October 2012-2013

Evergreen THE

October 3, 2012 Volume XLVIII, Issue 1

Laura Arnold Mere days before a monumental surgery, a mysterious letter arrived in the mail addressed to Cycling Club president sophomore Griffin Olesky, who was 10 years old at the time and had just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This letter, now framed in his room, turned out to be from professional cyclist and cancer-survivor Lance Armstrong, encouraging Griffin to stay strong before his thyroidectomy. “No one in my family technically knows how Lance knew [about the cancer] and why he wrote the letter. My dad had tried very hard to get Lance to reach out, but never thought he was successful. Then the letter appeared. It was very odd, but very inspiring,” Griffin said. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 10, Griffin has supported Lance Armstrong’s cancer foundation, Livestrong, ever since. “That letter was life-changing, for sure. That is the main reason I became such an adamant Livestrong supporter,” Griffin said. The simple words, “Hang in there, Buddy” were enough not only to help Griffin recover, but to inspire cont’d on page 9

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A Peek at Politics:

Community welcomes Chinese students

Investigating Our Ideologies

Samantha Carp

students about the world in which we live. It is a much more connected world than ever Kids with painted faces are staring and before,” Mr. Griggs said. cheering at a bunch of boys running. The boys For the two-week visit, each Chinese wear funny cushioned suits. They sprint back student is living with a Greenhill Middle or and forth on the grass exchanging a rubber Upper School student. object, often crashing to the ground. After “The people who have the time and a particularly horrific crash, the girls enthusiasm to host will find jump up and down, jingling the bells they will get a lot more than We have a attached to the long banner clipped they could ever imagine,” Mr. responsibility to their shirts. While to you and me, Frerichs said. to educate our Homecoming may not seem like Their first few days at students about Greenhill, the students toured anything out of the ordinary, it might the world in the Lower and Middle School. be to the 10 Chinese students visiting which we live. It Greenhill from Sept. 30 to Oct. 11 from “We want them to reflect is a much more back on their days as younger Taiwan, being thrown right into one of connected students and maybe see how the most intense aspects of American world than ever we do it differently,” said high school culture. before.” Mr. Griggs. Warren Frerichs, Middle and Upper School Chinese teacher, helped For the remainder of the initiate the exchange with the Minglun visit, the students will attend High School in Taipei, Taiwan. In January, Upper School classes, shadowing different Mr. Frerichs along with Head of School, Scott Greenhill students. To ensure as much Griggs and David Braemer, former Head of interaction as possible, Mr. Frerichs tried to Upper School, started meeting regularly to arrange for the Chinese students to shadow flesh out the details. different Upper School students who are not “We have a responsibility to educate our their host families. cont’d on page 10 Content Editor

A pie chart of student political affiliation (above) based upon a random survey of 88 students. For more information and charts based on the political alignment of surveyed students and faculty, turn to page 12.

In this issue...

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Photo by Gab by Das

Features Editor

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News Amory Lovins

Special Report Deep Ellum

Arts Heaps of Hope

Sports Spiking It Up

Celebrated ecologist and author Amory Lovins gives his TED talk at Greenhill. News Editor Rachel Diebner and staff writer Madison Goodrich report. page 4

Design Editor Gabby Das and Senior Editor Rebecca Kim explore the large outdoor market in Deep Ellum. page 14

Sophomore Hope Rovner will participate in the Texas State Fair Cooking Competition this Saturday. Assistant Features Editor Sofia Shirley reports. page 15

Greenhill Varsity Boys Volleyball sets its sights on an SPC championship for the third year in a row. Staff writer Varun Gupta reports. page 20

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The Evergreen Wednesday [10.3.12]

VIEWS Rants & Raves A RANT to the absurd choreography of early morning traffic on Hornet Road. The craziness and congestion reminds me of my Grandma’s 90th birthday bash. Never did I think I would endure something as painful as senior citizens teaching me how to dougie!

A RAVE to the best ecofriendly thing since the Electric Vehicle charging station: reusable water bottles! When we humans pass the Earth down to the peacocks, they will have learned how to take care of her. We truly are a GREEN hill.

A RAVE to the stupendous Club Fair hosted by Kyle Weinreb, Kyle Matthew, and the rest of Student Council. Not only did it introduce new students and incoming freshmen to the clubs, but it also has created a way to minimize the ludicrous amounts of club emails.

A RANT to the hordes of gnats invading our campus recently. Worse than just walking through them is accidentally swallowing a few. Protein is good for you, but it’s more pleasant to just eat a Luna bar.

A RANT to the strange phenomenon of the temperature in our cars remaining constant even though temperatures outside have dropped. We thought Hades existed solely in Greek mythology, but apparently it resides in our cars.

A RAVE to the continued efforts to enhance the Wi-Fi on campus. A wise man once said, “Use the Internet for someone and entertain them for a day; show someone the Internet and entertain them for a lifetime.” We’ll never be bored again.

Staff Editorial

There was a time when high school students didn’t own cell phones. Today, most teenagers’ lives are centered on them. And they are more than just a phone: we play games, use apps, call, and text. With Greenhill’s new policy of allowing cell phones to be used inside school buildings, we still need to maintain responsible use of our cell phones. But just because we have cell phones (literally) at the tips of our fingers doesn’t mean we should find reasons to constantly use them. Think about your daily communication with others. How much of it is done through your phone versus face to face interaction? Although technology has made our lives and communication with friends much easier, we risk losing a very basic part of our community: human interaction. Texting

Evergreen staff

Serving Greenhill

editor in chief Anton Yu

managing editors

Ashley Goldschmid Greer Goss

content editor Samantha Carp

A MENTAL SURVEY

since 1966

design editor Gabby Das

senior editor Rebecca Kim

views editor

Amna Kaiser

isn’t the same thing as talking and technology cannot replace people. At least not yet. Let’s be real. Cell phones are pretty useful. They serve as alarms, calculators, calendars. But they just can’t be your friend. When you fail a math test, your phone can’t give you a shoulder to cry on. Phones break, get outdated and need updating. Building friendships over a lifetime, though? It takes work, but it’s something you don’t want to lose. So even though texting is fun and at times useful, talking with people is equally if not more important. Ironically, at the same time that technology and newfound privileges provide new methods for social networking, it can make us antisocial. Sometimes, looking at a table full of students on break, one could think the Facebook app on our

A RANT to the tragic loss of the water fountain in the science building. If H2O is such a big part of chemistry and biology, then it would behoove the Great Science Building to have included it in their renovation plan.

A RAVE to the awesome changes to the science building (exception: see Rant above). Every Greenhill student loves Buzz cookies, Señor Gluzman’s antics, and watching stupendous AVP films. With its new changes, I believe we can now truly love the place where we learn chemistry. Marry me, Science Building! A RANT to the construction on nearly every major road near Greenhill. Checking in on time is hard enough without navigating roads more clogged than a hay fever sufferer’s nose in springtime.

phones is at the center of our social lives instead of actual people. Next time you are sitting at lunch with all your friends in silence because everyone is on their phone, be the first to put your phone down. (On October 9th, the school has even given you the perfect excuse in the form of a no email/text day.) Ask someone how their last class was or what their plans are for the weekend and you might be surprised where your conversations take you. We all know that high school flies by, as does the time we have with our friends. So make every moment count. Your phone will always be there.

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news editor

Rachel Diebner

features editor

sports editor

assistant features editors

Ben Weinberg

assistant views editor

Laura Arnold

Shruti Rao

arts editors

assistant news editors

Lizzy D’Apice Alex Weinberg

Christian Holmes Sera Tuz

Joseph Middleman Sofia Shirley

assistant arts editors Sanah Hasan Tierney Riordan

assistant sports editors James Bradford Matthew Jones

online editor

Danielle Stoler

online staff

Andrew Fields Taylor Miller Isabet Tranchin

business manager Morgan Pearlman

staff photographers advisors Miles Andres Shelby Beauchamp Gray Deuber Mary Lo

business assistant Blake Lieberman

Editorial Policy The Evergreen is a student-run newspaper serving the Greenhill community. Its goal is to help the local community interpret campus, local, national, and international events. It serves as a forum for expression and change. The Evergreen aims to fulfill this agenda with policies of integrity and upholds a stringent code of ethics that values honesty, accuracy, and responsibility.

The Evergreen reserves the right to edit submitted material for accuracy, grammar, and length. The Evergreen will not publish any material that falls under the Supreme Court’s definition of unprotected speech: works that are libelous, obscene, or invasions of privacy. For these reasons, The Evergreen does not consider disciplinary actions suitable for print.

All accounts of deaths and other personal issues will be printed only with family consent. Letters to the Editor are encouraged provided that they fall under protected speech. Any letters that are considered attacks on a plan or proposal will be shown to the person the letter most likely affects. All individuals will have a chance to respond to criticism in

a letter. Anonymous letters will not be published. Others will be printed on a space-available basis. The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of two-third’s of The Evergreen staff, not necessarily that of The Greenhill School. Similarly, Letters to the Editor, Point Counterpoint, and columns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Evergreen or The Greenhill School.

Eve Hill-Agnus Pamela Kripke Emily Wilson

staff writers

Madison Goodrich Varun Gupta Ben Krakow Catherine Leffert Christina Zhu

The Evergreen does not submit to censorship and believes in First Amendment rights for student journalists. Suggestions, critiques, and complaints are welcomed and encouraged. The paper encourages businesses to advertise in The Evergreen but reserves the right to refuse an advertisement.

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What does it mean to care about our school? Corbin Doyle

Middle/Upper School Visual Art Teacher School spirit, or caring about your school, is tied to your investment in it. You get invested by being sincerely involved. Teams, clubs, groups, performances, and shows. These all reflect back to the school. Greenhill has so many different offerings and places to find your nook. Some are straightforward and traditional high-school offerings: football, cross country, debate, theater. But many here aren’t: True Colors, ACP, ukulele. And if you don’t find your nook here now, you can make it yourself and the school will sponsor it. That is one of the reasons this is a special place. If you don’t feel involved that is completely on you. One great thing I see is the respect between groups. Sometimes it is tongue in cheek, when the old ISAS Arts Festival t-shirts the students made suggested that the acronym stood for I Suck At Sports. But those same art kids were often the ones yelling with homemade props for the football team on Friday nights. I think there is always an ebb and flow with this. I often hear from graduating seniors that their senior year was the best because they did so many activities with their class, and they wish they had done more their earlier years. But that just comes from exposure and comfort. So get involved early and often. It’s good for you.

and wandering around ISAS festivals for hours. The same can be said for our students supporting the faculty. Students make this a great place to work just by asking about my weekend, my running, or even berating me for my love of the New York Yankees (or maybe that’s just Mr. Mercurio). It makes teachers feel appreciated as well as a part of the school when we can join in community and celebrate our individual passions. We must all strive to live out the mission of honor, respect, and compassion in each facet of our daily lives. When we leave campus each day, we continue to carry the Greenhill banner, and many will look to us to determine what makes Greenhill such a unique community. For those people, it will be their only glimpse into our school, and we must strive to ensure they see Greenhill the way we do everyday.

Alex Raphael Sophomore

If our future selves are born from our school, then Greenhill is the mightiest of wombs. I find that when strolling about the campus or “buzzin’” to the Buzz, I pass by many grand individuals whom I admire and love. However, we are not only individuals, we are one huge body that can work together elegantly and with a purpose without losing our individuality. Firstly (and most importantly), I believe caring for your school means caring for your peers and respecting them. If I have ever said hello to you (and I hope I have) then you can be sure that I have thought of you. I have not judged you. Nay, I have only perceived you. I have perceived so many of my peers, and my perception of you all is what feeds me happiness throughout my day. You are all so great! I say this sincerely, and with such

Taylor Gibson The students, faculty, and staff at Greenhill are charged with being stewards of not just a school, but rather the larger community as a whole. We can easily say, “I love Greenhill!” but we must also take action to ensure the place we love maintains the qualities we love so much about it. Students, faculty and staff need to care for the physical well-being of the campus by ensuring we keep our classrooms, courtyards, and common areas clean and well maintained. Often the outward appearance of our school is the first impression guests and visitors receive, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure the campus reflects the same care and attention as the learning that takes place within. In the Upper School, we try to encourage our students to help out through weekly building cleanup and requiring the students bring their dishes in from lunch when eating outside. The faculty will additionally help out after school by participating in carpool duty so traffic flows quickly and safely through our campus. We must also support each other in our endeavors, whether they are academic, athletic, or artistic. Faculty should see this as an opportunity to learn more about their students outside of the 55 minutes we see them each day. It is our role not only to teach you passionately about our content areas, but also learn from you about your passions. Perhaps this is why you see many of the faculty attending not only football and baseball games, volleyball, field hockey and tennis matches, swim meets and the like, but also buying tickets to the fall drama, musical,

Hebah Khan Senior

This year’s annual theme is action. I’m glad that this is the theme of my senior year. Sometimes there are doubts about whether or not teenagers in high school with too much homework, too many relationships, and not enough sleep actually care about things. People question whether my peers as a group are capable of doing something meaningful. Greenhill students prove what young people are really capable of. The spirit of Greenhill students, whether in the first or twelfth grade, includes a desire to change the world around them in a meaningful way. It is the impact of various senior gifts; it is the speakers and programs brought to school by students; it is the electric car charging station brought to campus with the help of a club; it is who we become when we leave this institution. I know this spirit is present in us because I can see how this community has instilled it in me.

a simple word as “great,” for it is completely true. We all emerged from the womb with vices. Yet I have witnessed so much good in so many of you. If one is to care for their school, then I have no doubt in the fact that it requires looking past the negatives of one another and finding common ground so that that peace may beget prosperity and a propensity for love. A school could not only consist of students; it of course has teachers as well. We can care for our school by recognizing the fact that our teachers kick butt. Coming from public school, I rarely encountered teachers on such a level as Greenhill’s. Take advantage of your teachers; they will be our biggest proponents in our educational endeavors. Our school, with its great fruit basket of students and teachers, always has so many activities going on. It would behoove all of us to always take advantage of those activities. Whether a speaker is coming, one of our teams is competing, or a club is being held, it is important to participate as much as possible if we are to truly care for Greenhill.

Darryn Sandler Upper School Math Teacher

It is difficult to convey in words how much Greenhill means to me. Caring for Greenhill is synonymous to caring for my family. As both an alum and an employee ever since I graduated from college, I think of Greenhill as my second home and the people here as my second family. Caring for Greenhill is the incredible feeling of pride when I hear about the achievements of students, faculty and alumni, and the compassionate, respectful and honorable stories of everyone affiliated with the school. I have a special feeling when I hear our band playing our school song. I get that same feeling when I see Jeff Hollway lead the football team onto the incredible field that Tino Torres takes so much pride in preparing, or when Sammy Glick leads a packed Phillips Gym in Greenhill cheers as our volleyball team competes for an SPC championship. I walk away with a smile on my face from advisory every time I hear a student talk about how much they enjoyed Scott Cotton’s 9-11 lesson or Corbin Doyle’s video production class. Caring for our school is mostly about caring for the people affiliated with Greenhill. I am always so impressed with how our students support one another and take so much pleasure in talking about their peers’ accomplishments. What is better than a student coming to your desk to tell you how excited they are that a senior got into a college, or to tell you a student won a writing or art contest, or to share that a teammate was selected to the All SPC team? I love sitting at lunch with faculty members when they, too, boast about the accomplishments of their students. Whether it is Corbin Doyle talking about one of Andrew Fields’ amazing films or Heather Farlow bragging about Mallorie Wise’s field hockey performance in a big win, I am always filled with pride not only to hear about these students, but also to hear how excited their teachers and coaches get talking about their students and athletes. While hearing Greenhill people talk about how great our school, students, teachers, and coaches are, nothing is better than hearing these things from people who are not affiliated with the school. Recently, I was volunteering with the Junior Mavs, a group of 7-13 year old kids who play basketball in wheelchairs. One of the parents told me that over the years, many people have volunteered with the Junior Mavs, but no one makes these kids feel as important and respected as the Greenhill students do. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people at Greenhill, a school which not only has an incredible mission statement, but also and more importantly stands by and lives its mission statement.

The Evergreen Wednesday [10.3.12]

NEWS

Tag, You’re It:

Flip to page 7 to learn about the new playground and other renovated spots on campus.

The Eccentric Ecologist Rachel Diebner News Editor

Catherine Leffert Staff Writer

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tudents, parents, and faculty gathered in the theater on Sept. 18, waiting for a very important man -a man who lives on a passive solar banana farm in the Rockies with his wife and his three dozen taxidermy orangutans, whom he affectionately calls his “extended family.” “At night, we think it turns into Night at the Museum at our house,” he said. This is a man who, within minutes of stepping on campus, started talking about parachuting cats (as a solution to the mess the World Health Organization had created for itself). This man is Dr. Amory Lovins, cofounder, chairman, and Chief Scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), named one of Times’ top 100 most influential people of 2009 for his work on ecology, and one of Foreign Policy’s 100 top global thinkers. This is the man who saved the United States between $40 billion and $1 trillion due to energy efficiency. Dr. Lovins came to Greenhill to present his TED talk on his new book, Reinventing Fire, in which he discusses business solutions that would allow the United States to run a 158percent larger economy in 2050 based upon efficiency and renewables.

Dr. Lovins initially came to Dallas on an unrelated trip coordinated by Trailblazer Capital. David Matthews, Managing Partner of Trailblazer Capital, Greenhill parent, and Green Team member, had the idea to invite him to speak at Greenhill. “It’s really been a group effort on the part of the whole community,” said Anita Gupta, Communications Coordinator and Vice Chair of Green Team, a parent-run organization focused on improving the school’s sustainability. During his 30 minute data-dense speech, he presented a series of graphs, charts, and illustrations to roughly 120 students, parents, and faculty, highlighting practical, energyefficient solutions in transportation, buildings, industry, and electricity. “We are very fortunate to bring someone of his caliber and someone nationally and internationally recognized as an energy expert and inspiring all of the students. He’s a rock star in the field,” said Manju Menon, co-chair of Green Team. In an interview before the talk, Dr. Lovins opened up about his personal experience in the ecology field. He first became involved in the field in the late 1960s when reading about global energy problems. Dr. Lovins said that it was difficult making his way in a field that was largely undiscovered: when he first started studying energy, there were no university programs, centers, or government departments dealing with the problem. “In ’71, I was at Oxford [University] and wanted to study the doctrine of energy, and they said, ‘What’s that? That’s not an academic subject. Pick a real subject.’ So I said, ‘Well, I’m sorry, this is really important to me, so I’m going to go ahead and resign the fellowship.’ And that was what I did.” Yet despite the obstacles he faced, he would encourage students to follow in his footsteps. “Set your sights very high,” he said. “You should only undertake any project that is manifestly important and nearly impossible. One of the great virtues of students is that they don’t know what’s impossible, so they just go do it. ”

Photos courtesy of Kerry Shea

Dr. Lovins persisted in his pursuit of a career in energy, combining unlikely subjects to create a well-rounded background for his work in the developing field. “I would advise students at any level that if your faculty advisor raises his eyebrows looking at your planned course of study and says, ‘I don’t see what this has to do with that,’ you’re probably on the right track,” Dr. Lovins said. “Go wild. Mix metallurgy, cultural anthropology, Chinese history, aerodynamics, evolutionary biology, and you’ll be able to make connections nobody’s made before to help us get out of this mess. Because the mess we’re in is largely caused by narrow specialists not understanding connections and trying to do just one thing.” At the event, the Green Team took advantage of the opportunity to present their own successes in the form of a sustainability fair, where they presented various environmentally friendly endeavors on campus: the community garden, the no-idle zone, their goal of attaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, classes offered on ecology, as well as the revamped recycling program. Ecology Club leaders also presented their newest contribution to Greenhill’s campus, an electric vehicle charging station. “We’ve never really gotten the chance to present all that we’ve done to the Greenhill community since Green Team has started,” Mrs. Gupta said. Even from his short visit here, Dr. Lovins could appreciate Greenhill’s sustainability efforts. Upon entering the cafeteria, he gazed up to examine the lightbulbs. “I can see there’s been some good attention paid to efficiency and sound choices of materials,” Dr. Lovins said. “I haven’t made enough observations to know what’s still to be done— there’s always still something to be done. The design of technology keeps advancing faster than we can apply it.” After being presented with a small gift from the school and signing the 100 copies of Reinventing Fire that the Green Team gave out, Dr. Lovins set out for his home in Denver. As his goodbye, he said: “Happy parachuting cats.”

FIRE IT UP: Renowned ecologist Amory Lovins (above middle) visited campus to present his TED Talk about his newest book, Reinventing Fire (left). He took time to converse with Head of School Scott Griggs (top left) and sign a copy of his book for junior Michael Meng (top right). Photo by Rachel Diebner

College counseling expands program, includes underclassmen Greer Goss

Managing Editor

The College Counseling program is widening its scope to include informing students during their freshmen and sophomore years. Each counselor will each be assigned to a freshman and sophomore advisory for a trimester in order to introduce themselves and offer pertinent information regarding the college process. Previously, the first interaction between the counselors and students was junior year, when students partake in a trimester-long introduction class and before being assigned a College Counselor at the end of

the year. However, according to Marie Bigham, Director of College Counseling, parents looked for contact long before junior year, and with the college process seemingly beginning earlier, the office decided to be proactive. “We started to get a lot of questions from families earlier and earlier, and there are some things we started to notice that we can’t impact later, but we can impact earlier,” she said. According to Ms. Bigham, the office received questions from parents and students about the role of extra-curriculars, course selection, and the importance of grades earlier. “We think by rotating through each trimester they will get a chance to know us better and we will get a chance to

know students earlier and hopefully get to answer questions they have about this process.” Introducing the counselors via this rotation system not only helps to familiarize the students with the individual counselors and the college process, but also helps the counselors get to know the students earlier. Now, students will be assigned to a counselor at the end of their sophomore year. This year’s juniors have already been assigned their counselors. “My aim is for students to get appropriate and timely information about college admissions without it being too overwhelming, [or] too big a part of their high school experience,” Ms. Bigham said.

wednesday, october 3, 2012

New Spaces

The Evergreen explores various spaces across campus that the school revamped over the summer.

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ach of the clocks on the clock tower was replaced, but perhaps more interesting is the story of their demise. “Several years ago some of the boys hung panties on the clock tower, and it got in the windings and warped the wind shaft,” said Johnny Thompson, Assistant Director of Admission. story by Greer Goss

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s laptops become more and more commonplace, traditional computer labs become less necessary. This summer, the Upper School Writing Lab was transformed. Most of the desktop computers were removed, and replaced with tables that include power strips for laptop users. “You will probably see us continue to phase out some more of those labs that are not used for specific classroom purposes,” Ms. Orth said. story by Greer Goss

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nlike other centralized faculty pods located in the Middle and Upper School buildings, the Science faculty offices used to be spread out around the building. With the new changes, the faculty now occupies cubicles in a centralized location. In place of the computer lab, the Science building now has a wider, more defined hallway and a “Science Commons” that features a dry-erase wall and tables for collaborative work. “The science faculty felt like with our current program, having some areas for some individual study and some small group study would be helpful,” said Melissa Orth, Chief Financial Officer. story by Greer Goss

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ccording to Ms. Orth, the Three Chimneys building, which houses the school’s administration, had been in dire need of a larger mailroom and copy center. Additionally, the Business Office needed more areas for uninterrupted, private conversation. Some of the members of the Business Office also lacked an office. To remedy these issues, an addition made to look like the rest of the building was added onto the slab. The mailroom was moved and business office expanded. story by Greer Goss

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he Lower School constructed a new playground set designed to help build upper body strength, focus, and problem-solving for pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners. Greenhill is the only school or park with this particular jungle gym set in the state of Texas. After seven years with the same playground, Kim Barnes, Head of Early Childhood, decided it was time for a change. After weeks of research, she decided on the Kompan Company model. “We knew we wanted to work on upper body strength,” Mrs. Barnes said. This playground helps with that through the ladder and monkey bars. It encourages kids to strategize, focus, and problem-solve how they will get from “point A” on the ladder to “point B” on the top of the dome. For example, the monkey bars are bent inward at different points, forcing kids to reach for different spots on each monkey bar and figure out where to place their hands. This task, although simple, does require thought and focus, which benefits preschoolers and kindergarteners in the classroom as well. story by Madison Goodrich

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Welcome to the Hill Upper School

Natalia Hernandez - Director of Curricular Programs Natalia Hernandez, the new Director of Curricular Programs, moved here from Florida, where she was a school administrator before coming to Greenhill. “I started out as a teacher in the Austin Independent School District, where I later transitioned into school administration and moved [to Florida] to be the Head of Lower School there,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “I learned a great deal about teaching, learning, and relationships at each school where I have worked. . . . More importantly, each experience taught me more about myself so that I can strive to be better.” Although she loved her position as Head of Lower School, Mrs. Hernandez said her main reason for leaving Florida and coming to Greenhill was because of her interest in a role that allows her to have a position that would affect all realms of

Velvet Dow - Math

campus. “Despite the fact that I loved being a divisional head, I had been interested in experiencing oversight over the K-12 spectrum for years,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “When I heard about the position at Greenhill, I realized I had an amazing opportunity.” Mrs. Hernandez is looking forward to exploring the entire spectrum of Greenhill as a part of her duties. “I am energized about being able to spend time in classrooms where the students are four and moving to classrooms where they are 14. Imagine being able to sit in on a math class about shapes, move to the chemistry lab, then stop in the Fine Arts building to listen to the choir sing along the way.”

Another one of the many new faculty faces on campus this year belongs to Velvet Dow, Upper School Geometry, Honors Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus BC teacher. Mrs. Dow taught for 14 years at South Grand Prairie High School, originally starting as a color guard director before transitioning to mathematics. When she came to Greenhill for an interview last spring, she was ready for a change. “I was only on campus for thirty minutes, but the vibe I felt in thirty minutes had me hooked.” Mrs. Dow said her choice to become a math teacher stemmed from her father, a music instructor who has been teaching for over fifty years, and also from her love of mathematics. “I love math. It makes so much sense and has so much

practicality. It’s like a puzzle, and helping students with math builds confidence, so I love that daily challenge,” Mrs. Dow said. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Dow had an opportunity to do something related to math other than teaching. “The last two summers I got to go to the AP reading for Calculus, where [math] teachers get to grade AP free response questions,” Mrs. Dow said. “My husband thinks I’m the biggest nerd because I always get so excited about going.” Most of all, Mrs. Dow is excited for the year ahead, especially as it relates to meeting more of the faculty and students from all grade levels.

Michael Haskins - Physics Michael Haskins, recent college graduate (’12) and Upper School Physics teacher, hopes that his love for science will shine through in his teaching. “I am very excited. Science hopes to explain how nature works, and I find it fascinating,” Mr. Haskins said. He also found his love for science at a young age. “I spent a lot of time as a kid always wondering how things worked, from small toy circuits I grew up playing with to trying to understand the rollercoasters I would ride on at amusement parks. I think it’s awesome to figure out how things work, and even cooler to show other people,” Mr. Haskins said.

Haskins comes from a long line of instructors. “Both of my parents are high school teachers, so I’ve grown up around it,” Mr. Haskins said. “I started tutoring my friends in high school on the side, got a job as a teaching assistant (TA) in college, and the rest is history.” Mr. Haskins, who said his experience at Greenhill has been positive from the beginning, is looking forward to his “freshman year” at Greenhill. “The entire community is so friendly. I am really looking forward to getting to know both the students and the faculty.

Middle School

Katie Peterson - English

After taking time off to spend with her daughters, Kate (6) and Caroline (3), Katie Peterson is returning to Greenhill as sixth and seventh grade English teacher. Previously, she taught seventh grade composition from 2004 to 2006. “From the day I left Greenhill, I hoped that I would be able to return one day,” she said. She has found her niche in the Middle School. “I love teaching Middle School students because they have the curiosity and playfulness of children and the ability to analyze and think deeply like young adults,” Ms. Peterson said. “It’s the best of both worlds.” Ms. Peterson enjoys a unique assortment of pastimes, from reading Victorian literature and cooking elaborate meals with her extended family to visiting the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

Photos by Mary Lo, Stories by Christian Holmes

Monsie Muñoz - History

Monsie Muñoz ’05 is a life-long Hornet. The oldest of three Hornet sisters, Ms. Muñoz returned as a second grade teaching fellow after graduating from Williams College, and is now back on campus as a sixth and eighth grade history teacher. “Greenhill continues to feel like my second home regardless of my time away,” Ms. Muñoz said. “My greatest hope is that I don’t fall flat on my face in my new role, because those witnessing the fall aren’t just my coworkers. They are my [former] teachers, mentors, friends, and heroes.” When she isn’t working, Ms. Muñoz enjoys spending time with her friends and family, either around the dinner table or on the couch watching her favorite show, Friends.

Elizabeth Bayer - History

Once a 1st grade teaching fellow with Tony Adler, Elizabeth Bayer has returned to Greenhill as a teacher of fifth grade English and sixth grade history. Ms. Bayer graduated from Rice University and received her Masters in Education from Harvard. “What brought me back to Greenhill was the wonderful community, a mission statement I believe in, and the great faculty and students I get to work with each and every day,” she said. In addition to being a teacher, Ms. Bayer loves playing basketball and is currently training for her third Dallas halfmarathon with her Golden Labrador, Birdie.

Photos by Miles Andres, Stories by Rachel Diebner

wednesday, october 3, 2012

The

Evergreen

news

7

Lower School and Early Childhood

Mary Bourgeois - First Grade

Tara Wettreich - Second Grade

Heather Haas - Third Grade

Greg Krauss - Fourth Grade

Mary Ellen Bourgeois, a graduate of Louisiana State University, is a new first grade teacher at Greenhill. One interesting quirk about Ms. Bourgeois is that she loves the Wizard of Oz and has a collection of Wizard of Oz themed trinkets. “I love everything about it,” Ms. Bourgeois said. “I love Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion and the theme ‘there’s no place like home.’” She says she hopes that Greenhill will become home for her in the same way that Kansas is home to Dorothy.

Tara Wettreich, new second grade teacher, has firm family roots in the school. Her husband Mark ’98 was in Forever Club, and her brother-in-law is Joel Garza, Upper School English teacher. “Between the two of them, I learned so much about Greenhill’s culture,” Mrs. Wettreich said. She loves rooting for the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team. “I told my husband, Mark, that my willingness to get married during March Madness should be all the proof he needs that I love him,” she said.

Heather Haas, the new third grade math teacher, is a true Texan. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Ms. Haas attended Texas A&M University and has taught for the past 14 years in Navasota, Bryan, Houston, Lewisville, and Dallas. “Every year I want to grow as a learner and be a better teacher than the year before,” Ms. Haas said. In her free time, Ms. Haas enjoys competing in triathlons. She completed her first one this summer and says she can’t wait to compete in the next one.

Previously a kindergarten teacher here, Greg Krauss returned to Greenhill after an unexpected phone call this summer to teach fourth grade. He had wanted to move grade levels for some time, but because no positions were available at the time, he resigned. “I knew Greenhill is a fantastic place to teach, so when presented with an opportunity to return in a new position that would be challenging, but rewarding as well, it was a fairly easy decision to accept,” he said. When he isn’t teaching, Mr. Krauss loves to coach soccer, whether it’s for the Varsity Boys team or for the Lower and Middle School skills program he created last fall.

Donna Ferebee - LS Learning Specialist

Nikole Swize -Early Childhood Art

Carrie Martin - LS Librarian

Christine Hagen - LS Library Asst.

A world traveler, Lower School Learning Specialist Donna Ferebee is back in Texas. She first came to Texas to pursue her master’s degree from Texas A&M University and has returned to be closer to her family. Her first excursion abroad was to Melbourne, Australia. “We roamed the Land Down Under and learned about Koalas, wombats, didgeridoos, and dingoes,” she said. Ms. Ferebee returned to Texas for a few years to work at Houston high schools. However, soon another overseas opportunity arose, this time in Saudi Arabia. “Having survived many Texas summers, I thought I knew about hot summer days,” she said. “But I had never seen temperatures reach 120+ degrees as it did in Saudi.”

An instructor at kids’ art studio A Little Artsy in Dallas and former kindergarten art teacher for Highland Park Independent School District, Nikole Swize has come to Greenhill as the Early Childhood Art teacher.

Carrie Martin will also be joining the Hornet family as Lower School Librarian. Ms. Martin earned her teaching degree from University of Texas in Austin and her Masters in Library Science from Texas Woman’s University. She has been teaching for the past nine years at Lakewood Elementary. Her two-month-old daughter Camilla is joining some of the youngest Hornets on campus in the Child Development Center. “We couldn’t be happier that she is also part of the Greenhill family now,” Ms. Martin said.

Christine Hagen, Lower School Library Assistant, comes to Greenhill with a plethora of ideas— from arts-and-crafts projects to puppet shows— to spice up the library experience for Greenhill’s youngest students. “My hopes are that these students learn to love and respect the library, books, and creative ideas,” she said. Currently enrolled at the University of North Texas, Ms. Hagen is also a writer at heart. She has published a short story and is currently working on documentaries. When she isn’t writing, Ms. Hagen loves to watch old movies. “Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong time period,” she said.

“I hope all of my students learn to love art and believe they are artists,” Ms. Swize said. She has already made herself at home on campus. “I love that the peacocks come peek inside my window almost every day,” she said. Ms. Swize loves to spend time with her husband and her two sons, ages 6 and 7. The four enjoy camping, biking, going to the beach, and dancing together.

For More Faculty Features Assistant News Editor Sera Tuz listens in as Laura Ross, current Head of Upper School, chats with Jackie Conlee, Greenhill’s first female Head of Upper School. For more information, see page 10.

Photos by Rachel Diebner and Shelby Beauchamp; stories by Rachel Diebner

The Evergreen Wednesday [10.3.12]

WOMAN to Woman

Photo coutesy of Jennifer Tirrell

FORMER Head of Upper school Jackie Conlee paved the way for future female administrators, including new head laura ross. see page 10 for more.

Over the summer, nine Greenhill teachers used the Board of Trustees faculty grant program to travel the globe in order to further their knowledge and attend seminars.

Photo coutesy of Angie Manning

Upper School librarian Jennifer Tirrell traveled to Oxford, England to take a seven-day course through the Oxbridge Teacher’s Seminar about the history and future of libraries. The group of seven teachers and librarians learned through discussions and lectures. “They were incredible. The information that I got from the speakers, and being able to share that information with others around Greenhill [is what resonated the most].” Mrs. Tirrell intends on talking to both the English and science department about some of the things she learned from the seminar. Mrs. Tirrell also took the trip to meet people and see their perspective on teaching and their use of libraries. “Of the thirty or so of us from all the seminars, there were people from inside the U.S., Australia, India, Mexico and South Africa. We were there when the Olympics started, and we all supported each other during the opening ceremony, which was a really cool moment.”

Photos courtesy of Mary Tapia

Traveling with only a carry-on bag, a purse, and a hunger for new culture, Upper School Spanish and French teacher Mary Tapia visited northern Spain and southern France for five weeks over the summer. “I had never been to Spain, and I’ve been teaching Spanish for many, many years,” Mrs. Tapia said. “I had not been back to France since I studied there 40 years ago, so it seemed like a good opportunity to combine those two things.” Mrs. Tapia enrolled in a course for French teachers in Grenoble, France. “I was able to find a program that really met my needs,” she said. “It was a program for French teachers, not for people learning French, and I’d never found something like that before.” The pictures and information Mrs. Tapia got from her trip are being used already. “I am already using it in class. We have already seen pictures from my trip, so I’m not thinking so much about 10 years from now instead of the next couple of years,” she said. She also explored France and Spain in her off time from the formal course, traveling to Avida, Toledo, Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona in Spain as well as Lyon, Avignon and Sete, France. “Doing it by myself for such an extended time helped me to get out of my comfort zone,” Mrs. Tapia said. “Even in terms of personal interactions, I was talking to people on the street that I would have never done otherwise.” Mrs. Tapia also visited Spanish teacher Consuelo Buxton in Salamanca, Spain.

Other Faculty Grants this Summer Frerichs: Middle and Upper School Chinese teacher Warren Frerichs visited Korea, China, and Taiwan to expand his knowledge of East Asian culture and to finalize plans for the students visiting from Taiwan. LaMendola: Kindergarten teacher Janice LaMendola went on a ten-day road trip to Colorado this summer to visit former Greenhill teacher Gwen Baird, see her son’s lacrosse tournament, and try out adventure sports for the first time. Lopez: Upper School Visual Art teacher Frank Lopez attended a five-day symposium at Carnegie Mellon University focused on 21st century learning, where he heard from speakers and artists about new techniques and aspects of technology.

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Ms. LaMendola saw this view of a Colorado mountain range during her 10-day trip to Denver.

SMART TRAVELS: Mrs. Tapia visited a bustling square in Lyon (top left), and the Plaza in Barcelona (center), while taking a French course and exploring Spain and France. Ms. Tirrell traveled to Oxford and saw Downton Abbey (top right).

On a trip to get more cultural knowledge of Mexico, Upper School history teacher Jonathan Weber visited Mexico City for 10 days with his wife. This was the first time Mr. Weber took a trip to Mexico unrelated to his research for his dissertation on the Porfiriato era in Mexico. “I’ve gone three times before. This was the first time since 2005 that I went for leisure and not research.” Mr. Weber has also been teaching a history elective, Latin America, for the last two years. “I think going abroad and not necessarily going to touristy places makes you aware culturally, and you have a broader sense of people in general,” said Mr. Weber. “Whereas if you never go out of the U.S. and never travel, it narrows your world view.”

Over the summer, second grade teacher Angie Manning visited Denver, Colorado for a three-day Love and Logic workshop. Although she has worked with Love and Logic for the past 10 years, this time Ms. Manning went for facilitator training, where she became certified to teach people about the program’s tenets on parenting. “I am so passionate about it,” Ms. Manning said. “I have my own kid in first grade here, and I’ve seen it work not only in my own home, but also in my classroom. I really enjoy sharing my knowledge and having discussions about it.” In April, Ms. Manning will be leading a Brown Bags and Books discussion about “Parenting with Love and Logic,” which is widely used by the program. “I also hope to eventually do some faculty training and even perhaps offer some parent training other than just the book discussion.” Upper School English teacher Dan Kasten traveled to Chautauqua, New York with his wife for a week-long intellectually invigorating camp. “I have never had a week that was so stimulating. I wanted to do it all but couldn’t. It wasn’t restful at all. I came home tired, but a good tired,” Mr. Kasten said. The week Mr. Kasten visited focused on ethics, which was relevant to him as faculty sponsor of Ethics Club, Honor Council, and Advancing Core Principles. “I think it certainly gives me a broader sense of current thinking, especially in the field of ethics.” Always having had a passion for nature and art, Upper School science teacher Nancy Pinnow connected those interests in Austin, Texas during a three-day course on incorporating nature into art. Ms. Pinnow used first-hand supplies from the Edwards Aquifer to create artwork and journaled about her findings. “I use art a lot when I teach,” Ms. Pinnow said. “I relate things to the environment; it is one of my passions.” Story by Sera Tuz

wednesday, october 3, 2012

The

Evergreen

features

9

Student cancer survivor shares passion for Livestrong cont’d from page 1 him to raise money for Livestrong every year since his diagnosis. Livestrong supporters are encouraged to raise $1,000 for the foundation each year, which Griffin has done for the past five years.

In April 2011, Griffin had the opportunity of attending a Livestrong fundraiser, a fashion show called Dress for Yellow, where he met CEO Doug Ulman and founder Lance Armstrong himself. “My meeting with Lance was short but meaningful. I introduced myself and shook

Photos courtesy of Griffin Olesky

I’M A SURVIVOR: Sophomore Griffin Olesky meets Livestrong CEO Doug Ulman (above) and Lance Armstrong (right). Griffin later stayed with Mr. Ulman in Austin to learn morn about Livestrong, and he plans to hold a fundraiser at Greenhill for the nonprofit organization.

his hand, then we took a picture and I tried to make small talk. I think I complimented his shoes,” Griffin said. After talking with the Livestrong CEO, Griffin received an offer from him to learn about all aspects of Livestrong by traveling to the headquarters in Austin and staying in Mr. Ulman’s house for the duration of the two-day trip this past summer. While Griffin was at Livestrong headquarters he met many of the division heads and learned about what their jobs entail. Essentially, Griffin’s job was to shadow each head while they explained what they do on a day-to-day basis. On Oct. 9, Cycling club will pair up with the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams to hold a bake sale raising money for Livestrong and to help Griffin reach his goal. While Cycling club has only been in existence for about half a school year, Griffin and his copresident senior Ryan Duffy have high hopes for the club. The duo began Cycling club in an effort to increase the popularity of cycling as both a sport and a method of transportation for Greenhill students, while also helping raise money for the Livestrong foundation. In light of the recent events regarding Lance Armstrong ending his fight against charges accusing him of using performanceenhancing drugs, the Cycling club also recently hosted a debate in which students could express their beliefs on the controversy. “I am confident that Lance Armstrong

did not dope,” Griffin said. “I know and any other true Livestrong and Lance Armstrong supporter knows he is clean and so I feel anyone who automatically dislikes him because of the allegations, is not a true fan. The majority [of students] believed he did cheat. This doesn’t bother me, I am happy to hear from my peers about how they feel on the subject. I think some people were more informed than others but in the end it was a solid debate.”

10 features

The

Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Meet the Ladies

Chinese students visit Greenhill, school hopes to form strong bonds cont’d from page 1

Sera Tuz

Asst. News Editor

In 1954, Greenhill’s founder Bernard Fulton appointed Jackie Conlee as the first female head of Upper School. At the time, females headed all divisions at Greenhill. But 58 years later, Laura Ross is the only other female to ever hold the position Head of Upper School. I joined these two women, along with Mr. Fulton’s daughter, Molly Fulton-Seeligson ’60, in Mrs. Conlee’s living room in Dallas to hear them recount the memories they share as women in administrative positions. “I just think it is often nice to have a woman that girls can look up to and see that it is possible to get this high [or even higher],” Mrs. Conlee said. At a time when there were assumptions about what a female could or couldn’t do, Mrs. Conlee was disciplined, and did not let the stereotypes get in her way. “[Working with a male team] turned out just fine. There was a young man who was a math teacher that stepped out of his doorway and said, ‘Mrs. Conlee, if you have any trouble at all, I’m right here.’ I said, ‘Well thank you, but we won’t have any trouble.’ And we didn’t. Everything just went fine,” Mrs. Conlee said. Mrs. Conlee was hired at a time when the Upper School needed reorganization, and Mrs. Fulton-Seeligson said she believes her dad chose just the right person for the job. “I think Bernard saw in Jackie someone who could inspire the students to be the best they could be,” Mrs. Fulton said. “So when she walked into that classroom of boys it was like a movie star walked in. They all were absolutely mesmerized by her and wanted her to think well of them. And so that’s what happened. Not another problem, not another loud voice. They were just attentive and ready to do anything to make her think well of them. I think Bernard really knew what he was doing and what the high school needed.”

Photo by Sera Tuz

THE TOP TWO: Head of Upper School Laura Ross (left) and former Head of Upper School Jackie Conlee (right) came together on Sept. 27 to discuss their experiences as the lone two female Upper School Heads in the history of Greenhill.

Mrs. Conlee, with typical modesty, simply stated: “I told the boys that we were here to learn, and that’s what we were going to do.” The girls also saw Mrs. Conlee as a role model and someone they could confide in. This was true when she was a teacher at a previous school. She recounts a time I just think when the country it is often nice to was at war (World have a woman War II) and tensions that girls can were high. One day look up to and at study hall, a girl see that it is who Mrs. Conlee possible to get had never spoken this high [or to sought her out even higher].” for guidance. “I don’t know, kids have seen me like that. They want to talk to someone, and that’s what they saw me as — someone to talk to,” Mrs. Conlee said. Mrs. Ross says she loves to have just such close relationships with her students. “I love to talk to students. That’s what draws me to working in schools. I find them endlessly invigorating, fascinating, and true, sometimes maddening. But really I think that being with students is what makes working in schools such a rewarding place.” Getting to know students on a personal

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level is something Mrs. Ross became familiar with in her former role as Head of College Counseling at St. Stephens in Austin. “One thing I was worried about in this job was that I wouldn’t have as much opportunity to get to know kids as well and to be that sort of counselor and ear,” Mrs. Ross said. “So I hope that students will see me as that, because that’s something I love to do. The good part about being a counselor is you get to know kids so well, helping them through a process so in this new role I’ll have to create those opportunities.” Only one month into the school year, the faculty are already creating those opportunities themselves. “[The faculty] are always in my office saying ‘I want to do this!’ and ‘I found this neat thing for my class!’ And that’s a wonderful problem to have,” Mrs. Ross said. “To have faculty that are so engaged and excited is a great adventure.” When Mrs. Conlee was at Greenhill, the community was smaller. “It was just three small buildings when I came. We were a lot less into each other’s business. There was some coordination, but very loose. We were a good, functioning school,” Mrs. Conlee said. Thinking back over her past, Mrs. Conlee stated, “It is a beautiful, beautiful school.”

In planning, the faculty was sensitive to the fact that sitting in class all day in an unfamiliar language could be taxing, so the visitors will participate in many other aspects of Greenhill life. They will spend one day serving the Dallas community. “Service is a big part of what we try to do when we take students on trips, so we want them to experience service here in Dallas,” Mr. Griggs said. For one day in the Fine Arts Building, the Chinese students will immerse themselves in any medium they choose. “At Greenhill it is not all about sitting in class all day. The arts day gives them a better sense of what we are doing,” Mr. Frerichs said. On the night of the homecoming dance, Art Hall, director of Director of Equity and Inclusion and Michael Vick, Middle School Chinese teacher, will take the students as a group out to dinner and then to the dance via their own Greenhill bus, rather than have their individual host students accompany them. Two years ago a similar exchange took place between Greenhill and a school in Korea. “We had been to the Middle School in Korea twice before they came here. So Greenhill students felt very excited for their friends to come,” Mr. Frerichs said. This time, Greenhill students had not visited the Minglun High School in Taiwan, so no relationships have formed between the students yet. “People are so busy and have so much on their calendars already,” Mr. Frerichs said, noting that finding Greenhill students who could host was initially a challenge. But this will not be a one-sided exchange: Over spring break, Greenhill students will visit the Chinese students in Taipei. Those who hosted the students will have the first chance to sign up for the trip, which will be led by Monica Bullock, Middle School English teacher, and David Lui, Upper School Chinese teacher. “I am hopeful this is something we can continue,” Mr. Griggs said. “We want to continue to grow and expand these types of opportunities: exposing all of our students to as many cultures as possible. It is a very valuable experience.” story by Samantha Carp

The

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Evergreen

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11

Hornets Abroad:

Juniors Evan White and Rodrigo Gomez-Palacio chose to explore foreign culture through the Student Year Abroad (SYA) program. The Evergreen asked these students about their journeys in France and China thus far. Evan: It’s been fantastic. Beijing looks small on the map, but there’s so much to do that one cannot do everything in even nine months. So far, I’ve been to markets, stores, temples (Lama and Confucius, respectively), the Forbidden City (which really can’t be covered in two hours), and Great Wall (biggest hassle ever). But everything here is so amazing.

How is your host family? My father is professor at the Beijing Normal University and speaks the best English in the family. My mother works at the hospital as an army doctor (so technically, they consider her apart of the Chinese army). My older sister is also a junior in high school while my brother is an eighth grader.

Is it hard having to speak the language? Greenhill prepared me in Chinese, but it’s actually less difficult since my family speaks English. In some instances, when they speak amongst each other, it’s difficult to jump into a conversation, because I don’t know what they are saying. They also don’t know what I’m saying sometimes, so they keep asking until they understand or move onto another question. At school, I’m not in the highest placing Chinese class because the speaking and writing assessment weren’t my strong suits, so right now, I’m reviewing terms and phrases from my Chinese II class at Greenhill.

Have you made a lot of friends? We are facing the same struggles each day so we all come back to school and talk about our families with one another. We help each other, hang out on the weekends (which is very different compared to American weekends),

and go out and explore China together. I really like my new friends and know we’ll stay in contact after we leave.

Do you have a lot of homework? Not as much as I expected (for now). It’s difficult sometimes because I’ve been to college fairs and events that my school participates in and usually get home at 10pm. That’s when I face challenges, but no, Greenhill still holds the record for the most homework.

What do you do on the weekends? Here, the weekends are a time for students to rest and of course, go back for weekend classes and do more homework. I, on the other hand, go out with my friends to shop, eat, and do the regular hangout. We’ve been to stores and my house (because it’s big enough for people to come over with my home theater in the basement) and we have been trying to plan to go to a jazz club and the Beijing Zoo.

Photo Courtesy of Evan White

How has your time been so far?

OVER THE MOON: Evan White holds an authentic Chinese mooncake in Beiijing. He was there for the Mid-Autumn festival that features these traditional delicacies.

Rodrigo: How has your time been so far?

Is it hard having to speak the language?

I’ve been having a blast. I’m predicting that choosing to do SYA will be one of the best decisions I’ve made, probably in my entire life.

Sometimes it’s a bit hard but I know that it will get easier with time. They are super happy with my level of French but I still struggle with a couple areas, especially when I haven’t studied French for almost four months. If they don’t understand something I say, I find another way to make my point. I never speak English to them and I’m lucky they don’t speak it very well. The less English I speak, the better. I’ve been buying baguettes and pain au chocolat as well as asking for directions by myself, which is a really cool feeling.

How is your host family?

Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Gomez-Palacio

LA CUISINE: While spending a year studying in France, junior Rodrigo Gomez-Palacio is taking in French life, including the cuisine and French baguettes.

I love my host family. This is their third year in a row that they host an SYA student, so they have some experience. They make me feel really comfortable and I have an easygoing relationship with all of them. My host parents are awesome. A couple nights ago, I had a really cool bonding experience with my host mom when we had a pretty deep conversation about life and stayed up till midnight just talking. My host sister has taken me out a couple times to meet her local friends.

Have you made a lot of friends? I’ve made so many friends. It feels like I’ve known my friends forever, but it has only been a few weeks. I’ve met some French kids also and they are so cool.

Do you have a lot of homework? Yeah, I mean I have a reasonable amount of homework but to start off the year, it’s been pretty easy. I’m sure it’ll get harder though.

What do you do on the weekends? I’ve only been in France for one full weekend but when we have free time, we either go to a cafe, restaurant, or creperie. Sometimes we play FIFA at my house or just go out to explore the city.

Do you stay in touch with friends and family? How? Yes. Facebook and Skype work pretty well. Viber is also a good choice. If anyone would like to talk to me, my Skype name is pelauski27. story by Joseph Middleman

Across the Ocean and Between Cultures: From China to U.S.A.

Catherine Leffert Staff Writer

Having lived her whole life without Facebook, any siblings, or very much English, junior Rita Tian from Shanghai, China could expect changes when she came to Dallas, Texas for a year of studying abroad. “When I’m determined to do something, no one can stop me,” Rita said. Within two months, she has made many new friends, thrived in a sport she had never played, and navigated cultural differences. “In China, we do not focus much on expressing ourselves, but in America, in Greenhill, they focus a lot on that,” Rita said. “The math and the science subjects are harder, more difficult in China, so these kind of subjects are not difficult to me here.” Rita is taking AP physics and BC calculus, but other subjects are more of a challenge. “It’s going to be difficult to read some of the English, my second language. It’s going to take a long time,” Rita said. One of the reasons Rita came to America was to improve her English, a language she has been taking since the third grade. “I think that my English is kind of awful because when there is a word missing, I cannot contribute to a conversation because I cannot

think of the word,” she said. “I’m surprised with the Chinese program here at Greenhill. There’s a girl in Chinese V, and she is reading a very ancient article from China and it’s very impressive.” Last spring, all Greenhill students received an email asking if they wanted to host a student from China for the following school year. The Smiths jumped on the opportunity. “My sister was going off to college this year, so they In China, we do thought it would be not focus much lonely around the on expressing house. We thought ourselves, but maybe this would in America, in Greenhill, they be a good year [to focus a lot on host], and it was that.” kind of a spur of the moment decision,” said freshman Renee Smith, the youngest in the family. Rita could not learn about anyone from Greenhill before she came because Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are blocked in China. “We use a Chinese version of Facebook and that’s how I contact friends,” Rita said. But she has not used this Chinese equivalent too much yet. Rita said, “I’m just too excited and I

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don’t miss my home.” So far, the mall is one of the places Rita has enjoyed most. “In China, movies are labeled as girlfriend and boyfriend things. Most parents do not allow students at my age to have a boyfriend, because they think it is a distraction from studying.” She was surprised to find that in America, parents are usually not as strict. “One time we were sitting at the dinner table and [Rita] leans over to me and whispers, ‘Renee, does your mother know that you swap boyfriends frequently?’” said Renee. Having only played ping-pong, Taiji, and badminton, Rita is picking up a whole new sport as well with JV field hockey. She has been able to grow on the athletic field with the support of teammates. After only a few weeks of field hockey practice, Rita is playing forward at her games. The differences in China and America are vast. She has made friends, played a sport, and loves the country. She’s forging ahead in her new home in the States. As for Greenhill, Rita said, “I’m really grateful and thankful for my host family, and my school, and that I meet so many nice friends every day.”

Photo by Mary Lo

A NEW BALL GAME: Foreign-exchange student Rita Tian takes field hockey by storm, despite not having any previous field hockey experience before coming to Greenhill.

12

The

Eve

Student Political Affiliation Other

Unsure

18%

5% Democra tic

43%

Independent

12%

Republica n

22%

The Evergreen exp climate of students an

Millennials in Ameri

59% approval rating of I n 2008: 66% Obama, 3

2012 Prediction: 5 2 1 % of nationa

*Zero students plan on voting for Virgil Goode

51% voter tu 46 m

As a Nation The final wind-up to the 2012 presidential election begins tonight with the first debate between Democratic incumbent Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. In an economic atmosphere characterized by high unemployment and slow growth, Romney’s most likely strategy is — no surprise — to focus on the economy. But, almost as importantly, he has to try and avoid potentially distracting social issues, such as same-sex marriage and abortion. Why? That’s a sore spot for many moderate and Republican-leaning voters — in particular, young ones. In recent years, young voters — aged 18 to 29, and also commonly known as Generation Y or the Millennials — have steadily increased their attendance at the voting booth to a record high of 51 percent turnout for the 2008 presidential election. While still lower than the national average (64 percent), and far lower than turnout among voters over 65 (70 percent), this young voter tally did represent the only statistically significant increase in turnout between 2004 and 2008. Furthermore, the number of eligible youth voters in the United States, now 46 million, is increasing, representing 21 percent of the entire national voting population this year. By 2015, it’s expected to constitute a third of the population. That’s a hefty portion of the electorate. Polls show that youth voters are a lopsidedly Democratic-leaning faction. In the 2008 presidential election, 66 percent of young voters chose Obama on their ballots, while 32 percent voted for John McCain. The 34 percent difference is by far the largest voting gap for the 18-29 age group since the voting age was lowered in 1972. These numbers are indicative of a clear leftward shift for young voters, who now overwhelmingly think and vote Democratic, especially on social issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and immigration.

As a Generation This is where younger voters stand on a national level. But where does Greenhill stand as a school, and as a student body? In 2008, a now-graduated student body participated in an Upper School mock election. Sixty-one percent voted for Obama, 32 percent for McCain, and seven percent for third-party or write-in candidates. Those numbers almost perfectly reflect the actual 66:32 percent split of young voters that year. The voting tendencies of the current student body are just as close. As this year’s mock election, hosted by Political Action Club (PAC), has yet to take place, The Evergreen surveyed 88 random students about their political preferences. Of those 88, 55 students (62.5 percent) said they will vote for Obama in November or would if they were 18. Another 26 (30 percent) said the same for Romney, with the final 7 (8 percent) unsure or voting for third-party candidates. But in that same survey, only 43 percent of students said they identified themselves as Democrats; 24 percent listed Independent or Other, 22 percent Republican, and 12.5 percent were unsure. As follows, Upper School students and faculty perceive the student body to be predominantly liberal. In the survey, students were asked to place the Upper School student body on a spectrum ranging from 1 (very liberal) to 5 (very conservative). A slight majority, 54.5 percent, selected “very liberal” or “liberal,” only 11 percent selected one of the

*

Survey based on a random sample of 88 students and 23 faculty

two conservative options, and the remaining 35 percent were unsure or selected “3,” balanced between liberal and conservative. But among upperclassmen, who have been in the Upper School longer, 66 percent perceived the student body as liberal, as opposed to 43 percent of underclassmen. When 23 Upper School faculty members were asked the same question, 20 faculty members (87 percent) selected “2” (liberal) and only two (nine percent) chose “4” (conservative). No faculty member perceived the student body as either “very liberal” or “very conservative.”

As a School

To test the true leanings of the student body, The Evergreen conducted a different survey on a separate random sample of 86 Upper School students. The survey, adopted from an exercise given to Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics (AP Gov) students, was composed of 10 statements. Each statement took a conservative or liberal stance on a current political issue, but were not labeled as such. Students circled a number on a spectrum from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to indicate their position on that issue. The survey results did not show a clear liberal majority stance. Health care was one of the most divisive issues, with almost an equal number of students taking a liberal or conservative stance. Similarly, on the statement “To reduce the nation’s budget deficit, the government should privatize and reduce social welfare programs while keeping taxes low to encourage economic growth”, 41 percent agreed in some form, 25 percent disagreed, and 34 percent chose neither side. These numbers indicate that on economic policy, students are not as strongly liberal in ideology, and in fact are quite balanced in views held. Upper School AP Gov and Government in Action teacher Genie Burke said these results hold with the spread of views she sees in her classes. She said she would not describe the student body as “very liberal.” “I think that sometimes those are just the voices that are heard above the rest, because they feel the most comfortable sharing their political views in a really vocal way. When I do the survey [in class] every year and ‘diagnose’ my students, it’s never definitely liberal,” Ms. Burke said. “There are a lot of students that fall in what I call the middle of the road, that gray area, that group of voters or potential voters that the candidates are both trying to get. I don’t think there are a lot of outliers on either ideology. My sense is that the vast majority of our student body are somewhere close to the middle.”

What do we care about?

ergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

lores the political nd faculty at Greenhill.

ica

f Obama 2% McCain 5% Obama,42% Romney

al voting population

urnout rate in 2008 illion eligible to vote

Social issues, however, are an exception. Students, like young voters in general, agreed most on social issues, namely abortion and same-sex marriage, and overwhelmingly took a liberal stance. Over half of students — respectively 41 and 44 out of 86 — strongly disagreed with the statements “In order to protect the sanctity of the life of the unborn, the government needs to increase its legislation and restrictions against current abortion policy” and “The definition of marriage is the legal union between one man and one woman, and the federal judges and bureaucrats should not force states to recognize other living arrangements as marriages” — and consequently hold more liberal views on both issues. There are a number of theories for why young voters, on a national level, tend to be socially liberal. Due to demographic changes in the population, the Millennials are the most diverse generation of the United States and are also notably more secular. They grew up during the popular Clinton and unpopular Bush presidencies, and with the rise of the Internet. Young people also tend to just identity as liberal in general. “Just by the nature of circumstance, young people don’t have the tax concerns that drive people to be more conservative, they don’t have the income base, and they haven’t experienced a full spectrum of life events that tend to make people more conservative,” Ms. Burke said. Overall, we tend to care more about our own niche issues, tied to our own interests. Take sophomore Spencer Kuiper: The two issues he cares about the most are sciene funding and management — for example, funding for NASA and the handling of climate change — and issues related to free speech and copyright laws on the Internet. Unfortunately, Spencer said, both issues are barely given any attention by politicians and the media, a fact that leads him to feel “less involved” about politics in general. “[The two major political parties] basically don’t pay attention to anything I’m interested in, or side with the corporate or business side, which is exactly the thing I’m opposed to,” Spencer said.

Do we care? Though Spencer’s political interests may be unique to him, generally speaking, his concern is common among young voters — and Greenhill students. They feel like their voice doesn’t matter, a concern amplified in a state like Texas, a conservative stronghold. Our perception of the student body is positive: Approximately 61 percent of both Upper School students and faculty agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “The Upper School student body is very politically aware and involved.”

*Zero faculty plan on voting for Virgil Goode and Gary Johnson

However, in our AP Gov-inspired second survey, in which students selected their stance on a certain political issue, there were approximately 25-30 responses of “3” on almost every question. In other words, approximately a third of students were either unsure about or had no stance on the majority of issues, signaling a fairly large degree of political apathy or lack of awareness. Additionally, in our first survey of students, only 34 percent said they followed politics on the news at least three to four times per week. Similarly, 32 percent said they discussed politics at least three to four times per week. In comparison, 91 percent of faculty surveyed said they follow the news at least three to four times per week; 57 percent responded that they discuss politics at least as frequently. As these numbers show, we may not be as politically aware as we perceive ourselves to be. According to Brian, a theory for this may just be our emphasis on social issues — as shown in the popularity and high attendance of the Upper School club True Colors, which advocates GLBTQ rights and equality — which masks our lack of awareness on other issues. Targeting lack of awareness is a major goal for other clubs. “The goals of the PAC are to make students at Greenhill more politically aware and to provide a forum for non-confrontational political discussion,” said PAC co-president senior Jaime Jaramillo. However, energized debates during meetings tend to supersede informative PowerPoint presentations. “Historically, [PAC’s role] has been to facilitate dialogue,” said PAC co-vice president senior Andrew Spomer. “I personally would like to see a bit more education because I think a prerequisite to effective dialogue is an informed citizenry.” Andrew adds that he currently believes the student body as a whole is not very politically aware. However, he said that an obstacle for PAC is the student body’s perception of it as a more liberally leaning environment, though the club’s members reflect a balanced spectrum of views.

Why we should care? Ms. Burke said that it’s important for politicians to energize the youth vote, as Obama did in 2008. “If young voters are not hearing things that matter to them, maybe health care is not a priority to an 18 year old, candidates need to make sure that their message is directed towards the youth and they have the ability to get that message and that energy out,” she said. She adds that politicians have to inspire their volunteers in the grassroots community to organize fundraisers and discussions. Even simple events can make a difference. In a poll of the 46 seniors who will be 18 by the presidential election on Nov. 6, 70 percent are currently registered to vote, while 80 percent said they are definitely planning on voting in November. Many attributed their registration to PAC’s voter registration drive held in the spring. However, it’s just as important that young people actually vote. Politicians tend to focus on issues older voters care about, such as social welfare programs, because older voter turnout still dwarfs young voter participation. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle: If youth voting rates climb, politicians will pay more attention to young voters. Story by Anton Yu

Graphic by Rebecca Kim and Samantha Carp

13

14 special report

The

Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

D E E P GOING LOCAL: Street side vendors line the street of the Deep Ellum Outdoor Market. This vibrant market exhibits over 40 local booths every third Saturday and Sunday of the month.

A

fter Brandon Castillo, creator promote the goal of the market, and it’s much and director of the Deep Ellum more of a spectacle when you shut down the Outdoor Market (DEOM), street. It just attracts that much more attengraduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas, he tion,” Castillo said. was excited about the idea of exploring the big, The spectacle takes place every third wide world. weekend of the month, generating around 40 “I wanted to live in a real city. So I did vendors and many more attendees. that. I lived in all different kinds of cities and The DEOM has now generated comfinally I came back here about six years ago, and petition as one of many markets in I saw that none of these outdoor festivals that the area. Others include Pegasus Plaza exist in every other city in the world actually Outdoor Market. White Rock Local Market, happen in Dallas,” he said. “So I thought if and Dallas Flea Market. nobody else is doing it, then I will.” Some, like the DalCastillo’s vision for the DEOM fit las Flea Market, only two objectives: invigorate sidewalk life happen once a year and We just like attract almost twice as and energize commerce and exposure for the people. many vendors. Many of local artist and businesses. They’re so open Castillo’s usual vendors “We have created an event with the intention of urbanizing Deep Ellum, Dalminded and take the chance to sell in las’ historical arts district. Our project is it’s about the the larger scenes as well. designed to draw people to the neighborBut what the Deep music and art hood to spend time and money at the Ellum Outdoor Market out here, so it local bars, restaurants, and retail stores,” lacks in size, it makes up makes sense to Castillo said. for in uniqueness. Stepbe a part of it Since its opening two years ago, the ping onto Main Street, and support it.” we saw rows of tents DEOM has been constantly growing. But every success story has its humble filled with local goods, beginnings. each manned by vendors “I remember getting on my hands and more eccentric than the last. knees and begging people to come out, At the first booth, a woman was wearing saying, ‘Please come and sell.’ And somehow it a plush beehive hat, which threatened to fall worked. Then somehow I got an interview on off as she shook her head side to side, explaintelevision, and we had a bunch of people come ing the importance of her organization, the out on the first show,” Castillo said. HoneyBee Guild, to two small children. In the summer of 2010, 23 vendors set up We moved on to a friendly man, who sat booths in the abandoned parking lot behind happily sketching away in his notebook. As we Café Brazil on the corner of Elm Street and walked up to his booth, the man smiled, bearNorth Malcolm X Boulevard. Despite Dallas’ ing his missing front teeth. This portrait and scorching heat, the first DEOM attracted over caricature artist’s portfolio showed brilliantly 800 visitors over the course of six hours. But exaggerated ink drawings of celebrities such Castillo noticed a trend. as Miley Cyrus and Steven Tyler. He attends “We found that people would come and the market each month, offering portraits for stay for 30 to 40 minutes and then get in the as low as $5. car and leave,” he said. “We wanted the peoNearby, a band of bearded musicians who ple to stay and explore the neighborhood and call themselves The Box Car Bandits played walk around.” folk music. As soon as they began playing, a This summer, the market relocated in cel- crowd of bobbing heads and tapping toes clutebration of its two-year anniversary. tered up the road. “Having the market on Main Street helps We sat at a table nearby, casually listen-

“

ing as we ate our sandwiches from Nammi, a Vietnamese food truck. That day, they were giving away free, off-menu lunch made especially for the marketgoers: jellyfish, quail, and silkworm sandwiches. Not surprisingly, each had a unique texture of its own. Warning: not advised for the weak of stomach. Then, people started to gather around a large, black truck with the faded letters S.W.A.T. along the sides. The back of the truck was rolled up like a garage door and funky, electronic pop blasted from within. Inside, the DJ stood behind two tables while the music flowed through an old washing machine and dryer revamped as speakers. Customers sifted through piles of bright, printed t-shirts while they listened. This was a usual Saturday afternoon for Durty Laundry co-founders Daniel and Chris. Each Saturday and Sunday, the truck and crew park somewhere in the Dallas area, returning each month for the DEOM. The truck acts as a pop-up store for their clothing store, which sells graphic tees, and for their DJ booth business, Durty Laundry. The old S.W.A.T. truck was once used in the movie RoboCop. Daniel said people are usually initially confused about their store. “At first, people’s reactions are ‘Dang, that’s a big truck. What are ya’ll doing?’” In the beginning, Daniel and Chris wanted to sell their designs but didn’t have enough money for a store. They decided to begin selling at the DEOM and other Dallas festivals before they obtained the truck from an old friend in the movie business. “We always like to do different things, always trying to do new things, and be a step ahead, do things no one has ever done,” Daniel said. Despite their recent success, they stay loyal to return to the DEOM. “We’ve been with Brandon for a long time at Deep Ellum, even before the truck, [when] we just had a table,” Daniel said. “We just like the people. They’re so open minded and it’s about music and art out here, so it makes sense to be a part of it and support it.” We made our last stop at a booth filled

E L L U M with stacked boxes full of well-preserved records. There, we met Jeff who has been participating in the DEOM for two years. Although he doesn’t have an official store, outdoor markets like Deep Ellum and community sales provide a place for his small business. Selling records has a deeper meaning than just revenue for Jeff. “When you find something really cool that you haven’t seen yet, you just want to keep it to yourself,” he said. “But you play it and look at it and say I had my fun with it. It’s time to pass it on and let somebody who wants it.” On an ordinary day, Jeff works as a manager at a restaurant, 5th Street, in Allen. A look inside the record filled walls of his pizza restaurant hints at his quirky hobby of collecting records. Even the restaurant has its own unique specialty. “We have New York style pizza, Chicago style pizza, and even St. Louis. We’re the only pizza store in Texas that has St. Louis pizza,” he said. “St. Louis pizza is very rare. We have people driving up from Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Oklahoma just to get our pizza.” As one of the consistent returning members, Jeff is part of the community that has grown among the vendors. “The booths change each time, but there’s also a lot of the same people. It’s nice to see people returning and seeing their work. Like these are my neighbors, I know all these guys.” Castillo hopes the market family will continue to grow. “It was a big objective of mine to move it onto Main Street, and every year it’s still a struggle to keep it [here],” said Castillo. “But, I would love to see the market expanding from this small block to further down to hall,” he said. As the market continues to grow, we hope the vendors will stay true to the unique combination of goods, activites, and food which make up the Deep Ellum Outdoor Market. story and photos by Gabby Das and Rebecca Kim

The Evergreen Wednesday [10.3.12]

ARTS

& Entertainment

ALL YOU CAN EAT

Get your vegetarian buffet fix at a spot you never knew existed. p. 17

Grand Prize Pie

Sophomore enters award-winning recipes in annual State Fair Junior Cooking Competition Sofia Shirley

Asst. Features Editor

S

ophomore Hope Rovner will cheer for Greenhill at the Homecoming game on Friday. She will perform the halftime routine and tumbling stunts. Then, she will immediately go home to whip up frosting, dip candies in chocolate, and bake cake. Hopefully, she’ll be done in time to get some sleep before the Homecoming dance and the State Fair Junior Cooking Competition. Last year’s competition earned Hope three awards, including first place for her Buckeyes recipe. Buckeyes are peanut butter balls dipped in dark chocolate, an Ohio tradition. She took second place for her chocolate basket cake and received an honorable mention for her red velvet cupcakes. This was out of a field of over 100 contestants. This year, Hope plans to enter her lemon curd cupcakes, Italian crème cake, and caramels dipped in malt chocolate. Hope’s mother, Kate Rovner, participates in many cooking challenges, and said that Hope started baking at an early age. “Hope has been baking her entire life. Like most toddlers, she played with pots and pans, but then she graduated to whisks and the Kitchen Aid stand mixer,” Ms. Rovner said. Hope remembers helping her mom with small tasks when she was younger. “Sometimes I would measure ingredients for her, and she’d have to check them because I was little, but I would just ask to help [whenever I could],” Hope said. Hope first entered the State Fair Cooking Competition when she was seven years old with a simple cookie recipe. “She measured and mixed and shaped and placed on the baking sheet. When I asked, ‘Should I open the oven or do you want me to put the cookies in the oven?’, she replied, ‘I’ll open the oven and put the cookies in the oven,’” Ms. Rovner said. Hope’s flourless peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies won blue ribbon at the state fair and were featured in the November 2006 issue of Southern Living, a lifestyle magazine featuring recipes, among other information about Southern living and culture. The feature also included several other

winning recipes by the Rovners. Culinary expertise runs in the Rovner family. Ms. Rovner won the Amateur division of the National Pie Contest in 2005, and this will be her 20th year participating in the Texas State Fair. “Most of my favorite memories of the Fair involve taking Hope and her two older sisters to the Fair when they were little. We all have lifelong friends we’ve made [there],” Ms. Rovner said. Although anyone can show up on the day of the competition with dessert and registration information in hand, Hope prepares well in advance and tests her recipes over the summer to prepare. This summer, Hope had to make her Italian cream cake multiple times before she got it right. “If something doesn’t work, you have to make something else, or fix it. But if you fix it and it still doesn’t work, then you have to make something else. And sometimes it’s just a really repetitive and long process,” she said. Both of her parents have their roles in the kitchen; her dad is the main tester in the family, and her mom knows how to help Hope modify the recipe for future test runs. “If it’s too dry, she knows exactly how to fix it, and if it’s too lemony, she knows exactly how much lemon to take back. She’s almost always right,” Hope said. However, though Hope’s mom has been her main helper, Hope bakes for competitions independently. “My mom has never helped me; she takes pride in that. When I was little she would stand there to make sure I didn’t burn the house down, but she just did the dishes and I would do the rest,” Hope said. While Hope finds herself baking in intense bouts over the summer, her mother is the regular year-round baker in the family. Every week, Ms. Rovner bakes cookies on Saturdays and muffins or biscuits on Sundays. Even so, Ms. Rovner tries to make herself available to Hope as much as possible during her summer baking. “[One year,] Hope was preparing Peppermint Patties for the Fair. I wasn’t home. She called to say that things were not going well. When I got home, I tried to help, got frustrated, and told her to ‘throw that mess

Recipe: Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (From the kitchen of the Rovners) 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup chunky peanut butter 1 large egg

1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup milk chocolate morsels

Photo coutesy of Southern Living Magazine

A FAMILY OF BAKERS: The Rovners (above) pose after winning several awards in a baking competition. Hope, second from left, entered her first competition when she was seven.

away’. She persevered, made it work, and won a third place ribbon,” Ms. Rovner said. Hope obtains almost all her recipes from her mom, Southern Living, cookbooks, and family friends. “Lucky for me, I don’t have to worry about finding recipes because people send them to me. Because otherwise I’m sure that would be the hardest part,” Hope said. Due to Hope’s busy schedule during the competition, Hope had to plan for the fair even

farther in advance than other competitors do. “I already prepared as much I can. If you freeze stuff before you put icing on it, it actually keeps really well,” she said. Hope’s never taken a cooking class in her life, but the ribbons she’s won prove her talent. Ultimately, Hope attributes her baking success to her competitive nature. “I like winning, so that’s probably a good thing. My mom did it and I thought it was fun, so I’ve been doing it since,” she said.

1. Stir together first five ingredients in a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate morsels. 2. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paperlined baking sheet. 3. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. (Cookies will be soft in the center.) Cool cookies on baking sheet five minutes. Remove to a wire rack.

16 arts

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Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Chart Toppers

Acclaimed Artist Visits Lower School Alex Weinberg Arts Editor

Award winning musician and storyteller Susan Reed will visit Greenhill on Oct. 5 to perform for, and interact with, students in Pre-K through second grade. Ms. Reed, who lives in the Boston area, is a classical violinist, folk musician, singer, and storyteller. She has been nationally honored multiple times, winning a Parent’s Choice Silver Award, a Tillywig Gold Award, and a Creative Child Magazine CD of the Year Award for her recorded albums and books. Her performances consists of live music and storytelling designed to engage and involve her audience. Reed was asked by Greenhill’s Cultural Arts Committee (CAC) to visit. The CAC pursued her as a guest performer because of her cross-generational appeal and the balance of entertainment and education with which she conducts her performances. “We’re always looking for opportunities like these from the CAC,” said Head of Lower School Michael Simpson. “When [the CAC] told me about [Reed], it struck a good chord. The best performers are the ones who make it more than a performance and really interact with the audience so that the kids will learn something. [Reed] fits that bill very well.” Lower School Visual Art Teacher Mary Aidala said she looks at Reed’s coming to Greenhill from the perspective not only of an art teacher, but also that of a parent, as her daughter Ava attends Greenhill. “It’s great for the kids to be exposed to as many different types of artists and artistic experiences as possible. I know a performance like [Reed’s] will really stand out in a Lower School student’s day.”

Members of Greenhill community write critically praised novels Sanah Hasan Asst. Art Editor

Evergreen staff writer John Eisenberg ‘75’s, latest work appeared on bookshelves yesterday. It’s the latest in a lifetime of sports writing. Mr. Eisenberg grew up around books, so it is no wonder that he would eventually write one. Mr. Eisenberg’s first summer job was at his mother’s book store in Dallas. As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Eisenberg was an English major and pursued his interest in journalism. “I really got interested in the journalism style. I knew I had the aptitude to write stories and books. I am not one of those people who are afraid of a blank page,” said Mr. Eisenberg. After graduating from college, Mr. Eisenberg wrote sports columns for the Baltimore Sun. He has also written for publications such as Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine, and Details, covering important events in sports history. He has written over 3,000 sports columns and earned 20 awards for his newspaper writing, including the Associated Press Sports Editors contest. After being an avid sports writer, Mr. Eisenberg transitioned into writing books. Lately, he has been busy writing a book about the Dallas Cowboys: Ten-Gallon War: The NFL’s Cowboys, the AFL’s Texans, and the Feud for Dallas’s Pro Football Future, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). “I had devoted a chapter to the subject in one of my prior books, Cotton Bowl Days, and because of that chapter, NFL Films interviewed me about the war in 2009 as part of a documentary they were putting together on the history of the American Football League. I happened to be searching for a new book subject at that time, and a few weeks after that interview, the light bulb came on. Even though I had written about this before, the characters and narrative were so rich that the subject deserved an entire book,” said Mr. Eisenberg.

Tall Tales and Wedding Veils (Forever, 2008) is the latest addition to a tall stack of 18 romance novels Jane Graves, mother of Charlotte Graves ’02, has penned. The story is about an unlikely pair who meets in a casino, and ends up getting married. It is sweet romantic novel, with a chick-lit twist. Mrs. Graves has won awards that include two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and the Golden Quill. She has been featured on USA Today, and earned a spot on the top 100 Barnes and Noble’s Best seller list.

Charlotte Rogan, mother of triplets Nick ’08, Olivia ’08, and Stephanie ’08, has won critical praise for her book The Lifeboat (Reagan Arthur Books, 2008), a novel that recounts the harrowing story of a tragic incident on a cruise liner, and the struggles that follow. Mrs. Rogan studied architecture and engineering at Princeton University, but after she had her triplets she decided to stay at home. In the meantime, she pursued her interest of writing. Mrs. Rogan worked on The Lifeboat for over a decade before sending the manuscript to a literary agent. Much to her surprise, It quickly became a New York Times best-seller. “I was a closet writer for 25 years before The Lifeboat was published, so you can imagine that this has been a very strange experience for me. I am kind of a private person, so being a little bit in the public eye is not always comfortable for me. But I think every writer wants an audience,” Mrs. Rogan said. The sudden realization of wanting to write a story does not come out of thin air. “I found the germ of the story in my husband’s old criminal law text, which I picked up one day and started to read. I was particularly intrigued by two 19th-century legal cases where shipwrecked sailors were put on trial after being rescued. In one of the cases that caught my eye, the castaways of the Mignonette survived for three weeks in a 13-foot boat by killing and eating a cabin boy.” Her advice for aspiring writers is to read constantly, and examine the different strategies experienced authors use.

Jay McGraw ‘98 is known for his books about teen bullying, weight problems, and overall guidance on living with teenagers. His most recent book Jay McGraw’s Life Strategies For Dealing With Bullies (Aladdin, 2008). His father, Dr. Phil McGraw (aka Dr. Phil), wrote the forward to the book. He has appeared on numerous talk shows, including Larry King Live, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America, Today, The Early Show, Entertainment Tonight and Extra. He often makes guest appearances on his father’s show to give his advicve on issues pertinent to the show’s topic. Mr. McGraw is also a New York Times #1 Bestseller for his books Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens: The 7 Keys to Weight Freedom, Life Strategies For Teens and Closing The Gap: A Strategy for Bringing Parents and Teens Together. Mr. McGraw is also an Emmy-Award winning creator of the series “The Doctors.”

wednesday, october 3, 2012

The

Evergreen

arts

17

DINNER &

A MOVIE Tierney Riordan Asst. Arts Editor

D

espite Kalachandji’s inconvenient location just north of I-30, this vegetarian buffet provides an unexpected oasis from the traffic filled lanes of highways. The restaurant itself is located inside a Hare Krishna temple. If you’re lucky, you’ll dine there while a ceremony or party is being held, when the halls are filled with people decked out in splendid, colored robes.

If you are even luckier, you’ll be showered with the “sacred flower petals” these finely dressed people are throwing about. Most of the seating is outside, so be warned: this is not a restaurant to withstand the Texas summer heat. From the outside, the restaurant seems like a drab, colorless edifice, but inside, it is a courtyard haven, aligned with gurgling fountains and twinkling fairy lights. It is Anne’s secret garden, hidden in Narnia’s wardrobe. The food matches the restaurant’s whimsical character; the vegetarian buffet in definition and a health nut’s dream in ideal. For vegetar-

Photos by Tierney Riordan

A DREAM COME TRUE: Mike Birbiglia (above), of Sleepwalk with Me, wakes up after jumping out of a two-story window in his underwear.

ians, it means a break from always being “that person” asking the waiter to check if the soup is made with chicken stock; for omnivores, it’s a time to try something new. A commonly held belief is that vegetarian food lacks variety, but one look at a Kalachandji’s buffet would change any skeptic’s mind. The dishes include every vegetable imaginable, from sautéed kale to roast pumpkin. While the take is mostly Indian, this restaurant is never what you expect. On my visit the star dish of the night was lasagna. Other savory dishes include chickpea curry and Green Mung Dal soup. The savory dishes are delightfully exotic, while still remaining just familiar enough. If you do happen to find a whole chili pepper in your soup as I did, don’t eat it unless your favorite condiment is pain. Health food and dessert will never mix well, but Kalachandji’s made a valiant effort with their vegan ginger cookie and rice pudding. The brightest star in their collection of desserts is the cinnamon raisin bread, which is reminiscent of cinnamon raison bread my mother used to make. There’s a reason it’s the only food item that is always available, both lunch and dinner. Kalachandji’s is the unexpected spot for great food and even better ambiance, and is an adventure worth having.

M Photos courtesy of Joe Noeding

VEGGIE DELIGHT: Kalachandji, a vegetarian’s paradise, serves a wide variety of Indian foods in a buffet setting. The restaurant features a cool indoor decor and a beautiful garden.

ike Birbiglia’s life is in a downward spiral. His girlfriend, Abby, wants to get married, while Mike wants “to wait until I’m sure nothing else good can happen in life” before he gets married. Mike, who is a stand-up comedian by trade, uses his personal problems as fodder for his comedy, which naturally just makes the situation worse. As his personal life worsens, Mike develops a sleeping disorder in which he acts out his dreams in real life, and this sleepwalking gets him into strange situations. In one scene

Photos courtesy of IFC Films

he thinks there is a jackal in the room, so he tries to kick it to death, only to find upon waking that it’s a storage box. He also, in multiple scenes, is found running out of his room in his underwear. Running anywhere in your underwear is awkward enough, but becomes infinitely more so when you are staying in a hotel. One scene even finds a sleepwalking Mike jumping out of a two-story window, also in his underwear. Ironically, the worse Mike’s life gets, the better his comedy, and consequently career, gets. Despite not being fast-paced, and somewhat strange in places, Sleepwalk With Me is full of a subtle humor. There might be slightly too much bare-chested Mike Birbiglia for most audiences, but ultimately he teaches us the importance of being able to find humor in the bad things in our lives. If he can make light of near-death experiences, surely we must be able to find something funny in 30 pages of reading and a math test.

18 arts

The

Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

The Journey of Love at First Laugh Ashley Goldschmid Managing Editor

This year marks the first in many that Greenhill will put on a romantic comedy. For the cast, this means chemistry matters as they rehearse for Almost, Maine, a production by John Cairani. “When a student goes through the Greenhill theater, we try to let them experience different genres of plays, so when they graduate they will have a well-rounded range of acting styles,” Ms. Rogers said. Almost, Maine is made up of nine short plays that have around two main characters in each. Their multiple storylines explore different aspects of love. It is not just different because it is a romantic comedy. The characters in this play are much more relatable and real. It isn’t satire, it is not a story about Greek gods; it is a play about real people who are dealing with something that is very real, which is love,” said Senior Kyle Weinreb, who plays Dave in the play. Last year, the students and Ms. Rodgers talked about several options for the fall drama. The returning students

chose this play as their favorite. “I feel like the play was very well received by everyone. We love that it has both hilarious and serious moments. The best part is that there are various roles, so everyone has their time to shine,” said Senior Jeffry Valdez, who plays Phil in the play. It isn’t satire, The structure also has it is not a story advantages. “When I was a about Greek gods, freshman, I was the only freshman it is a play about in the fall drama, but now there real people who are numerous underclassmen that are dealing with have joined in the last two years something that is who are enormously talented and very real, which is love.” have great attitude,” Kyle said. With such a strong cast overall, the audition process is comprehensive. Each student had to read the first two pages of a scene and then read a paragraph from the narrator’s part. “I look at how well they capture the part in auditions and at their experience. (After they read lines) I paired them up and saw

“

New sculptures adorn campus, expose artists Amna Kaiser Views Editor

This year, there are three new pieces of art around campus, all created by members of the Greenhill community. In front of the Fine Arts building, where a Pegasus used to be, is a piece made of welded steel with lacquer

George Tobolowsky, a Greenhill parent and metal artist created the work, which is titled “Letting Go #1.” Tony Schraufnagel, Upper and Middle School Visual Art teacher, installed one of his own pieces, made of copper and porcelain, in the lobby of the administration building is titled “Ascent” and represents the Greenhill

how the chemistry between the characters gelled,” Ms. Rogers said. “Chemistry in this play is essential, because the people in this play are very vulnerable, so as an actor, it is pivotal to create that supporting environment for your classmates so they can feel comfortable diving into that role,” Kyle said. The chemistry between the multiple couples expresses love at different stages. “It is different people in different phases of their lives- a more mature couple, a young one-and their stories all happen simultaneously. It shows how nature throws our emotions,” Ms. Rogers said. While the characters are realistic, there is a twist. “The thing that connects all of them is that it all occurs in the magical place of Almost, Maine during the northern lights,” Jeffry said. Since the cast members are in the beginning of rehearsals, students are spending their time developing their characters. The production opens in the first week of November. “Even though it is bittersweet that this is my last fall drama, I know with all the talented people in the grades below me that the fall drama is in good hands,” Kyle said.

Adding Art: This year, new sculptures, made by members of the Greenhill community, were installed in various locations on campus.

community and its diversity, as well as moving through the educational journey. The third new piece on campus is displayed outside the office of Michael Manes, Head of Fine Arts, in the Fine Arts building. Austin Ablon ’12 created the piece for Greenhill at the end of his senior year. It is titled “Flame” and made of welded steel. Photos by Alex Weinberg

sports The Evergreen Wednesday [10.3.12]

Junior Noah Montgomery makes his mark on the field for Greenhill

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Football attempts to find the will and the way

Photo by Patrick Green

GOING FOR GLORY: Junior quarterback Noah Montgomery seeks the perfect pass in a game against the Episcopal School of Dallas. The team hopes to build on fundamentals this season.

Alex Weinberg Arts Editor

Quality over quantity. Head Football Coach Jeff Hollway will be the first to advocate for it. His football team this year has a roster of 52 players, a 20 percent increase from last season’s squad of 43. However, sheer numbers aren’t enough to get it done on the football field, as the team has lost their first five games so far this season. “The numbers are better,” said Coach Hollway. “However, we did not have very good participation this summer [in the Bigger, Faster, Stronger (BFS) program], so the quality of the number is not where it needs to be.” While he said he considers the increase a step in the right direction, he does not believe that this alone can equate to a winning team. “Football is work,” said Coach Hollway. “And when you don’t work, it shows up on the field.” In Coach Hollway’s eyes, the primary obstacle for this year’s team has not been a lack of manpower, but rather a lack of adequate conditioning. In the team’s first game of this season against Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD), several players suffered from cramps, especially in the later stages of the game, which kept them sidelined for minutes at a time. Cramps did not plague the team in any of their subsequent three games. Coach Hollway chalks this up to better, more consciously healthful decisions, like better hydration. “At this point, we can’t fix what we didn’t do over the summer in terms of conditioning,” said Coach Hollway. “However, we can choose to put good things in our bodies and sleep well, and that can make a difference.” Nevertheless, Coach Hollway said that there is certainly more to be done as a team and as a football program.

“The [desire] to win is there from a lot of our guys,” said Coach Hollway. “Now it’s time to take it to the next level and start working out harder.” The football team practices two hours on Mondays, from 6am to 7:30am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and approximately an hour each Saturday. Thursdays are pre-gameday walk-throughs, and Fridays are gamedays. “Going for two hours or less each day isn’t enough,” said Coach Hollway. “We need a year-round commitment to the Greenhill athletics program to be successful.” That level of commitment and success is something Head Girls’ Basketball Coach Darryn Sandler said he’s seen steadily declining in Greenhill athletics for the last decade. Mr. Sandler, Coach Hollway and Director of Fitness Center Gillian Glengarry are very involved with summer BFS workouts. “Especially over the summer, there’s not that level of commitment to Greenhill athletics that I used to see,” Coach Sandler said. “People don’t want to work as hard as they used to and that’s what’s hurting our athletics programs.” Mr. Sandler began teaching and coaching sports at Greenhill in the 19992000 school year. In that year alone, between boys’ and girls’ sports, Greenhill won eight Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) Championships. Among these conference titles was Greenhill’s first (and only to date) football championship. David Carter ’02 was a junior football player at Greenhill that year and remembers the winning culture of Greenhill football during his tenure. In his freshman year, a new head coach, John Calce, took over Greenhill’s football program. “Coach Calce very much redefined and rebranded what it meant to play football for Greenhill,” said Carter. “It wasn’t something you did by going through the motions; it required a lot of hard work.”

Mr. Carter recalls the willingness, even eagerness, with which football players would put in time outside of practice, whether over the summer, after scheduled practice times, in the weight room. “Everybody really bought into what we were trying to accomplish,” said Mr. Carter. “Hard work was contagious and it was something everybody on the team took very seriously.” In three of his four years, Mr. Carter’s teams placed either first or second place in If you’re going the SPC. “It wasn’t to put your free time into something, about having the whatever it is, you most players or want it to pay off... even the most Especially when a talented guys,” team is involved, it he said. “It was really comes down about devotion. to finding leadership We knew that if and trusting in the whole team teammates.” was committed to working hard, we would be rewarded with wins.” For Mr. Carter, this attitude is one that applies in areas outside of just the football field, and even sports in general. “If you’re going to put your free time into something, whatever it is, you want it to pay off,” Mr. Carter said. “Especially when a team is involved, it really comes down to finding leadership and trusting in teammates.” This leadership and trust is precisely what Mr. Carter said was so crucial to his teams’ success. To junior football captain Jalen Sharp, this feeling of solidarity is missing from this season’s team. For Jalen, who was one of a handful of football players Mr. Sandler said he saw in attendance at the majority of BFS

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workouts this past summer, differences in training regimens during the off-season do matter. “You can tell that the guys who worked out all summer don’t find daily practices to be that hard,” said Jalen. “But then there are those people who didn’t put in the work, and that really hurts the team.” Jalen said what bothers him the most is when players miss the opportunity to be a positive influence on the team. “When somebody complains in practice that it’s too hot or too hard or whatever it is, I just wish they understood how much it helps to put in the time over the summer and outside of just practice,” Jalen said. Mr. Sandler also said he is bothered more by complaints then by any general lack of commitment. “If people don’t want to work hard in a sport, fine. Nobody can make them,” Mr. Sandler said. “But when those same people moan that their team isn’t winning, they’re the ones who have the ability to do something about it themselves and just aren’t working towards that potential.” Mr. Carter said he is confident that this potential for success at Greenhill, in football and in athletics in general, certainly still exists. “It wasn’t like we were recruiting a ton of top-tier football talents when I was playing football at Greenhill,” Mr. Carter said. “We had the same guys who came up through the program in middle school and wanted to work hard in order to win.” Coach Hollway said he is optimistic for the future of his team in that he sees this mindset developing. “The [desire] to be better is there. The vocal leadership is there,” Coach Hollway said. “Now we just need more action, and a better balance between vocal and active leadership. I see this improving every day.”

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Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Despite injuries, volleyball aims for third championship Varun Gupta Staff Writer

At the final game of the 2011 SPC Boys Volleyball Tournament, the excitement and energy in the Phillips Gym was at its peak. The sound system blared music to rile up the crowd that filled the bleachers and yelled Greenhill chants. An enthusiastic fan dressed in a green and gold Spandex suit waved the school flag. Players dripped with sweat as the crowds of fans radiated with energy and heat. When the referee blew the final whistle after three long sets, Greenhill students jumped off the bleachers and mobbed the victorious team. This year, the Greenhill boys varsity volleyball team strives to win a third straight Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) title. Greenhill’s volleyball program has become well known in the SPC. In the fall of 2010, the varsity volleyball team went undefeated with a record of 31-0, and in 2011 finished 31-2. These last few successful seasons have boosted Greenhill’s confidence, spirit, and excitement for the game of volleyball. This season, however, has not started the way Head Coach Keith Nannie and the varsity team had envisioned with a current record of 12-4. Two significant injuries hampered the team in only the first week: Senior captain Zac Cooner broke his pinky finger, and SPIKING FOR SUCCESS: Senior Brian Broder spikes sophomore Chandler Notley was diagnosed with a concussion. the ball for the match-winning point. This season, “With these injuries we had a very the team is striving to win its third consecutive title.

By the numbers 221

Rushing yards accrued by junior Matthew Jones in his Sept. 7 game against John Paul II High School. Matthew had 24 carries and also scored one touchdown in the loss.

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small number of players, thus we did not have many options nor much flexibility in our lineup,” Coach Nannie said. “Chandler has just returned [in last Friday’s game against Trinity Valley], which will give us more height and more offensive options.” As the team is unsure if and when Zac will return, Coach Nannie has emphasized the importance of teamwork and responsibility across the board. “We have overcome the loss [of Zac] with other players stepping up and taking the lead roles. All of the seniors have been tremendous leaders,” Coach Nannie said. Even though Zac cannot play, he actively participates in games by offering his advice to other players. During practice, Coach Nannie assigns players to the front or back row according to their height and skill level. “You have to know what your role is,” said Coach Nannie. According to senior captain Brian Broder, the team sometimes struggles to clinch a victory. “In terms of the actual game, we have had a little trouble finishing off games,” Brian said. “We tend to give up a few points right at the end.” On a larger scale, part of executing the task is for volleyball players to learn that a hard work ethic is the only way to reach success. “Our volleyball team is athletic and we do extremely thorough conditioning,” Coach Nannie said. Coach Nannie constantly tells the

Place of finish by senior Ryan Duffy in the Varsity Boys’ division of the Decatur Assault on Eagle Summit meet, held on Sept. 8 in Decatur, Texas.

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players to give 100 percent of their effort during practice. Brian recalls a famous quote from Coach Nannie: “You get what you tolerate.” Varsity players play club volleyball in the summer, spring and winter months to stay in shape for the regular season. Brian started playing volleyball in 5th grade at the Addison Volleyball Club and has competed there for seven years. “I have found most of my good friends through volleyball,” Brian said. For some, the intensity of the program can be more than their schedules allow. Junior Matthew Stock, a former varsity volleyball player, decided to quit because he was the only player who did not play on a club team, and he had other interests. “My skill set was much less developed than the rest of the team, and I knew that going into this year.” Coach Nannie hopes to expose young athletes to volleyball. The varsity players show enthusiasm on the court, which provokes friends and siblings to join the volleyball program. Currently, there are 13 students playing volleyball in 7th grade, and 16 students in the 8th grade. Varsity players serve as role models to the junior varsity team. Freshman Ryan Diebner, who has played volleyball since 7th grade, said he feels that JV volleyball prepares players to compete at the varsity level. “A lot of JV player’s goals is to get to their level in the next few years,” Ryan said.

Seconds needed by varsity football to score their first touchdown against John Paul II. Junior Jalen Sharp returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for the score.

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Gold medals won by junior Charlie Wang in various ping-pong competitions at this past summer’s Junior Olympics. See page 22 for more details.

wednesday, october 3, 2012

The

Evergreen

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Junior brings change to varsity football Ben Krakow Staff Writer

Before every game, junior Noah Montgomery listens to the same playlist from his iPod. He plans to keep his pre-game ritual a secret, and nobody except for Noah knows what is on that list. As he listens, the world around him melts away as he becomes focused on the game ahead. “I can’t give it away; it is a secret,” Noah said. Noah visited Greenhill last January and was impressed with the school, but he still wasn’t sure Greenhill was the right place for him. It wasn’t just the football adjustment he had to worry about. He knew everything would be hard. He was moving from a public to a private high school, which likely meant an increased academic workload. He also did not know anyone Greenhill before coming. But he knew he couldn’t pass up this opportunity. He loved how nice and welcoming Greenhill students and faculty were to him. He decided to come to Greenhill, and he has impressed on and off the field. “He brings athleticism and has a competitive nature not a lot of people on this campus have,” said senior football co-captain Josh Dickerman. His coaches also agree that he brings a strong work ethic to the team. “Noah is a very hard worker, loves playing football, and being a football player. He brings a tough work ethic that I hope will become contagious in our community. His biggest attribute is his willingness to learn and grow as a player,” said Jeff Hollway, Head Football Coach. Off the field, Noah has made friends as well. “He is already one of my best friends, and he is a great kid,” Josh said. Noah especially likes the coaching staff at Greenhill. “The coaching staff loves to be here and will do anything they need to win,” Noah said. Stuck as the backup quarterback at Frisco High School, Noah only got to play at the end of games when the score wasn’t close. Therefore, Noah was eager to become a starting quarterback and began working with well known local quarterbacks, like coach Kevin Murray. At the time, Murray was working with former Greenhill quarterback Nick Brienzi ’12. Murray knew there would be an opening at the quarterback position on the football team next year. He suggested to Noah that he look into Greenhill and got him in contact with some of the football coaches at Greenhill. Noah started playing football at a young age. At the time, he played wide receiver. He kept playing the position until eighth grade. He was throwing the football with his friends at school one day when one of the football coaches noticed he

Photos courtesy of Patrick Green

NOAH TAKES CHARGE: The football team welcomes the new quarterback, junior Noah Montgomery. Despite a shoulder injury, he hopes to finish the rest of the football season strong.

could throw. This is when Noah and the coaches at his school decided he should switch to quarterback. “I’m slow and I can throw a football better than I can catch a football,” Noah said of his football skills. His quarterback career took off after that. Noah hopes that his football career will extend beyond Greenhill. A couple of collegiate schools such as University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth College have reached out to him expressing possible interest in recruiting in the future. Noah knows his chances rely a lot on how his junior and senior seasons go at Greenhill. This means these next two years are critical for his future in football.

For right now, Noah is focused on the team. He has set a few goals that he would like to achieve this year. He believes these are reachable despite the Hornets’ slow start to the season, which included him missing the game that they lost to John Paul II. “My goals for this season are to have a winning record and to perform to the best of my abilities,” Noah said. He hopes his abilities help turn around the Hornets and develop them into an SPC football powerhouse in the near future.

Cheerleading continues to grow, JV team formed “My speculation is that it’s because as a squad, each year we’ve grown gradually. I’ve been on the squad For years as the Junior Varsity (JV) Football team since my freshman year, and I think each year our sprinted across the field, you could hear a pin squad has gotten better and better,” said drop. This year, however, due to an increase in junior cheerleader Allie Woodson. cheerleaders, the JV cheerleading team now “We are gaining a reputation for I think we being a strong, determined squad dances and shouts for the JV football and are gaining and people want to be a part of that,” basketball teams. The JV team consists of freshmen Allyson a reputation she said. Bigenho, Sydney Cohen, Katie Dickerman, There have not been any major for being Britney Johnson, Francera Riddick, and a strong, changes to the team besides the sheer Renee Smith. determined number of cheerleaders they have had and The team provides a transitional year for improvements that have been made in squad and the freshman girls who have not cheered for the their conditioning. people want school before. They added more workout to be a part activities to their conditioning program, Because the Middle School discontinued of that.” which has improved their stamina its cheerleading team, this is the first time these girls have the opportunity to cheer for and endurance. Greenhill. They learn the same chants and “It makes it easier to cheer a full cheers that the varsity team does. four quarters without feeling worn out and tired,” “Our cheerleading coaching staff thought it was sAllie said. important to provide this opportunity for our ninth grade Two new coaches, the Director of Admission students as an added benefit of practicing communication Angela Woodson and the Director of Major Gifts skills, poise, and crowd management as leaders within our and Alumni Relations Whitney Strauss, have been Greenhill community,” said Varsity Cheerleading Coach added to the coaching staff to assist with the and primer teacher Tracey Pugh. new team. At the first varsity football game of the year against The varsity and the newly established JV team Fort Worth Country Day, the six JV girls were introduced plan on competing in at least two cheerleading by Tom Perryman ‘81, Assistant Head of School and competitions this year: the NCA (National a Greenhill football coach. This game also gave the Cheerleaders Association) and the State of Texas team an opportunity to dance and chant alongside the Cheer Championship. varsity cheerleaders. The varsity team plans to continue their success It is thought by team members that the recent growth this year, and the JV team hopes to also make a name in cheer is due to the team’s gradual improvement. for themselves. Matthew Jones Asst. Sports Editor

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Evergreen

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Ping-pong champ details ins and outs of his sport Shruti Rao

Asst. Views Editor

Recently I had the chance to sit down with junior Charlie Wang and learn more not just about his ping-pong career, but also about his personality. This summer, Charlie competed in the Junior Olympics and brought home two gold medals. He also placed third in the national competition. The Junior Olympics are open for anyone to sign up for, but there are several levels of competition required to reach the top. Teams from several different countries, including China and India, compete. This year the Junior Olympics were held in Houston, Texas. “Anyone can go, but to win is kind of hard,” Charlie said. Considering the rigor of the competition levels, this is a major understatement. The Junior Olympics are among the most prestigious competitions offered for amateur ping-pong players internationally. Charlie certainly isn’t the first to tell you about himself — however, his success at the ping-pong table does all the talking. “I didn’t do too well in singles,” Charlie said at first. “But there are team and doubles events. . . . I got two golds in doubles and team, so I guess that was nice.” The Junior Olympics competition uses a round-robin format. All competitors are split into larger groups based on skill level. Then within each group a round robin is held; each competitor in any given group faces everyone else within the same division. The top two competitors from each round robin advance to the next round, where the same format is used. Charlie also shared with me some interesting details about ping-pong gear — namely his customized shoes and paddles. “You can customize your paddles depending on your play style,” he said. “Depending on the kind of rubber, you can have better control of the ball, spin, and speed. I like to have more spin on my front hand and for my backhand and I like to have more speed control.” Charlie is modest, but he can also show attitude. When he played competitive pingpong in Middle School, he acquired the nickname “The Rager” for throwing his paddle in frustration when he lost a point. Though Charlie has long since overcome that unstable temper, the nickname has stuck with him through high school. Even though Charlie didn’t possess any particular interest in the sport, his mother

Photo courtesy of Charlie Wang

TAKING OVER TABLE TENNIS: Junior Charlie Wang shows off his ping-pong skills in a match. This summer, Charlie competed at the Junior Olympics, earning two gold medals. Nicknamed “The Rager,” he has set his sights on Nationals again this year after previously winning third place.

signed him up for weekly classes when he was eight. What began as a simple class became something far more serious and eventful. “A great ping-pong player is committed. Dedication is key,” Charlie said. Charlie’s double partner has been a longtime friend but they have only played ping-pong together for about a year. Charlie still plays with the same club he started with seven years ago. He practices for about two to three hours every day and tries to commit at least an hour to practicing with his partner daily. “It is really important to train with your doubles partner,” Charlie said. “You have to be familiar with how they play and how they react. It is really, really difficult.” Charlie does his best to compete in a tournament about once a month. However, with the pressures of junior year mounting, he is focusing on nationals for this upcoming season.

AFTERWORDS Discover the secret to success wednesday, october 3, 2012

It is not a myth: At Greenhill there are students who can ace a test without studying and write a paper during bagel break the day it’s due. It was not until sophomore year that I learned I was not one of them.

At first, I seemed to be doing what everyone else was doing. I turned in my homework on time, paid attention in class, and crammed before every chemistry test, but it still was not enough for me to get the grades I wanted. But it was not until I stopped imitating how my classmate’s studied, that I finally started to succeed. We all study and learn differently. I have to read in complete silence and even a faint whisper can distract me. On the other hand, some of my friends can’t focus on reading without white noise in the background. Another quirk I learned about myself — I can’t sit in class and simply listen to the teacher. If I am not taking detailed notes, my mind quickly drifts towards what is for lunch or if the teacher has noticed

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I’m breaking the dress code. Some of my classmates There is no write nothing key number of done; they simhours to work, ply listen to the or secret ways teacher an absorb to prepare for a the material. We test.” all have our own work styles. Just because someone studies for a long or short period, does not mean they are more or less prepared for a test. There is no key number of hours to work, or secret way to prepare for a test. We need to learn to be patient with ourselves and others. When your friend com-

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plains about studying 10 hours the night before for the Spanish test, it does not mean that your two hours were insufficient. For some it really does take those 10 hours. If I started the history reading on Monday, it is not that I am just a goody-goody, I really do need a week to read one chapter. The key to success at Greenhill is to find out what works best for you. Once you discover what works, things will change. They changed so much so for me, that when I applied to college I had no idea how to explain the huge discrepancy in my transcript between my freshman year and the other three years of high school. But that’s just what happened; I found what works best for me.

sion. It’s a smaller school in the northeast that, while very popular there, is unheard of by most in Texas. It had everything I was looking for, even my nerdiest love: beautiful buildings that looked like they could be straight out of Hogwarts. It felt like home. When I got back to Texas, I excitedly told my family about the school. The majority of them responded, “that’s great, where is that? I’ve never heard of it.” Once I heard that several times, I started to get self-conscious. I took the fact that people had never heard of the school I loved as a negative thing. I thought people at Greenhill would think less of me for not having a popular school as my number one school. Every time a person asked me about my first choice, my stomach would flip nervously in apprehension of their reaction to my answer. While this seems ridiculous in hindsight, at the time I felt like I was taking a risk by not

doing what everyone else was doing. When someone close to me said, “Put blinders on. Don’t worry what everyone else is doing. Just focus on what’s right for you,” it finally hit me. It seemed so superficial to care where other people were going. How did that affect me? Obviously, the best place for me won’t necessarily be the best place for someone else. I wish I hadn’t wasted time worrying about what other people thought and instead spent that time being excited about finding my potential new home for the next four years. So, for all the sophomores and juniors starting the grueling college process, I have this to say: Don’t be afraid to go your own route. If you want to study abroad, go to a huge state school. Or go to a tiny school in the middle of nowhere. Do it. It’s about doing what is right for you and in the end, everyone will support you.

Walking in, I expected to see some Mother Teresa type, dressed in conservative clothing, sort of timid with a sweet voice. A lifelong Catholic, I should have been well aware that this was just a stereotype. Nevertheless, I was in for a surprise. Sister Prejean, dressed in jeans and a denim jacket, was spunky at 73. The first thing to come out of her mouth, in a thick Louisiana drawl, was a joke about a Catholic nun in a Protestant church, which sent the crowd into a fit of laughter. But Sister Helen Prejean’s appearance did much more than change my view of nuns. It made me think about how I perceive people, all people. Ever since I understood what exactly the death penalty was (being the daughter of a lawyer, I was pretty young), I’ve been against it. Something about killing people who have killed people in order to show people that killing is wrong seemed— well, wrong to me. I understand that horrible acts should be

punished, and I cannot begin to comprehend the pain of those who have I am much b e e n more than af fe c te d what I have by these acts, or have but something not done... Sister Helen People can Prejean said during change, for her speech struck better or for a chord with me; worse.” she explained that a person is much more than the sum of their actions. I realized that this not only applied to people on death row, but everyone. I am much more than what I have or have not done. I have family and friends who love me regardless of my successes or failures and mistakes. People can change, for better or for worse. And though a person, and opinions of said person, can be shaped by his or her past,

it should not define him or her. This can be comforting or discomforting. I was walking into unfamiliar territory when I stepped into that church. But immediately I was filled with hope. I was surrounded by people wearing purple shirts that read “separation of church and hate,” people who had just marched in a pride parade. There were young people and old people, Catholics and Protestants (and I would be willing to bet, people of other faiths) all gathered under one roof to learn about the fight for the lives of people who have committed terrible wrongs, realizing that we shouldn’t cut off a life while there is still hope for change. This hope is worth fighting for. But perhaps most importantly, I learned to accept that while we should be responsible for our actions, we are not every act we have committed, good or bad. We are much more than that.

With little exception, everyone was just grinding. If anything, I should have been relieved by the uniformity — and the minimal arm, leg, or body movement required. I didn’t know how to dance — and still don’t — so it’s safe to say I was a little nervous, worried that clumsy feet or a lack of confidence would reduce me to the stereotypical nerd by the bleachers or background punchaholic. I was anything but relieved, though. For those unfamiliar, grinding is what it sounds like. It’s a close — and emphasis on the “close” — partner dance that involves two or more dancers. The girl faces away from the boy, her posterior pressed against his crotch, and his hands on her hips. They move, or “grind,” in unison — and, as you’d be sure to notice if you saw it, in sexual imitation. And that’s a PG way of describing it. I don’t imagine that this description shocks anyone, what with our sexually liberal post-’60s culture. Some might even be surprised I’d make a big deal out of this: After all, grinding’s just how we, as a generation, dance. Adults might not like it, but adults questioned Elvis’ swinging hips and the ’70sintroduced “Bump” too.

But grinding should shock you. It is indicative of a greater trend in sexual expression that seems to me troubling. What will come next, for future generations? When will it stop being just imitation on the dance floor? This last question is, according to past faculty chaperones, always a concern. But what I’m looking for is not adult intervention, only partially because teenagers rarely, if ever, respond positively to administrative bans and restrictions. But let’s fast forward to the future. In a few decades, we’ll be the teachers, administrators, and parents. We’ll be the ones looking at our kids on the dance floor — doing who knows what, going who knows how far — and wishing we had stemmed the tide now, when we had the power to. We’ll be at our own high school reunion dances, feeling abashed and awkward that such a thing as grinding was the “Charleston” or “tango” of our time. Because I wouldn’t say anything if grinding truly seemed fun to me. But it’s not — and I’d go so far as to say other students agree (though I wouldn’t substitute “fun” with “pleasurable”). It’s just something we inherited from the older kids at our first Homecoming. I wouldn’t say anything if we truly seemed

to hate real dance crazes. But the sudden popularity of Korean pop star Psy’s Gangnam Style this year suggests otherwise. And I wouldn’t say anything if we didn’t have 10 foreign students visiting our Homecoming dance this year, hoping to catch a glimpse of American teen culture. But we do. It’s fair to say a dance floor of grinding would be an accurate portrayal of American teen culture — but is that the portrayal we’d like? Last year, I skipped the Big Three — Homecoming, Sadies, and Prom — simply because I found school dances, and grinding, to be lacking in appeal and in tastefulness. This year, I return primarily out of the conventions of senior year (who says peer pressure doesn’t exist?), myself hoping to catch a glimpse of American teen culture — one inspired by those ’80s movies I hold so dear to my heart. So on Saturday night, when you walk onto the dance floor, here’s what I’d love to see. Swing some arms. Kick those legs. Break out the African Anteater Dance if you have to (and watch a few more ’80s movies if you don’t get the reference). Make the faculty chaperones wish they were on the dance floor too — and not to break anything up.

Finding the perfect route for me

I never knew I was so picky. For 16 years, I would eat basically any food you put in front of me, except for berries (I’m allergic). I couldn’t care less where I bought my clothes and would rather go with the flow than cause an issue. So at the end of sophomore year when I went on my first college visit, it was very strange for me to completely dislike a school. The size, atmosphere, style of the buildings, and locations: all part of a mental check-

list I had no idea I had even created. I visited four schools on that trip and I hated all of them, and hate is not a word I use often. Though it did give me a basis for what type of school I was looking for, it limited my options significantly. After that trip, I took a huge map and crossed out every state I couldn’t see myself going to. I had always had the “get out of Texas” mentality, so I eliminated many southern states. Then came my fear of natural disasters, which meant crossing out California, Louisiana, and some central states. With that map in my mind, I went on a few more college visits. I found something wrong with each school I visited. I started to freak out, thinking I would end up at some average school that I’d have to force myself to like for four years. Thankfully, that all changed when I visited the school I’m now applying to early deci-

Being more than our actions

A Catholic nun at the pulpit of a Protestant church changed my view on life, life that is about to be cut short, that is. A little over two weeks ago, I sat in the balcony of Northaven Methodist church to listen to Sister Helen Prejean, speak. I knew very little about her or her work, having only seen the trailer of the based upon her book, Dead Man Walking. I searched her on Wikipedia, learning she was a proponent for abolition of the death penalty.

Just dance: It’ll be okay

As my final Homecoming approaches, I’m disappointed to say I have yet to witness any actual dancing at Greenhill dances. Walking into my first high school dance, Homecoming freshman year, I expected an experience akin to what I’d seen in classic ’80s teen movies (Footloose, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, etc.). Sure, after three decades there would be some changes: for example, the replacement of live bands by DJ’s. But, all in all, I expected, at bare minimum, students facing each other, dancing. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and discovered our generation’s signature move: grinding.

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wednesday, october 3, 2012

family & parenting

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reenhill is a community of learners bound by technology. From the classroom to our social lives, students engage in online activity on a day-to-day basis as a way to network with the world around us, and blogging is no exception. From mommies to muslims, manga and beyond, the Greenhill community has become engaged in our generation’s blogosphere as a way to stay connected. Due to this growing trend, The Evergreen has highlighted a few notable blogs from our community.

story and graphic by Gabby Das

fashion & photos For senior Remy Fine, blogging is just one facet of a more ambitious plan to put on a fashion show for her Senior Capstone Project. Over the course of this year, she will organize, market, and produce a full-blown fashion show. As part of the project’s marketing aspect, Remy created the blog www.RemyFine.tumblr.com, where she documents her project each step of the way and shares her fashion thoughts and personal photography. “I think [blogging] is a form of expression,” Remy said. “It's a way for all people, no matter what their story is, to find a way to share it. It is a way to connect to people who are just like you,” Remy said. After her project, she says she is open-minded about continuing her blog. “As soon as I find something to share other than this project, why not?,” said Remy.

life & love Alumna Lauren Moon ’10 has loved writing from a young age. This summer, inspired by the stacks of manuscripts she read while interning for 20th Century Fox, she decided to rekindle that love in the form of a blog. “I pretty much just write about my dismal romantic history, current failed love life, and other happenings and mishaps I have as a twenty-something,” Lauren said. After advertising a link to her blog, www.Laurenistwentysomething.com, as a wall post on Facebook, she quickly received thousands of hits. Now up to 10,000 views in only four months, Lauren remembers to stay modest. “Sometimes I think we can get caught up in all of that and have to be careful to stay grounded and not fixate so closely on our own lives,” she said.

As soon as fellow Greenhill faculty mothers saw Upper School Latin teacher Berkeley Gillentine, they immediately bombarded her with the question, ‘Is it up yet?’. They were eagerly awaiting the comedic relief provided by Mrs. Gillentine’s parenting blog, www.bestofberk.com, about her two children, Worth and Clara. Mrs. Gillentine first began typing each post on her iPhone as a way to entertain herself while waiting in the Mothers’ Room. Soon, she cultivated a small fan base of teachers, students, and family with her charmingly hilarious posts. Despite her blog’s popularity, the fundamental reason she blogs is for herself and her family. “My blog basically acts as a baby book,” she said. “It’s a way to keep track of the daily stories of [my kids] as they grow up that would really be lost otherwise.”

books & technology As a bookworm, Librarian Katie Beth Miller is always looking for ways to engage young readers, and her blogs do just that. Ms. Miller maintains two blogs: www.ithinkithinkthat.blogspot.com, featuring junior and teen fiction, and www.graphicallycomic.blogspot.com, which combines technology and graphic novels. After Ms. Miller writes a book review, she posts about it and places QR codes on the back of the book she has written about to direct students to her posts. At her young age, Ms. Miller has grown up watching technology evolve. “The first time I used a blog was in college. It’s already progressed so much, with tons of added freedom and accessibility; it can only grow from here.”

culture & youth After returning from a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL) in Washington D.C., senior Hebah Khan had only one thing on her mind: community. While away, she dreamt of creating a platform for young muslims to share and develop their own subculture. Starting a blog was the perfect venue. “I just wanted to do something to fill the void of our community and creatively bring people together,” Hebah said. “Essentially, my blog answers the question, ‘Who is the American Muslim?’” Her blog, www. hoodistan.com, contains weekly posts by a range of talented, young Muslim-Americans ranging from a professional slam poet to a member of the upcoming muslim hip-hop group Native Deen.