Evergreen THE
April 3, 2013
Volume XLVIII, Issue 5
Sidelined in the classroom
Business Club receives funds for real-world investments Francesca Riddick
Concussed students struggle to keep up with work, teachers labor to accomodate needs Shuman, Assistant Head of Upper School, Honelynn Parker, Learning Specialist, magine yourself stuck in a tunnel nurses Celia Cogan and Katie Trimmer, of darkness, then emerging into R.N., Dr. Janet Arnold, Director of Student fog and confusion. The darkness Support Services, and team leaders. only goes away if you allow yourself to The new system focuses on the be isolated for weeks, with only a haze of academic problems that come with having difficulty at the end of that tunnel. a concussion, prioritizing them over After noticing an sports. This creates an entirely increasing number of new division of work for Betsy students relapsing once and Kent. The brain they return to school from Here is how it works. First, gets shaken up concussions, Greenhill your brain hurts (headaches, just like a snow has implemented a new sensitivity to light, and nausea globe and then all academic reentry program after a hard hit). You complain of the snow bits for students with serious to Betsy. If she thinks you have fly around, and it concussions. a concussion, she has you do takes a while for For athletic trainer a “shut-down”: no looking the snow to calm Betsy Nadler, this has meant down.” at phones, no watching TV, a new reality. She may go no school for 48 hours. You from therapy on a student take the ImPACT test, which with an ACL injury to taping confirms your concussion. a student with a broken You start daily check-ins with thumb to deciding when a student should Betsy or Kent, who decide what you can take their final exams. This is the new face and cannot do on a day-to-day basis. of concussion treatment at Greenhill at a Progressively, you take the ImPACT test time when people are realizing the danger more often. You start to add things like that comes with having a brain injury. taking notes in class. Once you pass the If left unwatched and unregulated, ImPACT test, you are officially recovered. students with concussions can face You start doing school work regularly. memory loss and other complications in Now the problem is making up everything the future. The pressure in the brain can you missed. even be fatal. “It’s the academic piece we were To formulate the new system that missing,” Betsy said. “While reviewing addresses academics, athletic trainers Kent our management program we realized Johnson and Betsy worked with Laura we needed to do a better job directing the Ross, Head of Upper School, Rebecca return to academics.” Sera Tuz
I
Asst. News Editor
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Graphic by Greer Goss
Staff Writer
Prior to this year, students would go through athletic therapy, but would have to figure out the academic side on their own. Now, the athletic trainers are the ones leading decisions about the return to work. Most students, with the guidance of a concussion specialist outside of school, visit Betsy once a day to check in. It is here that decisions are made about the student’s progress, which determines the amount of work they can begin to do. One of the concussion specialists many Greenhill students see is Dr. James Sterling, M.D. at Texas Orthopaedic Associates. He compares a concussion to a snow globe. When Betsy explains why students have to shut down, she refers to Dr. Sterling’s analogy. “Once you shake the globe, the snow flies, which is a perfect example of what is happening in the brain on a cellular level,” she said. “The chemicals exit the injured cells and cause a neurometabolic cascade. It takes about a week for the ‘snow’ to settle and there should be little external brain stimulation. Thus the shut down.” Although there has been no change in the number of concussions this year (30 so far this year, compared to 37 total last year), the athletic trainers decided to work on a more regimented academic reentry process after a student athlete relapsed last year because they began their schoolwork too soon. Now that academics are more closely monitored, teachers are more aware of cont’d on page 22
The Board of Trustee’s investment committee recently entrusted Business Club with the sum of $100,000 from to invest in the stock market. Though the committee is in charge of overseeing the investment of Greenhill’s endowment; however, the donation is entirely comprised of personal contribution by the committee’s members. The money will be used to give Business Club members experience in investing real money. Returns will go to the endowment. The club leaders—juniors Lewis Carlson and Hank Golman, copresidents, and sophomore Christian Holmes and junior Blake Lieberman, co-vice presidents—pitched the idea of managing real money to the Board’s investment committee last fall. They dressed in suits and ties, aiming to make the presentation as professional as possible. A PowerPoint presentation detailed the project’s structure, approval process, timeline, and proposed amount of money. The proposed sum was $30,000 to $50,000. Melissa Orth, Chief Financial Officer, and Katie Robbins, Director of Finance and Human Resources, helped Hank and Lewis create the PowerPoint and the project it outlined. “They were very organized and well spoken,” said Will Rose, chair of the investment committee and father of seventh-grade student Alex. In the end, the proposition was approved—with a surprising bit of good news. The investment committee decided to commit $100,000. “The committee felt that the idea of having the club manage a portfolio of US public equities had merit as a learning experience for the students, [provided they had] guidelines to follow regarding suitable companies, diversification, position sizing, and internal controls such that likely returns will be acceptable,” Mr. Rose said. Hank said the club leaders highfiving one another after they heard the news. “We were all very excited,” Hank said. “We know that it’s going to be a long process over the next year, but we’re very excited.” The investment committee also decided to provide the money through committee members’ personal contributions, rather than allocate part of Greenhill’s endowment to the project. cont’d on page 6
Also in this issue... News Teacher Salaries
Features Reach for the Stars
Double Truck Capturing Capstones
Special Report Seeing Cindy Sherman
News Editor Rachel Diebner explains the nuanced methodology behind teacher salaries, including how they are set and the effects of external factors. page 4
Assistant News Editor Christian Holmes speaks with alum Tina Srivastava ’05 about her aeronautical accomplishments. page 10
Ten seniors are in the midst of finishing their capstones. The Evergreen reports on the adventures they have embarked upon. pages 12-13
Students in several Upper School classes are helping to orchestrate a Late Night at the DMA. Content Editor Samantha Carp investigates. page 14
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The Evergreen Wednesday [04.03.13]
VIEWS
Rants & Raves
A MENTAL SURVEY
A RAVE to the Amateur Musicians Performing (AMP) performances throughout the year. It is great to be constantly reminded of how talented our student body is, and how inferior we are to most of our classmates. Apparently voices can sound good outside the confines of a shower.
A RANT to the pollen and bird droppings covering our cars. We know it is springtime, but we only have so much time to spend each month on car washes. Our message to the birds and the bees: Get a room!
A RAVE to the pound cake they are serving for breakfast in the cafeteria. Although you might think it’s been a really sad month at Greenhill for us to be raving about pound cake, it really does taste quite nice.
A RANT to the uptick of laptop thefts on the Hill. We demand to be able to leave our $2,000 MacBooks in public like you can in the real world!
A RAVE to the Prom Theme announcement (Diamonds are Forever). Greenhill will be oozing London high society, with diamonds and 007s hitting the dance floor. As the saying goes, the memories may fade, but the balloons in the senior locker room will last forever.
A RAVE to the student artwork in the Fine Arts Building. Crowds at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London have reportedly dropped drastically as tourists flock to the Fine Arts Building to see Greenhill talent.
A RANT to malfunctioning bathrooms. At this time in our lives, there are too many weird stenches, odors, and odd diseases that could be spread if we cannot maintain our hygiene. In the meantime, avoid the leaky faucets and grab some hand sanitizer: 99.99 percent of germs is close enough.
A RAVE to the winter apparel sale for the next two weeks at the Buzz. High fashion is everywhere at Greenhill as students make their latest discounted purchases. When asked to comment, Ralph Lauren said, “The Buzz is super trendy right now,” but Michael Kors declined to be interviewed.
A RANT to the excessive amount of papers left un-picked -up on wireless printers. According to a top Ecology Club member, Greenhill’s paper usage accounts for 70 percent of Addison deforestation. “The Great Addison Redwood Forest could be gone within two trimesters,” he added. Pick up those papers. Al Gore is watching.
Content courtesy of Nick Kraus
As you anxiously await the annual student vs. faculty quiz bowl, scheduled for April 19, here are some Greenhill-centered trivia questions to keep your brain sharp. Answers are provided at the bottom.
1. WHAT BOOK WAS REMOVED FROM THE 10TH GRADE ENGLISH CURRICULUM THIS YEAR?
8. HOW MANY PEACOCKS ARE THERE ON CAMPUS?
2. WHICH FACULTY MEMBER PREVIOUSLY TAUGHT BALLROOM DANCING TO COLLEGE STUDENTS? 7. WHICH UPPER SCHOOL TEACHER AWARDS GOLD STARS?
3. IF MR. IDE COULD CONVINCE HIS WIFE, WHAT WOULD HE NAME A FUTURE DAUGHTER?
6. HOW MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 30 YEARS HAVE STUDENTS BEAT FACULTY IN QUIZ BOWL?
4. WHAT IS OFTEN THE FIRST ACTIVITY IN MR. KASTEN’S ENGLISH CLASSES?
5. WHAT IS THE MOST PURCHASED ITEM AT THE BUZZ SO FAR THIS YEAR?
1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 2. Ms. Battis 3. Allele 4. Puzzlers 5. Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies 6. Two 7. Ms. Burke 8. 13
The
wednesday, april 3, 2013
Evergreen
Staff Editorial
Letter to the Editor
Shared Spaces: Self-Centered to Community-Centered One week, the Lost and Found overflows with backpacks. The next week, signs threatening the suspension of privileges appear in the Elliott Center, only to have students push them aside. Later, students awkwardly navigate a senior locker room crammed with desks because their peers have been excommunicated from the history pod for disruptive behavior. We are often told you should find yourself, be yourself, and express yourself freely at Greenhill, whether it is through arts, sports, or academic courses. However, that does not mean asserting yourself at the expense of others. This community is not only a safe space, but also a shared space. We must pay attention to how we treat it if we are to provide others with the respect they deserve. For many of us, Greenhill is our second home. This instills a sense of comfort: we may talk to a teacher like a close relative or leave our belongings around campus. However, this habit of leaving backpacks and laptops unattended or being oblivious about our noise level makes The Evergreen staff question: is it possible that we have become too comfortable? This place is our shared home, but it is not our bedroom. Areas such as the Elliott Center, the Student Center, and the various pods are for
everyone to use, not spaces for our backpacks to sit while we take a trip to the Buzz or visit a teacher. Leaving a pile of your stuff on a desk or chair prevents others from using a study space that is just as much theirs as yours. Making a ruckus disturbs a study space that, again, is meant to be shared amongst more than 400 students. Not to mention, it creates a difficult environment for faculty to work in. After a multitude of warnings, isn’t it a little embarrassing that we cannot pick up our stuff or maintain a proper noise level? We should show respect not only for our faculty, but also for our peers. It may not seem like a big deal, but life is about the details. What
views
seems like a small change in your day-to-day life can create a big change for those around you and across campus. We, The Evergreen staff, believe it’s time to think about shifting from self-centered to community-centered. After all, if Greenhill has taught us anything, isn’t it about the importance of community? So next time you’re about to abandon your backpack, laptop, or binder to make a trip to the cafeteria, or rehash the excitement of your weekend, think about how that affects the rest of our community. Make an effort to do so in a proper manner befitting our shared space. Respect your classmates, your faculty, and your school.
Graphic by Sera Tuz
Dear Evergreen, I am writing in response to last issue’s Staff Editorial (“Spirit or Disrespect?”), which discussed the spirit at Greenhill. I believe the article provided a one-sided, largely negative portrayal of one of the greatest community aspects at this school. I feel that spirit at Greenhill should be celebrated, not criticized. The editorial focused heavily on how the school’s student section at athletic events is “more focused on how they can jeer against the other team” than on supporting our school. While this is an inaccurate claim, there is some truth to it. There are definitely times when the students in our spirit section may cross lines when supporting our school and make athletes from opposing schools feel hurt. But that is clearly not what spirit at Greenhill is all about. What upset me most about the Staff Editorial was that the article was so one-sided and never took the time to address the countless positives of the incredible spirit at Greenhill. So, as someone who cares about spirit at this school, I am writing today to shed light on this topic. Greenhill has the best fans in the SPC—I have no doubt in my mind when I say that. No other school has as loyal and as loving fans as we do. The fans at Greenhill—the Hornet Hooligans, as we like to be called—are active and present at sporting events for every team at this school, because we have a truly caring community. I have friends at other schools
Evergreen staff editor in chief Anton Yu
managing editors
Ashley Goldschmid Greer Goss
content editor Samantha Carp
design editor
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assistant news editors
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Rebecca Kim
Ben Weinberg
staff writers
Madison Goodrich Catherine Leffert Francesca Riddick Christina Zhu
Shruti Rao
Christian Holmes Sera Tuz
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Joseph Middleman Sofia Shirley
Miles Andres Mary Lo
assistant arts editors
business manager Morgan Pearlman
Sanah Hasan Tierney Riordan
MS writers
Suman Chebrolu Radhe Melwani Zayna Syed
business assistant Blake Lieberman
p.2 The football game cited as being against Parish Episcopal School was against St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. p.7 The “Course on Class” should be titled the “Class on Class.”
online staff
Andrew Fields Lindsey Mahomes Danielle Stoler Isabet Tranchin
Have a response? Opinion?
MS advisor
Original idea?
Blake Harkey
online advisor Pamela Kripke
assistant sports editors Varun Gupta Ben Krakow
that only go to their school’s football games because they do not feel that other sports are important. At Greenhill, we feel every sport and everyone is important, so we pack the stands for every sporting event no matter who’s playing, what day of the week it is, or how much homework we may have. We choose to endure late nights working in order to be able to support our friends on the athletic fields. At Greenhill, we stick around ‘til the end of the game even when the outcome is decided in the first half, because we have great spirit. At Greenhill, we set up cameras in the lecture hall so we can watch the girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams play a match in Fort Worth during our breaks, because we have great spirit. At Greenhill, we show up two hours early to the girls’ soccer games to set up a cookout and tailgate, because we have great spirit. At Greenhill, we truly care about everyone within our community, and thus, we have great spirit. Spirit at Greenhill is not about isolating individuals and making them feel poorly about themselves. It’s the complete opposite: it’s about bringing students together and celebrating a shared cause we all care about. While some may focus on the negatives of our extraordinary community involvement, I choose to recognize its positives and believe our incredible spirit is a really great thing at this school, which we should not only be proud of, but also be inspired by. Thank you, senior Ryan Lieberman
Errata from Issue 2/13/13
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The Evergreen Wednesday [04.03.13]
NEWS
business club The investment committee donated $100,000 to the business club. Sector leaders (pictured) will decide what stocks to invest the money in. REad more on page 6.
Teacher Salaries
How does Greenhill slice up the budgetary pie?
Setting a Number When a teacher is hired, the first factor taken into consideration upon hiring is years of teaching experience. The teacher is placed in an experience band by the total number of years he or she has been teaching. Although there is no set salary per band, these bands serve as a guide in determining a teacher’s salary. As a teacher gains more experience at the school, they move up through the experience bands, which are established in five-year increments. Stipends are fixed salary additions for any academic teacher who serves as an athletic coach, department chair, team leader, or department coordinator. These amounts were defined several years ago by a faculty committee and are reviewed every few years. Market factors—such as economic conditions, geographic location, and academic discipline—also influence starting salaries offered to new hirees. In general, market competition often drives the school to pay more for an Upper School teacher than a Lower School teacher with the same amount of experience, just as it does for a science or math teacher compared to an English or history teacher. On average, Head of School Scott Griggs said, the difference between the lowest and highest salaries within an experience band is roughly $8,000 to $10,000. According to Mr. Griggs, because of the many factors that affect individual salaries within a given band, it is possible that someone in a 5-10 year experience band could be making more than another employee in the 11-15 year experience band. This range in salaries is part of why Mary Tapia, Upper School Modern Languages teacher, said she does not talk about her salary in the workplace. “There was a time during my first year that I did have a conversation with a colleague about our salaries when contracts came out, and it ended up creating a difficult situation between that
colleague and myself,” she said. “I decided at that point that it wasn’t worth it.” Each year, as part of the annual budget process, the Board of Trustees approves an average targeted salary increase for all faculty. This average increase, recorded as a percentage of a teacher’s salary, comes out of the salary pool. The targeted increase is directly linked to tuition: as salaries increase, tuition increases to fund them. Because salaries and benefits represent 75 percent of the school’s operating expenses, the increase in salaries is the largest driver of the increase in tuition. For the 2013-2014 school year, salaries increased by 3.5 percent, while tuition increased by 4 percent. However, even though the targeted increase is 3.5 percent, some teachers get more, others less.
Determining Factors for Raises Each employee’s performance is assessed through a formal evaluation process. The process differs between teachers and other staff and administrators. Each year, administrators and staff are formally evaluated by a direct supervisor based on their comprehensive performance, as well as on specific categories of skills, such as communication, dependability, and productivity. An employee can receive one of four ratings per criterion: exceptional, commendable, effective, or needs improvement. A selfevaluation component is included in this process as well. These evaluations are converted into an overall numerical rating, which factors into annual salary increases. For teachers, classroom performance is the most important factor considered in determining salary raises. The school already has a formal evaluation process in place, the main goal of which is to foster professional development. This process occurs every three years, and includes goal-setting conferences, an extensive classroom visit requirement, and a self-evaluation component. The school is currently changing this process and adopting the Folio system, which will debut in the fall, and which places an even greater emphasis on continual reflection and growth by providing an online forum for this process. However, the evaluation system remains a separate entity from salaries: after evaluations, division heads send the results to Mr. Griggs, who uses them as a glimpse of that teacher’s classroom performance. The division head, however, does not see the final salary numbers and plays no direct part in setting them. For Mr. Griggs, evaluations are not the only factor taken into consideration, though they may be the primary one. “It’s all those other things, as well,” Mr. Griggs said. “Did you chaperone Sadie’s? Are you always willing to show up and do the extra things or serve on committees? Are you a team player or a soloist? How are you working within your academic department, within your division? Are you supportive of the mission of this place?” These extra contributions to the community, many of them not quantifiable, play a role in determining one’s salary increase. Mr. Griggs talks with department chairs, supervisors, and division heads, not only to verify the information collected from the formal evaluation process, but also to confirm this qualitative information. “We expect all of our faculty to be strong performers—it’s not that you have a huge range in
ability,” said Melissa Orth, Chief Financial Officer. “But clearly there are times—just like you have with a student who goes above and beyond with a project or activities that are beyond what you have to do just to graduate. The same can be said in people’s jobs, so we want to recognize and reward that.” Finally, Mr. Griggs and human resource administration sort salaries annually by experience, division, and department in order to ensure that the increases are allotted as fairly and equitably as possible. “There’s not a hard code formula,” Ms. Orth said. “It’s really a puzzle that you put together based on all of those factors.” Because there is no clear-cut formula, it proves to be a hard task for Mr. Griggs, who is responsible for allocating these raises. He compares the process to dividing up a piece of pie among all of Greenhill’s employees. “I have one pie to share with [everyone],” Mr. Griggs said. “Any time I go above the standard increase and give it to someone, that’s coming out of the pie and means less I have to give to someone else.” One advantage that our local peer schools have, according to Ms. Orth, is a large endowment, which channels several million dollars more into their operating budget each year. This creates a bigger salary pool, or in line with Mr. Griggs’ metaphor, a bigger pie. Greenhill aims to keep pace with these schools as their average salaries grow but does not expect to catch up with them. In Mr. Griggs’ eyes, the allotment of salaries is tough, especially with a faculty that is equally deserving and talented. “I actually said this at our last employee meeting—I said, ‘How many of you believe that you are above average on our faculty?’” Mr. Griggs said. “And of course, everybody does, as they should. They wouldn’t be here at Greenhill if they weren’t top-notch faculty members. So it’s hard to reward the strength and excellence across the board as much as I would like.” “It’s not fun,” he said. “You are making some significant decisions that can impact people’s lives.”
Where We Stand To remain competitive in the marketplace, Greenhill compares and benchmarks its financial data with Independent School Data Exchange (INDEX). The INDEX group is comprised of 50 coeducational, independent PS/PK/K-12 schools across the nation that share financial data with one another. The current INDEX average salary is $56,360. The average Greenhill salary for this year, in cost of living adjusted numbers, is $66,154 for an employee body with an average teaching experience of 19 years. However, this figure is not enough to reach the top 10 percent of salaries in INDEX in all experience bands, a goal —not a requirement—that the Board of Trustees has set. In past years, this has never been a problem for Greenhill: the school has always met or exceeded this ranking within the INDEX group. However, this year, for a multitude of reasons, the school did not meet these standards. One reason for this is that a large portion of the faculty moved to higher experience bands, which alters the average salaries within those bands. Another reason is the recent rise in Dallas’ cost of living. “It is important to understand that the INDEX data provides a benchmark for us,” Mr. Griggs said. “Because this was the first time we fell short of our goal, I didn’t feel the need to make, or ask the Board to make, a significant course correction. I want to see if this is a trend, and if so, we will then need to make a decision as to what adjustments we might want to make.” The Board of Trustees Finance Committee is responsible for overseeing this process. Story by Rachel Diebner Graphic by Sera Tuz
The
wednesday, april 3, 2013
Evergreen
news
5
Alumni weekend shifts to increase participation Sanah Hasan Asst. Arts Editor
Alumni Weekend, which has previously been a combined event with Homecoming, is now set for Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27. The weekend is an opportunity for Greenhill alums and their families to come back to school to reconnect with their fellow classmates and see Greenhill’s progress. Due to the number of college reunions held in the fall, the Alumni Board decided to move and expand the weekend. After gathering surveys from alumni regarding other events, the Alumni Board reached a consensus that changing the Alumni Weekend date would increase alumni presence and participation. “The Alumni Board thought that it would fit everyone’s schedule better if we moved the date. I am pretty confident that this change is going to help,” said Katie Young, Alumni Relations Associate. Greenhill’s peer schools, such as The Hockaday School and St. Marks School of Texas, also hold their Alumni Weekends in the spring. “In particular, St. Mark’s alumni giving participation has been strong the past few years, reaching 50-60 percent of the alumni base that give a contribution to the school. This came as a result of a renewed focus on alumni giving that began about a decade ago,” said Whitney Strauss, Director of Alumni Relations and Major Gifts. “I am proud to say that the Greenhill Board of Trustees and administration has placed a similar focus on building alumni engagement in the school’s
strategic plan, which has resulted in increases in attendance at events, strong Alumni Board involvement, more robust communications, and increasing alumni giving participation.” Greenhill’s current giving participation for 2011-2012 was 15-16 percent; in the past, it has been close to 7-8 percent. In an effort to boost alumni giving participation, the Alumni Board has been reevaluating the way they request donations from alums. “We realized that soliciting money from college students was not working out the way we hoped. We didn’t want the first thing our alums hear back from us to be about donations. This time around, we are trying to be more sensitive to where our alums are in their lives,” Mrs. Strauss said. Last year the Alumni Board started giving presentations to the senior class about the importance of giving back to the school. Seniors are asked to donate any amount, starting their senior year, for the first five years after graduating from Greenhill. As a result, for the first time in Greenhill history, last year’s graduating class reached 100 percent giving participation. A new addition to the weekend schedule is the opportunity for alumni to attend Upper School classes, where they can listen in and see what current students are studying. The invitation sent out to alumni includes classes from each department available for them to attend. Although the weekend starts April 26, on April 25 there will be a Science Symposium where Upper School seniors will have an opportunity to present and share research they
Alumni Weekend 4/26/13 See the official invitation to Alumni Weekend for a full schedule—class reunions, back-to-class seminars, and campus tours included. Available at https://www.greenhill.org/ftpimages/136/misc/misc_91339.pdf.
Photo courtesy of Katie Young
HORNETS TAKE LA: Ivan Kumamoto ‘12, Dawson Ray ‘12, and Francisco Gomez-Palacio ‘12 catch up with visual arts teacher Corbin Doyle at a recent alumni weekend in Los Angeles.
have learned through their capstone projects, to alums returning for the weekend. On Friday, This time April 26, alumni around, we will tour campus, are trying followed by an allto be more school cookout later sensitive to in the day. where our “When [alums] alums are in go back and sit in their lives.” their old classrooms and see what’s going on now, it usually brings back nostalgic feelings, but at the same time it’s really interesting for them to see what’s changed since they left,” Mrs. Young said. These visits can also spark a desire to give something back to their school. “When alums see what amazing things are going on in the classroom, there is a possibility
“
Summer on the Hill expands Upper School options Rachel Diebner News Editor
For the first time, Upper School students can explore a topic that interests them or get an art credit out of the way through Summer on the Hill. The program now offers four art courses for credit, as well as 19 academic enrichment courses. Summer on the Hill has added four pass-fail art courses to this summer’s catalog: Beginning Black and White Photography, Beginning Drawing, Digital Photography/ Advanced Photography, and Fashion Drawing. Fashion Design has also been added as a computer credit. Lesley Rucker, Upper School Visual Arts Teacher, along with other fine arts teachers, have been considering offering summer classes for several years now, but it wasn’t until this year that the idea was put into effect. Mrs. Rucker officially approached Vicki Truitt, Director of Summer on the Hill, about the initiative after discussing the idea with Rebecca Shuman, Assistant Head of Upper School, and Michael Manes, Head of Fine Arts. Upon hearing the proposal, Mrs. Truitt was enthusiastic. “I believe there is an interest for Upper-
School students to take Fine-Arts electives in the summer,” said Vicki Truitt, Director of Summer on the Hill. “I’m already getting a lot of phone calls about registration.” The total number of hours for Summer on the Hill art courses is equivalent to taking them during the school year. However, instead of 55-minute classes, they are offered in three-hour time slots four days a week for three weeks. “The cool thing about the summer course is that we will have an extended time every day to work. This will give the students a chance to explore each medium fully and create more work than we have time for during the trimester,” Mrs. Rucker said. “The total hours for the course are exactly the same, but without the stop and start of a 55minute class.” For Valerie Gillespie, Upper School Visual Art teacher, the class will serve as an experiment of sorts. “I’m super excited about trying new ideas and concepts with this class during the summer,” she said. In addition, Summer on the Hill now features 19 Upper School enrichment courses, or classes that are just for fun—no credit offered. These vary across a wide
variety of fields, with scientific study options, lessons for aspiring musicians and actors, and a collection of courses on topics such as web design, chess, debate, and community service. Teachers can use a summer course as an opportunity to explore a subject that interests them. John Simpson, Systems Administrator and Data Base Manager, is teaching a class about one of his own hobbies: DJ-ing. Intro to Becoming a DJ will teach students the basics of the art— everything from machinery to marketing— and put their skills to the test at a Dance Party for all Summer on the Hill campers. “In the past, we didn’t offer many [Upper School courses] because Upper School students are doing so many various things throughout the summer. But we thought we would add some courses and see if it works out,” Mrs. Truitt said. “We’ll experiment over the next couple summers to see what interests Upper Schoolers to come back to campus and take some of these courses.” Prices vary from $180 to $705. Register online at www.greenhill.org/ summeronthehill/home or through the forms provided in the catalogue by the Thursday prior to the start of the session.
that they will donate,” she said. Along with holding multiple events at school, the Alumni Board also hosts events off the Greenhill campus. The classes of 1973, 1978, 1983, 1998, and 2003 will hold their reunions as well. “Although the alumni are primarily going to be staying on campus, on Saturday we wanted to include more family fun activities,” Mrs. Young said. With new additions and modifications to the Alumni Weekend, the Alumni Board hopes to increase participation and interaction with alumni. Alumni have chances to meet each other throughout the year with regular meetings in various cities. “I am optimistic about the continued growth from the strides that have been made thus far. Alumni are important to the school, and Greenhill has a strong commitment to that belief,” Mrs. Strauss said.
True Colors sponsors Action-Reaction conference for high schools students and faculty Ashley Goldschmid Managing Editor
True Colors, an Upper School club that promotes awareness and support for the LGBTQ community, and the Dallas Area Diversity Youth Organization (DADYO) are hosting the first ever Action/Reaction Conference at Greenhill on April 17 . The goal of the conference is to have students discuss ways that the surrounding communities can work towards a more respectful and inclusive environment for all students and their families. “Our main goal this year is to spread knowledge and awareness beyond Greenhill, so we have created an event where students from all over the area are invited to participate,” said senior Mackenzie Merriam, co-president of True Colors. The two speakers, Tim Thomas and Jaime Duggan, are both part of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that works towards equal rights in the LGBTQ community. The conference, which starts with 6:00 a.m. registration and lasts for the full day, will include guest speakers, discussion groups, and dinner. Ben Cohen, who visited and spoke at Greenhill last year, made a generous gift through his StandUp Foundation that helped make this conference possible. The conference is free and open to all highschool students, faculty, and administration.
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Business Club receives money to use for real investments cont’d from page 1 According to Mr. Rose, “the committee had some concerns about taking existing endowment funds and placing them with a manager without an audited track record” of actual investments. Hence the personal contributions. Mr. Rose said that “individual committee members were interested in funding” the project, which will hopefully feed into the endowment. There was no requirement that each committee member contribute. “Members have already stated how much they are donating to the $100,000,” Mrs. Robbins said. “We should have all of the checks by the end of April.” When Hank heard the news, he told last year’s president of Business Club, his brother Clint ’12, who had originally thought of investing real money. “We use a virtual stocks game, but my brother felt that it would be cool if we switched from virtual to reality,” Hank said. Since its inception, Business Club (initially called Stock Market Club) has participated in The Stock Market Game, a virtual game with thousands of student players located across the globe. This year, 700,000 students participated in the game, along with their 25,000 teachers. Each team of two to five students receives a hypothetical $100,000, which they must use to create the best possible portfolio in approximately one month. Through the game, students buy, sell, and trade stocks, borrow money, and pay interest and broker’s fees. However, Hank said the system is not an accurate representation of the investment process. “It’s a short-term game, so it’s not very realistic,” he said. “Basically, whoever is the riskiest wins.” This time, the $100,000 is real, and the strategies must be more sound. “Investing real money also brings into play the emotions associated with good and bad investments,” Mr. Rose said. “Dealing with these emotions is key to being a successful investor over time.” Clint’s idea stemmed from what he had seen in colleges. “A lot of college courses in the business department have done something similar. They will receive different amounts of donations and then use it to invest in stocks. This is [what] our idea was modeled off of,” Hank said.
Photo by Mary Lo
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS: Business Club leaders junior Blake Lieberman, junior Hank Golman, sophomore Christian Holmes, and junior Lewis Carlson (from left to right) pose during a club meeting, after collaborating with sector leaders to research and analyze stocks to invest in.
Last year, Clint proposed the idea to Head of School Scott Griggs, who then shared it with the Board of Trustees. When Hank told his brother the good news about the project’s fruition, Clint reacted with a mix of enthusiasm and envy, according to Hank. “He was a little bit jealous, honestly,” Hank said, laughing. “He was very happy that his idea got done, but he was a little jealous about the amount we got. He was very happy for me though.”
Now, with the investment committee’s donation, the club can have an experience that mirrors the financial world. They plan to continue to use The Stock Market Game as a learning tool for newer members of the club, but their main focus will be the investment of the real money. The club will invest in six different sectors of the economy: finance, utilities, industry, technologies, healthcare, and real estate. Each sector will be allocated $15,000, which leaves the club with a remaining $10,000 to pay stockbroker’s fees. To organize their efforts, the club has split
into six different teams, one in charge of each sector. Each group, headed by a sector leader, will research stocks within their given sector and select a few to invest in. Mrs. Robbins is helping with this. Each sector’s choices will be presented first to the sector leaders, who will either approve or reject that sector’s choices. If approved, the choices will then be presented for We know approval to the that it’s going club’s leaders: Hank, to be a long Lewis, Blake, and process over Christian. the next year, The Board of but we’re very Trustees investment excited.” committee does not need to approve the club’s choices. “ T h e y ’ve decided to trust us a lot,” Hank said. “They feel confident that we can do a sufficient job. They know that this is a learning experience, and as the first high school to do this, this is a learning process. There are going to be things that get messed up and things that go right, so we have to fix it as we go.” Hank said that he estimates the club will
Teacher revamps 9/11 course for online program Gabby Das Design Editor
Scott Cotton, History Department Chair, will be teaching a Global Online Academy (GOA) course titled, “9/11 in a Global Context” during their spring 2013 semester. Mr. Cotton has taught a similar course, “Understanding September 11”, since the 2005-2006 school year at Greenhill. When the Global Online Academy sent an advertisement looking for instructors for their 9/11 class, Mr. Cotton responded readily with seven years of experience. Despite his expertise on the subject, Mr. Cotton is not as familiar with the logistics of teaching an online course. Mr. Cotton gained some online teaching experience after spearheading the Tri-Wizard Project last year, a program in which teenagers from Israel and the United States video conference in order to promote international connectivity and understanding among students of Jewish and Arab cultures. Although, he said he still believes teaching a full online course will be a challenge. “Basically everything is different because there is no class time,” Mr. Cotton said. “Specifically, I’ll have to find ways to use technology to try to replicate the classroom dynamic in terms of small group conversations, oneon-one between teacher and student, and big group discussions. That’s part of the idea, to try to replicate
some of the experiences that you have in a traditional classroom but in an online environment.” Mr. Cotton said he believes a friendly classroom environment is particularly important for the subject matter. “These students don’t know me and they don’t know each other so building a sense of camaradie and community is a big challenge to have that basic comfort level,” Mr. Cotton said. “The material in this 9/11 class is complex and it can be controversial and it’s especially important to have trust and familiarity with people when you’re talking about complicated stuff.” The Global Online Academy semester schedule provides more time than Greenhill’s trimester does. With the additional weeks, Mr. Cotton said he hopes to explore more post 9/11 issues than he typically has time for in his Greenhill class. And, with these curricular changes, Mr. Cotton has also been prompted to reevaluate his course planning techniques because of the Global Online Academy’s “understanding by design” mantra. GOA believes that teachers should consider the essential questions they want students to take away at the end of the course and asks instructors to build their courses backwards with these goals in mind. “I like that I’ve already had to think about the class in new ways,” Mr. Cotton said. “It’s made me think a lot more about the class and what is essential and what is not.”
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invest in a maximum of 12 different stocks. Final decisions on which stocks to invest in will be made by May 9. The club will create a portfolio that illustrates which stocks they have invested in, their reasons for investing in each stock, and their opinion about whether they should stay invested in each, based on current trends and findings. The portfolio will be presented to members of the Board’s investment committee. Hank said that he expects the club to reevaluate the portfolio twice a year, reconsidering whether they will continue to invest in the same stocks or invest in different ones. Mrs. Robbins and Ms. Orth are the project sponsors. One of them is always present at every club meeting, once every six school days. “I don’t want to take any credit from them though,” Mrs. Robbins said. “They worked very hard to get this set up.” Now that they have gotten the ball rolling, Business Club’s leaders hope to the investment a long-term project that will continue every year. “We want this to keep going until Greenhill is no more,” Hank said.
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News in Brief Earth Day activities span more divisions Sera Tuz
Asst. News Editor
In an effort to teach students about water conservation and recycling, Lower School science teacher Cathleen Garcia arranged for the University of North Texas (UNT) to present to the Lower School this year on Earth Day. As part of their presentation, UNT will bring educational modules, which serve as a visual representation of the statistics in the presentation. This year, the modules will stay on campus for a week. At the end of the week, UNT will give another presentation for interested students. “I believe that we could extend [our knowledge of ecology] and really have it be an important thing for all of Greenhill,” Ms. Garcia said.
Students share work at lit festival Alex Weinberg Arts Editor
Junior Molly Anderson and senior Brian Wiora rubbed elbows with a host of highly acclaimed authors when they shared their original works of creative writing at the recent 2013 Southern Methodist University (SMU) Literary Festival. The festival, which ran from March 20-23, annually draws public attention from the greater Dallas community for its author readings, award receptions, student conferences, and book signings. Since the early 1980s, it has attracted big names in literature, including Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Walker, and Norman Mailer. Since 2011, WordSpace, a non-profit organization that supports literature in North Texas, has coupled with SMU to sponsor readings by local highschool students at the festival. Upper School English Teacher Farid Matuk, who served on the WordSpace board of directors from 2008 to 2010, was one of several local highschool literature teachers and writers invited to send students to share their work. This year, students from Greenhill, Hockaday, Yavneh Academy, Booker T. Washington, and Texas CAN Academy read at the festival.
Both Molly and Brian shared original poetry in the readings, the first event of the festival. According to Mr. Matuk, sharing written work outside the classroom is important. “Since the time you were little, the majority of your writing has been a private communication between you and your teacher, and the teacher would evaluate it and give you a grade. For a young creative writer, it’s usually eye-opening just to feel that the writing is worthy of an audience outside of the classroom,” he said He also said there is a practical benefit to sharing one’s work. “When you’re reading a piece to a live audience, at first you’re nervous,” said Mr. Matuk. “But once you do it enough, your nerves calm down and you start to notice when the audience is bored and when the audience is engaged. At that point, you can use that as feedback so that reading a piece aloud becomes a way to workshop the piece.” Molly is grateful for the experience. “I really appreciate this chance to share my writing with the Dallas community,” she said. “I feel so incredibly lucky to be a part of a community that cherishes the arts and its future in upcoming generations.” Aside from invitational student readings, the SMU Lit Fest offered a competition for high-school students called “Tale of One City.” Students submitted work aimed at identifying and bridging cultural gaps in Dallas. Junior Rachel Diebner was awarded top-five recognition for her original poem, which she composed in Spanish for her AP Spanish class.
Faculty committee forms to plan student enrichment excursions Tierney Riordan Asst. Arts Editor
The newly formed Committee for Global Education will help provide opportunities to Greenhill students to take culturally educational trips. The committee is in its infancy, and has only met once. Its members include Art Hall, Director of Equity and Inclusion; Natalia Hernandez, Director of Curricular Programs; Mary Tapia, Upper School Modern and Classical Languages teacher; Tony Schraufnagel, Middle and Upper School visual art teacher; and Michael Jenks, Assistant Head of Middle School. The committee is planning possible trips to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, various countries in South America, and a visit of ports involved in the African slave trade. While on these trips, students should expect to be immersed in both culture and language. “We’d hope that wherever a student goes, there would be some sort of push to stretch themselves in a linguistic way,” Mr. Hall said.
The committee intends to provide support for teachers interested in leading such trips. “We’re trying to help teachers help themselves,” Mr. Hall said. According to Mr. Schraufnagel, this committee will help structure trips more by facilitating connections with established student-exchange companies, which can lead to more efficient planning. As the organizer of a trip to India that was recently cancelled, Mr. Schraufnagel has perspective. The committee intends to provide support for Middle School and Upper School students seeking educational oppurtunities, such as these. According to Mrs. Hernandez, the committee “hopes to generalize the opportunities for all of our students.” Planning these trips is not without roadblocks: they are “slow-moving” and involve “a lot of legal language,” Mr. Hall said. The average expected planning length is 14 months.
School hosts summer teacher workshop Sanah Hasan Asst. Arts Editor
Upper School history teacher Jason Yaffe has organized a summer workshop, Competency to Capacity (C2C), held June 10-12 at Greenhill. C2C is open to teachers in the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) or Dallas-Fort Worth area in their first five years of teaching. “It is designed as a workshop for teachers who have experienced their first couple of years and are looking to enhance their work in and out of the classroom. They’re going to do that by having mentors, but, more importantly,
by establishing a cohort with other teachers in their same circumstance,” Mr. Yaffe said. The three-day program will include sessions in which teachers in separate divisions (Lower, Middle, Upper) will hear from local, experienced educators on topics applicable to all regions of teaching, such as lesson planning, using different resources in the classroom, and general tips for effective teaching. Following the workshops, there will be break-out sessions designed for specific departments and divisions. Mr. Yaffe said he wants the teachers that meet over the summer to check in about their progress. If the program is successful, Mr. Yaffe said he hopes to hold C2C again next year. “We want to make it a powerful three days, but we also want to think about ways that the group can sustain itself over the year, because it is a process to fully develop and grow in a profession,” he said. Graphics by Sera Tuz
The Evergreen Wednesday [04.03.13]
TRAVELING TO TAIWAN Following a visit from minglun high school in october, greenhill students and faculty travel to taiwan to reunite. SEE PAGE 11 for MOre.
Greece The Greek
Germany Kuby’s Sausage House
Tucked into One Arts Plaza, The Greek offers a multitude of dishes that evoke the flavors of Greece. While the chicken and lamb pitas are the most popular, there are plenty of other pita dishes to choose from, along with salads, flatbreads, and various mini, or “meze,” plates—perfect as appetizers. The interior is modern, with a touch of rustic comfort. Opt for outdoor seating on a nice day.
Step into what looks like a little Bavarian pub at Kuby’s Sausage House. Part market, part restaurant, Kuby’s has a lot to offer in a rustic atmosphere. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it has a variety of German dishes to choose from. I suggest the Rueben with potato salad, or the brat on bun (essentially a German hot dog, but much better). After your meal, step into the adjacent market to buy the ingredients to make your own German fare at home.
Spain Café Madrid This cozy restaurant serves the tastes of Spain on small plates. A tapas bar and restaurant, Café Madrid has a menu of mostly tapas dishes, all for under $10. Don’t come here for a heartier meal unless you are ready to shell out some serious cash. The intimate setting, with décor and music inspired by the cafes of Spain, is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. The meatballs, sautéed spinach and pine nuts, shrimp in garlic sauce, and roasted peppers stuffed with goat cheese are all definitely worth trying.
Ethiopia Desta Have a dining experience out of the ordinary at Desta Ethiopian Restaurant. Meals are served family style, so bring friends. Most entrees range between $10 and $20, but one dish can easily serve two or more. No utensils are needed, as Ethiopian cuisine is centered around injera, a spongy flatbread you use as a fork to scoop what you need off the plate. The dishes have a lot of spice, though not all of them are “spicy.” My friendly server recommended the doro wot, a spicy chicken entree with chili sauce, accompanied by a vegetarian combination sampler. It was delicious. So was the sambusa appetizer, a puff pastry with beef and spices.
France Rush Patisserie
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South America Zaguan Bakery and Cafe
China J.S. Chen’s DimSum and BBQ
For tastes from South America, travel to Zaguan Bakery and Café. At breakfast time, sample coffee and various pastries, or order off the café’s brunch menu. For lunch and dinner, many of the dishes have a “createyour-own” aspect. The empanadas, available in both chicken and beef, are delicious, as is the flavorful meat and cheese arepa, the Latin American answer to a Sloppy Joe (it’s good, I promise). The pabellón–ropa vieja, a dish with shredded beef, rice, and beans, is also delicious. While it may not be the home of the healthiest meals, Zaguan offers great Latin American comfort food.
J.S. Chen’s DimSum and BBQ is located in Central Legacy Plaza Plano, among a multitude of Asian markets and restaurants. As I pulled into the parking lot, I could already smell something tasty cooking. The menu, written in both Chinese and English, is large. To stretch your dollar, go for the DimSum lunch special plate, which is under $8. Sample several delicious pork and shrimp dumplings, a steamed barbeque bun and a fried sesame dessert (an acquired taste). The lunch special also comes with soup and rice. You won’t leave J.S. Chen’s with an empty stomach—or with an empty pocket.
Nothing says France like a patisserie. Rush Patisserie, located in Oak Cliff, is a quaint bakery with Parisian décor. The owner trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her mini éclairs are amazing, as is the mille-feuille, a dessert made with layers of pastry and cream. Croissants are readily available, as are a multitude of other desserts. While the bakery does make traditional French macarons, they are special order. The bakery also specializes in the “un-cupcake”— a cupcake in a jar, spoon provided.
India India Chaat Café Serving up the dishes of India, India Chaat Café has a large menu sure to please everyone. The options are endless, from traditional appetizers such as samosas, to tandoori wraps, to a variety of chicken, lamb, seafood and veggie entrees served with rice or naan. When you walk in, a whiff of spices greets you. It’s also hard to miss the Indian music videos playing on the restaurant’s television. As for food, I recommend the chicken tikka masala, the butter chicken, and the samosas, all dishes served with the perfect kick of spice. Wraps and appetizers are all under $7. Story by Greer Goss
Locations: The Greek 1722 Routh Street #102 Dallas, TX 75201
India Chaat Cafe 18101 Preston Road Dallas, TX 75252
J.S. Chen’s 240 Legacy Drive #118 Plano, TX 75023
Rush Patisserie 1201 Eldorado Avenue Dallas, TX 75208
Cafe Madrid 4501 Travis Street Dallas,TX 75205
Zaguan Bakery and Cafe 2604 Oak Lawn Avenue Dallas, TX 75219
Kuby’s Sausage House 6601 Snider Plaza Dallas, TX 75205
Desta 12101 Greenville Ave #105 Dallas, TX 75243
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Alum designs drones, mentors aspiring engineering students Christian Holmes Asst. News Editor
One moment she is designing the complex circuitry for a satellite with her team of engineers; the next, she is judging a high-school programming competition, checking long lines of code for errors. These situations may seem incongruous, but this is the life of Tina Srivastava ’05. As Deputy Technical Director of Electronic Warfare for Raytheon, a leading U.S. defense contractor, Mrs. Srivastava is also a strong proponent for engineering education. As such, she may find herself designing drones one minute and bridges made from toothpicks and gumdrops the next. Though she is always busy with math and science competitions in addition to her engineering job, Mrs. Srivastava said she does not view these obligations as stressful. “[Engineering] is awesome. I have never felt like I have worked a day in my life,” Mrs. Srivastava said. “Essentially, what I do for a living is build cool toys that fly.” Mrs. Srivastava serves as a team mentor and referee for two engineering programs that hold seminars and robotics competitions across the country: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) and Boosting Engineering Science and Technology (BEST). “By mentoring kids, I hope to teach them that it is fun to build things, which you do in engineering. It gives you a sense of accomplishment when something you thought up and worked hard on comes to life,” Mrs. Srivastava said. She spoke about her passion for aerospace engineering at Greenhill as a Middle School Visions of the Future presenter in 2007. While Mrs. Srivastava said she loves engineering and tries to get kids excited about it, her interests were not centered only on math and science in high school. “I took AP Art, was a varsity swimmer and an actor in the fall drama, and participated in a few clubs in high school,” Mrs. Srivastava said. “I also loved to play frisbee in the quad.” Although she loved math and science, Mrs. Srivastava said her natural curiosity led her to love history and languages as well. “I loved World Religions with Dan Kasten, [Upper School English teacher], and I did a senior capstone tracking the migration of civilization and culture through Indo-European languages,” Mrs. Srivastava said. “I studied and tracked [the languages’] similarities and differences, so in a way, it
Photos courtesy of Tina Srivastava
was a scientific analysis.” Mr. Kasten said he distinctly remembers Mrs. Srivastava. “I had her as a sophomore and as a junior, and she was brilliant, eager, and enthusiastic,” Mr. Kasten said. “I think she saw learning as a way of discovering who you are. She had the kind of attitude [towards learning] that you wish everyone had.” Mr. Kasten, who attended Mrs. Srivastava’s wedding in 2010 before she moved permanently to Massachusetts, regards Mrs. Srivastava in high esteem.
FREE FALLIN’: Tina Srivastava ‘05 skydives (above). Mrs. Srivastava (pictured right) is an aerospace engineer and also volunteers at Boosting Engineering Science and Technology (BEST), a middle-and highschool robotics competition program. She serves as a referee and mentor for two engineering programs to encourage kids to pursue careers in engineering (left).
“In class, Tina always offered reasoned and thoughtful insight, and other people in the class listened to her,” Mr. Kasten said. “She had real contributions to make, and she enjoyed taking a leading role in discussions.” As a senior evaluating college choices, Mrs. Srivastava was looking for a place where she could be inspired by others. “I chose the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),” Mrs. Srivastava said, “because it is a world class university with astronauts and Nobel Laureates as professors and alumnae. MIT is filled with ideas that change the course of humanity, and I wanted
to be part of a community of people that leave their mark on the world in such a meaningful way.” She got to make her mark, too. “I went on a zero-gravity parabolic flight to test the solar-array deployment of a satellite I developed during my junior and senior year [at MIT],” she said. A zero-gravity flight is one where the passengers “float” and experience a sense of weightlessness like you would feel in space. Simulations of these flights are often used to train astronauts. When the satellite was finished in her senior year, she presented it to high ranking government officials. “It was extremely fun, and a good experience as an engineer, as you often have to present your products in front of many people,” she said. “Not only is working hard important as an engineer, but communication skills are, too.” After completing her undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering in 2009, she worked for BMW in Germany for one summer. “I was a member of the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Architecture group,” Mrs. Srivastava said. “Basically, I worked at the intersection of engineering and management by predicting consumer needs and car manufacturing requirements. I enjoyed my time so much that I published two papers about what I worked on.” When Mrs. Srivastava is not developing space equipment or publishing papers, she enjoys skydiving and rock-climbing, as well as flying planes. “I am training to become a pilot on a Cessna 172S, which is a tiny four-person plane,” she said. “I just completed my first solo flight, so I am really excited to get my license.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics labels many types of engineers: chemical engineers use the principles of chemistry to make cleaner and more efficient fuels for cars and planes; electrical engineers use math and physics to design communication systems and circuitry for devices like iPhones; and biomedical engineers use the principles of biology to improve the quality of medicine and surgical machinery, to name a few. “Engineering is a great field to be in,” Mrs. Srivastava said. “You are always inventing cool devices and products that can positively impact people’s lives. You never get bored.”
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Food allergies force adaptation for students, school
Photo by Mary Lo
I
t was a typical Saturday morning for eight-year-old Jeffrey Diamond. He and his sister were engrossed in his favorite TV show, Oswald, munching on a breakfast of bagels and lox. But by bite three, this calm Saturday morning took a harrowing turn. “My throat started to close and I started getting hives everywhere,” Jeffrey, who is now a senior, said. “It was a really distinct feeling that I will never forget.”
He was experiencing anaphylaxis, a sudden and severe allergic reaction that may affect the entire body. Anaphylaxis symptoms can start within seconds of exposure to allergens and vary in severity. Although uncommon, any anaphylactic reaction can turn deadly. According to Allergy & Asthma Network, a nonprofit family health organization, food allergies cause 30,000 cases of anaphylaxis and 150 deaths annually. At-risk patients are recommended to carry auto-injectable epinephrine, EpiPen, with them at all times. An EpiPen is a device that delivers a measured dose of epinephrine to treat or prevent anaphylactic shock. Up to 30 percent of people who have an anaphylactic
reaction need more than one dose of epinephrine to halt the reaction; so providers suggest they carry two auto-injectors. “I always carry two with me, in case one doesn’t work for some reason, or if one is expired,” Jeffrey said. Carrying two pens benefited Jeffrey, because the ambulance that carried him to the hospital did not have any EpiPens. “I remember my mom telling me ‘Jeffrey, don’t worry, we have this under control. We’ve practiced this so many times, it’s going to be okay,’” he said. This was not the first time Jeffrey had experienced anaphylaxis. Jeffrey was just a couple of months old when he first experienced an allergic reaction. “Around the time I began eating solid food, my parents fed me eggs. My throat started to close, I started to get red hives all over my body, and I really couldn’t breathe,” Jeffrey said. “My parents didn’t know what was going on at that time and rushed me to the hospital.” At the hospital, he was tested for allergies: peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and seeds. Jeffrey has outgrown his egg allergy over the years. According to Jeffrey, most children outgrow allergies to milk, egg, soy and wheat, typically by five years of age. However, only a small proportion of children outgrow allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Jeffrey generally does not eat food that has been prepared in someone else’s kitchen because of the chance of cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when a food that does not itself contain any allergens is tainted with an allergen during food preparation, cooking, storage, or serving. The Greenhill cafeteria is nut-and-peanut free, with the exception of packaged cups of peanut butter. “If a student is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, they can go through the lunch line and can eat anything that is there,” said Katie Trimmer, Lower and Middle School nurse. The cafeteria also has peanut-free tables, which prohibit students from eating peanuts at the designated tables. “The main purpose for the peanut-free tables is to separate the students who may be allergic to peanuts from the other students,” Katie said. The Lower School is also peanut and tree nut free, meaning other students cannot bring peanuts or tree nuts of any kind. Every year, Ms. Trimmer and Celia Cogan, Middle and Upper School Nurse, compile a Food Allergies Action Plan. This is an individualized plan for all students’ food allergies, bee stings, and other potential lifethreatening allergies. For each student with a food allergy, the nurse has all of the student’s information and an individualized kit. EpiPens are available in both the nurse’s office and the gym. If the student demonstrates that they can use the EpiPen, and has consent from their doctor or parent and approval from the nurse, he or she is allowed to carry it
during school hours. A teacher has needed to use an EpiPen at school only once since Ms. Trimmer arrived in 2010. “It’s not something common, but if it happens, it’s something we have to be prepared for, so we do a lot of training and plans for the school,” Ms. Trimmer said. During Lower and Middle School, Jeffery had his own cubby filled with his own snacks. “It really isn’t very difficult, especially at a place like Greenhill where they have so many options in the cafeteria. I can eat nearly every meal here” Jeffrey said. While there are many negatives to his allergies, Jeffrey looks at the positive side. “Having allergies [has] really helped my independence and forced me to take care of myself every day,” Jeffrey said. His experience with allergies has helped Jeffrey when he was diagnosed with lactose intolerance this past summer. Lactose intolerance is the inability or insufficient ability to digest lactose. “My lifestyle has been the same except for the couple extra things I can’t eat,” Jeffrey said. “Because of my experience with allergies, I knew how to handle things. It was just a matter of not being able to eat pizza when I go out with friends or going to get ice cream with family.” For senior Sarah Bates, it was a harder transition for her when she was diagnosed with celiac disease in ninth grade. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some oats, causes the body to attack the villi of the small intestine. “At first it was really hard because I didn’t know what I could eat, and I didn’t like any of the gluten-free food, so I just resorted to eating fruit and vegetables,” Sarah said. At first, Sarah resorted to negative methods of coping with her diagnoses. “I went on a hunger strike and wouldn’t eat. I was like, ‘If I can’t eat wheat, I’m not eating food’,” Sarah said. “It definitely took me like a solid couple of months until I finally accepted it.” Sarah packs her lunch every day because she cannot eat in the cafeteria and risk crosscontamination. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to handle these situations. But I remember when I was younger, it was harder,” Sarah said. “Once, I went to my friend’s birthday party, and we made panda cupcakes with icing and Oreos. I could make it, but I couldn’t eat it. Although it’s not that awful, it was frustrating at that time.” Now Sarah has gained perspective on her allergy. “Food is something that brings people together, but food allergy is something that you can’t see by just looking at somebody,” Sarah said. “I think awareness can still create that sense of coming together for those who cannot be a part of it.” story by Rebecca Kim and Samantha Carp
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wednesday, april 3, 2013
Evergreen
features
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Amna Kaiser Views Editor
Eleven Upper-School students and two faculty members are currently in Taipei, Taiwan as a continuation of Greenhill’s exchange with Minglun High School in Taipei. The exchange was initiated last fall when 10 students and one teacher visited Greenhill from Minglun. Greenhill’s cohort is headed by Warren Frerichs, Upper School Chinese teacher, and Monica Bullock, Middle School English teacher. The group is staying with host families for the duration of the trip, which will last two weeks total. The students span all four grades and only some have taken Chinese classes. In the mornings, the group visits classes at Minglun high school. The Greenhill students with Chinese language experience attend certain classes while the rest interact with students taking English. Some afternoons, the group as a whole tours the city. Junior Matthew Stock, who has been taking Chinese for three years, signed up for the trip because of the experience he had hosting one of the exchange students last fall. “Hosting Scott for the two weeks that he and his classmates were in the States was a great experience,” Matthew said. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to travel back to Taiwan to see Scott and meet his family.” Mrs. Bullock said she signed up for the trip because of her love for global experiences.
“I’ve always been interested in the whole world,” she said. “Anywhere and everywhere, it doesn’t matter. I’ve been to Hong Kong and China, but never Taiwan.” In preparation for the trip, Mrs. Bullock and Mr. Frerichs held a student-parent orientation in which they discussed culture, history, and traveling. “The importance of overseas experience and homestay experience can’t be overemphasized, because only in those situations can we be called upon to examine our preconceived perceptions of other people,” Mr. Frerichs said. Mrs. Bullock agrees. “By living with other people, by being exposed to others’ lives, you learn the things that you really appreciate in your own culture, but you also learn about the positives that other cultures have,” she said. Matthew said he recognizes the importance of understanding other cultures— it’s one of the aspects of the trip he is most looking forward to, besides being able to practice his Chinese. He said he is also eager to play baseball. “Scott and I bonded over the fact that he is also a huge baseball fanatic, and he and I played baseball several times while he was in Dallas,” Matthew said. “In preparation for my visit, Scott and his baseball team manager have arranged some games and practices for me to play in with his team, so I am incredibly excited to play baseball in Taiwan with him
Photo courtesy of Emily Wilson
Greenhill-Minglun exchange group reunites in Taiwan
MIXING WITH MINGLUN: In October, Head of School Scott Griggs posed with the visiting 10 students and faculty members from Taiwan’s Minglun High School. Eleven Greenhill UpperSchool students and two faculty members are currently in Taipei.
and his team.” Freshman Tanvi Shah also signed up for the trip. “I think it would be a great opportunity to experience the Chinese culture in a household as well as in the education system,” she said. “I hope to gain an understanding of Chinese
In the Spotlight
Our “In the Spotlight” series is a chance to get to know one randomly-selected Upper School student each issue. To kick off the series, I sat down with sophomore Ryan Subel. In our conversation, Ryan talked about sports, family, and the greatest military general in history. One hundred points. Though he plays soccer and runs track at Greenhill, Ryan’s favorite sport to watch is basketball. This interest developed at—of all places—a football game. “I wanted to know if the score ever got up to 100 and my dad said, ‘Basketball gets up to 100.’ I went to a basketball game and I’ve loved it ever since,” Ryan said. A history lesson. When he was younger, Ryan was limited to one hour of electronics every weekend. So instead of watching cartoons on TV or playing Pokémon, Ryan played sports—and read. “I used to read a lot more. That’s all I did when I was young,” he said. Ryan remembers sitting in the car as a kid, listening to his dad’s talk-radio programs. “I’d ask him questions and he’d give me books to read,” he said. This was how Ryan became interested in politics, and political thrillers and non-fiction continue to fill his reading list. But Ryan’s biggest interest might be military history and strategy, inspired by his grandfather, who regaled Ryan with stories about World War II. Ryan’s grandfather never fought in the war himself—he wanted to, but was too young—but had six older brothers who fought for the South African Army. Ryan heard tales of the brother entrenched in the North African desert, diving into foxholes under fire from enemy dive-bombers, and the brother who was captured by the Italians, but then escaped. These stories captivated Ryan. When asked about his favorite military general, Ryan quickly answered: Patton. General George S. Patton was a United States general during World War II. “He was bold and daring and he never took no for an answer,” Ryan said. “If he knew something was right,
Photo by Miles Andres
READING WITH RYAN: Sophomore Ryan Subel reads his history textbook. Limited to spending only an hour of electronics every weekend when he was younger, Ryan developed a strong interest in history, politics, and sports.
he went and did it, no matter what his superiors told him to do.” Family ties. Ryan is only one of four members of his extended family to be born in the United States. His parents and grandparents grew up in South Africa, though they all currently live in Dallas. The chief lesson Ryan said he has learned from his family is that “hard work pays off.” Ryan’s father went from working in Albertsons when he first arrived in the country to becoming a businessman and manager of a company. Ryan sees his family every Friday at Shabbat dinner. In regards to Judaism, Ryan said his mother has been his biggest influence. “She is a [Jewish Studies] teacher at my old school, Levine Academy,” Ryan said. “She influenced me religiously. I keep kosher, really, because of her. How I’m into my religion, that’s mainly from her: all the stories she’d tell, religious stories and values.”
Ryan’s Recommendations Movie: The Game (1997) Food: Pizza TV Show: Scrubs Superhero: Batman story by Anton Yu
culture and a significant improvement in my Chinese.” The group plans to create a blog upon their return in order to post about their experiences in Taiwan. Greenhill and Minglun High School have plans to continue the exchange next year.
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arah Bates has always been fascinated with space, but taking astronomy a a junior sparked a more serious interest. Since then, she has worked with her capstone advisor, Upper School science teacher Jeff Funkhouser, to explore and research dark matter. Dark matter is a form of matter in the universe that supposedly accounts for gravitation of all objects. Given the nature of dark matter, Sarah’s work is not lab focused. Sarah initially had trouble narrowing her focus. “It was hard trying to figure out the end goal of my capstone,” she said. “It is not like I can discover dark matter.” Instead, she spent the majority of first trimester finding as much information on dark matter as possible. Sarah realized that she could share her knowledge with others. Now Sarah i working with Andrejs Krumins, Middle School science teacher, to teach a unit in a seventh-grade science class. During the 60-minute class, Sarah will present the com puter simulation she created, which demonstrates the rotation of galaxies with and without dark matter. Sarah will also give Dr. Krumins the program simulation so he can teach his students about dark matter in future years. This experience has helped her redefine her focus for college. “When I started this project, I really wanted to be a physics major, but I have realized that I do not like mechanical physics as much as I like space physics,” she said. “This capstone has given me more ideas for what I want to do,” she said. “It ha opened the teaching aspect and the computer programming aspect.”
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aomi Freeman conducted a practical study at the Baylor Dermatology Research clinic. She studied the correlation between psoriasis (which causes skin irritation, redness, and flaky-white patches on the skin) and Dupuytren’s contracture (which prevents patients from straightening their fingers.) Naomi worked with Dr. Mahir Patel and Dr. Alan Menter at the Baylor Dermatology Research clinic, and she interacted with 200 patients over the course of the study. “I worked in one of the only psoriasis clinics in the area. Dr. Menter has also seen many Dupuytren’s patients over the years and had a dawning feeling that there was some correlation between these two diseases,” Naomi said. Naomi knew she wanted to research some form of psoriasis for her capstone because she has seen it in her family. “Dr. Menter was [supportive of the capstone, saying] if you have the ability and hard work, it will definitely work out. And I worked with him the entire summer,” Naomi said. First, Naomi mapped out her experiment. She found 100 psoriasis patients to take part in the study, and then 100 patients with Dupuytren’s. Her goal was to find the frequency of Dupuytren’s in the 100 psoriasis patients, and vice versa. Naomi gave each patient a physical to see how severe their psoriasis was and to check their vital organs. She watched Dr. Patel for a month, and then conducted the exam herself once the patients consented to the study. Naomi discovered a significant correlation between the two, with patients suffering from psoriasis 20 percent more likely to get Dupuytren’s, which usually onsets in patients’ late 40s. This correlation provides a reason for psoriasis patients to get tested for Dupuytren’s before they contract the disease. Then they could be treated before the condition debilitates their hands and disrupts their normal life. Naomi wrote a paper on her findings, which she submitted to Jama, an esteemed dermatology journal. She is spending the remaining portion of the year researching the statistics behind her data, as well as making edits to her paper. “The end goal is to have my paper published,” Naomi said.
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rian Broder’s capstone is taking him through the entire production of a 1520 minute film. His film follows a teenager growing up in South Oak Cliff whose amazing musical talent helps him bridge the gap between the world he calls home and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Having produced shorter films through Greenhill’s video production program, Brian said he wanted to embrace the difficulties of writing a longer film. “I’ve accomplished a lot with shorter films, so I wanted to do something much larger. I could have easily done a tutorial, but I wanted to push myself to do a large scale project different from anything I’d done before,” Brian said. For this larger-scale project, Brian had to venture out of Greenhill, going to Dallas locations and entering the casting world. According to Brian, casting was one of the hardest parts of the capstone. He started by calling Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where he cast his lead. From there, he tried asking as many people as possible. Then he discovered www.shortfilmtexas.com. He posted a listing for his film, and quickly received responses. “I was shocked at the number of people who responded to a student and a nonpaying job. I had 70 emails from people who were very professional and treated me like I was an adult filmmaker. They gave me headshots, resumes, and wanted to know when they could audition. That made me see the power that a director can have,” Brian said. Brian ventured outside of Greenhill for the locations as well as the actors. In his film, the Margaret Hunt-Hill Bridge symbolizes the link between South Oak Cliff and the more affluent north Dallas area. Brian took his crew and actors to the bridge. They filmed on the bridge’s shoulder, and explored other locations in South Oak Cliff and areas Brian thought exuded the same vibe. “Everyday I would know the approximate area, but I did not really know exactly where [I would be shooting],” Brian said. Brian will use the rest of the year to edit and show his film.
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ayla Ellis was seven when she watched the movie Jaws and fell in love with sharks. Since then, she has earned her master scuba diving license and swims with sharks across the world. Now, she is promoting legislation for shark conservation as part of her senior capstone. Kayla is the Student Campaign Organizer for Shark Stewards, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing shark finning, which kills sharks and destroys ecosystems worldwide. Prior to her capstone, Kayla was already speaking out for sharks at the Museum of Nature and Science on Sharky Sundays. According to Kayla, shark finning kills around 40 million sharks a year. Without their fins, sharks die quickly because they need them to breathe. Kayla is building awareness about a bipartisan bill to ban shark fin soup in Texas. Although shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, only five states currently have a ban on the soup. Recently, Kayla testified before the Senate Natural Resources Committee, saying she believes multiple Dallas restaurants and supermarkets currently carry shark fin soup, though it is hard to prove because many keep it quiet. “I went [to a local restaurant] asking for it, and they claimed not to have it. However, I had [a peer in AP Chinese] call and speak in Chinese, and the woman said that they did have it,” Kayla said. House representative Eddie Lucio III and Senator Larry Taylor are pushing this bill through the House and Senate. Kayla is currently writing a 40-minute speech she will give on behalf of Shark Stewards advocating shark conservation, the bill, and her experience diving with sharks. For her work on the bill, Kayla was recently interviewed on an NPR radio segment that collaborated with State Impact, which focuses on environmental concerns within the state.
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I n addition to c h o o s i n g “p re - m a d e” c l a s s f ro m t h e co u r s e c at alog, senior s c a n p l o t t h e i r ow n p at h vi a a u n i q u e Ca p stone. A senior c a p s to n e s h o u l d t a ke u p a s mu c h t i me a s a nor mal class, b u t t h e g u i d e l i n e s, co nte nt, a n d g o a l o f t h e projec t are ent i re l y u p to t h e s t u d e nt. Th i s ye a r, 1 0 s e n i o r s took on the ch a l l e n g e o f d e ve l o p i n g t h e i r ow n p ro j e c t s, from lab orator y re s e a rc h to p ro du c i n g s h o r t fi l ms.
Counterc loc k w i s e fro m to p l e f t : A s ce n e fro m Br i a n Bro der ’s film ; Julia M a n de l i n t h e l a b w i t h a gra du ate s t udent; Naomi Fre e m a n l o o k i n g i nto a m i c ro s co p e, R e my Fine’s p oster de s i gn ; a p i c t u re t h at c a p t u re s Ch a n dl e r G ar ber ’s T V s i tco m ; re d a n d b l u e f l u o re s ce nt p ro te i n s from M eg R an g a n at h a n’s l a b re s e a rc h .
Story by Samantha Carp, Sofia Shirley, Anton Yu
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emy Fine’s capstone will culminate in a fashion exhibit focusing on 10 influential fashion designers. The exhibit, with information cards accompanying each mannequin, will be held in the Glass Room at Neiman Marcus Downtown on May 11. All the clothes will come from Vintage Martini, a Dallas store that sells high-end, vintage designer pieces on consignment. Behind Remy’s exhibit is her personal theory on fashion. “I want to show people the influence that fashion has on history, and history on fashion. Even someone that hates fashion is wearing something that once was the hottest trend. Clothes first go to the upper class, and then eventually appear later in Wal-Mart. Everything that people buy was a trend at one point, and I want to show the influence these [prominent designers] have,” Remy said. Remy said she initially had difficulty finding a location for the exhibit because she was disregarded as just a teenager. But she said she was lucky to find Rachael Abrams at Neiman Marcus, as well as Vintage Martini. “[Vintage Martini] is lending [the clothes] to me completely free. I’m really lucky to have some great partners,” Remy said. While Remy will pick out the majority of the clothes for the exhibit in April, she has already chosen a red vintage Oscar de la Renta dress as her key piece. “It’s a vintage runway piece that I’m using for all my marketing resources,” Remy said. “It’s such a rare and exotic piece, I’m really excited to have the availability.” Remy knew she wanted fashion to play a role in her capstone, but she also wanted to hone her marketing and communication skills, as that is what she plans to pursue as a career. To spread the word about her exhibit, Remy sends out press releases and utilizes social media in an attempt to get on fashion blogs and local websites.
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wednesday, april 3, 2013
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eg Ranganathan investigated mutations in proteins at University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center. Because most proteins are clear, Meg used fluorescent proteins, found in jellyfish, so she could more easily see the internal structures of the proteins. However, her findings will hopefully help scientists understand proteins as a whole. Recently, a team of researchers discovered that 13 mutations separate red fluorescent proteins from blue. Meg chose to look at those 13 mutations to see exactly how the color changed from red to blue. Primarily, she wanted to know if the colors change on a gradient or if they switch directly from red to blue. She worked at Rockefeller University in New York over the summer, where she built a device that measures the growth rate of bacteria. She later programmed the device for use in her research. Meg conducted her protein mutation research at the UT Southwestern Lab throughout the year. Meg found that the color does not change on a gradient, nor does it switch directly from red to blue. Instead, it goes from red to green to blue. Each red protein goes through two specific green proteins. While Meg’s capstone is very specific, she said she believes it sheds light on protein mutations as a whole. “If we can get a better understanding of how mutations cause changes in protein, we could better understand how mutations in the human body negatively or positively affect us, or we could better understand how proteins evolved in the first place,” Meg said.
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ulia Mandel said a senior capstone was “a perfect springboard” for beginning laboratory research. Julia said that her love of animals fostered her desire to become a research scientist. “I realized I’ve never set foot in a lab before, so I really wanted to just get in and get practical experience working in a lab to see if that’s what I want to do,” she said. Julia contacted Rama Ranganathan, a doctor at UTSW and father of senior Meg and freshman Nikhil, who introduced her to the Konopka Lab because of her interest in animal cognition and behavior. The Konopka Lab focuses on the evolution of cognition and language in humans. There, Julia first learned various laboratory procedures—such as genotyping and bacterial cloning—and animal handling procedures. From there, she began conducting research. She worked directly under postdoctoral fellow Mike Bowers, who was studying the transcription factor FOXP1 (a protein that regulates the expression of other genes) in mice. Preliminary testing showed that the mice may have abnormally high stress levels. As a result, Julia said they believe that levels of FOXP1 may be inversely related to stress levels. While further research will be required for any conclusions (Julia will be returning to the Konopka Lab over the summer), Julia said her findings could possibly apply to patients with anxiety disorders. After nine months in the lab from June 2012 to March 2013, Julia is now working on a research paper and will present her findings at the Science Symposium on April 25 and at a capstone presentation in May. “I learned just an immense amount about lab research,” Julia said. “I really understand lab culture, the many different things that go into being a research scientist. And I was able to confirm that I really do enjoy studying and researching animal behavior, so I see myself doing this as a future career. It was a nice confirmation of life goals.”
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handler Garber is writing several episodes of a currently untitled original TV sitcom and producing a teaser for its pilot episode. The series follows 20-year old Jack Wilson and a group of six other freelance writers who work together on assignments ranging from commercials and news articles to eulogies. Jack lives with his father and sister, but spends most of his time with his best friend Verity. In the first episode, Jack gets his job as a writer, wreaks havoc in the local museum, and finds out that his biological mother is a prostitute. “Jack often finds himself in trouble for his attitude problems and reckless adventures,” Chandler said. “Unfortunately, he has a very negative and misanthropic personality, leading him to be rude and sassy to those around him.” According to Chandler, she formed the idea for the series a year ago. In addition to two years in Advanced Video Production, she has taken summer classes on sitcom production (at the University of California, Los Angeles) and film production (at the University of South California). Chandler said her interest in comedy led her to television rather than movies. “Television gives you a longer period of time to build up recurring jokes, jokes that are only funny because you know the character and it’s funny because it’s that character,” Chandler said. “Whereas in movies, it’s usually sex jokes because you don’t need any context for it really. Television has more complex and rewarding humor. Chandler had originally intended to write, film, and produce one 20-minute episode. However, even after searching on casting website, placing online ads, and contacting the Head of Theater at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, she did not receive enough requests from actors to cast the series’ seven main roles. “Where I went wrong was I thought it would be like in California, with 50 men lining up to be ‘Old Man with Prostitute in Alley’ for one minute,” Chandler said. “It’s not like that at all.” With only Jack (junior Joel Hashop) and Verity (senior Nina Punyamurthy) cast by third trimester, Chandler changed her capstone’s scope from producing one episode to writing two or three. A five-minute scene she had already filmed featuring only Jack and Verity will serve as a teaser for the show.
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helton Taylor has made multiple shorts in Advanced Video Production, but when she set out to make a longer film as a film capstone, finding a subject was half the battle. “I had come up with several ideas and presented them all to Mr. Doyle, and he was like, ‘No, no, no. Too long, too short, too complicated.’ And so he had me make a list of locations, people, scenes, all these things I thought would be cool—just this random list,” Shelton said. She started listing things that interested her: night, a swimming pool, an Italian restaurant, and an art studio. She took some inspiration from her favorite movie, The Black Swan, and her idea began to take shape. “I took all these different settings and made a story line out of it,” Shelton said. Shelton’s movie centers on a teenage girl in a wealthy family. Her parents want her to be a lawyer or a doctor, but she secretly wants to be an artist. She has a totally different view of the world, and her art reflects this; she distorts even mundane objects in her art. To hide this from her parents, she purchases other paintings from an art dealer and covers her work. “This whole time she’s been living a double life. During the day, she’s this sophisticated, poised, elegant girl, and at night, she’s seductive and alluring. This is more of who she really is, this more independent strong woman, but a part of her feels as if she needs to conform to the wishes of her overbearing mother,” Shelton said. Once Shelton had her vision, she turned it over to senior Andrew Fields, her cinematographer. Andrew picks the shots while Shelton directs her actors and organizes each scene. “Finally getting to see it will be the most rewarding part,” Shelton said.
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lisa Brown is designing and building a functional prosthetic arm, with a far-reaching goal of eventually marketing it for patient use. Watching The Matrix inspired Alisa’s fascination with prosthetics and the idea of an eventual merging between man and machine. She decided to create a prosthetic herself after listening to Dr. Nathan Huntoon, Director of Innovation Gymnasium at Southern Methodist University, speak to the Upper School last year. Dr. Huntoon is one of Alisa’s capstone advisors. “I just wanted to see what the whole process of building a prosthetic involves,” Alisa said. “At first, I thought, ‘Why not just buy a skeleton arm and attach a bunch of strings and you’re done?’ Then there are so many different aspects and motions to think about.” Alisa’s target is an aesthetically pleasing. realistic-looking arm that has enough function and range to be practical. If marketed, it would be used as either a temporary arm—while a more complex, personalized one is being produced for a patient—or a low-cost permanent alternative. Alisa spent the first trimester researching what her arm would have to be able to do and what it should look like; then, throughout the second trimester, she built models. “I couldn’t jot all my ideas down on paper. I spent entire nights constructing pieces out of cardboard and duct tape,” Alisa said. For some particular functions, Alisa asked Dr. Huntoon for advice. “I was having trouble thinking of real examples of structures that move similar to the thumb,” Alisa said. “While we were talking about it, we thought that Barbie doll shoulders worked really well in getting that opposition movement.” So she collected three Barbie dolls, removed their shoulders, and attached the shoulder joints to molding clay. According to Alisa, they moved just like a thumb. Alisa is now using the school’s 3D printer to construct smaller, more precise versions of the models she designed, as well as a plastic mock-up of the entire arm. She has not yet decided the materials for the final arm. She would like to work in the biomedical field in the future.
14 special report
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Evergreen
wednesday, april 3, 2013
Students plan DMA Late Night events Collaboration between Upper School Cindy Sherman: The iconic, multifaceted photographer’s students and DMA is first of its kind work relates to high-school students collaboration started when Ms. Daniels worked at the DMA with Touring the Dallas Museum Nicole Stutzman Forbes, Chair of of Art (DMA,) you might expect to Learning Initiatives and the DMA’s see a Picasso, a Monet, or a Matisse. League Director of Education. What you might not expect, This was in conjunction with her however, is teenagers roving the doctoral program at University of museum imitating the artwork Texas Dallas (UTD). Ms. Daniels and Mrs. Stutzman Forbes talked itself. The DMA is collaborating about a potential partnership. By October, the partnership with Greenhill Upper School students to orchestrate its April 19 was in full bloom. “Collaborating with highLate Night, celebrating the Cindy Sherman exhibit that runs March school students gives us the opportunity to connect with 17-June 9. This will be a younger audience the first time the DMA We open than we normally do partners with a high up our thinkduring our process of school, and may kick ing about Late planning programs,” off future collaborations Night and visitor Mrs. Stutzman Forbes between the DMA and experiences, and said. “Their insight and other Dallas-Fort Worth students might ideas for fun and interhigh schools. open up their esting programs to ofThe DMA extends thinking about fer visitors were helpful its hours until midnight art and what can in planning our schedon the third Friday of happen in an art ule for the Late Night.” every month for Late museum.” Mrs. Stutzman Nights. During these Forbes acknowledged evenings, the museum the mutually beneficial offers performances, lectures, concerts, games, and aspect of the partnership. “In some ways, we help push food that tie in with the theme of the current exhibit. The majority and stretch each other through of Late Night activities are free, the collaboration. We open up our excluding the temporary exhibit thinking about Late Night and visiitself. Greenhill strudents have tor experiences, and students might worked with the DMA to plan and open up their thinking about art and what can happen in an art muexecute these Late Night activities. The Greenhill-DMA Samantha Carp Content Editor
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seum,” she said. Ms. Daniels studied Cindy Sherman’s works with her secondtrimester art history class. Then the class worked together to brainstorm ideas for the Late Night. The class took a field trip to the DMA, where they had a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum and shared their ideas. The DMA approved many of the ideas, and now Ms. Daniels is working on making these ideas come to life. Because it was essential to begin working on the project before third trimester, Ms. Daniels has had to divide the work between her two different art history classes. “The biggest challenge in doing this project is the fact that the class that first found out about the exhibit is no longer the art history class I am with now,” Ms. Daniels said. The third-trimester class is learning about the Cindy Sherman exhibit, and Ms. Daniels said she hopes they will also volunteer to be a part of the Late Night. Ms. Daniels said she encourages the entire Upper School to attend and participate in the festivities. “The high energy of the party is really what is so fun. There are interesting people, and you can really enjoy downtown,” she said. “We want the community to realize what is going on downtown.”
The exhibit features the work of Cindy Sherman, a contemporary photographer. “When she started photography in the 70s, many of the photographers were shooting real things. It might be unusual or strange things, but they were real things. Her self-portraiture raises a lot of questions, one being the idea of ‘the photograph as fiction,” Ms. Daniels said. Sherman executes everything— photography, modeling, makeup, and prosthetics—for her works. For example, in Sherman’s History Portrait Series, she shoots photos of herself dressed as famous historical figures. Ms. Daniels said she thinks Sherman’s work is especially relevant for high-school students. “Questioning your identity is a lot of what being a teenager is about. Sherman deals with this question in her photography,” Ms. Daniels said. Senior Julia Mandel was in Ms.
Daniel’s second-trimester art history class and plans on taking photos at the event. She sees Sherman’s work as very relatable to high schoolstudents. “All of Sherman’s work is selfportraits. It is very introspective so I can see the connection it has to high-school students because high school is a time when you learn about yourself,” Julia said. Upper School visual art teacher Frank Lopez has always presented Sherman’s works in his classes. “Her Untitled Film Stills series has been an important part of my lectures as part of my advanced and honors classes,” he said. Many of Mr. Lopez’s photography students try to emulate Sherman’s works. “She helped break the fourth wall between the viewer and the audience. Photography is no longer a barrier; the open narrative allows the viewer to come up with their own story,” Mr. Lopez said.
What to expect on April 19 . . . Literature Live For the past few years, AP Literature teacher Joel Garza and Ms. Daniels have worked on combining their classes for one unit. Mr. Garza’s AP Literature class will collaborate with Ms. Daniel’s third-trimester art history class for the Cindy Sherman Late Night. One day this trimester, the two classes will meet together to learn about the exhibit. On April 19, they will take a joint field trip to the museum before they return to perform at the Late Night. The plan for Mr. Garza’s students is to walk up to various photos in the exhibit and start reciting previously-chosen pieces of writing appropriate to the work, adding a literary soundtrack for the other museum patrons. This activity will “get the students into the museum in a confident way,” Mr. Garza said. “For people that are shy, it will be exciting. They are going to stand there and just deliver.” While Mr. Garza’s main reason for wanting his students to perform is for them to have fun, he said he also recognizes the benefits of Sherman’s work in terms of the AP Literature exam. “A lot of what the AP test
is about is interpreting. Cindy Sherman’s work is a visual exhibit of a person’s creative life,” Mr. Garza said. “The College Board challenges AP students to read between the lines and beyond the lines. That is what Cindy Sherman’s work is all about: reading deeply the power of a single slice of life.”
Photography During the Late Night, photography students will take photos of DMA patrons emulating Cindy Sherman in front of a green screen. Costumes and props will be available for guests to wear. The students will take the photographs and digitally place them within a cityscape of downtown Dallas, imitating images in Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills series. “We wanted to do something that was interactive and fun, utilized the students’ skills as photographers, and gave us direct contact with the public at large,” Mr. Lopez said.
Acting Any student that has been involved in a Greenhill production this year will have the opportunity to exhibit their talents during the Late Night. The students will walk
through the museum dressed in full costume, mimicking the characters Sherman portrays in her photos.
Makeup The DMA will bring in a professional make-up artist. Greenhill students will be models, and the make-up artist will alter their appearance in a Cindy Sherman style.
Arts and Crafts Most Late Nights feature an arts and crafts activity, where guests having the opportunity to make and take something home with them. For the Cindy Sherman Late Night, Greenhill students will run a paper dollmaking station emulating the paper doll-style photos Sherman has taken. Students will also run a mask-making booth, as Sherman uses masks and prosthetics in many of her work.
Twitter Student volunteers will organize a Twitter treasure hunt. The DMA Twitter account will tweet hints about a photo. Patrons can hunt for the photo, and the first to tweet the correct answer will win a prize.
Top: Untitled Film Still #21, 1978 Cindy Sherman The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Horace W. Goldsmith Fund through Robert B. Menschel © 2012 Cindy Sherman Center: Untitled #119, 1983 Cindy Sherman Courtesy the artist and Metro Pictures, New York © 2012 Cindy Sherman Bottom: Untitled #466, 2008 Cindy Sherman The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Acquired through the generosity of Robert B. Menschel in honor of Jerry I. Speyer © 2012 Cindy Sherman
The Evergreen Wednesday [04.03.13]
ARTS
& Entertainment
DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION For an in-depth look at Greenhill Dance Company, turn to p. 17
ISAS
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This ye a r ’s I n d e p e n d e nt S chools Asso c i at i o n o f t h e S o u t hwest (ISAS) ar ts fe s t i va l w i l l b e h e l d at St. Andrew ’s Epis co p a l S c h o o l i n Au s t i n , T X. O ver 30 s ch oo l s an d 3 , 0 0 0 st u dents a nd fa c ul t y will b e i n at te n d a n ce. St u d ents from all s c h o o l s w i l l h ave t h e o ppor tunit y to sh owcas e their a r t wo r k . R e a d o n fo r s tud e nt s’ f i rs t- ha nd a cco u nts o f th eir pa s t expe r i e n ce s at I S A S .
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CREATIVITY CALLS: A compilation of artwork by various students attending ISAS. 1) Freshman Maddie Montoya. 2) Senior Anna Richmond. 3) Senior Mallorie Wise. 4) Senior Anna Richmond. 5) Artwork by Jieyi Cai, film by junior Pearl and sophomore Jade Basinski. 6) Senior Jinhee Lim. 7) Senior Remy Guasque.
Q & A with ISAS veterans What does it mean to you to be able to share your work with so many other students? Senior Andrew Spomer (Improv): It’s oodles of fun. For improv, ISAS is the climax of our year. It’s definitely our biggest and most important show. Senior Naomi Freeman (Dance): It is an amazing feeling being up on stage and showing everyone what Dance Company has been working on for the past six months. ISAS, being our largest performance, gives us a chance to share our passion for dance with others. It is the greatest feeling when everyone is cheering you on during the show, and when people praise the company afterwards. Senior Hirsh Elhence (AVP): It’s really cool to watch people’s reactions when they watch the films we have worked so hard to make. Junior Ravi Narula (Band): Being able to share art is something most artists have a passion for. Whether it’s playing in band, showing a painting, acting on stage, or showing a film, each illustrates a person’s passion. The fact that there are nearly 3,000 other artists in one place is overwhelming. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet other like-minded artists to share, learn, and create together. What do you take away from the experience of having so many artists and exhibitions all together in such a compact place and time? Ravi: Like I said, the idea of meeting these new people who put their passion and emotion down for the world to see is simply awesome. I find myself influenced by my peers, whether it be the kid sitting playing acoustic guitar, the play I watch, or whatever else there may be. Naomi: It’s amazing to have so many artists in one
place, all sharing their passions for their type of art while still cheering everyone else on. Do you learn a lot? Ravi: I learn a lot from the interactions I have with other artists. I always pick up a new skill or interest while I’m there. It’s a good place to be someone new. Naomi: Of course! Not only is it great fun, but you definitely make many friends, and learn about other schools. How do you think other schools look upon Greenhill during ISAS? Ravi: Well, honestly, a lot are jealous. Our school has so many talented artists in 2D, 3D, video, music, theater, dance, improv, strings, and singers. I am so proud to go to Greenhill when we are at ISAS. Almost all of our showcases are packed with onlookers curious to find insight into why we as a school are so special. In effect, at ISAS, we Greenhillians know we bring a lot to the table, and other schools recognize it too.
About the Venue Dell Performing Arts Center at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School $23.1 million project The center includes three state-of-the-art, technologically equipped buildings with 46,000 square feet of space, including: • 34,000 square foot performing arts center containing: - 400-seat theater, orchestra pit, fly loft, and scene shop - Black-Box theater, technical classroom, and offices • 6,100 square foot music arts building with classroom, practice, and office spaces for the choir, strings, and rock band programs - Separate vocal & instrumental rehearsal spaces - Professional lighting and sound equipment - Instrument storage • 6,100 square foot visual arts building, with classrooms, studios, and office spaces - Gallery for student art - Digital arts, filmmaking, lighting, and sound studios - Sculpture and drawing classrooms, and darkroom • 14,000 square feet of covered walkways, an outdoor amphitheater, a sculpture garden, and a commons
Andrew: Everybody respects the G, especially in Improv and film. For instance, film had to have two showings two years ago at ISAS because they couldn’t fit everyone into one giant room. Improv always has people in the aisles and not everyone gets in. Naomi: Greenhill has a great reputation at ISAS, considering we are known for our film, improv, dance and so many other events. Every year there are massive lines just to get into one of the Greenhill shows. Also, ISAS was such a big success last year at Greenhill, so more people respect us and look up to us as a school. Hirsh: I think they really like our stuff because it’s high quality and fun to watch. story by Alex Weinberg and Varun Gupta
Photos courtesy of STG Design
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Middle school virtuoso writes original composition Joseph Middleman Asst. Features Editor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Gustav Mahler. All of these come to mind when naming composers. However, in the Greenhill band, so does the name of seventh grader Brock Bagelman. Brock composed a march, “Per Aspera Ad Astra,” for the Greenhill band in the span of one month and the band performed it at the Winter Concert this year under his direction. Brock has composed multiple marches, pieces with a strong regular rhythm originally intended for marching and most frequently performed by military bands. When he sent his march to Middle and Upper School band teacher Brian Donnell, over the summer, Mr. Donnell said he was immediately impressed. “When I saw the march, I was taken aback by how different it was than I expected,” Mr Donnell said. “It was too complicated for the Middle-School band to play, so we had the Upper-School band play it.” Students also admire and respect the talent Brock has at such a young age. “‘Per Aspera Ad Astra’ in and of itself is a great piece of music. But when you consider that it was written by a seventh grader, it is outstanding,” said senior Gus Donnelly. Brock has been pursuing music for eight years, beginning with the piano. Since then,
he has also taught himself how to play the clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, french horn, euphonium, and oboe. However, he does not own any of the instruments, aside from the piano, due to their cost. “I take home an instrument over the weekend and teach myself the fingering and how to play the instrument, and then I bring it back the next week,” Brock said. This willingness to try new things, along with his uncanny talents, is what specifically stands out to Mr. Donnell. It is incredible “I have taught to have someone as talented students who have had as Brock at the same passion for Greenhill and music as Brock before,” I am glad he Mr. Donnell said. “There was given the are other students who opportunity want to learn to play multiple instruments. to conduct his However, Brock has more own piece.” curiosity than the average student and always acts on his interest.” Brock does not have a music teacher outside of school other than his piano teacher. He teaches himself the fingering of the instruments via the Smart Music iPhone Application, which displays the fingerings for each instrument on screen. “I love music, because I can do whatever I want with it. I can play written music or I can make it up as I go,” Brock said. He is currently working on a concerto, a musical composition consisting of three
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Photo by Alex Weinberg
BROCK AND ROLL: Seventh grade student Brock Bagelman has a passion for music—and an incredible knack for playing it. Brock has experimented with a myriad of musical forms over the past eight years and taught himself to play eight instruments.
movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. Brock is receiving recognition for his talent past the realm of Greenhill. In the recent Texas Private School Music Educators Association (TPSMEA) Honors Band, Brock qualified for first-chair bass clarinet and first-chair euphonium.
Brock is appreciated by his fellow band members, who are happy he was given an oppurtunity like this at such a young age. “It is incredible to have someone as talented as Brock at Greenhill, and I am glad that he was given the opportunity to conduct his own piece,” Gus said.
wednesday, april 3, 2013
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Dance Company inhabits niche, welcomes diversity Madison Goodrich Christina Zhu Staff Writers
Its 10:45am as the dancers rush into the dance room. Ballet and jazz shoes cover the floor while the dancers hurry to get dressed. They sit down on the floor and talk to one another while lightly stretching their limbs. Chatter and laughter fill the air until Kelly McCain, Middle and Upper School dance teacher, stands in front of the mirror. The chatter fades as the dancers spread out and prepare themselves for crunches. Dance Company is Greenhill’s performing dance group. Although there are no formal prerequisites to audition, dancers must have experience and technique in order to thrive in Dance Company. Greenhill offers a separate dance class after school to help beginning dancers improve their technique. Mrs. McCain explained Dance Company’s focus. “We are a performing group so our focus is on just that: performance. Dance Company is for students who are a little more technically experienced and have an interest in performing. The after-school class is designed for students that are possibly new to dance or want to get back into it, but aren’t necessarily interested in performing,” Mrs. McCain said. To audition for Dance Company, prospective dancers do a short warm up and perform a piece Mrs. McCain teaches them. The judging panel consists of several professional dancers. After dancers are chosen they are given a feedback sheet they may use to set goals to improve as dancers. Open-minded dancers are essential to the company. According to Mrs. McCain, this is a key factor she looks for when selecting dancers for the company. “A student that comes in open to new styles is a good candidate because they are able to take in what I give them and make it their own. An ideal candidate is someone
who’s open to everything,” Mrs. McCain said. Mrs. McCain does not limit herself to exact numbers. “People ask me how many [new company members] I’ll take and I say whoever’s ready. If they audition and they’re ready, I’m not going to cap off how many I take. If you’re ready, then you’re ready, and I don’t
of a six-day cycle, competition is not an option as it would be for a group that met multiple hours a day. But, Mrs. McCain stays focused on learning the art as a whole. “We could never be a competitive dance group because of our schedule. But attending performances and experiencing other teachers’ styles is more beneficial than winning a
addition to doing dance outside of school, I have a school schedule, and my mom and I both don’t want me to have a full schedule next year,” Olivia said.” For Olivia, something had to give. “I do about a total of 13 hours a week of dance outside of school in addition to competitions and
Photos courtesy of Joe Monaco
ONE,TWO,STEP: The Upper School Greenhill Dance Company is an eclectic group of dancers who bring entirely different backgrounds in dance. Some are ballet afficionados, some Bollywood experts, and some come with little experience at all.
want to miss that opportunity to work with you. I think that’s sort of across the board here for performing arts,” Mrs. McCain said. Dance Company performs a variety of numbers. “I think one of our strengths is that we bring so many styles,” Mrs. McCain said. “To be a marketable dancer, you need to be proficient in more than one style.” As a class of only 12 students who meet 45 minutes, five days out
competition.” Mrs. McCain said. For Greenhill dancers who do want to compete, the intensity of that kind of schedule ironically often means that they cannot join Dance Company. When planning her schedule for sophomore year, freshman Olivia Das came to the decision that Dance Company wouldn’t fit if she also wanted a break period. “I am not doing Dance Company next year because in
conventions,” she said. “It would just be a lot easier going into sophomore year with a break.” Olivia is not the only dancer who must prioritize this way. Junior Alex Brown, a competitive dancer outside of school, said she would join Dance Company if there was enough time in the day. “[My company meets] five days a week,” she said. “During the weekdays it’s three or four hours a night and on Saturdays it’s five or
six hours. If I didn’t dance outside of school, I would definitely consider doing dance inside of school.” But since Alex has danced with her original company for so long, she said she feels as though they are a bigger priority than Dance Company is. “I first found my outside dance company through a friend. I just fell in love with it and during Middle School I did do inside-school dance. [But in Upper School] I just couldn’t keep up with the time commitment in both outside of school and inside of school dance,” Alex said. Sometimes it is the type of dance that a student practices that influences whether they participate in Dance Company. Junior Supriya Bhargava considered Dance Company, but wanted to pursue several dance styles from India instead. While seniors Naomi Freeman and Rasika Reddy both practice dances specific to Indian styles outside of school, they also are a part of Dance Company. Rasika dances with a company called Blue Flame, which performs for various Indian charitable events and competitions. She said she chooses to participate in Dance Company in addition to her other commitments because of the richness and diversity of the inschool organization. “[Blue Flame] is more hardcore Bollywood and different types of Indian dance, whereas in school I do more ballet, hip-hop, and jazz,” Rasika said. “I get to experience different varieties and styles of dance, which will make me a better overall dancer in the long run.” Sophomore Ariana Zhang also said she appreciates the variety of the group. “The diversity really makes for good shows,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of great styles in there even in a small company.” Ms. McCain said she hopes this advantage will encourage more dancers to participate. “Join the Dance Company and elevate it because of what you bring to it,” Ms. McCain said.
Faculty book group reads White Like Me According to Mr. Matuk, the book group is “an opportunity for A group of Upper School folks to follow one guy’s experience faculty members will meet after of looking into his own cultural spring break in the library to discuss identity, an identity which is often White Like Me, a personal reflection only thought of as negative.” on white privilege by Tim Wise. This “This is not about blaming one will be the one faculty book particular race,” Mr. Hall group proposed this year. said. “This is about being This is educators and learning.” The book group not about was formed by Art Hall, The book group will blaming one provide an open forum to Director of Equity and particular discuss race issues at our Inclusion; Farid Matuk, race. This is school, and Mr. Hall said Upper School English about being he hopes conversations teacher; Melissa Battis, educators.” will go beyond the Upper School math teacher; and Linda Woolley, Upper formal meeting, because School English teacher. “through conversation Apporoximately 30 additional you can be a better person, a better faculty members have signed up, teacher, a better friend.” more than double last year’s group. The process of proposing a The goal of reading and book for a faculty book group is discussing, according to Mr. Hall, informal, said Laura Ross, Head is to have “honest discussions about of Upper School. Once approved, race.” He said the group will focus Upper School funds are used for any on questions such as “What does it interested faculty. mean to be white in America?” and Last year, faculty met to discuss “What are the factors involved with The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids race?” Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Tierney Riordan Asst. Arts Editor
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Kohn. Nicholas Park, Upper School Science teacher, proposed the book.
Photos courtesy of TimWise.org
READ-Y OR NOT: Tim Wise’s novel uses personal narrative to explore and critique the overlooked priveleges of growing up white.
18 arts
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wednesday, april 3, 2013
Night Out
Night In
ISAS is a season and a state of mind. To celebrate artsiness, try a few fun, crafty activities that will stimulate your creative mind, even if you won’t be attending the festival.
Latte Art If you’ve ever been to The Pearl Cup, you may have noticed an intricate white pattern on the surface of your coffee drink. This is known as “latte art.” Originally developed in Italy, latte art is creative way to present coffee. Microfoam (milk foamed using a steam wand) is poured into a shot of espresso and swirled to create intricate patterns on the surface of the coffee drink. The white foam from the milk rises to the top of the espresso, creating a vivid contrast and allowing the artist to invent designs. Bring this Italian art form to the comfort of your own home. Ditch the fancy-schmancy “microfoam” and use basic steamed milk. Fill a tea cup with one or two shots of espresso, tilt the cup slightly to the side, and pour the steamed milk in. As you pour, move the pitcher of milk side to side and up and down. The foam of the milk will separate from the liquid and rise to the surface, creating a contrasting pattern against the coffee base. You can use a toothpick to swirl the foam to create an even more delicate design. This is artsy and edible.
Paper Beads Instead of throwing away that old, outof-date newspaper (except the Evergreen of course) or magazine, recycle it by making paper beads. You’re being artsy as well as environmentally friendly. For this project, you can use any magazine, newspaper, construction paper, or even junk mail. Cut multiple one-by-four inch isoceles triangles. The one-inch base of the triangle will be
the final width of the paper bead. Place a drop of glue on the tip of each triangle, and, using a pencil, a wooden dowel, or your finger, wind the triangle tightly. To finish off, glue the tip of the triangle down. Let the bead dry, the slide it off the dowel/pencil. I present to you your new paper bead. Grab a piece of string for a necklace, and bead to your hearts content. Happy beading.
Crayon Melting Reconnect with your inner child by pulling out a box of classic Crayola Crayons. This time, instead of using them to draw something for your mom and dad, create a gorgeous, colorful rainbow of melted wax. For this project you will need a few boxes of crayons, a white canvas, a hot glue gun, and a hairdryer. Pick the colored crayons you want to use and line them up along the top of the white canvas. Take your hot glue gun and glue each crayon onto the canvas. Once the glue dries, set the canvas against a wall on sheets of newspaper (you can never be too careful). Finally, roll up your sleeves and turn on that hairdryer. You will most likely want to start on the highest and warmest setting. Begin by focusing the heat on one area at a time, working your way across the entire canvas. Each section should take around five to 10 minutes to melt. Be sure to focus the heat on the middle/tip of the crayons. This activity can take up to an hour, so jam out to some music as you watch the wax slowly melt into a kaleidoscope of colors.
story by Varun Gupta and Lizzy D’Apice
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f you are the type of person who loves the sight of a bargain and frequents sites like Groupon, Amazon, and LivingSocial for deals, then the West End Sidewalk Sale will be right up your alley. Even if you are not an experienced bargain shopper, we all have those months, especially in this economy of tight wallets. This flea market style sale is perfect for those situations. Now, if you mention this sale to your parents, they might recognize it. It has been going on since 1972, when it was created by former Dallas City Councilman and Texas State Senator John Leedom along with the company Wholesale Electronics. It began as a way to trade in the used ham radio market, and it has since grown into the flea market it is today. There are quirks to this sidewalk sale. It takes place on the first and third Saturday of every month. And when I say Saturday, I mean from Friday night at 8 p.m. to Saturday at 2 p.m. That’s right, late night. So if you hit the sack early, this sale is probably not ideal. I got there at 9 p.m., ready to experience the overwhelming hustle and bustle of bargain shopping and witness endless deals being made. But only a few stands were open at this time; many were just starting to be set up. Some early shoppers were taking stock of the wares, but it was pretty vacant. So I advise going late. Drink some coffee, watch a movie, and head out around 10p.m. if you want to fully experience the market and get the best sale options. I know what you are thinking. Going downtown late at night for a flea market? It definitely sounds a little sketchy. But I promise you will feel safer there than you would think. It is in a well-lit area with lots of people walking around from the surrounding restaurants and the House of Blues nearby.
Still, bring a friend or two. Like any sort of garage sale, there is no entry fee, so you are free to browse as long as you like. Even parking is easy, with reasonably priced spots only a quick walk away. After looking at information online, I thought the sale would focus on electronics. Personally, I was not in need of any electronics, so I was skeptical I would find anything worth buying. But when I got there, I saw tents set up with items ranging from jewelry to clothes, kids’ toys, and games. I found myself stopping at numerous tables just to admire all the different options. Another great aspect of this sale is that you never know what to expect. When talking to a few customers who frequent the bimonthly sale, I was told that each time is different. Different vendors attend and different items will be for sale. You will never get bored of the multitude of options. After witnessing a few bargains, here are some tips: Cash is better than checks or credit cards. Make sure to have your cash out and ready, as it makes you seem more appealing to the seller and too hard to pass up even if you are making a low bargain. This sidewalk sale is perfect for bargain shoppers who are sick of monotonous garage sales. If you are a collector searching for item to add to your trophy case, you never know what you might find. Even if you are just in the area walking around after eating dinner or waiting before going to a concert at the House of Blues, it is a perfect source of latenight entertainment, with an abundance of good sales. A great option for a night out in Dallas.
story by Ashley Goldschmid
sports The Evergreen Wednesday [04.03.13]
LEAP OF FAITH
Pole vaulters take on challenges both physical and mental p. 20
Fresh Talent
Underclassmen light up the field, hint at future success Ben Krakow
Asst. Sports Editor
Boys’ Lacrosse Head Coach Kevin Barnicle talks a lot about a vision. A plan. A kind of acrossthe-board culture shift in Hornet lacrosse that he and his team believe will take them to unprecedented heights. Since taking the reins last fall, Coach Barnicle has stressed teamwork and commitment. This spring, a squad that has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years is finally beginning to gel in this new style. Between an energetic coaching staff and experienced leadership, players and coaches alike are excited about the potential of this year’s team. What has them most excited, arguably, is something even newer than Coach Barnicle or his philosophies. Four brand-new underclassmen are lighting up the field in a way that could bring the team success this year—and several years to come. Sophomore Cole Cramer and freshmen Trevor Hetrick, Andrew Montgomery, and Luke Wagner have added a dynamic presence to help the forward-looking squad take its next step. New to Greenhill this year, Cole earned himself a spot as one of four team captains, the only underclassmen with such an honor. “It means a lot being the new kid and coming in and being a captain,” Cole said. “I feel honored that other people see leadership capability in me.” According to the players, Cole’s versatility makes him an asset on the field. While Cole is primarily a defenseman, Coach Barnicle has asked him to play more of an
Photo by Laura Arnold
FRESH FACES: Freshman Trevor Hetrick, sophomore captain Cole Cramer, freshman Andrew Montgomery, and freshman Luke Wagner are helping to rejuvenate the boys’ lacrosse team after years of ups and downs.
offensive role. According to Coach Barnicle, Cole had no trouble picking up the new position—not that Coach Barnicle was surprised. “He is a kid you can really rely on,” Coach Barnicle said. Of the freshman trio, Trevor has seen the most regular on-field action for varsity. Trevor grew up playing lacrosse in Maryland before moving to the Metroplex last year. After a year at Flower Mound Middle School, he
came to Greenhill, partially because of the lacrosse program and a prior relationship with Coach Barnicle. “Trevor has so much raw talent,” senior captain Patrick Deniger said. “Once he hits his full stride, he’ll be one of the best players on the team.” Trevor is a starter in the attack. As of March 22, he had scored 11 goals this season. Like Trevor, Andrew is a Texas transplant and a Maryland native.
Although he began the season on JV, his energy and athleticism earned him a spot on the varsity squad. “If someone needs a breather, we can stick Andrew in there and know he’ll come out strong,” Patrick said. “He’s got a high lacrosse IQ.” Coach Barnicle agreed. “We were handed a gift with Andrew Montgomery,” he said. Luke’s contributions thus far have been limited, due to an early-
season hamstring injury, from which he only returned recently. That said, no one on the team doubts his ability to make a strong return. “He’s a dominant defenseman,” Coach Barnicle said. Back on the field and ready for the enhanced competition of the second half of their season, Luke’s presence will be important to fulfilling the squad’s high hopes. “Having him back out there is a huge boost,” Patrick said. “We’re looking forward to seeing him play the rest of the season.” The lacrosse season is structured differently than those of other spring sports. Because many Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) schools do not have boys’ lacrosse teams, the SPC Tournament is played in mid-April, with emphasis on the state-wide tournament later in the season. The Hornets hope that success in their end-of-season tournaments can validate their hard work these last few years. According to Patrick, they’ll need to show their highest level of play. “We see bits and pieces in practice, or for a half during a game,” Patrick said. “This is definitely the best team we’ve had in a long time.” Only two teams from the SPC North Zone qualify for the Division-I Tournament, so because of the state- and nation-wide success of the Episcopal School of Dallas and St. Mark’s School of Texas, Greenhill will more than likely make DivisionII. But the Hornets prefer to read that as an opportunity. “A big run in the Division-II playoffs would show for Greenhill lacrosse that we’re on the rise,” Patrick said.
For sophomore Reed Russ, the golfing green has never been brighter Ben Weinberg Sports Editor
Looking for sophomore Reed Russ? Try the golf course. More than 20 hours of every week, you can find him there working on his game, rain or shine. Reed has been playing golf almost as long as he’s been walking. His father began taking him out to hit golf balls when Reed was a toddler, and Reed has been on the course ever since. There are six other children in the house, but Reed is the only golfer in the bunch. His father has helped Reed put plenty of time and effort into golf, between lessons, practice, and competition. “We realized he might be pretty good when he won the Dallas Metro Championship,” Mr. Russ said. That was at age 10. Today, Reed’s golf horizons have expanded. Touring with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) means a year-round season of golf trips around the country— hundreds, according to Reed. Between school and individual practice and play, Reed regularly golfs seven days a week. During the spring, a typical week could include over 20 hours of play. The vast majority of his summer will be spent competing in AJGA tournaments around the country. As
demanding as it all may be, Reed wouldn’t have it any other way. “Reed says, ‘If you want to be the best player in the wind and rain, you’d better practice in it,’” Mr. Russ said. When Reed plays in AJGA tournaments, he competes by himself against other individuals. This is quite different from his experience with the Greenhill varsity squad. Competing in the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC), Greenhill and other schools play team golf. While each golfer has his own score for the round, what matters in determining a winning team is the team’s cumulative score. Reed played his first season as a varsity golfer last year as a freshman. At the SPC Tournament in Fort Worth, Reed’s individual score over two rounds tied for fourth overall. In addition to working on his individual play, Reed said he sees room to improve in more intangible aspects of the team game. “As a freshman, I didn’t really speak up,” Reed said. “I just played my golf.” While Reed is not the team captain—that would be senior Jordan Olschwanger—he noted ways in which he could spread some of his outside experience and knowledge of the game with his teammates. “It’s always about getting everybody better,” Reed said. “After all, it is a team sport.
You’re as good as your team is.” The environment of SPC golf is different from the summer tour. Reed described it as somewhat less intense. While the golf is still very high-level, it isn’t the AJGA, where each golfer puts as much time into their game as Reed does. Spending so much time in that It’s always intense atmosphere, about getting according to Reed, everybody bet- makes the jovial time ter. After all, it spent with his Greenhill is a team sport. teammates that much You’re as good more positive. as your “When I’m outside team is. “ [Greenhill], everyone’s just trying to beat you,” Reed said. “Here, everyone’s just there for each other. We challenge each other.” That positive atmosphere comes from more than just the players. Reed emphasized the close relationship he has developed with Head Coach Earl Dorber. “He always knows the right thing to tell you,” Reed said. “It’s always great to have someone with such a passion for the game.” To Reed, it’s Coach Dorber’s personality that makes playing as a Hornet so much fun. “He throws jokes around. We’re all laughing. Everyone loves going out to golf
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practice,” Reed said. With Coach Dorber departing at the end of the year, Reed pointed out that a championship this year—attainable, considering the squad’s third-place finish last season—would have even more meaning. Regardless of how the team finishes this year, Reed and those around him have reason to expect brighter—and perhaps bigger— things. Reed acknowledged that he and his family have already begun to consider his options for playing at the collegiate level. A particularly involved influence in Reed’s development as a golfer has been Art Sellinger, a former professional golfer and Long Drive champion who has become close with the Russ family over the years. Though Reed spent part of the winter recovering from a wrist injury, Mr. Sellinger expressed plenty of confidence in his ability to perform. “He’s set to have a huge summer,” Mr. Sellinger said. “Reed is a player ready to go to the top.” Reed said that a strong performance on the AJGA circuit this summer could go a long way towards getting him to an elite NCAA program. But for now, he’d prefer to think about that part later. “A lot of kids put too much pressure on it,” Reed said. “I’m not going to worry about it.”
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Pole vaulters’ work ethic determines season success Op-Ed: Learn
to love criticism
Laura Arnold Features Editor
On the surface, pole vaulting can seem simple: a sport in which a person uses a pole to push off the ground. In actuality, it requires technical skill, strength, and discipline that few people understand. The 12 pole vaulters on this year’s track team, seven girls and five boys, have challenged themselves to master the complicated technique. They have earned some of the top heights in many of their meets so far this season. In recent years, Greenhill pole vaulters have been successful in the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) Championships. In 2011, the girls’ team finished with the top two heights in the tournament, and the boys team finished with both second and third place. This season holds potential to be similarly competitive. In a meet at Lovejoy High School on March 9, senior captain Euan Rugg placed first, while on the girls’ side, senior captain Liz Livingston, sophomore Camille Andrews, and senior captain Stephanie Seale received second, third, and fourth places, respectively. According to Stephanie, pole vaulting involves a complicated support system. “It’s an interesting dynamic because the vaulters are such a close-knit family and we love to cheer each other on, but at the same time our biggest competition is each other.” Liz finds the competition within the team helpful. “As a competitive person, I want to be the best. When my teammates matched my height, I got angry, got a bigger pole, and vaulted higher,” Liz said. Track and Field Head Coach Stacey Johnson said that this year’s team morale has been high. “They are always helping each other out. You never see the boys competing without the girls there supporting them, and the same goes when the girls are competing. They all know how hard and technical the pole vault is and each and every one of them really does love the challenge of the pole vault,” Coach Johnson said. The pole vaulters agree with Coach Johnson that pole vaulting takes practice and requires a complex skill set. “Practice is really the only way to get better,” Euan said. “It is a combination of little things that create a good vault. You have to be able to plant the pole, drive the pole, and invert on the pole. Each of those things has to be learned pretty individually, so putting it
By the 3:35 numbers
Ben Weinberg Sports Editor
Photo courtesy of Euan Rugg
SETTING THE BAR HIGH: Senior Liz Livingston places first at the Princeton High School track meet on March 21 after making her own personal record of 10 feet at a meet the week prior.
together takes time.” According to Stephanie, pole vaulting requires strength training in addition to technical skills. “Vault is pretty demanding on the upper body and core muscles,” Stephanie said. “It’s time consuming, but I really think track is one of the most rewarding sports out there.” Pole vaulting is not only a physically taxing sport, but it is also a challenge mentally. “The way to get better is through consistent practice and a very good mental attitude,” Stephanie said. “It is easy to get frustrated in the vault if your heights don’t improve over a couple of weeks, but it’s important to just work on the basics.” While the pole vault is not the only event the athletes compete in, they spend up to two or three practices per week working on their vaults. “During practice we push ourselves, putting up bungees at heights that are beyond our expected ability in order to train ourselves to reach higher and higher,” Stephanie said. “Our vault practices often go past six o’clock because there are so many of us and we all want a lot of time on the runway.”
Time it took for the Greenhill boys’ 4x400 relay team to run their mile at the March 9 Lovejoy meet. The firstplace team consisted of senior Ryan Duffy, juniors Tre Albritten and Jalen Sharp, and freshman Justin Estrada.
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Vaults themselves only last about 20 seconds; much of the process is about mental preparation. “The actual vault goes by very quickly. You mentally prepare yourself at the end of the runway, and by the time you start, it really has to be muscle memory,” Liz said. “Any vaulter will tell you, once you start focusing on driving your knee, your plant gets weaker and vice versa.” Stephanie agrees that focus is a crucial factor when vaulting. “Everything happens so quickly in pole vaulting and every little thing an athlete does matters,” she said. “If you’re off your game or distracted for even one step, then the whole vault could go wrong.” Coach Johnson also noted the significance of this year’s team’s work ethic. “They have fun doing what they do,” Coach Johnson said. “Every day they are out there competing hard, putting in the time, but you would never tell that what they are doing is extremely taxing and difficult. I routinely have to run them off from practice because if I did not they would stay well into the night continuing to vault.”
Average on base percentage for sophomore Dani Black, a left fielder on the softball team, through their initial seven games
355
Number of feet senior Weston Shosid slugged his first homerun during a varsity game against Trinity Valley School.
Girls lacrosse rebuilds team after loss of valuable players Sera Tuz
Asst. News Editor
Due to injuries and outside commitments, the girls’ lacrosse team has faced a significant loss in players this season. Currently, there are only 15 girls on the team, and 12 are needed on the field at games. This means everyone on the team needs to work especially hard in practice to build stamina. On the other hand, they must be careful not to push themselves so hard as to cause injury. “The biggest challenge as a coach is the fear of injury,” said Caroline Doswell, Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach. “In order to combat this, I encourage my girls to visit our extremely talented trainers to deal with any soreness, strains, or pain. Additionally, I encourage girls to take care of themselves and ‘listen’ to their bodies and not to push through pain that is an alarm signal.” Despite the extra care and concern, the lack of numbers has presented challenges.
“It’s been rough,” said senior captain Madison Hayden, who has been on the team since her sophomore year. “Last year, we had a lot of injuries, but we had subs.” Coach Doswell said that despite having a smaller team, morale has not suffered. “All 15 girls come out to practice and games each day ready to learn and improve. It has been beneficial as far as developing skills to work with and develop a smaller team,” Coach Doswell said. The team is also fairly new. Seven of the 15 players have never played on the varsity team before. They are either new to the sport or freshmen coming up from the Middle School team—and they are starters. The team also lost four graduated seniors, including Cyerra Holmes ’12, who now plays lacrosse at Stanford University. “We are trying to rebuild this year, and create a new attitude and environment that makes the hard work in practice worth it,” Madison said. “Sometimes, it was hard to stay
motivated last year.” While trying to create a cohesive environment, there is room for improvement and expansion in the team. “The team has a lot of potential and room to grow. We just need time. And more people,” said Madison. Through their struggles, Madison said the team has become close. “I think that having fewer people has made us closer as a team,” Madison said. “It’s been more of a team effort. Even though we have a lot of new freshmen, we have to rely on them just as much as seniors.” In the future, Coach Doswell said she hopes former players and incoming MiddleSchool students will rejoin. “I am extremely pleased with this season’s smaller team, but I do hope to have a bigger team in the future,” she said. “I am fortunate that our Middle School team has a large number of talented and experienced eighth graders who will join the squad.”
Sports are hard. When you’re on the field, things aren’t the same as in the “real world.” Talking becomes yelling. Advice becomes insult. Nice guys become bullies. Whether it’s the intensity, the physicality, or simply the heat of the moment, the sports world is drastically different from normality. It’s more war than game. To the untrained eye, it can be pretty off-putting, the way athletes seem to yell and yell and yell. If you’re looking for respect – in the conventional sense – and find yourself in the gym, you may feel you’ve come to the wrong place. As any athlete knows, no team is really a team without its share of conflict and drama on the field. Teammates have a habit of being loud and critical in the heat of a game, and sometimes, comments and directives aren’t the nicest. Also, athletes are more vulnerable to criticism than you’d think–oftentimes, overly so. There’s a strange paradox of pride when it comes to sports. The stereotype goes that athletes have egos. Big ones. That’s why competitions get heated, and perfectly nice opponents get into it over seemingly nothing. Egos grow disproportionately large; at the same time, they can be surprisingly fragile. A win on the field is something to be proud of – conversely, losses hit hard. It’s not fun or pleasant to make a mistake as an athlete, and it’s worse when a coach or teammate criticizes you for it as well. A negative response to this kind of criticism is understandable, if not expected. That said, it is never the right response. Criticism, particularly in sports, is not about degradation or contempt, but instead a method of encouragement and improvement. When an older player has something to say to his freshman teammate, it’s not because he dislikes the kid–it’s because they’re a part of the same team, and that older teammate wants nothing more than for that team to be successful. Not everyone sees it this way. Maybe it’s because we’ve been over-sensitized or coddled. Maybe it’s an oversaturation with the mantra that “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Believe me, I’d love for that to be true. But oftentimes, the hardest things to hear are also the most necessary. Criticism is about two things: individual and team success. Say your teammate is on your back because you shot when you should’ve passed. First, you did the wrong thing individually. In order to make the correction and be better the next time, you have to know what went wrong. Perhaps more importantly, the individual mistake made things more difficult for the team. As an individual, it’s important that you have the motivation and willpower to improve your own skills, but no one can enforce that. The team aspect is different. When you are on a team, you have a responsibility. No longer is it a choice – by virtue of playing with others, you have to hold yourself accountable for your own Players on boys’ socactions and your own improvement. You’re cer who have scored not just letting yourself letting atdown–you’re least two goals this down others as well. season. As of Feb. 7, So the next time athe teammate or a coach boys were 4-1-3 has more to say about in your Northperformance Zone play, than just “positive encouragement, ” don’t with a positive goal take it personally. Resist the urgeofto argue differential seven. back, or even ignore it. Grin and bear it – they’re only trying to help.
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wednesday, april 3, 2013
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Sophomore equestrian strives for 2016 Olympics New Head
of Athletics and Physical Education chosen
Catherine Leffert Staff Writer
Sophomore Eugene Garza Perez has been around horses his whole life. More recently, the equestrian competitor spent three months in Florida riding eight horses per day, from seven in the morning to seven in the evening as part of an intensive training regimen. In Florida, he competed from Wednesday through Sunday every week. In the summer, he competes three weeks in every month, traveling even as far as Europe for a horse show. Eugene recently competed on a team with the four best riders of Mexico at the 2013 Nations Cup, where his team won silver, while competing against some of the highest ranked equestrian riders in the world. Having moved to Dallas from Mexico two and a half years ago, Eugene plans to eventually participate in show jumping at the 2016 Summer Olympics on behalf of Mexico. Eugene has been active in show jumping since age seven. He even missed his eighth-grade graduation for a horse show. According to his mother, Monica Garza Perez, he immediately connected with horses as a child. “Since he was just a little boy, we could all see that he had a special connection and sensitivity that made it very easy for him to communicate with the horses and make them understand exactly what he wants from them,” Mrs. Garza Perez said. Horseback riding has been in Eugene’s family for several generations. Eugene’s mother and his father, David Garza Perez, were both Grand Prix riders, who competed nationally and internationally. His parents met through riding. “I’ve always been around horses and it’s been a big part of my life and my parents’ lives,” Eugene said. Eugene said his parents have always been supportive. “They do everything from sending me to Florida, providing the horses and the training. They’ve been incredible,” he said. In Dallas, Eugene’s family lives on a large property with their eight horses. He goes straight from school to ride, at the minimum, for an hour, training on at least two horses. Eugene competes often, going to a show at least once every two or three weeks. Generally, he does individual show jumping, which means jumping through a course of obstacles of different heights, requiring rapid changes in direction. However, on occasion, he participates on a team containing the four best riders of Mexico, as he did at the Nations Cup. Eugene has eight horses that he rides six days a week. Each horse has a different skill, ranging from being able to accomplish higher jumps to clearing a wider fence. “I can’t say I have a favorite horse,” Eugene
Sofia Shirley
Asst. Features Editor
Photo courtesy of Monica Garza Perez
NO HORSING AROUND: Sophomore Eugene Garza Perez takes the reins at a horse show. An avid rider since the age of seven, Eugene aims to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
said. “Each is my favorite in their best event.” Transporting the horses can be difficult. When traveling between the United States and Mexico, it’s easiest to drive them in a trailer; when going to places like Europe for shows, the horses go by plane. Eugene has recently missed a considerable amount of school, being in Mexico and Florida. Also, he occasionally misses Thursdays and Fridays to compete in weekend shows. Still, he manages to keep up with school. He has three hours of tutoring each day and takes tests wherever he might be when he has to miss school. His teachers send assignments to him, which he completes and sends back. According to Eugene, school is always the overarching priority. “Everyone in my family appreciates what Greenhill has been doing to accommodate me,” he said. It’s been incredible and really good for me and my riding.” Eugene makes friends at competitions and the places where he trains. Often, he is able to go out with them on Sunday nights. “My social life is just the same as in Dallas,”
he said. “We hang, we go out. It’s really fun. We get to be with friends when we’re not on horses or tutoring.” Currently, Eugene is working hard for the next four years, aiming to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. To do so, Eugene has to compete often. The competitions help give him national rankings and keep him in practice. This summer is the North American Junior Young Rider Championships for ages 14-21. Eugene will compete on a team of four riders, with multiple countries competing. In 2014, he will compete in the Youth Olympic Games. “I think that he has the ambition, discipline, and work ethic to achieve any goal he sets for himself. Every step takes him to a new level of commitment, sacrifice, and hard work,” Mrs. Garza Perez said. The lifestyle may demand sacrifices, but Eugene said it’s worth it. “I’ve always been around it, and now its just part of my lifestyle. The sacrifices pay off. When you win something, it’s just a great feeling,” Eugene said.
Chad Wabrek was recently hired as the new Head of Athletics and Physical Education, effective July 1. Mr. Wabrek is currently the Athletic Director at Louisville Collegiate School, a Pre-K through grade 12 independent school in Louisville, KY. According to Louisville Collegiate School’s website, Mr. Wabrek’s “motto is simple— provide athletes with clear guidelines; treat them like professionals; and support the work of coaches.” Greenhill’s Head of Athletics and Physical Education position includes overseeing the interscholastic athletics program for grades 7-12 and the physical education program for Pre-K through 12. The position was posted in November, and Mr. Wabrek accepted the position on March 22. Mr. Wabrek has worked with independent schools for the past 20 years. Student athletes involved in the hiring decision said they are excited for the future of the program under Mr. Wabrek. “I think that he brings a vision for the Hornet athletic program,” said junior James Bradford. “His energy and enthusiasm for sports in general will see [that vision] through to completion. He’s excited, and I think that enthusiasm is what will drive him to be a great Athletic Director.” The position listing on the Greenhill website calls for someone who will give “specific attention” to the football program and ensure “a commitment to success and equity across all boys and girls programs.” Junior Rachel Sklar said she believes Mr. Wabrek can accomplish those goals. “Mr. Wabrek’s enthusiasm and determination will be great for our athletic program. He has some great plans to help improve some sports while helping others continue their success,” she said. Gillian Glengarry, Director of Fitness Center and Physical Education teacher, also met Mr. Wabrek. “Mr. Chad Wabrek brings a great passion and energy to inspire positive change and equip student athletes, faculty, and coaches for excellence,” she said. Earl Dorber, current Head of Athletics and Physical Education, came to Greenhill in 1997. His appointment will end in June. Look for a full profile of Coach Dorber in our May issue.
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Concussion recovery requires specialized accommodation cont’d from p.1 concussions, even though the numbers have not changed. Andy Mercurio, Upper School English teacher, currently has a student and advisee with a concussion, and, at first, he thought this was the first time he ever had a student with a concussion. “I take that back,” he said on second thought. “You know, I have had students with concussions before, but the way we are dealing with them now is entirely different, a totally new process.” Another reason teachers are more aware is because of a presentation Betsy gave with Dr. Paul Krawietz from the University of Texas at Austin at the beginning of the school year. At the presentation, Middle and Upper School teachers were taught about what it means to have a concussion, It’s a the guidelines for struggle to find academic return, and a good balance. the phases a student Academically, goes through. In it is frustrating February, Betsy gave and difficult, another presentation but everybody as part of the Fit For works really Life event sponsored hard.” by the Parents Association. “We felt we were not doing enough to educate the Greenhill community about brain injuries, and we needed to provide a better understanding of the healing process and why a gradual return to academics and physical activity are so important,” Betsy said. While Betsy works on outreach by going to sessions related to concussions, both Kent and Betsy make decisions regarding students’ progression. Once a student is diagnosed with a concussion, their only treatment is to do
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essentially nothing. “The more the student and their family are compliant with the shut-down in the beginning, the better they seem to do,” Betsy said. Many students have found that the most difficult part of recovery, though, is catching up on their missed work. It is recommended that students stay home until two days after symptoms have gone away. “At Greenhill, that rarely happens,” Betsy said. “It’s a struggle to find a good balance. Academically, it is frustrating and difficult, but everybody works really hard. The advisors, teachers, and Ms. Parker work together to be patient and get the students back where they need to be, and sometimes it takes months.” However, Betsy said she believes Greenhill is an environment where those individual needs can be met and adapted to, especially when it comes to how students will make up work they missed. “It’s easier than I thought it would be, but I’m still catching up right now,” said sophomore Hanna Arata, who suffered a concussion in January and was cleared at the beginning of March. “I still haven’t taken my exams, and I have an I [Incomplete] in all of my trimestertwo classes.” Since the athletic trainers have been stricter and more persistent about what a student can and cannot do this year, dealing with a concussion has been a difficult process for more people than just the student. “Remembering who needs to know what, when, and keeping all of them up-to-date without overwhelming them has been wicked difficult,” Mr. Mercurio said. As an advisor, he must coordinate between doctors, parents, teachers, athletic trainers and the student. He is expected to keep everyone updated on the status of the student’s recovery. Figuring out how to fit in make-up exams
and assign make-up work has had a ripple effect on these students. Teachers and advisors must meet to decide what the essentials are, sometimes eliminating or restructuring assignments so the concussed student can show mastery through other means. Mr. Mercurio can attest to this and said it was valuable for him, as an advisor, to lean on other teachers and administrators while navigating this complicated process. “I’m not afraid to reach out when I’m unsure about where to go,” he said. “I’ve had some really good guidance from Mrs. Shuman, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Ross and Kent. They’ve been a great support staff.” Betsy has perspective on how the new system compares to even longer ago, when students were told they “just got their bell rung,” and there was little attention paid to their recovery. Concussions can be caused by slipping, fainting, and other various accidents—not always through sports. Also, despite the misconception, sports like football with headon collision do not have a significantly higher number of concussions than other non-contact sports such as volleyball. “When we look at our numbers for the past three years, they show that while football, percentage-wise, is more than everyone else, it’s not that much more. They might have eight whereas volleyball will have five. But when you consider that football is a collision sport— they are meant to hit each other—the numbers seem to even out,” Betsy said. Another misconception is that Upper School students are concussed more often. This year, according to Betsy, there have been almost as many Middle School students with concussions as Upper School students. “Injuries to younger students may take longer to heal mainly due to their stage of brain development,” she said.
Concussion Quick Facts Facts about concussions can enlighten Hornets on what they really are—and what they mean. What is a concussion? “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a ‘ding,’ ‘getting your bell rung,’ or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.”
Fast Facts: • Most concussions occur without a loss of consciousness. • In the NCAA, concussions make up between five and 18 percent of all reported injuries. • About 70 percent of emergency room visits due to traumatic brain injury each year are for people ages 10-19. • Football, basketball, and soccer are the sports most associated with traumatic brain injury in children. Source: Center for Disease Control
wednesday, april 3, 2013
AFTERWORDS
Preserving the strength of today
I’m addicted to predictability. I love schedules. I like having a plan. I always read the endings of books before I get to the end, because the anticipation of what will happen kills me. If I watch a show that is a part of a series available on Hulu, Wikipedia plot summaries become my new best friends.
Ditto for movies. And I hate this about myself, I don’t want to be predictable. I also don’t because it highlights the fact that the unknown want to be addicted to being predictable. I makes me anxious. want to embrace the unexpected adventure. I This year, the unpredictability want to stop worrying and of the college admissions process has start living. But it’s just not made me more anxious than I am that easy for me. I want the usually (which is a lot). Not knowing I recently came across unexpected a quote that inspired me: where I am going to be, who I am adventure. I want “Worrying does not empty going to be living with, what I’m going to stop worrying tomorrow of its troubles; to be studying, and everything that and start living. it empties today of its comes with completely uprooting But it’s just not strength” (writer Corrie my life in a few months, is nerve that easy for me.” Ten Boom). Worrying wracking. I see my relaxed classmates and I envy them. How can they live a about future events I have carefree life without these answers? I no control over does not wish it were that easy for me. Instead, help me gain control over my anxiety manifests itself in sleepless nights them, but, rather, causes me to lose control and unintentionally snappy remarks at these today. Regardless of the outcome, worrying very friends. eliminates moments I could spend focusing on
Being a “third-culture kid”
The first time it happened, I was eight. We were living in England at the time, and we had gone up to London for the day. My mum and I entered the Natural History Museum, and the guard asked me, “Where are you from, darling?” I thought about it for a moment, and realized with a shock that I didn’t know. My father is American, my mother English. I felt more “at home” in my mother’s country, with its sense of humor and its set of values, but I had
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lived there less time. I scurried away without saying anything, hoping to leave any future existential crises far behind me. However, as my life progressed with the stability of a nomad’s campsite, the problem only got worse. My family moved six more times, to countries like the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and Panama. Along the way, I lost my brother, my life-long traveling partner, to college. This seemed to only encourage my father’s goal to saddle me with as much therapy later in life as he could, and we moved twice in one year. Grand total: six countries, four states, 10 cities, and more than enough cardboard boxes to get Greenpeace on our case. I recently joined the Class of 2017 Facebook group for the university I’m thinking of attending next year. In this group, kids were posting questions like: “Any UK/US/Latin American students accepted yet?” Ten years after the Natural History Museum incident, I am no closer to answering the question “Where are
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what matters today: the present. Concerning myself with what may or may not happen months or even years from now does not make those events go away, but rather makes today waste away. Often, worrying does not prepare me more, but, in fact, causes me to become more apprehensive. I’m not writing this to imply that we should completely give up on the future and be 100 percent carefree. That will never be me, and I’m glad. Worrying about my future motivates me. It forces me to have dreams and semi-fledged plans, which are necessary. However, it also restricts me. I’m still going to worry about college, about my life. But I’m going to try not to let it take over my life. I am going to preserve the strength of today.
you from?” and these posts made me realize that I probably never will. At first, this left me feeling a little hollow, a little misunderstood in the way that only a John Hughes’ character could relate to. But then, by pure happenstance, I came across the term “third-culture kid.” It’s a term coined by social anthropologist Ruth Useem, and it refers to kids who grew up in a culture that was not their parents’, and out of these two, they create a “third culture” all their own. Reading the experiences of other self-professed third-culture kids, who expressed the same feelings I’d had all my life, but had never felt comfortable saying, was more therapeutic than any actual therapy could be. To know that there are other people who don’t know where they’re from, who feel uncomfortable in their “home country,” without having any visible reason to, and who have trouble fitting in when they finally move back there, made me feel understood in a way I had never
felt before. This newfound community also understood the confusion over accents, which have plagued me my whole life. I currently have an American accent, so to many people I am “just” American. But I used to have a British accent … so does that mean I used to be British? Kids in the group understood being a foreigner, and not understanding references and jokes, with everyone believing you should, because you’re “American.” As I go off to university in Europe, I’m sure this internal conflict will continue, with each country I’ve called my home battling for sole ownership of my heart. However, I’m realizing more and more that my desire to categorize, in black and white terms, who I am and where I’m from leads to more unhappiness than anything else. My heart was broken each time I moved, but each new place stitched me up, making me a composite of them all. Hey, if I can’t be from “somewhere,” I’ll be from everywhere.
TN. On my first day in a new school in the the exchange to fuel and motivate me to United States, the only tools I had were develop an understanding for my new home. the English alphabet and a long From personally enduring list of nouns. These kernels of impatience and ignorance, I information proved insufficient to developed a deeper level of From respect and openness to other communicate with the strangers personally cultures. Ironically, it took a that now surrounded me. enduring longer while for me to embrace One day during recess, a impatience girl with a ponytail called me my Korean culture. and ignorance, over to her circle of friends. Being “different” was bad. I developed a So whenever my dad spoke When I came over, she looked deeper level to me in Korean in front of me in the eye, pointed to a tree, of respect and my classmates, my face would and slowly enunciated, “What is openness to other burn red in embarrassment. this?” Offended and annoyed, I cultures. ” During lunchtime, I would be responded, “a tree.” As I turned to walk away, I could hear them hesitant to open my lunch for whispering and giggling: “See! I told you she’s fear of being the only person at the lunch table not retarded,” the girl said. who packed rice and chopsticks. I would ask Although hurt at that moment, I didn’t my mom to pack me a peanut butter and jelly let them discourage me. Instead, I used sandwich like the ones my friend brought; she
didn’t know what that was. Thankfully, I had good friends. Although I shared no common interests with my peers, like Nickelodeon or even hamburgers, they accepted me for who I was. I made friends who showed eagerness to share their worlds and were open to take a look into mine. As I began to gather more positive experiences, I learned to leave behind hesitations and lower my barriers when exploring new cultures. Although at times it was painful to be a part of two distinct cultures, if I hadn’t been forced into a new one through my move to the United States, I would not have had the courage to expose myself to other new cultures. Now I celebrate whenever I have the chance to share my culture, like taking my friends to Korean restaurants. And I become a part of others. I attended my first Bar-Mitzva this year and will take part in Holi, India’s festival of colors.
Home is where the heart is
I was seven years old when my parents explained to me that we were going on a little “vacation” to the United States. At that time, I did not know I would not return to my friends, nor did I know that that night would be my last in Korea. No one had informed me how my life would change. In 2002, my family moved to Knoxville,
How I learned to love the bubble
A few weeks ago, a peer made her senior speech to the Upper School, the student body all in attendance. She described what it has been like to be different, Muslim, in our community. She said she has felt hurt and scared—at Greenhill, because our community has failed to create a safe space for her. We sat listening, silent: out of respect, or guilt, or because, as she said, “silence means support.” It was an eye-opening moment. A moment when our oft-clichéd Greenhill bubble burst, if only for a few minutes, and the “real world” seeped in. I hope we all took the opportunity to
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reflect, and that Amna’s speech and her experiences have meant something. It’s a bitter consolation, but isn’t that what we say we crave when we all criticize the Greenhill bubble? We don’t want to be shielded by an overprotective parent or administration. We want to experience reality, however discomforting it may be, so that we can handle it later in life, and because that’s one of the best ways to learn and to grow as a person. Then things were back to normal. I heard little about the speech in the days or weeks afterward. The bubble artificially inflated anew. I’m not sure what else I’d expect to occur. But Amna didn’t just burst the bubble for us. Her speech also opened another possibility, a more proactive possibility. While the bubble keeps reality out, it also provides an opportunity to foster core values within. For me, there’s no justification for anyone to have to grow up thinking they have to watch out for the flack they might get just for being themselves. The bubble can actually help. We’re all trying to learn and to grow—and the bubble can help this process more than we realize. Adolescence is all about finding yourself
and defining who you are. That’s not an easy task. But in such a self-centered stage of our lives, it’s hard to consider others—and harder still to realize many of them are going through the exact same thing. If there’s anything we learn from this, it’s to remember the underlying principle behind the Golden Rule. Consider others. Think before you speak or act. To quote our staff editorial (which this column is, in some ways, simply an extension of), it’s about changing our attitude from being “self-centered to community-centered.” That’s what we can do in the bubble. This is a simple principle, but it’s not easy. I’ve constantly struggled and failed even to remember it. It would be even harder if Greenhill didn’t frequently remind us: Honor, Respect, Compassion. But those external reminders won’t exist after graduation (though, to be fair, college is just another bubble). I have to remember. I have to bring the bubble with me. In the end, I can’t really fault the school for creating the bubble. If anything, I can only mourn the fact that it is an artificial construct.
The bubble should be a state of mind, an environment that we as students create out of a collective thoughtfulness for one another. In my AP Literature class, we’re currently reading Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. Tom, the protagonist, is far more kind and generous than almost everyone else in the book, but his goodness and naïveté are often taken advantage of by others, who are ruled chiefly by self-interest and selfishness. Our class often discusses how Tom should be a little more self-interested and how he should look out for himself. I don’t disagree. But I’ve wondered why we never suggest that everyone else should be less selfish and more good-hearted, like Tom. Certainly, that would be ideal. If reality is so harsh, why ask to burst the bubble? Why not wish to extend it—so that the world is more like our bubble, rather than the other way around? Perhaps that’s too idealistic. Perhaps we’re all too naturally self-interested. But perhaps not. At the risk of sounding cliché: we can make the world a better place. I hope, of all things, Greenhill teaches you that.
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wednesday, april 3, 2013
Bagels at Bagel Break Nowadays, we have more oncampus snack options than we can count on both hands. From sour gummy worms to Special-K bars, chocolate chip cookies and cheesy fries, the Buzz has all of our snacking needs and more. But back in the old-days, at a preBuzzian Greenhill, there was only
one snack available after second period: bagels. At the time, the school made a modest profit selling bagels and cream cheese each day during what came to be known as bagel break. Last year, the class of 2013 brought back bagel sales as a way to raise money for their class gift, but soon found the process much more arduous than expected and did not make
very much profit. Thus, bagels at bagel break once again became a long-lost tradition. We now find our hearts stopped at the crossroads. Which team are you on? Bagels or the Buzz? In a perfect world, we would have both.
Big Tex
restoration, plans to fix many of the electrical problems present in Jack Bridge’ original work installed in 1952. The committee also wants to maintain Big Tex’s original, rustic appearance. In order to accommodate his technological advances, the icon will stand three feet taller and become four times as heavy, weighing in at 24,000 pounds. Other changes include a series of renovations to Big Tex’s surrounding area, known as Big Tex circle. One of these includes adding a paved
Since his tragic incineration almost six months ago, Dallas has been planning to resurrect the State Fair of Texas icon even bigger and better than before. With new features such as a fire suppression system and a modernized wiring system, Friends of Fair Park, the group overseeing his
border engraved with donors names as well as pictures of Big Tex’s history at Fair Park. Because there were no funds for the renovation, Friends of Fair Park faced the challenge of rounding up the funds- a grand total of $60,000- from Big Tex’s fans through an online donation website. Although Fair Park has not yet broken ground on the project, they hope to unveil the new and improved Big Tex on Sept. 27, the opening day of the 2013 State Fair of Texas.
Where Are All The...? The Evergreen has noticed a scarcity in several much-loved staples, from bookstores to bagels. Design Editor Gabby Das investigates and answers our burning question: where have they gone? story and graphics by Gabby Das
Music in the Quad After Music in the Quad was cancelled this fall due to difficulty securing a band, we were left with a strange feeling we could not describe. It was not anger that we were not fed delicious hamburgers and hot dogs
Independent Book Stores Although Dallas has never been overabundant in zany specialty shops, it was once home to a few Mom-and-Pop bookshops where students flooded, bubble tea in hand, to seek study solace and tackle their heavy workloads. Recently, independent bookstores have seemingly disappeared, leaving bookworms and middle children without a
Parking Spots As students of a relatively small school, we are used to having space: roomy lockers, spacious classrooms, and plenty of elbowroom at our desks. So, when the parking lot began to feel cramped at the beginning on this year, we were forced to reconsider our typically privileged existence at this school.
during the all-school cookout which accompanies Music in the Quad. And it was not sadness that we were not able to hear upand-coming artists play for us live. Rather, it was a feeling of injustice that this year, for the first time in a while, we did not get to see teachers, letting down
of their professional barriers at the sound of a snare drum, ties loosened, rocking out alongside one another. Luckily, the spring Music in the Quad is still set to occur and will take place April 19. This year, The Killdares, a Celtic-Rock group, will be performing. So, yes we are looking
foreword to hamburgers, hotdogs, and live music. But most of all we love watching our faculty’s commitment to continue teaching us outside of the classroom. This week’s lesson: how to bust a move.
place to go. Students across Dallas have been forced to the same location, Barnes & Noble. But despite their mighty book selection and steady, in-house supply of caffeine provided by Starbucks Coffee, the peace and quiet found in our late hideout spots is simply unheard of at this megafranchise. If you or a loved one has been affected by this misfortune, read on: We’ve found a new safe haven--Lucky Dog Books. This
independent book store has multiple locations across the Metroplex, each filled to the brim with cozy chairs, couches, and tables for your studying pleasure. Lucky Dog also features monthly mixed-genre reading groups if you’re into that sort of thing, as well as bimonthly book readings and signings by well-known au-
thors. And don’t forget to bring in your used books to trade-in or sell for cash on the spot. For locations and event info, visit www.luckydogbooks.com
While walking all the way from the baseball fields to the Upper School might not be ideal, a spot is a spot is a spot. But while we all somehow end up parked and ontime for class in the morning, we wonder how much longer this luxury will last. With a slew of sophomores receiving their licenses in the last stretch of school, the 212 student parking spots will need to be shared by the more than 207
currently registered student drivers. And we all know what that means: with senioritis, seniors are already feeling like they’re “just visiting.”