for his collection called “The Weather Stations,” and his most recent published story was called “No Mothers, Only Ghosts.” Mr. Call said that Kinkaid “always struck [him] as a school of excellence,” and the four core values are very important to him.

Mr. Call had a smooth transition, mainly because he lives five minutes from school. As a former teacher at Episcopal High School, Mr. Call knows how to teach upper school students, and he appreciates the common foundation that many of the ninth graders share.

Ms. Kristen McKinney is joining

Kinkaid as the new Middle and Upper School Acting Teacher and Director. Ms. McKinney is no stranger to the arts as she taught for 24 years, 23 of which were at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts. Ms. McKinney created the 9-12 musical theatre curriculum for her school. Additionally from teaching theatre, Ms. McKinney also taught as a lecturer at Boston College, Emerson College, and The Boston Conservatory. She says she “is eager for a change and challenge,” especially since the arts and athletics are highly valued at Kinkaid. A football lover, she is thrilled to become a Falcon fan.

Mr. Ike Crews began his teaching career 21 days ago, on the first day of school. He attended Davidson College where he wrestled. During his gap year between high school and college, Mr. Crews visited different countries, including Peru and Australia, working as a banana picker and teaching English at a school in Peru for a month. Enthusiastic to join a school that is well-known across the country and having attended St. Mark’s School in Dallas, Mr. Crews was delighted to know that he was chosen for the Cooney Fellow for history and social sciences.

He is also involved in athletics, coaching football and wrestling.

Beginning his 15th year as a teacher, Mr. Jason Johnson previously taught at Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monia, Calif. and founded a science and math teacher placement firm that operated out of Houston and San Francisco. Mr. Johnson was introduced to the Kinkaid community when his wife, Dr. McDonald-Johnson, began teaching English five years ago. Kinkaid now welcomes him to the science department.

Although Mr. Johnson said he is still not quite adjusted to the Houston heat, he loves the wildlife and food scene that can be found here. He and Dr. McDonald-Johnson often attend events in and around Houston with their two elementa-

Mr. Steve Dowell

has been teaching for eight years, seven of which have been in high school mathematics.

Additionally, he spent a year teaching Latin. Mr. Dowell appreciates the school’s four core values and culture, which are some of the reasons why he chose Kinkaid. He found his transition initially smooth, but Hurricane Harvey disrupted his life, and he does not think he would be here without the support of the staff. Dowell said his former school, an all-boys school, was less warm and welcoming, but here at Kinkaid, the population is vibrant and welcoming. A little known fact about Mr. Dowell is that he is almost entirely color blind.

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September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | FEATURES 15

Times Learning Network recognizes Ms. Forster’s teaching methods

BY MARLEY ORANGE

Most English students dread reading one kind of literature the most: Shakespeare. Not only is it difficult to understand, but it is also difficult to teach. Ms. Christa Forster, an English teacher for ninth, tenth, and twelfth grade in the Kinkaid Upper School, strived to stop making Shakespeare text seem so “scary” to students.

Ms. Forster uses the New York Times feature, “What’s Going On In This Picture?”(WGOITP), to improve their skills of critical analysis, close reading, and writing of evidence-based paragraphs, and hopefully assist students in transferring these skills over and applying them when reading their assigned Shakespeare text.

While doing this, not only did Ms. Forster gain the attention of students in her classes, students in other classes, and even other teachers, but she also gained the attention of a New York Times editor and writer, Michael Gonchar, who reached out to her, hoping to write an article on her unique teaching method.

“What’s Going On In This Picture?” is a New York Times feature, in collaboration with The Learning Network, where a seemingly random photo is posted, and viewers must try to figure out the context of the picture, and leave their best guess in the comments section.

Last school year, Ms. Forster began incorporating

this feature into her classes. She would show her students the picture, and have them publish a comment containing an analytical paragraph of what they thought was going on in the picture.

“The [students] were practicing responding to the pictures, using analyt-

"I believe that [learning] should be fun; I believe that it is fun."

- Ms. Forster

ical paragraph format, and they were getting their paragraphs published, and therefore seen by not just me, but ostensibly, the world,” Forster said.

Forster asked her students to answer three questions about the pictures they viewed, to help them properly analyze the photos. These questions that they used to analyze confusing photos may also be used to analyze confusing text.

Ms. Forster assists her students in relying on these three questions from Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), which are: “What is going on in this character/scene? What do you see in the text that makes you say that?

What more can you find?”

Ms. Forster would reply to every one of her students’ comments with feedback on their analysis.

She would comment back to each comment from one of her students, grading them on their analytical format in their paragraphs. She would then post their daily grades in the Live Gradebook, on a scale of one to ten.

All of these comments and replies from Ms. Forster ended up gaining the attention of an editor from The New York Times.

“As we moderated posts to our WGOITP? feature, we noticed Ms. Forster regularly providing feedback on her students’ comments, so we contacted her to find out what she was up to,” wrote a reporter from The New York Times.

Ms. Forster was ecstatic when she received an email from an editor of one of her favorite papers.

“Maybe two weeks after we started [WGOITP]... I got an email from the New York Times editor, Michael Gonchar. He reached out to me and he said, ‘we noticed that you’re doing something really interesting… what are you doing and why are you doing it?’ …I got that email and I was pretty stoked that they had noticed we were doing this project, stoked that they noticed that the students were taking it seriously,” Forster said.

Ms. Forster believes that practicing WGOITP and the skills that come with it can be useful in many other aspects of life then just English.

“Because what it strengthens is students reasoning skills, those skills are necessary in every single subject.

The other reason it’s applicable: any other teacher could use it.

A science teacher, a debate teacher, whatever, even a coach, because the pictures come from news that is relevant to all of society. So, no matter how they end up, how a student

Ms. Forster points to the photo displayed on the board, to help her students analyze the context of the photo. Photo by Marley Orange.

Sophomores Jonah Thomas, Alara Ozdogan, and Catherine Scott write down their best guesses. Photo by Marley Orange.

ends up, in a football game, or in a math problem, they’ve also had this practice on something that’s relevant to their lives, because they live in society with other people,” said Forster.

Students also said that they enjoyed this activity in class, and they think it could help other students who do not practice this already.

“It may not be some kids cup of tea, but it’s a pretty fun activity. You get to be creative. [WGOITP] helped refine our critical thinking skills, and it showed us how to look at details in the bigger picture in context,” said Dani Knobloch (11), a student of Ms. Forster’s last year.

Ms. Forster noticed that her students experienced less of the anxiety and panic that happens when a student opens a book

by Shakespeare and is unable to understand the language that is used. She believes this is because her students endured a similar experience, but

on a smaller scale, when they had to look at a photo where they had no idea what was going on, and do their best to look closely and figure it out.

Ms. Forster chose WGOITP as her way of teaching her students these skills, because it looked like it had an element of fun to it. She believes that in order to learn something efficiently, students must have fun, and she is always looking for a way to help her students have fun, or a way to make things a game.

“I believe that [learning] should be fun, I believe that it is fun. It’s super fun for me to learn new things, so I looked for things that I know have an element of playfulness and play and fun, built into them. Basically if I had to boil my pedagogy down, or my teaching philosophy down, to a nutshell, it would be that it’s essential to have fun while learning,” said Forster.

16 ENTERTAINMENT | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Fresh films for the fall

Head to the movie theater as a study break to see these upcoming blockbusters

BY KATHERINE BERMAN

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Release Date: Sept. 22 Starring: Channing Tatum, Elton John, Halle Berry, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, and Pedro Pascal In the sequel to the 2014 film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, the Kingsmen will venture to the United States after the Kingsman’s Headquarters are destroyed in order to help their counterparts, the Statesman, take down Poppy, the lifestyle guru turned terrorist who wants world domination.

Stronger Release Date: Sept. 22 Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, and Clancy Brown Based on the true story of Jeff Bauman, this film follows a man and his journey following the Boston Marathon Bombing. Bauman is forced to adjust to his new life after losing both legs and attempts to learn how to walk again using prosthetics.

American Made

Release Date: Sept. 29 Starring: Tom Cruise and Domhnall Gleeson The biographical story of Barry Seal, a former Trans World Airline pilot, who becomes a drug smuggler for the Medellin Cartel in the 1980s while serving as a courier between the CIA and General Noriega in Panama.

The Mountain Between Us

Release Date: Oct. 6 Starring: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet Two strangers fight for their survival after their charter plane crashes into the side of a mountain. The surgeon and the journalist grow closer as they struggle together with injuries, harsh weather conditions, and no idea where they are in the snowy peaks of Utah.

Marshall

Release Date: Oct. 13 Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, and Dan Stevens A young Thurgood Marshall is sent by the NAACP to represent a black chauffeur against his wealthy employer. This biographical thriller shows one of Marshall’s earliest cases and the beginning of his career to become a Supreme Court Justice.

A Bad Moms’ Christmas

Release Date: Nov. 3 Starring: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn In this comedic sequel, these “bad moms” will have to face their own mothers during the holiday season. They struggle to create the perfect Christmas for their families while trying to be the perfect host for the mothers when they come to visit.

Justice League

Release Date: Nov. 17 Starring: Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Amy Adams, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, and J.K. Simmons Batman asks his new ally, Wonder Woman, to help him put together a team of superheroes and face a great enemy, Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg unite to defeat Steppenwolf.

Wonder

Release Date: Nov. 17 Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, and Owen Wilson Based on the award-winning novel, Wonder is the story of a boy who has facial deformatities and his struggles as he enters middle school. August “Auggie” Pullman faces the challenge of being different in an extraordinary way in a new environment. He strives to be ordinary and show his peers that beauty is on the inside.

Foodstagrams capture favorites

Students create Instagrams that showcase their food photography

BY ALI AMMONS Many people consider themselves a “foodie.”

Almost no one can start eating a nice meal without someone saying, “Wait, stop… let me get a picture of that.” Although most people tend to Snap, Instagram, and Tweet about what they are eating, these three Kinkaid students took their love of food to a new level creating their own food Instagram accounts. These accounts (commonly known as Foodstagrams) are solely dedicated to what the students are eating and their love of food.

Juniors Bar Pierce and Sarah Vandiver’s account “@hungrygals_” features food from the Houston and Austin area. “We created the account because we love food and wanted to show our friends the foods and restaurants we liked,” said Vandiver.

Their favorite post was the video of syrup being poured on a stack of pancakes and their favorite restaurant they have been to is “Up the Creek” in Vail, Colorado.

Eliza Lawrence (10) also has her own account

“@eatingwitheliza” which not only features pictures of food from the Houston area, but also food from places she has traveled, including St. Barts, Dallas, and California. Eliza said that she discovered her love for food last year and soon decided to create an account. Her favorite post was a snapshot of oreo milkshakes on a beach in St. Barth’s. She suggests the best way to photograph food is to make sure that everything in the photograph is aesthetically pleasing and to take it at an interesting angle.

Eliza Lawrence (10) photo courtesy of Instagram.

Bar Pierce (11) and Sarah Vandiver (11) Photo courtesy of Instagram.

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | ENTERTAINMENT 17

POP CULTURE CHART

The Pop Culture Chart: Where we get to know the Kinkaidian tastes and takes on what’s the talk around campus.

BY LILY GUNN, JORDAN JAFARNIA, & MARLEY ORANGE

WHAT IS YOUR MOST VIVID MEMORY FROM FRESHMEN HOMECOMING? “When I went to high-five my date, and instead, I dabbed and saw the look of disapointment on his face.” - Lexy Pakzaban (9)

“Getting in trouble for kicking my leg up.” - Adelaide Randall (10)

“Tate not putting his arm around me during pictures.” Gleith Cozby (11)

“Getting breathalyzed for the first time.” Harrison Turner (12)

0

20

20 “Antonio’s proposal to Carrie. He got the cross country team to write ‘hoco’ on their stomachs.”

- Devyn Finkelstein (9)

“When Don (Will) Davis asked Anna Van Os and shook her hand afterwards.” - Russel Burrow (10)

“Carlos actually proposing to Olivia this year.” - Laine Jacobe (11)

“I said, ‘Couldn’t choose the better bae,’ and I asked two girls.”

- Aryan Minooe (12)

30

30

30

WHO HAS HAD THE BEST HOMECOMING PROPOSAL AND WHAT WAS IT?

40

40 “Jordan Ricks and Lauren Hankamer.” Molly Ribbeck (10)

“Remy and Totz.”

- Antonio Castro (11)

“Zachary BELLe Martire.” - Lauren Rice (12)

40

WHAT SONG BEST DESCRIBES YOUR HOMECOMING EXPERIENCE? “ ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ by Thin Lizzy.” Walker Marrus (9)

“ ‘Bodak Yellow’

by Cardi B.” Haylie Sims (10)

“ ‘No More Parties in L.A.’ by Kanye West.”

- Jason Gordon (11)

“ ‘Young, Wild, and Free’

by Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dog.” - Robert Shively (12)

30

30

30

40

0

“Walker Marrus and Sarah Swanson.” Charlie Lamme (9)

50

50

WHO IS THE CUTEST HOMECOMING COUPLE IN YOUR GRADE?

20

20

The Illustrated Interview with Mackenzie Zarr (12) and Wesley House (12) Mackenzie Zarr

Draw yourself.

Draw your dream Homecoming date.

Draw your favorite fall sport.

Draw the last song you listened to.

(Tennis)

(‘No Money’ by Galantis)

Draw your favorite fall sport.

Draw the last song you listened to.

Wesley House

Draw yourself.

Draw your dream Homecoming date.

(Volleyball)

(‘Tunnel Vision’ by Kodak Black)

18 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

fall sports

preview

FOOTBALL

BY MAC FRIDAY & WILSON KELSEY

FIELD HOCKEY

Coming into the 2017 fall season, the girls field hockey team looks to improve on their final results last year. On Sept. 8 and 9, the team traveled to Dallas to participate in the Hockaday Play Day. At the event, the team played three 7v7 matches, as well as three full 11v11 contests, wrapping up the weekend affairs with a final record of 3-2-1.

Following the tournament, they faced Episcopal in their first official game. The Falcons dismantled the Knights, shutting them out with a final score of 6-0. Following the victory, the team went on to face Greenhill at Kinkaid. On Sept. 19, the team faced off against their rival, St. John’s. “We played very well, and fought hard,” said Katherine Berman (12). Despite the strong effort by the Falcons, they fell to the Mavericks with a final score of 3-1. Despite the tough loss, there is a lot of potential and room for improvement. The team is very young, with nearly half of the lineup being underclassmen, but it has strong veteran leadership in senior captains Ellie Bolin, Katherine Berman, Belle Martire and Caroline Hanan. Look for the Falcons to continue to improve as they approach matchups against Duchesne and St. John’s in the coming weeks.

Zach Daniel (11)

Mary Katherine Rice (10)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

BOYS VOLLEYBALL After not qualifying for the SPC tournament last year with a tough season, the boys volleyball team looks to kick off a new season successfully and put their past behind them. Nearly every player is returning this year, including Parker Browne (12) and Alex Frumovitz (11). Although the team lost both matches to Episcopal and St. John’s in their first tournament, they remain optimistic. “The main reason we struggled so much last year was our youth and inexperience. Now that our players our older, we expect to have a much better season,” said Browne. After their initial losses, the team has worked hard to improve their game. It took three games to win a set last year, but this year they won a set in their first match. “Our goal is to make SPC this year, it is something we can accomplish if we work hard,” said Browne. A realistic goal, the Falcons could very well make the tournament this year if they work together and strive to improve on their results from the past.

Madi Malouf (11)

Alex Frumovitz (11)

After a 13-21 record last year, the girls volleyball team is trying to improve their numbers in order to qualify for SPC. The team has started the season off well with a 9-2-1 record. Their only tie of the season came against Christian Home School Athletics on Sept. 15 at the Alvin Living Stones Tournament in Alvin, TX. Following the tie, the team secured two wins before falling to Heritage Christian. The Falcons surged back after the loss, winning the next two games and the consolation bracket, giving them a third place overall. The Falcons have won both games since the tournament, overpowring both SATCH and Lutheran South in 3-0 match victories. Seniors captains this year- Nia Caldwell, Lauren Ho, Julia Lasseter and Katherine Montgomery- are excited about their good start to the season. “I’m very excited for the season,” says sophomore outside hitter Anna Van Os. Some challenges for the team lying ahead include upcoming games agiainst Houston Christian, John Cooper, and Episcopal. If the team continues their recent success and keeps working hard, they will provide some serious competiton in the SPC tournament this November.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Last season, the girls cross country team won SPC for the sixth time since 1986.

They are trying to make that total go to seven this year. They already have two top three finishes in meets this year: a second place finish at the Rosehill Christian Cross Country Challenge and a first place at the Paschal Invitational. They have two meets coming up in the next several weeks: The McNeil Invitational at Old Settlers Park on Sept. 30 and The St. John’s Maverick Ramble at T.C. Jester Park on Oct. 14. As the workouts increase in intensity, the girls turn their focus towards their primary goal this year: to win SPC. “If we work really hard during practice, nothing can stop us from winning SPC this year, for the second time in a row,” said Carolline Keller, junior captain. The girls team has lots of potential and plans to fulfill it throughtout the season.

After a 7-3 record and coming in third in SPC last year, the varsity football team is looking to compete for an SPC championship this year. It is certainly looking good for the team as they already have two blowout wins on the season: a 45-13 win on Sept. 8 at HBU against Westbury Christian and a 49-14 win on Sept. 9 against Loomis-Chaffee in Connecticut. The team traveled to Connecticut on Sept. 15 where they played Loomis-Chaffee, visited the basketball hall of fame, and watched the Notre Dame-Boston College football game. “It was really fun, we got closer as a team and caught a dub,” cornerback Matthew Bale (10) said about the trip. The team lost a close game against Shadow Creek as a result of a questionable call late in the fourth quarter, but things are certainly looking up for the varsity football squad. Let’s hope they finish the season as well as they started off.

Andres Melendez (12)

Mikela McCauley (11)

For the boys cross country team, this season is “all about the process” says senior DZ Zavitzanos.

Under the veteran leadership of senior captains, Andres Melendez, DZ Zavitsanos, and Socs Zavitsanos, the team has already found early success in the season, placing third in their first meet, the Rosehill Christian Cross Country Challenge on Sept. 9. The Falcons look to improve throughout the season by building up the intensity of their workouts as the season rolls on. The key to more effective is moving more of the speed-oriented workouts and practices to latter half of the season, so the team is in top physical shape for the SPC race in Fort Worth this November. Accompanied by the return of the Zavitsanos twins and Melendez, the team has some young talent to round up the the other positions on the team. Sophomores Alberto Vargas and Michael Camp, as well as freshmen Antonio Melendez and Andrew Heyser are all looking strong coming into the season.

Jeffers Shaper, last year’s 4th man, looks to be the X Factor for the squad, and plays a key role in securing good positions in the upcoming races. “We have a ton of depth this year, which is something we haven’t had in the past,” said Zavitzanos. The willing athletes, paired with the grueling workouts, makes for a promising outcome at SPC.

September 29, 2017 | The Kinkaid Falcon | SPORTS 19

Rockets sold for 2.2B

BY HANA KELETA Ever since the Houston Rockets were put on the market in July, Houstonians began to speculate about who would buy the team. The team ultimately went to local billionaire, Tilman Fertitta, who bid a record price of 2.2 billion dollars. On the morning of Sept. 5, Tilman tweeted, “It is an honor to be a part of the @NBA. I look forward to serving the city of #Houston and continuing the success of @ HoustonRockets.”

Within the past three years, the Houston Rockets have been successful placing third in the western conference this past season and second in 2015.

According to Forbes Magazine, the Rockets were ranked the eighth most valuable team in the NBA, valued at 1.65 billion. Beyonce, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Yao Ming, were nationwide celebrities and shareholding groups interested in buying the Rockets.

Owner of The Golden Nugget Casinos, Pleasure Pier, and Landry’s INC., Fertitta tried to buy the Rockets in 1993. He lost to Leslie Alexander by four million dollars. Alexander purchased the team for 85 million dollars, and the Rockets were under him since.

Ever since Alexander purchased the Rockets, he has helped reach new heights to increase their

value by 16 times. A year after Alexander took on The Rockets, they won their first NBA championship in 1994, and then did it again the following year. Under Alexander’s ownership the Rockets drafted NBA Hall of Famers Charles Barkley, Yao Ming, and Tracy McGrady.

Harrison Turner (12) said he hopes that Fertitta will “try to attract Carmelo Anthony even harder because he’d be James Harden’s second hand man, right next to Chris Paul.

The three on the same team would create a powerhouse.”

Preseason starts on Oct. 3 when The Rockets play the Oklahoma Thunder, and the regular season starts on Oct. 17 when they face the Golden State Warriors.

ROCKETS’ HISTORY Group of Texas investors moved the team from San Francisco to Houston.

1971

Rockets win back-to-back World Championships under Leslie Alexander

1994-1995

The Rockets select China’s Yao Ming with the No. 1 overall pick

2002

2003 The Toyota Center is built

Astros clinch playoffs in second place

BY CHARLES GARRISON & AYUSH KRISHNAMOORTI

BY THE NUMBERS

BATTING STATS

874 runs (1st in MLB) 1542 hits (1st in MLB) 233

home runs (3rd in MLB)

833 RBI (1st in MLB) .282 run average (1st in MLB)

JOSÉ ALTUVE

.347 8.3

batting average (1st in MLB) WAR (1st in MLB)

PITCHING STATS

1555 strikeouts (2nd in MLB)

.241

Opponent’s Batting Average (1st in MLB)

Four years ago, the 111-loss Astros tied for the seventh most losses in baseball’s history. Now, they are standing in the number two spot in the American League, looking to win their first World Series.

While the Astros recently lost their first place spot in the AL to the Indians, they are still in great form. The Astros have a strong hold on second place in the AL, and with two MVP candidates and six all-stars, as well as star pitchers Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers Jr., and the newly acquired Justin Verlander, many Houstonians are delighted to watch them dominate the remainder of the season.

According to fivethirtyeight.com, the Astros, 20 games ahead of the next team in their division, have won their division and clinched a spot to the postseason. They currently have a 14 percent chance of winning the World Series, good for third overall in the league. However, when the Astros, who are projected to finish 100-62, make the playoffs, the difficulty steps up as they may have to face the Indians, who they are 2-7 against. Also, the top team overall, the Dodgers, are likely to win the NL and make the World Series, providing the Astros with an extra obstacle.

On Sep. 1, the Astros significantly increased the chances of winning their franchise-first World Series by putting together a deal for six-time all-star and 2016 runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award, pitcher Justin Verlander. This move strengthens the Houston pitching rotation immensely,

which now consists of four elite pitchers. Verlander joins 2015 Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel as well as all-stars Lance McCullers and Chris Devenski. The trade starts a long rebuilding process for the Detroit Tigers, starting with the Astros trading away three prospects: pitcher Franklin Perez, catcher Jake Rogers, and outfielder Daz Cameron.

This move illustrates the Astros confidence in their team and willingness to go all in for a World Series.

The new Verlander trade helps deepen the pitching rotation, but the real stars of the team are the two that continue to dominate. Jose Altuve is the current favorite to win the MVP award in the AL, with not only the best batting average in the league but also with a winning team on his back. Carlos Correa was a starter for the All-Star Game and has continued his fabulous play despite an injury which virtually eliminated him from the MVP race.

These two are having great seasons coming off solid performances last year.

Their excellence has guided the Astros to lead the MLB in almost every category including runs, batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Correa’s injury is accompanied by other injuries all across the roster, including McCullers; however, almost all injured players will be recovered for the postseason and will not hinder the Astros’ chances at the first World Series title.

Widely acclaimed Sports Illustrated made a bold prediction in 2014 that the Astros would win the 2017 World Series, and it might just come true.

TEAM STATUS Record: 98-60 (2nd in AL) Projected Playoff Spot: 2nd Current Series: Red Sox (92-66)

Last-10: 8-2 Projected Record: 100-62

20 SPORTS | The Kinkaid Falcon | September 29, 2017

Fantasy Football Update: Week 4

BY ARMAN BADREI My friends hate when I talk about fantasy football.

They think I look into it too much, I over-analyze stat lines and bye weeks, or that I’m trying to make pointless, mediocre trades.

Deshaun Watson, QB Breida is the back-up at the 49ers and currently earning unusable numbers, under four points each week.

I’m not advising you start him, though: this is who you stash. However, he is a strong, pass-catching back

But I think I’m pretty good at it, or as “good” at fantasy as you can be. Some might even call me the young Matthew Berry, except I’m more accurate and less annoying.

Anyway, Week 4 is here,

and maybe you need some changes to your team.

Maybe you drafted David Johnson first overall and want to die inside, maybe you lost by 0.4 points, or maybe you’re unbelievably

Since Bill O’Brien started coaching in 2014, the Texans have started nine quarterbacks, searching like a sad, desperate man for a girlfriend, to find “the one.” And finally, Houston, we don’t have a problem. Deshaun Watson, fresh from leading the Clemson Tigers to victory at the NCAA

National Championship, looks to be a potential long-term option in the pocket. Ever since he stepped into the tragedy that was the home-opener against Jacksonville, Watson has proved he can handle the NFL workload, most notably through his wonderful rushing abilities (running for 67

with the talent and capability to take on a bigger workload should the injury-prone Carlos Hyde fail to stay healthy. He’s only compiled a mere 55 rushing yards and 23 yards in the air over the past three weeks,

and his 37 snaps pale in comparison to Hyde’s 146.

However, with Hyde having missed 14 games throughout his 3 year career and earning nine injuries, even one game will prove Breida a valuable FLEX play. Hyde owners

fed up with Cam Newton’s sub-par (to say the least) performances this season.

Fantasy is a fickle mistress, full of ups and downs, joy and despair, skill and luck.

Things can go wrong at any yards and a touchdown in Week 2 and 41 yards against the Patriots in Week 3), his smart targets (67, the most in the NFL) of elite receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and that little bit of rookie unpredictability that takes some getting used to by NFL teams. Most importantly in fantasy is his

moment, and you may need some solutions. Luckily for you, I’m here. Whatever the problem, don’t worry, because the Fantasy Doctor is in.

rushing abilities, which are extremely valuable for a QB.

For those reasons, Watson should earn himself a nice, little spot on your bench, the second quarterback position in two QB leagues, or even the starting job if you’re enduring a cruel bye week, and the matchup is sweet.

should seriously considering benching this handcuff and those with even more space should think about snatching him up just in case, considering the rest of the RBs on the waiver wire this week look lackluster, to say the least.

Matt Breida, RB

David Njoku, TE Don’t be distracted by Jake Elliot’s stunning 61-yarder to win Philly the game, in terms of kickers: Ryan Succop is truly an unsung hero. Owned in only 10.5 percent of leagues, Succop

An emerging force in the developing Cleveland offense, I’m predicting Njoku to be a TD machine, although maybe a bit touchdown-reliant.

Corey Coleman’s roughly six week-long hand injury is a huge plus in fantasy terms for Njoku, but some might still be wary of the rookie tight

end given the competition among aerial options in Cleveland—including fellow TE Seth DeValve, Duke Johnson, Kenny Britt, and Rashard Higgins—and the “curse” of the rookie tight end. Others will also want to remind you, it’s the Browns. But regardless of their goals for the season,

this Cleveland team is putting up points: 18, 10, and 28 in the last three games. Decent amounts of points translate into opportunities for Njoku and more specifically, big red zone value. He’s leading the team in red zone targets (2) and as the chemistry starts to build with his quarterback,

has kicked his way to 11, 15, and 16 points over the last three weeks. On a high-powered offense with both a strong run-game and passing abilities, the Titans will almost guran-

tee extra points opportunities against team they dominate and field goals in more equal match ups in a reasonable supply. He has an especially exciting week against the Texans,

who have been dominated by opposing teams in terms of points scored the past three weeks and who have allowed kickers a combined 24 points in the last three weeks.

sparks will fly in Cleveland.

Picking up two touchdowns and around 20 yards in the past two weeks, Njoku is a great find for owners struggling in the tight end department, especially for those recuperating from the losses of Greg Olsen, Jordan Reed, or Tyler Eifert.

Ryan Succop, K

This Sunday, all eyes are on the Texans

BY NIA CALDWELL With the nervous jeers of Northeastern football lovers surrounding him, QB Deshaun Watson was under setter facing third and 1 on the Patriots 18-yard line in Gillette Stadium. Like so many unsuccessful times before, RB Lamar Miller unsurprisingly tried to run straight up the middle and got stuffed by waiting defensive linemen.

Fourth and one.

But instead of making the gutsy call deciding to go for it to ensure a victory against the reigning champions, Coach Bill O’Brien rejected taking the chance and called for the field goal unit. K Ka’imi Fairbairn then kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it a five point game, 33-28.

Not long thereafter did Tom Brady concoct a 75- yard drive to win the game, adding on to his 378 yards and five touchdowns while going 25-35 on passing attempts.

Despite this masterful performance, the Texans

dropped the ball in several key areas, contributing to this hard-fought loss (including when SS Corey Moore literally dropped an interception thrown to him on the last drive).

The major issue was that the DBs performances were simply disappointing. They allowed five touchdown passes and permitted Patriot receivers to make easy catches throughout the entire game-winning drive and allowing almost 400 yards passing on the day.

Although coaching was good throughout three and a half quarters, the coaches, mainly Bill O’Brien must do better to ensure the success of the team. Along with the previously mentioned gutless call to kick a field goal with two minutes left, Bill O’Brien also failed to call a timeout in the fourth quarter immediately after Deandre Hopkins caught a pass at Houston’s 46-yard line, wasting ten

seconds and only leaving 3 seconds left on the clock for the Texans to win the game.

With O’Brien as both the head coach and the Offensive Coordinator, one has to wonder if taking on both jobs is hindering the other.

Despite the weak points, the Houston Texans held their own against the perennial Super Bowl contenders.

Led by rookie Deshaun Watson, who with 301 yards and two touchdowns continues to prove himself as a legitimate quarterback, the Texans gave themselves a solid chance to win the game with solid Wide Receiver, Linebacker and Special Teams play.

WR Deandre Hopkins had seven catches for 76 yards along with TE Ryan Griffin with 61 yards on five carries.

The defense had five sacks on the day with seven tackles for loss, putting much needed pressure on Brady, while rookie Ka’imi Fairbairn continued to be perfect, nailing

four field goals.

Up next the 1-2 Texans face Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans Oct. 1.

With Sophomore WR Will Fuller returning after breaking his collarbone Aug. 3, Deandre Hopkins is no longer our only reliable WR. Last year Fuller’s game winning punt return for a TD against the Titans was the first for the Texans since 2009.

Despite improved quarterback play and added offensive weapons, the Texans’ secondary must step up against Mariota, or they are in danger of sinking to the bottom of the division (they are tied for last now).

Before last week’s game the whole Texans team locked arms to show unity in the face of President Trump’s comments. Though it remains

unknown if they will do this again, the Texans definetly need to show the heart and grit they did last week following the display.

This win will take extreme effort from all fronts. The front seven, led by JJ Watt must step up to pressure and hit lightweight Mariota; Deshaun Watson must keep the rookie mistakes to a minimum as he continues to think on his feet, and Bill O’ Brien must not make the perennial clock mamangement mistakes that cost us last week’s game.